Douglas Congregational United Church of Christ

09/12/2026

Our speaker this week is no stranger to Douglas United Church of Christ. Dr. Debra Rienstra is the daughter-in-law of beloved member Rev. Marchiene Rienstra. She spoke here before when DUCC used her book, Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth (Fortress) as a Book Read in 2022.  Professor Rienstra received her bachelor of arts in English literature in 1987 from University of Michigan. She graduated with Highest Honors and Highest Distinction. She completed her graduate studies at Rutgers University, receiving an MA in English literature in 1991 and a PhD in literatures in English in 1995. She joined the Calvin University English department in 1996. She has written 3 other books, 2 of which have received awards. Professor Rienstra writes for The Reformed Journal. She also writes the Refugia Newsletter, a newsletter about faith and climate change. You can learn more on her website at https://debrarienstra.com . Dr. Rienstra says the trees are calling to her. Join us Sunday morning at 10:00am to find out what they might be saying. 
You may join us in our Sanctuary or online, live on our Youtube Channel.
Message: Dr. Debra Rienstra
Music: Peter Black, Jeff Spangler, Lauri Donaldson

09/11/2026

This Week's E-Pistle

Located in Saugatuck, Michigan • Everyone Welcome! No Exceptions!

09/11/2026

Remarks from our pastor, Jody Betten, at this morning’s 9/11 memorial at Wade’s Bayou in Douglas: Mayor North, Police Chief Kent, Fire Chief Janik, other first responders and distinguished guests, thank you for hosting this important event, giving us this opportunity to remember.

25 years is a long time. A quarter of a century. 300 months, 1304 weeks, 9131 days, 291,145 hours, 13,148,719 minutes, 788,923,149 seconds. We might think of it as how long since we got married or bought our first house or how old our child is or how long we’ve lived in this community. For some of us, it’s less than half of our lives, for others way more.
For most of us, of a certain age, we know exactly where we were, what we were doing, who we were with, the immediate feelings when we heard. Fear, anger, angst, paralysis, and then as our awareness unfolded, more feelings, difficult feelings of wariness and disbelief and anxiety about what we understood to be our safety in this country, safety we took for granted. If these were our feelings, what must those closest felt?
So, it is important that we remember. Remembering is a sacred act, a refusal to disregard the tragedy of the day 25 years ago.
Today, we remember those who died all 2996 of them. We remember those families for whom is seems like yesterday that their loved one died. We remember first responders whose courage and dedication saved lives, and others who ultimately lost their lives. We remember those who gave of themselves to help in the rescue missions, sacrificing for the sake of community. We remember.

09/10/2026

A friendly reminder: this Sunday we return to one worship service at 10:00 a.m. Join us in the sanctuary or watch live on YouTube. No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!

09/10/2026

Second Sunday Luncheons are back! Please join us, & help us continue to create community while sharing a meal together. Bring what you are able (entrees, salads, desserts, bread etc...) and if you can’t bring anything, please bring yourself. All are welcome!

09/09/2026

In Sunday’s message, Pastor Jody introduced us to “refugia”—places of safety where life can survive, heal, and begin again. From the renewal of Mount St. Helens to the small acts of care happening in our own community, she reminded us that we can each help create refuge for creation and for one another—joining our work to heaven’s work.

Watch Sunday’s Replay!

09/05/2026

In 1989 Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I proclaimed September 1 as a Day of Prayer for Creation for the Eastern Orthodox Church. In 2007 the Third European Ecumenical Assembly proposed extending the single day into a multi-week observance. In 2008 the World Council of Churches invited Christian communities worldwide to observe a “Time for Creation.” In 2015 Pope Francis established September 1 as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in the Roman Catholic Church. Today, the season is widely embraced across Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, and Protestant traditions, supported by an ecumenical steering committee that provides yearly themes and liturgical resources. We honor the Season of Creation for the month of September in light of the ongoing concerns of climate change.
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This month we will be looking back at the themes in the Book Refugia Faith by Dr. Debra Rienstra, a DUCC book read in 2022. Refugium are places where, in the midst of disturbances, life continues to not just survive, but flourish with hope for the future. Our wondering together will be, how do we become refugia as a faith community, looking to creation as our teacher.

Please join us, Sunday at 8:15 or 10:15 am in our Sanctuary, or 10:15 am online, ​live on our Youtube Channel.
Message: Rev. Jody Betten
Music: Peter Black, Jeff Spangler, Lauri Donaldson

09/05/2026

It’s Creation Season, and members of the DUCC Art Guild have been busy! Come check out their beautiful new installation.

09/04/2026

E-Pistle for Fri, Sep 4, 2026: First Sunday in Season of Creation

Located in Saugatuck, Michigan • Everyone Welcome! No Exceptions!

09/03/2026

Pastor Dan reflected on Moses and the burning bush—and the holy act of paying attention and listening. He shared a beautiful “burning bush” moment of his own: while preparing Sunday’s message, a book on his shelf caught his attention simply because it had been placed backwards, its spine facing inward. He pulled it out and discovered it had belonged to his mother, who died years ago. Inside, one page had been folded over, with passages about the power of listening marked in her own handwriting.

Sometimes the greatest gift we can give someone isn’t advice or the right words, but simply our presence and a listening ear.

Who in your life might need you to simply listen today?