Dear Friends,

It is old news now: it snowed hard last Sunday at Church-time! The wind blew that snow, too, and visibility was down to nearly zero. Yet, we did not call off worship, though I expected no one to risk life and limb to come to church. I don't live far from the church so I could get there and I have a Jeep. Besides, there is something deeply within, probably something Puritan, that is ever so reluctant to call off Sabbath day, or Resurrection day, worship. It is ingrained deeply within; remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy.

I remember many years ago entering King's Chapel in Cambridge, England. That edifice is as near to being perfect as any in the world, in my opinion. It speaks through architecture of the grandeur of God while giving the worshipers a sense of awe commingled with peace in the soul. To walk into that place is to be in a frame of worship even before the Service of the Divine Word has begun.

I cannot quote the sign exactly which greets the worshipers or visitors, but I recall how impressed I was when I read it. The sign proclaims, in essence, that God is to be worshiped in that place whether anyone comes to Divine Service or not, and worship shall be an occurrence which will never be neglected.

Some of that "Sabbath stubbornness" is in me. It surely isn't a matter of boasting personally. It is a part of a sense that I have to carry on in worship "no matter what." It is something like the sign at King's Chapel. Cambridge was, after all, the spiritual and intellectual center of the Puritan impulse so evident in the formation of churches like ours.

I don't expect people to take risks to come to worship on a day like last Sunday. That's silly, of course. But, since I can safely do something about it, I don't want ever to have a Sabbath Day absent of the worship of God in its public form at The Church of the Pilgrimage.

Twelve people came to the public worship of God last Sunday. That isn't many, of course, but Jesus found that number of disciples sufficient to begin his church! We had a spiritually good time and we remember amid the storm how precious the calm and peace of God can be.

After "Divine Service," I reflected upon how important our congregation is as a witness in this place of the righteousness and justice of God which flows from our center in worship. As our stewardship season approaches I was struck by Sunday's worship of just how crucial it is to keep the Word of God alive and vital amid all the cascading storms of life there are. We are the place amid all those storms where sacred refuge can be found. We are a place in the storms where a word of justice is spoken denouncing evils and human indignities. We are a persevering witness to God's persistent love seeking residence in the turbulence of human life through us. Let's support this hope generously. Refuges in storms are necessary for survival.

Deacon in Charge: Helen Belcher

Greeters: Diane & Gay Flood

Flowers: In loving memory of Rae C. Walker and Marion Nickerson Walker. Given by Mahlon Walker.

A Thought from Stewardship "We have received special abilities or talents; we are encouraged to use them. Just as we are expected to be good stewards of our money, so we should be good stewards of God's gifts."-Larry Burkett

FOB Use and Training: Please see Debby Porter or Larry Foster right after church regarding 'FOB" use training and paperwork.

The Board of Trustees will meet every other week. Please let Debby Porter know if you need to be placed on the agenda.

Committee Chairs should see David Kegel or Debby Porter after church to receive the budget timeline sheet.

Dan's Ordination: Dan Spacek has, as most of you know, been approved for ordination following his call to our U.C.C. church in Sandwich. The date for his service of ordination has been set for March 12, 2006 at 4:00pm with an ecclesiastical council to precede the service at 3:00pm. The ordination will be in Nashua, New Hampshire.
We have talked about the possibility of chartering a bus to New Hampshire from the church at a cost of $20 per person round trip. If you think you would be interested in taking a bus, please call the church office ASAP. We need to figure out if we have enough people before we book it.

New Member Class: Because of the snowstorm on February 12th Rev. Marks is trying to arrange a make-up class before February 26th. Someone will be in touch with those who have attended the class or have indicated an interest in becoming a member of The Church of the Pilgrimage.

MISSIONS AND OUTREACH NEWS-
The Food Warehouse: For our weekly collection of non-perishables, we need: canned ham, tuna or chicken, cereal, pasta, canned fruit, peanut butter, jelly, jam, mayonnaise and ketchup. THANK YOU!
FEBRUARY IS "Gift of the Heart" month for Missions and Outreach. The Committee will be collecting items, all month, for health and school kits. There are baskets provided behind the Missions table for all contributions. Last fall, the 116 school kits we packaged were sent to Louisiana. Please see below for the items needed. Thank you for participating.

Health Kit
* 1 hand towel
* 1 washcloth
* 1 comb (not pocket comb)
* 1 metal nail file or nail clipper
* 1 bar of soap (bath size)
* 1 toothbrush
* 1 tube of toothpaste (4-7 oz.)
* 6 Band-Aids
Seal all items in a one-gallon bag with a zipper closure.

School Kit
* 1 pair blunt scissors
* pads or notebooks of ruled paper 81/2 x 11 containing 150-200 sheets of paper
* 1 30cm ruler (12")
* 1 pencil sharpener
* 6 new pencils with erasers
* 1 large eraser
* 12 sheets colored construction paper
* 1 box of 24 crayons
* 1 12" x 14" cloth bag with cloth handles and a closure (Velcro, snap or button)
Pack these items in the cloth bag and secure contents with the closure.

Daffodil Days: The American Cancer Society is gearing up for its annual Daffodil Days campaign. The daffodil has come to represent a symbol of hope for cancer patients across the country. With your donation of $7 you can enjoy a beautiful bouquet of fresh-cut daffodils while helping the American Cancer Society fund educational programs that teach people about the prevention and early detection of cancer, provide compassionate assistance for people who have been diagnosed and support cutting-edge cancer research. As a result, more people are surviving cancer than ever before. The five-year relative survival rate stands at 65%, up from 41% in the early 1980's. Approximately 10 million people alive today have a history of cancer. The Church of the Pilgrimage will be taking orders for daffodils on Sunday, February 19th and Sunday, February 26th. Please see Jane Burns, Jane Cole, Marge Sears or Alice Dunham during coffee hour.

Evening Prayer: For quite some time now Rev. Marks has been leading Evening Prayer Services in the sanctuary on Wednesday Evenings at 7:00pm. The group is small with an average attendance of ten-twelve people. The service follows a simple Order, usually form the Celtic Daily Prayer resource. The readings from Scripture are the basis of daily guides which are intended to enhance one's prayer and spiritual life. Celtic Daily Prayer is the product of an ecumenical group of Christians associated with the ancient monastic island of Lindisfarne. (it is also known as Holy Island). Please feel free to join the prayer service which is held on most Wednesday evenings.

Meal/Visit Program
Many of you know that women's fellowship began a program last summer wherein we make and deliver meals to members of our church family who are in need. I wanted to let you know a few things about where the
program is currently and how you can help.

First, at a recent advisory board meeting we decided that the deacons would take on the responsibility of organizing this program. It seems to fit in with the description of our responsibilities as is written in
the bylaws. This will happen beginning in March.

Secondly, we have, of late, had many families in need in our congregation. We would like to add your name to the list of people willing to provide a meal for someone in need. For those of you intimidated by the prospect, you would not be asked to make a five-course gourmet meal. A simple pot of soup or casserole fills the belly and warms the heart. The times and dates are very flexible and can be negotiated with the deacon or deaconess who calls you.

I had the privilege of being on the receiving end of this program this week and can attest, as others have, of the great spiritual gift that it is, of the healing power of the fellowship and love that are an integral part of both the meal and the visit. Please see me after church or give me a call to volunteer or find out more about the program. And thank you from the very bottom of my heart to all who have been cooking away making this program a reality; you have brought much joy to many people. Jenny Healy (508-747-7168)

HARVEST FAIR 2006

ATTENTION, ATTENTION.. Can you believe the Harvest Fair is only 8 months away? It's time to start planning! I've recently had some time on my hands, and have been doing some thinking on new ideas for the fair. I would love to share them with you and in hopes that you may have ideas or suggestions to share. I am planning the first meeting for the fair on Monday, April 10Th, 2006 at 7pm at my house, 10 Kristin Rd., Plymouth. I would like to invite all to attend.

Last year the Harvest Fair made $ 9211.70. Isn't that amazing? I want to thank everyone again who helped to make that possible. It was a wonderful day. A truly awesome sight to see our congregation working so hard together and also having a lot of fun! I would love to see this year our total be $ 10,000. I think we can do it!!

We are in need of a few good people who are willing to give a little of their time. As many of you know David and Diane Cowie have moved, so I am looking for someone to fill their shoes. David worked hard on the fund raising for the raffle. Last year he raised over $ 3000.00 with some help, in prizes to be won for the raffle! He kindly left me a notebook with all the instructions nicely mapped out for us for this year. I will also be looking for someone to help with the Bake Table to fill Diane's shoes.

A reminder for anyone cleaning out or planning on Spring cleaning in the upcoming months . Here is a list of our tables. Holiday Crafts, Bake Table, Attic Treasures ( small glassware or decorative items), Calico Corner ( any fabric items). The Knitting Nook, Country Store( anything you might find in a real one, including, jams, pickles, relishes, etc.). The Book Nook, Linens and Things, American Girl Doll Table, Bubbles and Bath, the Jewelry Table, Garden Shop, and The Kids Corner.
If anyone has any questions or thoughts please feel free to contact me at 508-746-7761. Thank you all again for your support.
. ~Laura Curtin

At the request of Christ Congregational Church, UCC Brockton, Massachusetts, the Pilgrim Association will gather for an ECCLESIASTICAL COUNCIL on
Sunday, March 12, 2006 at 2pm
At Christ Congregational Church, UCC
1350 Pleasant Street, Brockton, MA 02301-2840
to meet, review the credentials of and share the faith journey of
THE REVEREND PATRICIA HAYES
The Association will ten proceed with the church, at 3pm to install The Reverend Hayes as Pastor.