Dear Friends,

With the arrival of Palm Sunday we come very near to the heart of the Christian faith. Palm Sunday, also called Passion Sunday, begins what the church has called Holy Week. It is the onset of the final week in Jesus' earthly life and within that week are concentrated all the events which gave rise to the Christian faith and eventually to the birth of the Christian church. Palm Sunday is the day upon which Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem and in doing so he was to set in motion the irony of the world's greatest hope emerging from within the most tragic of all events. In Holy Week we are able to discern the hand of God being extended to the sin which defines the human race. To put it even more precisely, in Holy Week faith is able to see to what lengths God has gone, and in willing to go still, for the sake of a humanity which seems ever hell-bent upon being victim of its own pride, arrogance and presumptions of power.

The Christian faith, through the events of Holy Week, causes us to focus upon the dark and sinister reactions of the human race toward the Son of God in order to allow us to know the grace of Easter. Holy Week is an invitation to us to consider the ways in which we still need the grace of what God alone can give. We need to understand and appreciate the events of Holy Week before we can allow faith to grasp the miracle of Easter's hope.

Years ago I read about Rembrant's painting entitled "The Three Crosses" and was reminded of it again in a recent journal article. When one looks at the painting the center cross on which Jesus died is the one which focuses the eye. When one looks at the crowd gathered around the foot of the cross, however, one is taken by the various facial expressions and actions of the people involved in the awful crime of crucifying the very Son of God. At the edge of the painting there is another figure, a figure almost hidden in the shadows. It is, ironically, a figure visible because it is trying to hide. Art critics have long held that this is a self-portrait of Rembrant, for he recognized that he, too, is among the ones who continue Christ's crucifixion.

In a sense, Holy Week is a means of placing ourselves in Jerusalem, at the center of the drama of redemption; it is to place our own self-portrait in a painting of the crucifixion.

During this Holy Week I urge you to take part in our services and programs which focus upon the tragedies of Jesus' final week on earth so that you may be truly a part of another self-portrait, this time among those gathered at an empty tomb where there are no shadows at all and where hiding need never occur to you!

Love,

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.

Palm Sunday Breakfast-8:00 A.M. in Allerton Hall

Greeters are: Jeffrey, Diane, TJ & Kathy Lindquist

The Pulpit Flowers are given by the Flower Committee.

The Cherub Choir will be singing.

The Children will attend Church School following their dismissal from the worship service

Bake Sale -during coffee hour.

The final session of the Introductory Bible Study will meet in the Church House from 11:30 A.M.-12:30 P.M. Childcare will be provided.

CHURCH RECORD

Hospitalized -James Nicol, Jordan Hospital, Recently hospitalized: Clarence DeLano

Congratulations to Michael and Laura McBride on the recent birth of Hannah Jane McBride born on March 10, 2002.

THIS WEEK

Sunday, Mar 24

Palm Sunday, Palm Sunday Communion Breakfast - 8: 00 A.M.-Allerton Hall. Morning worship with Procession of Palms, 10:00 A.M., Rev. Gary L Marks will be preaching; Evangalism and Membership Committee Bake Sale - during coffee hour; The final session of the Introductory Bible Study -11:30 A.M.-12:30 P.M. in the Church House. Childcare will be available.

Monday, Mar 25

Aerobics-9:00 A.M.-10:00 A.M.-Allerton Hall; Girl Scouts Tr. No. 1128 6:00-7:30 P.M.

Tuesday, Mar 26

Rev. Marks office hours 9:30 A.M.-11:30 P.M.; Girl Scouts Tr. No. 1234 6:30-8:00 P.M.- Church House; Aerobics-6:45 P.M.-7:45 P.M.-Allerton Hall.; The Advisory Board will meet in the sanctuary for a Maundy Thursday rehearsal at 7:30 P.M; Stewardship Committee will meet at 7:30 P.M. in the Mayflower Room.

Wednesday, Mar 27

Aerobics - 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. Allerton Hall; Staff Meeting, 10:00 A.M.; Den #47 Pack Meeting-7:00-8:00P.M., Church House; Choir Rehearsal - 7:30 P.M. - sanctuary.Aerobics-6:45-7:45 P.M.

Thursday, Mar 28

Thursday, Mar. 28- Maundy Thursday, Maundy Thursday Service-7:30 P.M.

Friday, Mar 28

GOOD FRIDAY-OFFICE CLOSED, Nominating Committee will meet at 9:00 A.M., at-the offices of Steve Triffletti's, 124 Long Pond Road; Aerobics-9:00 A.M.-10:00 A.M.; Isenheim Altarpiece Program and Service, 7:30 P.M. in the sanctuary.

Saturday, Mar 30

Overeaters Anonymous- 9:30-11:30 A.M.-Church House.

Sunday, Mar 31

EASTER SUNDAY - Ecumenical Sunrise Service on Cole's Hill (across from Plymouth Rock) 6:00 A.M..
Services at The Church of the Pilgrimage: 9:00 and 11:00 A.M.

PLEASE NOTE

Church Membership-If you are interested in church membership, please let Rev. Marks know or call the church office. A series of three membership classes will begin on April 14, 2002 from 4:30 A.M.-12:30 P.M. Childcare service will be available.

We thank everyone who helped to make the March 17th celebration of Re. Robin Bickel's ministry among us such a terrific success. It was a very good day! We especially thank the following organizers and workers: Jen Healy, Julie Sears, Julie Macuch, Sandi Moreland, Diane Harting, Gayle Davie and Kathy Marks. There are others who were involved in organizing and working during the festivities and we are equally grateful to all of them.

On Palm Sunday church school teachers and children are asked to meet in Allerton Hall at 9:45 A.M. The children will carry palm branches into the sanctuary as a part of the Palm Sunday Procession.

One Great Hour of Sharing: Please return the fish-shaped banks and/or contributions to worship on Palm Sunday. Contributions may also be sent to the church office.

Maundy Thursday Service-Mar. 28, 7:30 P.M. Maundy Thursday is the commemoration of the Last Supper which Jesus had with his disciples in an Upper Room in Jerusalem before his Crucifixion. Our service reenacts the Last Supper as it is depicted in the New Testament. Our deaconesses and deacons play the roles of the disciples in what is called The Office of Tenebrae. After a celebration of the Communion the deacons and deaconesses read from the biblical accounts and the church is increasingly subjected to darkness. This is an ancient service and one of the most beautiful and moving of any during the Church year. We urge you to attend this participation in the drama of redemption. If anyone would like to attend this service and needs a ride please, call the church office and arrangements will be made for you.

Good Friday-Mar. 29th-7:30 P.M.

We hope that you will want to attend this program/service. It is based on a sublime work of art, an altarpiece, which now resides in the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France. Rev. Marks has visited the shrine twice, Kathy once. It is a program based upon slides, commentary and finally shown in association with music from Handel's Messiah. The presentation focuses upon the major events in Christ's life and is intended to provide those who attend with a powerful visual and musical experience of the events which characterize our ultimately triumphant faith. Please try to find time to join us in a unique proclamation of the mystery of God's grace.

Notice: At the December 18, 2001 meeting of the Advisory Board, four church members were appointed to serve on a By-law Review Committee for the church. They are: Debbie Porter, Doug Post, Rich Lancaster, and Paul Scheid, Chair. The purpose of this committee is to study the by-laws and to recommend changes that the committee deems appropriate. The recommendations will then be voted on by the church members at annual meeting or at a meeting convened for that purpose. If you have issues to bring to the committee for consideration, please address them in writing to one of the above members. Thank you, Paul A. Scheid, Chair By-law Review Committee.
Notice from the Board of Trustees-all Committee Annual Reports are due by April 15, 2002. The date for the Annual Meeting has been set for May 19th, 2002.

Memorial Easter Lilies Sign-up. Memorial Lilies-Sign up in the lower vestibule following the service on the next two Sundays, or call the church office. The suggested price is $15.00, although recognizing that the increase in price may be difficult for some, we will accept lower donations. The flowers may be donated to shut-ins or picked up after the Easter Sunday service on March 31. Volunteers will be needed to take flowers to shut-ins following the service.

Please let the church office know of pastoral needs, especially those which involve out-of-town hospitalizations.
Attention Parents of Second Grade children-we are in the process of ordering Bibles to be presented to the second graders on Church School Sunday on June 9. Please contact Pam Pawlowski at (508) 746-2819 so that she can get the correct name to be put on your child's Bible. Also if there are any 3rd graders who did not receive a Bible last year please contact Pam.

Students at Plymouth South High School are sponsoring the annual Soup Bowl Dinner at Plymouth South High School Cafeteria on March 27, 2002 from 5:00-7:00 P.M. Proceeds go to benefit the Plymouth Area Coalition for the Homeless. Dinner tickets are $4.00 and includes Soups, Salad, Rolls, Dessert & Beverage. Handcrafted ceramic items are available from $6.00-Acution Bids. Tickets may be purchased at the PSHS main office or at the door.

No Church Property is to be removed from the church buildings without the consent from the Board of Trustees.
Plant Sale-The Board of Trustees has approved plans to hold a plant sale on June 1. Once again, Steve Triffletti has offered the parking lot at 124 Long Pond Rd. for the location of the sale. Pat Mudgett will chair the event. Please mark your calendar for June 1, now and begin to think of plants you can donate.

Name Tags-Please wear your name tags at the services on Sunday so that visitors can identify you.

Coming Events

April 2-The Church Council will meet at 7:30 P.M. in the Mayflower Room.

April 5-Concert rehearsal in the sanctuary, 7:30 P.M.

April 6-Concert-The Pilgrimage Festival Chorus- in the sanctuary, 7:30 P.M.

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.