THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Aug. 9, 2020, Proper 14, and Zoom and in-person; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com
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Dear Pilgrims of August Days,
No matter where we live, Pilgrims of August, it is summer time in our part of the world! And one of the things we can do is open doors and windows and let fresh air in, or sit outside and enjoy a meal, a good read, a board or card game, working in a garden, taking our laptop outside and working on this newsletter outside in the garden, a hike, or enjoying time in a pool, taking a walk along the shoreline of the Oregon coast, savoring a glass of wine at a nearby winery, or beer at a pub’s outdoor sitting venue. Even with sitting at least 6 feet apart, it is OK at some point to take off our masks, and take a deep breath in and exhale out slowly.
The focus passage this week is Matthew 14:22-33, in which Jesus does the unimaginable, again. This time, Jesus went on a solo pilgrimage for prayer and contemplation, while the disciples were out in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. The wind and the waters suddenly picked up on the waters, and the disciples in their boat were tossed all around by the power of the water and wind. Reading this story at this time makes all the difference in the world. There are times that, individually or collectively, we experience life alone or together in and as the church, rocked fearsomely by the wind and water of life, filled with nights of terror and doubt. Yet, as the preacher Fred Craddock reminds us, there is an epiphany of sorts, in which, in time, Jesus appears, not unlike a resurrection appearance: "On a dark night of fear and helplessness, Christ comes to his disciples." The one thing we can always count on is that, as Pilgrims of the Pilgrim God, we are never alone. Christ always comes to pilgrims on our way. Join us this Sunday, via Zoom, as we explore the reassurance of this blessing.
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Portland Pilgrims! SnowCap awaits our bags of clothes and linens! Please bring your bags of stuff to Kathy Fukuyama’s home, 6221 SW Tower Way, Portland, OR 97221, by 12:30 on Friday, August 7, 2020. Thanks for your Lenten offering!
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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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Again: 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 to give more to this growing fund, and I will be sure that our funds are included. Currently, we have collected over $7,000!
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Events!
Aug. 9, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!
Aug. 16, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!
Aug. 23, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!
Aug. 30, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!
Sept. 6, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!
Sept. 13, Gather and Devotion and Zoom and Join Us at Our Home! Celebrating 4-year anniversary of the Community of Pilgrims!
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Prayers of Celebration and Concern
· Linda's two daughters and their families in households where parents work from home and schools are closed so parents teach their children.
· Linda's brother Gary who has Parkinson's and is having more difficulty getting around and will be moving to be closer to family.
· Chris's friend Nanette Johnson in Augusta GA who has been diagnosed with coronavirus.
· Mickey Doolittle who is dying from pancreatic cancer.
· Tribes in Warm Springs who are without any clean water for drinking or hand-washing.
· Thanksgiving for the life of John Lewis.
· Birthday celebrations for Sue Lekas who celebrates her birthday on Tuesday.
· Quieter nights in the streets of Portland.
· Downtown businesses which are being forced to close because of the coronavirus.
· Birthday celebrations for Linda and her daughter, brother, and grandson who all celebrate birthdays in August.
· Friend Cici who died this week at age 51. Winston and others remember her as a lovely influence who showed middle school kids it is OK to be different.
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Poem
Burning Island by Gary Snyder
O Wave God who broke through me today
Sea Bream
massive pink and silver
cool swimming down with me watching
staying away from the spear
Volcano belly Keeper who lifted this island
for our own beaded bodies adornment
and sprinkles us all with his laugh—
ash in the eve
mist, or smoke,
on the bare high limits—
underwater lava flows easing to coral
holes filled with striped feeding swimmers
O Sky Gods cartwheeling
out of Pacific
turning rainsqualls over like lids on us
then shine on our sodden—
(scanned out a rainbow today at the
cow drinking trough
sluicing off
LAKHS of crystal Buddha Fields
right on the hair of the arm!)
Who wavers right now in the bamboo:
a half-gone waning moon.
drank down a bowlful of shochu
in praise of Antares
gazing far up the lanes of Sagittarius
richest stream of our sky—
a cup to the center of the galaxy!
and let the eyes stray
right-angling the pitch of the Milky Way:
horse-heads rings
clouds too distant to be
slide free.
on the crest of the wave.
Each night
O Earth Mother
I have wrappt my hand
over the jut of your cobra-hood
sleeping;
left my ear
All night long by your mouth.
O All
Gods tides capes currents
Flows and spirals of
pool and powers—
As we hoe the field
let sweet potato grow.
And as sit us all down when we may
To consider the Dharma
bring with a flower and a glimmer.
Let us all sleep in peace together.
Bless Masa and me as we marry
at new moon on the crater
This summer.
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Buen Camino!
Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.