THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Sept. 13, 2020, Proper 19, 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 Christ’s Light,
From under the orange and yellowish brown smoke that hovers over many of us who are receiving this newsletter in Portland, Oregon and vicinity today, we pray for those who have lost homes, livelihoods, and loved ones in this epic western firestorm. The devastating forest fires are but one more sign of the global climate change our part of the world is impacted by, and reminds us of the need to do all we can to try to reverse course as we tend to the earth. Our response? May it be a prayer that, first, the blazes will be contained, and second, in response, we may be the light of Christ in someone’s life who needs care and assistance at this time. Finally, may we work hard towards caring for God's creation.
The focus for this Sunday is forgiveness, as well described in story form by Jesus in the Parable of the Unforgiving Slave, Matthew 18:21-35. Short synopsis: as an introduction to the Parable, Matthew begins with this question by Peter, who asked Jesus how many times he had to forgive someone who sins repeatedly against him. As many as seven times? And Jesus explodes Peter’s incredible offer with “not seven, but seventy-seven times, mirroring a boast that comes from Gen. 4:23-24. The parable then dives into the short story of a wealthy corporate CEO, who forgives the debt of an employee, the CFO of the corporation, who then turns around and quickly demands repayment from an underling who is unable to pay what is owed, and thus the CFO has the underling thrown into prison, much to the shock of the wealthy employer. The moral of the story? Well, there are many morals, of course—it is a parable, which is always open to many interpretations—but for our purposes, the moral theme of this Sunday is forgiveness. Or as Henri Nouwen wrote about forgiveness: "Forgiveness is the name of love practiced among people who love poorly. The hard truth is that all people love poorly. We need to forgive and be forgiven every day, every hour increasingly. That is the great work of love among the fellowship of the weak that is the human family." Join us this Sunday as we talk about the practice of forgiveness.
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Happy 3 Year Anniversary to Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship! As the Organizing Pastor, I am thankful to all of you who have joined us once, or joined us Sunday after Sunday, and walked your pilgrim walk with Christ with each other on our everyday pilgrimage of life. This is one of my longest tenures as a pastor with a church or fellowship, so I am deeply grateful for your gift of presence, and, along with God’s Spirit, for making this community what it is, and who we are today. While it would’ve been nice to welcome some folks to our home along with our Zoom gathering, given the forecast with the prevailing winds and smoke, we will simply Zoom. However, bring a piece of bread and a cup of juice or wine this Sunday, Sept. 13, and we will share Holy Communion/the Lord’s Supper with each other via Zoom!
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While we are not meeting in person, the Community of Pilgrims will still welcome your financial contribution. We still have bills to pay as a community of faith, with Zoom, etc. Please make a check out to the Community of Pilgrims, and mail it to Brett Webb-Mitchell, 9460 SW Martha St., Tigard, OR 97224, or use “Give Now” button on the Community of Pilgrims website, www.communityofpilgrims.com. Many thanks!
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Events!
Sept. 13, Gather and Devotion and Zoom! Celebrating our 3-year anniversary of the Community of Pilgrims!
Sept. 20, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!
Sept. 27, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!
Oct. 4, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!
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Prayers of Celebration and Concern
· The City of Portland as we enter 100 consecutive nights of protests and violence in and around our city.
· Thanksgiving for the great clean-up of downtown neighborhoods.
· Portlanders to "stand down" and not participate in demonstrations that do nothing to change minds, reform police, or improve Black lives.
· Police to commit to a reconciliation process to work to heal the relationship between law enforcement and black Americans.
· Sue and Mary to find a new home.
· A good shift for Katy as she leaves for work at QFC
· Firefighters fighting wildfires precipitated by these times of global climate change.
· All those who have served our country.
· The workers we honor this Labor Day and those doing jobs that put their own lives at risk to benefit us.
· Earl and Carol's niece Rebecca whose latest exams show no recent spread of her bladder cancer.
· David as he grieves a recent breakup and the loss of his dog.
· Return to good eye-sight for Lorinda following cataract surgery.
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Poem
The Hardest Blessing, by Jan Richardson
If we cannot
Lay aside the wound
Then let us say
It will not always
Bind us.
Let us say
The damage
Will not eternally
Determine our path.
Let us say
The line of our life
Will not forever follow
The tearing, the rending
We have borne.
Let us say
That forgiveness
Can take some practice,
Can take some patience
Can take a long
And struggling time.
Let us say
That to offer
The hardest blessing
We will need
The deepest grace
That to forgive
The sharpest pain
We will need
New strength
For every day.
Let us say
The wound
Will not be
Our final home;
That through it
Runs a road,
A way we would not
Have chosen
But on which
We will finally see
Forgiveness
So long practiced,
Coming toward us
Shining with the joy
So well deserved.
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Buen Camino!
Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.