Weekly E-Pistle: Trinity Sunday

6/2/2023

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

This Sunday's Service — Trinity Sunday
Last Sunday's Service Video -- Pentecost Sunday
My How We've Grown: Pentecost Family Photo
KUDOS for Retreat House Garage Cleanout
Thank You For Cereal Donations!
Booth Volunteers Needed for Pride-in-the-Park, June 3!
More Pride Volunteer Opportunities
Wishbone Pet Rescue Alliance Fundraiser, June 3
New Members Class, June 11
Forest Bathing: A Guided Experience, July 8
Opera MODO presents DxN Pasquale at DUCC June 17
Soul Collage with Ruth Zwald, June 10
Tickets are on Sale! West Shore Aware Gala, August 19
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service: Trinity Sunday

The first Sunday after Pentecost is known as "Trinity Sunday," in which we celebrate the "three-in-one" aspect of God. In this Sunday's gospel reading, Jesus speaks to the apostles about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

How do we make sense of the Trinity? Is God one or three? Come join us this Sunday at 10 AM (either in-person or streaming live online) as we explore the metaphysical understanding of the Trinity. Message: Pastor Sal Sapienza. Music: Peter Black

Download This Sunday's Online Bulletin:

order_of_service_june_4_2023.pdf
File Size:	1567 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Last Sunday's Service Video -- Pentecost Sunday

Last Sunday, we celebrated Pentecost. Just as the apostles became filled with the flames of the Holy Spirit, we, too, celebrated the Holy Spirit aflame in our hearts. Please enjoy last Sunday's service, when we celebrated the "Birthday of the Church." Message: Pastor Sal Sapienza. Music: Peter Black, Jeff Spangler, and Lauri Donaldson.

Here's the Homily!

My How We've Grown!
Pentecost Family Photo 2023

As is our long-standing Pentecost tradition, our church members WEAR RED to church on Pentecost Sunday. After our service, we gather together outside the church for our annual group photo. Look how we've grown in 10 years' time!

KUDOS for Retreat House Garage Cleanout

KUDOS to our church members who helped us clean out the Retreat House Garage last week: Larry Fuerst, Bernie Lopata, Kelly Wright, Carol Rice, and Kathleen Mueller. Items were donated to Christian Neighbors in Douglas, Habitat for Humanity in Holland, and the Historical Society in South Haven.

Thank You For Cereal Donations!

Photo by Yvens Banatte on Unsplash

Thanks to Rich Marth for picking up and delivering the loads of cereal our church members have donated to Christian Neighbors' Cereal drive during the month of May!

Together you have generously provided 123 boxes (72 kids & 51 adult cereal boxes), of nutritious cereal to help area families keep food on the table.

Christian Neighbors very much appreciates the support. If you are looking for other ways to help neighbors during the summer months, check out their website for ideas!

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 welcome@douglasucc.org.

More Pride Volunteer Opportunities

Community Pride MI, with celebrations in Saugatuck and Douglas, is almost here! 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 Here

New Members Class, June 11

We officially welcome new members to our church just twice a year: once in the Fall and once in the Spring. Pastor Sal will be holding the Spring New Members class on Sunday, June 11 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the new Administrative Office building. If you are interested in becoming a member of our church, please email Pastor Sal to register for the class. This class is also open to current church members who'd like a "refresher" course.

Forest Bathing: A Guided Experience, July 8

Photo by kazuend on Unsplash

Shinrin-yoku, or Forest Bathing, is a Japanese practice that encourages you to slow down and reconnect with the natural world through all your senses. Our Creation Justice Team is partnering with the Saugatuck-Douglas District Library to offer you a free, guided forest bathing experience.

On Saturday, July 8, join Katie Venechuk (of In Your Element), at either 10.30 am or 12.30 pm for a gentle 90-minute interaction with nature in a local park. Directions will be provided to participants after registration. Although there is no charge for this program, space is limited, so please call or email the library to reserve your spot.

All About Shinrin-yoku

Opera MODO presents DxN Pasquale
at DUCC June 17

Detroit opera company, Opera Modo, is taking a tour of Michigan, bringing an exciting new production to Saugatuck/Douglas on Saturday, June 17, at 7 PM.

D[x]n Pasquale is a new English translation of Donizetti's classic Don Pasquale. Translated from its original libretto, this new LGBTQ+ translation tells the story of a young, nonbinary artist, their intolerant, miserly aunt, and two trusted confidantes with a plan to change it all. When Dawn Pasquale tries to disenfranchise their one remaining family member, Ernesto, on the basis of prejudice, Norina and Malatesta resort to hilariously extreme measures of drag, distractions, and deception to try to open Pasquale's mind and heart.

In celebration of Pride Month, D[x]n Pasquale uproots traditional operatic standards of gender and relationships with the familiar devices of disguise and deceit to celebrate the beautiful athleticism of bel canto singing and to tell a radically inclusive story of love and acceptance.

Tickets are $25, and can be purchased at the link below!

Purchase Tickets 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.

Tickets are on Sale! West Shore Aware Gala, August 19

The Summer Event is Coming! The White Party Rainbow Reunion is August 19, and tickets are on sale now. Follow the button below for tickets, sponsorship opportunities, and more details.

Tickets and Info

Birthdays & Anniversaries

June 4– Jane Grady, 5– Lynne Snyder, Marissa Overweg
6– Dee Baker & Lin Wisehart; Ed Korson & Arturo Inda, 9– Tamara Ritt10– Catherine Dienes, Jim Hopkins, Matthew McWebb

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

Brian Aikins and Family (friends of Stacy Honson and Richard Bont); 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 28: 118
Total Views for May 28 Online Videos: 614
Total Podcast Downloads in May: 3,339

Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $1,102.00
Online Giving: $1,381.54
Total: $2,483.54

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.