eNews for Thursday, May 20, 2021
First to Best
By Quinn Caldwell, author ofAll I Really Want: Readings for a Modern Christmas
Thus it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.—1 Corinthians 15:45 (NRSV)
Paul’s trying hard to explain what the spiritual has to do with the physical, what the perishable has to do with the imperishable, what one generation has to do with the next, what death has to do with life.
To try to make it clear, he draws a line from Adam, way back at the beginning, to Jesus, connecting the very first to the very best. The big difference between the two, he says, is that Adam received life from God, and Jesus gave God’s life.
Then he takes that millennia-long arc of evolution and development, and compresses it down to the length of one human existence. It took thousands of years and at least one incarnation for humanity to evolve from life-taker to life-giver, he says, but you can do it before you die.
If the evolution from mud-creature to life-giving spirit, from being driven solely by your own needs to giving life to those around you, seems like too much to accomplish in one lifetime, just remember that you’ve done it before. Watch a human embryo develop in utero, and you’ll see millions of years of evolution flash by in a few months.
If you could manage to turn from zygote to human, you can manage this, no problem. You’ll need help, of course, from those who have gone before you, from God. But back before your first birth, you managed to reabsorb your own tail, and it’s not like you did that without help, either.
Prayer
God, you gave me life and now I’m trying to give it away. Help me evolve. Amen.
Picnic Table Requested
Does anyone have a picnic table that you would be willing to loan to the church? We'd like to put it out on the front lawn to use as a community space at coffee hour following Sunday worship. If you have something that we could use, please call Pastor Judith!
Wheelchair Search
At one point in time, Pilgrim had at least three wheelchairs and one rolling walker. If one of them happens to be at your house, please return it! Thank you.
Confirmation 2021–22 Informational Meeting
All students 9th grade and higher are eligible for confirmation. (Please note the age requirement, which was incorrectly stated in Tuesday's email.)
All potential confirmands and their parents are invited to an informational session Sunday, June 6, from 11:30 to 12:15. The purpose of the gathering is to:
- Find out more about the process of confirmation
- Get your questions answered
- Have a chance to share your ideas and goals
- Listen to the experiences of recent confirmands
- Listen to the experience of recent sponsors
We plan to hold the meeting outside, weather permitting, after the church service. In case of inclement weather we will meet by zoom. Hope to see you there!
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.
This Sunday is Pentecost, and we encourage you to wear red!
You can download a Bulletin here.
This Sunday's scripture readings:
- Ezekiel 37:1-14
- Acts 2:1-21
- John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15
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: 37
YouTube views: 30
Facebook reach: 34
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
Show Us Your Walks
A Hartley sunset 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! It's another way to stay connected in these troubled times.