eNews for Tuesday, March 16, 2021
In the Face of Great Change
Then afterward
I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.—Joel 2:28
In 1889, Charles H. Duell was the Commissioner of the US patent office. Reflecting on his office issuing the 500th patent, he predicted that the patent office would soon shrink in size, and eventually close. According to his assessment, “everything that can be invented has been invented.” Today, that office has issued well over 10,000,000 patents.
Being able to sense the future is a valuable leadership skill in the world today. We read Charles Duell’s words and think “Wow, he was really out of touch.” But I also wonder what assumptions you and I hold about our futures that could be as far off base and limited in scale. How are we holding ourselves back because we have a narrow view of a possible world?
Interestingly it took 155 years, from 1836 to 1991, for the United States to issue its first 5 million patents. It took just 27 years to issue the next 5 million.
The ancient curse “may you live in interesting times” has come true for us. This is it—the most interesting time in human history. As philosopher Jean Houston often reflects, “You and I are living 10 to 100 times the life experiences of our ancestors just one or two generations before.” Every day our lives reflect a quantum leap in complexity, innovation, and experience.
So, what shall we do with this moment of opportunity? How shall we prepare?
Houston goes on to observe the essential work of expanding our vision—our consciousness—of ourselves and our world. “Extremely limited consciousness,” she says, “gives us governments that are too large for the small problems of life and too small in spirit for the large problems. Extremely limited consciousness cannot deal with ethnic and tribal violence and the rage of the dispossessed, the addiction to consumption and soul-killing substances, the very survival of the planet. Instead, extremely limited consciousness offers us a patchwork quilt of solutions that create ten new problems for each quick fix.”
In the face of great change, we need great vision. But don’t be deceived into thinking we are waiting on some grand savior to make everything right. We are waiting on YOU. We are waiting on US. We are the dreamers, leaders, future makers and inventors. We need only claim in ourselves what has always been true.
We are in this together,
Rev. Cameron Trimble
Author of Piloting Church: Helping Your Congregation
Take Flight
Prayer for the Week
May God bless you, keep you, be gracious to you.
May God give you grace never to sell yourself—or God—Short.
Grace to risk something big for something good.
Grace to remember that the world is now too dangerous for anything but truth,
And too small for anything but love.
So may God take your mind and think through it.
May God take your lips and speak through them.
May God take your hands and do good with them.
May God take your heart and set it on fire.
Amen.
—Rev. Kathi McShane, Senior Pastor of Los Altos UMC, adapted from William Slone Coffin's prayer titled "Risk Something Big for Something Good."
Sanctuary Update
Work on the interior of the booth is in progress
Easter Flowers
We will be decorating the Sanctuary with lilies and various other flowers this year—get in touch with the office if you'd like to purchase flowers and dedicate them during Easter Sunday Worship. Lilies are $15, and other blooming plants will be $19. We'll have Chrysanthemum, Kallanchos, and Cyclamens available. Thank you!
Earl Austin
From Earl's daughter, Lisa Austin:
I have made edits to my dad, Earl Austin's, website: https://earl-austin-art.weebly.com
I have enjoyed sorting his work. I can see more clearly the themes and compositions he worked with throughout his life. I have added a lot of information on the "About Earl Austin" page. I have also added pages with artwork that is for sale. Lizzard's Art Gallery in Duluth has over 100 of these pieces framed or in portfolios. I am creating a fund to support local artists, and all the proceeds I receive from selling his work will go into this fund.
Pilgrim Women's Book Club
Monday, April 12 | 4:00 pm
Our book selection for April is The Good Lord Bird by James McBride. It's a "comedy novel which depicts the life of the abolitionist John Brown." The book won the 2013 National Book Award. It's been described as a "riveting story which will make you laugh and think."
Since this is a Book Club in a Bag selection, we have additional copies available. If you would like a copy to read, email Carol Bacig and she'll get a copy to you.
Meeting ID: 856 8820 1294
Passcode: 260291
Giving from the Heart
From Stewardship Ministry
“It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
In God’s Word, we find many examples of people who gave faithfully, generously, and joyfully. In 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, Paul uses the Macedonians as an example of people who, in their extreme poverty, gave beyond their ability. Because of the famine in Macedonia at the time, they didn’t have a surplus to give from; however, they put God first and trusted in him to provide. Out of overflowing joy, they gave from their hearts.
For another example of giving from the heart, we can look at the account of the Widow’s Offering found in Luke 21:1-4. In this story, the Pharisees gave from their excess and for recognition, whereas the widow quietly dropped in two small copper coins, which was all she had. She gave from the heart. From this sacrificial gift, it is evident that she placed her total trust in God. She was relying on him for her future care. Although the Pharisees gave larger gifts than the widow, they were chastised for having hardened hearts. Even though the widow gave only a small gift, Jesus praised her for her generosity because he knew she gave from a loving heart.
A third illustration of one giving from the heart is Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). When Jesus changed Zacchaeus’ heart, he cheerfully gave away half of what he had and four times to those from whom he had cheated. Before he met Jesus, his money was his god so he hoarded it. With a changed heart, he gave generously and joyfully.
God wants our giving to come from hearts filled with gratitude for who God is and for all that he has done and continues to do for us. As we spend time in God’s Word and participate often in the Lord’s Table, our attitudes toward giving will change from seeing it as an obligation to being a privilege. May God fill our hearts with gratitude so we can experience the joy of giving to our Lord and Savior.
Prayer: Dear Lord, open my eyes to opportunities to share what I’ve been given by you with others. Amen.
MARCH is FOOD SHARE MONTH!
During 2020, the CHUM Food Shelf distributed 391,340 pounds of food (that is up 77,943 pounds) to 16,503 people in Duluth.
The goal this March is to raise $150,000 and 50,000 lbs of food.
CHUM is often asked, what is more beneficial to give? Food or Money? The answer is BOTH.
If you have extra non-perishable food on hand, stop by Pilgrim. Items will be collected in a labeled bin in the alley and delivered to CHUM. At the same time, check and see if our own Little Free Food Shelf on the corner needs any food in it.
You can also donate funds to CHUM's monetary food drive, using the links below or mailing a check to CHUM. For every $1 we would spend on food at the store to donate, CHUM can purchase $7 worth of food.
https://www.givemn.org/story/Chummnfoodshare2021
https://www.chumduluth.org/index.htm
Lenten Vespers
Join us for Lenten Vespers services on our YouTube channel and Facebook page starting at 6:00 pm each Wednesday during Lent. Come join us for a time of contemplation and reflection. The video will continue to be available after 6:00 for those participating in Lectio Divina.
In case you missed it, you can view last week's Vespers service on YouTube.
Sunday Worship at Pilgrim
Join us Sunday at 10:00 am for Sunday Worship at Pilgrim. We are recording in our chapel, and doing everything we can to make it as Covid-safe as possible. You can view the service on Pilgrim's YouTube channel and Facebook page.
Salter Hall Zoom: Join us after worship for conversation and fellowship every Sunday at 11:00 am.
Meeting ID: 843 9163 0668
Passcode: 912010
If you have an announcement that you would like read during a Sunday service, please get it to the office or directly to Pastor Judith by Monday each week.
Please send in your prayer requests to include in Sunday services. Send your prayer requests, joys, and concerns to Pastor Judith via email by Friday each week to be included. We will use only first names during the service in order to maintain confidentiality, and your prayer requests will be passed along to Marge Fraser and Pilgrim's Prayer Chain.
In case you missed it, you can view last Sunday's worship service on YouTube.
YouTube views: 46
Facebook reach: 48
Morning Coffee
Wednesdays | 10:00 am
Join Pastor Judith for your morning coffee! We'll have a time for checking in with each other, prayers, and perhaps a brief meditation. Grab the beverage of your choice and join us on Zoom.
Meeting ID: 497 627 641
Passcode: 926781
Lectio Divina
Wednesdays | 6:00 pm
Join us for a Bible study each week focused on the upcoming Sunday's Gospel reading. Lectio Divina, or "holy reading" is a Christian practice dating from the early medieval period, consisting of four steps: lectio (reading), meditatio (meditation), oratio (prayer), and contemplatio (contemplation). Through these four steps, God's word sinks deeper into our hearts and imagination. By following these steps, we allow time and space for God's word to move from our lips, into our minds, and finally into our hearts. And don't worry if you missed last week—join us any time!
This week's Gospel reading is John 12:20-33.
Join us via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/99575231348
Show Us Your Walks
Saturday on the Lakewalk
We're lucky to live in a community with so much beauty and access to nature. Send Patrick your photos to share your walks with us in future emails! It's another way to stay connected in these troubled times.
What Patrick's Listening To
Julie Andrews sings "Wouldn't It Be Loverly?" on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1961, as a treat.