From your pastor and teacher…..
What an exciting time at Pilgrims United Church of Christ. Right in the midst of Advent – the waiting – waiting – waiting – now and not yet time – we are celebrating the joining of seven new members and the baptisms of three infants and one adult! Sunday, November 28 was a wonderful celebration of the 1st Sunday of Advent and the baptism of Clara Genevieve Hughes, daughter of Katie and Jeremy Hughes and granddaughter of Sue and Scott Wieker. This coming Sunday, Dec. 6 will be the joining of Kim and Andy Bleasedale (infant daughter Hailey), Jill Ashley-Growchowski, Gretchen Gardebring, Kathy Grafe, and Ryan and Heather Walker (infant twins Reece and Amelia). We will also be baptizing Ryan, Reece and Amelia and welcoming all of these folks into the life and ministry of Pilgrims UCC.
Plans are underway for the Christmas Pageant. The children have begun working with Gigi on music for our Las Posadas pageant. Dress rehearsal will be 3:30 pm on Saturday, December 12 with the pageant presented as worship on December 13 at 10:00 am. Our choir will join the children in singing and the whole congregation will sing a lot of favorite carols. You are all invited and also encouraged to bring treats to celebrate afterward (remember no peanuts or other nuts). You might also plan to bring non-gluten options for those who need them. Bring your favorite cookies or non-sweet treats to share along with good conversation and visiting.
Christmas is often a hard time for a lot of folks – a time when the darkness seems to overcome the light we talk about so much in church at this time of year. It is okay to grieve – to feel sad – to feel empty and lost. Our Sunday morning worship on December 20 will acknowledge these feelings as well as those of folks in need of more physical healings with a Healing Worship Service.
And don’t forget our Christmas Eve Candlelight service on December 24. We’ll begin with special music at 3:45 pm and include a lot of music along with a little pageantry of the Nativity scene, concluding our worship just as darkness arrives with a circle of candlelight in our sanctuary while singing Silent Night. Make your Christmas plans so that you and your family and friends can attend this special service.
My prayer for you this first week of Advent is that you make times to slow down, to find the joy in the midst of the frenzy, the presence of the Holy One in the gift giving of the season.
Robin
What an exciting time at Pilgrims United Church of Christ. Right in the midst of Advent – the waiting – waiting – waiting – now and not yet time – we are celebrating the joining of seven new members and the baptisms of three infants and one adult! Sunday, November 28 was a wonderful celebration of the 1st Sunday of Advent and the baptism of Clara Genevieve Hughes, daughter of Katie and Jeremy Hughes and granddaughter of Sue and Scott Wieker. This coming Sunday, Dec. 6 will be the joining of Kim and Andy Bleasedale (infant daughter Hailey), Jill Ashley-Growchowski, Gretchen Gardebring, Kathy Grafe, and Ryan and Heather Walker (infant twins Reece and Amelia). We will also be baptizing Ryan, Reece and Amelia and welcoming all of these folks into the life and ministry of Pilgrims UCC.
Plans are underway for the Christmas Pageant. The children have begun working with Gigi on music for our Las Posadas pageant. Dress rehearsal will be 3:30 pm on Saturday, December 12 with the pageant presented as worship on December 13 at 10:00 am. Our choir will join the children in singing and the whole congregation will sing a lot of favorite carols. You are all invited and also encouraged to bring treats to celebrate afterward (remember no peanuts or other nuts). You might also plan to bring non-gluten options for those who need them. Bring your favorite cookies or non-sweet treats to share along with good conversation and visiting.
Christmas is often a hard time for a lot of folks – a time when the darkness seems to overcome the light we talk about so much in church at this time of year. It is okay to grieve – to feel sad – to feel empty and lost. Our Sunday morning worship on December 20 will acknowledge these feelings as well as those of folks in need of more physical healings with a Healing Worship Service.
And don’t forget our Christmas Eve Candlelight service on December 24. We’ll begin with special music at 3:45 pm and include a lot of music along with a little pageantry of the Nativity scene, concluding our worship just as darkness arrives with a circle of candlelight in our sanctuary while singing Silent Night. Make your Christmas plans so that you and your family and friends can attend this special service.
My prayer for you this first week of Advent is that you make times to slow down, to find the joy in the midst of the frenzy, the presence of the Holy One in the gift giving of the season.
Robin
