eNews for Thursday, June 17, 2021
Who Am I?
By Mary Luti,
Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Jesus said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”—Matthew 16: 13-15 (NRSV)
Jesus’ first question isn’t hard. If you’re paying attention to the Gospels, the creeds, the culture, and your neighbors, you know what people are saying.
His next question is harder, because now he wants to uncover you. What do you say? You have to go deeper for that answer.
He’s also asking you to say it aloud, in public. Once you do, there’ll be consequences. Consequences you’ll have to live with.
A lot of queer people of my generation never came out to our parents, or we delayed it for a really long time. They already knew, of course. Most of them, anyway. And they’d found a way to accept us—silence. As long as nobody talked about it, they were okay.
But if it got said aloud, they knew they’d have to do something about it—either question their convictions and recalibrate their values, or reject their children and inflict a wound that might never heal.
For many families, both choices were untenable. So we all colluded. No one said a word. The consequences of that silence were often warping.
The truth, Jesus says elsewhere, will make you free. Confessed aloud, it’ll also make you choose—how you’ll live, how you’ll love, how you’ll judge, and whether you’ll change.
The choice is really hard, and no one should ever be shamed or coerced into making it. Yet the payoff of speaking our truth is a chance at authenticity. For everyone.
Prayer
For all who’re colluding, pretending not to notice, keeping secrets, I pray. Jesus, have mercy on their pain. And in your good time, and theirs, free everyone for the open lives everyone deserves to live.
eNews Update
Starting next week, these email blasts will go out once a week on Thursdays. See you then!
Family Fun in the Sun
Join fellow Pilgrim families for a summer series of outdoor fun. Our kickoff event is a picnic at Chester Bowl at 5:30pm on Tuesday, June 29, followed by the concert in the park series. The Most Wanted will be playing a variety of rock/country covers starting at 7pm. Come for dinner, playground fun, music, and fellowship. Be sure to bring your own food, drinks, bug repellant, blanket or chairs. Questions? Contact Kathy Dowell at kdowell@d.umn.edu or (218) 349‑4688, or Cindy Grindy at cindy@grindy.net or (218) 349‑9611.
Juneteenth Celebration with Stories and Sacred Music
June 18 | 11:00 am Central Time
Juneteenth marks the official end of slavery in the U.S. The original legal declaration was signed into law by Abraham Lincoln which instituted Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration honoring the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger led thousands of federal troops to Galveston, Texas to announce that the Civil War had ended, and slaves had been freed.
Listen to lives of African peoples through storytelling and music. Experience the long history of first peoples despite the interruptions, setbacks, and tragedies. Journey with us through sacred music, spoken word, and creative expressions of joy, sorrow, and praise. African descended people have resisted, revolted, protested, and fought for their freedom and right to exists as God intended since the beginning of human existence. In the 21st century, COVID-19, state sanctioned law enforcement murders, and white nationalism and vigilante threats and acts of violence continue to impact people of African descent nationally and globally. And Still We Rise!
Register for the webinar here.
Report on the Minnesota Conference Annual Meeting
Ten workshops, an inspiring keynote speech about living in this liminal moment, a soulful report on the “State of the Conference,” and, finally, stirring worship with Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson… the 2021 Annual Meeting was a whirlwind of virtual activity!
We encourage you to watch and share the all-Conference worship service and to listen to Conference Minister Rev. Shari Prestemon’s State of the Conference report.
It Started in a Twin Cities Area Local Church
By Kwame Osei Reed, retired UCC minister and member at UCC New Brighton
Our voices seemed to come together by chance. This local church Social Justice Outreach (SoJo) Committee started discussing the need for Minnesota faith-based responses to the murder of George Floyd by police officers.
With the blessing of the congregation, this United Church of Christ in New Brighton (UCCNB) Committee sought to reach out to other faith communities. Two UCC churches responded. The early discussions centered on two approaches. The first was to send a letter to the Minneapolis City Council expressing support for its vote to dismantle the city’s police department and start anew with a citizens controlled Public Safety Commission. We sent the letter to the city council, copying leaders of the state legislature and contacts in local news media.
UCC Virtual General Synod Open for Registration
The Special Virtual General Synod 33 is slated for July 11–18, with keynote speakers Valarie Kaor and Adam Taylor. Kaor is a social justice activist who leads campaigns for civil and human rights. Rev. Adam Russell Taylor is president of Sojourners and author of Mobilizing Hope: Faith-Inspired Activism for a Post Civil Rights Generation and forthcoming book, A More Perfect Union: A New Vision for Building the Beloved Community.
Learn more at generalsynod.org
Pilgrim Women's Book Club
Monday, July 12 | 4:00 pm
The Pilgrim Book Group will meet on July 12 at 4:00 pm. The book will be Colton Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys, the devastating tale of two boys unjustly sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow–era Florida. The novel is based on the real story of a reform school that operated for 111 years and warped the lives of thousands of children. The book was chosen as the Duluth Library’s City Read for this year.
Ten copies of the book, supplied by the library’s Books in a Bag program, are now available from Patrick in the church office. You can sign out a copy and return it after the meeting. This will probably be a zoom meeting. (Stay tuned for possible changes later this summer.)
All are welcome to participate.
Sunday Worship at Pilgrim
Join us Sunday at 10:00 am for Sunday Worship at Pilgrim, in person or online. You can view the service on Pilgrim's YouTube channel and Facebook page.
You can download a Bulletin here.
This Sunday's scripture readings:
- Job 38:1-11
- Psalm 107
- Mark 4:35-41
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.
Attendance: 46
YouTube views: 15
Facebook reach: 33
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
Prayers and Condolences
Keep in your prayers:
- Carol Bacig asks for prayer for Matthew, her grandson-in-law. He is in Rochester and received a liver transplant in late May. He is having a rocky road to recovery. Pray for comfort and successful healing.
- Deb and Steve ask for prayer for their son Noah and his close friend and mentor Judy, who is in hospice with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
- Anita and her family as she undergoes medical treatment
- Wanda and her family as she recovers from surgery
- Betty and her family as her son undergoes medical treatment
- Andrew, as he continues with medical monitoring
Memorial for Cliff Grindy
A memorial service for Pilgrim member Cliff Grindy will be held on Friday, July 9, at 1:30 pm at Pilgrim.
What Patrick's Listening To
More from Martha Argerich. Here she plays Bach's Piano Partita No. 2.