I Remember Christmas

Worship on December 30 is a celebration of the traditions and memories of the season.  Traditional carols, personal stories, and shared prayers for the new year.  Come at 10:00 to worship; stay for coffee, cookies and conversation.  The church office will re open on January 2.

Christmas Eve services at 5:00 and 10:00 p.m.

Come, worship with us on Christmas Eve at either 5:00 or 10:00 p.m.  Both services feature candlelight, readings and music of the season.  Child care is available.  Come at 9:00 for the social hour--enjoy some light refreshments and conversations with your friends and neighbors.  Check out our Facebook page for a brief video of Silent Night at last year's service.

The church office will be closed from December 25-January 2.  On December 30, the congregation will gather for a worship service at 10:00 a.m., I Remember Christmas.  Enjoy this service of stories and traditional carols.

Heaven Does Not Hold Him

Rejoice in the mystery of this Christmas season.  The God of all, Creator, the One from before the beginning of time, does not rest in the heavenly realm.  God yearned to be a part of life here on earth, and came in the form of a boy child, born in Bethlehem.  That was long ago.  We celebrate because God continues to descend and dwell among us.  Worship with us during this upcoming holiday weekend: Sunday, December 23, at 10:00 a.m. and on Christmas Eve, at 5:00 and 10:00 p.m.  Both Christmas Eve services are candlelight services.

On December 23, Pilgrims will share the joy of the season with homebound members of the congregation.  Meet at church at 4:00; return at 6:15 for pizza and pictures of the polar bears in Churchhill, Canada!

Christmas Festivities at Pilgrim

Pilgrim will be celebrating Christmas with a touch of English tradition on December 16th.  The Pilgrim choir will present Benjamin Britten's A Ceremony of Carols in the 10:00 a.m. worship service.  This work was written in 1942 and is based on English carols of the 15th and 16th century.  The carols are accompanied by harp.

Children and youth in the congregation will dramatize the Christmas story during the worship service.

All the hymns and service music will come from the English carol tradition:  God Rest You Merry, We wish You a Merry Christmas, and the First Nowell for children, youth, choir and handbells are just a few examples of the fun the English have bequeathed to our holiday celebrations.  Worship begins at 10:00 and there is time for refreshments and conversation afterwards.  Child care is provided for children ages 4 and younger.

Members and friends are invited to an evening of caroling homebound members on December 23, leaving the church at 4:00 p.m.

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

Mozart Requiem Broadcast This Week

This week, Channel 7, Duluth's Public Access Television Channel will broadcast the Mozart Requiem as presented at Pilgrim on November 4th.  Members of Pilgrim, Peace, Glen Avon and First Lutheran church choirs sang.  Soloists were Sarah Lawrence, Sarah Knott, Cal Metts and Elias Mokole.  Members of the DSSO played and the entire performance was directed by Dr. Jack Bowman.  The performance was made possible by the Julia Marshall Gift Trust and served as a benefit for CHUM.  More than $7000 was raised by the audiences at the two performances.


Pilgrim will celebrate Thanksgiving on Tuesday evening,  November 20th, at an interfaith service  to be held at First United Methodist Church at 7:00 p.m..  This is a long standing tradition of community thanksgiving.

Members of the congregation will cook and serve a traditional Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday, November 21st for members and guests of the Harmony Club, located on East Superior Street.

On Sunday, November 25th, at 10:00 a.m., Pilgrim will observe Thanksgiving in the Sunday morning service.  Come join us for traditional Thanksgiving hymns, prayers, and readings.

A Season of Generosity

November is a season of generosity at Pilgrim.  Our stewardship campaign is underway and includes several significant celebrations.  On November 11 is The Great Gift Exchange.  During coffee hour, talk with persons active in various Pilgrim ministries.  Figure out where you'd like to be involved.  There are Shared Ministry forms available by which to register your interest in particular areas of our congregation's life.

On November 18 we will celebrate the conclusion of our Stewardship Drive for 2013.  Each November, we ask members to pledge what they anticipate giving to support the work of the congregation the following year.  This year we are asking for pledges to both the operating expenses of the church and our capital needs.  In 2005 we put a new roof on the building to ensure that the structure will serve the community for years to come.  We anticipate that in another year or two, we will be able to retire the debt incurred for that project.

A congregational meal will be held following worship on November 18.

On Tuesday, November 20th, Pilgrim will participate in an ecumenical Thanksgiving service to be held at First United Methodist Church at 7:00 p.m..  This is a long standing tradition of community thanksgiving.

On Sunday, November 25th, at 10:00 a.m., we will celebrate Thanksgiving in our own sanctuary.  Come join us for traditional Thanksgiving hymns, prayers, and readings.

Mozart Requiem Sunday Afternoon, November 4

Pause this Sunday, November 4, to remember and give thanks for the saints you've known.  Pilgrim is hosting a performance of Mozart's Requiem in honor of All Saints and as a benefit for CHUM.  Chorus members are from the choirs of several congregations:  Peace, Pilgrim, Glen Avon and First Lutheran.  A Festival Orchestra of DSSO members will play for this performance and soloists are Sarah Lawrence, Sarah Knott, Cal Metts and Elias Mokole.  The entire performance is under the direction of Dr. Jack Bowman, former Director of Music Programs at Pilgrim.

In addition, Jason Braham and Rachael Kresha, Directors of Music at First Lutheran and Pilgrim, will be perform organ solos on the Jaeckel organ.

The concert is free and open to the public.  Donations will be asked for CHUM, Duluth's ecumenical agency that provides a food shelf, emergency shelter, and transition housing assistance.  The same concert will be presented Sunday evening, November 4, at First Lutheran Church, at 7:00 p.m.