Dear Friends,

One of the themes which repeats itself throughout the Advent season is forgiveness. Therefore, it is a theme with which most of us have difficulty. In fact, several persistent themes in the Bible readings associated with this season of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Christ are filled with a kind of unsettling ambiguity for us. Words like repentance and sin, join forgiveness in causing us to feel a bit on edge. These words carry connotations and associations which seem antiquated to us and often which run counter to our culturally induced desire to look upon ourselves optimistically, that is, as basically "good" people. The driving forces and ethos of our century is that while there are imperfections and inadequacies about our race, they can be overcome through learning, hard work and the application of ourselves to equitable problem solving. If these be the usually unanalyzed assumptions which characterize us when we view our world and our own lives, then words like sin, repentance and forgiveness do, indeed, seem as negative echoes of generations whose understandings of themselves are increasingly alien in our optimistic age of enlightenment.

One of the readings for Advent from the Gospels concerns the enigmatic and eccentric preacher, John the Baptist and it is John's preaching which is set at the beginning of The Gospel of Mark (1:1-8). The fourth verse of the opening chapter employs all three words I've indicated as being unsettling for us, and they are used to describe the meaning of his ministry. They are: "John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" (1:4). If this preaching is to help us prepare for the birth of Christ, can we in the year 2002, a time of optimistic self-appraisals, ever experience anew the birth of God's Word among us and within us?

I am going to inch my way out upon a precarious limb here and state what may be a counter-cultural opinion: our hearts know something which is in conflict with the prevailing view of our time. Our Hearts know that we need to be accepted as persons and we each need to be able to accept ourselves as acceptable. Our hearts know that we are better off when we accept others, even when others have hurt us. Our hearts know that our whole race can, and does, get caught up in pursuits which are selfish and often destructive to those who are weak or poor or victims of all sorts of repression affecting body and soul. Our hearts know of a need for hope which is more far reaching than any satisfaction offered by our cultural aspirations. Our hearts know that we and our world needs help in changing things which we ourselves cannot change.

From this precarious limb I can hear the eccentric John calling us in a clear and present voice to repentance for the forgiveness of sins. I hear an ancient voice crying in a 2002 wilderness calling us to prepare for the birth of Christ in our hearts where we already know there to be great need.

Love,

© The Church of the Pilgrimage in Plymouth, MA Inc., all rights reserved.

CHURCH RECORD

Hospitalized: Dorothy Shaw at the Jordan Hospital; Bob Olsson at New England Medical Center.

Recuperating at home following hospitalization: Tom Barnes, Marion Walker.

Baptized:
On December 8, 2002, Sarah Sunshine Wood was baptized in a service of Adult Baptism during morning worship.

In Memoriam:

On December 4, 2002 Rev. Marks conducted a graveside service for Edward Hall.
On December 6, 2002 Rev. Marks conducted a graveside service for Ellsworth Doll.
On December 5, 2002 a funeral service was conducted for Warren Linquist. Rev. Marks was unable to conduct the service because of another important commitment.

Our sympathies are extended to the Linquist, Doll and Hall families.

THIS WEEK

Sunday, Dec. 15— Morning Worship 10:00 A.M., Rev. Gary Marks, preaching; The Advent Candle Service will be led by the Blomberg Family. Family Christmas Dinner, 4:30 p.m. in Allerton Hall.

Monday, Dec. 16— Dan's Office Hours 9:30-11:30 A.M.; Aerobics - 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M.; Girl Scouts 6:00-7:30 P.M. Church House.

Tuesday, Dec. 17-- Rev. Marks' office hours 9:30-11:30 A.M.; Dan's office hours 1:00-3:00P.M; Aerobics-6:45 P.M.-7:45 P.M.-Allerton Hall. There will not be a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees during December

Wednesday, Dec. 18— Aerobics - 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. Allerton Hall; Staff Meeting-10:00 A.M.; Dan's office hours 1:00-3:00 P.M; Troop 47 - 7:00-9:00 P.M. in the Church House; Cub Scout Pack 47 - 7:00-8:00 P.M. in the Church House; Choir Rehearsal - 7:30 P.M.

Thursday, Dec. 19— Dan's office hours 10:00 A.M.-Noon; Girl Scouts Tr. 1227-6:00-7:15 P.M. in the Church House; Aerobics-6:45 -7:45 P.M.

Friday, Dec. 20—Rev. Marks' office hours 9:30-11:30 A.M.; Aerobics-9:00 A.M.-10:00 A. M.

Saturday, Dec. 21-- Overeaters Anonymous- 9:30-11:30 A.M.-Church House.

PLEASE NOTE

If you are interested in church membership, please speak with Rev. Marks or call the church office. The first of a series of three membership classes will be held on January 5, 2003 following morning worship, 11:30-12:30 P.M. Childcare will be provided.

If you are unable to attend all three classes, please talk with Rev. Marks so that other arrangements can be made. The date of uniting with our congregation is to be determined once the class meets.

We thank the McBride family for leading us in the Advent Candle Service on December 8th.

We are deeply grateful to Marilyn Stewart for making a generous donation to The Church of the Pilgrimage in memory of her husband Dr. Samuel K. Stewart. The gift has been put in a C.D. for the present. The gift is offered with a view toward improvement spelled out in the "spring report." (The Feasibility Study Report and improvements suggested in the report). We are deeply grateful for the gift in memory of a great churchman, Dr. Samuel K. Stewart.

Please call the church office or let the ministers know if you or someone you know is presently or soon to be hospitalized. This information is especially important to receive in the case of out-of-town hospitalizations.

Our Christmas Family Dinner-December 15th, 4:30 P.M. in Allerton Hall. Sign-up in Allerton Hall on December 1st and December 8th or call the church office by December 10th. This dinner is our gift to you. We ask that you please bring an unwrapped gift to be donated to the Children's Community Fund. Thank You!

2002 Living Nativity- Heifer International, Overlook Farm. Saturday, December 14th, 1 to 6:30 P.M. and Sunday, December 15th, 1 to 5:30 P.M. A live nativity, complete with the animals will be presented at the beginning of each hour in the barn (dress warmly). There will be an offering taken at the conclusion of each presentation of the nativity. Sleigh or hay rides ($1.00 per person) will be available. Heifer International is located at 216 Wachusett Street, Rutland, MA (508) 886-2221, overlook.farm@heifer.org, www.heifer.org.

The Great News is, our Church School is Growing!
But now we need more teachers and substitutes. If you can donate any of your Sundays or have an interest in learning more about ways in which you might help, contact Rev. Dan in the church office.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth is seeking volunteers for gift wrapping and running the children's train at the Independence Mall in Kingston. The train will be running from December 15 to December 20, and gift wrapping will be December 14 and December 21. If you would like to volunteer for either of these events, please all Nancy Morse at (508) 746-5213. Thank you.

Memorial Poinsettia-sign up in the lower vestibule following the service on the next two Sundays, or call the church office. Flowers are $15.00 and may be donated to shut-ins or picked up after the Christmas Eve Services. Volunteers will be needed to take flowers to shut-ins following the service on Christmas Sunday.

The Dedication of the Quilt in Allerton Hall will take place in church on Sunday, December 15. The quilt will be dedicated in memory of Elizabeth Robertson Beane, who made a great many of the squares. It will also be in honor of Marylyn Dunlap Colburn who chaired the project and did all the assembling and quilting. We also thank Kathy marks for overseeing the framing and hanging of the quilt as a part of redecorating Allerton Hall.

The Christmas Fund Offering formally known as Veterans of the Cross will be taken on Christmas Sunday, December 22, 2002. The Christmas Fund, administered by the Pension Boards, provides Gift checks to low-income retired clergy and their spouses; emergency assistance to clergy in financial need; and funding for Pension and Health supplementation plans for low-income retired clergy and lay workers. Offering envelopes will be in included in next week's Herald. Your support is appreciated!

Help! The Visitation Committee needs your help, to visit, make phone calls or write cards to our shut-ins in the Nursing Homes and at home. At the present time we only have four volunteers. Maybe you would wish to adopt a shut-in. Trace Sears (in our choir) and his family want to adopt a shut-in. Thank you for any help you can give us. My phone number is (508) 747-2603 or see me after church. Billie Courtney, Chairperson.

Greeters are needed for the month of January. Please call the church office to sign up!

Coffee Hour -volunteers are needed for coffee hour. Please sign-up during coffee hour.

Coming Events

Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Family Service with living Cr≤che; 7:00 P.M., in the Sanctuary.
Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service with Lessons and Carols, 11:30 P.M., in the Sanctuary.
Dec. 25: Merry Christmas!
Dec. 26: The church office will be closed.
Jan. 5: Church Membership Class, 11:30 A.M.-12:30 P.M.
Jan. 9: Membership and Evangelism Committee Meeting at 7:00 in the Mayflower Room.

BULLETIN BLOOPERS
" Everyone who drinks this water will be thirty again."
(Taken from churchsecretarytoday.com)

Clerk - Lois Post; Moderator - Steven Triffletti; Treasurer - David Kegel; Collector - Thomas Mudgett; Asst. Collector - 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.