eNews for Thursday, October 14, 2021
My Bailiwick
Week Three! My church office is beginning to look like a good place to cozy-in and spend work hours. Come visit! I’m usually here Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. I’ve met with four committees, received my flu shot, discovered another good grocery store, received the invitation to the inter-faith Thanksgiving service (First Lutheran, Tuesday, Nov 23 at 7:00), and Patrick showed me how to get a little more heat in my office (thank you!). I’ve met with Cindy Grindy to learn more about Christian Ed programming. I am in awe of all she does for Pilgrim’s youth! I’ve met with two families about starting a shortened confirmation program in early January. And I’ve started planning for my installation (which Carri Hoagland calls my “inauguration”), on November 14 at 3:00 pm. I’m so excited that our very own Jack Kemp has agreed to preach for that occasion! More to come, but please mark your calendars for that special afternoon.
All these wonderful things are happening beneath what still feels like the heavy, wet blanket of Covid-19. It weighs us down. I am so glad we are able to worship together. Families with children are encouraged to sit together with your children during worship. The Christian Ed committee is hoping to gather children for learning, music, and fun, beginning in Advent, if children’s vaccines are available by then. Of course we all need to wear masks when we are together. But we still need to think differently about everything we do. Zoom meetings are great, but there is no substitute for being together to truly get to know one another. I’m having to remember patience. I want to jump ahead ten spaces when we must still linger a while longer where we are to be safe.
Still, introduce yourselves to me! I‘ll work to remember your names and identify you under your masks, and look forward to the time when we can more fully be with one another.
CHUM 2021 Outreach Fundraiser
Presented by North Shore Bank, the CHUM 2021 Outreach Fundraiser is currently raising funds for CHUM's Street Outreach team, led by Deb Holman. Every week she seeks out these most vulnerable of our neighbors to provide basic necessities for survival—food, water, tents, sleeping bags, and warm clothing. She also connects them to our Warming Center and other local resources in order to help stabilize their lives and find permanent housing. We walk beside these, our neighbors, on their journey. Your support makes it possible.
Learn more and contribute at betterunite.com.
CHUM Needs
CHUM is looking for volunteers to help with painting, gardening, and clean-up at the CHUM Shelter, offices, and the Steve O'Neil Apartments. Call (218) 720‑6521 or email Molly Lyons to volunteer.
You can also volunteer to cook meals for the families at the Steve O'Neil apartments. Since many of the parents participate in programs that take them away from being able to make meals for their children, CHUM is looking for people to make meals once a week, month, or quarter. Please contact Amy Swenson Switzer to sign up.
CHUM is also looking for donations:
- Working cell phones with chargers
- Sonic alarms
- Hand warmers
- Heavy boots
- Heavy winter jackets
- Double-knit or fleece-lined hats
- One-size knit gloves
- Gel pens
- Adult coloring books
Hogwarts Halloween at Pilgrim
There is an energetic team working to provide a fun, safe Halloween activity for our community. Grace and Camilla Beaster, Sarah Hartman, Andrew Streitz, and Cindy Grindy appreciate your support.
Pilgrim Hogwarts Halloween will be held the day before Halloween, Saturday, October 30, 4:00-6:00 pm outdoors. We are looking for volunteers to be at each station, to help set up, and to clean up. If you are willing and available, sign up at church or contact Cindy Grindy at (218) 349‑9611 or cindy@grindy.net.
Also we are looking for donations of Halloween candy and $ to purchase wand kits, etc. Please bring or have delivered any candy to the church by Wednesday, October 27, so it can be bagged up for our guests. Donations can be given to the church and marked Hogwarts Halloween. Thank you so much!
Pilgrim Women's Book Club
Monday, November 8 | 4:00 pm
Pilgrim Women’s Book Group meets the second Monday of every month at 4:00 pm. The meetings will be via Zoom until further notice. Watch the Thursday email blast for a link to the Zoom meeting.
For November 8 we will read 18 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of Frances Glessner Lee and the Invention of Modern Forensics. This selection is a “Book Club in a Bag." That means there are 10 copies of the book available to borrow for free. The books are in a blue bag in the church office. All you need do is take a book from the bag, sign your name on the sign-out sheet, read the book, and join us on Zoom on November 8 for discussion of the book.
As easy as that!
Whether you are female or male, member of Pilgrim or not, you are welcome to join book group discussions. All that’s required is a commitment to read the book, or at least some of it, and join in the discussion.
For December we will be trying something different. Four current members of book group are published authors who have agreed to share a summary of their work with the rest of us. So during November you can contact Jean Jacobson to get a digital copy of the summaries.
And more exciting news! If you are a writer and are willing to share a selection/summary of some of your work with the rest of us, contact Jean who will digitize your selection and make it available to those who request it.
So join us November 8 and December 13 for great book and writing discussions.
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.
You can download a Bulletin here.
This Sunday's scripture readings:
- Isaiah 53:4-6
- Hebrews 5:7-8
- Mark 10:35-40
If you have an announcement that you would like read during a Sunday service, please get it to the office by Thursday each week.
In case you missed it, you can view last Sunday's worship service on YouTube.
Attendance: 74
YouTube views: 14
Prayers and Condolences
Keep in your prayers:
- Joyce Young and her family after her the passing of her son, Michael Rookey
- The Shull family after Gene's passing
- Kay Slack and her family on the passing of her husband, Bill
- Anita and her family as she undergoes medical treatment
- Wanda and her family as she continues to receive treatment
Show Us Your Walks
From the Grindys, the Fifth Falls trail, Gooseberry State Park
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
I'm not usually into so-called atonal music, but Alban Berg's Violin Concerto is a classic for lots of good reasons. Here is a performance by Frank Peter Zimmermann and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony. Look out for the quotation from Bach!