Pilgrimage Herald

MISSIONS AND OUTREACH
One Great Hour of Sharing: March 6, 2005 is Dedication Day for the One Great Hour of Sharing. Every year through our generous gifts, our congregation, along with nine other denominations, supports the network of ministries that reaches victims of disaster, poverty, illness and war around the world.

Monday Meals of Hospitality: Thank you to the following people who cooked, served and helped out at the third of seven Monday Meals of Hospitality: Kay Budd, Janet Holmes and Meg Bross.

Food Pantries: The volunteers at the Food Warehouse appreciate the on-going support form The Church of the Pilgrimage to help eradicate hunger in the Plymouth area. The following times are needed at present: peanut butter & jelly, canned fruit, macaroni & cheese, cereal, canned tuna, mayonnaise and cereal.

Project for March and April: The Church School and the Missions and Outreach Committee invite everyone to join them in assembling "Gifts of the Heart" kits to be shipped by Church World Service to orphaned and displaced children around the world. Each health kit, sealed in a one-gallon plastic bag with a zipper closure, will contain:

One hand towel
One wash cloth
One comb
One metal nail file
One bar of bath-sized soap
One toothbrush
One tube of toothpaste, 4-7 oz
Six Band-Aids

We welcome donations of these items which may be placed in the baskets next to the red bins for the Food Warehouse. We will be collecting for the kits through the months of March and April.

Prayer opportunities at 7:00pm on Wednesdays will continue during the Lenten season. The Evening Prayer services are seemingly satisfying a spiritual need for those who have attended on a regular basis. Please feel free to join us on a Wednesday evening.

The Chest of Joash Service: The Chest of Joash Service is used in churches as a means of collecting your pledges to the work of the church. The Chest will be on the communion table on Stewardship Sunday, March 13, 2005. Please remember to bring your pledge cards.

In II Chronicles 34:4-14 we find the story of King Joash, who placed a chest at the gate of the house of the Lord to collect a tax which Moses had levied to the people of Israel in order to provide funds for the temple. Joash reigned in Israel from about 837-800 BC. Chronicles reports that the people brought their offering to the chest in the spirit of rejoicing because of their glee in being able to serve the Lord and to have a part in joy, because the people recognized that their material gifts were a central factor in the expression of their faith in the Lord's work.

We continue the Chest of Joash tradition by placing the chest on the communion table. As the minister instruct you to bring forth your gifts remember that you are a part of the people of God, and this should inspire a joy like those who 800 years before Christ brought forth their gifts joyfully.

Lenten Fish Dinner. On Friday March 11 at 6:30 pm, the Women's Fellowship will host an evening of fine food and fellowship for all. On the menu is salmon, macaroni and cheese, baked potatoes, carrots, salad, bread and pie. The fish dinner is $8, the macaroni and cheese is $6. Children 3 and under are free. A maximum of $28 per family will be charged. If cost is an issue and you would like to come please see Jenny or Marna. Look for sign ups in Allerton Hall over the next few weeks; reservations will be required. If you would be interested in making a pie (your choice), please call Jenny Healy 508-747-7168. Thanks and see you there.

"He was known to them in the breaking of bread." Luke 24:35
*Lent-Fish-Bread-A Table Around which to gather with like minded Christians, all of this is an intentional part of Lent at The Church of the Pilgrimage.

Join us for 2 special events. Reservations are necessary for both.
Friday, March 11-Lenten Fish or Mac & Cheese Dinner
Sunday, March 20-Palm Sunday Communion Breakfast.

Come Make a Joyful Noise! Women's fellowship is hosting a sing-a-long in the sanctuary on Monday, March 7 at 6:30 (NOTE THE TIME CHANGE). As always, all the women of the church are invited. We are very excited this month to be inviting the women form other area churches to join us, so bring a friend along. Don't forget to call for a ride if you need one. (Jenny 508-747-7168 or Marna 781-826-2543). See you there.

Coffee Hour Volunteers Needed: Volunteers are needed to sign up for coffee hour. This is an important aspect of our fellowship that we all enjoy, so your support is encouraged and greatly appreciated. The sign up sheet is on the counter where coffee is served.

The Tuesday Night Knitting Circle is scheduled for March 8th at Diane Budge's home at 15 Oak Street. The group meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 7pm All are welcome! If you would like to learn or are a proficient knitter and would like to share the evening with those of like interest, please join us. It is an opportunity for fellowship and a chance to develop new friendships.

Winter Beach Hike/Jr. and Sr. High Youth Groups:
Sunday, March 6th from 3-5pm weather permitting. Please meet at the church house at 2:45 and dress appropriately.

The Church of the Pilgrimage on PAC/TV: Sunday Services will appear on cable PAC/TV on Sundays at 8am and 6pm. We thank Tom Healy for taping the Sunday Services which appear on PAC on a one or two week delay.

Budget Committee Meeting: Monday Night, March 7th at 7:30pm in the church house.

If you are interested in becoming a hospice volunteer, a 9-week training program is scheduled to begin Monday, March 21st. If you would like to join Cranberry Hospice please call Karen Foster at 508-746-0215 to register, fill out an application and make an appointment for an interview. Hospice volunteers are the heart of Hospice, and help provide care and comfort to our patients and their families.

New Member Luncheon: The new member's luncheon was a great time of fellowship among people of the Covenant, long time members and new to The Church of the Pilgrimage. If you couldn't join us this time, please do so the next for the committee will be sure to repeat this event. The chance to hear each new member as they shared part of their journey helps us to more quickly know them by name and by where they have been.

The Quiz Results: All tables handed in their quizzes. However four forgot to put their names on the answer sheet (just like in school). The group average was 8.875/10. That's a B+ in most teacher's rank book. Congratulations!

Table #5-Allen, Verna, Kristen, Trace, Julie, Gabi & Julia got a 9.5 for the "highest grade in the class." I'm sure the adults have Julie and Gabi to thank for the names of all the kids in those pictures. This group would have scored a perfect 10, except they misnamed the person in the picture with Gary.

You all did so well. It shows we know first and last names of most of our members-well at least with a little help from some friends.
See you at our next luncheon!
Membership & Evangelsim


garymarks@8townsquare.org danspacek@8townsquare.org	March 6 , 2005	office@8townsquare.org
Volume LXXVII		No. 10
Dear Friends, The famed preacher John Killinger said that God became one of us and God showed his love for us by dying for us. Then, Killinger asked this question; "What are you going to do about it?" I find Killinger's question stimulating, at first I found it startling. I also find it a helpful way to approach the basic themes of the Lenten season and, indeed, of our faith as a whole. Often I pour over texts for preaching or devotional use and am drawn into them in such a way as to remind myself that the Bible is not only something for me to learn about; it is meant to challenge and change me. The faith which grows from our biblical heritage is not fulfilled when we are able to assemble and profess a concise set of doctrines. Faith is not fulfilled when we recite creeds or agree basically with a summary of beliefs in a document like The Statement of Faith of the United Church of Christ. An understanding of doctrine, or the acceptance of basic Christian fundamentals, are important in being able to state succinctly what we believe, but they don't mean much until we try to answer John Killinger's question, "What are you going to do about it?" When I was in seminary at Vanderbilt I had a course entitled, The Parables of Jesus. It was and odd course, in many ways, but I remember a principle of interpretation of the Bible that has stayed with me since then. The professor said of the parables: "You do not so much interpret the parables as the parables interpret you." God became one of us and God's love was shown for us by dying for us. We don't get into any sort of trouble, as it were, by casually accepting that basic Christian doctrine. That doctrine is central to Christian faith, but faith is not fulfilled in repeating it alone. Faith emerges when that doctrine, or article of belief, interprets us and informs us that belief is something to do. To every belief we have about Christ comes Killinger's question; "What are you going to do about it?" A couple of weeks ago I spoke of an image of what it means to activate, or live, biblical faith and Christian doctrine. I'd just finished reading The Gospel of Mary Magdalene. In that ancient, but only recently published Gospel, Mary said that the Teacher (Christ) must "take root in us." The Teacher's way is to become our way. The Teacher's way was not completed in the events and stories of the Bible. The Teacher's way is not only something to be learned' it is to find a "pattern" in his way for our own living. The Teacher's way is to "take root" in us and grow in us in the context of life in 2005. During Lent we recall the events of Jesus' life that ended in crucifixion. Doctrines regarding those events are relatively shallow until we ask ourselves, "What are you going to do about it?" May God grant that we answer that question by allowing the Teacher's way, Christ's way, to "take root" in our spirits and our life together as the church. Love, © The Church of the Pilgrimage in Plymouth, MA Inc., all rights reserved.
Sunday, March 6, 2005 Fourth Sunday in Lent Morning Worship, 10:00 am , Rev. Gary L. Marks, preaching. Deacon of the Month: Mahlon Walker. Altar Flowers: In loving memory of Steven Emerson Rodgers. Given by parents and sisters. Membership: If you are interested in becoming a member of The Church of the Pilgrimage, please speak to Rev. Marks or call the church office. Thank You: We thank the Membership and Evangelism Committee for sponsoring the Chicken Soup for the Soul Luncheon on February 27th. It was a terrific lunch and provided an informal opportunity to meet our new members. Thank you! From the Mudgett's: Tom and I wish to thank all who sent cards and good wishes for our 45th Wedding Anniversary. The special cake at coffee hour stared us off on a week long celebration. Thank you everyone for expressing so much love. Tom & Pat Mudgett A big "Thank You" to Bill Harting who is now making the Baptism Crosses! They are beautiful and have become cherished items to families whose children are among the many who are baptized at The Church of the Pilgrimage. Bill's predecessors in making the crosses were Herman Schimpf and Hector Patenaude. Memorial Lilies: The joyous Easter season is fast approaching. By your loving donation of Easter Lilies, we can enhance the beauty of our church on Easter morning. Sign up in the lower vestibule following the service on the next three Sundays, or call the church office. There will be an insert listing the donors and those memorialized in the Herald. The suggested price for a multi-flowered, replantable lily is $15. The flowers may be donated to shut-ins or picked up after the 11:00 Easter Sunday service. Volunteers will be welcomed to take flowers to shut-ins following the service.
CHURCH RECORD Hospitalized: Dorothy Strassel, Jordan Hospital. Jane Burns and Elizabeth are both at The Beverly Manor Nursing Home. New Members-February 27, 2005: Confession of Faith Eric Kunselman Brandi Kunselman Reaffirmation of Faith Christina Borel Maureen Hague Joyce Tripp Nancy Grissino Peter Causton Transfer of Letter Sonya Evancho United Parish in Carver, MA Lenna Dower East Congregational (UCC)Church in Milton, MA Richard Dower-East East Congregational (UCC) Church in Milton, MA Rose Marie Sleasman United Methodist Church in Pennsylvania Robert Quick South Congregational (UCC) Church in Amherst Susan Quick South Congregational (UCC) Church in Amherst Shirley Hoyt Sandwich Congregational (UCC) in Sandwich, MA
THIS WEEK Sunday,Mar. 6: Morning Worship 10:00 a.m., Rev. Gary L.Marks, preaching; Holy Communion Sunday. Our One Great Hour of Sharing offering will be received during this service. Search Committee Meeting, 11:30-1:30, Church House. Cherub Choir Rehearsal, following worship, Sanctuary; Troop 47 Parents Meeting,7pm, Church House. Monday, Mar. 7: Aerobics, 9am, Allerton Hall; Girl Scouts, 3:30-5, Church House; Tiger Pack, 4-5:30, Church House; Women's Fellowship, 6:30pm, Allerton Hall; Budget Committee Meeting, 7:30pm, Church House; Pilgrim Festival Chorus, 7-10pm, Sanctuary. Tuesday,Mar. 8: Rev. Marks will conduct a worship service at the Newfield House at 10:30am. He will be in the church office following that service. Aerobics, 6:30 pm; Allerton Hall. Wednesday, Mar. 9: Aerobics, 9:15 a.m., Allerton Hall; Staff Meeting, 10:00 am; Choir Rehearsal 7:30 pm, sanctuary; Pack 47 & Troop 47, Church House; Brownie Troop #122 4-5:30, Allerton Hall. Evening Prayer, 7pm, Sanctuary. Thursday, Mar. 10: Aerobics, 6:30pm, Allerton Hall; Membership Committee Meeting, at the home of Lynnette Lancaster., Search Committee Meeting, 7-9pm, Church House. Friday, Mar. 11: Aerobics, 9:15 am, Allerton Hall; Rev. Marks will be in the church office, 9:30-11:30am.Lenten Fish Dinner, 6:30pm, Allerton Hall.
NOTES: MISSIONS AND OUTREACH One Great Hour of Sharing: March 6, 2005 is Dedication Day for the One Great Hour of Sharing. Every year through our generous gifts, our congregation, along with nine other denominations, supports the network of ministries that reaches victims of disaster, poverty, illness and war around the world. Monday Meals of Hospitality: Thank you to the following people who cooked, served and helped out at the third of seven Monday Meals of Hospitality: Kay Budd, Janet Holmes and Meg Bross. Food Pantries: The volunteers at the Food Warehouse appreciate the on-going support form The Church of the Pilgrimage to help eradicate hunger in the Plymouth area. The following times are needed at present: peanut butter & jelly, canned fruit, macaroni & cheese, cereal, canned tuna, mayonnaise and cereal. Project for March and April: The Church School and the Missions and Outreach Committee invite everyone to join them in assembling "Gifts of the Heart" kits to be shipped by Church World Service to orphaned and displaced children around the world. Each health kit, sealed in a one-gallon plastic bag with a zipper closure, will contain: One hand towel One wash cloth One comb One metal nail file One bar of bath-sized soap One toothbrush One tube of toothpaste, 4-7 oz Six Band-Aids We welcome donations of these items which may be placed in the baskets next to the red bins for the Food Warehouse. We will be collecting for the kits through the months of March and April. Prayer opportunities at 7:00pm on Wednesdays will continue during the Lenten season. The Evening Prayer services are seemingly satisfying a spiritual need for those who have attended on a regular basis. Please feel free to join us on a Wednesday evening. The Chest of Joash Service: The Chest of Joash Service is used in churches as a means of collecting your pledges to the work of the church. The Chest will be on the communion table on Stewardship Sunday, March 13, 2005. Please remember to bring your pledge cards. In II Chronicles 34:4-14 we find the story of King Joash, who placed a chest at the gate of the house of the Lord to collect a tax which Moses had levied to the people of Israel in order to provide funds for the temple. Joash reigned in Israel from about 837-800 BC. Chronicles reports that the people brought their offering to the chest in the spirit of rejoicing because of their glee in being able to serve the Lord and to have a part in joy, because the people recognized that their material gifts were a central factor in the expression of their faith in the Lord's work. We continue the Chest of Joash tradition by placing the chest on the communion table. As the minister instruct you to bring forth your gifts remember that you are a part of the people of God, and this should inspire a joy like those who 800 years before Christ brought forth their gifts joyfully. Lenten Fish Dinner. On Friday March 11 at 6:30 pm, the Women's Fellowship will host an evening of fine food and fellowship for all. On the menu is salmon, macaroni and cheese, baked potatoes, carrots, salad, bread and pie. The fish dinner is $8, the macaroni and cheese is $6. Children 3 and under are free. A maximum of $28 per family will be charged. If cost is an issue and you would like to come please see Jenny or Marna. Look for sign ups in Allerton Hall over the next few weeks; reservations will be required. If you would be interested in making a pie (your choice), please call Jenny Healy 508-747-7168. Thanks and see you there. "He was known to them in the breaking of bread." Luke 24:35 Lent-Fish-Bread-A Table Around which to gather with like minded Christians, all of this is an intentional part of Lent at The Church of the Pilgrimage. Join us for 2 special events. Reservations are necessary for both. Friday, March 11-Lenten Fish or Mac & Cheese Dinner Sunday, March 20-Palm Sunday Communion Breakfast. Come Make a Joyful Noise! Women's fellowship is hosting a sing-a-long in the sanctuary on Monday, March 7 at 6:30 (NOTE THE TIME CHANGE). As always, all the women of the church are invited. We are very excited this month to be inviting the women form other area churches to join us, so bring a friend along. Don't forget to call for a ride if you need one. (Jenny 508-747-7168 or Marna 781-826-2543). See you there. Coffee Hour Volunteers Needed: Volunteers are needed to sign up for coffee hour. This is an important aspect of our fellowship that we all enjoy, so your support is encouraged and greatly appreciated. The sign up sheet is on the counter where coffee is served. The Tuesday Night Knitting Circle is scheduled for March 8th at Diane Budge's home at 15 Oak Street. The group meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 7pm All are welcome! If you would like to learn or are a proficient knitter and would like to share the evening with those of like interest, please join us. It is an opportunity for fellowship and a chance to develop new friendships. Winter Beach Hike/Jr. and Sr. High Youth Groups: Sunday, March 6th from 3-5pm weather permitting. Please meet at the church house at 2:45 and dress appropriately. The Church of the Pilgrimage on PAC/TV: Sunday Services will appear on cable PAC/TV on Sundays at 8am and 6pm. We thank Tom Healy for taping the Sunday Services which appear on PAC on a one or two week delay. Budget Committee Meeting: Monday Night, March 7th at 7:30pm in the church house. If you are interested in becoming a hospice volunteer, a 9-week training program is scheduled to begin Monday, March 21st. If you would like to join Cranberry Hospice please call Karen Foster at 508-746-0215 to register, fill out an application and make an appointment for an interview. Hospice volunteers are the heart of Hospice, and help provide care and comfort to our patients and their families. New Member Luncheon:* The new member's luncheon was a great time of fellowship among people of the Covenant, long time members and new to The Church of the Pilgrimage. If you couldn't join us this time, please do so the next for the committee will be sure to repeat this event. The chance to hear each new member as they shared part of their journey helps us to more quickly know them by name and by where they have been. The Quiz Results: All tables handed in their quizzes. However four forgot to put their names on the answer sheet (just like in school). The group average was 8.875/10. That's a B+ in most teacher's rank book. Congratulations! Table #5-Allen, Verna, Kristen, Trace, Julie, Gabi & Julia got a 9.5 for the "highest grade in the class." I'm sure the adults have Julie and Gabi to thank for the names of all the kids in those pictures. This group would have scored a perfect 10, except they misnamed the person in the picture with Gary. You all did so well. It shows we know first and last names of most of our members-well at least with a little help from some friends. See you at our next luncheon! Membership & Evangelsim
Coming Events: Mar. 14 Rev. Marks will attend a Congregational Library Board meeting in Boston. Mar. 16 Evening Prayer, Sanctuary, 7pm Mar 20 Palm Sunday, Holy Week begins (Spring Begins)! Mar. 24 Maundy Thursday Service in the sanctuary, 7pm Mar. 25 Good Friday Service, 7pm in the sanctuary Mar. 27 Easter Sunday - Sunrise Service onCole's Hill, 6am - Two services at the Church of the Pilgrimage, 9am and 11am
Clerk - Lois Post; Moderator - Steven Triffletti; Treasurer - David Kegel; Collector - Thomas Mudgett; Music Director - William B Richter; Organist - Chandler Gregg Secretary - Shellie McCormack; Sexton - Tony Nightingale; World Mission Emphasis - Heifer Project International; Church Building Telephone - (508) 747-1341.