eNews for Thursday, May 5
My Bailiwick
When the leaked draft of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe made it into our public awareness, I remembered that when Roe was first decided, I was in high school. I remembered dinner conversations about the decision, my mom’s ambivalence about abortion, my father’s clear position that it was a matter of privacy into which the government has no right to intervene. Soon, my mother agreed that though she was not personally comfortable with terminating a healthy pregnancy, it is most definitely an issue of privacy. That conversation was fifty years ago.
Some of the best essays I’ve read in these past few days have emphasized how deeply personal matters—reproductive health care, contraception, same gender intimacy and marriage, gender dysphoria, even inter-racial love and marriage—are all on the Supreme Court majority's chopping block, in spite of Justice Alito’s claim to the contrary. He has flung open a door that will be difficult to close again. I am so deeply offended at the ease with which the court’s majority and a good many “red” states flaunt these matters as violations of morality. Really? What about extreme poverty that especially adversely impacts children? What about gun violence that claims the lives of thousands every year, by homicide and suicide? What about the dearth of living hourly wages? Affordable housing? Accessible health care? High quality and affordable child care? Exploitation of adolescent girls for sex trafficking? These are moral issues.
Much of my thinking—theological, social, and ethical—was introduced by my parents in dinner conversations like the ones we had when Roe was first decided. That thinking led me to seminary, then to law school. It has made me a fierce defender of and advocate for the rights of privacy for all adults. My father, a frequent guest columnist to the Minneapolis Star Trib, wrote a wonderful piece at that time proclaiming his admiration and support for Justice Harry Blackmun who wrote the original Roe decision. He soon received death threats—my father that is. I remember being rattled by that fact, then infuriated, then stubbornly determined. And that is exactly how I have felt this week, landing again on stubbornly determined to protect privacy rights wherever and whenever they are threatened. I just thought you should know.
Carla
Pilgrim Book Club
Pilgrim Women’s Book Club will meet on Monday, May 9, at 4:00 pm via Zoom. The book we’ll be reading is another Books in a Bag selection, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexis. That means there will be 10 copies available. Stop in the church office and sign one out. You are expected to return your copy of the book the day after we meet, May 10.
This book is one of the 10 most frequently banned books of 2021, as reported recently in the New York Times. Which seems strange when you read about all the National awards it received when it was published. Since banned books have been much in the news recently, we decided to read some of them to try and understand what the fuss is all about.
Why not join us on our journey of discovery? Sign out a copy of the book, read it, and join the discussion on May 9.
Need a Ride to Church?
Book a ride on the Pilgrim Celestial Express. It's better than Lyft, better than Uber, even better than Amtrak! Call John Fochs at Church—(218) 728‑2061—for a free ticket.
Awaiting your request are such luminaries as Steve Cushing, Bob MacLean, Bob Lindquist, Dennis Falk, and John Fochs. They may not be the fastest drivers, but they sure are friendly.
The Celestial Express's two current passengers describe the experience in glowing terms: "It's out-of-this-world."
Calendar
| This Week at Pilgrim | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, May 8 | 10:00 am | Sunday Worship |
| 11:00 am | Coffee Hour | |
| Monday, May 9 | 4:00 pm | Pilgrim Book Club |
| Tuesday, May 10 | 4:00 pm | Building & Finance |
| Wednesday, May 11 | 5:15 pm | Pilgrim Choir |
| 7:00 pm | Pilgrim Youth Group | |
| Sunday, May 15 | 10:00 am | Sunday Worship |
| 11:00 am | Coffee Hour |
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 reading:
- Acts 11:1-18
- Revelation 21:1-6
In case you missed it, you can view last Sunday's worship service on YouTube.
Attendance: 73
YouTube views: 25
Prayers and Condolences
Condolences to the family of Kathy Carlson, who passed away suddenly last week. Pilgrim will host a memorial service on Saturday, June 25.
Show Us Your Walks
Tischer Creek, from Clyde Johnson
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!