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Weekly E-Pistle: Trinity Sunday

6/10/2022

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

  • This Sunday's Service Notes —Trinity Sunday
  • Last Week's Service Video — Pentecost Sunday
  • "Pride in the Park" Photos
  • Welcome 14 New Members!
  • Pentecost/Anniversary Photos
  • ​​Allegan County Senior Services
  • Affordable Housing Options for Afghan Family
  • Upcoming "March for Our Lives" Events, June 11 & 18
  • We're Halfway There! Grocery Receipts Box in the Friendship Hall!
  • Styrofoam Drop-off June 11
  • Soul Collage Workshop with Rev. Ruth Zwald, June 11, 1 PM
  • ​Annual Congregational Meeting, June 26, 11:30 AM
  • ​Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service: Trinity Sunday

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The first Sunday after Pentecost is known as "Trinity Sunday," in which we celebrate the "three-in-one" aspect of God. In this Sunday'sgospel 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 orstreaming live online) as we explore the metaphysical understanding of the Trinity. Message: Pastor Sal Sapienza. Music: Peter Black and Jeff Spangler

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Download this week's online bulletin here:
order_of_service_june_12_2022.pdf
File Size: 829 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Last Week's Service

This church is on fire!  Last Sunday, we celebrated Pentecost. Just as the apostles became filled with the flames of the Holy Spirit, we, too, celebrate the Holy Spirit aflame in our hearts. Please enjoy last Sunday's service, when we celebrated the "Birthday of the Church" and the 140th Anniversary of Douglas UCC. We welcomed our new members class and welcomed back several of our former pastors, too! And read on for photos of our celebrations!

"Pride in the Park" Photos

Thank you to all our church members who took part in last week's "Pride in the Park" at Beery Field in Downtown Douglas. We are especially grateful to all who helped with our participation in the car parade and all who worked our church's booth: Shannon Connell; Ted Sommer and Dale Lower; Wendy Hamlin; Bill Briggs and Jeff Chinski; Julie Hebding; Tim and Maryjo Lemanski; Ed Korson and Arturo Inda; Jeremy Lund and Mark Johnston; Jerry Coates; Gregg Smith; Betsy York and Demethrea Terrien. And, thank you to the amazing Community Pride Committee for all of their hard work.

Pentecost & 140th Anniversary Celebration Photos

Last Sunday, we celebrated Pentecost and our church's 140th Anniversary. Former pastors and church leaders returned to share memories and celebrate with us. Afterwards, we enjoyed a block party outside and gathered for our annual group photo. Many thanks to those who helped with the service and the block party: Peter Black and Robert Trenary; Sue Scott and Larry Fuerst; Greg Plowe; Gregg Smith; Chris Clark; David Bohn; Jeff Spangler; Stan Greene; Lauri Donaldson; Mike VerMerris; Linda and Matthew McWebb; Rev. Fred Hamlin; Rev. Ruth McCarty; Rev. Saunterre Irish; Rev. Andy DeBraber; Joy Muehlenbeck

Welcome New Members!

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On Sunday, we welcomed 14 new members to our church! Pictured above (from left to right): Brian Tubergen; Julie Hebding; Rich and Linda Marth; Bob Kruse and Ginny Mikita; Martha Bolin; John Rienstra; Marchiene Rienstra; John Roselle. (Not pictured: John and Nancy Grib; Joe and Elisabeth Mannancheril). We are so happy to welcome you all into our church family.

Allegan County Senior Services

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Photo by Andre Ouellet on Unsplash
Lynne Snyder, our amazing Congregational Care Coordinator, wanted to make you aware of our amazing, Allegan county-wide program that allows those of us who are seniors to age gracefully in our homes.

In 2006, the citizens of Allegan County voted to provide for it's senior citizens through a Senior Millage. These funds provide these services:

  • Adult Day Care
  • Home Delivered Meals
  • In Home Supports
  • Personal Emergency Response Systems
  • Transportation
  • Housekeeping

As the website says: "But it's more than that; it's the voters giving back to those who came before us.  Most of the advances we enjoy today in technology, medicine, agriculture, etc. are a direct result of the efforts made by citizens that are no longer part of the work force; senior citizens.  Through their dedication to improving our communities, we all enjoy a better quality of life.  Senior Services is committed to providing the necessary supports that allow the seniors of Allegan County to remain independent in the homes where they have lived and raised their families for as long as possible."

If you'd like to learn more, contact Lynne for more information. You'll find her number in our membership directory.
 
"Dedicated to serving Allegan County seniors by developing and coordinating services that support their independence, maintain their dignity, and preserve their quality of life."

Allegan County Senior Services, 3255 122nd Ave., Ste. 200, Allegan, MI 49010
Phone: (269) 673-3333  Toll-free: 1-877-673-5333 Fax: (269) 673-0569
Facebook Link


​

Affordable Housing Options for Afghan Family 

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Photo by Mayur Gala on Unsplash
Our family from Afghanistan is beginning to investigate affordable housing options in Allegan and Ottawa counties. We have a list of reduced rent and subsidized housing options. If you are aware of any affordable housing in either county, please email Karen Clark (kbclark@iusb.edu) or Pat Denner (dendronus@yahoo.com)

Upcoming "March for Our Lives" Events,
​June 11 & 18 

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Our UCC Grand West Association is encouraging our area churches to participate in either the Grand Haven or Grand Rapids March for Our Lives events. If you are interested in going to either of these events, and wish to carpool, contact Julie by email, to arrange rides.

Interfaith Action of Southwest Michigan is also encouraging its faith communities to wear orange when they come to church on Sunday, June 12. Our churches will be focusing on the issue during our worship services that day.

This past Sunday, Pastor Sal talked about our church's active role in advocating for gun reform over the years -- see video, below -- and how we will continue to do so.​


March For Our Lives Grand Haven, MI
June 11, 2022 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET
Central Park, Grand Haven, MI 49417
https://fb.me/e/2r4Ld77WJ
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March For Our Lives, Grand Rapids, MI
June 18, 2022 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET
Veteran’s Memorial Park,
101 Fulton St E, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

https://fb.me/e/1NrSfBXN2

We're Halfway There! Grocery Receipts Box in the Friendship Hall! 

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We are about half-way toward our goal of giving $1,000 to Ladders of Hope in Fennville!!!!
The old familiar Family Fare reciept dropbox has been moved back to the Friendship Hall.

Please drop off those receipts so we can total up reciepts and move closer to our goal of collecting $150,000 worth of receipts.

Once we hit that goal, DUCC will donate $1,000 from Spartan’s ‘Direct your Dollars’ Program to Ladders of Hope Food Pantry in Fennville. 


If you forgot to save receipts before, now is the time to start! And drop them in! 

​KUDOS to Dee Mikos Graves and Kathleen Mueller for managing this program and counting up all of those receipts!

Styrofoam Drop-off June 11 

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Photo by Jonas Gerlach on Unsplash
Thanks to everyone who could participate in the Household Hazardous Wasteevent last week!  The team collected 16,792 pounds of recyclables and electronics, which means that much less will be disposed of in our landfills.

The team would love you to take a few minutes to complete this survey. Your feedback will help them improve upon our trash and recycling efforts here in the Tri-Communities.

Also, just a reminder that we'll be collecting foam Saturday, June 11 at the Public Works Yard.  Dropoff hours will be 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Soul Collage Workshop with Rev. Ruth Zwald, June 11, 1 PM 

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Our friend and spiritual teacher Ruth Zwald will be leading a Soul Collage workshop in the Friendship Hall on Saturday, June 11, from 1 to 4pm. If you're interested, register with Ruth at her email adress above. ​

​Annual Congregational Meeting, June 26, 11:30 AM ​

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Photo by Rineshkumar Ghirao on Unsplash
Our Annual Church Business Meeting will be held on Sunday, June 26, at 11:30 AM in the Friendship Hall and online via Zoom. Our Church Council and Financial Oversight Committee will be giving us updates, and we’ll be approving the new church budget for the upcoming fiscal year. All church members are strongly encouraged to attend. If you’ll be joining the meeting from home, please be sure to email Julie Ridl (julie@douglasucc.org) to receive the Zoom link. You can  email Julie to request a copy of the budget for review, and click below to download a copy of last year's meeting minutes, which will be approved at the start of this year's meeting.
june_2021_annual_congregational_meeting_minutes.docx.pdf
File Size: 65 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Birthdays & Anniversaries

June 12- Bill Briggs, 15- Kathy Austin, Austin Belschner, Ash Middleton,
16- Marjorie Reiman, Marcy Weston
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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

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Dick Bont; Tom Pearson (Wendy Hamiln's son); Phil Sturdevant (Pete Wehle's friend); Darren Dixon (Beverly and Orie Hawkes' nephew); The Hotwagner Family; Fritz Royce; David Zylstra (Laurie VandenBeldt's friend); Elinor Hite (Virginia Stuart's sister); Judy Baxter (Kristine Sherman's Mother); Joann DeJonge; Richard and Joanna Weber's grandson Mattox (friends of the Ridls); Al Overweg; Beverly Willming (John Willming's mother); Jay North (friend of Dan Pierce); Hannah Sherman; Maureen Pierce; David Abbot; Sarah Johnson Lock; Linda Masten (Mark Reiman's friend); 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, June 5: 128
​Total Views for June 5 Online Videos: 412


Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $2,640.00
Online Giving: $2,738.82
​​​
​Total: $5,378.82
​
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.

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© 2023. Douglas Congregational United Church of Christ. All Rights Reserved.
  • 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