eNews for Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Prayer for Grieving
Prayer for Grieving 500,000 Dead of Covid-19 in the United States by Maren Tirabassi
Holy One,
who blesses those that mourn
and do not hurry into being comforted,
we sit down into the loss
of those we know,
and those that now
we’ll never have a chance to know.
We grieve the stories they will not live,
the songs they will not sing,
the children they will not have,
the hope they will not offer
to those around them,
the inventions they will not patent,
the art, poetry, ink, music,
shingling a house, legal argument,
good tune-up and tire rotation,
diagnosis, surgical procedure,
gentle placement of a ventilator,
dental cleaning, quilt,
strawberry picking,
produce counter stocking,
life-guard undertow rescue,
lullaby, recipe and vote
that will never be made.
We grieve the birthday candles
on cakes they will never taste.
We grieve for their parents
and their children, their families,
their colleagues and their friends.
We grieve memories slipping away
waiting for memorial services.
We grieve that the very sadness
ebbs away from weariness
or the new whisper of good news.
O God, our masks are wet with tears
and our fingers shake holding balloons
at nursing home windows.
Comfort us, we pray. amen
Stewardship Kickoff
Join us in March for our emphasis on:
- The Joy of Receiving God’s Blessings
- The Joy of Managing God’s Blessings
- The Joy of Sharing God’s Blessings
- Help a neighbor, friend, or stranger.
- Give a special gift to a person (family) in need or to the church.
- Send a card of encouragement.
- Call someone to thank him/her for his/her work or ministry.
- Donate groceries to our food bank.
- Offer to babysit for a church member or a neighbor.
- Provide someone a ride to church.
- Volunteer to do a needed project at church.
- Take an elderly person shopping.
- Take lunch to someone who is homebound and stay awhile to visit.
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.
In case you missed it, you can view our Ash Wednesday service on YouTube.
Pilgrim Women's Book Club
Monday, March 8 | 4:00 pm
The book for discussion will be The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates. This book is available in paperback for $17.99 or $11.99 on Kindle. The library has some copies, too. Please join us for what promises to be a great discussion.
Meeting ID: 856 8820 1294
Passcode: 260291
Bring Cheer to Aftenro Residents
Snow Sculpture Party
All Pilgrims are invited to participate in a socially distant snow sculpture party at Aftenro Home, 510 West College Street on Sunday, February 28 from 1:00-3:00 pm. Families and Pilgrims will choose a spot to create their masterpiece out of snow. The purpose is to bring joy to the residents of Aftenro and have fun.
Sunday Worship at Pilgrim
Join us Sunday at 10:00 am for Sunday Worship at Pilgrim. We are recording in our chapel, and doing everything we can to make it as Covid-safe as possible. You can view the service on Pilgrim's YouTube channel and Facebook page.
This Sunday is Seminary Sunday. Except for music, this service is provided for us by the students and faculty at United Theological Seminary.
Salter Hall Zoom: Join us after worship for conversation and fellowship every Sunday.
Meeting ID: 843 9163 0668
Passcode: 912010
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: 47
Facebook reach: 68
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!
This week's Gospel reading is Mark 8:31-38.
Join us via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/99575231348
Show Us Your Walks
A few views of Miller Creek, in Lincoln Park
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
A 17th century gem! Luigi Boccherini's 7th Cello Concerto, played by Sergey Malov on a rarely-seen violoncello da spalla, or shoulder cello.