THIS SUNDAY: The Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Sunday, March 13, 2022, 4 pm, Second Sunday of Lent. 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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Greetings, Community of Pilgrims!
First things first. Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead one hour on March 13. Daylight Savings Time it is! And on Sunday, March 20th, Spring will be “officially” here, though the daffodils and budding trees have already given me indication that it is already here. Hope you are enjoying the day, all things considered.
The focus Scripture this week is Luke 13:31-35. Luke’s Jesus here uses a unique description for his care of the people of Jerusalem, which I kind of like: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings” (v. 34). And earlier in this passage, Jesus refers to Herod as “that fox” (v. 32). Lots of barnyard imagery here. Is this fox “wily and clever,” or is it untrustworthy and to be feared? And what of the mother hen, Jesus? Is mother hen here soft and gentle as she gathers her brood of chicks? Or will she be ready to fight to save her chicks? As many of you have told me before when we’ve come to this passage, mother hens can be ever so protective, and will fight for their chicks. After all, chicken’s biological lineage goes back to dinosaurs. And then there is Jerusalem’s role in this drama, a place and a people who have killed prophets and other religious leaders. All of this is to be read in the season, and reason, for Lent, namely Jesus’ pilgrimage to Jerusalem, to his own death and sacrifice for the greater good not only of humanity, but of creation itself. Join us this Sunday as we contemplate the metaphorical give and take of this passage in today’s current events in this world.
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Service Project
Our Lenten/Easter Service Project. From Kathy Fukuyama:
For the past several years, the Community of Pilgrims has donated to Human Solutions and SnowCap in East Multnomah County. We will continue to support these organizations and also support HomePlate Youth Services for this year's Lenten/Easter Donation. Please check out their website https://www.homeplateyouth.org. They operate two centers, one in Beaverton and one in Hillsboro, and they are Washington County's only non-profit provider of drop-in centers and street outreach for young people experiencing homelessness. Their immediate needs include:
· Athletic shoes, boots, and long-sleeve t shirts - new or gently-used
· Men's boxer shorts - new
· 2-person tents and tarps - new or gently-used
· High-protein snacks, individually wrapped
· Applesauce and fruit snacks, individually wrapped
We ask everyone to collect items from this list starting Ash Wednesday March 2nd and to drop them off at Kathy Fukuyama's house before Thursday April 14th. We hope to deliver everything to the Beaverton drop-in center on Good Friday, April 15th or the following week. Please contact Kathy if you have any questions and thank you for your support.
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Events!
March 13, Second Sunday of Lent, 4 pm, Gather and Devotion on Zoom.
March 20, Third Sunday of Lent, 4 pm, Gather and Devotion on Zoom.
March 27, Fourth Sunday of Lent, 4 pm, Gather and Devotion on Zoom.
April 3, Fifth Sunday of Lent, 4 pm, Gather and Devotion on Zoom.
April 10, Palm Sunday, 4 pm, Gather and Devotion on Zoom.
April 17, Easter Sunday, 10 am, Portsmouth Trinity Lutheran Church!
April 24, 2 pm, Bobby Jo Valentine, Portsmouth Trinity Lutheran Church!
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Prayers of Celebration and Concern
We pray to the Creator of all creation:
· Thanksgiving for abuse investigators like Karen who help families and individuals who may be unable to help themselves.
· Traveling mercies for Hunter coming to visit Chris.
· Traveling mercies for Christian returning from his business trip next week.
· Celebrations for Lorinda's Aunt who is dying and wants to throw a big party for all her family and friends.
· Rosanne's foster nephew Jason who has kidney stones but not cancer.
· Marleen and her husband Scott. Scott's health has improved.
· Cousin Debbie who is raising three young children.
· Thanksgiving that Brittany Patterson's husband Jessie is recuperating well following heart valve replacement surgery.
· Kay Hope Gold's husband Richard who died from cancer
· The Russian conscripts who are forced into killing Ukrainians.
· People of Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Yemen, Poland, Moldova, and other parts of the world caught in violent conflict.
· Russians who are being led into this conflict against their will.
· Thanksgiving the COVID rate is declining. Thanksgiving that we can start meeting in-person effective March 12.
· That we do not get COVID.
· People in Oregon and other places who are suffering the effects of inflation and cannot afford basic necessities.
· Continued prayers for Linda's brother Gary.
· Christian's sister Yarrow who has asked for prayers as she fights cancer.
· The United Methodist Church, the Southern Baptist Church, Roman Catholic Church, and the Orthodox Churches, and other denominations which discriminate against LGBTQ people.
God in your love, attend our prayers. Amen.
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Poem
I Cannot Dance, O Lord, by Mechthild of Magdeburg, trans, Jane Hirshfield
I cannot dance, O Lord,
Unless You lead me.
If You wish me to leap joyfully,
Let me see You dance and sing—
Then I will leap into Love—
And from Love into Knowledge,
And from Knowledge into the Harvest,
The sweetest Fruit beyond human sense.
There I will stay with You, whirling.
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Buen Camino! Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.