Full Steam Ahead. October 2018

Transcription

1 Pilgrim s Progress pil-grim (pilgrim) n. a person who makes a journey to some sacred place Whoever you are wherever you are on life s journey You are welcome October 2018 Sunday School 10am Worship 11am CHURCH STAFF Moderator: Teresa Moran Pastor: Rev. Paul Eknes-Tucker Music Director: Tim Tipton Minister of Education: Rev. Bud Precise Administrative Assistant: Marilyn Ireland IDENTITY STATEMENT I AM PILGRIM CHURCH I AM an open and loving witness for liberal Christianity in the Birmingham area. I stand with those who seek justice and peace for all people. I AM accepting and inclusive. I embrace all people. I AM a home where people are encouraged: TO seek their own answers, TO explore their spiritual lives. I AM a follower of Jesus. Full Steam Ahead With all the discussions we have been having around Pilgrim the last few months, it might be assumed that ministry, service and outreach should be on hold as we make plans for the future. As usual, Pilgrim folks don t use the same playbook that others might. As conversations with Covenant Community Church continue, the people of Pilgrim are doubling down on our desire to grow, to offer safe space for those seeking to explore their spiritual journey and to challenge the injustices of our world. Here are just a few of the opportunities to mark on your calendar: 1. Pilgrim hosts a reception for our friends from Covenant Community Church on Sunday, October 7th following worship. This reception gives us a chance to meet each other and allow our friends from Covenant to get familiar with our building and garden, as we prepare to partner together. Please bring side dishes and/or desserts to share with our friends. 2. The next art opening features the work of Mary Wier on October 11th at 5:30PM. Mary, and her art, are well known to many of us and we are delighted to feature her art in our Fellowship Hall for October. We have invited folks from Covenant who couldn t make the Sunday reception to join us for the art opening. 3. The AIDS Walk is at Avondale Brewery this year on Sunday, October 14th, 3PM. Pilgrim and Covenant will staff a joint information table to support the work of ending HIV in our city. 4. On Monday, October 15th, Pilgrim hosts the All In Tour concert. This national touring group out of Missouri features progressive music and messages. Concert is free and starts at 6PM. (Continued on Page 2)

2 October 2018 PILGRIM S PROGRESS Page 2 (Continued from Page 1) 5. On Saturday, October 27th, several Pilgrim folks will travel to Montgomery for the Western Association gathering of the Southeast Conference. We will carpool to Montgomery that morning and return in the evening. 6. Our October Movie Night is Halloween, October 31st, featuring the movie, Rocky Horror Picture Show at 7PM. Costumes are encouraged, especially if you know how to do the Time Warp. Finally, I ask that you hold the residents and staff of the Metropolitan Apartments in your hearts and prayers. This apartment complex near the church experienced a fire on September 26th that destroyed a large portion of the building that was still under construction. All the current residents had to be evacuated. Of course, this is a devastating experience to go through. We will work with our neighbors to help them return to their homes and lives. Blessings! Pastor Paul Let's Do This Again! VINO & FINGERPAINTING! Our previous event was so much FUN, participants want a repeat; so we offer another evening of painting, eating and drinking (non-alcohol offered too)! WHEN: Friday, October 26 th 7:00-9:00 p.m. WHERE: Pilgrim Church of the United Church of Christ th Avenue South, Birmingham AL This month, we will paint AND ADD other materials to our paintings, for a MIXED MEDIA effect worthy of HALLOWEEN and/or ALL SAINTS DAY!!! Come enjoy our society of friends, fellowship and FUN! Contact Rev. Pamela Canzater at if you can attend!

3 October 2018 PILGRIM S PROGRESS Page 3 October 2018 Calendar Sunday, October 7: 10 AM Sunday school 11 AM Worship with Communion *Please bring non-perishable dry and canned goods for the GBM pantry. Friday, October 12: 6 PM - Cook supper at the Firehouse Shelter. If you can help cook or serve, contact John Williams at john0670@bellsouth.net Sunday, October 14: 10 AM Sunday school 11 AM Worship Sunday, October AM Sunday school 11 AM Worship with Communion *Please bring individually wrapped snacks, drink pouches and wet wipes for the snack bags for the homeless and assemble snack bags after worship Sunday, October 28: 10 AM Sunday school 11 AM Worship October Birthdays 4 th David Precise 5 th Rebecca Owen 6 th - Candace Raymond 12 th Brock Owen 15 th - Dominique Cheney 16 th Miranda Byrd 16 th Jerry Mills 25 th Libba Owen Lections for October 2018 October 7: Job 1:1; 2:1-10 Psalms 26 or Genesis 2:18-24 Psalms 8 Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 Mark 10:2-16 October 14: Job 23:1-9, Psalms 22:1-15 or Amos 5:6-7, Psalms 90:12-17 Hebrews 4:12-16 Mark 10:17-31 October 21: Job 38:1-7, (34-41) Psalms 104:1-9, 24, 35c or Isaiah 53:4-12 Psalms 91:9-16 Hebrews 5:1-10 Mark 10:35-45 October 28: Job 42:1-6, Psalms 34:1-8, (19-22) or Jeremiah 31:7-9 Psalms 126 Hebrews 7:23-28 Mark 10:46-52 October Anniversaries 6 th Brian Bland and Eric Nelson 13 th Jim Taylor and Teresa Moran

4 October2018 PILGRIM S PROGRESS Page 4 ArtThursday Pilgrim Church Art Gallery Featuring MARY WIER Thursday, October 11, :30 PM Free to all! Wine and cheese will be provided as well as other snacks. Pilgrim Gallery, Pilgrim Church, th Avenue South (Lakeview) Free Movie At Pilgrim Church Art Gallery Featuring THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW Halloween Wednesday, October 31, 2018 at 7:00pm Popcorn and beer will be provided Costumes Encouraged

5 October 2018 PILGRIM S PROGRESS Page 5 Helping Out Lying, thinking Last night How to find my soul a home Where water is not thirsty And bread loaf is not stone I came up with one thing And I don't believe I'm wrong That nobody But nobody Can make it out here alone. Alone, all alone Nobody, but nobody Can make it out here alone. Maya Angelou ( Alone ) The last few weeks, I've been helping folks who've had medical procedures and surgeries of one sort or another. It's both a privilege and a pain to be a care-giver, however close-up or remotely you do it. Sitting in hospitals and at bedsides seems like something that would not be exhausting, but somehow it is. One of the ways that I help others is by making hearty soups. I'm not the best at emptying bedpans or giving bed baths but I can make a mean pot of soup! When I have had problems and needed help, others have been there for me in big ways and small. From the gift of being hired when I was out of a job, to being loaned money without collateral when I had no rainy-day fund, to being slept beside when I hurt my back, to being fed when someone in the family died, people have come to my aid. I am blessed with friends who want to help me, so helping them back feels good. There are so many people in this world who need just a small bit of help. Drive someone to a doctor's appointment, pick up some groceries, do a load of laundry, make a pot of soup. Little things can make a big difference. There's a woman down the street who lives next door to an older woman who walks with a walker. Her driveway is steep, so her neighbor brings her newspaper up from the bottom and puts it where she can more easily reach it. Little things matter. Most of all, we shouldn't feel abandoned when we are troubled and in need. A friend of mine is training to become a tutor in a literacy program. Another has just gone through peer counseling training. One friend volunteers in a palliative care unit, and another reads to kids in an elementary school classroom. We can all do something to help out others, and when we do, our life is richer for having done it. Small acts of kindness provide water that is not thirsty, and bread that is not stone. Maybe we can't change the world, but we can make it better for one another. In the Spirit, Jane

6 October 2018 PILGRIM S PROGRESS Page 6 Pilgrims Make Progress with Covenant Representatives from Pilgrim and Covenant churches continue to meet and discuss the possibilities of sharing space and, perhaps, some missions. The third meeting is scheduled for Sunday September 30. The meetings have been very upbeat. Members of both congregations have made mostly positive comments about the possibilities. So far, we have decided that each group will conduct its own services on Sunday morning. At present, it looks as if Pilgrim can keep its same timeperiod. Sunday school and worship may have to swap times. We think it will be good if the two groups come together for holiday meetings. We are already cooperating in sharing an information table at the AIDS Walk on October 14. We think that the two groups can share one clerical person. That individual is yet to be named. We continue to figure out how Covenant can best help with finances. They are meeting this week and will have some more concrete information to share at our next meeting. How that works out will help us decide about whether further cuts in staff will be necessary. Some of the folks from Covenant are not familiar with our property. We are inviting them to lunch and a tour on October 7. For those who cannot come at that time we have told them about our art opening on October 11 and suggested that as another opportunity to meet and tour. Thank you for your support through suggestions and prayers. If you have any questions, contact a member of the negotiating team or Pastor Paul. Teresa Moran, John Williams, John Owen

7 October 2018 PILGRIM S PROGRESS Page 7 Pilgrim s Progress October 2018 God is Still Speaking To view this newsletter in color online, go to Click the link Newsletter about ½ way down the page under the large picture. You should be able to either open the document or save it to your computer. It will be in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF).