Dear Friends,

There is much excitement in the air as Labor Day passes and we are on the brink of what for many people is the real "new year." School is back in session and that seems always a bitter/sweet occasion. At our house it means Kathy is off early to teach at Plymouth South High School and Robbie is off to Plymouth North and, as I am sure it seems to many of you, I am aware of just how quickly the passages of years have fled. Robbie is a senior! That is shocking since it seems only months ago, not years, that I was delivering him to the Nathaniel Morton grade school!

Time does fly by and what is true concerning the coming and going of Labor Day for all of us in our society is also true of the pace of life at the Church of the Pilgrimage. Church School will get underway soon with registration on September 8th. We have a new Church School curriculum which we think to be an excellent one which will present the truths of our biblical faith in the context of the living experience of our young people.

We also welcome Dan Spacek to our ministerial staff as interim associate minister. Dan is a recent graduate of The Pacific School of Religion in California, but his roots are in New Hampshire. He has been with us since August and he and I have had many meetings and are holding ongoing planning sessions for the year which lies ahead. Dan is "learning the ropes" of The Church of the Pilgrimage and I hope you'll help him as he adapts to us and practices his ministry among us. He is a personable chap, poised and eager to share his considerable talent among us. Dan's primary responsibilities will be in the area of Christian Education, but he will have opportunities in other areas of ministry, as well. He has been participating in Sunday worship since his arrival and has given very good children's sermons. Please make Dan feel welcome and at home.

With the coming and going of Labor Day, too, comes the implementation of the congregational vote to proceed with the campaign to raise funds for the improvement of our facilities. Our needs with regard to church school, crib room and office space are clear to anyone who observes them. We have much to do in order to be faithful stewards of what we have received and to provide for future generations.
We shall also be making beginnings toward what is called the implementation of "Safe Church" policies. We have a committee which will be presenting what all this means in the months ahead. This is extremely important work and we must make a beginning at once!

So, Labor Day is a kind of "new year". It is one which can be filled with enormous opportunity and growth toward the fulfillment of our call to be Christians here in Plymouth and in the troubled world in which we exist.

Love,

Gary

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

CHURCH RECORD

Hospitalized - Janet Broadbent, Jordan Hospital

Recuperating at home following hospitalization: Audrey Maloon, Donald Tracy.

In Memoriam:

On August 27, 2002, Rev. Marks conducted a funeral service for Corinne Bradford.

THIS WEEK

Sunday, September 8

Sunday Morning Worship 10:00 A.M., Rev. Marks preaching; At 2:30 P.M. the General Society of the Mayflower Descendants will meet in our Sanctuary. Rev. Marks will offer an introduction and greeting..

Monday, September 9

Aerobics - 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M.; Rev. Dan's office hours 10:00 a.m.-Noon; Pilgrimage Women's Fellowship 6:00 P.M.; Room to Grow Parent Orientation 7:00-9:00 P.M. in the Church House.

Tuesday, September 10

Rev. Dan office hours 1:00-3:00P.M; Aerobics-6:45 P.M.-7:45 P.M.-Allerton Hall.

Wednesday, September 11

A Day of Remembrance; church bells ring for one minute at 8:46 A.M.; Aerobics - 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. Allerton Hall; Church open for prayer, meditation and worship in memory of 9/11 from 11:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.; Rev. Dan office hours 1:00-3:00 P.M.; Plimoth Plantation open, admission free picnic supper on lawn near Pavilion-5:30 P.M.; Outdoor concert by the Philharmonic (free)-6:15-7:15 P.M.; Interfaith Service of Prayer and Singing - 7:30-8:00 P.M.; Troop 47 - 7:00-9:00 P.M. in the Church House

Thursday, September 12

Rev. Dan office hours 10:00 A.M.-Noon; Aerobics-6:45 P.M.-7:45 P.M.-Allerton Hall; Membership & Evangalism Mtg., 7:00 P.M. Mayflower Rm.

Friday, September 13

Rev. Marks office hours 9:30 A.M.-11:30 P.M.

Saturday, September 14

Overeaters Anonymous- 9:30-11:30 A.M.-Church House; Wedding Brewster Park 2:00 P.M.

PLEASE NOTE

We thank Peter Gomes for preaching on September 1st.

We thank the Music Committee for providing wonderful Tuesday evening concerts during the summer. The concerts were varied and of high quality. We do appreciate all the hard work and dedication the committee puts into these concerts which enrich the summer experience of Town Square and The Church of the Pilgrimage. Thank you!

A Day of Remembrance: We hope that many of you will avail yourselves of the several opportunities to remember the events of September 11, 2001 which have been planned. It is time to mourn the victims of terrorism, and a time to reflect upon a future in which the power of faith and the resiliency of the human spirit can seek answers of peace.

We offer a big "THANK YOU" to all who made our Summer Sale such a big success!
Please remember as we begin our fall schedule that any information you wish to be included in The Pilgrimage Herald must be submitted to the church office on the Monday prior to any given Sunday.

The Saturday morning Adult Bible Study Group will resume on September 7 at 8:00 A.M.The Group meets on the first Saturday of the month and all are welcome to attend. Jerry

Women's Guild will meet on September 13, 2002 at 12:00 p.m. for our first meeting of the coming year. A pot luck luncheon will be served by the Executive Board. Rev. Gary Marks will be our speaker. All women of the church are invited to attend and join the Guild if they are interested.

The Pilgrimage Women's Fellowships first meeting on September 9 will be an International Pot Luck Dinner at 6:00 P.M. in Allerton Hall. We request you bring a guest--the more the merrier! A-D: Salad; E-O: Main dish; P-Z: Desserts. See you there!

Harvest Fair-If you are doing any canning this fall, keep us in mind for contributions of pickles, jams, etc., for the Country Store table. If you need pick up or other information, call Shirley Axon at (508) 224-8418. Hildegard Schimpf would like to remind all of the cookie and pie baker to plan their offerings for the Bake Table. We would love to have a wide assortment of items for this table and breads, candy, etc. are all welcome. Knitters and seamstresses keep on working. These tables are always good sources of revenue but we need all of you to help us out with your contributions. Please contact me if you an contribute time to work on any of the tables on the day of the fair. Diana Budge (508) 746-4514.

Please note the craft evening scheduled for Sept. 11 at The Pinewood Lodge is rescheduled for Sept. 12 at 7:00 P.M. Please bring your own pains and brushes if you have them. Contact Linda Saunders at (508) 746-6495 if you plan on attending.

Halloween Dinner Dance-we will need help for the Halloween Dinner Dance on Friday, October 25. Peter McLeod and Tom Healey are in charge of this event with Ed Pawlowski in charge of entertainment. Call Peter at (508) 747-5667 or Tom at (508) 747-7168 to volunteer.

Harvest Fair Drawing- The Harvest Fair is rapidly approaching as is our Drawing. Please plan to visit the Drawing Coordination Table downstairs in Allerton Hall during Coffee Hour starting Sunday, September 8th. The Committee will be distributing tickets to those willing to sell them along with brochures. If you cannot attend on the 8th, we will be available during coffee hour each Sunday leading up to the Fair. Thank you, Marna Blomberg.
Notice: The Board of Trustees would like to inform all members of the congregation that we would like to provide transportation to any member who needs it to any church event including Sunday Services. Please call the church office and Diana Budge or David Cowie will try to contact someone to provide this service. The Board feels that lack of transportation should not be a barrier to participation in church activities and we would like to help. We realize that some of our members are unable to drive at all or would rather not drive to evening events. Let us help!

The Board of Trustees will be scheduling a work day at the Parsonage during the month of September. The event needs all of us to participate (much like a barn-raising event!). We need equipment, food and frivolity to make this day successful. It should take one Sunday afternoon (1-4 P.M.) to complete. More information to follow. Debby Porter

The evening of "Soup, Salad and Song" is coming soon to your church (a Friday night in September). We need breads, salads and soup donations. Please contact Debby Porter or Dave Cowie for more details and look for more information in the upcoming Heralds!

The Crib Room is looking for a few gently used items. We need a port-a-crib, an exersaucer and a bouncy seat. If you would like to donate a new or used one of these items, please call Jenny Healy at (508) 747-7168.

We are in need of Sunday Greeters for September 15 and 22. Also for the month of October!

Coffee hour volunteers are needed for the month of September. Coffee hour after Sunday worship is an important part of the life of our fellowship. We need your help. You will find a sign-up sheet in Allerton Hall. Please sign-up.

Thank you to all who volunteer to usher during the month of August: Tom & Pat Mudgett, Stephani & Mark Cataldo; John Peterson; Ryan Kegel; Linda & David Kegel; Alice Heckman; Patti Olsson; Nancy & Paul Scheid and Verna & Allen Hoyt.

Thank you to the greeters for the month of August.

Don't forget to pick up your envelopes for the new fiscal year. They are available in Allerton Hall.

Coming Events

Sept. 20- Rehearsals in the sanctuary, 5:00 P. M. and 6:30 P.M.
Sept. 21-Weddings in the sanctuary, 2:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M.

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.