THIS SUNDAY: Nov. 24, 2019, Rose City Park Presbyterian Church, 1907 NE 45thAve., Portland, OR 97213; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com
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Dear Pilgrims of Peace,
The sun is out on a blue sky yet slightly chillier day as we move forward in the Church calendar. We are coming to the end of our Church year, with Reign of Christ Sunday on Nov. 24! The first Sunday of the new year of the Church calendar is Dec. 1! So, auld lang syne, folks! And before we know it, it'll be 2020!
The focus passage this Sunday Luke 1:68-79. It is known in Christian circles as Zechariah’s song, which Zechariah blurts out when his son John was born. Before his birth, Zechariah had been, um, quiet for several months (read Luke 1 for a brush up course on what's happening). Zechariah was married to Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s mom, and Elizabeth was related to Mary, Jesus' mom. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth were of old age, beyond child-bearing years, and yet God gives them a son, John, whose life will be caught up in the audaciously magnificent designs of God. And we know that John is going to be great in God’s purview, turning many of the people of Israel to God. This passage, which can also be a poem or song (we will sing it this Sunday), is an echo of a passage from Isaiah, calling people to be “people of the way of peace.” Indeed, the word, “peace,” is written more often in the Gospel of Luke than in any of the other Gospels combined (fun fact!). This is because God’s peace is a message that frames the beginning and end of this Gospel and permeates its message throughout. Join us this Sunday as we reflect and discuss the power of this beautiful song sung by Zechariah for all the ages to receive.
Finally: Pledge Sunday! On Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, we will be celebrating both the First Sunday of Advent (hard to believe), and Pledge Sunday! Stay tuned for more information!
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Events!
Nov. 24, Gather and Worship, Rose City Park Presbyterian Church, 4-6 pm.
Dec. 1, Gather and Worship, Rose City Park Presbyterian Church, 4-6 pm.
Dec. 8, Gather and Worship, Rose City Park Presbyterian Church, 4-6 pm.
Dec. 15, Gather and Worship, Rose City Park Presbyterian Church, 4-6 pm.
Dec. 22, Gather and Worship, Rose City Park Presbyterian Church, 4-6 pm.
Dec. 24, Christmas Eve! Plans TBA!
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Requests
* We also have plenty of beautiful leather bracelets for each member of the community! Pick one up this Sunday!
* In the coming months, Pastor Chris and I will be quoting from and referencing sections from the book, Wisdom Distilled from the Dailyby Joan Chittister, a Benedictine monk, who, in this book, focuses on the nature of living life in an intentional Christian community, which is our aim as Community of Pilgrims. We can either order books for those interested and sending in a request for so-many copies, or feel free to order it or buy it from your favorite book distributor. Wisdom Distilled from the Daily, Joan Chittister, San Francisco: Harper One.
* Another book for our consideration: The Intentional Christian Community Handbookby David Janzen (Paraclete Press, 2013). We may use this book as we delve deeper into understanding what it means to be an intentional Christian community of faith.
* Finally, Community and Growthby Jean Vanier will be picked up as a book for us to read together.
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Thanks!
A big thank you to the Community of Pilgrims from Snow Cap, both for the tremendous collection of clothes on one Sunday, and for the gift of packing bigger bags of rice into smaller bags of rice for families who will be in need of food this winter. What a fabulous gift we have been blessed to give for those in need! Thanks to all who made this possible, especially Kathy and Linda, who helped transport the clothes and rice, and organized us!
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Poem
PONTIUS PILATE POSTS TO HIS WEBLOG, by Andrew King
(John 18: 33-37 (38a))
Had someone before me today
who some claimed
that he claimed
to be a king.
Some kind of Jewish messiah.
He did say he had a kingdom,
but one “not from this world”.
For a moment – a moment of weakness –
I wondered what that could mean, and if,
whatever it meant, it could be true.
Or partly true, or, of course, not true at all.
But then I remembered
I don’t care much about truth –
though lies can be a really useful tool.
But I don’t believe
that much truth really matters.
What matters is domination.
Power, however you keep it.
The legions I command.
The fear I can inspire.
The crosses I can nail my enemies to.
So who cares what kind of kingdom
this Jesus fellow has –
not I, unless
it comes backed up with swords.
He’s on a cross right now.
As I write this, he’s dying.
I doubt for him
any truth
could matter more.
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Buen Camino!
Pastors Brett & Chris
Rev. Dr. Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.comRev. Chris Dungan chrisdungan1@msn.com