THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, July 19, 2020, Proper 11, and Zoom and in-person; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com
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Dear Pilgrims of July,
What a glorious day we are having in the Pacific Northwest! Our everyday pilgrimage is made lighter and brighter on such summer days. Our day packs of life are lighter without need of rain gear. We are into our third week of July, and we are celebrating summer. Coffee outside in the morning, when it is still in the 60s before the temperature inches up towards the high 80s. To our friends and pilgrim members in other parts of the country, who have lived in the Pacific Northwest or visited now and then, this is as good as it gets in this part of the country, and it is sweet…as you know.
The Scripture we will focus on this week is from Paul’s letter to the Romans 8:12-25. What Paul gets “right” is our relationship to one another in terms of being Christ’s household, Christ’s body with one another, which is part of the reading today from Paul’s letter: “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him” (vv. 14-17). In Romans, 1 Corinthians, Colossians, and in Ephesians, we read of this same sentiment: that by God’s actions, God’s grace, we are brothers and sisters with one another because we are daughters and sons of God, through a divine adoption plan. That means when we are hurt, challenged, happy, or celebrating, we can call upon God as a child would a parent, even to the point of freely using the family phrase, “Abba,” or “Dad” or “Mom.” That’s how close God in Christ is to us: as close as a child is to a parent. This always reminds me that, first, like a parent, God knows me better than I know myself, and that, second, we are joint-heirs, with Christ, in our relationship with God, freely sharing in all that God has given creation. Sometimes on life's pilgrimage, we just need to know that we can turn to Abba, both in good times and the times that are challenging us to the core of our being. And we, in turn, have the joy of sharing this good news with others who doubt or are uncertain as to their identity, and sense of who and whose they are. That is the gift we hold out to the world: a place to call home, where love is core to our beings, with an incredible Abba who loves us for who we are, and kith and kin from around the planet. Join us this Sunday as we explore the contours of our relationship with Abba as members of Christ’s household of faith.
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Requests and Opportunities
Hold on to your 40 items of clothing from 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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The Presbytery of the Cascades chose to give $1,000 to churches and new faith communities to make a change in the world. We are joining up with the folks at Moreland Presbyterian Church, and with our combined stimulus checks, and other donations, we will support four groups: Street Roots, Emerge, Meals on Wheels, and Human Solutions! Let me, Brett, know if you would like to give more to this growing fund, and I will be sure that our funds are included. Currently, we have collected over $4500.
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Events!
July 17-18, Stated Meeting of the Presbytery, via Zoom. Contact me for my info.
July 19, Gather and Devotion, Zoom!
July 26, Gather and Devotion, Zoom!
Aug. 2, Gather and Devotion, Zoom!
Aug. 9, Gather and Devotion, Zoom!
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Prayers of Celebration and Concern
Thanks for getting us together on Sunday and we shared prayer requests and concerns for
Strength for Winston's friend who lost his job of 14 years and has a young family to support.
Birthday celebrations for Helene who turns 15 on the 15th.
Birthday celebrations for Ray who celebrated his birthday on Wednesday.
Birthday celebrations for Ray and Lorinda's granddaughter Anna who turns 18 on July 16th.
Safety and safe travels for Anna and her parents when they bring her to Portland next month to attend Lewis & Clark.
Pastors and their families at churches which have re-opened and outbreaks of the coronavirus are surging.
Modern science that a vaccine can be found sooner than projected and made available to all.
Linda's friend Judy whose husband died on July 3rd.
The family of Ann Thompson who recently died.
Justice for all.
The rule of law.
Our City which has been damaged.
Our children as we debate the reopening schools.
Countries such as Syria and Yemen which already have great suffering and are now experiencing coronavirus outbreaks.
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Poem
The Peace of Wild Things, by Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me
And I wake in the night at the least sound
In fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
Rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
Who do not tax their lives with forethought
Of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
Waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
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Buen Camino!
Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.