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Weekly E-Pistle: Third Sunday in Advent

12/11/2020

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

  • This Sunday's Service Notes - "Joy: Third Sunday of Advent"
  • Last Week's Service Video --"Peace: 2nd Sunday of Advent"
  • Holiday Family Album -- Deadline is Tuesday!
  • Lakeshore Community Chorus Holiday Concert Online!
  • Masks Up: Christmas masks from Wendy Jo Hamlin...
  • Kudos to all the givers and to Ruth VandenBosh for our 2020 Giving Tree gifts!
  • You Are Not Alone -- Stephen Ministers are Here to Help
  • Advent Devotionals Available at Retreat House or Online
  • Douglas UCC Holiday Ornaments for Sale!
  • Centering Prayer with Pastor Sal
  • Amazon Smile -- Giving While Shopping
  • Friendship Hall News 
  • Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday: "JOY - 3rd Sunday of Advent"

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Our Gospel reading for this Sunday (the 3rd Sunday of Advent) focuses on Mary, the mother of Jesus. Though many see her as the "meek and mild" virgin, the real Mary was courageous, radical, and revolutionary. Please join us this Sunday at 10 AM for our "Video Worship Service," as we explore "The Real Mary."  Message by Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black. Plus, several of our Douglas UCC musicians join together to perform the beautiful song, "O Mother God."  We will also be lighting our 3rd Advent wreath candle (the pink one) for "JOY." 

Tune in on Sunday at 10 AM via our Facebook page, YouTube channel, or here on our website.

Last Week's Service Video: 2nd Week in Advent

Our Gospel reading for last Sunday (the 2nd Sunday of Advent) had John the Baptist proclaiming: "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord!"  Advent is a time for us to prepare the way for the coming of the Light. Please enjoy last Sunday's "Video Worship Service," as we explored what it means to "Prepare the Way."  Message by Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Elizabeth Estes. Click here to read and share the homily text.

​Holiday Family Album -- Deadline Tuesday!

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The deadline is TUESDAY for submitting your holiday photo to our DUCC Holiday Family Album! Please take a holiday selfie,  and email it to julie@douglasucc.org. We long to see one another, and we believe this will be a great way to pull our family together safely this year!

Lakeshore Community Chorus Holiday Concert

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The Lakeshore Community Chorus is going online this year for their annual Holiday Concert. They have worked so hard to make this gift to the community happen, and you won't want to miss this local tradition in its non-traditional format. See just a sample of their work, above.  Click here for all the details!

Free Christmas Masks from Wendy Jo Hamlin

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Our DUCC public health nurse and loooong-time member, Wendy Hamlin has made a batch of festive masks for DUCC family and friends. They are available, first come, first served, in the foyer of the Retreat House. Thank you, Wendy, as always, for looking out for our health and safety!

Kudos to all the givers and to Ruth VandenBosh for our 2020 Giving Tree Gifts!

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Thank you so much to our generous DUCC family for the many gifts donated to Christian Neighbors for local kids. And big KUDOS to Ruth VandenBosch, our Christian Neighbors liaison, for organizing the Giving Tree giving program this year. Ruth was overwhelmed by the generosity of our church family in this tough year for area families. A real outpouring from generous hearts!

Stephen Ministers are Here to Help

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You don’t have to go through it alone.  
Pandemic fatigue—that feeling of being mentally and emotionally exhausted by everything that’s going on right now.  Yes, we’re all facing different kinds of life challenges during this time.  Yes, everything you may be feeling about the pandemic is normal.  After nine+ months of this, experiencing pandemic fatigue is not a question of “if”. It’s now a question of “when”.  These are some of the more common feelings:
  • Isolation or loneliness
  • Wearied by maintaining health precautions  
  • Grief
  • Overwhelmed by juggling work and home responsibilities
  • Missing family and friends
  • Worry over financial strains or job loss
  • Uncertainty about the future
When you or someone you care about is experiencing difficulties like these, the Stephen Ministers at DUCC are ready to listen, care, encourage, and be there to offer support.   Stephen Ministers are the women and men in our church have received special training and are committed to providing quality care for a person going through a tough time. 
A member of the Stephen Ministry Team can meet with you privately—by phone, by video chat, or in person when it’s safe again to do so—to focus on you and your needs.
It’s free and completely confidential, and it offers real care, comfort, and hope. You can find out more by contacting any of these people:
Pastor Sal Sapienza…Phone: 269-857-2085
  Email: pastor@douglasuss.org

Paul Burdick…Phone: 616-856-1372
  Email: Stephenleaderpaul@gmail.com

Laurie VanDenBeldt…Phone: 616-510-8891
  Email: stephenleaderlaurie@gmail.com



​Advent Devotionals Available
​at Retreat House or Online

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Just three Advent Devotionals from Pilgrim Press are still available for $5 each. Find them on the foyer table of the Retreat House with a box for your donation. Or you may wish to order the devotional online here:
https://www.thepilgrimpress.com/collections/advent-resources/products/draw-near-2020-advent-christmastide-devotional

​Douglas UCC Holiday Ornaments for Sale!

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Put this beautiful Douglas UCC ornament on your holiday shopping list! Designed and crafted in Poland, the ceramic ornament depicts the front of our historic little church in winter. The cost is $25. We can ship to you for an extra $5. To order, please send an email to welcome@douglasucc.org.

​Centering Prayer with Pastor Sal

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​During the months of November and December, Pastor Sal will be leading a "Centering Prayer" meditation via Zoom each Wednesday night from 5:30 PM to 6 PM. Each session will begin with a short talk, followed by a 15-minute silent prayer practice. If you are interested in taking part in these sessions, please email Pastor Sal.


​Amazon Smile -- Giving While Shopping

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Thanks to Bev Hawkes for this hint! Did you know about Amazon Smile, a program you can opt into to generate donations from Amazon to your favorite non-profit organization? And those organizations include the Douglas Congregational United Church of Christ! When you shop from your desktop from smile.amazon.com, or activate Amazon Smile from the Settings menu on your Amazon phone app (not yet available on iPads or tablets), you can choose a non-profit to receive a small income based on your purchases. Let your shopping trigger giving from Amazon! (Hint: On Amazon Smile, DUCC is listed as Douglas Congregational United Church of Christ.) ​

Friendship Hall News

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At last Sunday's Friendship Hall, we focused on bidding safe travels to long-time church members Kathy Austin and Mike Boston, who are moving their shelter to North Carolina. They won't be strangers, though! Online church means they can attend from anywhere, of course. So it's not farewell, but safe travels to this amazing couple! We caught up on Nancy Plantinga's dad's surgery, rescheduled, and carrying our prayers!. We were able to lay glad eyes on Greg and Sheryll VanPortfleet, recovering from Covid, and looking very well, making plans for a slow trek to Florida. Kathy Klage joined us, and shared news of her temporary move to Spring Lake, and her long-term plans to move west to be closer to her son. So good to see her! We added prayers for Wendy's sister, Fred's daughter, Ruth for her upcoming her shoulder/bicep surgery and recovery. We learned that Max Brown's sister's family have five members with Covid, and offered prayers to them. Max asked us all to be extra vigilant, and just stay home for the holidays. Pamela Chappell had a rough week with her hip replacement recovery. Overdoing things seems to be the culprit here, and we are praying for easier weeks ahead. 

Birthdays & Anniversaries

December 13- Salvatore Sapienza, 15-Chelsie Norman,
16-Laurie Beyer Braaksma, Sidney Matheis, Emil 'Sonny' Pulick, 17-Dan dow & Steve Prokop,
18-Margret Bazany, 19- Dee Mikos Graves
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Birthday and Anniversary cards are a great way we can continue to reach out to one another during this time. If you wish to mail a card to one of our church members, addresses can be found in our Church Directory. If you don't have a directory, please let us know, and we will email one to you.

Prayer Requests

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Richard Graham; Max Brown; the Klott Family; five members of family of Max Brown's sister; Audrey Looman and Michael Titus, (friends of Ruth VandenBosh; Ruth Pearson (Wendy Hamlin's sister, Fred Hamlin's daughter); Jimmy Hotwagner; Tish Swinehart and Diane Carr (Debra Carr's sisters); Char Clausing (Nancy Plantinga's cousin); Jerry Ferguson; Brent Havens; Ruth VandenBosch; the family and friends of Chris Cook, especially Larry Fuerst and Sue Scott; Pamela Chappell; Bubba Beaudreaux; Marilyn Ondersma (the Reimans' friend); Chris Robinson (Peter and Kathleen Mueller's nephew); Dan Mack; Leith Letcher and Jim Shewell; Warren Plantinga (Nancy Plantinga's father); Gregg Kirchen (Sheryll and Greg VanPortfleet's friend); Sidney Matheis; Jodi Berault, Dirk Hollebeek (Ruth VandenBosch's godson); Larry Gregsbeek (friend of Mark Reiman); Daniel Ver Meulen (Susan Fleming's son); Vivian Libby (Sheryll Van Portfleet's Mom); Hannah Sherman; Gary Plantinga (Nancy Plantinga's brother);  Myron Freund; Terry Stough (Catz Dienes' son); Ted Sommer; Phyllis Wallis (Kathy Austin's mother); Drew Carter; Jeff Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother); Marcia Sullivan (Jo Cooley's friend); Len Lynch (Kathleen Mueller's brother); Curtis Coffin (Marty Coffin's brother). 

All of our Covid-19 pandemic first responders, and for the researchers and scientists working on effective tests and treatments for Covid-19. Prayers for all in the military and their families; all who are homeless or addicted or abused or neglected or rejected or hungry; The UCC; the Grand West Association; our Church Council; our Stephen Ministers; our church committees; our communities, our schools, our nation and our planet.

To add or remove a name from the Prayer List, please email us.

Financial Stewardship

December 6
Viewers for December 6 Online Service Videos: 1,337
Online Giving: 11/23-11/27/20: $5,200.54
Facebook and Instagram Gifts: $300
​

​Total: $5,500.54

Thank you!! 
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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.

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  • About Us ▾
    • Meditation Garden
    • Retreat House
    • Our Staff
    • Our Stories
    • About Douglas UCC
  • Connect & Serve
  • Worship & Music Videos ▾
    • Podcast Library 🔊
    • Homily Library 📖
  • Calendar & E-pistle ▾
    • E-pistle
  • Contact
  • Giving