eNews for Thursday, March 25, 2021
You Have Permission to Rest
Today I offer a story that possibly never happened, but that doesn't make it any less true:
On the last day of class before graduation, a psychology professor walked up on stage to teach one final lesson which she called “a vital lesson on the power of perspective and mindset.” As she raised a glass of water over her head, everyone expected her to mention the typical “glass half empty or glass half full” metaphor. Instead, with a smile on her face, our professor asked, “How heavy is this glass of water I’m holding?”
Students shouted out answers ranging from a couple of ounces to a couple of pounds.
After a few moments of fielding answers and nodding her head, she replied, “From my perspective, the absolute weight of this glass is irrelevant. It all depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute or two, it’s fairly light. If I hold it for an hour straight, its weight might make my arm ache. If I hold it for a day straight, my arm will likely cramp up and feel completely numb and paralyzed, forcing me to drop the glass to the floor. In each case, the absolute weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it feels to me.”
As most of us students nodded our heads in agreement, she continued. “Your worries, frustrations, disappointments, and stressful thoughts are very much like this glass of water. Think about them for a little while and nothing drastic happens. Think about them a bit longer and you begin to feel noticeable pain. Think about them all day long, and you will feel completely numb and paralyzed, incapable of doing anything else until you drop them.”
As you head into the weekend, I hope you can put down anything that feels like a weighty burden and be present to yourself, your people, and your sense of connection to Sacred Love.
"Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”—Matthew 11:28-30
We are in this together,
Rev. Cameron Trimble
Author of Piloting Church: Helping Your Congregation
Take Flight
Prayer for the Week
May the wisdom of our elders be
written upon our hearts,
May the presence of the Saints
be woven into our beings,
May the peace of Christ be
with us always,
for all the days of our lives.
Amen
Rev. Cameron Trimble has a number of events coming up, including a conversation with best-selling author Sue Monk Kidd on her book "The Book of Longings" on March 28 at 3:00 pm. She will be hosting in partnership with the Anderson Forum for Progressive Theology.
Easter Eggs
When the pandemic first began, hearts and teddy bears began showing up in windows all over Duluth. It was a way for cooped-up kids ( and grownups too) to get outside and share an adventure by walking around the neighborhood and looking to see which windows had something on display. Now it is nearly Easter, the time of renewal and rebirth, just the right time to put Easter eggs in your windows at home and the window of the church for a different kind of Easter Egg hunt. On March 27 and 28th, rock painting will be happening at the church and easter egg coloring sheets will be available to color along with crayons to color with. Any eggs colored at the church for the church windows may be left in the box in the portico marked Easter Eggs.
Let's come together, have fun, and spread some Easter joy by sharing our window egg displays!
Download some coloring sheets here.
Your Help Is Needed—Easter Stones
How are you going to decorate your Easter Stone?
The youth of Pilgrim have an amazing vision of a collection of decorated stones created by Pilgrims young and old. Everyone is invited! The stones may be decorated any way you wish with a drawing, abstract art, message… The stones will be incorporated into the liturgy for Palm Sunday as well as Easter. Watch for it!
You can participate by:
- Bring decorated stones to Pilgrim sometime before Sunday, March 28 at 2:00 pm and place then in the portico outside the front steps in the container marked Easter Stones.
- Stop by Pilgrim on Saturday, March 27, between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm or Sunday, March 28, between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm and use the supplies found outside in the portico. Everything will be provided—stones, paint, paint brushes and clean up supplies. Leave your decorated stones at church.
- Call the church and we will make arrangements to bring the supplies to you: (218) 724‑8503
Lenten Family Toolkit
From the Minnesota Conference, this weekly Lenten toolkit provides content for home and community practice from Ash Wednesday (February 17) through Palm Sunday (March 28). Check out the thoughtfully focused and curated video reflections, spiritual practices, readings, creative/art activities, games, community service projects, justice and advocacy opportunities, and more.
Week six is on the theme of Practicing Revolution.
Pilgrim Women's Book Club
Monday, April 12 | 4:00 pm
Our book selection for April is The Good Lord Bird by James McBride. It's a "comedy novel which depicts the life of the abolitionist John Brown." The book won the 2013 National Book Award. It's been described as a "riveting story which will make you laugh and think."
Since this is a Book Club in a Bag selection, we have additional copies available. If you would like a copy to read, email Carol Bacig and she'll get a copy to you.
Meeting ID: 856 8820 1294
Passcode: 260291
Holy Week Schedule
All services will be on YouTube and Facebook:
- Palm Sunday: March 28 at 10:00
- Wednesday Vespers: March 31 at 6:00 pm
- Good Friday Tenebrae Service: April 2 LIVE at 5:00 pm
- Easter Sunday: April 4 LIVE at 10:00 am
We will begin live-streaming from the Sanctuary on Good Friday. If you can't watch live, the video will be available on both Facebook and YouTube to watch whenever you like.
Sunday Worship at Pilgrim
Join us Sunday at 10:00 am for Sunday Worship at Pilgrim. The services are now being recorded in the Sanctuary! You can view the service on Pilgrim's YouTube channel and Facebook page.
Salter Hall Zoom: Join us on Zoom for conversation and fellowship every Sunday at 11:00 am.
Meeting ID: 843 9163 0668
Passcode: 912010
This Sunday's scripture readings:
- John 12:12-15
- Luke 19:36-40
Special thanks:
- Cindy Grindy and the youth
- Char Taylor, for sharing her music
- Our tech team: Deb DeVaney and Christopher Kirby
- Our tech consultants: Don Schraufnagel, Brita Edgerton, and Jim Morse
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.
YouTube views: 39
Facebook reach: 67
Lenten Vespers
Join us for Lenten Vespers services on our YouTube channel and Facebook page starting at 6:00 pm each Wednesday during Lent. Come join us for a time of contemplation and reflection. The video will continue to be available after 6:00 for those participating in Lectio Divina.
In case you missed it, you can view last night's Vespers service on YouTube.
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
Lectio Divina
Wednesdays | 6:00 pm
Join us for a Bible study each week focused on the upcoming Sunday's Gospel reading. Lectio Divina, or "holy reading" is a Christian practice dating from the early medieval period, consisting of four steps: lectio (reading), meditatio (meditation), oratio (prayer), and contemplatio (contemplation). Through these four steps, God's word sinks deeper into our hearts and imagination. By following these steps, we allow time and space for God's word to move from our lips, into our minds, and finally into our hearts. And don't worry if you missed last week—join us any time!
Join us via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/99575231348
What Patrick's Listening To
More Sondheim for this week. Here's the only complete recording, as far as I know, of the lovely and unusual Vocal Overture to A Little Night Music, from the Théâtre du Châtelet production.
New to Zoom?
Pilgrim is using Zoom to communicate. If you've never used it before, never fear: it's very simple to use. But it does require a bit of preparation for the first time you use it. Patrick is here to support anyone who needs assistance using Zoom for the first time. Please contact him at office@pilgrimduluth.org.
- If you want to join electronically, you will need to have a camera in or connected to your computer, phone, or tablet and you will also need to download Zoom.
- Here is the address for a brief video to walk you through the process: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362193-Joining-a-Meeting.
- Once you get Zoom on your device, simply click on the link on this page for the meeting you want (or copy the link and paste it in your internet browser).
- If you do not have the ability to join electronically, you can use your phone to call in to this number: (312) 626‑6799. When you call in, it will ask for the meeting ID, which is the 9- or 11-digit number at the end of the Zoom link.
- Again, if you have trouble with any of this, please reach out and we can support you. We're here to help all of us navigate these changes together.