Weekly E-Pistle: Second Week of Lent

3/6/2020

Emily Tieman: Wind of the Spirit

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 Emily Tieman will give the message, with special music programming by Pamela Chappell and Peter Black.

Emily has been a member of Douglas UCC for 5 years with her wife, Cally. They share a home together with their cat in Holland. Emily is a member of the church's Creation Justice Team and enjoys participating in beach and highway cleanups. Please join us for Sunday Service at 10am!

Thanks Service Leaders for our
First Sunday of Lent Service

KUDOS to Social Justice Team's
Panel discussion on Domestic Violence.

KUDOS to the Social Justice Team, moderator Elizabeth Estes, and church member Max Brown for hosting a powerful, informative, action-oriented, and well attended forum on Domestic Violence in our community on Sunday, March 01. Watch the E-Pistle and Facebook page for posts on actions we can take to help reduce violence in our homes and help the people who experience it. Special thanks to our visitors from Sylvia's Place and Resilience, who work the front lines of this issue every day. Please consider supporting these organizations with your donations.

Spring Forward: Set Your Clocks Saturday Night

(If you still have clocks to set, then) please set your clocks to "Spring Forward" 1 hour when you head to bed Saturday night so that you won't miss the lovely March 8 service we've planned for you!

Potluck this Sunday!

After church this week, please join us in the Friendship Hall for our 2nd Sunday of the Week Potluck! Bring a dish to share!

Education, Caution, Common Sense

As new cases of the coronavirus are reported in other countries and across the United States, United Church of Christ leaders are urging education, caution and common sense -- sharing a few basic guidelines to enable congregations and other UCC organizations to find useful, relevant information to plan their course of action.

Coronavirus (CoVid-19) is a respiratory illness that causes flu-like symptoms. As of Feb. 27, there were 60 reported cases of coronavirus in the U.S. Doctors at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said that while they expect to see the number of cases increase as the disease spreads, they stress that the immediate risk of contracting the disease remains low.

Typical symptoms of coronavirus include fever and a cough that may progress to pneumonia, causing breathing difficulties, including shortness of breath. Most people who get it will contract a mild to moderate illness, a bit like flu. Generally, coronavirus can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer or chronic lung disease. Presently the death rate is low, around 2 percent, which is a little above the death rate for flu. More information is available in this video, "5 Things to Know About COVID-19," from the CDC.

"Understandably, there are many questions circulating regarding appropriate precautionary measures around the coronavirus as news of this health threat continues to unfold," said the Rev. Traci Blackmon, UCC associate general minister, noting that the basic information shared below should not be construed as medical advice, but as best practices and basic precautions. "Because this is a rapidly changing situation, it will be crucial to keep checking the latest guidance and information from the CDC."

Some of these everyday precautions, focused on good hygiene measures, are common sense -- helpful to keep in mind anytime and especially during colds and flu season. It's also important to note that this information, gathered from a number of sources, is far from complete. Continue to check the reliable sources noted below -- the CDC, the World Health Organization – to keep abreast of situation in the U.S. If transmission of the coronavirus changes significantly, changes in hygiene protocols may be suggested to optimize protection.

Here are a number of precautionary measures the UCC Human Resources Department shared with staff in the national offices.
• Stay home if you are feeling sick.
• Wash your hands frequently.
• Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
• Disinfect surfaces used regularly.
• Use hand sanitizer.
• Avoid close contact with someone who is sick.
• Practice these precautionary measures at home and pass this information along to family and friends.

If you have traveled internationally during the last 14 days, feel sick with fever or cough, or have difficulty breathing the CDC has several recommendations:
• Seek medical advice. Call ahead before you go to a doctor's office or emergency room.
• Tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.
• Avoid contact with others.
• Do not travel while sick.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
• Clean your hands often by washing them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60%–95% alcohol immediately after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose. Soap and water should be used if hands are visibly dirty.

UCC Disaster Ministries has developed a web section for congregations that includes a word from Blackmon, a bulletin insert and an excellent resource from the Southern New England Conference UCC, with a checklist and advice for community engagement, worship (e.g. communion, offering, passing the peace), communications, leadership backup, pastoral care and even fiscal concerns.
"I believe that, as the faith community, we have a special responsibility to care for our fellow congregants and communities," Blackmon writes. "When we are prepared, we are in a better position to help others. Our demonstration of love of neighbor also requires us to counter scapegoating and prejudice such as already has been shown to some Chinese and Chinese-Americans. They are not to blame for the coronavirus!"

CoVid-19, first detected in China in December, has now been documented in patients in Iran, Italy, South Korea, France, Germany and Japan. According to the Washington Post, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Nigeria have just reported their first cases, all which have links to Italy, WHO officials said.

"Our greatest enemy right now is not the virus itself. It's fear, rumors and stigma," WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a daily briefing on Feb. 28. "Most cases can still be traced to known contacts or clusters of cases. We do not see evidence as yet that the virus is spreading freely in communities. As long as that's the case, we still have a chance at containing this virus."

Tedros said that more than 20 vaccines are in development globally, and several anti-viral drugs are in clinical trials. Health officials expect the first results in a few weeks.
Bookmark these resources for developing information:

DUCC Virus Management:
Changes to our Communion Practice

In addition to last week's recommendation that we do not shake hands, hug, or kiss during Passing of the Peace, UCC recommends, and our Church Council approved, these changes to communion to reduce virus transmission, until the threat of CoVid 19 is lifted:

Eliminating intinction -- we will no longer dip bread into wine or sip from a chalice, but will use disposable cups for the wine as we do for juice.
Asking communion leaders and juice/wine prep folks to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before preparing the gifts of bread and wine.
Asking communion leaders to drop the bread into open, cupped palms rather than allowing congregants to help themselves from the plate.

We appreciate everyone's help in reducing possible exposure by making our weekly communion tradition healthier for all of us.

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

On Easter Sunday, we hope to have our altar filled with Easter Lilies! Please consider purchasing an Easter Lily plant for $15. You can do so in honor or memory of a loved one, whose name will appear in the bulletin on Easter Sunday. You can take the plant home after our Easter service. To purchase a plant, please use the special "Flower Offering" envelopes in the pews these next Sundays. Please be sure to write the name of your honored/loved one clearly on the envelope with your own name. Thank you so much!

Walk for Warmth, March 21

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 Meal and Service, April 9

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 for the simple meal served at 6:30 pm in the Friendship Hall before the service, so please sign up on the special Maundy Thursday meal board in the Friendship Hall. All are welcome to the service in the Sanctuary, which begins at 7:30 pm.

Lenten Devotionals Available Now
in Friendship Hall

The Lenten Devotionals have arrived! They are 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.

Financial Stewardship

March 1: Attendance: 131
Collection Plate: $1,253 Online Giving: $1,269.91
Total: $2,522.91

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.