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Pilgrim United Church of Christ — An Open and Affirming Congregation

October 5, 2017 Progress

Pilgrims’

A Letter From Lindy Pilgrims, Leading into this week, my brain was filled with thoughts of what I would share in my first newsletter article and then I awoke to the tragic news from Las Vegas, and all my creative ideas vanished as I groped to wrap my mind around yet another senseless, horrifying shooting of innocent people. Trish Gibson tried to give voice to how we, people of faith, stand in such a moment during Auxiliary’s time of devotion, but even words of scripture could not penetrate our collective numbness. I was grateful when Barbara Wrigley messaged me the words of UCC General Minister and President, John Dorhauer, because they so closely articulated the pain I am feeling. “I am fast losing the capacity to mourn all that we must mourn. Charlottesville becomes Hou-ston becomes Florida becomes Puerto Rico be-comes Las Vegas. Every lost life is a name, a history, a hope, a story—an unfulfilled future. Every lost life leaves behind loved ones who mourn and grieve and piece together a future of their own torn asunder by matters we cannot comprehend. I can’t find words to capture this pain, this collective grief and anger. I cannot reach deep enough into my soul to express fully the pain, the anger, the rage, the confusion, the anxiety, the emptiness. When will it end? And what must I do, must I do, must I do to respond with meaning, with purpose, with intent so that whatever hope we talk about on the other side of this is not vapid and vain? I feel utterly pow-

erless. God help us all. Inspire imagination. In-spire hope. Inspire healing. Inspire resistance. Inspire something new and something bold and something grand. This cannot be our ongoing narrative. We have to want something better than this. Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me.” I find myself stopping in the middle of John’s prayer with my own sense of powerlessness of what I, what we, can do in our place and time. I confess I am not yet quite ready to turn my heart to God’s movement which will, of course, fill me, fill us, with God’s healing, hope and pur-pose. I think it is because I do not want to move on, move past, the pain too quickly….lest I anesthetize body and soul from holy grieving and anger. Perhaps, instead, we might stand still and offer lamentation together. Coupled with John’s words, let me add my own General Min-ister and good friend, Terri Hord Owens’, prayer to help us do just that. “Oh, Lord – we ache for a day when peace will reign. The families and friends of those killed in the shooting in Las Vegas are in our prayers. We pray for their parents, for their children, for their coworkers to feel your loving arms around them. And God, we pray for healing – healing of physical wounds for those injured, healing of emotional wounds for them and others who ex-perienced the fear of this attack, healing for those whose sense of safety has been dismantled. We pray for healing for this fragmented world where mass shootings are all too common. Lord, hear our prayer.” Amen

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Community and Communion

Last Saturday and Sunday, we celebrated a wide table of thanksgiving and grace in two commun-ion services: one with our LGBTQ+ siblings near Durham Central Park and one on World Com-munion Sunday in our sanctuary. More than 20 Pilgrims -- most in bright PUCC t-shirts -- showed up to participate in our Commu-nity Service of Communion just across from NC Pride. The location and events of NC Pride were vastly different this year, to the dismay of many community members. Pilgrims joined the calls for more inclusive leadership in NC Pride -- especial-ly involving our Jewish and trans* siblings, and siblings of color -- while continuing our tradition of holding a communion service celebrating and affirming the sacred worth of all, across the spec-trum of our identities and expressions. It was a beautiful, colorful service!

Rev. Mandy breaks the bread during communion (as Moderator Mark supervises).

Rev. Lindy leads the Prayers of the People.

From left: Rev. Lindy, Wynolia, Lanny, Nancy Ruth, Karen, and Katie gather before the service starts.

(Karen, where is your Pilgrim shirt?!)

Sherill serves Barbara during Communion.

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Blessing of the Animals

We will have a Bless-ing of the Animals at the beginning of wor-ship this Sunday, Oc-tober 8th! If your pet isn't the church-going kind (i.e. doesn't re-spond well to other people and animals), you are welcome to bring pictures or oth-er markers of signifi-cance with you to the service.

Third Annual Pilgrim “Homecoming” Sunday

Pilgrims, please join members, new and old, after church service on Sunday, November 12th, in Fellowship Hall. We will have a pot luck lunch, games, photo booth, and all-round fun as we get to celebrate new members joining us. Watch list serve notices and the church bul-letins for further updates. We will be sending out meal and dessert requests very shortly. This event is brought to you by Pilgrim Ambassa-dors. We are a committee that serves as an out-reach for the Deacons. We hope to help visitors and new members become acquainted with Pil-grim.

New Member Sunday Homecoming and New Member Sunday plans are underway by our Ambassadors Ministry for a festive Homecoming celebration. What better Sunday to respond to God’s call to make Pil-grim UCC your church, your community, where together we will grow as disciples, followers of Jesus, on the Way. Pastor Lindy and her hus-band, Lanny, are going to make this commit-ment, entering into covenant with Pilgrim. For all who have been worshipping with, visiting, checking Pilgrim out for a while, won’t you join them and come home to Pilgrim? Together, we will bear Christ’s light to beacon others into God’s embrace.

Youth News Roman and the youth are mutually excited for Roman beginning as youth minister this fall! Together they have already successfully sur-vived an escape room (see photographic evi-dence below). They are preparing to welcome youth from Judea Reform to our worship ser-vice on October 15th and an interfaith dialogue -- with pizza -- afterwards.

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Poetry Prayer Walk

On Tuesday, October 3rd, Pilgrims gathered for our first Poetry Prayer Walk at the nearby Ayr Mount Poet's Walk in Hillsborough. Together we read "Song for Autumn" by Mary Oliver and quietly contemplated a series of questions found along the walk (see below). Our next Poetry Prayer Walk will be at 12 p.m. on November 5th. If you cannot join us but would like to have the poem to ponder on your own -- or if you have other questions -- email Rev. Mandy (agmizelle@gmail.com) or Claudia Fulshaw (cfdesign19@aol.com).

Questions to ponder along the way: • What do you hear, see, feel in the air (Ayr)?

• What is changing around and within you

these early fall days?

• What do you hope to release?

• What do you hope to welcome?

Ayr Mount Poet’s Walk

• Where do you sense God in the ordi-

nary, everyday?

• What does the nature of fall reveal to

you about God and this season of your

life?

Song for Autumn In the deep fall don’t you imagine the leaves think how comfortable it will be to touch the earth instead of the nothingness of air and the endless freshets of wind? And don’t you think the trees themselves, especially those with mossy, warm caves, begin to think of the birds that will come — six, a dozen — to sleep inside their bodies? And don’t you hear the goldenrod whispering goodbye, the everlasting being crowned with the first tuffets of snow? The pond vanishes, and the white field over which the fox runs so quickly brings out its blue shadows. And the wind pumps its bellows. And at evening especially, the piled firewood shifts a little, longing to be on its way. -- Mary Oliver

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Mark Your Calendars

Advent Series Hungering to bring the spiritual into the secular dur-ing the season before Christmas? Join Rev. Jim Smalley, Rev. Mandy and Pastor Lindy the Wednes-days of Advent (December 6, 13, 20) from 5:30-6:30 for a time of scripture, prayer, conversation, and communion. Christmas Joy Through the leadership of the Auxiliary, Pilgrims surround the children of All My Children daycare

with Christmas love. This year, the Auxiliary are ex-panding their generosity to include the students of our Bilingual Exchange ministry, as well as families identified to us through Durham’s so-cial service agency. To be able to meet the needs of these Christmas list, the Auxiliary will need all Pil-grims to become Santa’s elves. Stay tuned for more

details. Any questions, please see Trish Gibson.

Clean out/Clean up

Pilgrims,

With my moving into the Pastor’s office, I needed to do some cleaning of the bookshelves to make room for my plethora of books. In that I have filled two boxes full of trinkets and lefto-ver resources from Ginger that I would like to offer to anyone who would like to look through to see if they would like to give these items a new home. I will leave the boxes on the floor in the admin office for your perusing pleasure.

Lindy

Save the Date for Pilgrim’s Fall Fundraiser

The Board of Christian Service is hosting a Fall Fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 4. A lasagna dinner will be served from 5-7 p.m. with donations at the door. Special desserts will be sold by members of the church Auxiliary. There will be a live auction following dinner with a chance to bid for Carolina and Duke men’s basketball tick-ets, tours of Duke Gar-dens, beach cottage rentals, and many more items, as well as items that can be purchased through a silent auc-tion. Let us join together for an evening of good food and fun! We hope to see you there!

Women’s Retreat

Save the Date:

February 16-18, 2018

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Church Council Highlights

September 25

Treasurer • Revenue is right where it’s supposed to be at

67% of the year • Expenditures fine (at 60%) • Scheduled to pay off note for renovation in

October

Board of Christian Service • November 4: Lasagna dinner fundraiser with

live and silent auction (Bob Beason will be auctioneer)

Board of Deacons • Oct. 8: Blessing of animals • Possibility of 50th anniversary of building

and organ, maybe combined with homecom-ing

Board of Trustees • Labyrinth landscaping starts October 9, with

plants and watering system

Board of Christian Education • Council approved a motion from the Board

of Christian Education to hire Roman Testroet as Youth Minister this year

NC Pride Event • Although Pride will not be on Duke’s cam-

pus this year and will not have a parade, Council approved having a communion ser-vice at a downtown site where Associate Pastor Mandy Mizelle Norris was able to secure permission for the service.

~ Irene Laube, Council Secretary

Pilgrim Caregivers Support Group

Are you a caregiver for a loved one? If so, are you interested in joining other Pil-grim caregivers in a support group? It will be a safe "place" where we can open up and talk freely and confidentially about our experiences and feelings. We will meet every second Wednesday of the month at 4:00 p.m. in the Parlor.

If you are interested, please contact Deanne Morgan at mdeannem62@gmail.com or 919-949-2244.

Where is the …?

Closets at Pilgrim have been decluttered and orga-nized and, as a result, you may not find things where they’ve always been. Here’s the current situation: Coat closet in the narthex:

Sanctuary supplies including as candles, lamp oil, offering and visitor cards, pencils, funeral service supplies, and acolyte supplies.

Old Heritage Room off the narthex: All Christmas pageant props and costumes (and extra fabric for costumes), advent supplies (wreaths, candles, and candle stands), dozens of cans of Behr paint, Pride and Crop Walk supplies, stools for musicians, and Christmas wrapping paper and ribbon for Auxiliary.

Closet across from the Fellowship Hall: Vault, tablecloths, banners (and poles), clothing for homeless, and Ambassadors’ supplies. Do not bring more clothing.

Supply closet in the education wing: Arts and craft supplies for Sunday school sorted into labeled bins and boxes, 3 tablets of large flip chart paper, extra small chairs, and an artificial Christmas tree. Do not bring art or craft supplies unless specifically requested.

If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, con-tact Deanne Morgan at mdeannem62@gmail.com

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Church Council

Moderator – Mark Webbink

(2nd term expires in 2019)

Secretary – Irene Laube

(1st term expires in 2019)

Treasurer – Tom Heath

(2nd term expires 2018)

At-Large – Katie McCarthy

(2nd term expires 2018)

At-Large – Jonathan Earnest

(2nd term expires 2018)

Board of Deacons

Kate Bartlett - (1st term expires in 2019)

Marilyn Christian - (1st term expires 2018)

Chuck Darsie - (1st term expires in 2019)

Jonathan Earnest - (1st term expires in 2019)

Leigh McNair - (2nd term expires in 2018)

Ellen Metcalf - (1st term expires in 2018)

Mindy Neale - (1st term expires 2018)

Jena Reger - (1st term expires in 2019)

Suzy Robertson-Blomberg -

(1st term expires in 2018)

Bob Shaw - (1st term expires in 2019)

Pat Stasser - (1st term expires in 2018)

Rob Wildermann - (1st term expires in 2019)

Board of Christian Education

Ingrid Ambrose - (1st term expires in 2018)

Beth Bowling - (2nd term expires in 2019)

Derek Coulson - (1st term expires in 2018)

Gail Heath - (2nd term expires in 2019)

Vicki Landes - 2nd term expires in 2019)

Elzie Laube - (2nd term expires in 2019)

Susan McNair - (2nd term expires in 2018)

Stephen Schloss - (1st term expires in 2019)

Board of Trustees

Leonard Beeghley - (1st term expires in 2018)

Alan Bradley - (2nd term expires in 2019)

Charlie Clotfelter - (1st term expires in 2018)

Matt Craver - (1st term expires in 2018)

Hilda Dawson - (2nd term expires in 2018)

Bill Dolbow - (1st term expires in 2019)

Kevin Diamond - (1st term expires in 2019)

Melanie Dunshee - (2nd term expires in 2019)

Claudia Fulshaw - (1st term expires in 2019)

Brian Hummel - (1st term expires in 2019)

Nathan Miller-Olawsky - (1st term expires in 2018)

Mac Travis - (2nd term expires in 2018)

Board of Christian Service

Nancy Ruth Best - (1st term expires in 2018)

Karen Bradsher - (2nd term expires in 2019)

Michael Gilbert-Singletary

(1st term expires in 2018)

Melinda Killenberg - (2nd term expires in 2019)

Garry Lipscomb - (1st term expires in 2018)

Kyle Miller-Olawsky - (1st term expires in 2018)

Dale Smith - (1st term expires in 2018)

Suzanne Stock - (1st term expires in 2018)

Nominating Committee

Bob Beason - (1st term expires in 2018)

Mark Chaves - (1st term expires in 2019)

Jonathan Earnest - (1st term expires in 2018)

Beverly Ford - (1st term expires in 2019)

Garry Lipscomb - (1st term expires in 2018)

Susan McNair - (2nd term expires in 2018)

Ellen Metcalf - (1st term expires in 2018)

Karen Webbink - (2nd term expires in 2019)

Pilgrim Leadership for 2017-18

Church Office Hours Mon.—Thur. 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

3011 Academy Road Durham, NC 27707 Worship Service - 10:30 am

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Office and Staff Information:

Telephone: (919) 489-1381 E-mail: puccdurham@gmail.com Web: www.pilgrimucc-durham.org

The Rev. Melinda Keenan Wood, Senior Pas-tor, is in the office Tuesdays through Thursdays, and Sunday mornings, if not out on pastoral visits and/or at meetings. Friday is a writing and sermon preparation day away from the office. Saturday and Monday are the pastor’s sabbath days and she does not routinely check phone calls, texts, and emails. Pastor Lindy’s contact information is: revwood@gmail.com; 407-375-8387 (cell).

The Rev. Mandy Mizelle Norris, Associate Pastor, is in and out of the office Tuesdays through Fridays and Sunday mornings. Mandy can be reached at agmizelle@gmail.com or through the office. On Mondays, her sabbath, she does not check email.

Mr. Marty Powell staffs the Pilgrim office. He can be contacted at the Pilgrim office phone and email.

Mr. Roman Testroet, our Music Director, is at Pilgrim on Sundays. He also comes in on Wednesday evenings except for summer when the choir is off. He can be contacted at ro-man.testroet@gmail.com.

Mr. Danny Spiegel, our accompanist, is at Pil-grim on Sundays occasionally throughout the week He can be contacted at dannyspie-gel99@gmail.com

The Rev. Betty Morton, Pilgrim’s Spiritual Growth Coach (fee-based), can be reached at bmorton7@nc.rr.com or 489-7960.

Members-in-discernment: Nancy Chew, Sa-rah Horton-Campbell, and Marselline Musiko are seeking ordination / commissioning in the UCC.

All staff have mailboxes in the office (Marty’s is his desk!) or can be reached at 919-489-1381.

October Birthdays!

7 John Pradka Marec Marhoul 9 Carolyn Epps 12 Irene Laube 15 Karen Landis 16 Biff Mulhollan Jonas Mulhollan Jose Galvez 19 Barbara Shaw 21 Ann Deupree 24 McKenzie Landes-Miller 25 John Dolbow Chuck Darsie Adleigh Martin 26 Jenn Hoselton 31 Marselline Musiko