Christmas at Pilgrim

It's cold outside, but at Pilgrim, the warmth and energy of the season continues!  We especially welcome guests and visitors to our traditional Christmas activities and worship:

Sunday, December 22, 10:00.  A worship service led by Pilgrim's Handbell Choir, Children and Youth.  This collaborative effort will retell the Christmas story from the perspective of Twinkle and the Bethlehem star by which the Magi found their way to Bethlehem.

Sunday, December 22, 4:30.  Christmas caroling-a most enjoyable intergenerational activity.  We sing traditional Christmas carols to home bound and elderly members of our congregation and then come back to the church to warm up with pizza.

Christmas Eve, 5:00 and 10:00 pm.  Come for a meditative beginning or end to your Christmas Eve gatherings.  Carols, candlelight, and the Christmas story in our beautiful sanctuary.

Sunday, December 29, 10:00 a.m.  "I Remember Christmas."  On the Sunday following Christmas, Pilgrim gathers as a community to hear from its own members.  Bob Rhode, Parker Tewes, Rachael Kresha and Paula Polasky will share stories of their Christmas remembrances.

Please note that our church office closes at noon on Christmas Eve and will be closed Christmas Day, and from December 27-January 1.  Staff members will be in working flexible hours, so leave a message if you like and someone will return your call.

Advent Anticipation

For centuries, the four Sundays prior to Christmas have been set aside as the season of Advent, a time for preparation and anticipation of the Messiah's coming.  Advent is multi-dimensional: in addition to preparing for this year's Christmas, we also contemplate the time when Messiah comes again.   In the midst of all the outer hustle and bustle of the season, households in our congregation reflect on deeper issues of life and meaning.  Each Sunday morning service during Advent has its own special character and excitement.

First Sunday, December 1.  Hanging of the Greens   Pilgrim's sanctuary is beautiful during the Christmas season.  The seasonal transformation takes place during worship when lights, flowers, the Christmas tree and nativity set are put in place.  We recall the long history of God's people, especially the times of deep national darkness and distress.  Generation after generation, prophets offered reassurance and hope of God's presence.  They reminded the people of their calling to live as if God's reign had already begun.

Second Sunday, December 8.  Worship, Advent Workshop and Art Fair.   The Rev. Karen Schuder will conduct worship and preach on this second Sunday of Advent.  Following worship, there will be tables set up for making a variety of seasonal decorations and gifts to take home.  In  addition, several artisans in the congregation will offer items for sale for holiday gift giving.  Lunch is available during the workshop.

Third Sunday, December 15.  Gloria by Anton Vivaldi.  The Pilgrim choir and instrumentalists will present Vivaldi's Gloria on Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.  The music is an inspiration to the joy of the season.

Fourth Sunday. December 22.  Children's Pageant accompanied by Bellissimo Handbell Choir.  Children, youth and musicians will retell the Christmas story with readings, bells and drama as captured in Twinkle and the Bethlehem Star by Tammy Waldrop.

Christmas Eve Candlelight services will be held on December 24 at 5:00 and 10:00 p.m.

Stewardship Season

This is stewardship season at Pilgrim Congregational Church.  It's the time of year when we ask members and friends about their support for our ministry and mission in the following calendar year.  Our operating budget provides for our staff, routine building maintenance and operations, our support of interfaith and denominational missions, and our programs.  Most of our funding comes from donations from friends and members of the congregation.

In addition to the operating budget, we ask members and friends to support our capital needs.  In 2005 we put a new roof on the building and did some interior work to make the building attractive and safe for community use.  We are paying down a mortgage that was necessary to finance the 1.2 million dollar effort --we are nearing the last $100,000.

Every gift helps--whether large or small.  Together we can do things that we could not do alone.  Our theme for our stewardship campaign this year is "Surprising Gifts."  We hope to surprise one another with our faithful contributions to next year's operating expenses!

Sunday, November 17, we will receive pledges and gifts for 2014.  We will stay after worship for a brunch in Fellowship Hall.  Guests and visitors are invited!

In Remembrance of the Saints

Blest are they that dwell within Thy house. They praise Thy name evermore. Psalm 84:4

On Sunday, November 3, Pilgrim will remember members and friends of the congregation who died in the past year.

The Concert Choir from the College of St. Scholastica will join the Pilgrim Choir in singing Requiem by Eliza Gilkyson and How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place by Johannes Brahms.  The service will include poems and prayers of remembrance as well as the Sacrament of Holy Communion which celebrates our continued connection with those who have departed this life.  The choirs sing under the direction of Dr. Bret Amundson and are accompanied by Pilgrim's Director of Music, Rachael Kresha.

Candles will be lighted in memory of the following members and friends of Pilgrim:

Joan Logan
Pearl Fuller

John Hoff

Phyllis Johnson

Francis Leek

Mary Jane Owens

Patricia Streitz

Billie Marie Johnson

Orvin Hieb

            and others whom we each hold dear in our hearts.

Worship begins at 10:00 a.m.  Children worship with adults for the opening portion of the service and then go to Sunday school classes.  There are classes for children ages 4-1st grade, 2nd-3rd grade and 4th-7th grade.  

Hear Ye, Hear Ye. . .All Witches and Wizards...Party at Hogwarts, Sunday, October 27 5:30-8:00

Pilgrim goes all out to host one of Duluth's best Halloween parties for the younger crowd.  Come visit Diagon Alley, the Joke Shop, and eat at Three Broomsticks Tavern.  Find your way to the Platform 9 and 3/4 and take a carriage ride.  Travel upstairs to visit owls from the Lake Superior Zoo.  This party is for all Harry Potter fans of any age.  

We couldn't do it without a lot of help from Duluth business and volunteers from all sectors of the community.  So check out our sponsor board.  And if you'd like to bring a donation for Kids Closet, we'll deliver your gifts to them.  But mostly, just come for some good Halloween fun.

Enjoy a bit of pumpkin carving on Saturday morning, 9-noon--then pick up your pumpkin at the end of the party Sunday evening.

And if Halloween trick or treating isn't quite your preference on October 31, come to Pilgrim at 7:30 for a Spooktacular Organ Recital.  Rachael Kresha will be playing "spooky" music from some of the world's most beloved classical composers.

Happy Halloween!

World Communion October 6

We live in a global community.  At Pilgrim, we remind ourselves that our lives are intimately connected to, and dependent upon, all who inhabit this planet with us.  We believe the created world is a treasure God has entrusted to us and we are given responsibility to care for it, protect it, and pass it on to our children and our children's children.

We are keenly aware that the lifestyle and conveniences to which we have become accustomed are exacting a horrendous toll upon the planet and upon many who live on it. There are no quick and easy solutions to the planet's pain or our neighbor's plight.  But at Pilgrim, we are working at raising our own awareness, making what changes we can, and encouraging each other to think about earth's sustainability.

Volunteers deliver food waste produced on our premises to WLSSD or a nearby collection point.  We collect and recycle glossy paper to support our music program and ink and toner cartridges.  We are studying the results of a recent energy audit and implementing recommendations as we can.  Twenty households in the congregation took advantage of a home energy audit offered through the congregation and Duluth energy and efficiency program last year.

One of our Sunday school classes is studying food waste as part of a Food Justice unit.  Our Social Justice Ministry is committed to examining climate change as a priority in our understanding of mission.

On October 6, we celebrate Holy Communion, knowing that as we share this sacrament with Christians around the world, we all breath the same air, drink from the same waters, and live under the same sky.  The Social Justice Ministry will show the film Taking Root at 11:20--the film is the story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai and her efforts to build a national program of tree planting in Kenya. Children and youth are welcome to view the film with adults.

Our Children's Faith--and Ours

Most people who find meaning in a faith tradition hope that their children will also value that tradition.  It's only natural to want to pass on the things we love and cherish.  At Pilgrim, we will spend the weekend of September 21 and 22 learning about how children's faith is most likely to be formed.

Wade Zick,, who works for the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ, has studied and researched Faith Forming Communities.  Faith (Christian or otherwise) is most often shaped in the intimate community of the home.  That faith can be reinforced and strengthened by a larger community of faith such as a congregation or synagogue or mosque.

On Saturday, September 21, Wade will facilitate a discussion with parents, grandparents and others who are directly involved in raising children.  He will urge parents to think about their own faith and values and to examine the ways in which those values are woven into the fabric of  life at home. "Faith Forming Families" will meet from 9:30-noon.  Child care will be available and there is no charge for participants.

On Sunday, September 22, Wade will address the congregation in the morning worship service.  At 11:20 he will meet with adults for a question and answer session and further discussion about Pilgrim as a "Faith Forming Community."  Both the service and the discussion afterwards are open to the public and those of other faith traditions.

Faith Forming Congregations tend to have five characteristics:
1.  Adults and children participate in worship together.
2.  Parents and grandparents engage in faith practices at home.
3.  The faith community practices intergenerational ministry.
4.  There is conversation and reflection on the meaning of service and mission.
5.  Lay and clergy leadership continually are engaged in leadership development.

Pilgrim is looking forward to learning from and with Wade Zick.  

Financial Planning

Jesus told more than a few parables about money.  At Pilgrim, we understand stewardship ministry to include encouraging families in developing financial health.  In part, that means making responsible plans that provide for children and their care, taking care of one's own health needs and living situations, making plans for the eventual distribution of assets, and using financial resources to help create a better world.  To this end, the stewardship ministry sponsors occasional seminars to acquaint members and friends with the questions they need to consider when talking with their own financial planning professional or adviser.  These seminars do not promote any particular plans or products; they are strictly informational so that families are better equipped to make sound decisions.

Seminars are being offered Wednesday, September 11 and September 18.  Each evening, the seminar from 6:30-7:30 will focus on financial planning for families with children.  The seminar from 7:45-8:45 will focus on financial planning for mature families.  Friends and guests of the Pilgrim are welcome to attend.  There is no charge.  Child care is provided.

Music and Choirs at Pilgrim

Music is an essential part of worship at Pilgrim Congregational Church.  Although we are firmly rooted in classical church traditions, Rachael Kresha, our Director of Music, and Bret Amundson, our Director of Choral Music, provide variety in musical styles and opportunities.  Auditions are not necessary to participate in our choirs--Rachael and Bret willingly help singers and ringers figure out how they can contribute to our music program.  More information about each of our choirs is available on Pilgrim's Music and Arts page.

Rehearsals for the 2013-2014 season are as follows:

Bella Campana--small handbell ensemble for experienced handbell ringers
     Rehearses Wednesdays, 5:30-6:00 pm, beginning September 4
Bellissimo Handbell Ringers--larger handbell choir
     Rehearses Wednesdays, 6:00-7:00, beginning September 4

Pilgrim Choir--vocal choir, no auditions necessary
    Rehearses Wednesdays, 7:15-8:30, beginning September 11
Joyful Voices--an occasional choir which rehearses a few specific weeks for a given Sunday's anthem
    Rehearses occasionally on Wednesdays, 7:15-8:00, beginning September 11
    It is not necessary to read music to sing in Joyful Voices!

Joyful Noise--is an integrative music program for children ages 5-10.  This is part of our music outreach. Children in Joyful Noise are not required to attend Pilgrim or come on Sundays.  Pre-register for the semester .  Classes meet on Thursdays, 6:00 pm, beginning September 26.

Music is an important element in our Sunday School program as well and each Sunday a musician works with our children from 11:00-11:15.

Contact Rachael Kresha or  Bret Amundson for more details about any of our music programs.

September 8 Gathering Sunday

September 8 marks the beginning of the program year at Pilgrim.  Sunday School classes for children and youth resume on Sunday mornings and on September 8th, the whole congregation is invited to brunch in Fellowship Hall following worship and classes.

Sunday School students come to worship with parents or other adults at 10:00 a.m..  After a Time with Children, they recess to their classes for age-appropriate learning and then gather at 11:00 for music.  There are three Sunday school classes: children age 4-1st grade; 2nd and 3rd graders; and 4th-7th graders.  Youth older than 7th grade stay in the worship service and are encouraged to explore the meaning of faith through a confirmation program.

This year, the 4th-7th graders are beginning the year with a six week study of Food Justice.  They are learning about food production and distribution and the Christian call to be sure that everyone has access to food for healthy living.  Students and teachers are excited to share their learning on their own blog: http://kidblog.org/PilgrimKids/

Younger children are learning Bible stories related to the designated texts for each Sunday.

Check this blog each week for further information about Pilgrim's various activities or like us on Facebook for weekly announcements of upcoming events.  We'd love to have you check us out!

"Whoever you are, wherever you are in life's journey, you are welcome here."

Outdoor Service and Summer Potluck

On Sunday, July 28, Pilgrim will worship on the lawn in front of the church building.  Feel free to bring your own lawn chair if you like.  Afterwards, there will be a potluck meal--members of the congregation will bring hot dish, salads, or vegetables to share.  Pilgrim's own version of a praise band will provide service music and accompany our hymns.  Dress for the weather (forecasters say cool and sunny this year!)  Enjoy the out of doors with us!

Midsummer Bible Study

Our minister, the Rev. Charlotte Frantz, is leading a midsummer Bible study on the book of Colossians.  The group is open to anyone who would like to come on Wednesday evening, July 10, 17, 24 and 31.  The group meets at 7:00 for about an hour. There is no need to come for all four sessions--drop in any Wednesday and join the discussion.  The conversation is part of Charlotte's preparation for preaching the following Sunday.  Bible study at Pilgrim is informal, conversational and a shared exploration of a Biblical text in light of our life experiences.

Vacation Bible School

Pilgrim will again collaborate with Peace United Church of Christ to offer Vacation Bible School. Gordon Linn is Pilgrim’s contact person and coordinator. (218-213-3555 or linnfinity@gmail.com)


Cost: $20 per child if you register early ($50 max per family), or $25 per child if you register on the first day of VBS ($55 max per family). Early registration is so helpful as we plan our supplies, helpers, etc.

Vacation Bible School this year is all about serving. We will learn how God calls us to love and serve each other. We are looking for Volunteers! Are you willing to help lead a station for one or two days, or even the whole week? Stations will include: Arts and Crafts, Games, and Service Projects. Let Gordon Linn, or Charlotte Frantz know if you can help.

Supply Lists will be available in Salter Hall! As always we need our Peace Church and Pilgrim Church members to donate most of our supplies to keep costs down. Please take a donation slip or two or three! Donate items so that our kids can have a great experience.

Adult Leaders Needed for Activity Stations!

For this great event, we are looking for adults to team lead activity stations. All curriculum and supplies are provided. Volunteers may sign up for one or two days or a week long commitment. It’s a great way to get to know the younger generation. Please let Gordon Linn know if you are interested.

Youth VBS NEEDS YOU! We need your energy, experience and enthusiasm to help make this year’s VBS extraordinary. Let Charlotte Frantz or Gordon Linn know if you can help out! It will be a great week if YOU join us!

Check us Out in Person: Introduction to Pilgrim

Ever wonder what kind of congregation we are here at Pilgrim?  If you've been browsing our website or follow us on Facebook, come try us in person.  This Sunday, June 16, at 11:20, there will be a conversational gathering in the parlor--an opportunity for guests, visitors and new members to learn more about our life here at Pilgrim.  Check us out.  Follow us on Facebook for weekly updates of events and activites.

Worship every Sunday is at 10:00 a.m.--even in the summer!

Turkey Time!

The Turkeys are back!  The YMCA Church Softball season has begun with the first game being a draw last week.  The schedule for the remainder of the season is:
June 4-Turkeys vs. Cross Roads UMD Field 2, 8:00 pm
June 11-Turkeys vs. Peace in Christ Red UMD Field 2, 8:00 pm
June 25-Turkeys vs. The Waters Edge CC UMD Field 1, 7:00 pm
July 2-Turkeys vs. St. Benedicts Popes UMD Field 1, 7:00 pm
July 11-Turkeys vs. St Benedicts Cardinals UMD Field 1, 8:00 pm
July 16-Turkeys vs. Peace in Christ Blue UMD Field 1, 6:00 pm
July 18-Turkeys vs. University Christian Fellwoship UMD Field 2, 8:00 pm
Playoff begin July 25th.
Come out and cheer on the returning champions.  If you are interested in playing, please contact the church office.  Can the Turkeys make it three in a row?

School's Out!

At Pilgrim, we celebrate life's milestones and on the first Sunday of June we celebrate with our children and youth: School's Out!  On June 2 we will honor our high school graduates during the worship service.  Sunday School Children will present the musical Rescue in the Night: The Story of Daniel in the Lions' Den as the "message of the day."   At 11:30 we'll gather in Fellowship Hall for a kid-friendly meal to welcome the summer season.  Many, many thanks to all the adults who have helped with our children and youth programming this year.

Book Sale

Pilgrim's Annual Book Sale will be held Saturday, June 1, 9:00 am-4:00 pm.  Used books of all kinds--children and adult, fiction and non-fiction.  Donations of used books will be accepted up through Thursday.

Pentecost at Pilgrim

Fifty days after Easter, Christians celebrate Pentecost, marking the day Jesus' disciples received the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The story can be found in the second chapter of Acts.  As the story was told, the disciples were afraid and in hiding, but on this day they heard a great wind and saw flames of fire above one another's heads.  They fled into the streets and a great crowd gathered around them.  The crowd, in Jerusalem for holiday, heard the disciples speaking in many different languages.  For the Christian church, this occasion is often regarded as "the birth of the church."

Pilgrim is a progressive, mainline Christian congregation. On Pentecost we read the story in Acts and consider what it means for us to receive the Holy Spirit.  This year, Pentecost is May 19.  Worship with us at 10:00.

Pilgrim's services are regularly broadcast on cable television, channel 7, on Wednesdays at 3:30 and 8:00 pm and Thursdays at 7:00 a.m.

A New Creation by Rene Clausen

The Pilgrim Congregational Choir will present Rene Clausen's cantata, A New Creation, on May 12th at 10:00 a.m.  We are  located at 2310 E. 4^th Street, Duluth. 

Clausen is a contemporary American composer who serves as professor of music and choir director at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota.  A New Creation is written for chorus, soloists, and accompaniment. The work uses both English and Latin texts taken from the Bible, the Roman Catholic Mass, and a hymn by George Herbert.  

In writing about this composition, Clausen said, "The various movements are attempts to characterize, through music, various aspects of the human/God, God/human relationship. Awe and wonder, unworthiness and doubt, mercy and forgiveness, love, joy, and peace, are all wrapped together in this piece, as indeed these elements are wrapped together in our daily lives.”

The Pilgrim Choir is directed by Dr. Bret Amundson.  Pilgrim’s Director of Music, Rachel Kresha, will accompany the choir.  

Reunion Sunday, the First Sunday in May

It's been a long winter in Duluth and we're reveling in the warmth of the sun and longer daylight hours.  Sunday, May 5, is Reunion Sunday--an opportunity for worship, conversation and a meal together.  Snowbirds are beginning to return.   With the ice gone, it's a little easier to get into the building with wheelchairs, walkers and other mobility aids.  We'll celebrate Holy Communion as part of the service and serve it in the pews.  There will be a brunch after worship, with time set aside for conversation and catching up.  And for those who have just gotten out the Sunday morning habit, or who want to give Pilgrim a try for the first time,  May 5th just might be the day.  

50 Great Days to Green Up, Power Down and Shout Out: Mission 4/1 Earth

Pilgrim will celebrate Earth Day, this Sunday, April 28.    Bellissimo Handbell Choir and Sunday School youth are teaming up to present a Suite of Animals during the Time with Children.  Pilgrim Choir is singing John Rutter's composition, All Things Bright and Beautiful.  After the Coffee Hour, parents will gather to talk about Sunday school and children's programming at Pilgrim while children and youth are busy with some special Earth Day activities.

We're half way through the season of Easter and our Mission 4/1 Earth Initiative.  At the moment,  it's hard to see signs of Earth's Greening Up here in Duluth!  The snow is still deep in places and more is in the forecast!!!  But we're making ready--we've ordered bulbs and perennials and more than 250 to be planted when spring finally arrives.

Homeowners in our congregation are taking advantage of opportunities to decrease their energy use at home and this Sunday the Mission 4/1 Earth Table will feature water conservation at home.  Order low flow shower heads and faucet aerators at whole sale prices!

Carpool, bike or walk to Pilgrim this Sunday!  It just might be that the sun will shine.  The same weather forecasters predicting snow on Monday night say we will top 50 degrees come Sunday.  Ah Spring!  You will be so welcome!!!!

Gospel Mass by Robert Ray

On Sunday, April 21, Gospel sounds will reverberate through our Sanctuary as St. Scholastica's Concert Choir sings Robert Ray's setting of the mass.  Texts of the mass are traditional, some of them dating as far back as the 6th century.  Ray surrounds these very old texts with the vibrancy of contemporary African American Gospel sound.  Ray teaches at the University of Missouri in St. Louis and, as part of his own contribution to cultural understandings, has made this musical genre available to choral groups more often used to classical music derived from European traditions.   The Gospel Mass will be presented as part of the worship service at Pilgrim, beginning at 10:00 a.m.  

Tiffany Windows Open House

The public is invited to an Open House at Pilgrim on Sunday afternoon, April 14.  Pilgrim's sanctuary includes five paired windows from the Louis Comfort Tiffany studios.  They have been featured in art publications and reproduced on note cards and stationary.  Jack Salmela, local historian and writer, recently produced a video about the history of Duluth as it relates to the stained glass windows at Pilgrim.  The church building will be open from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, April 14.  Jack's work will be shown at 2:30 and 3:15 in the church parlor.  The Open House is part of the One Community, One Book project sponsored by the Duluth Public Library.  This year's community read is Clara and Mr. Tiffany, a historical novel about the work of Clara Driscoll, a Tiffany designer and supervisor of the Women's Department at the studio in New York.  Pictures of the windows are on this website:  http://pilgrimduluth.org/windows/index.php

Follow us on Facebook for more information about events at Pilgrim.

Easter Season Earth Care: Mission 4/1 Earth

Along with other congregations in the United Church of Christ, Pilgrim will observe the Easter season by caring for the earth.  We are embarking on 50 great days of greening up, powering down, and shouting out for the environment, all part of our Mission 4/1 Earth initiative.

The 4/1 Earth Team supported by the Social Justice Committee will provide Pilgrims with some specific opportunities to reach the following goals together:

Goal #1 – 500 hours of engaged earth care, such as clean up, recycling, and education

Goal #2 – 100 trees planted locally and globally

Goal #3 – 50 letters of environmental advocacy written and sent to elected officials and media

Each Sunday the Mission 4/1 team will staff a table with information related to caring for the earth.  In addition, there are 2nd hour adult education events and activities.  Like us on Facebook for updated details related to each Sunday's activities.  

Holy Week Events at Pilgrim

Monday evening, March 25   6:30 pm  Jesus of Montreal. Award winning film. A group of actors revive a Passion Play and find themselves experiencing contemporary salvation.

Thursday evening, March 28   6:00 pm   Teaching Seder conducted by Neil Glazeman of Temple Israel.  Make a reservation  through the church office no later than Wednesday.  Call 724-8503.

Friday evening, March 29    7:00 pm    Good Friday Tenebrae Service.  Music and Readings for meditation on the meaning of sacrifice.  Held in partnership with Peace United Church of Christ and Glen Avon Presbyterian Church.  Held at Glen Avon, 2105 Woodland Avenue

Saturday, March 30   10:00 am     Community Easter Party. Crafts, Games and a Visit from the Easter Bunny

Sunday, March 31    9:00 am     Easter Continental Breakfast
      10:00 am      Easter Worship with Brass, Choirs, and Handbells

Can't get to worship this weekend?  If you are housebound or caring for someone who is, or working during the usual worship times? Tune in to Channel 7, Duluth's Public Access Television:
       Good Friday Tenebrae will be broadcast on Tuesday, March 26, 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm and Thursday, March 28, 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm
       Passion Sunday Worship will be broadcast on Friday, March 29, 7:30 am and 4:00 pm and Saturday, March 30, 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm
       Easter Worship will be broadcast on Easter Sunday, March 31, and noon, 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm
       

Speaking of Faith

During this Lenten season Pilgrims are reading Krista Tippett's book Speaking of Faith and talking about their own faith questions and experiences.  Sermons on Sunday morning are inspired by our minister's reading of the book and on Monday evenings we are using video and audio clips to hear more from individuals whom Tippett quotes.  Discussion groups and the Monday evening series are open to friends and members of the congregation.

Week of Feb. 13-17        Read Chapter 1
Thursday, Feb. 14            Discussion group at 2:00
Sunday Feb. 17,  10:00    Heresy of Belief, Charlotte Frantz
                                        Discussion groups at 11:20

Week of Feb. 18-24          Read Chapter 2
Monday Feb. 18   6:30      Conversation Partner Reinhold Niebuhr
Sunday, Feb. 24, 10:00     When Darkness Descends,Peter Bagley
                                         Discussion group at 11:20

Week of Feb. 25-March 3  Read Chapter 3        
Monday, Feb. 25, 6:30       Conversation Partner D. Bonhoeffer
Thursday, Feb. 28               Discussion group at 2:00
Sunday, March 3                 Disciplines of Discovery,Charlotte Frantz
                                           Discussion groups at 11:20

Week of March 4-10        Read chapter 4
Monday, March 4 6:30     Conversation Partner, Elie Wiesel
Thursday, March 7            Discussion group at 2:00
Sunday, March 10            Sermon by Charlotte Frantz
                                         Discussion groups at 11:20

Week of March 11-18     Read chapter 5
Monday, Mar. 12 6:30  Conversation Partner, Seyyam  Nasr
Thursday, March 14        Discussion group at 2:00

Please note:  Most of Pilgrim's committees will not meet during March and encourage members of the congregation to participate instead in this Lenten conversation about faith.

Lent Begins on Ash Wednesday

Pilgrim will observe the beginning of the Lenten season with an evening service Wednesday evening at 7:00.  The quiet, contemplative service marks the beginning of the Lenten season.  "We are made of dust and to dust we shall return."  Life is short and fleeting, and oh, so precious.  Let go of regrets and anxieties.  Live in the fullness of God's grace and forgiveness.  Come light a candle. Take time to pray.

During this first week of Lent:
   Speaking of Faith Discussion groups begin--Thursdays at 2:00; Sundays at 11:20
   Worship Sunday morning, The Heresy of Belief, 10:00
   Monday evening, 6:30  Learning from Reinhold Niebuhr

Books and a companion piece for Speaking of Faith are available at Pilgrim.
 

Speaking of Faith, Lent 2013

Lent, the six weeks before Easter, is a time for deepening one's faith and spiritual practice.  At Pilgrim, we've used this season for conversations about the meaning of our own faith.  This year Pilgrims are reading Krista Tippett's book, Speaking of Faith, her own spiritual autobiography shaped by the radio interviews she conducted as the host of NPR's program of the same name.  Sunday mornings will reflect some of the questions and themes in the book.  There will be small groups for discussion of the material offered on Sundays at 11:20 and on Thursday afternoons at 2:00.  In addition, Pilgrim will show videos and use audio podcasts to hear more from Tippett's conversation partners.  These will be shown at 6:30 on Monday evenings.  Reading, discussion groups and the Monday video series are open to friends of Pilgrim and guests as well as members of the congregation.  Copies of the book and a reader's discussion guide are available at Pilgrim.

A Winter Afternoon at Hartley Nature Center

Saturday, February 2, 2013 1:00 to 4:00 PM

Whether you're 8 or 80, come to Hartley Nature Center Saturday afternoon. The center is located at 3001 Woodland Avenue in Duluth. Pilgrim has reserved a large room indoors.  Outdoors, there are trails to walk and ski, a lake for ice fishing, and woods for exploring.  Hartley has both cross country skis and snowshoes for rent, or you may bring your own.  One of Hartley's naturalists will lead a walk at 1:30.  There will be childcare for the youngest children, and some indoor activities for children as well. There is no charge, so dress for the weather and come.  Drop in to visit for just a few minutes or stay for the whole afternoon of winter fun.  For more information about Hartley, go to www.hartleynature.org

Congregational Polity

The word "polity" refers to an organization's governance and authority.  In the Congregational tradition, authority rests among members who have joined in a mutual covenant.  Each year in January and May, members of Pilgrim gather to make decisions that effect the life of the congregation.  In addition, special meetings can be held as needed during the year.

On January 27th, following the worship service, there will be a congregational meeting for the following purposes:  To act on a proposed Constitution for the congregation; to authorize a budget for fiscal year 2013, and to elect delegates to the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ, CHUM, and the United Campus Ministries.

Meetings are open to visitors and guests, although only members have voting privileges.

"The Fierce Urgency of Now" Pilgrim Hosts Guest for MLK Weekend

Sunday morning, January 20,  Brandon Clokey will be Pilgrim's guest minister.  Brandon, who is African American,  is the adopted son of white parents and has always lived with an awareness of difference. Now, as a father of three, an ordained pastor, and community activist, Brandon has often been involved in helping people deal with issues of diversity.  At North Star Academy, he advises students of color and helps them articulate their experiences and communicate more directly with staff and teachers.  Teachers have found him a helpful resource.  

Brandon is an active member of Lincoln Park Community Church.  He believes that people of faith have a unique perspective on racial and economic differences and a particular mandate to work at reconciliation.   Brandon will preach at Pilgrim and stay afterwards for a 2nd Hour discussion.  Worship begins at 10:00.  2nd Hour begins about 11:20.  

"it used to be that everyone within a community looked the same and acted the same.  They came from the same background and shared the same feelings.  Communities prayed together, learned together, and played together.  Everyone seemed to get along or so it seemed. . . . The truth is, diversity has always been a part of our world and our communities.  Whether we handle it with the same love and concern that God has shown us, has been up to us.  As we know, diversity is not always an easy element to overcome, and world events have proven that.  Now is the time to look at one another for the blessing others not like us are to the world and learn what God is sharing with us through them."        Quote from Brandon Clokey

Other community wide events Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend:

Friday, Jan. 18  7:00 pm  Friday night with MLK, Duluth's Got Talent, Denfield High School

Saturday, Jan. 19 6:00 pm  Readings and Reflections on the Work of Martin Luther King, Jr.   

     Universalist Unitarian Congregation, Duluth, 835 College Street

Sunday, Jan. 20  5:30 pm Community Worship Service

      Church of  Restoration

      2623 W. 2nd Street (formerly Boys and Girls Club)

Monday, Jan. 21  7:00 am  Community Breakfast and Broadcast of Marion Wright Edelman

       First United Methodist Church, 230 E. Skyline Drive

Monday, Jan. 21  9:45 am  Community March and Rally

       Meet at Washington Center and march to the DECC

Committed to Public Education

Congregational churches have long been committed to the support, and advocacy for, education.  In the early days of this nation, our congregationalist ancestors established schools of higher education, including Yale, Harvard, Dartmouth (originally to give Native Americans an opportunity for higher education), and Oberlin, (one of the first to offer women's higher education).  Even before the Civil War battles were finished, Congregationalists established schools in the southern states to educate former slaves.  And throughout our history, Congregationalists have supported public education for children and adolescents.

In the spirit of this tradition, Pilgrim urges members of our community to participate in the ISD 709 THINK KIDS discussions.  Now that the district's schools have been consolidated, renovated, or newly built, it's time to engage in a community wide discussion--what do we want for the youth who attend our schools?  Meetings will be held for parents of students in various schools.  There are also meetings for neighbors and members of the community.

Our congregation encourages you to attend a THINK KIDS meeting--if you have children, go to the meeting designated for your child's school.  If you live near a school, go to the meeting designated for neighbors or community members.  Even if you don't have children attending school, your insight and wisdom is important.

Want to know more about what's happening in the schools?  Want to know more about the questions teachers wish you'd ask?  Come to the 2nd hour following worship at Pilgrim on January 13th.  Members of Pilgrim who work in ISD 709 will be available for conversation.  Learn more about the public school in your neighborhood.  

A Ministry of Prayer

When Thomas Merton gave up a life of activism for the quiet of life in a monastery, his students were flabbergasted.  How could he do this?  Merton is rumored to have said, "Because I believe in the power of prayer."

An important and often unseen ministry at Pilgrim is the ministry of the Prayer Chain, a group of Pilgrims who  respond to prayer requests and pray on behalf of others.  On Sunday, January 6th, members and friends of the congregation interested in this ministry are invited to meet in the Parlor following the coffee hour.  Leaders of this ministry will talk about how the chain has worked in the past and there will be discussion about procedures and policies related to handling prayer requests.  Anyone who worships regularly at Pilgrim is invited to participate in this ministry.

Come Sunday to celebrate Epiphany, the season of light, with us.  Jackie Falk will preach "Home by Another Way" and communion will be part of the service.  Then stay for the 2nd Hour on A Ministry of Prayer.