THIS SUNDAY: The Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, December 20, 2020, Fourth Sunday of Advent, and Zoom; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com and visit www.communityofpilgrims.com.
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Dear Pilgrims of Advent,
I am writing this opening note on the eighth and last night of Hanukkah. The COVID 19 vaccine is now starting to spread out slowly in this country. Infections continue to go up in some parts of the nation, as do the number of those who have died, and falling in others. And so we pray for healing, health, and wholeness in the days and year to come, both here and abroad. Our Christmas will, like all the other holidays of our lives, be unique. Christmas lights and lit-up menorahs appear on the front lawns of houses in the neighborhoods. I’ve seen multiple 2-story inflated Mickey Mouse figures, menorahs, cows, hippos, penguins, polar bears, Santas, snowmen, and Christmas dragons…who knew! More Zoom gatherings and parties than I can count at this time are before me. We’ve adapted well to this COVID 19 time, and look forward to a post-COVID 19 world in 2021.
This week’s Scripture focus is going to be 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16. This is kind of out of the usual readings from the Hebrew Scriptures for Advent and Christmas, and is nowhere to be found or echoed in the usual readings from Matthew and Luke birth narratives. As a theologian/pastor, this is the first time I’ve focused on this Scripture for an Advent homily. But as I read it I came to understand that it is an incredible pilgrim/pilgrimage passage, and speaks to the movement of God upon this earth, which God created in the first place. And God in Christ definitely moved upon the earth. In this passage a new king, namely David, had a new idea for God: housing! By that, I mean that David wants to build a fancy temple for God, as well as centralize the Jewish people in one place. Israel was moving from a loose confederation (remember the tribes of Israel) to a centralized government under King David. Up to that point, God moved with the people of Israel in an ark, sheltered in a tent. David’s idea had the “ok” from the prophet Nathan, but God had a talk with Nathan about this idea of making God so immobile. In verse 7, God reminds Nathan, the people, and us: “I go where you go. I am with you. No matter what happenstance or setting.” This promise, that God is with us, no matter the happenstance or setting is also the basic understanding and reason for celebrating Christmas: Emmanuel, the name given to Jesus in Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23, which, in Hebrew, means “God is with us.” Even today, in the person of the Holy Spirit, God is with us as members of the body of Christ. Join us this Sunday as we move along our Advent pilgrimage, closer to the celebration of the birth of Immanuel, God with us!
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A reminder:
Our Holiday giving this year will, again, focus on Human Solutions. They serve 220 residents in 3 shelters, 3 meals each day, and the shelter's cook's pantry can use:
Cans of Veggies (corn, carrots, green beans
Crushed tomatoes
Chili
Canned fruit
Cream of chicken or mushroom soup
Chicken, vegetables, and beef broth or stock.
Also, warm winter gear is much needed by families in the emergency shelters and affordable housing communities, especially since they are meeting outside as much as possible. New or unused clothing is requested, including warm puffy coats, hats, scarves, gloves, pajamas, slippers, and warm socks, and there is often a need for large women's sizes.
Our holiday giving will start this Sunday, Nov. 29th, and run through all four weeks of Advent. We hope that each household can give a shopping bag full of canned goods and/or a shopping bag full of warm clothing. Please bring your donations to Kathy Fukuyama's house, 6221 SW Tower Way, Portland, OR 97221, 502-793-4758, by this Saturday, December 19th! We will deliver our holiday giving to the Gresham Women's Shelter on Sunday, December, 20!
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Thank you, all, for your contribution of time, talent, service, and financial gifts to us and to the wider PCUSA in 2020. As we draw to the end of the year 2020, there is still time to give to the Community of Pilgrims in terms of what people have pledged for 2020. You can either send a check to the Community of Pilgrims c/o Brett Webb-Mitchell, 9460 SW Martha St., Tigard, OR 97224, or go to the www.communityofpilgrims.com, and go to the “Take Action” page and give on our website. During Advent 2020, consider how much you would like to pledge—in terms of time, talent, service, and financial support—to the Community of Pilgrims and to the healing of this world. Many thanks!
Likewise, in a separate email I sent out a pledge form for everyone to download and fill out for 2021. As all of you know, we have been supported in large part by the generous gifts of the PCUSA 1001 New Worshiping Communities and the Presbytery of the Cascades New Ministries Team funds since we began in 2017. We are one of the rare new communities of faith ventures that have been granted funds from the Seed Grants, Investment Grants, and Growth Grants! At the end of 2021, we will be dependent upon the financial gifts, time, service, and talents of the membership of the Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, with possible help from other non-profits. Thank you for considering your gift in support of the Community of Pilgrims in 2021!
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Events!
Dec. 20, Fourth Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!
Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, Gather and Devotion on Zoom! Join us at 4 pm (Pacific Coast time) for a short time of reflecting on the meaning of Christmas!
Dec. 25, Christmas!
Dec. 27, Christmastide! A Holy Holiday! See you on Jan. 3, 2021
Jan. 3, 2021, Epiphany (well, we will celebrate it, though Epiphany is on Jan. 6); Gather, devotion and Zoom.
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Prayers of Celebration and Concern
· Celebration on the birth of Felix, new grandson for Diana and Roland.
· The successful sale of Linda's brother's condominium.
· Thanksgiving for vaccines and prayers that they will be available to everyone.
· Progress towards peace in the Middle East in light of the new peace alliances.
· Continued prayers for peace and reconciliation in our divided country.
· Safe trip back to California on Wednesday for Michael.
· Thanksgiving for the miracles of ZOOM.
· Peace and hope for those who have lost their jobs and businesses.
· Our mother earth.
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Poem
O Sapientia, by Malcolm Guite
I cannot think unless I have been thought,
Nor can I speak unless I have been spoken.
I cannot teach except as I am taught,
Or break the bread except as I am broken.
O Mind behind the mind through which I seek,
O Light within the light by which I see,
O Word beneath the words with which I speak,
O founding, unfound Wisdom, finding me,
O sounding Song whose depth is sounding me,
O Memory of time, reminding me,
My Ground of Being, always grounding me,
My Maker’s Bounding Line, defining me,
Come, hidden Wisdom, come with all you bring,
Come to me now, disguised as everything.
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Buen Camino!
Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander