The Road to Emmaus: In this Sunday's Gospel reading, two disciples - confused and saddened by Jesus' death - are walking the road to Emmaus, when they encounter a stranger in their midst. As they walk and talk together, the stranger enlightens and consoles them. The two disciples then invite the stranger to a meal. In the breaking of the bread, they recognize the stranger as Jesus. How often on the road of life do we fail to recognize God's presence in our midst? Please join us online this Sunday for our Video Worship Service, as Pastor Sal talks about learning to see with new eyes. Plus, there will be music from Peter Black and Stan Greene. Tune in on Sunday at 10 AM via our Facebook page, YouTube channel, or here on our website. Zoom by Phone? Sure! Did you know? Zoom meetings always include a dial-in option. So you can call in to participate in Zoom meetings from a land line if you like! If you don’t see the dial-in option offered, ask the meeting manager. But here is a hint... this Chicago number works well: +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) From there you enter the meeting ID and a passcode if one has been provided. Watch your email for the weekly invite to our Online Friendship Hall meeting at 11 a.m. following the broadcast of Online Church! In addition to the online link, we always offer the dial in option! We hope you can join us! Watch Last Sunday's Service:Thank you to all who tuned in last Sunday for our Video Worship Service. We even had people watching and commenting this week from New Zealand and Ireland! Thank you to our reader, Eric Lejeune, who joined us from his home, and to Peter Black and Elizabeth Estes, who provided music from their homes. If you missed the service, you can watch it here. FTC Warning: This past week, a handful of our church members received a strange email request from an imposter posing as Pastor Sal asking for gift cards for a cancer patient. We alerted the Federal Trade Commission and learned that this scam has been targeting churches in Michigan and across the U.S. for many months now. Imposters pose as religious leaders and reach out to church members to ask for donations in the form of gift cards. Please be aware, that anyone who asks for payment by gift card is always a scammer, according to the the Federal Trade Commission... https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/paying-scammers-gift-cards If you received one of these emails, just use your email program's method of blocking email addresses to block the imposter email address, delete the email, and be aware that Pastor Sal will never email you to ask for gift card donations, ever. And if you have already engaged with these scammers, please follow the advice behind this link to report them: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/media/video-0171-report-gift-cards-used-scam Mask Making, Mask Sharing: It looks as if we will be using masks for a while, and some people are having a hard time sourcing them. Are you making masks? Do you need masks? To match mask makers with people who need them, we have placed a Mask Donation Box in the entryway of the DUCC Retreat House, at the corner of Union and Wall Streets in Douglas. If you are a maker, please place your clean, plastic-wrapped masks in the mask box. If you need a mask or two, please help yourself! We will donate any overflow of masks, to families in Allegan County in need of them. Please be safe, and protect yourself and others by wearing these masks in public. Meanwhile, explore these links to learn how to make sewn and no-sew masks for yourself and your loved ones! https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html?deliveryName=USCDC_2067-DM25135 https://freesewing.org/blog/facemask-frenzy https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/interior-projects/how-to/a28379/sewing-skills-diy/ https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-sew-basic-stitches-221433 Communion #TogetherAtHome Several members of our congregation (Hi, Sue and Larry, Ron and Maya, Laurie, Jack and Julie!) have found their own way to share in communion during our Online Church service. They are bringing their own communion elements to their tables at home (Donut and coffee? Sure! Cracker and Wine, of course! Tea and sourdough? Why not?) when they watch the service, proving we don't have to be under the same roof to celebrate communion together!  Click below to read/download the latest Church Council Minutes and Pastor's Report:
Our Heartfelt Condolences: Our thoughts and prayers are with church member, Jim Hopkins, whose sister, Linda Kirby, passed away last week; with church member, Austin Belschner, whose mother died on April 3; and with church member, Peg Donohue, whose sister, Carol, died last month. Cards of condolence would be so appreciated. See our Church Directory for mailing addresses. If you need a directory, please let us know. Also, the mailing address for church member, Larry Spencer, whose mother died last week, is no longer correct. Please write to welcome (at) douglasucc.org for Larry's new address. Making Offerings Now.. Your Church is working hard to provide for you and your spirit during this pandemic. Without a Sunday collection plate, we are asking church members to consider a new habit of giving to the church: either online or by mail. It's so easy to give online from our website. Just click here. Or please consider mailing a check to: Douglas UCC, 56 Wall Street, PO Box 519, Douglas, MI 49406. We are so very grateful for your continued support of our church, especially during this time. Happy Birthdays & Anniversaries April 26- Kevin Henry, 30- Linda & Matthew McWebb May 1- Floyd Fleming, 2- Dale Lower 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 List:Kristen Molitor (Ann Hopkins' daughter), John Willming; Drew Carter; Ferman Sims (father of Duce Sims); Howard McLauchlan (brother-in-law of Dale and Ted); Jeff Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother); Marcia Sullivan (Jo Cooley's friend), Len Lynch (Kathleen Mueller's brother); Curtis Coffin (Marty Coffin's brother). The caregivers and patients at Mary Freebed Hospital and on the U.S.S. Comfort, and in all of our hospitals and care centers during this Covid-19 pandemic. For the leaders and volunteers in every state and city who are stepping up to take care of people every day. 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/remove a name from the Prayer List, please email julie (at) douglasucc.org Financial Stewardship:April 19 Attendance for Online Service: 731 Online Giving: $4,842.70 Thank you!! Your generous giving allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. Please consider giving online, which is easily done by clicking ONLINE GIVING. Or you may send checks by mail to: Douglas Congregational United Church of Christ 56 Wall Street, PO Box 519 Douglas, MI 49406 |
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