Weekly E-Pistle: Third Sunday of Advent

12/9/2022

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

This Sunday's Service — Third Sunday of Advent
Last Week's Service Video — Second Sunday of Advent
Welcome, Ginny Mikita!
Thank You for Gifting Area Families!!
January Treat Signups for Coffee Hour
Holiday Happiness for Families in Pullman and Fennville
UCC Advent Devotional on Sale
DUCC Christmas Ornaments for Sale
Christmas Carol Tickets Online!
Wishbone House Making Room for More Cats!
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, December 24, 6 PM
Holiday Poetry Reading Online — December 14, 7 PM
Year-End Giving Statements Coming -- Do We Have Your Correct Address?
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday: Third Sunday of Advent

The late spiritual teacher, Henri Nouwen, wrote: "Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day."

This Sunday, for the "Third Sunday of Advent," we'll light the pink candle, which symbolizes "JOY." There is good news of great joy for all people: the Light is on its way!

Pease join us this Sunday at 10 AM (either in-person or streaming live online) for an inspiring message from Rev. Ginny Mikita and uplifting music from Peter Black and Stan Greene.

Download the Online Bulletin here:

order_of_service_december_11_2022.pdf
File Size:	874 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Last Week's Service

Our Gospel reading for the 2nd Sunday of Advent had John the Baptist proclaiming: "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord!" But what exactly IS the Way of the Lord? Please enjoy last Sunday's service, when we explored together what it means to prepare the way for the Way!

Message by Pastor Sal. Music by Peter Black, Jeff Spangler, and Lauri Donaldson.

Click here to read, listen to, watch, and share Pastor Sal's homily.

Welcome, Ginny Mikita!

On Sunday, we welcome Rev. Ginny Mikita, while Pastor Sal takes a few days for rest. Ginny is a member of Douglas UCC, and so is her husband, Bob Kruse. They are attorneys, whose firm has provided compassionate legal assistance to those whose voices have been silenced, including animals, children, LGBTQ+ individuals and incapacitated adults -- for more than 30 years.

Ginny is currently enrolled in her second year at One Spirit Interfaith/Interspiritual Seminary as well as the Compassion Consortium’s Animal Chaplaincy Training program, and hopes to be ordained as an interfaith/interspiritual minister and animal chaplain next June. She is the founder of Animal Blessings, a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the sacred worth of all animals.
Ginny has co-officiated our own animal blessings here in Douglas. She also facilitates a monthly Companion Animal Grief Support for individuals navigating grief and mourning in anticipation of or after the death of a companion animal.

You can learn more at https://www.animalblessings.love/

Thank You for Gifting Area Families!!

A heartfelt THANK YOU for your generosity in helping Christian Neighbors give support to those in need this Christmas season. The giving tree gifts have been delivered, and will be donated to families in need this Christmas. Kudos to our Christian Neighbors facilitator, Joyce Wright, and to our church membor Wendy Hamlin, who sits on the CN board, who facilitated this giving season for us.

January Treat Signups!

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

January Treat volunteers may sign up for January slots, to provide goodies for our after-service Coffee Hours! Sign-up sheets are in the friendship hall, or contact Joyce Wright, our Coffee Hour Coordinator by email.

Holiday Happiness for Families
in Pullman and Fennville

The True North Women's Group has been busy providing for seven Pullman and Fennville families this season, providing food, clothes, toys, and beds. Thanks to all of you who volunteered to shop!

Gifts must be delivered to Mike Mora by December 18th!

Those donating funds for a family in need, please send your check by December 10 to:

Mike Mora
Community Church of Douglas
6874 Wiley Road.
Fennville MI 49406.

Write checks to Community Church of Douglas, and in the memo line, include: Family Gifts

UCC Advent Devotional on Sale

Copies of the 2022 UCC Advent Devotional, What’s Left of the Night?, are now available for sale in the Friendship Hall for $5 each. There is a bible text, reflection, and prayer for each day of Adven. You can also purchase a PDF version of the devotional for $3 at www.thepilgrimpress.com.

DUCC Christmas Ornaments for Sale

The beautiful Douglas UCC Christmas ornament (pictured above) is now available for sale. Designed and crafted in Poland, the ornament depicts the front of our church in winter. This lovely ornament makes the perfect holiday gift. The cost is $25 each, for sale in the Friendship Hall after Sunday's service. Or you may order an ornament online here.

Christmas Carol Tickets Online!

Well, if you've been hanging around campus during the evenings of November, you no doubt have witnessed the Saugatuck Village Players at work preparing for the annual performance of A Christmas Carol, hosted by the Saugatuck-Douglas Women's Club. Performances this year run from December 9 to 18, and the tickets will go quickly!

Click here to purchase your tickets!

Wishbone House Making Room for More Cats!

Wishbone House in Douglas continues to take donations for "The Survival of Wishbone House" (Write this on any checks, or let them know when donating cash). Meanwhile, they are making room for more rescued cats by clearing out all of their donated kitchen supplies. Stop by the Wishbone House in Douglas with a bag or box to fill!

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service,
December 24, 6 PM

Please join us on Saturday, December 24, at 6 PM for our annual Christmas Eve service of "The Lessons and Carols," in which we celebrate the story of the birth of Jesus through beloved Christmas Carols that we all know and love. The evening will feature a special performance from the Douglas UCC Holiday Choir. Then, on December 25, please join us at 10 AM for our Christmas morning worship service, followed by a cookie exchange in the Friendship Hall.

Holiday Poetry Reading Online --
December 14, 7 PM

Photo by Trust Tru Katsande on Unsplash

Jack Ridl has run a poetry workshop for more than 14 years, entitled The Landscapes of Poetry. The Landscapes poets have formed a supportive and enriching community, and during the holidays, they offer a free reading of their remarkable work for friends and family. Because they are located across the country, this reading is held via Zoom, and is scheduled this year on December 14, at 7 PM.

The poets are: Annie Valkema, Kathleen Markland, GF Korreck, Sharon Arendshorst, Beth McBride, Ruth Zwald, Jeff Munroe, Robbi Hartt, Marianna Maver (in absentia, but present in our hearts) Mary McSchmidt, Peg Padnos, Jim Allis, and hosted by Jack Ridl.

All are welcomed. Click here to use the contact form on Jack's website to request a link for this performance.

Year-End Giving Statements Coming -- Do We Have Your Correct Address?

Photo by Amol Tyagi on Unsplash

As our Financial Team works to prepare year-end giving statements, please help them out by updating your mailing address, if it has changed over the past year. Please send your new mailing address to Michael VerMerris.

Birthdays & Anniversaries

December 11- Stephen Townsend, 13- Salvatore Sapienza, 15- Chelsie Greene16- Emil ‘Sonny’ Pulick, 17- Dan Dow & Steve Prokop

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 and friends of Bill Modsel (Lynne Snyder's Brother-in-law); Family and Friends of Sidney Matheis; Family and friends of Alan Weathers; Doug Petersen; Kirstin Barendsen (cousin of Ruth VandenBosch); Marianna Maver (Friend of many in our congregation); Beverly and Orie Hawkes & Family; Susan Schram & Family; Diane Carr & Family; Kenley Hoove (Stephen Lewis' friend); Dr. Paul Lewis (Stephen Lewis's brother); Michael Lynch; Jennifer Roe-Lazzaro; Mary Baxter (Marjorie Reiman's friend); Elwood Cephus Stith (Mark Reiman's friend); Pete Wehle; Rev. Lou Grettenberger (friend of Ginny Mikita); Phil Sturdevant (Pete Wehle's friend); Darren Dixon (Beverly and Orie Hawkes' nephew); David Zylstra (Laurie VandenBeldt's friend); Elinor Hite (Virginia Stuart's sister); Joann DeJonge; Beverly Willming (John Willming's mother); Jay North (friend of Dan Pierce); Hannah Sherman; Maureen Pierce; David Abbot; Sarah Johnson Lock; Vicki Latham (Ruth VandenBosch's cousin); Cole Hartman; Mike Sneedon (Peg and Jack Donohue's friend); Tim Reineck, Matt Brazys, Suzanne Cook, and Ken Cassbon (friends of Pete Wehle and Pamela Chappell); Richie Czarnowski (Mark Reiman's friend); Sherri Kanten (Ruth VandenBosch's friend); Chris Stuart (Virginia Stuart's sister-in-law); Mary Elizabeth Loudin (friend of Laurie VandenBeldt)

Financial Stewardship

In-Person Attendance, December 4 : 106
Total Views for December 4 Online Videos: 506

Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $1,766.00
Online Giving: $3,002.44

Total: $4,768.44

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.