Fourth Sunday of Advent

12/22/2023

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

This Sunday's Service -- Fourth Sunday of Advent: Love
Last Sunday's Service -- Third Sunday of Advent: Joy
Welcome New DUCC Members!
Brunch for Pastor Sal and Gregg, a Photo Album
UCC Christmas Fund Collection this Sunday
Holiday Cookie Exchange: December 24
Spiritual Center Update
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service of the "Lessons & Carols": December 24 at 6 PM
Pastoral Search Listening Sessions!
Can You Help Marie Muha?
Soul Collage with Ruth Zwald, January 13
Need for Volunteers on the AV Team
Allegan County Senior Services: Job Opportunities!
Year-End Giving Statements Coming -- Do We Have Your Correct Address?
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, Stewardship Drive & Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service: Fourth Sunday of Advent

This Sunday is the fourth and final Sunday of Advent, in which we put our focus on Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her revolutionary song of love. We'll also light our fourth advent candle for "Love."

Please join us this Sunday at 10 AM (either in-person or streaming live online) for an inspiring message from Pastor Sal Sapienza and uplifting music from Peter Black and members of the Lakeshore Community Chorus.

Download the Online Bulletin Here:

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Last Sunday's Service:
Third Sunday of Advent: Joy

The late spiritual teacher, Henri Nouwen, wrote: "Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day."

Last Sunday, for the "Third Sunday of Advent," we lit the pink candle, which symbolizes "JOY." There is good news of great joy for all people: the Light is on its way!

Please enjoy last Sunday's service, the inspiring message from Pastor Sal Sapienza and uplifting music from Peter Black, Pamela Chappell, and Pete Wehle.

Welcome New DUCC Members!

Such a delightful way to celebrate the Advent Sunday of Joy! We welcomed 13 new members to our Beloved Community: Jennifer Schwarb; Christine & Paul Kerney; Amy Bateson; Margaret & Doug Smith; Bert Hallewas; Kelly Jacobsma; Annie Rubin; Susan & Lee Sorg; Vickie & Jim Austhof. Welcome, all!

Brunch for Pastor Sal and Gregg --
a Photo Album

What a lovely God-be-with-ye (Goodbye) brunch for Pastor Sal and Gregg last Sunday. Thanks to all who turned out to honor these amazing men as they complete their calling in Douglas, and prepare the way for their move to CT! Special thanks and KUDOS to the PRC team for their work and planning, and to church member Gemina Petruzelli for her brilliant photography. Pastor Sal's last service at Douglas UCC is Sunday, December 31.

UCC Christmas Fund Collection this Sunday

Please look out for our special collection envelopes this Sunday for the annual Christmas Fund drive. The Christmas Fund has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for more than 100 years, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks each December to our lower-income retirees. As always, you generosisity this season is so appreciated! If you wish to give to this fund but can't make Sunday's service, you can make an offering online here:

Donate to the Christmas Fund Here

Holiday Cookie Exchange: December 24

Photo by Yulian Karadzhov on Unsplash

Following our worship service on December 24, we will be having a “Cookie Exchange” in the Friendship Hall during Coffee Hour! If you are able, please bring a plate of cookies to share and enjoy!

Spiritual Center Update

Wrapping Up and Regrouping for the New Year!

This January, Rev. Marty will be offering her 'Called to Care' small group to a few folks who could not attend the December session. There are currently two spots available in January. The group will meet Wednesday, January 10th from 3:00 to 4:30. As there are only a few spaces, please call Julie - or email Kathleen Mueller ([email protected]) - to share your wish to be included. There will not be a sign up sheet for this January session.

Because of the high interest in caregiving support, the Retreat House Ministry Team will be sponsoring caregiver groups in the new year. More information to come!

In January, Jeremy Lund will continue with his group "Only the Whole Person Can Experience the Whole God". The 12-person group met twice in December and will meet twice in January.

As we enter the New Year, the Retreat House Ministry Team is planning upcoming offerings. If there is a particular area of discussion that you would like to see offered, please contact Kathleen at the email above. These groups belong to you, so please let us know your spiritual needs.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service of the "Lessons & Carols": December 24 at 6 PM

Please join us on Sunday, December 24, at 6 PM (either in-person or streaming live online) for our annual Christmas Eve candlelight service of "The Lessons and Carols," in which we celebrate the story of the birth of Jesus told through lessons from the Bible and through beloved Christmas Carols that we all know and love. The evening will feature a special performance from the Douglas UCC Holiday Choir.

Pastoral Search Listening Sessions

Starting in January we are setting aside time for your input and discussion around who we are as a church community, which will be central in determining what qualities we are looking for in our next pastor.

Our first order of business as a search team is to put together our Church Profile, which is what prospective pastors will see in their process of evaluating where they are being called to serve next.

This UCC church profile asks 3 questions:

Who are we now? What are the current central features of our identity as a church community?

Who is our Neighbor? Or, who is God calling us to become? What kind of ministries and outreach are we to be involved in going forward?

Who is God calling to minister with us? What are the qualities we are looking for in our next pastor?

So, starting in early January we are putting together opportunities for your input around these 3 questions. Here are the dates and time:

Who are we now?
January 7, 2024 from 11:30 - 1pm And depending on need we will have a follow up on Monday January 8 from 6:30 - 8pm

Who is our neighbor?
January 14, 2024 from 11:30 - 1pm Follow up if needed Monday January 15, 2024 from 6:30 - 8pm

Who is God Calling to Minister with Us?
January 21, 2024 from 11:30 - 1pm Follow up if needed Monday January 22, 2024 from 6:30 - 8pm.

Your input is absolutely essential. The search team is an instrument to gather and organize the information that you provide, which is our collective wishes and aspirations for the future, and to make it available to prospective candidates. We strongly encourage your participation in these gatherings.

You will find sign up sheets in the Friendship hall. Thanks

Can You Help Marie Muha?

Marie Muha, owner of Framing for Friends at Weathervane Mall in Douglas has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. She is unable to work and will sell or close her business that she has had for over 30 years. Marie, Davida and Rafi all want her to remain in her home and receive the care she needs without being admitted to a skilled nursing facility. If you can, please donate to our friend Marie's extraordinary caregiving expenses at the GoFundMe link below to enable her to remain at home. Thank you.

Marie's GoFundMe Page

Soul Collage with Ruth Zwald, January 13

Due to popular demand, in January, our spiritual teacher and friend, Ruth Zwald, will be offering TWO sessions of her next Soul Collage workshop, one in the morning, and one in the afternoon on January 13. As always, contact Ruth directly at the email above to sign up for these sessions, which fill fast, and fill your soul!

Need for Volunteers on the AV Team

We are so grateful for our many wonderful volunteers who make our Sunday Worship special each week. Right now, we especially need volunteers to operate the sound board during Sunday service. In the past few months our team has made vast improvements by standardizing the settings and streamlining the operations. If you are interested in joining our team and helping with this very important position, please contact our volunteer coordinator, Mike VerMerris, 269.325.4043, [email protected].

Allegan County Senior Services: Job Opportunities!

What a great turnout we had for the Allegan County Senior Services presentation! During the presentation, we learned there are plenty of well-paid part-time opportunities for people who can serve as drivers or provide in-home support. Brochures describing these opportunities are available in the Friendship Hall. Or contact Lynne Snyder to learn more.

Year-End Giving Statements Coming -- Do We Have Your Correct Address?

Photo by Amol Tyagi on Unsplash

As our Financial Team works to prepare year-end giving statements, please help them out by updating your mailing address, if it has changed over the past year. Please send your new mailing address to Julie Ridl at [email protected], or you may choose to update your address yourself in the church directory app.

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays: December 24- Cambria Whitcomb, Kelsey Whitcomb; 27- Bert Hallewas
29- Todd L. Smith, 30- Scott Bryers, Tom Fahlstrom
Anniversaries: December 28- Sarah Donovan

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

David Miedema, his parents and family; Karl Fahlstrom (Tom Fahlstrom's brother); John Kerr; Mike Mok; Dave and Shirley Lawson; Clark McMillion (Chris Clark's friend); Ruth Fahlstrom (daughter of Tom Fahlstrom); Nancy Grib (Friend of Pamela Chappell); Stuart Family; Charlene Burdick (Paul Burdick's Mother); Diane Carr; Myron (Wendy Hamlin's grandson, Fred Hamilin's great-grandson); Betsy York; Mary Westenbroek; Brian Aikens; Jerry Elpers and family (Beth Howley's Dad); Edie Plantinga (Nancy Plantinga's mother); Joyce Potts (Ed Korson's Friend); Max Matteson; Eric Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother); Nicole and John (Wendy Hamlin's daughter-in-law and son)

Stewardship Drive

Stewardship Drive Giving Week ending December 17:
Pledges to Date = $227,800.00
Pledge Fulfillment to date = $109,871.33

Thank you to all who pledged toward our Campus Stewardship Drive. Weekly Stewardship
Drive totals are posted here and on the giant ‘thermometer’ poster in the Friendship Hall.
If you have not received a pledge card, you can pick one up
in the Friendship Hall.

Financial Stewardship

In-Person Attendance December 17: 138
Total Views for December 17 worship videos: 252

Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $4,656.00
Online Giving: $2,221.68
Total, General Support: $6877.68

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.