THIS SUNDAY: The Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Jan. 22, 2023, Third Sunday of Epiphany, 4 pm, Rise Church (10445 SW Canterbury Ln., Tigard, OR 97224), or on Zoom. Contact Pastor Brett for Zoom link. 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,
Even in these short days and long nights of winter, there are buds and shoots all around gardens and forests. Even amid bare limbs of trees, which are in slumber, they continue to feed on the moisture caught by the wet leaves that fill our yards. On my daily walks of late, I’m glad to see such small signs of life which will soon turn to more obvious buds and blossoms. If all life is a miracle, I am thankful for such miracles.
The passage from Matthew’s Gospel this week seems to be set in two parts (Matthew 4:12-23). In the first half, we understand that Jesus makes his home in Capernaum, which is on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. If he actually had a home there, we don’t know. Matthew’s Jesus then talks about the future realm of God’s love, calling people to repent, for the realm is near, embodied in the very life of Jesus. Knowing that he could not do this mission alone, and that it would “take a village” to do it, Jesus starts to call out the twelve who would be his primary community. His first disciple is Andrew, who he calls from his work as a fisherman. And Jesus tells him, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people” (4:19). And Andrew “immediately” dropped his fishing nets and followed Jesus. Then he called brothers James and John, sons of Zebedee, to leave their nets and follow him, and they did the same thing that Andrew did. They "immediately" dropped their nets and followed Jesus. Here’s the question for us: When have you heard Jesus call you to do something? To be somewhere? Does Christ’s Spirit continue to do this kind of calling, in this day and age, asking us to pick up and leave what we are doing and follow Jesus to the ends of the earth? Do we do so "immediately?" Join us Sunday as we discuss this thing called “calling.”
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Events!
Jan. 22, 4 pm, Gather and Devotion on Zoom or at Rise Church.
Jan. 29, 4 pm, Gather and Devotion on Zoom or at Rise Church.
Feb. 5, 4 pm, Gather and Devotion on Zoom or at Rise Church.
Feb. 12, 4 pm, Gather and Devotion on Zoom or at Rise Church.
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Prayers of Celebration and Concern
We pray to the Creator of all creation:
We give you thanks God for:
· Chuck being home;
· Jan at Portsmouth Trinity who is now in rehab;
· Hazel Fergus Anderson’s birth;
· Sarah and Ellen’s wedding;
· For Community of Pilgrims, as a community of faith;
· For a young person at Home Plate who got a full-time job!
· Todd, who is fighting cancer, who is doing well during treatments;
· Thanks for rain;
· All those fighting cancer;
· Thanks for modern medicine.
O God, we pray for:
· Carolyn Getty, with a dairy farm in NY, widow, near the end of her life;
· Sarah’s mother who is still in hospice;
· Marily Quesnal’s slowly improving health;
· Yarrow Halstead’s fight against cancer;
· For Larry Cobb and Charles Flaum, who both are fighting chronic health conditions;
· Christian’s mom, who is moving to assisted care;
· Sue Malter;
· For those nations engaged in war or civil strife, including Ukraine; Afghanistan; Iran; Syria; Yemen; Sri Lanka; and Myanmar;
· Gun safety in the US;
· Global climate change;
· Transgender young people who are targets of conservative politicians;
· Women’s reproductive rights;
· Voting rights in heavily gerrymandered districts and states;
· Discrimination in the workplace;
· The ongoing refugee and homeless situation around the world;
· Homelessness and gun violence on Portland’s city streets.
God in your love, receive and attend our prayers. Amen
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Poem
A Prayer (author unknown)
So many things wash up to my shore
In course of the day, a year, a lifetime;
Valuable gifts;
Luminous events.
Yet the smallest thoughtless word
Can throw me off my bearings.
Listen to the small
Voice within,
Calling you back to the Center.
Reminding you of what really matters.
Asking you to reserve judgment.
Wait on Time
To understand the shape of things.
Look within for strength
And the patience to endure.
Look without.
You are not alone.
Buen Camino! Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell and Karen Cornwell Fortlander