Dear Friends,

For the past few years I have made a study of Celtic Christian spirituality. I have, as most of you know, studied Celtic ideas at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland and at Durham, England. Last summer Kathy and I studied, sought out and visited ancient Celtic monastic sites in Ireland and met with some people who carry on the ancient Celtic practices today.

At the center of Celtic spiritual life is the cultivation of prayer as the means through which one lives a dedicated Christian life. I have tried, and with some success, to make prayer a priority in my own spiritual life and in my work as pastor, teacher and preacher. I have found that when I am able to center on the divine I am far better equipped to deal with the secular than otherwise I would be. In fact, I find myself praying in between and amid the very active life I live. It helps to be focused first upon God, or to try to be, when I confront the perplexing and challenging realities of life in the world today. In some sense I try to bring my faith to bear upon everything that I do. I have found myself trying to discern God's will and what God wants of me and not so much on the overwhelming tendency among each of us for what "I" want. Prayer is more than a set of words which we utter at appropriate times, it is trying to be open to God's will flowing into the quite mundane events of everydayness.

Around the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday I was trying to focus upon some of King's insights and I was keeping an eye toward what gave him his incredible will and the stamina to carry on the great cause to which his life was dedicated and, lamentably, was the cause which made him the victim of an assassin's bullet. In his autobiography I found King expressing a view which has much in common with Celtic spirituality and is the desire of my own spiritual pursuits. King said:

Throughout this struggle for racial justice I have constantly asked God to remove all bitterness from my heart and to give me strength and courage to face any disaster that came my way. This constant prayer life and feeling of dependence on God have given me the feeling that I have divine companionship in the struggle. I know no other way to explain it. It is the fact that in the midst of external tension, God can give inner peace. (Autobiography, Chapter 12).

Life presents challenges to each of us and they are best met by those who are open to the life giving integrity which comes by the presence of God made real and present through constant prayer. When the Apostle Paul advised that we should "pray without ceasing" (I Thessalonians 5:17), he meant that in all things in life we should seek to be open to the presence of God. This insight is scriptural and has empowered Christians from the Celts to Martin Luther King, Jr. It can also extend to you.

Love,

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

Morning Worship-10:00 A.M. Rev. Gary Marks preaching.

The Pulpit Flowers are in loving memory of Rae Walker and Fred L. Nickerson given by Marion and Mahlon Walker.

Greeters: Ed and Pam Pawlowski

Ushers: Joanne and Bob Cole, Lynnette and Richard Lancaster

The Children will attend Church School following the Time for Teaching

All are invited to join us for Coffee Hour downstairs in Allerton Hall following the worship service.

CHURCH RECORD

Hospitalized: Jeanette Sampson, Jordan Hospital.

Baptism:
On February 9, 2003, Rev. Marks conducted a private baptism service for Griffin Matthew Gibbs, son of Jon and Laurie (Parsons) Gibbs in the sanctuary.

THIS WEEK

Sunday, Feb 16—Sunday, Feb. 16-

Monday, Feb 17—OFFICE CLOSED -Aerobics 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M; Pilgrimage Youth Ski Trip; Girl Scouts-6:00-7:30 P.M. Church House.

Tuesday, Feb 18-- Rev. Marks office hours, 9:30-11:30 A.M.; Church Ministry Committee, Pilgrim Association Meeting in the Mayflower Room from 1:00-5:00 P.M.; Aerobics-6:45-7:45 P.M.; Board of Trustees Meeting-7:00 P.M. in the Mayflower Room.

Wednesday, Feb 19— Aerobics - 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. Allerton Hall; Staff Meeting-10:00 A.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, Feb 20— GS Troop 1227-6:00-7:15 Church House; Aerobics-6:45 P.M.-7:45 P.M

Friday, Feb 21—Rev. Mark's Office Hours, 9:30 A.M.-11:30 A.M.; Aerobics-9:00 A.M.-10:00 A.M.

Saturday, Feb. 22-- Overeaters Anonymous- 9:45-11:30 A.M.-Church House.

PLEASE NOTE

Please call the church office or let the ministers know if you or someone you know is presently or soon to be hospitalized or in need of pastoral care. It is especially important to inform the ministers of those hospitalized in out-of-town hospitals. Please call, too, if you are aware of any situations for which pastoral attention would be helpful.

If you are interested in church membership, please speak to Rev. Marks or call the church office.

Rev. Dan and the Jr./Sr. Youth Fellowship will be away skiing from Feb. 17 through Feb. 20. Good Luck!

During the month of February the Advisory Board will be hosting a silent auction of several vintage Plymouth Pictures. Forms for your bid and the current high bids will be posted in Allerton Hall before and after the Sunday worship service. More recent pictures of the church and note cards will be on sale as well.

Help! Hold these dates, March 15-16. The choir is looking for host families to house college students from the University of Connecticut for one overnight stay here in Plymouth. These students, including Jonathan Richter, are members of Concert Choir at the university. They will be participating in our morning worship service and presenting a concert on Sunday afternoon. If you would like to host one or more students please see me in church or contact me at home. Thanks. Linda Kegel

SAVE THE DATES: The Board of Trustees is planning several fundraiser dinners this winter with lots of fun for everyone:

March 28, 2003 (snow date March 29)-The Church of the Pilgrimage ANNUAL TALENT SHOW and DINNER!! Sign up begins in February. This has always been a fun event with a delicious dinner. We can't have a Talent Show without talent-if you can sing, recite poetry, dance, play an instrument, etc., let us know. Acts will include single and/or group performances. Dave Cowie will be directing this year's Show. There will be minimal rehearsal time involved; there are no age restrictions. If you have any questions, please see Dave Cowie or call him at (508) 759-4499. WE NEED YOU!!!

May 17, 2003-The Church of the Pilgrimage ANNUAL TIME AND TALENT AUCTION AND DINNER! You'll have a chance to donate your services, talents, etc. and also have a chance to bid on some of the items being offered. Sign up begins in April but we wanted to give you notice in case you wanted to donate a long-time project, such as a quilt. There are always lots of items to bid on including week-ends, dinners, bakery goods, baby sitting, yard work-let your imagination help you decide what time of talent you can provide.

The Missions & Outreach Committee thanks all who joined us at the luncheon for Rev. Karl & Mrs. Jan Whiteman on January 26th. They gave a very informative program on their missionary work while serving in the Federated States of Micronesia/Marshall Islands. We collected $402.00, which will be earmarked for scholarships for Micronesian students to attend Cook Bible College in Tempe, AZ.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth is having a public meeting on February 19, 2003 at 7:00 P.M. at the Plymouth Public Library. Town Meeting will be voting in April on a donation of land to HFHGP, and this will give everyone an opportunity to learn about the organization before the vote. Town Meeting representatives are especially encouraged to attend, as well as any other interested parties. Once HFHGP has any property, it takes volunteers in many capacities to help with the organization and building. For more information speak to Nancy Morse or call her at (508) 746-5213.

Daffodil Sunday will be March 30th. Orders will be taken on Sunday, February 23rd and Sunday, March 2nd during coffee hour. Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society. Please see Jane Burns for more information. The charge is $6.00 a bunch. The Cancer Society receives $4.00.

Our sympathies and prayers are extended to Patricia McLeod on the recent death of her father.

Greeters for Sunday Morning Services are needed! Please call Pam in the church office to learn of an upcoming Sunday which needs greeters. Currently, greeters are needed for March 23 and 30th!

Coffee Hour -we still need volunteers to prepare for Sunday morning Coffee Hours. There is a sign-up sheet in Allerton Hall.

It is up to the Chairs of boards and committees to inform the office of meeting times and places. Information should be given to the church office on Monday prior to the week when a meeting or event is planned. This holds for any news item you may wish to have placed in the Herald.

Coming Events

Feb. 25: The Advisory Board will meet, 7:00 P.M., in the Mayflower Room.
Feb. 26: Rev. Marks will attend a meeting at the Jordan Hospital at Noon.
Mar. 4: Rev. Marks has been invited to attend a legislative breakfast at the State House. He will not be in the office on that day.

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.