eNews for Thursday, July 1, 2021
Soul Friends
By Martha Spong, editor of The Words of her Mouth: Psalms for the Struggle
When David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.—1 Samuel 18:1 (NRSV)
Have you ever known the minute you saw someone that they would be your new best friend?
Sometimes those friendships are for a season. I think of the moms I connected with on the first day of Montessori preschool, as we waited in an adjoining space to be sure our very little girls made a good adjustment before we left. Two became important companions for the next few years. We clicked, and thankfully so did our kids, leading to long conversations over coffee by the McDonald's play space. Phrases they used are still part of my conversational vocabulary two decades later.
Sometimes those friendships are for a lifetime. The first connection leads to deeper knowing and lasting care and ongoing active connection. These are the people who tell you the truth when you need to hear it, or know you need them without being told. In this pandemic time, I have missed them intensely, even the ones I saw in person only once every year or so. Their texts bring a smile, and theirs are the only optional Zoom calls I enter willingly. I long for the time when we can be in the same place and have it be deep and casual at the same time.
I believe the Spirit is in those connections, making the air crackle like a sky full of heat lightning when our eyes meet or we hear each other's voices for the first time. That gift of connection is holy.
Prayer
Thank you, God, for giving us the soul friends whose lives enrich ours. May we give as much as we receive from them. Amen.
From the Moderator
Both the Pilgrim Search Committee and Human Resource Committee are finalizing details of a call agreement with a potential settled pastor. The candidate's visit that was scheduled for the weekend of July 10 and 11 has been moved to the end of the month. Look for more information about the visit in next Thursday's eNews.
—Julie Johnson, Moderator
Production Team Volunteers
The Production Team at Pilgrim is looking for a few volunteers to get trained on the new audio board and the PTZ/livestreaming system as backup operators. Some basic knowledge of computers and digital media are preferable. Please contact the office you are interested and the production team will contact you to schedule training. Thank you for your consideration!
—Deb DeVaney and Chris Kirby
Building Updates and Staff Vacations
The church building is reopening! Beginning Thursday, July 1, the building will be open to members and visitors during regular business hours: Monday through Thursday, 9:30 am-4:00 pm.
The office will be closed Monday, July 5, for the holiday weekend.
Pastor Judith is on vacation and will return to the office Tuesday, July 6. Jackie Falk will handle pastoral emergencies while she is away.
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.
All are welcome to participate.
Meeting ID: 856 8820 1294
Passcode: 260291
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:
- Ezekiel 2:1-5
- Mark 6:1-13
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: 27
YouTube views: 15
Facebook reach: 39
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:
- Noah, whose friend and mentor Judy Hole passed away last week
- 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.
Show Us Your Walks
A view of Ely's Peak from the north, and some blueberries along the trail
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
John Eliot Gardiner conducts one of his signature pieces, Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610. It's a long and intense piece, but wonderful. With cornetts!