eNews for Thursday, March 4, 2021
New Website
Pilgrim has a new website! Visit pilgrimduluth.org and check it out. We appreciate your feedback—please get in touch with the office with your thoughts and ideas.
Request for Vaccine Appointments
From Saint Louis County
Anyone 65+ is now eligible for immediate vaccination with St Louis County Public Health. Please contact us at vaccine scheduling. Email is preferred, but if you are not tech savvy, please call.
VaccineScheduling@stlouiscountymn.gov or Vaccine Scheduling line (218) 726‑2623.
Sanctuary Update
Steve Therrien installs new speaker shelves
And Be Thankful
From Stewardship Ministry
“Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
What have you had to give up in order to be a Christian? Have you lost any friends because you’re a believer? What about your job? Are your children barred from getting an education because your family goes to church regularly? Have your parents disowned you because you follow Christ?
A wealthy native of India came to faith in Christ. Almost immediately after becoming a Christian, all that he owned was taken from him, and his wife and children would no longer have anything to do with him. He was asked how he could bear these losses. He replied that many people had asked him that question, but that none had asked how he could bear his joys. Certainly, this man found his joy in Christ and found reason to be thankful. Those who belong to Christ always have a reason for gratitude, for, with Christ, we have everything while, apart from him, we are destitute. The Apostle Paul tells us to let Christ’s peace reign in our hearts “And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15).
Too often, when we pray we put an agenda before God. We tell him what we want him to take care of: find that person a job, heal that other person, solve our money problems, and keep our kids safe. We add our thanks as an afterthought. Try spending your whole prayer time offering thanks. The Bible tells us, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). As his stewards, we humbly and joyfully give him thanks.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to express my gratitude to you by what I say and do. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
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 three is on the theme of Practicing Belovedness.
If you would like to receive a direct email each week, please email Sandy Kellen.
Calling for Volunteers
From the Human Resources Ministry Committee
We are looking for volunteers to serve on various committees at Pilgrim, including:
- Church Council
- Worship & Arts Ministry
- Christian Education Ministry
- Building & Finance Ministry
- Stewardship Ministry
- Human Resources Ministry
If you're curious about serving on a committe, please get in touch with Steve Therrien at paddldog@centurytel.net or (218) 591‑1955
Courageous Church!
Registration Open for 2021 Annual meeting
“I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
June 7–12, 2021
The Annual Meeting Planning Work Group, in collaboration with Conference staff, is working hard to create an experience that will be educational, supportive, collaborative, and enjoyable—balanced by our sincere desire to keep everyone safe and healthy. To that end, the decision was made that the entire Annual Meeting will be virtual this year. Like the rest of the world, our team simply does not know when it will be safe to gather in-person, or even how that might look in June. That said, we have a lot of exciting plans to share with you!
The activities and learning sessions for the Annual Meeting will be spread out throughout the week of June 7, with the bulk of the work conducted on Friday and Saturday. Monday through Thursday we will have two workshop sessions each day, one mid-morning and the other mid-afternoon. We are accepting workshop proposals now! All workshops will be open to all delegates and visitors and will be recorded for later viewing by those registered for the Annual Meeting.
The business meeting, when we will vote on various business of the Conference (budget, compensation guidelines, etc.), will take place Friday afternoon and will be open to delegates only (to ease difficulties with online voting) but will be recorded and available later for public viewing.
On Friday evening, June 11, we will formally kick-off the Annual Meeting with a worship service, Rev. Shari Prestemon’s State of the Conference, and some fun surprises. Saturday will begin mid-morning with a keynote address from author Susan Beaumont, author of How to Lead When You Don’t Know What You Are Doing. Virtual “tabletop conversations” will follow her keynote address. The afternoon of Saturday, June 12, we will reconvene for a virtual panel of congregational leaders across the state who have engaged in the vital task of racial justice work. Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson, Associate General Minister of the United Church of Christ, will moderate the panel, which will be followed by small conversation circles. Saturday will conclude with a virtual concert and social “chat” to visit with friends across the Conference.
On Sunday June 13, we will worship together across the state and hear a message from Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson. That virtual worship service will be live-streamed and we are working hard to make it as accessible as possible for every congregation in Minnesota to worship as one.
REGISTER HERE FOR THE 2021 ANNUAL MEETING
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 we will share Holy Communion in morning worship. Those who wish to receive the sacrament at home, please prepare a slice or roll of bread, a corn tortilla, naan, or rice cake and a cup of juice—perhaps grape or cranberry—or wine, with or without alcohol.
Salter Hall Zoom: Join us after worship for conversation and fellowship every Sunday.
Meeting ID: 843 9163 0668
Passcode: 912010
This Sunday's scripture readings:
- Exodus 20:1-17
- Psalm 19
- 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
- John 2:13-22
Special thanks:
- Christopher Kirby, for reading
- Jane, Sarah, and George Killough, for sharing their music
- Our tech team: Deb DeVaney, Christopher Kirby, Jim Drake, Steve Grindy, and Harlan Stech
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: 37
Facebook reach: 68
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.
Show Us Your Walks
From Lois and Bob Heller: Spring is coming! Bob and I watched these intrepid folks welcoming some surfing waves free of icebergs at Stony Point up the shore on a beautiful first day of March. It gave us hope!