THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Oct. 4, 2020, Proper 22, and Zoom; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com and visit www.communityofpilgrims.com.
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Dear Autumnal Pilgrims,
I am writing this newsletter on the train from Seattle to Portland. We are all wearing masks in Coach, sitting six feet apart. .And signs of autumn weather in the Pacific Northwest abound, from the change in the color of the leaves on many trees and bushes, to heavy fog hovering over the waters of the Puget Sound and Columbia River. The weather is cooler this morning, so I wore a light coat walking to the light rail station and Amtrak train at Union Station. And I ordered hot coffee, and not cold brew this morning before I left Seattle at a coffee shop near Seattle's train station. Autumn is in the air.
The Scripture focus this week Philippians 3:4b-14, in which Paul shares his personal story of faith while also giving insight, to us, as to what we should be “aiming for,” or targeting in our life together as a community of pilgrims. One of the questions that always comes up on any journey or pilgrimage is not only "what are we leaving behind," and “where are we?” but also “how much longer?” and “where, again, are we going?” Paul puts it rather succinctly: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Paul echoes what we have talked about in recent weeks, that we are given the opportunity not to dwell or keep our lives anchored in the past, but are free to choose to live in the present, having learned past lessons, and press on, move forward, toward the prize of being with God in Christ. God is our future. Our goal in life’s pilgrimage is to be in Christ Jesus, with the Holy Spirit accompanying us each step of the way. Now the question is simply this: with this insight from Paul, what does this extraordinary goal or destination of our pilgrimage mean for us in our ordinary lives? Join us this Sunday as we explore this impulse to go forward in the pilgrimage of our daily lives as a community of faith.
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As a member of the Community of Pilgrims, please consider writing a sentence or two about being part of the Community of Pilgrims, so that I may add it to the website. Some have already done this, and I thank you! They are posted on the website. Why are we asking for this contribution? Because this is a way of sharing with those who go to the website and are looking for a community of faith in the Portland-Vancouver area what is happening among those of us who live and are part of this community.
We still have bills to pay as a community of faith, with Zoom, etc. Please make a check out to Community of Pilgrims, and mail it to Community of Pilgrims, c/o Brett Webb-Mitchell, 9460 SW Martha St., Tigard, OR 97224, or use “Give Now” button on Community of Pilgrims website, www.communityofpilgrims.com. Many thanks!
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Events!
Oct. 4, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!
Oct. 11, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!
Oct. 18, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!
Oct. 25, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!
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Prayers of Celebration and Concern
· Celebrations for Deanna and Amy who recently got engaged. Chris will do their wedding service.
· Celebrations that Lorinda's eyesight has improved after her last cataract surgery.
· Safety and well-being for Delphine and her neighbors at Touchmark where three residents tested positive for COVID.
· Linda's brother Gary who is unable to live independently and must move to assisted living.
· Earl's sister Nancy in Yakima whose early-onset Alzheimer's is getting more problematic yet she cannot move into an assisted living facility.
· Connie in Montana who lost two cousins in the last ten days and now has a brother who is very ill.
· Birthday celebrations for Chris. We are glad you are still with us.
· Birthday celebrations for Jo Ann Tower who celebrates her 70th birthday on October 6.
· Safe travels for the Arnold's as they drive cross-country.
· Safe travels for Brett and Christian as they drive up to Seattle this evening.
· Prayers for Sarah’s mom and her upcoming hospitalization.
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Poem
Autumn, by John Clare
The thistledown's flying, though the winds are all still,
On the green grass now lying, now mounting the hill,
The spring from the fountain now boils like a pot;
Through stones past the counting it bubbles red-hot.
The ground parched and cracked is like overbaked bread,
The greensward all wracked is, bents dried up and dead.
The fallow fields glitter like water indeed,
And gossamers twitter, flung from weed unto weed.
Hill-tops like hot iron glitter bright in the sun,
And the rivers we're eying burn to gold as they run;
Burning hot is the ground, liquid gold is the air;
Whoever looks round sees Eternity there.
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Buen Camino!
Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.