THIS SUNDAY: The Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Sept. 26, 2021, Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Gathering and Devotion on Zoom this Sunday. If you have any questions, or are interested in a conversation, contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com and visit www.communityofpilgrims.com.
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Dear Community of Pilgrims!
It is hard to believe that we have reached the last Sunday in September. For me, this was one very quick moving month. It was one of those months that flew by. Next week, we will settle into the beginning of October, which also hastens the beginning of a busy church season, with All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints’ Day and the Realm of Christ Sunday in November, followed by the first Sunday of Advent on Nov. 28.
This Sunday the focus is on the last part of the Letter of James 5:13-20. In this passage, James exhorts communities of faith to engage in expressions of community life that seek to reflect the radical love, the radical hospitality, of God. James clearly envisions that our communities of faith are something wildly out of sync with the compartmentalized ways of worldly wisdom. James understands that intentional communities of faith, like ours, are formed in the image of God, and James is rigorous in supplying a theological warrant for the practices and politics of a Christian community like ours. In point of fact, James only mentions Christ twice, referring to God far more often. God is the driving force for the moral action being recommended. This portion of his letter begins with explicit directions: “Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them anointing them with oil in the name of God” (vv. 13-14). Lots of moral absolutes in this passage, with plenty of "shoulds." Indeed, how does the community of faith express its radicalness? It is formed in the image of God reflecting God’s speech. In a world in which people share an insipid, “Thoughts and prayers!” as we take in the news of a tragedy in someone’s life, James emboldens us to pray more actively, without hesitation, taking our thoughts and prayers directly to the Most High God, and asking God to take it all into God’s consideration as God’s Spirit watches over our daily lives. Join us this Sunday as we consider the ways that our community of faith reflects the radicalness of James’ message to the world in which we reflect a form of God-shaped humanity which flourishes against the grain of the universe in our world today.
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Events!
Sept. 26, 4 pm, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!
Oct. 3, 4 pm, Gather and Devotion on Zoom! Celebrating World Communion!
Oct. 10, 4 pm, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!
Oct. 17, 4 pm, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!
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Prayers of Celebration and Concern
· Celebrations for the start of Community of Pilgrims' fifth year.
· The children in our lives.
· Hunter and her 5 1/2-year-old daughter Victoria both just diagnosed with COVID.
· Yarrow and Iva Halstead, both living with breast cancer.
· Patty Turpin and her mother.
· Zeta who is facing more surgery.
· Thanksgiving for those who have gotten vaccinated.
· The families of those who have died from COVID.
· Birthday celebrations for Lorinda and Ray's daughter Melissa.
· Caring treatment to immigrants trying to come to the US.
· Americans and Christians still in Afghanistan.
· Safe travel back to London for Parker.
· An end to gun violence in Portland neighborhoods.
· Help for all the homeless in Portland and Seattle.
· Protection for the giant sequoias threatened by the wildfires burning in California.
· Strength and safety for firefighters.
· A safe home for Marge Stockwell when she is able to leave the rehab facility in Gresham.
· Roxanne Meuswen who died of COVID. She helped Karen and Ron in adopting Emily.
· Katy as she moves into her sorority house and for Emily who loves high school.
“God, in your love, attend our prayers…”
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Poem
Autumn Day, by Rainer Maria Rilke
Autumn Day
Lord: it is time. The summer was great.
Lay your shadows onto the sundials
and let loose the winds upon the fields.
Command the last fruits to be full,
give them yet two more southern days,
urge them to perfection, and chase
the last sweetness into the heavy wine.
Who now has no house, builds no more.
Who is now alone, will long remain so,
will stay awake, read, write long letters
and will wander restlessly here and there
in the avenues, when the leaves drift.
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Buen Camino! Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.