THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Dec. 6, 2020, Second 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 Advent Pilgrims,
Greeting in this first week of Advent. Walking around the neighborhood where we live, it has been fun seeing the decorations go up and around houses, one house at a time. Each day, every day, there is a new string of lights around one house, larger than life inflatable characters at another house (including a Christmas dragon), and strings of lights around white framed deer in the front of homes. It is truly beginning to look a lot like Christmas (to borrow a refrain from a popular song).
Speaking of beginnings... As we all know, the Bible begins with these words, found in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth.” Interestingly enough, Mark 1:1 begins with the words of a new beginning as well: “The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ (Gospel), the Son of God.” Beginnings are important. They sent the tone for what is to come. Beginnings clue us in on what to expect. The writers of Genesis 1:1 clue us into what Genesis 1 is going to be about: one of two creation stories. Likewise, Mark 1:1 clues us into what Mark 1 is going to be about: The beginning of some good news, which has to do with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Already, we know from this first line that it is written after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, because Mark, the Gospel writer gives Jesus the honorific, “Christ, the Son of God.” Mark already knows who the risen Jesus is, adding the title of “Christ,” and “Son of God.” And who is going to start telling the story of Jesus Christ? None other than his cousin John the Baptizer. As I’ve written before, John is considered the last of the Old Testament prophets, and is dressed the role of a prophet, clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. And his diet? He ate locusts and wild honey (Mark 1:6). And he is the pioneer pilgrim of the faith, the one who helped make way for the coming of the Christ child, re-sculpting the landscape of earth (literally and metaphorically) for the one who is to come, namely the Son of God. This Sunday, we will talk about beginnings, pilgrim pioneers of the faith, and life in our community of pilgrims today.
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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 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!
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Events!
Dec. 6, Second Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!
Dec. 13, Third Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!
Dec. 20, Fourth Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!
Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!
Dec. 25, Christmas!
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Prayers of Celebration and Concern
· Mary and Sue as they move into their new home tomorrow.
· Thanks for the Christmas lights that are going up early.
· Continued healing for Lois Hansen, still in the hospital with COVID.
· Healing and recovery for stepson Jon in Tulsa who had surgery nine days ago for an infection and is in a lot of pain.
· Healing and recovery for Cory, hospitalized earlier with sepsis and now back in the hospital.
· An end to fighting in the Tigray region in Ethiopia where federal troops are fighting local rebels.
· An end to fighting in Yemen, in civil war since 2014, and in Syria, in civil war since 2011.
· Our country to heed science and for everyone to act responsibly to slow the spread of COVID.
· Care workers who are so tired.
· The vaccine to be available quickly and for those on the front lines to be able to get it soon.
· Chuck's kind neighbors who help with grocery shopping and in other ways which help him keep safe and well.
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Poem
St. John the Baptist: 1 St. John’s Eve by Malcolm Guite
Midsummer night, and bonfires on the hill
Burn for the man who makes way for the Light:
‘He must increase and I diminish still,
Until his sun illuminates my night.’
So John the Baptist pioneers our path,
Unfolds the essence of the life of prayer,
Unlatches the last doorway into faith,
And makes one inner space an everywhere.
Least of the new and greatest of the old,
Orpheus on the threshold with his lyre,
He sets himself aside, and cries “Behold
The One who stands amongst you comes with fire!”
So keep his fires burning through this night,
Beacons and gateways for the child of light.
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Buen Camino!
Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.