Second Sunday after Christmas

1/5/2024

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

This Sunday's Service -- Second Sunday After Christmas: "Epiphany Sunday"
Last Sunday's Service -- First Sunday After Christmas: "Endings & Beginnings"
This Sunday, Welcome Church Member Rev. Beth Stallinga!
New Altar Flower Signup Sheet in the Friendship Hall
Spiritual Center Update
Pastoral Search Listening Sessions
Soul Collage with Ruth Zwald, January 13
Need for Volunteers on the AV Team
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, Stewardship Drive & Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service: Epiphany Sunday

This Sunday, Epiphany Sunday, we welcome our church member Rev. Beth Stallinga. Rev. Beth is the first of many church members who will officiate our upcoming services as we search for a new pastor. This is a process for "All Hands," which is the title of her homily this week.

Please join us on Sunday at 10 AM (either in person or streaming live online) for Rev. Beth Stallinga's leadership, and music by Peter Black and Jeff Spangler.

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Last Sunday's Service -- First Sunday After Christmas: "Endings & Beginnings"

Last Sunday - on the last day of the year - we'll bid farewell to 2023 and also said good-bye to Pastor Sal and Gregg on their final Sunday with us. Worship included a "Service of Release and Farewell" for Pastor Sal, as we officially released him from his duties as our pastor, so that he can begin his new call at the United Church of Rowayton in Connecticut. Enjoy Pastor Sal's final homily, "Endings & Beginnings," along with special music from Peter Black and Jeff Spangler.

This Sunday, Welcome Church Member
Rev. Beth Stallinga!

A retired Navy Captain, Rev. Beth served for 21 years as a chaplain, providing religious and spiritual support to Sailors and Marines across the globe deploying to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Persian Gulf. Having attended Officer Training in Newport, Rhode Island during a quiet summer, she reported to her very first duty station on September 11, 2001. In her final assignment she served as Fleet chaplain, U.S. 3rd Fleet whose mission is to provide maritime homeland defense, regional security, and humanitarian operations support throughout the Pacific Ocean.

A graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and Ordained by the United Church of Christ, prior to her naval service Beth held positions as associate pastor, hospital chaplain, retreat facilitator and spiritual director. She is the author of "What Spills Blood Wounds Spirit," a guide to appropriate spiritual care for those suffering from moral injury, and serves on the board of The Soul Repair Center at Brite Divinity School. She is currently half heartedly pursuing a Doctorate of Ministry, because she couldn't bear to let the benefits of a good G.I. Bill go to waste, but believes her true calling, in this moment, is to walk in the woods with her dog.

New Altar Flower Signup Sheet in the Friendship Hall

We just posted a new Altar Flower sign-up sheet in the Friendship Hall, for Sundays from now until the Season of Lent, which begins on February 14. If you can offer flowers during this time, we'd so appreciate it! Just use the sign-up sheet, or contact Julie Ridl.

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 is currently one spot available in January. The group will meet Wednesday, January 10th from 3:00 to 4:30. If you'd like to claim that spot, 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.

Pastoral Search Listening Sessions

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

After Church on Sunday, starting at 11:30, the Pastoral Search committee will begin the first of their listening sessions, gathering the congregation to help answer the three questions that will inform our Church Profile -- the all-important document that will guide potential pastors to our doors. We strongly encourage all church members to attend these sessions. Each of the listening sessions will explore one of the three questions, and the qustion this Sunday (and Monday night) is:

Who Are We Now?

What 5 words would you use to describe our church to a friend or neighbor or family member visiting from out of town?

What do you like most about our church -- what do we do well?

What do you like least about our church -- what could we be better at?

What is unique or special about DUCC?

What motivates you to get up on a Sunday morning and get to church?

What keeps you coming to DUCC?

Describe the experience of worship -- what are the qualities inherent in our worship?

How would you describe our current education and faith formation vision?

We describe ourselves as “progressive,” “inclusive,” and “open and affirming." How central is this to our identity?

What is important to you in a sermon or homily?

What are 5 words that describe the ideal sermon or homily?

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].

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays: January 10- Tim Lemanski, 12- Darris Cichock, Jim Sullivan,
13- Elaine Overweg

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

Dan Mack; Debbink Family; 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 31:
Pledges to Date = $227,800.00
Pledge Fulfillment to date = $113,436.95

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, two services, December 31: 146
Total Views for December 31 worship videos: 540

Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $12,611.73
Online Giving: $1,390.99
Christmas Fund: $174.26
Total, General Support: $14,002.72

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.