THIS SUNDAY: Second Sunday of Easter, April 19, 2020, Zoom; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com
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Dear Pilgrims of Easter Hope,
After physically visiting with Sue and Chuck yesterday, with the appropriate 6-foot distance plus, and with some of the other members of the Community of Pilgrims lately, delivering material for masks and thread to Jo Ann and Ric, with some material going to Lorinda as well—again, all within the 6-foot boundary—I cannot tell you how much I look forward to being with all of “us,” physically. And yet, Zoom has given us an opportunity to be in touch with the Community of Pilgrims in New Mexico and Colorado, and that has been equally wonderful. My heart is full of gratitude for the ways that we are keeping in touch with one another during this pandemic. We are witnessing the body of Christ in action!
The Scripture focus for the second Sunday of Easter is John 20: 19-31. The scene opens on the same day, Sunday, that Mary Magdalene encountered Jesus. Later on that same day, the disciples were huddled in a locked room, fearful of the Jewish authorities who knew full well of their actions as Jesus’ disciples. Despite being in a locked room, Jesus suddenly appeared to the ten who were gathered together. Judas was no longer in the story, and Thomas, the twin, was out of the room. Thomas said that he would not believe the story of the other disciples unless he himself saw and touched the resurrected Jesus’ wounds. A week later, Jesus appeared among the eleven gathered together. Jesus invited Thomas to touch his hands and his sides. Having saw and touched them, and exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus replied: Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” (vs. 29). All of us have a little bit of Thomas in us, in which, Sunday after Sunday, I’ve watched us come together at 4 pm on a Sunday, maybe a little tired, perhaps disappointed, now and then discouraged, if not bowled over by what has happened in our life that day or in the recent days, to the point of unbelief. But we have come together as a community, seeking reassurance, an acknowledgement by the community of the pain or hurt or tiredness we feel as we think through what has happened in life the last few hours or days. Yet, by the end of our gathering, with the benediction given after the potluck meal, we feel better. Why? Because we are touched by the Spirit of the risen Christ who resides in each of our lives. Like Thomas before us, we, too just needed to be touched and see, hear, and be moved by the Christ among us. And Christ’s Spirit shines brightly from within us as we help others when we are at the women’s emergency shelter or re-bagging rice for hungry families. “Happy are you who have not seen yet believe.”
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Requests and Opportunities
Keep collecting clothes! 40 items of clothing for Lent, in which, when the pandemic “shelter in place” order will be lifted, and we can take these items to SnowCap.
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While we are not meeting in person, the Community of Pilgrims will still welcome your financial contribution. Please make a check out to Community of Pilgrims, and mail it to Brett Webb-Mitchell, 9460 SW Martha St., Tigard, OR 97224. Many thanks!
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For those who want to volunteer some more in the Portland-metro area, here’s a list of volunteer opportunities: https://www.opb.org/news/article/coronavirus-help-oregon-washington-volunteer-donate-give-blood/. And here’s a neat calligraphy project that Lorinda Moholt participated in, with proceeds to Oregon Food Bank: https://give.oregonfoodbank.org/CCC
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Feel free to invite others to join us on Zoom on Sundays from wherever they live in this country or world.
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Events!
April 19, Gather and Devotion, Zoom!
April 26, Gather and Devotion, Zoom!
May 3, Gather and Devotion, Zoom!
May 10, Gather and Devotion, Zoom!
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Prayers of Celebration and Concern
· Happy Birthday Dayna!
· Welcome Pam Jones, Dayna's mother who lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.
· Celebrations that all of us so far are not infected with the COVID virus.
· Linda's friend June who recently lost her husband. She is doing much better.
· Linda's friends at Eagle Creek who are finding it a challenging community, that they can find some meaningful relationships.
· Friend Matthew Lumas and for the world.
· Pat's friends, a family who lost their father at age 45.
· Dayna's Aunt Linda who grieves the loss of her mother, her best friend.
· All those who work in hospitals and first response workers. Keep them safe.
· David Pierce whose father is in hospice.
· Farm workers who make it possible for us to continue to go into grocery stores and find what we need.
· Help that we may avoid complacency and not let down our guard and wear masks.
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Poem
St. Thomas the Apostle, by Malcolm Guite
“We do not know… how can we know the way?”
Courageous master of the awkward question,
You spoke the words the others dared not say
And cut through their evasion and abstraction.
Oh doubting Thomas, father of my faith,
You put your finger on the nub of things
We cannot love some disembodied wraith,
But flesh and blood must be our king of kings.
Your teaching is to touch, embrace, anoint,
Feel after Him and find Him in the flesh.
Because He loved your awkward counter-point
The Word has heard and granted you your wish.
Oh place my hands with yours, help me divine
The wounded God whose wounds are healing mine.
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Buen Camino!
Pastors Brett & Chris
Rev. Dr. Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com Rev. Chris Dungan chrisdungan1@msn.com