Newsletter CoP, December 13, 2020

THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, December 13, 2020, Third Sunday of Advent, and Zoom; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com and visit www.communityofpilgrims.com. 

_____

Dear Pilgrims of Advent, 

What I love about December is that it is a month of holidays, including Advent, Christmas, and Hanukkah. Happy Hanukkah! Let us celebrate with our Jewish friends on this first day of Hanukkah, Dec. 10, 2020. This festival of lights stretches from December 10-18, 2020. Hanukkah is the celebration that God can make miracles for those who stand up for truth and justice. Lighting each candle symbolizes chasing away evil, which the faithful Jews did with light.

Among the options given for us to focus upon in the Revised Common Lectionary, one of the readings is Mary’s song, Luke 1:46-55 (NRSV), or “The Magnificat.” In the Benedictine prayer book, which I use for daily devotions, the Canticle of Zechariah is repeated in the morning prayers every day, and the Magnificat is part of the evening prayers. Reading and praying these words of Mary in today’s times was both uplifting and unsettling. They are uplifting and unsettling because they are still, to this day, prophetic! Hear these words and sit with them for a bit: “God has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; God has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty… according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and Sarah and to their descendants forever” (Luke 1: 51-53, 55). The power of Mary’s witness is captured well in Kaitlin Hardy Shetler’s poem at the end of the newsletter today. What is always striking in reading this passage is the verb tense, which is in the past. In other words, Mary is witnessing what God is doing and has already been doing. In Jesus, God does these things. And in the Church today, in our Community of Pilgrims, we are called to do these very things, lifting up the lowly and filling the hungry with good things, which we attempt to do in our work with such organizations like Human Solutions and SnowCap, and in support of other Presbytery-wide programs. Join us this Sunday as we continue to explore Mary’s words in our world today!

**

A reminder:

Our Holiday giving this year will, again, focus on Human Solutions. They serve 220 residents in 3 shelters, 3 meals each day, and the shelter's cook's pantry can use:

Cans of Veggies (corn, carrots, green beans

Crushed tomatoes

Chili

Canned fruit

Cream of chicken or mushroom soup

Chicken, vegetables, and beef broth or stock.

Also, warm winter gear is much needed by families in the emergency shelters and affordable housing communities, especially since they are meeting outside as much as possible. New or unused clothing is requested, including warm puffy coats, hats, scarves, gloves, pajamas, slippers, and warm socks, and there is often a need for large women's sizes.

Our holiday giving will start this Sunday, Nov. 29th, and run through all four weeks of Advent. We hope that each household can give a shopping bag full of canned goods and/or a shopping bag full of warm clothing. Please bring your donations to Kathy Fukuyama's house, 6221 SW Tower Way, Portland, OR 97221, 502-793-4758, by Saturday, December 19th! We will deliver our holiday giving to the Gresham Women's Shelter on Sunday, December, 20!

**

Thank you, all, for your contribution of time, talent, service, and financial gifts to us and to the wider PCUSA in 2020. As we draw to the end of the year 2020, there is still time to give to the Community of Pilgrims in terms of what people have pledged for 2020. You can either send a check to the Community of Pilgrims c/o Brett Webb-Mitchell, 9460 SW Martha St., Tigard, OR 97224, or go to the www.communityofpilgrims.com, and go to the “Take Action” page and give on our website. During Advent 2020, consider how much you would like to pledge—in terms of time, talent, service, and financial support—to the Community of Pilgrims and to the healing of this world. Many thanks!

Likewise, in a separate email I will send out a pledge form for everyone to download and fill out for 2021. As all of you know, we have been supported in large part by the generous gifts of the PCUSA 1001 New Worshiping Communities and the Presbytery of the Cascades New Ministries Team funds since we began in 2017. We are one of the rare new communities of faith ventures that have been granted funds from the Seed Grants, Investment Grants, and Growth Grants! At the end of 2021, we will be dependent upon the financial gifts, time, service, and talents of the membership of the Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, with possible help from other non-profits. Thank you for considering your gift in support of the Community of Pilgrims in 2021!

_____

Events!

Dec. 13, Third Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!

Dec. 20, Fourth Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!

Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, Gather and Devotion on Zoom! Join us at 4 pm (Pacific Coast time) for a short time of reflecting on the meaning of Christmas!

Dec. 25, Christmas!

Dec. 27, Christmastide, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!

____

Prayers of Celebration and Concern

· Thankful for the vaccines and that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

· Thankful Coronavirus vaccinations have started in the UK.

· Everyone to stay safe and be smart for the next 100 days.

· Continued prayers for Lois Hansen who has the Coronavirus.

· Continued prayers for Linda's brother Gary whose Parkinson's Disease is progressing.

· The University of Virginia which seems to be managing pretty well with the Coronavirus and has sent everyone home until February at the earliest.

· Thankful for the medical professionals and chaplains who provide physical and spiritual care during the Coronavirus pandemic.

· Small businesses to be able to survive now and in the next few months.

· Continued healing for Cory at St. Andrew's who appears to be getting better after sepsis and two hospitalizations.

· Strength and good health for friend Stephen who had a pacemaker implanted and was then diagnosed with an infection. 

· Bill's former work colleague Joe who recently died.

· Strength to get through the day for all front-line workers.

· Shu's friend Terry who works at Providence SE Medical Center and spends long hours caring for newborns.

_____

Poem

Mary, by Kaitlin Hardy Shetler

Sometimes I wonder

if Mary breast fed Jesus.

if she cried out when he bit her

or if she sobbed when he would not latch.

and sometimes I wonder

if this is all too vulgar

to ask in a church

full of men

without milk stains on their shirts

or coconut oil on their breasts

preaching from pulpits off limits to the Mother of God.

but then I think of feeding Jesus,

birthing Jesus,

the expulsion of blood

and smell of sweat,

the salt of a mother’s tears

onto the soft head of the Salt of the Earth,

feeling lonely

and tired

hungry

annoyed

overwhelmed

loving

and I think,

if the vulgarity of birth is not

honestly preached

by men who carry power but not burden,

who carry privilege but not labor,

who carry authority but not submission,

then it should not be preached at all.

because the real scandal of the Birth of God

lies in the cracked nipples of a

14-year-old

and not in the sermons of ministers

who say women

are too delicate

to lead.

____

Buen Camino!

Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.

Newsletter, CoP, Dec. 6, 2020

THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Dec. 6, 2020, Second Sunday of Advent, and Zoom; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com and visit www.communityofpilgrims.com. 

_____

Dear Advent Pilgrims,

Greeting in this first week of Advent. Walking around the neighborhood where we live, it has been fun seeing the decorations go up and around houses, one house at a time. Each day, every day, there is a new string of lights around one house, larger than life inflatable characters at another house (including a Christmas dragon), and strings of lights around white framed deer in the front of homes. It is truly beginning to look a lot like Christmas (to borrow a refrain from a popular song).

Speaking of beginnings... As we all know, the Bible begins with these words, found in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth.” Interestingly enough, Mark 1:1 begins with the words of a new beginning as well: “The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ (Gospel), the Son of God.” Beginnings are important. They sent the tone for what is to come. Beginnings clue us in on what to expect. The writers of Genesis 1:1 clue us into what Genesis 1 is going to be about: one of two creation stories. Likewise, Mark 1:1 clues us into what Mark 1 is going to be about: The beginning of some good news, which has to do with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Already, we know from this first line that it is written after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, because Mark, the Gospel writer gives Jesus the honorific, “Christ, the Son of God.” Mark already knows who the risen Jesus is, adding the title of “Christ,” and “Son of God.” And who is going to start telling the story of Jesus Christ? None other than his cousin John the Baptizer. As I’ve written before, John is considered the last of the Old Testament prophets, and is dressed the role of a prophet, clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. And his diet? He ate locusts and wild honey (Mark 1:6). And he is the pioneer pilgrim of the faith, the one who helped make way for the coming of the Christ child, re-sculpting the landscape of earth (literally and metaphorically) for the one who is to come, namely the Son of God. This Sunday, we will talk about beginnings, pilgrim pioneers of the faith, and life in our community of pilgrims today.

**

A reminder:

Our Holiday giving this year will, again, focus on Human Solutions. They serve 220 residents in 3 shelters, 3 meals each day, and the shelter's cook's pantry can use:

Cans of Veggies (corn, carrots, green beans

Crushed tomatoes

Chili

Canned fruit

Cream of chicken or mushroom soup

Chicken, vegetables, and beef broth or stock.

Also, warm winter gear is much needed by families in the emergency shelters and affordable housing communities, especially since they are meeting outside as much as possible. New or unused clothing is requested, including warm puffy coats, hats, scarves, gloves, pajamas, slippers, and warm socks, and there is often a need for large women's sizes.

Our holiday giving will start this Sunday, Nov. 29th, and run through all four weeks of Advent. We hope that each household can give a shopping bag full of canned goods and/or a shopping bag full of warm clothing. Please bring your donations to Kathy Fukuyama's house, 6221 SW Tower Way, Portland, OR 97221, 502-793-4758, by Saturday, December 19th! We will deliver our holiday giving to the Gresham Women's Shelter on Sunday, December, 20!

**

Thank you, all, for your contribution of time, talent, service, and financial gifts to us and to the wider PCUSA in 2020. As we draw to the end of the year 2020, there is still time to give to the Community of Pilgrims in terms of what people have pledged for 2020. You can either send a check to the Community of Pilgrims c/o Brett Webb-Mitchell, 9460 SW Martha St., Tigard, OR 97224, or go to the www.communityofpilgrims.com, and go to the “Take Action” page and give on our website. During Advent 2020, consider how much you would like to pledge—in terms of time, talent, service, and financial support—to the Community of Pilgrims and to the healing of this world. Many thanks! 

_____

Events!

Dec. 6, Second Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!

Dec. 13, Third Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!

Dec. 20, Fourth Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!

Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!

Dec. 25, Christmas!

____

Prayers of Celebration and Concern

· Mary and Sue as they move into their new home tomorrow.

· Thanks for the Christmas lights that are going up early. 

· Continued healing for Lois Hansen, still in the hospital with COVID.

· Healing and recovery for stepson Jon in Tulsa who had surgery nine days ago for an infection and is in a lot of pain.

· Healing and recovery for Cory, hospitalized earlier with sepsis and now back in the hospital.

· An end to fighting in the Tigray region in Ethiopia where federal troops are fighting local rebels. 

· An end to fighting in Yemen, in civil war since 2014, and in Syria, in civil war since 2011.

· Our country to heed science and for everyone to act responsibly to slow the spread of COVID.

· Care workers who are so tired.

· The vaccine to be available quickly and for those on the front lines to be able to get it soon.

· Chuck's kind neighbors who help with grocery shopping and in other ways which help him keep safe and well.

_____

Poem

St. John the Baptist: 1 St. John’s Eve by Malcolm Guite

Midsummer night, and bonfires on the hill

Burn for the man who makes way for the Light:

‘He must increase and I diminish still,

Until his sun illuminates my night.’

So John the Baptist pioneers our path,

Unfolds the essence of the life of prayer,

Unlatches the last doorway into faith,

And makes one inner space an everywhere.

Least of the new and greatest of the old,

Orpheus on the threshold with his lyre,

He sets himself aside, and cries “Behold

The One who stands amongst you comes with fire!”

So keep his fires burning through this night,

Beacons and gateways for the child of light.

____

Buen Camino!

Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.

Newsletter, CoP, Nov. 29, 2020

THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Nov. 29, 2020, First Sunday of Advent, and Zoom; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com and visit www.communityofpilgrims.com. 

_____

Dear Advent Pilgrims,

I am writing this newsletter with Thanksgiving coming tomorrow, and the first Sunday of Advent coming on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020. We all have much to be thankful for, especially in surviving, and in some cases thriving, living life to the fullest, during this COVID 19 pandemic. A vaccine is around the corner; there is a light at the end of this long nine-month tunnel. I am thankful for the science, technology, and “smarts” that make cures and vaccines possible in such a short time. What I look forward to at the end of this period is meeting in person, hugging, laughing out loud, sharing Eucharist and a potluck meal in person without fear of spreading COVID 19 infections. Thank you for being faithful to being part of the Community of Pilgrims on Zoom and contributing to the needs of our community, and even providing meals to those in need in the Portland metro area a few months ago. We are a community of faith that lives out the Gospel message and takes action when we see the opportunity to serve others. Thank you! As always, I look forward to checking in and seeing all of you this Sunday, and every Sunday afternoon, at 4 pm.  

The four-week pilgrimage of Advent begins this Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020. What we would like everyone to do is to find five candles in their home, doesn’t matter what color, and be prepared to light the candle, and later candles, per Sunday afternoon during our gathering time. As with all times of devotion during Advent, we will have a special reading for each candle we light. On this Sunday, the Hebrew Scripture is Isaiah 64:1-9, in which we remember that God is the potter and we are the clay, in which we are all the work of God’s hands, a work of art that is still being shaped, reshaped, and constantly being molded. And Jesus in Mark’s Gospel is reminding us all to be awake to the presence of God in Christ in our life. With both of these Scriptural references I am reminded of the African American-spiritual, a song from the slave fields of the American south: “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” Even in this COVID pandemic, with all the doom and gloom we hear of rising numbers of those infected and dying, civil strife around the world, rise in refugee numbers, in this season of Advent let us be awake to the presence of God in Christ, in which we are all in God’s hands, and able to rise and serve one another.

**

We will be working with Human Solutions and SnowCap this Advent season, possibly preparing another meal for the folks at one of Human Solutions residences. More news to come!

**

Thank you, all, for your contribution of time, talent, service, and financial gifts to us and to the wider PCUSA in 2020. As we draw to the end of the year 2020, there is still time to give to the Community of Pilgrims in terms of what people have pledged for 2020. You can either send a check to the Community of Pilgrims c/o Brett Webb-Mitchell, 9460 SW Martha St., Tigard, OR 97224, or go to the www.communityofpilgrims.com, and go to “Take Action” page and give on our website. During Advent 2020, consider how much you would like to pledge—in terms of time, talent, service, and financial support—to the Community of Pilgrims and to the healing of this world. Many thanks!

_____

Events!

Nov. 29, First Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!

Dec. 6, Second Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!

Dec. 13, Third Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!

Dec. 20, Fourth Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!

Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, Gather and Devotion on Zoom!

Dec. 25, Christmas!

____

Prayers of Celebration and Concern

· Healing and good health for Lois Hanson, grandmother of a good friend of Eliza's, who has developed COVID and is in the hospital.

· The sale of Gary's condo set to close on December 11th. 

· A safe and simple Thanksgiving.

· David Weisman, friend of Ron and Karen, who has COVID and is in the hospital.

· A vaccine to come soon so that we can develop healthy herd immunity.

· The more than 250,000 people in this country who have died from COVID.

· Sue, Delphine's daughter, as she grieves the death of her mother.

· Yemen, The Sudan, Ethiopia, Syria, and other places in the world facing war and humanitarian crises. 

· All presidents, good and not-so-good.  

_____

Poem

Advent, by Mary Jo Salter

Wind whistling, as it does   

in winter, and I think   

nothing of it until

it snaps a shutter off

her bedroom window, spins   

it over the roof and down

to crash on the deck in back,   

like something out of Oz.

We look up, stunned—then glad

to be safe and have a story,   

characters in a fable   

we only half-believe.

Look, in my surprise

I somehow split a wall,   

the last one in the house

we’re making of gingerbread.   

We’ll have to improvise:   

prop the two halves forward

like an open double door   

and with a tube of icing   

cement them to the floor.

Five days until Christmas,

and the house cannot be closed.   

When she peers into the cold

interior we’ve exposed,   

she half-expects to find   

three magi in the manger,

a mother and her child.   

She half-expects to read   

on tablets of gingerbread

a line or two of Scripture,   

as she has every morning   

inside a dated shutter

on her Advent calendar.   

She takes it from the mantel   

and coaxes one fingertip

under the perforation,   

as if her future hinges

on not tearing off the flap

under which a thumbnail picture   

by Raphael or Giorgione,   

Hans Memling or David

of apses, niches, archways,   

cradles a smaller scene   

of a mother and her child,

of the lidded jewel-box   

of Mary’s downcast eyes.   

Flee into Egypt, cries

the angel of the Lord   

to Joseph in a dream,

for Herod will seek the young 

child to destroy him. While   

she works to tile the roof   

with shingled peppermints,

I wash my sugared hands   

and step out to the deck   

to lug the shutter in,

a page torn from a book   

still blank for the two of us,   

a mother and her child.

____

Buen Camino!

Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.

Newsletter, Community of Pilgrims, Nov. 22, 2020

THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Nov. 22, 2020, Reign of Christ Sunday, and Zoom; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com and visit www.communityofpilgrims.com. 

_____

Dear Pilgrims of Jesus, the Pilgrim God,

This Sunday marks the last Sunday of the Church year! The title, “Christ the King Sunday” was instituted in the Western Church in 1925 by Pope Pius XI. Since then, some of us have removed the monarchical title of “Christ the King” to “Reign of Christ” Sunday. Others have moved to “Centered on Christ” Sunday, taking away all the possible descriptions of a monarchy. What we do know is that those of us, like myself, who use the Revised Common Lectionary and follow the prescribed holy days of the Church, this Sunday focuses on Christ, and that the following Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent.

And, quite fitting for this Sunday, the reading is Matthew 25:31-46. This is the last parable in Matthew’s Gospel. This is his final discourse before his passion. It is all about a certain kind of judgment and justice. We first met this kind of judgment-justice in Matthew 3. And throughout Matthew’s Gospel, we sense this tension between obedience and disobedience in Matthew’s Jesus. Remember that encounter with a rich person and Jesus, who asked Jesus “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16-24). The person who asked that question wanted to have a philosophical/theological jousting session. But what it boils down to is action. Granted, I love a good theological discussion, and being on a teaching faculty at a major seminary was never boring. But at the end of the day, at the end of the Gospel, for Jesus, is not only speech-acts (what we say or don't say). What matters is our action, or inaction, in the face of those who are hungry and thirsty, those who are strangers, those who are naked, and those who are sick and in prison. Plenty of these folk in Portland and beyond. Because, pray tell: who is it that we find or discover in meeting the needs of others? Why, Jesus, of course. Join us this Sunday, this “reign of Christ” or “Centered on Christ” Sunday, as we explore our actions in serving the "least of these" as a community of faith, and how we meet Jesus today, the Pilgrim God.

**

Thank you, all, for your contribution of time, talent, service, and financial gifts to us and to the wider PCUSA in 2020. As we draw to the end of the year 2020, there is still time to give to the Community of Pilgrims in terms of what people have pledged for 2020. During Advent 2020, we will also have our annual pledge drive! Stay tuned! 

**

As a follow-up to this week's message (above) and this Sunday's gathering, we will be supporting Human Solutions and/or SnowCap during Advent! We will talk about our actions in meeting those most in need in the Portland metro area this week. More news to come!

_____

Events!

Nov. 22, The Reign of Christ/Centered on Christ Sunday, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Nov. 29, First Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Dec. 6, Second Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Dec. 13, Third Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Dec. 20, Fourth Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Dec. 24, Christmas Eve gathering and devotion on Zoom!

Dec. 25, Christmas!

____

Prayers of Celebration and Concern

· Christian who turns “58” or thereabouts today.

· Central America battered  by heavy rains and wind from two hurricanes only two weeks apart, and Ethiopia and unrest.  

· Birthday celebrations for Winston.

· Better health for Marge Stockwell who needs hip surgery.

· Roberta's friend in a difficult family situation.

· Our nation where the COVID-19 infection rate is rising at an alarming rate. Over 250,000 people have died. 

· The incoming Biden-Harris administration and prayers for a safe transition.

· Our rain and the green it brings to our world.

· Philip who will celebrate his birthday on November 29.

· Dorothy, the associate pastor installed one year ago at Winston's church, congratulations on her engagement and thanksgiving for all the wonderful ways she adds to his church.

_____

Poem

Blessing of Hope, by Jan Richardson

So may we know

The hope

That is not just

For someday

But for this day-- 

Here, now, in this moment

That opens to us:

Hope not made 

Of wishes

But of substance,

Hope made of sinew

And muscle

And bone,

Hope that has breath

And a beating heart,

Hope that will not

Keep quiet

And be polite,

Hope that knows

How to holler

When it is called for,

Hope that knows

How to sing

Where there seems 

Little cause,

Hope that raises us

From the dead!

Not someday

But this day,

Every day,

Again and 

Again and 

Again.

____

Buen Camino!

Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.

Newsletter, CoP, November 15, 2020

THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Nov. 15, 2020, Proper 28, and Zoom; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com and visit www.communityofpilgrims.com. 

_____

Dear Pilgrims Who Love,

It is truly autumn in the Pacific Northwest. For members of our community who live in other parts of the country, what this means is that we welcome the clouds, winds, rain, and drizzle that keeps this part of the world so green throughout the year. We’ve been in a drought situation in OR and WA, so rain is a very good thing. For some of our members, this is a cozy time, with shorter days of light, a hot cup of coffee or tea, and when not at work the chance to read a good book in a comfortable reading chair, a blanket over our legs. Welcome, autumn days!

This Sunday we are going to watch and discuss the video, Called to Love One Another. This is a video project I began a few years ago with the OR-ID United Methodist Conference. At the time, the video project was, Called to Love, with the focus on helping churches/non-LGBTQIA+ people to learn how to love LGBTQIA+ people. I broadened it to be more of a two-way love: how churches are called to love LGBTQIA+ people, and how LGBTQIA+ people are called to love those who are non-LGBTQIA+ people, based on John 13:34-35. How hard can that be? To quote biblical scholar Elisabeth Johnson, “Jesus could not be clearer: It is not by our theological correctness, not by our moral purity, not by our impressive knowledge that everyone will know that we are his disciples. It is quite simply by our loving acts — acts of service and sacrifice, acts that point to the love of God for the world made known in Jesus Christ.” I invited three pastors from rural, urban, and suburban setting to talk about their churches’ pilgrimage from being closed to LGBTQIA+ to being welcoming, and a lesbian, gay man, and transgender non-binary person to talk about the process of being hidden, to being out and still a member of a UMC congregation. In the end, we all talk about this passage, this command, this call to love one another, as Jesus loves us. Join us this Sunday for viewing this video and this discussion! 

**

Thank you, all, for your contribution of time, talent, service, and financial gifts to us and to the wider PCUSA in 2020. As we draw to the end of the year 2020, there is still time to give to the Community of Pilgrims in terms of what people have pledged for 2020. During Advent 2020, we will also have our annual pledge drive! Stay tuned! 

**

We will be gathering items for Human Solutions again during Advent! Watch this space for more information.

_____

Events!

Nov. 15, Gather, Watching Called to Love One Another as our Devotion, and Zoom!

Nov. 22, The Reign of Christ Sunday, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Nov. 29, First Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Dec. 6, Second Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Dec. 13, Third Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Dec. 20, Fourth Sunday of Advent, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

____

Prayers of Celebration and Concern

· Bill's family and friends on the death of Delphine.

· Chuck's son-in-law Lyn who died.

· Lorinda's two special women friends, Christine who has been diagnosed with uterine cancer and Sigrid who has been diagnosed with brain cancer.

· Alex Trebek who died today of pancreatic cancer.

· Thanksgiving that this week ended OK.

· Veterans who died in our wars including Linda's friends Grant and Guy who both died in Vietnam 50 years too early. 

· Katherine Johnson, the mathematician who got us to the moon, who died this week.

· Sean Connery who died October 31.

· Thanksgiving for so much dancing in the streets.

· Both incoming and outgoing administrations.

· Humble winners.

· Celebrations for Christian whose birthday is November 20.

· Celebrations for Winston whose birthday is Tuesday.

_____

Poem

Sounding the Seasons, by Malcolm Guite

Tangled in time, we live with hints and guesses
Turning the wheel of each returning year,
But in between our failures and successes
We sometimes glimpse the Love that casts out fear,
Sometimes the heart remembers its own reasons
And breathes a Sanctus as we tell our story,
Tracing the tracks of grace, sounding the seasons
That lead at last through time to timeless glory.

From the first yearnings for a Savior’s birth
To the full joy of knowing sins forgiven
We gather as His church on God’s good earth
To share an echo of the choirs of heaven
I share these hints, returning what was lent,
Turning to praise each ‘moment’s monument’.

____

Buen Camino!

Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.

Newsletter, Community of Pilgrims, Nov. 1, 2020

THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Nov. 1, 2020, Proper 26, and Zoom; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com and visit www.communityofpilgrims.com. 

_____

Dear Everyday Pilgrims and the Great Cloud of Witnesses!

October 31 falls on a Saturday this year (2020)! Happy All Hallows' Eve! That means that Nov. 1 is All Saints’ Day! “Saints” is a powerful name or label to call someone, anyone. When celebrating All Saints’ Day, I like to think of the “great cloud of witnesses,” from Hebrews 12:1. Actually, Hebrews 11 gives us a clue: these are the people who preceded us in this pilgrimage of faith, like Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Ruth, Jacob, Deborah, Paul and Mary (you can choose which one), and the like, along with those who have died in the previous year in our lives, who are our forebears, who had faith to guide and direct them, and now are part of those who are “home” with God.  This “cloud of witness” is a figurative representation, and it means that we ought to act as if they were in sight, encouraging  us on the same pilgrimage of faith that we are on, inspired by some of their godly examples that they set during their lives at times. That the cloud is referred to as “great” indicates that millions of believers have gone before us, each bearing witness to the life and pilgrimage of faith that we now live. Let us bring the names of those who have passed since last year's All Saints' Day with us this Sunday, and say a special prayer and light a candle.

The Gospel reading for All Saints’ Day is Matthew 5:1-12, what is known as the Beatitudes. How appropriate for us to focus on this Scripture in light of the pandemic-clad world in which we live. This is one of those Scripture passages that remind us of the “upside down” realm of God we are called to live in and live out daily. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (5:4-9). These characteristics of living the “Jesus life” are contrary to so much of what the world around us is talking about and holding up as “successful” in the eyes of the world. So, what is this what those we call saints get? Do they or did they live out this kind of "saintly" life? And how do we, saints among us this day, live out these characteristics of the “upside down” realm of Godly love? Join us this Sunday as we explore these characteristics in our daily lives today, on All Saints’ Day.   

**

Just a quick FYI: during Advent 2020, we would like everyone to consider what you would like to pledge for the upcoming year in terms of time, talent, and financial gifts in supporting the Community of Pilgrims in particular, and the PCUSA in general. We also want to invite you to consider completing your pledged amounts soon, before the end of 202.  Many thanks for considering this invitation.

**

We will also celebrate Holy Communion/the Lord's Supper this Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020. Bring a piece of bread and a small glass or cup of wine or grape juice.

___

Events!

Oct. 29: Black Lives Matter, White Privilege, and Ministry, sponsored by Presbytery of the Cascades, moderated by Pastor Brett, Zoom, 7-8:30 pm. 

Nov. 1, All Saints’ Day, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Nov. 6-7, Stated Presbytery meeting, virtually, on Zoom!

Nov. 8, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Nov. 15, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

____

Prayers of Celebration and Concern

· The upcoming conversation on BLM, white Privilege, and Ministry this Thursday evening.

· The film "Call to Love One Another".

· Continued funding for Brett's work from the Collins Foundation.

· Lorinda's friend Connie in Montana who has lost her brother and two cousins. There will be a funeral tomorrow.

· This country going forward into our election and following the election, may cooler heads prevail and there be a peaceful transfer of power.

· Chuck's son in law who is dying and his wife Debbie.

· Those sleeping outside tonight in freezing temperatures

· Roberta's friend Angela who has stage four cancer and is getting sicker.

· Saint Andrews and East Woods getting ready to try in-person gatherings, prayers that people be safe.

·  Liz's legacy of sewing and quilting materials live on.

_____

Poem

For Those Who Walked With Us, Jan Richardson

For those

Who walked with us,

This is a prayer.

For those

Who have gone ahead,

This is a blessing.

For those 

Who touched and tended us,

Who lingered with us

While they lived,

This is a thanksgiving.

For those 

Who journey still with us

In the shadows of awareness,

In the crevices of memory,

In the landscape of our dreams,

This is a benediction.

____

Buen Camino!

Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.

Newsletter, Community of Pilgrims, October 18, 2020

THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Oct. 11, 2020, Proper 23, and Zoom; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com and visit www.communityofpilgrims.com. 

_____

Dear Beloved Community of Pilgrims,

This Sunday, October 11, 2020, is National Coming Out Day for the LGBTQIA+ folks you know and love. The uniqueness of our Community of Pilgrims is that we began, as a community, being welcoming, open, and affirming of LGBTQIA+ people. However, for many communities of faith in this world, across many religions, this is not the case. National Coming Out Day is a reminder about the sad state of affairs in the church, in parts of our country, and in our world in which, if some people lived openly and honestly, they would be outwardly discriminated against, if not imprisoned, and possibly killed. We look forward to the day when such a day like “National Coming Out Day” is no longer necessary, because people will feel safe to live happy lives by simply being who they were created to be. But until then, Happy National Coming Out Day!

With the focus of our devotion on Paul’s letter to his beloved friends in the church in Philippi for the last two Sundays, I’m going to ask us to focus on this last chapter of Philippians 4:1-9. In our tradition as Presbyterians, part of the Reformed faith, the way we conclude our time together is with a “charge and a blessing.” The charge is a kind of “call to arms,” words of intention for the coming week that we carry with us from our time of gathering together as pilgrims. Paul ends his letter giving us a charge, a way of thinking about how we are to live our lives as we conclude this reading his letter: “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (vv. 8,9). Not only think about these things, but do these things. Right mindfulness is necessary for right action. Join us this Sunday as we consider how these closing words of Paul to the Philippians speak to us in the Church today.

**

Still accepting a sentence or two about being part of the Community of Pilgrims, so that I may add it to the website. Some have already done this, and I thank you! They are posted on the website. Why are we asking for this contribution? Because this is a way of sharing with those who go to the website and are looking for a community of faith in the Portland-Vancouver area what is happening among those of us who live and are part of this community.

**

We still have bills to pay as a community of faith, with Zoom, etc. Please make a check out to Community of Pilgrims, and mail it to Community of Pilgrims, c/o Brett Webb-Mitchell, 9460 SW Martha St., Tigard, OR 97224, or use “Give Now” button on Community of Pilgrims website, www.communityofpilgrims.com. Many thanks!

____

Events!

Oct. 11, Pastor Brett is co-hosting Salem (OR) Pride Festival, 9-11 am.

Oct. 11, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Oct. 18, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Oct. 25, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Oct. 29: Black Lives Matter, White Privilege, and Ministry, sponsored by Presbytery of the Cascades, moderated by Pastor Brett, Zoom, 7-8:30 pm. 

Nov. 1, All Saints’ Day, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Nov. 6-7, Stated Presbytery meeting, virtually, on Zoom!

____

Prayers of Celebration and Concern

· Jo Ann Tower who celebrates her 70th birthday on October 6.

· Sarah's mother who is scheduled for emergency surgery tomorrow.

· Those infected with the coronavirus including Delphine, people in Washington, and people all over the world.

· A vaccine for the coronavirus to be developed and be made available to everyone.

· Wisdom to wear a mask and keep more than six feet apart.

· Safe elections so that all groups of people can vote.

· Gina who lost her husband yesterday to cancer.

· Those affected by forest fires and other disasters in this country and other parts of the world

· Thanksgiving for a week of calm in Portland after protests have quieted down.

· Small business owners who have lost everything and may or may not be able to reopen.

· People who rely on the Affordable Care Act and are worried about losing their health insurance.

· Winston's pastor Ken Henry and his family. Ken will travel to Portland to say good-by to his father who is nearing the end of his life.

· After months of work, the approaching release of Brett's film "Called to Love One Another" produced for the Oregon-Idaho Conference of the United Methodist Church.

· Linda's brother Gary who continues to suffer from complications of Parkinson's Disease.

· Thanksgiving that Allen and Penny have safely completed their cross-country road trip from South Carolina to Vancouver, Washington.

·  Prayers for healing for Cynthia.

_____

Poem

October (Section 1) by Louise Gluck (Nobel Prize in Literature, 2020)

Is it winter again, is it cold again,

didn't Frank just slip on the ice,

didn't he heal, weren't the spring seeds planted

didn't the night end,

didn't the melting ice

flood the narrow gutters

wasn't my body

rescued, wasn't it safe

didn't the scar form, invisible

above the injury

terror and cold,

didn't they just end, wasn't the back garden

harrowed and planted—

I remember how the earth felt, red and dense,

in stiff rows, weren't the seeds planted,

didn't vines climb the south wall

I can't hear your voice

for the wind's cries, whistling over the bare ground

I no longer care

what sound it makes

when was I silenced, when did it first seem

pointless to describe that sound

what it sounds like can't change what it is—

didn't the night end, wasn't the earth

safe when it was planted

didn't we plant the seeds,

weren't we necessary to the earth,

the vines, were they harvested?

____

Buen Camino!

Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.

Newsletter, Community of Pilgrims, Oct. 11, 2020

THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Oct. 11, 2020, Proper 23, and Zoom; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com and visit www.communityofpilgrims.com. 

_____

Dear Beloved Community of Pilgrims,

This Sunday, October 11, 2020, is National Coming Out Day for the LGBTQIA+ folks you know and love. The uniqueness of our Community of Pilgrims is that we began, as a community, being welcoming, open, and affirming of LGBTQIA+ people. However, for many communities of faith in this world, across many religions, this is not the case. National Coming Out Day is a reminder about the sad state of affairs in the church, in parts of our country, and in our world in which, if some people lived openly and honestly, they would be outwardly discriminated against, if not imprisoned, and possibly killed. We look forward to the day when such a day like “National Coming Out Day” is no longer necessary, because people will feel safe to live happy lives by simply being who they were created to be. But until then, Happy National Coming Out Day!

With the focus of our devotion on Paul’s letter to his beloved friends in the church in Philippi for the last two Sundays, I’m going to ask us to focus on this last chapter of Philippians 4:1-9. In our tradition as Presbyterians, part of the Reformed faith, the way we conclude our time together is with a “charge and a blessing.” The charge is a kind of “call to arms,” words of intention for the coming week that we carry with us from our time of gathering together as pilgrims. Paul ends his letter giving us a charge, a way of thinking about how we are to live our lives as we conclude this reading his letter: “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (vv. 8,9). Not only think about these things, but do these things. Right mindfulness is necessary for right action. Join us this Sunday as we consider how these closing words of Paul to the Philippians speak to us in the Church today.

**

Still accepting a sentence or two about being part of the Community of Pilgrims, so that I may add it to the website. Some have already done this, and I thank you! They are posted on the website. Why are we asking for this contribution? Because this is a way of sharing with those who go to the website and are looking for a community of faith in the Portland-Vancouver area what is happening among those of us who live and are part of this community.

**

We still have bills to pay as a community of faith, with Zoom, etc. Please make a check out to Community of Pilgrims, and mail it to Community of Pilgrims, c/o Brett Webb-Mitchell, 9460 SW Martha St., Tigard, OR 97224, or use “Give Now” button on Community of Pilgrims website, www.communityofpilgrims.com. Many thanks!

____

Events!

Oct. 11, Pastor Brett is co-hosting Salem (OR) Pride Festival, 9-11 am.

Oct. 11, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Oct. 18, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Oct. 25, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Oct. 29: Black Lives Matter, White Privilege, and Ministry, sponsored by Presbytery of the Cascades, moderated by Pastor Brett, Zoom, 7-8:30 pm. 

Nov. 1, All Saints’ Day, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Nov. 6-7, Stated Presbytery meeting, virtually, on Zoom!

____

Prayers of Celebration and Concern

· Jo Ann Tower who celebrates her 70th birthday on October 6.

· Sarah's mother who is scheduled for emergency surgery tomorrow.

· Those infected with the coronavirus including Delphine, people in Washington, and people all over the world.

· A vaccine for the coronavirus to be developed and be made available to everyone.

· Wisdom to wear a mask and keep more than six feet apart.

· Safe elections so that all groups of people can vote.

· Gina who lost her husband yesterday to cancer.

· Those affected by forest fires and other disasters in this country and other parts of the world

· Thanksgiving for a week of calm in Portland after protests have quieted down.

· Small business owners who have lost everything and may or may not be able to reopen.

· People who rely on the Affordable Care Act and are worried about losing their health insurance.

· Winston's pastor Ken Henry and his family. Ken will travel to Portland to say good-by to his father who is nearing the end of his life.

· After months of work, the approaching release of Brett's film "Called to Love One Another" produced for the Oregon-Idaho Conference of the United Methodist Church.

· Linda's brother Gary who continues to suffer from complications of Parkinson's Disease.

· Thanksgiving that Allen and Penny have safely completed their cross-country road trip from South Carolina to Vancouver, Washington.

·  Prayers for healing for Cynthia.

_____

Poem

October (Section 1) by Louise Gluck (Nobel Prize in Literature, 2020)

Is it winter again, is it cold again,

didn't Frank just slip on the ice,

didn't he heal, weren't the spring seeds planted

didn't the night end,

didn't the melting ice

flood the narrow gutters

wasn't my body

rescued, wasn't it safe

didn't the scar form, invisible

above the injury

terror and cold,

didn't they just end, wasn't the back garden

harrowed and planted—

I remember how the earth felt, red and dense,

in stiff rows, weren't the seeds planted,

didn't vines climb the south wall

I can't hear your voice

for the wind's cries, whistling over the bare ground

I no longer care

what sound it makes

when was I silenced, when did it first seem

pointless to describe that sound

what it sounds like can't change what it is—

didn't the night end, wasn't the earth

safe when it was planted

didn't we plant the seeds,

weren't we necessary to the earth,

the vines, were they harvested?

____

Buen Camino!

Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.

Newsletter, Community of Pilgrims, Oct. 4 2020

THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Oct. 4, 2020, Proper 22, and Zoom; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com and visit www.communityofpilgrims.com. 

_____

Dear Autumnal Pilgrims,

I am writing this newsletter on the train from Seattle to Portland. We are all wearing masks in Coach, sitting six feet apart. .And signs of autumn weather in the Pacific Northwest abound, from the change in the color of the leaves on many trees and bushes, to heavy fog hovering over the waters of the Puget Sound and Columbia River. The weather is cooler this morning, so I wore a light coat walking to the light rail station and Amtrak train at Union Station. And I ordered hot coffee, and not cold brew this morning before I left Seattle at a coffee shop near Seattle's train station. Autumn is in the air.

The Scripture focus this week Philippians 3:4b-14, in which Paul shares his personal story of faith while also giving insight, to us, as to what we should be “aiming for,” or targeting in our life together as a community of pilgrims. One of the questions that always comes up on any journey or pilgrimage is not only "what are we leaving behind," and “where are we?” but also “how much longer?” and “where, again, are we going?” Paul puts it rather succinctly: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Paul echoes what we have talked about in recent weeks, that we are given the opportunity not to dwell or keep our lives anchored in the past, but are free to choose to live in the present, having learned past lessons, and press on, move forward, toward the prize of being with God in Christ. God is our future. Our goal in life’s pilgrimage is to be in Christ Jesus, with the Holy Spirit accompanying us each step of the way. Now the question is simply this: with this insight from Paul, what does this extraordinary goal or destination of our pilgrimage mean for us in our ordinary lives? Join us this Sunday as we explore this impulse to go forward in the pilgrimage of our daily lives as a community of faith.  

**

As a member of the Community of Pilgrims, please consider writing a sentence or two about being part of the Community of Pilgrims, so that I may add it to the website. Some have already done this, and I thank you! They are posted on the website. Why are we asking for this contribution? Because this is a way of sharing with those who go to the website and are looking for a community of faith in the Portland-Vancouver area what is happening among those of us who live and are part of this community.

We still have bills to pay as a community of faith, with Zoom, etc. Please make a check out to Community of Pilgrims, and mail it to Community of Pilgrims, c/o Brett Webb-Mitchell, 9460 SW Martha St., Tigard, OR 97224, or use “Give Now” button on Community of Pilgrims website, www.communityofpilgrims.com. Many thanks!

____

Events!

Oct. 4, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Oct. 11, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Oct. 18, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Oct. 25, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

____

Prayers of Celebration and Concern

· Celebrations for Deanna and Amy who recently got engaged. Chris will do their wedding service.

· Celebrations that Lorinda's eyesight has improved after her last cataract surgery.

· Safety and well-being for Delphine and her neighbors at Touchmark where three residents tested positive for COVID.

· Linda's brother Gary who is unable to live independently and must move to assisted living.

· Earl's sister Nancy in Yakima whose early-onset Alzheimer's is getting more problematic yet she cannot move into an assisted living facility.

· Connie in Montana who lost two cousins in the last ten days and now has a brother who is very ill.

· Birthday celebrations for Chris. We are glad you are still with us.

· Birthday celebrations for Jo Ann Tower who celebrates her 70th birthday on October 6.

· Safe travels for the Arnold's as they drive cross-country.

· Safe travels for Brett and Christian as they drive up to Seattle this evening.

· Prayers for Sarah’s mom and her upcoming hospitalization. 

_____

Poem

Autumn, by John Clare

The thistledown's flying, though the winds are all still, 

On the green grass now lying, now mounting the hill, 

The spring from the fountain now boils like a pot; 

Through stones past the counting it bubbles red-hot. 

The ground parched and cracked is like overbaked bread, 

The greensward all wracked is, bents dried up and dead. 

The fallow fields glitter like water indeed, 

And gossamers twitter, flung from weed unto weed. 

Hill-tops like hot iron glitter bright in the sun, 

And the rivers we're eying burn to gold as they run; 

Burning hot is the ground, liquid gold is the air; 

Whoever looks round sees Eternity there. 

____

Buen Camino!

Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.

Newsletter, Community of Pilgrims, Sept. 27, 2020

THIS SUNDAY: Community of Pilgrims Presbyterian Fellowship, Sept. 27, 2020, Proper 21, and Zoom; Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com and visit www.communityofpilgrims.com. 

_____

Dear Wayfaring Pilgrims,

What a difference a week makes in the Pacific Northwest. We went from nine days of smoke-filled air to the cleansing bath of a rain shower. From temperatures in the 80s, to temperatures in the 60s. So, I asked Google what the temperature was like for our Community of Pilgrims: Temperature in Portland, OR is 63 degrees. Temperature in Half Moon Bay, CA is 65. In Charlottesville, VA, it is 65. In Greenwich, NY it is 80 degrees. La Cruces, NM is 86 degrees. Columbia, SC is 80 degrees. Some places there is rain, and others some clouds, while still others, sun! Wherever we may live, O Community of Pilgrims, let's enjoy the weather today! Let us dance in the rain outside today, soak in the sun perhaps for some of us, and enjoy the day that God has made! We will rejoice and be glad in it, to paraphrase the Psalmist (Ps. 118:24). 

The Scripture we will focus on this Sunday is Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, 2:1-13. Paul felt a personal connection with this church because he founded it, along with Silas, Timothy, and possibly the Gospel writer Luke. Philippians was Paul’s love letter to this church from his prison cell, and would be considered “Prison Literature,” right up there with Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, and Letter from a Birmingham Jail by MLK, Jr. Along with the words, “love” and “beloved,” what stands out in this letter is the word, “humility.” As we are to be of the “same mind, having the same love,” for one another, as well as being of the same or one mind, we are to practice humility among one another, regarding others as better than ourselves. And who is the example of such humility? Why, none other than God, in Jesus, who “being found in human form…humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.” Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi is also a letter to the Church today, to communities of faith like ours as well. And the question for us to explore this week is quite simple, and profound: how are we to practice humility with one another in the Community of Pilgrims, and among others of the faith, as well as in life in general? And hint: humility is not the same as modesty. Join us this Sunday for this discussion!

**

As a member of the Community of Pilgrims, please consider writing a sentence or two about being part of the Community of Pilgrims, so that I may add it to the website. Some have already done this, and I thank you! They are posted on the website. Why are we asking for this contribution? Because this is a way of sharing with those who go to the website and are looking for a community of faith in the Portland-Vancouver area what is happening among those of us who live and are part of this community.

Also, please consider making a special contribution to the Community of Pilgrims for the third-year anniversary, like 3 cents, 30 cents, $3.00 or $30.00, or more. Some have contributed to this Three-Year Anniversary invitation, and we thank you (!) and we would welcome more! While we are not meeting in person, the Community of Pilgrims still welcomes your financial contribution. We still have bills to pay as a community of faith, with Zoom, etc. Please make a check out to Community of Pilgrims, and mail it to Community of Pilgrims, c/o Brett Webb-Mitchell, 9460 SW Martha St., Tigard, OR 97224, or use “Give Now” button on Community of Pilgrims website, www.communityofpilgrims.com. Many thanks!

____

Events!

Sept. 27, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Oct. 4, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Oct. 11, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

Oct. 18, Gather and Devotion and Zoom!

____

Prayers of Celebration and Concern

·       That Lorinda’s surgery will be fully successful. 

·       That the fires have subsided, but the wreckage continues and there is so much rebuilding to do. 

·       Prayers for our country-politics/Covid/fires/stress and political division. 

·       For Randy Schlechter’s cousin, Gina and her husband, Michael. He has stopped chemo treatments and has about 6 months to live. They have made the difficult decision to seek out assisted suicide, as a last recourse for the pain. Gina asks if God will forgive them. Pray she will come to know a gracious and merciful God and that their remaining time will be holy. 

·       College students moving on campus at OSU and U of O. May they be safe and healthy 

·       Happy Birthday, Chris Dungan!!!! 

·       We mourn with Chris the death of her dear friend, Sherilyn, along with RBG. 

·       It’s the beginning of fall. May there be fewer fires around the world. 

·       Linda’s brother, Gary, has moved into an independent living community and is trying to get settled. A staff tested positive, so Gary had to be tested. More stress. 

·       Ken Miller, re-hospitalized and in lots of pain with broken bones from advanced Osteoporosis. Pray for Ken and his wife, Anne. 

·       Charles Heinekin lost his wife. 

_____

Poem

Blessing That Becomes Empty As It Goes, by Jan Richardson

This blessing

Keeps nothing

For itself.

You can find it

By following the path

Of what it has let go,

Of what it has learned

It can live without.

Say his blessing out loud

A few times

And you will hear

The hollow places

Within it,

How it echoes

In a way

That gives your voice

Back to you

As if you had never

Heard it before.

Yet this blessing

Would not be mistaken 

For any other,

As if,

In its emptying,

It had lost

What makes it

Most itself.

It simply desires

To have room enough

To welcome 

What comes.

Today, 

Its’ you.

So come and sit

In this place

Made holy

By its hollows.

You think you have

Too much to do,

Too little time,

Too great a weight

Of responsibility

That none but you

Can carry.

I tell you,

Lay it down.

Just for a moment,

If that’s what you

Can manage at first.

Five minutes.

Lift up your voice—

In laughter,

In weeping, 

It does not matter—

And let it ring against

These spacious walls.

Do this

Until you can hear

The spaces within

Your own breathing.

Do this

Until you can feel

The hollow in your heart

Where something 

Is letting go,

Where something

Is making way.

____

Buen Camino!

Pastors Brett & Karen Cornwell Fortlander.