THIS SUNDAY: March 10, 2019, 4-6 pm, Rose City Park Presbyterian Church, 1907 NE 45thAve., Portland, OR 97213; Questions? Contact Pastor Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.com
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Dear Lenten Pilgrims,
It has begun, again. Our Lenten pilgrimage started with our gathering on Wednesday morning at Lorinda and Ray Moholt’s home, in which we were all reminded that we are created of the same matter as the stars in the skies. This season of Lent has a different feeling than Epiphany, of the growing light, illuminating the nature of Jesus, God with us. We now find ourselves on a pilgrimage with Jesus, the Pilgrim God, who will, over the weeks to come, remind us of our new Exodus with him, as a community of faith, to Jerusalem, and beyond, to the dawning of the reality of our life as members of the Realm of God’s love. The first Sunday of Lent takes us with Brother Jesus into the wilderness, a place of prayer, contemplation, temptation, the setting of priorities, and discovery of power (Luke 4:1-13). And while it is normal to “give up” something as a spiritual Lenten practice, Pastor Chris suggested that maybe as a Community of Pilgrims, for the next 40 days, each day we take something we don’t use or wear anymore, and put it into a box. At the end of Lent, we would donate the items to a shelter or thrift shop. Come this Sunday, as we begin, as a community of faith, this Lenten pilgrimage!
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On Saturday, March 9, at 12 noon, in the Whitsell Auditorium of Portland Art Museum, there is a showing of a new film by Irene Taylor Brodsky, “Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements,” following the ongoing story of Irene’s family, including Sally and Paul Taylor. Here’s the link! Let’s go to the movies! https://nwfilm.org/…/moonlight-sonata-deafness-in-three-mo…/
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Events!
Saturday, March 9, 2019, Movie, Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements (see above);
Sunday, March 10, 2019, Pastor Brett, Vancouver Heights UMC;
Sunday, March 10, 2019, Gathering and Worship, Rose City Park PCUSA;
Sunday, March 17, 2019, Gresham’s Women’s Emergency Shelter (Times TBA);
Saturday, March 23, 2019, Pastor Brett attending Regional Gathering of Small Intentional Christian Communities in Tacoma, WA;
Sunday, March 24, 2019, Gathering and Worship, Rose City Park PCUSA;
Sunday March 31, 2019, Pastor Brett at 1stPresby. Church Woodburn;
Sunday, March 31, 2019, Gathering and Worship, Rose City Park PCUSA;
Sunday, April 7, 2019, Gathering and Worship, Rose City Park PCUSA;
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Requests
* Regarding the t-shirts: Please pick up your t-shirt this Sunday, and bring cash or a check made out to Community of Pilgrims, in the amount of $8 for adult M, L, and XL, and youth; and $12 for adult 2XL. Thank you!
* We also have plenty of beautiful leather bracelets for each member of the community! Pick one up this Sunday!
* In the coming months, Pastor Chris and I will be quoting from and referencing sections from the book, Wisdom Distilled from the Dailyby Joan Chittister, a Benedictine monk, who, in this book, focuses on the nature of living life in an intentional Christian community, which is our aim as Community of Pilgrims. We can either order books for those interested and sending in a request for so-many copies, or feel free to order it or buy it from your favorite book distributor. Wisdom Distilled from the Daily, Joan Chittister, San Francisco: Harper One.
* Another book for our consideration: The Intentional Christian Community Handbookby David Janzen (Paraclete Press, 2013). We may use this book as we delve deeper into understanding what it means to be an intentional Christian community of faith.
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Poem
To Keep a True Lent, by Robert Herrick
Is this a Fast, to keep
The Larder lean?
And clean
From fat of veals and sheep?
Is it to quit the dish
Of flesh, yet still
To fill
The platter high with fish?
Is it to fast an hour,
Or ragg’d go,
Or show
A down-cast look and sour?
No: ’tis a Fast to dole Thy sheaf of wheat and meat
Unto the hungry soul.
It is to fast from strife and old debate,
And hate;
To circumcise thy life.
To show a heart grief-rent;
To starve thy sin,
Not bin;
And that’s to keep thy Lent.
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Buen Camino!
Pastors Brett & Chris
Rev. Dr. Brett Webb-Mitchell (919) 444-9111; brettwebbmitchell@gmail.comRev. Chris Dungan (503) 724-7060; chrisdungan1@msn.com