Pentecost Sunday

5/26/2023

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

This Sunday's Service — Pentecost Sunday. Wear RED!
Last Sunday's Service Video --Seventh Sunday of Easter: "Ascension Sunday"
This Sunday: Strengthen the Church Fund
DUCC's New Church Office -- The Reno Video!
KUDOS GALORE for Church Office Helpers
New Members Class, June 11
Opera MODO presents DxN Pasquale at DUCC June 17
Christian Neighbors' May Cereal Drive Ends Soon!
Booth Volunteers Needed for Pride-in-the-Park, June 3!
Pride Events Ahead! Volunteers Needed!
Wishbone Pet Rescue Alliance Fundraiser, June 3
Soul Collage with Ruth Zwald, June 10
Tickets are on Sale! West Shore Aware Gala, August 19
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service: Pentecost Sunday

This church is on fire! This Sunday, we celebrate Pentecost. Just as the apostles became filled with the flames of the Holy Spirit, we, too, celebrate the Holy Spirit aflame in our hearts.

Please join us on Sunday at 10 AM (either in-person or streaming live online) as we celebrate the "Birthday of the Church." Message: Pastor Sal Sapienza. Music: Peter Black, Jeff Spangler, and Lauri Donaldson.

As is our long-standing Pentecost tradition, we encourage you to WEAR RED to church this Sunday. After our service, we will gather together outside the church for our annual GROUP PHOTO.

Download This Sunday's Online Bulletin:

order_of_service_may_28_2023.pdf
File Size:	998 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Last Week's Service

Last Sunday was "Ascension Sunday," marking the end of the Easter Season. We heard the gospel story of Jesus's ascension. His disciples watched in astonishment as Jesus is enveloped in a cloud and lifted up into the heavens. Did Jesus really defy the Law of Gravity? What really happened that day, and what does it mean for our lives today? Please enjoy last Sunday's service, when we explored Jesus's ascension, as well as our own spiritual ascensions to a place of higher consciousness. Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black

Here's the Homily!

This Sunday: Strengthen the Church Fund

This Sunday, we will be taking a special collection for the UCC's "Strengthen the Church" fund. The funds raised will help support UCC leadership development, new churches, youth ministry, and innovation in existing congregations. Your generosity will plant new churches, awaken new ideas in existing churches, and develop the spiritual life in our youth and young adults. You can contribute to this fund by using the special "Strengthen the Church" offering envelopes in the pews on Sunday, or you can make a donation online. Our church will match whatever is collected on Sunday. Thank you, as always, for your generous giving.

DUCC's New Church Office -- The Reno Video!

Watch as our Spring Street house undergoes its transformation from home to administrative offices!

KUDOS GALORE for Church Office Helpers!

Thanks to all who joined us at our office open house last Sunday! Through the generosity of all of our church members, the Church's new Administrative Offices are open, with office hours from 10 am to 3 pm, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, or by appointment.

At our open house last week, we especially celebrated Church Trustee Kelly Wright (pictured above), who worked so hard behind the scenes to make this happen. Thanks so much to all who helped us renovate and move in: Lewis Corbin, Larry Fuerst, Bernie Lopata & Carol Rice, Kathleen & Peter Mueller, Julie & Jack Ridl, Karen & Chris Clark, Mike White, David Bohn, Paul Burdick, Jerry Coates, Rich Marth, Laurie VandenBeldt, Mike VerMerris, Floyd Fleming, Jim Bailey, Bill Kelleher, Joyce & Kelly Wright.

New Members Class, June 11

We officially welcome new members to our church just twice a year: once in the Fall and once in the Spring. Pastor Sal will be holding the Spring New Members class on Sunday, June 11 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the new Administrative Office building. If you are interested in becoming a member of our church, pleaseemail Pastor Sal to register for the class. This class is also open to current church members who'd like a "refresher" course.

Opera MODO presents DxN Pasquale
at DUCC June 17

Detroit opera company, Opera Modo, is taking a tour of Michigan, bringing an exciting new production to Saugatuck/Douglas on Saturday, June 17, at 7 PM.

D[x]n Pasquale is a new English translation of Donizetti's classic Don Pasquale. Translated from its original libretto, this new LGBTQ+ translation tells the story of a young, nonbinary artist, their intolerant, miserly aunt, and two trusted confidantes with a plan to change it all. When Dawn Pasquale tries to disenfranchise their one remaining family member, Ernesto, on the basis of prejudice, Norina and Malatesta resort to hilariously extreme measures of drag, distractions, and deception to
try to open Pasquale's mind and heart.

In celebration of Pride Month, D[x]n Pasquale uproots traditional operatic standards of gender and relationships with the familiar devices of disguise and deceit to celebrate the beautiful athleticism of bel canto singing and to tell a radically inclusive story of love and acceptance.

Tickets are $25, and can be purchased at the link below!

Purchase TIckets HERE

Christian Neighbors' May Cereal Drive Ends Soon!

Because hunger doesn't take a summer vacation, Christian Neighbors Food Pantry in Douglas is collecting cereal to distribute this summer to its clients with children. The Cereal Drive Ends May 31. To help stock their shelves, ordonate in any of the ways outlined in the poster above. Thank you, as always, for your generous giving.

Booth Volunteers Needed for Pride-in-the-Park, June 3!

We need volunteers to run our church's booth at Pride in the Park on June 3. If you can help out, please sign up in the Friendship Hall or drop an email to [email protected].

Pride Events Ahead! Volunteers Needed!

Community Pride MI, with celebrations in Saugatuck and Douglas, is almost here! Once again, Douglas UCC is proud to sponsor our area pride events, and the committee is looking for volunteers to help out with those events! If you can help out, there are lots of opportunities. Just email our church member Greg Harvath. Or sign up on the Community Pride Website here.

Wishbone Pet Rescue Alliance Fundraiser,
June 3

4 Paws Lakeshore has combined it's efforts with Wishbone Organization, so the 4 Paws Lakeshore name has been dissolved and folded into Wishbone organization.

Wishbone Pet Rescue Alliance presents it's annual fundraiser!

There's No Place Like a Home
Saturday, June 3, 2023
6:00pm - 10:00pm
2755 Blue Star Hwy
Fennville, MI 49408

Join us for an evening of fun with an outdoor venue, music, food, drinks, and wonderful adoptable pets.

Attire: Shelter Chic w/Red Shoes

At the event, you'll find the annual "Hearts of Love" donation program that helps Wishbone provide necessary professional medical care to the animals, as well as several other exciting new ways to help them continue to be the voice and caretaker of Allegan County's homeless animals.

To purchase tickets and/or be a sponsor in various areas of need, click the button:

Buy Tickets or Donate Here

Soul Collage with Ruth Zwald, June 10

Ruth Zwald's next SoulCollage workshop is scheduled for Saturday, June 10 at 1pm in the Friendship Hall. After this workshop, Collagers will take the summer off, then come back together in the fall.

The theme for this month is: SoulCollage® And Our Companions. The Companion Suit in SoulCollage® helps us identify animal allies that can express the energetic aspects of our soul. Through a gentle guided meditation, we learn and listen to an animal helper, and create a card that expresses that animal. It can be a surprising and insightful journey.

There will also be time to create another card or two to add to your deck. I will share some ideas.

You don't need to be an experienced SoulCollager to join in on this creative form of meditative guidance. All are welcome! Follow the directions above to sign up directly with Ruth.

West Shore Aware Gala, August 19
Tickets On Sale!

The Summer Event is Coming! The White Party Rainbow Reunion is August 19, and tickets are on sale now. Follow the button below for tickets, sponsorship opportunities, and more details.

Tickets on Sale Here!

Birthdays & Anniversaries

May 28– Kessie Karg, June 1– Floyd Fleming, Tracey Shafroth, Ginny Mikita & Bob Kruse,2– Dale Lower, 3– Timothy Buszka

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

Family of Doug Smith; Linda Page McWebb; Sheri Debold; Gloria Larrieu; Beth Howley's Family; Edie Plantinga (Nancy Plantinga's mother); Fritz Royce and his Family; Joyce Potts (Ed Korson's Friend); Elaine Overweg and Family; Dee Baker; Carol Brown; Ernie Toth; Jim Dutcher; Dirk Hollebeek (Ruth VandenBosch's Godson); Peter Black and Family; Max Matteson; Marissa Overweg (Laurie VandenBeldt's granddaughter); Eric Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother); Anne Geraghty (Pat Denner's Sister-in-law); Nicole and John (Wendy Hamlin's daughter-in-law and son); Dan Pierce (Craig Drager's husband); Vicki Latham (Ruth VandenBosch's cousin); Darren Dixon (Beverly Hawkes' nephew); Chris Stuart, (Virginia Stuart's sister-in-law)

Financial Stewardship

In-Person Attendance, May 21: 103
Total Views for May 21 Online Videos: 427

Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $3,477.00
Online Giving: $3,782.54
Total: $7,259.54

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.