Dear Friends,

Last week I ended my letter with an ancient phrase associated with Pentecost; "Come Holy Spirit, Come!" That phrase, a kind of plea and prayer, seems to me to have been answered. It did seem to me that the service last Sunday in which we received our Confirmation class was a deeply moving one which had a special measure of the Holy Spirit present among and within us. It was a remarkable service!

I met a church member while making rounds at the Jordan Hospital on Tuesday who spoke to me about what a powerful experience last Sunday's service was. She said, "I don't think there was a dry eye in the house." I, too, noticed tears and shed one or two myself at the end of what had been a long an emotionally charged week for me personally. The tears during the service, however were not those of sadness or sorrow, but they were tears of solemn joy. There were tears associated with our beautiful Confirmation Class and that sublime rite of passage. There were also tears caused, I think, by the realization that the church is a fabulous, a divine, blessing to all of us. It was Pentecost Sunday, a celebration of the power of the Spirit of God in creating the church. We felt that same Spirit, I believe, among us during our service on Sunday. We seemed to realize at a level of feeling what it means to be the presence of Christ in the world during his physical absence. That is precisely what the church is called to be.

Sunday was also the day after local high school graduations, events which included the graduation of our youngest son, Robbie. I had also gone out to Ohio to "preach" a funeral for an uncle in the week prior to Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost, always special to me, was the more so because of these and other events in my life and the life of the congregation. All these things combined made me especially receptive to the experience of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit active in the present and open to the future. Tears of joy came for many of us in reactions to our Confirmation class, but also because many of us seemed to intuit the role we have to play in making solid and bold witness to the redeeming power of the Spirit in our troubled world.

I dare to say, not in a boastful way, that we are a terrific congregation of Christian brothers and sisters. We are not terrific by ourselves, but only when we act in concert with the Spirit moving with and among us. I said to someone following the service Sunday that we are a marvelous church "in spite of ourselves." It is true. We are a Pentecost people when we are able to act under the power of the Spirit in spite of the fact that we are mere humans, none of us perfect, who own together a Covenant which binds us together in a mission of knowing and expressing the will of God, "known or to be made known unto us." We are that, in spite of ourselves. Come Holy Spirit, Come! That continues to be my prayer.

Love,

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

Morning Worship 10:00 A.M. Church School Sunday

All children should meet in Allerton Hall at 9:30 A.M.

Greeters: Sara Balboni, Jared Borgatti, Andrew Latosek, Michael Norton, Meghan Saunders and Sarah Sibley.

The Pulpit Flowers are in loving memory of John and Frances Scheid and brother Jack, given by Paul & Nancy Scheid and family.

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

Greeters are needed for June 22nd and for all of July and August. Please call the church office to volunteer to greet.

CHURCH RECORD

Hospitalized: No one as of June 10, 2003.

Confirmation Class of 2002/2003:

Sara Balboni	Jared Borgatti
Andrew Latosek	Michael Norton
Meghan Saunders	Sarah Sibley

THIS WEEK

Sunday, June 15: Church School Sunday.

Monday, June 16: Rev. Dan's office hours 10:00 A.M.-Noon; Aerobics 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M.

Tuesday, June 17: Rev. Marks will not be in the office in the morning because of an out-of-town appointment. You may leave any messages for him at the church office; Rev. Dan will also be out of the office today; Aerobics 6:45 P.M. in Allerton Hall; The Board of Trustees will meet at 7:00 P.M. in the Mayflower Room.

Wednesday, June 18: Rev. Dan's office hours 9:30 A.M.-11:30 A.M.; Aerobics - 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. Allerton Hall; Staff Meeting-10:00 A.M; Music Committee Meeting 6:00 P.M. in the Mayflower Room; Choir Rehearsal - 7:30 P.M.

Thursday, June 19: Rev. Dan's office hours Noon-2:00P.M.; Aerobics-6:45 P.M.-7:45 P.M.

Friday, June 20: 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.; Wedding Rehearsal at Plymouth Plantation, 7:30 P.M.

Saturday, June 21: Wedding at Plymouth Plantation at 3:00 P.M.; Wedding in the sanctuary, 5:30 P.M; Chamber Concert in the Sanctuary at 8:00 P.M.

PLEASE NOTE

Please call the church office if you are aware of someone who is to be hospitalized. This is especially important with the new rules now in place in hospitals regarding patient confidentiality. Please let Rev. Marks know, too, if you are aware of anyone in need of pastoral care of any kind.

Membership Classes-Rev. Marks will soon be contacting those who have expressed an interest in church membership. In the meantime, if you would like to become a church member, please let Rev. Marks know or call the church office.

THE DEADLINE FOR HERALD ANNOUNCEMENTS for July is June 23rd. If you have a notice for July, please bring in to the church office by June 23rd.

Rev. Marks conducted a worship service at the Newfield House on June 10th.
Remember that there is a Prayer Request Box in the upper vestibule. The box is there for your requests for someone to be remembered during a Sunday service or for inclusion in the prayers of the minister.

Gary did, in fact, make a quick trip to Ohio to conduct a funeral for his Uncle Richard McCutcheon, June 3rd-5th.

We congratulate all who graduated from high school in recent days. There are a number of young people from our church who received diplomas. WE hope that we will be able to keep in touch with these young people and we wish them well in any future endeavors.
We are exceedingly grateful to Marna and John Blomberg, Trace and Julie Sears and to Dan for officially representing us last weekend at the Mass. Conference Annual at Mt. Holyoke College. We thank Judy Mitchell and Susan Cotta for being present at that meeting, too. Our delegates will make available to all of use the decisions reached at the meeting and after accounts of their experiences, as well. In the meantime, we thank all these people for representing The Church of the Pilgrimage at the annual meeting.

Attention Potential Sunday School Teachers! Sunday, June 15th in Allerton Hall there will be an information and sign-up table for those who would like to teach next year (or even think they would like to). Come find out about this important and vibrant ministry. Our Church School Needs You!

Though May has passed, Heifer Project continues to receive your donations. Checks may be made out to H.P.I. and sent to the church office. Also, on June 28 from 11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. and June 29, from Noon-5:00 P.M., Heifer International's Overlook Farm in Rutland, MA will host its annual International Fair held rain or shine. There is a $2.00 per person admission charge. Overlook is located at 216 Wachusett St., Rutland, MA. For more information call (508) 888-2221.

End of the year Youth Fellowship Outing to SIX FLAGS will be June 23rd. Chaperones Needed. If interested call Rev. Dan in the church office or e-mail him at Danspacek@yahoo.com.

Spring clean-up day at the Parsonage is coming. Put June 22nd on your calendar. Show up at the Parsonage at 1:00 P.M. and bring your garden tools. Thank you, Debby Porter.

The Summer Sale will open on Tuesday, July 1, 2003. Donated items will be received beginning Monday, June 16 in the morning between 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. in the Church House. There will be two sorting rooms, one for household goods and toys and one for clothing and linens. Remember that all donations should be in good and clean condition, or new. A team of volunteers will host this indoor sale Monday-Friday morning in July and through the better part of August.

Harvest Fair: A basket will be placed inside the door to Allerton Hall to receive any "dress up" clothes that you may like to contribute to our Photo Studio for the fair. Hats, gloves, costume jewelry, high heels, costumes and fancy dresses in relatively small sizes will be helpful. We hope to provide the children an opportunity to dress up and have their pictures taken on Fair Day.

Attic Treasure Table for the Fair: Reminder-this year, because of space constraints, we will be confining our items on this table to glassware and decorative items. We need to make room for some different tables and are trying to limit those things that take up more room. Please keep Gerry Allen in mind as you clean your cupboards.

All Boards and Committees please notify the church office of newly appointed officers to be included in the 2003/2004 Church Directory of Officers, Staff, Board and Committee Members by June 30th so that the new directory can be prepared and be available in September when meetings resume.

An Important Note from your Collectors: The new offering envelopes are in and are available for you to pick up in Allerton Hall during Coffee Hour. Thank You!

The Flower Committee announces that there are openings for pulpit flowers on July 13 and July 20. Please call Judy Mitchell at (508) 746-3959 to reserve a date to honor your loved ones with flowers. Also, we are concerned that several checks paid for lilies may have been lost. If you have not received your cancelled check for your lily donation, please call Judy right away. Thank you.

The crib room is looking for volunteers for next year's schedule. In past years we have had enough volunteers so that an individual served every 6 to 8 weeks. There are three adults scheduled to be in there every week so we could really use your help. Also anyone interested in being on a back up list please see me; it would be helpful to have a list of pinch hitters. Sign up is in the crib room. Please visit us there, see me at church or call me at home (508) 747-7168) for more information. Jenny Healy.

Summer Craft and Story Hour sign up will be after church on June 15 in Allerton Hall. In keeping with safe church recommendations we are aiming for two volunteers a week. Maintaining programming is an important part of a child's education and fellowship here and an important factor in bringing families to church in the summer. Thank you for your support. See Rev. Dan with questions and for materials.

GREETERS: We are in need of greeters for the months of July and August. Please contact Pam in the church office to volunteer to greet this summer.

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

Coming Events

June 22: Parsonage Cleanup Day, 1:00 P.M.
June 24: The Advisory Board will meet at 7:00 P.M. in the Mayflower Room.

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.