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

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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.