Weekly E-Pistle: First Sunday of Lent

2/22/2020

This Week's Homily: Jack Ridl
"The Devil Went Down to Douglas"

Our Pastor Sal is currently on sabbatical, and we have an amazing lineup of inspiring speakers through the end of March (see schedule here). This Sunday, our church member Jack Ridl will give the message, with special music programming by Nancy Plantinga and the Huggett Family and Peter Black.

Poet Laureate of Douglas Jack Ridl is the author of nine award-winning collections of poetry, several collegiate textbooks and anthologies, and a weekly blog at www.ridl.com. He was named Michigan's Teacher of the Year by The Carnegie Foundation, and more than 90 of his students are now published authors. Please join us Sunday for 10am service!

Thanks to our Feb 23 Service Team
and Tim Buszka!

Thanks to Tim Buszka and everyone who participated in making the February 23 service for our church. Well done, team!

Community Forum on Domestic Violence
March 1, 3pm, DUCC Sanctuary

Douglas UCC's Social Justice team invites you to join us for a discussion of domestic violence. How to recognize it, how to help, what local resources are available to support people rebuilding their lives. Our friends from Sylvia’s Place, a local social worker, a law enforcement officer and former victims will share their experience and answer our questions.

Kudos for Lenten Sanctuary Display

Thanks go to Greg Harvath, Floyd Fleming and Jim Bailey for their vision and hard work to dress the sanctuary for our Season of Lent. Awakening, going inward, seeking the light, together...

True Justice: Documentary Screening,
March 11, 6 pm, Herrick Public Library

Our Social Justice Team Recommends all of the works by author Bryan Stevenson, and encourages you attend this powerful documentary showing in Holland. TRUE JUSTICE: BRYAN STEVENSON’S FIGHT FOR EQUALITY examines his personal journey as a public defender in Alabama and director of the Equal Justice Initiative, who is working to bring justice to the incarcerated, wrongfully convicted and disadvantaged. This film weaves together Stevenson’s own story, those of his clients, and a history of injustice and complicity by our justice system to reveal how a narrative of racial inequality emerged in this country. Bryan challenges us to seek the truth, confront it, and work towards reconciliation.

2020 Lenten Devotionals On Sale Now

The Lenten Devotionals have arrived. On sale for $5 each in the church office from 10 to 1pm weekdays, and at the Friendship Hall on Sundays. A good way to contemplate this sacred season.

A Course In Miracles Made Easy -- Starting Apr 14

Nancy Plantinga and participants will be journeying through the book “A Course in Miracles Made Easy (Mastering the Journey from Fear to Love), by Alan Cohen.

A Course in Miracles, also referred to as ACIM and The Course, is a self-study system of spiritual awakening that teaches the way of inner peace and healing through the power of love and forgiveness. Alan Cohen has been a practitioner and teacher of the Course for 35+ years. The original version of ACIM includes a 600+ page textbook, 365 daily lessons, and a Teacher's Manual. Cohen has taken some of the major teachings of ACIM and brought them into a shorter and more easy-to-understand version. This is a perfect way to begin the journey of ACIM!

There is no financial cost to attend this discussion group, however, you will need to purchase the book and a notebook/journal to help process through your journey of self-discovery.
The discussion group will begin meeting in the Spring Street House on Tuesday, April 14 at 6:30 in Spring Street House, and will continue meeting on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month through September, or until the entire book has been processed.

Nancy says, "I have started ACIM a few times and gotten bogged down and frustrated with its lengthy text and far-reaching concepts. Yet, the message that I/we need to move from fear to love, from darkness into the Light, truly resonates with me. When I was preparing for my recent talk “Out of Darkness, Into the Light,” I felt strongly guided to get back into my personal journey through the Course. This book by Alan Cohen came forward as well as the desire to form a discussion group to do the same. I'm looking forward to taking this journey with members of my spiritual family!"

If you are interested in being part of this discussion group, please contact Nancy Plantinga. Email her at [email protected] or call her 616.405.3399

Walk for Warmth, March 21, Otsego

Walk for Warmth
Walk for Warmth is right around the corner and Community Action is looking for sponsors, as well as participants.

Community Action believes that when families get the right resources at the right time, our community becomes stronger and more resilient. Community Action is excited to join the statewide effort to raise awareness concerning people experiencing heat-related emergencies with our 3rd annual “Walk for Warmth” 5K Run/Walk at The Lynx in Otsego on March 21, 2020 from 9am to 11am. Their “Walk for Warmth” will shine a spotlight on the need for emergency utility assistance in Allegan County and raise funds for families in Allegan County facing shut-off notices.

This year the state has cut utility assistance for many agencies, ours alone was cut by nearly 70%. Last year we were able to raise $6,350. Come support the event and help us double that amount so we can help even more families struggling throughout the Allegan County.

We are inviting you to join us in 2020. Sign up can be done online by going to, https://runsignup.com/Race/MI/Otsego/CAAC2019WalkforWarmth or by completing the form attached and returning it to Community Action of Allegan County. Registration cost is $35 for adults and $15 for children with children under 5 being free. Also included is a continental breakfast and a really awesome long sleeve ¼ zip ‘tech shirt’ for adults.
Documents:

Peace and Blessings,
Sue Fleming

Maundy Thursday Service April 9, Sign Up Now

A remembrance of Jesus' last supper with his friends, and a powerful service each year, Maundy Thursday Service will be held on April 9. Space is limited, so please sign up on the special Maundy Thursday board in the Friendship Hall.

Upcoming Potluck, March 8!!

Please join us in the Friendship Hall after our Sunday service for our "2nd Sunday of the Month" Potluck. Please bring a dish to share, and come hungry! If you can plan to help with cleanup afterwards, that will make shorter work for everyone.

Potluck Cleanup

Potlucks are so much fun, so delicious, such a great place to collect recipes. And then there's the clean-up! The best part of all! If you want to be part of the few, the proud, the pot-luck clean-up brigade, there's a sign-up sheet for that. In the Friendship Hall. We are looking for new recruits and leaders!

Stephen Ministry Update

This coming week marks the beginning of 50 hours of training for four people who have committed themselves to learning the skills of caring ministry. On Monday the training concerns “The Person of the Caregiver,” and trainees will consider five foundational characteristics of a caregiver. On Saturday morning the trainees will be considering the subject of “Feelings: Yours, Mine, and Ours.” In this presentation they will be talking about the importance of recognizing and accepting all the feelings people have. And on Saturday afternoon, the trainees will be learning “The Art of Listening;” and honing their listening skills and finding out that listening well is extremely helpful and caring but also hard work. These people are a blessing to Douglas UCC, and we wish God’s blessings upon them. Keep them in your prayers.

January Church Council Minutes

january_church_council_minutes_january_2020.pdf
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Financial Stewardship

February 23: Attendance: 98
Collection Plate: $757 Online Giving: $2,544.41
Total: $3,301.41

Thank you for your generous giving which
allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service.
You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING.