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Weekly E-Pistle: Fourth Sunday in Lent

3/25/2022

 
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In This Week's E-pistle, You Will Find:

  • This Sunday's Service Notes — Fourth Sunday in Lent, "The Journey Home"
  • Last Week's Service Video — Third Sunday in Lent, "Bearing Fruit"
  • One Great Hour of Sharing
  • Maundy Thursday Service, April 14, 6pm
  • Let's Take Another Look at Poetry, April 18, 7pm
  • CJT Movie Night: The City Dark, April 27, 6:30pm
  • Jazz Vespers, March 27, 5pm
  • Help us Fill our Altar with Easter Lilies to Honor Loved Ones
  • Donate to help Ukrainians
  • Save the Date, DUCC's 140th Anniversary Block Party, June 5
  • Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service: "The Journey Home"

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This Sunday, we'll hear one of Jesus's most powerful teachings: "The Parable of the Prodigal Son." This teaching reminds us that on the spiritual journey home, God runs to meet us and prepares a banquet for us. This is the perfect parable for us to focus on in the middle of the Lenten season, a time when we make preparations to come home to ourselves.

Join us this Sunday at 10 AM (either in-person or 
streaming live online) as we explore together what this parable means for our lives today, especially during this season of Lent.
​Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black, Max Brown and Gloria Larrieu.

Download This Sunday's Online Bulletin:
order_of_service_march_27_2022.pdf
File Size: 1021 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Last Sunday's Service

Last Sunday's Gospel reading was "The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree." Jesus tells the story of a fig tree that has not produced any fruit in three years. Though the vineyard owner wants to cut it down, the gardener says: "Give it one more year. Let me see what I can do." Our purpose for being is to bear the rich, abundant fruits of the Spirit, so what is blocking you from experiencing the fullness of life right now? Please enjoy last Sunday's service, when we explored together what this parable means for our lives today, especially during this season of Lent.
​Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Stan Greene.
​
Click here to read, listen to, watch, and share Pastor Sal's Homily.

One Great Hour of Sharing 

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This week, we are collecting donations for "One Great Hour of Sharing," one of four special mission offerings of the United Church of Christ. This Lenten Offering supports the disaster, refugee, and development ministries of the United Church of Christ within Wider Church Ministries. There are many ways to give in person on Sunday, online through our website, or through the mail (please write OGHS in the memo line and send to DouglasUCC, P.O. Box 519, Douglas, MI, 49406). As always, we thank you so much for your gifts to support this important work.
Donate Now

Maundy Thursday Service, April 14, 6pm 

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Please join us on April 14 at 6 PM for our Maundy Thursday service. This powerful service commemorates Jesus's last meal with his apostles and his seven last words. We will begin in the Friendship Hall with a simple meal of soup and bread, followed by a time of prayer and reflection in the church, where we will darken the sanctuary in preparation for Good Friday. If you plan to attend, please sign the poster hanging in the Friendship Hall or email julie@douglasucc.org, so that we know how much food to prepare. Thank you.

Let's Take Another Look at Poetry, April 18, 7pm 

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"Why in our culture do most people fall out of love with poetry? We savored it as children. What happened?" -- Jack Ridl

On April 18 at 7pm, our church member Jack Ridl will hold a conversation about poetry at the Saugatuck-Douglas District Library. Please call the library at 
269-857-8241 to reserve your seat. There is no charge for admission. 
 
Jack Says, "In this workshop we will be open about what stands in our way to appreciating, enjoying, understanding, being enriched by poetry. Some may discover a new way of reading. Some may discover that instead of reading a poem, one can explore it from many starting places. Some may hear its music. Some may create a painting in the mind’s eye. Who knows what will happen? Let's find out together."

CJT presents: The City Dark, April 27, 6:30pm 

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To honor Dark Sky Week, the Creation Justice Team will be showing the movie,  "The City Dark" on Wednesday, April 27th at 6:30pm. Admission is free, and all are welcome. We hope you can join us to learn more about light pollution in our world and the steps we can take locally to prevent it!

​Jazz Vespers, March 27, 5pm
​at the United Methodist Church

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​Our church member Paul Burdick shares this upcoming event, Jazz Vespers, "You Must Believe in Spring" on Sunday, March 27 at 5pm at the Saugatuck United Methodist Church, 250 Mason Street, featuring Jim Cooper & Friends. $10 suggested donation or whatever you can afford.
Here are some of the songs this group featured at their last Jazz Vespers concert:
https://youtu.be/-cXCzfcUyE4  
https://youtu.be/epi0uWLLzDU   

Help us fill our Easter Altar with Lilies
in Honor or Memory of Loved Ones

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On Easter Sunday, we hope to have our altar filled with Easter Lilies!  Please consider purchasing an Easter Lily plant for $15. Please use the special "Easter Lily" envelopes in the pews on Sunday (or mail a check to Douglas UCC, P. O. Box 519, Douglas, MI 49406). You can purchase a plant in honor or memory of a loved one, whose name will appear in the bulletin on Easter Sunday, and you can take the plant home after our Easter service. Thank you so much!

Donate to help Ukrainians 

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The United Church of Christ is appealing for support for refugees and for elderly and other vulnerable people who are displaced within Ukraine and unable to leave. As a member of the ACT Alliance, UCC support is being targeted to people most in need through humanitarian relief partners with a history of working in the region.

​All donations will be deposited into the International Disasters fund designated for “Ukraine Relief.” Your generous financial support will be used by our partners in the areas of greatest need. One can also mail a check made payable to the United Church of Christ PO BOX 71957 Cleveland, OH 44194. Please be sure to note “Ukraine Relief Fund” on your check in the memo section.

Read more about how you can support the UCC's drive for the people of Ukraine here.
Donate Now

Save the Date, DUCC's 140th Anniversary
​Block Party, June 5 

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Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash
SAVE THE DATE! This year, Douglas UCC celebrates its 140th Anniversary! In celebration, we will be having a "Block Party" with food and live music in front of the church on Pentecost Sunday, June 5, from 11 AM to 1 PM. More details to follow!

Birthdays & Anniversaries

March  30- Ann Hopkins, Rachael Overweg, 31- Pamela Chappell,
​April 1- Nancy Plantinga

Birthday and Anniversary cards are a great way we can reach out to one another. If you wish to mail a card to one of our church members, addresses can be found in our Church Directory.

Prayer Requests

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Wendy Hamlin; Roye McDonald; Michele Turner and Family; Judy Baxter (Kristine Sherman's Mother); Joann DeJonge; Richard and Joanna Weber's grandson Mattox (friends of the Ridls); Paul Burdick; Paul Murphy; Al Overweg; Beverly Willming (John Willming's mother); Jay North (friend of Dan Pierce); Hannah Sherman; Maureen Pierce; Helaine Miedema (David Miedema's mother); Ron Turks (Carol Cunningham's son-in-law);  David Abbot; Sarah Johnson Lock; Linda Masten (Mark Reiman's friend); Vicki Latham (Ruth VandenBosch's cousin); Cole Hartman; Mike Sneedon (Peg and Jack Donohue's friend); Tim Reineck, Matt Brazys, Suzanne Cook, and Ken Cassbon (friends of Pete Wehle and Pamela Chappell); Richie Czarnowski (Mark Reiman's friend); Dale Lower; Sherri Kanten (Ruth VandenBosch's friend); Michael (a friend of Dan Mack's); Chris Stuart (Virginia Stuart's sister-in-law); Mary Elizabeth Loudin (friend of Laurie VandenBeldt); Chris Robinson (Peter and Kathleen Mueller's nephew); Daniel Ver Meulen (Susan Fleming's son); Marcia Sullivan (Jo Cooley's friend)

Financial Stewardship

In-Person Attendance, March 6: 70
Livestream Attendance: 40
​Total Viewers for March 6 Online Service Videos: 469


Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $1,580.00
Online Giving: $3,032.94
​
​Total: $4,612.94
​
Thank you!! 

​Your generous giving allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service in the world. Please consider giving online, which is easily done by texting your donation amount to
844-931-2849, or sharing through the donate buttons on 
​Facebook or Instagram, or at our website.

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  • About Us ▾
    • Meditation Garden
    • Retreat House
    • Our Staff
    • Our Stories
    • About Douglas UCC
  • Connect & Serve
  • Worship & Music Videos ▾
    • Podcast Library 🔊
    • Homily Library 📖
  • Calendar & E-pistle ▾
    • E-pistle
  • Contact
  • Giving