eNews for Thursday, October 13

My Bailiwick

Dear Pilgrims,

Two of the valuable resources provided by our denomination, the United Church of Christ, both arrived to my email inbox today. One was from the Justice and Peace Action Network, asking all UCCers to pledge not only to vote, but to help others vote as well. The Social Justice Committee urges you to sign up to receive these regular messages from the JPANetwork.

Here is today’s message:

Many voters like you are pledging to increase civic engagement in 2022 by committing to encouraging three friends to vote on or before Election Day (midterm elections are on November 8, 2022). Because of the changing rules and wave of voter suppression laws passed at the state level, it is more important than ever that we know our voting rights and that we have a plan to vote.

Once you have made a plan to have your own vote counted, check in with friends and family. Are they registered (find out here)? Are they planning to vote in-person or by mail? Do they know their polling location? Do they know what they need to have their vote counted? Commit today to making sure that you, and three others, have your vote counted in November.

Also today, I read the daily devotion from the Still Speaking writers of the UCC. It was especially helpful today, as I have been struggling to remain hopeful through these difficult days. Written by Molly Baskette, it tells a story I needed to remember:

The Rev. Dr. William Barber II of the Poor People’s Campaign tells this story. Some years before the Civil War ended slavery, Frederick Douglass’s energy for the abolition movement was flagging. He had succumbed to depression, sure that if God really intended to liberate Black Americans, God would have done it by then.

He had to give an inspiring speech but lacked the spirit. Sojourner Truth stared hard at his weary face from across the room. She opened her mouth and hollered at him, “Frederick, IS GOD DEAD?!”

Startled out of his reverie of despair, he stood up, and found his voice. He kept going for decades after that, through the war, until long after Emancipation and the backlash against it that gave rise to the Jim Crow South, years of victories and years of setbacks.

The night is sometimes so long. Impossibly long. How can the earth have gotten so stalled in its orbit that the night lasts forever? How long can such horrors, such suffering, such stuckness, such polarization, such fear and distress and confusion possibly continue? If God were going to fix it, whatever the “it” is that is wearing us down, surely God would have done it by now?

Please consider subscribing to the Still Speaking Devotions. They’re free and often just what we need on any given day.

Love,
Carla

Knitting Group

The Pilgrim knitting group is starting up again. In 2020 we had one meeting and then we were all confined to our homes. The purpose of this group is to knit or crochet hats, mittens, scarves, and prayer shawls to be given away to people who need them. Come join the group on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from noon to 1:00 pm in the parlor. Carla is planning to join us. This is an opportunity to help keep our city warm, spend time in fellowship and reduce your yarn stash. It is a win, win, win situation! First meeting is on October 18!

Minnesota’s Racial Legacy

Sunday, October 16 | 2:00-5:00 pm | Gloria Dei

Part of Minnesota Council of Churches' 10-year Vision for Truth and Reparations, Minnesota's Racial Legacy is a partnership with several Duluth-area congregations, including St. Mark AME Church, Gloria Dei Lutheran, and other local community stakeholders. There will be two speakers from the Duluth area, one from the Native American community and one from the African American community. Great music from an ecumenical choir, drumming and participatory action for attendees, round out the event. The event’s speakers are Classie Dudley, President of Duluth NAACP and Executive Director of Community Action Duluth, and Taysha Martineau, Fond Du Lac member. Register at mnchurches.org.

Duluth Parks Levy Referendum

Join an information session on the City of Duluth Parks Levy Referendum Wednesday, October 19, 6:30-8:00 pm via Zoom.

City staff will give an overview of the Parks Levy along with representatives from the Parks Commission and Natural Resources Commission. They will share information about the projects the levy has funded and future needs. There will be time for questions. This session will help you to make an informed choice on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8. This event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Duluth and the McCabe Chapter of the Izaak Walton League.

Rekeying—Third Notice

Over the years our Church experiences normal turnover on committees, etc. The problem is that a number of people in leadership roles over those years have been given keys for the front and side doors and now we aren’t exactly sure who has keys and are they in a position where they really need a key. As people left leadership positions the keys were not always given back to the Business Office. Because of potential security issues due to the large number of keys out there, the Building and Finance Committee has authorized the rekeying of the access doors (front, parking lot and alley) and certain other doors on the main floor. They are concerned about people’s safety and property security and would like to tighten things up a bit. This is the first phase of developing a master key system throughout the entire building.

Northern Door and Hardware will begin the key change in a couple of weeks. Before that happens, Patrick will be provided with a number of new keys. If you feel you need a front door key because of the work you do for the church, please contact Patrick to get put on the list of those requesting new keys. Once the doors have been rekeyed, the old keys can be discarded as they will no longer be functional.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (218) 390-2393

Thanks,
Jon Welles

Directory Updates

Membership and Growth Ministry is planning to print new church directories this fall. If you've moved, or changed phone numbers or email addresses recently, please take a moment to send your updated contact info to the office.

A Child of Our Time with the DSSO

Join your fellow Pilgrims on Saturday, November 5, for this powerful concert by the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra and the Duluth Superior Chorus. Here is what the DSSO website says about this concert event:

Michael Tippett wrote A Child of Our Time between 1939 and 1941. After the Nazi’s “Kristallnacht” (November pogroms) had left a profound impression on Tippett, he decided to write an oratorio in support of oppressed people everywhere. The result was his stunning A Child of Our Time, written for chorus, orchestra, and vocal soloists. Tippett’s work has become most famous for its ingenious use of African American spirituals that connect the different parts of the oratorio. It is one of those rare works that is thought provoking, yet healing at the same time.

The DSSO has set aside a block of twenty tickets for Pilgrim Church at $20 each. You can sign up during coffee hour on Sunday, or contact Patrick in the office. Please make your checks out to Pilgrim.

Fauré Requiem Concert

Sunday, November 6 | 3:00 pm | Sacred Heart Music Center
The Friends of the Felgemaker are planning a concert this fall to showcase the historic Felgemaker Opus 664 organ. Join us for a presentation of Fauré’s Requiem featuring many friends of Pilgrim Church: Charles Sundquist (conductor), Velda Bell, Rachael Kresha, Brian and Tasha Kapp, Mark Hakes, Richard Carrick, and Patrick Colvin (among others!).

Pilgrim Calendar

This Week at Pilgrim
Sunday,   October 16	10:00 am	Sunday Worship
	11:00 am	Coffee Hour
	11:15 am	Confirmation
Tuesday, October 18	8:00 am	Men's Breakfast
	12:00 pm	Knitting Group
	4:00 pm	Building & Finance
Wednesday, October 19	3:45 pm	Bellissimo
	5:00 pm	Pilgrim Choir
Thursday, October 20	4:00 pm	Worship & Arts
	5:30 pm	CHUM Education Series—First Covenant
Sunday, October 23	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:

• Jeremiah 31:27-34
• 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

In case you missed it, you can view last Sunday's worship service on YouTube.
Attendance: 57
YouTube views: 18

Show Us Your Walks

From Kane Tewes and Mary Anderson, Bean and Bear Lake

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!

What Patrick's Listening To

Some chamber music from (highly underrated) Carl Maria von Weber.