eNews for Thursday, March 24
My Bailiwick
Dear Pilgrims,
Every time I or one of my siblings would go out the door as teenagers, our dad would say “use your head”. I’m sure he thought that would remind us to think before we did something stupid, but it never did. A dear friend embroidered and framed the words as a gift one year, and I look at it often. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t keep me from doing stupid things, but it does remind me of my dad, which is always lovely.
We all know familiar sayings or phrases that trigger memories. Some of them we use in worship. Others we add to the end of letters. Still others we say when we’re muttering to ourselves. As I watched some of the questioning of Supreme Court Justice nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, I wondered what familiar sayings were going through her mind as she listened, waiting for a senator to get to an actual question. At one point she described knitting as something to help her get through the stress of confirmation hearings. It brought tears to my eyes! I felt as if I should be knitting to get through HER confirmation hearings!
I knit hats, mittens, and scarves to put out in Pilgrim’s Blessing Box. I buy yarn because I love texture and color. I knit to pray, and to “use my head” and my heart, to think up sermon ideas, to worry over my adult children or one parishioner or another or one church problem or another, to de-stress. Not long ago Warren asked me what I think about while I knit. I suddenly couldn’t think of a single thing. Isn’t that strange? And yet there’s so much I work out as I stitch.
As we move through these weeks of Lent, there’s a lot going on. Next week you’ll be receiving your financial pledge information. Tomorrow night is the AGO all-Bach fundraiser concert at Pilgrim. Next week we’ll host a memorial service for John Morrison. The Church Council and I are soon sending out an important staffing proposal. And before you know it, Holy Week will be upon us. Don’t be surprised if you see me sitting in my office knitting these next few weeks. I’m not under anything close to the stress of Supreme Court nomination hearings, but there’s a lot on my mind, and knitting keeps everything clear and focused.
What do you do to keep your thoughts clear and focused?
Love,
Carla
Memorial Service for John Morrison
A memorial service for John "Jock" Morrison will be held at Pilgrim on Saturday, April 2. The visitation will begin at 10:00 am, with the service at 11:00 am. The Duluth News Tribune published an obituary this week.
Pilgrim Book Club
Pilgrim Women's Book Club will meet April 11 at 4:00 pm. We are still meeting on Zoom. Our selection for April is Danielle Sosin's The Long-Shining Waters. This beautifully written novel explores the allure of Lake Superior to three women who lived along its shores in different historical times. The New York Times Book Review refers to this book as "haunting, rich in historical detail, … an unforgettable work of fiction."
To borrow a copy of this book, just stop in the church office and sign one out. Your borrowed copy will be due back in the church office on April 12, the day after our April Book Club meeting.
Arrowhead Chorale Concert
Messiah: A New American Oratorio | March 26-27
Arrowhead Chorale's spring concert will feature the long-awaited world premiere of a new setting of Messiah: An American Oratorio dedicated to the victims of torture in the 21st Century by Los Angeles-based composer Severin Behnen. This large-scale oratorio is inspired by and based on the concept and libretto of Handel’s immortal work, while incorporating a fusion of American musical styles including jazz, blues, and gospel, as well as modernistic sounds. Joined by soloists and full orchestra, this promises to be a significant and memorable event.
Saturday, March 26, at 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 27, at 3:00 pm
First Lutheran Church in Duluth
Learn more at arrowheadchorale.com.
In Praise of Bach
Friday, March 25 | 7:00 pm
Pilgrim is delighted to host a concert and fundraiser for the Arrowhead chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
The event will include an all-Bach concert featuring many musicians from the region, a silent auction, and refreshments.
Proceeds will go toward the AGO Scholarship Fund and operations.
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 Patrick at Church—(218) 724‑8503—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."
Coffee with Carla
Grab a coffee (or the morning beverage of your choice) and join us for conversation. We will meet via Zoom each Wednesday at 10:00 am. See you there!
Calendar
| This Week at Pilgrim | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, March 27 | 10:00 am | Sunday Worship |
| 11:00 am | Coffee Hour | |
| 11:15 am | Second Hour: Progressive Christianity | |
| Tuesday, March 29 | 6:30 pm | Church Council |
| Wednesday, March 30 | 10:00 am | Coffee with Carla |
| 4:00 pm | Bellissimo | |
| 5:15 pm | Pilgrim Choir | |
| 7:00 pm | Pilgrim Youth Group | |
| Saturday, April 2 | 10:00 am | John Morrison Visitation |
| 11:00 am | John Morrison Memorial Service | |
| Sunday, April 3 | 10:00 am | Sunday Worship |
| 11:00 am | Coffee Hour | |
| 11:15 am | Second Hour: Progressive Christianity |
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:
- Psalm 32
- Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
In case you missed it, you can view last Sunday's worship service on YouTube.
Attendance: 62
YouTube views: 13
Show Us Your Walks
A recent visitor at Jack and Joan Setterlund's
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
The maestro would have turned 92 this week. Here he is at the piano, with Bernadette Peters, performing "Send in the Clowns."