Dear Friends,

I have heard people say, and often, "I'll be glad when Christmas is over." I mean no offense when I say that I simply cannot understand that source of coming glee; the wish for Christmas to be over. Oh, I think I know that people mean that they'll be relieved when all the frantic preparations are over. People who wish Christmas to have come and gone for another year usually are referring to all the hectic shopping, the expense and worry over getting just the right gifts, the parties, the planning for guests-all that. Surely, they cannot really mean that they wish that God's appearance to our crippled and broken humanity will soon be over; surely that's not what people mean!

People who say that they wish Christmas to be over, I imagine, mean that they want what human beings have done to the story to be over. Our culture, if we are honest, has made Christmas into something about ourselves and not about what God has done, and can do, for us. We have made Christmas into something we can control, or try to control, something to celebrate who we are and what we have been able to achieve. Even those who have less than others seek ways to make Christmas a success using as their guide those who have more than they do. This, too, is a human attempt to push the story of Bethlehem into the Kingston Mall.

I am convinced that people who say they wish Christmas to be over really mean that they want what we've made of the story to be over. I, in fact, am in sympathy with that wish. The Christmas story has its power and its glory precisely in the astonishment we feel when through all our efforts to control it, and make it to be about us, we are stunned to find out that it is about God. Christmas is not about what we can control; it is about God's attempt to allow us to be controlled by an eternal hope. Who could want eternal hope to be over?

I was in a mall last week, victim of my own sin of trying to make Christmas about me, I suppose, when I was stopped in my steps by the music I heard playing over the loud speaker. Ironically, the loud speakers were the softer speakers amid the din of shoppers speaking, but for a moment they spoke louder than the hum of all the blended live voices. I heard the strains of "Joy to the World," and for a second I envisioned the mall being pushed toward Bethlehem. For a brief shinning moment I saw and heard a Word trying to get born amid those who thought Christmas to be out of their control and probably wishing it was over. The best part of my trek to the mall was the moment when the carol assured me that the grace of eternal hope is beyond my control. Christmas is not about what we make it; it is about what it can make of us. It is about God's gift to all of us, the Word of hope in Jesus Christ. God! How I wish Christmas would never be over.

Peace,

Gary

 (c)The Church of the Pilgrimage in Plymouth, MA Inc., all rights reserved.

The Rev. Gary L. Marks will be preaching at 10:00 AM worship service.

The Lighting of the Fourth Advent Candle by Sherman and Suzanne Anderson, Benjamin, Matthew and Ryan.

The Christmas Poinsettias are in loving memory of relatives, friends and loved ones.

The greeters are Hector and Jean Patenaude

The Junior Choir is singing this morning.

Their will be no Church School- Children grade 2 and younger will be dismissed for a craft and story hour downstairs in Allerton Hall following the Time for Teaching. Older children should remain in service.

Christmas Pageant Rehearsal.- December 23-5:00-7:00 p.m. Jr. High's please bring $5.00 for Pizza. We also need some adults to move furniture and to help with the Pageant. Please sign up in Allerton Hall.

There will be a rehearsal of the PILGRIMAGE BAND Sunday at 12 Noon. All interested musicians should see Bill Richter for music and plan to bring your instruments that day to Church. The Pilgrimage Band will play carols for the Prelude and Postlude in the family service on Christmas Eve. Musicians of all ages are welcome!

CHURCH RECORD

Hospitalized

Holly Ponte- South Shore Hospital

Recuperating

Jane Cole has been released from Jordan Hospital.

Weddings

On December 15, 2001, Rev. Marks conducted a wedding service for Dennis Michael Griffin and Laura Catherine Giannini in the church sanctuary.

On December 16, 2001, Rev. Marks and Pastor Joel Botelho conducted a wedding service for Jacobe Botelho and Michelle Cormier in the church sanctuary.

THIS WEEK

Monday, Dec. 24

CHRISTMAS EVE- Aerobics - 9:00 - 10:00 A.M.- Allerton Hall; Rev. Robin's Office Hours-11:00-1:00; Christmas Eve Service with Living Creche-7:00 p.m., Candlelight Communion Service- 11:30 P.M.

Tuesday, Dec. 25

CHRISTMAS DAY - office closed
"Have a Blessed Christmas!"

Wednesday, Dec. 26

Office Closed-Aerobics - 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. Allerton Hall; Den #47 Pack Meeting-7:00-8:00P.M, Church House Choir Rehearsal - 7:30 P.M. - Sanctuary.

Thursday, Dec. 27

Sanctuary spruce up morning with the Women's Fellowship-9:30 a.m. meet in the Church Vestibule with you cleaning supplies. Coffee and donuts will be served to all helpers. Older children may participate. Aerobic-6:45 P.M.-7:45 P.M.

Friday, Dec. 28

Rev. Marks office hours, 9:30 A.M.-11:30 A.M.; Aerobics-9:00 A.M.-10:00 A.M.; Wedding Rehearsal in the Sanctuary-6:30 P.M.

Saturday, Dec. 29

Overeaters Anonymous 9:30 - 11:30 A.M. - Church House; Wedding in the sanctuary 5:00 p.m.

NEXT WEEK

Sunday, Dec. 30-Rev. Marks will be preaching.
Monday, Dec. 31-New Years Eve
Tuesday, Jan. 1-NEW YEARS DAY
"HAPPY NEW YEAR"
Office Closed
Wednesday, Jan. 2- Aerobics - 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. Allerton Hall; Den #47 Pack Meeting-7:00-8:00P.M, Church House Choir Rehearsal - 7:30 P.M. - Sanctuary.
Thursday, Jan. 3- Aerobic-6:45 P.M.-7:45 P.M.
Friday, Jan. 4- Aerobics-9:00 A.M.-10:00 A.M; Wedding Rehearsal-6:00 P,M,. in the Sanctuary
Saturday, Jan. 5-Men's Bible Study-8:00 A.M. in the Mayflower Room. Overeaters Anonymous- 9:30-11:30 A.M.-Church House; Wedding-3:30 P.M. in the Sanctuary.

PLEASE NOTE

The Special Meeting of the congregation held on December 9, 2001 accepted the report of the Feasibility Study consultants and adopted its recommendations.

Church Membership-If you are interested in church membership, please let Rev. Marks know or call the church office. A class will be organized when several people indicate their interest.

Rev. Marks is planning to offer an introductory Bible Study in January. There seems to be enough interest in such a basic study of the Bible and it appears that the hour following Sunday worship is the preferred time. If that hour is the one selected, childcare will be provided. Please speak to Rev. Marks or call the church office to indicate your interest.

Communion- If you know of someone, or if you yourself, would like to receive communion in a private service, please call the church office. One of the ministers will be pleased to make arrangements for such a service.

Pledge Envelopes for the first 6 months of 2002 (the last 6 months of the new fiscal year) are available in Allerton Hall. Please pick up your envelopes as soon as possible.

Time and Talent Auction Dinner- This year's Time and Talent Auction and Dinner will be held on January 19, 2002. It's a busy time of year, but I would ask that you consider what you can contribute in the way of time or talent that we might auction off on that evening. For those who are new to our congregation or are unfamiliar with the event, we have a wonderful time auctioning off such things as babysitting services, yard work, favorite recipes on a monthly or six month period, dinner for 2, 4 or more. These are just some examples of what you might volunteer. Be creative and join in the fun. There will be sign up sheets in Allerton Hall after services for the next few weeks or call me at home if you need information or have an idea. Diana Budge (508) 746-4514.

We thank the Mission and Outreach Committee for a delightful church family Christmas dinner and program on December16th. About 120 people attended and a great number of new toys were collected for needy children. It was wonderful to have people of all age groups present and the joy and exuberance of the many children put all us in a thankful Christmas spirit. Thank you, Mission and Outreach Committee!

Memorial Poinsettias- We thank everyone who donated or loaned Memorial Poinsettias to the church to enhance our Christmas celebrations and as a fitting memorial to those "saints" who have passed this life in the faith of the risen Redeemer.

Men's Bible Study- The next meeting of the Men's Bible Study will be held on January 5, 2002, in the Mayflower Room. Please call Jerry Chaskes at 508-747-2787 if you plan to attend. Hope to see many of you there!

Women's Fellowship Members-Please save Xmas cards again this year for placemat project for next year's Harvest Fair. We will collect them at the next meeting in January.

The Women's Fellowship will sponsor a pie and cookie sale after service on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2001. Plan to pick up goodies for Christmas and save yourself the baking time. Reminder to members: Don't forget to bake and please bring your contributions to Allerton Hall between 9 and 10 AM on Sunday. This is one of our major fundraisers for the year. Call Diana Budge at (508) 746-4514 if you need anything picked up.

Stewardship Committee-will meet on Tuesday evening, January 8, 2001 at 7:30 P.M. in the Mayflower Room.
When E-mailing the office, please use the address on the front of the Herald which is office@8townsquare.org.

Reminder-the deadline for submitting notices in the weekly Herald is Monday at 3:00 p.m.

THE PILGRIMAGE HERALD WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 30, 2001.

Clerk - Lois Post; Moderator - Steven Triffletti; Treasurer - Cliff Sampson; Collector - Thomas Mudgett; Asst. Collectors - Jerry and Debbie Chaskes; Music Director - William B Richter; Secretary - Pam McNicholas; Sexton - Tony Nightingale; World Mission Emphasis - Heifer Project International; Church Building Telephone - (508) 747-1341.