Seventh Sunday of Easter

5/19/2023

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

This Sunday's Service — Seventh Sunday of Easter: "Ascension Sunday"
Last Sunday's Service Video --Sixth Sunday of Easter: "God, Our Mother"
Christian Neighbors' May Cereal Drive
Grand Opening of New Administrative Office, Sunday May 21, 11:30 AM
Booth Volunteers Needed for Pride-in-the-Park, June 3!
The Art Club the Gallery Show and Sale May 19, 20, and 21
16th Annual Benefit for Christian Neighbors, May 21
Lakeshore Community Chorus - Spring Concert, Road Trip, May 21
Pride Events Ahead! Volunteers Needed!
Wishbone Pet Rescue Alliance Fundraiser, June 3
Soul Collage with Ruth Zwald, June 10
Save the Date, West Shore Aware Gala, August 19
Reports & Minutes
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service: "Ascension Sunday"

This Sunday is "Ascension Sunday," which marks the end of the Easter Season. We'll hear the gospel story of Jesus's ascension. His disciples watch 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?

Join us this Sunday at 10 AM (either in-person or streaming live online) as we explore Jesus's ascension, as well as our own spiritual ascensions to a place of higher consciousness. Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black

Download This Sunday's Online Bulletin:

order_of_service_may_21_2023.pdf
File Size:	2141 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Last Sunday's Service

On Mother's Day Sunday, we explored "God as Mother." Most of us grew up being told that God was a man, our Heavenly Father. How would our world be different if we viewed God not as an authoritative, judgmental male, but as our gentle, nurturing Heavenly Mother? Please enjoy last Sunday's service, when we continued to explore the question: Who is God?

Message: Pastor Sal Sapienza. Music: Peter Black and Jeff Spangler

Here's the Homily!

Christian Neighbors' May Cereal Drive

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. You are invited to drop off boxes of cereal at the Friendship Hall from May 1-31 to help stock their shelves, or donate in any of the ways outlined in the poster above. Thank you, as always, for your generous giving.

Grand Opening of New Administrative Office, Sunday May 21, 11:30 AM

Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash

We have been hard at work refreshing our Spring Street house to become the administrative center for our church, with new meeting spaces and new offices for Pastor Sal and our Administrative Assistant, Julie Ridl . With the work nearly finished, we are welcoming all to come see the new space, enjoy some refreshments, and celebrate this big step in the life of the church.

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

Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash

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].

The Art Club the Gallery Show and Sale
May 19, 20, and 21

Support local artists, and fellow church members Paul Burdick, Max Brown, Sue Fleming, and Betsy York, at the Saugatuck-Douglas Art Club's Gallery Show and Sale May 19 through 21. Proceeds provide scholarships for local high school students. This is the event's second year, with more artists and more pieces to view. The show of the year, folks! We hope to see you there.

16th Annual Benefit for Christian Neighbors, May 21

Our friend Arthur Frederick will be holding his annual fundraising party for Christian Neighbors on May 21 at his beautiful home on Sheffield Lane in Fennville. All are welcome. Please RSVP by May 15 by mail to Box 400, Douglas, MI 49406.

Lakeshore Community Chorus Spring Concert, Road Trip, May 21

Celebrate the brink of summertime on Sunday, May 21 at 4:00pm with Lakeshore Community Chorus as it presents “Road Trip: Adventures on Route 66” on stage at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts! The Artistic Director of the chorus is our own church member and a member of our music team, Nancy Plantinga. The chorus itself includes many of our church members, and the concerts sell out quickly! Click the button below to reserve your seats:

Buy Tickets Here

Pride Events Ahead! Volunteers Needed!

It's time to save these dates for the annual Community Pride MI celebrations in Saugatuck and Douglas, above. 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.

Save the Date, West Shore Aware Gala,
August 19

The Summer Event is Coming! Save the date for the evening of August 19, and watch this space for ticket sales that begin in June! Follow the button below for sponsorship opportunities and more details.

All the Details!

Reports & Minutes

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

approved_church_council_minutes_april_2023.pdf
File Size:	195 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

pastors_report_may_2023.pdf
File Size:	219 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Birthdays & Anniversaries

May 21– John Fleming, Jeremy Lund, 22– Mark Zancanaro, Michael Tuleja,
28– Kessie Karg

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 14: 102
Total Views for May 14 Online Videos: 533

Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $5,999
Online Giving: $1,522.20
Total: $7,521.20

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.