PILGRIM’S
PROGRESS
December
2006
From the Pastor…..
Dear Friends,
In
this month of December we enter the Advent season. The word advent means “coming.” Christians around the world celebrate the
season of Advent as a time of preparation and reflection of Christ’s
birth. Though the early Christians
originally continued the Jewish traditions of celebrating the new year in spring, as time went on they developed
traditions of their own.
By
the 4th or 5th century, Christmas was established as a
religious festival that signaled the beginning of the church year. It was at this time that those in the
Christian church celebrated the birth of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. In the year 529 Emperor Justinian also
declared December 25 as a civic holiday, an action that prohibited any work to
be done on that day. Then in the
year 567, the Council of Tours established the season of Advent as a time of
fasting preceding Christmas Day.
The council also proclaimed the 12 days from Christmas to Epiphany as a
sacred season.
Initially,
the Advent period varied from 3 to 7 weeks. Later it became customary to observe the
season for 4 weeks. This then
became the actual beginning of the church year. Today, we still look to Advent as the
beginning of the church year.
Although the dates change from year to year, Advent begins on the Sunday
nearest to November 30 and contains the 4 Sundays before Christmas Day. The season can range anywhere between 23
to 28 days, depending on which day Christmas Eve falls. Much like the season of Lent, Advent is
thought of as a time of penitence and preparation for the coming of the
King.
One
notable way we anticipate the advent of Jesus Christ in our church service is
with the Advent Wreath and the lighting of the candles. Though there is no historical tradition
that I know of regarding the meaning of the candles used in the Advent Wreath,
they have come to represent the ever-increasing light of Christ shining into
our dark world. Therefore the
attendant themes of the Advent candles have come to symbolize hope, joy, peace
and love.
Let
us remember Christ’s love this Christmas season. Jesus said, “There is no greater love than this: that a person lay down their life for a
friend.” King Jesus comes
not only as our Savior, but as our loving friend. In God’s great love to humankind,
Christ came into the world to rescue humankind from our sinful plight and to
restore us to sanity through his lavish love. As we reflect on the meaning of Advent
and the great love that God has given in Jesus Christ, may we be moved to love
one another in more and more practical ways. “For God so loved the world, he gave…”
says the writer of John’s Gospel. It’s my prayer that rather than
looking to receive in this Christmas season, that everyone
of us would resolve to give. May
the spirit of Christmas sensitize our hearts to hear the needs of those next to
us. And
may the overflowing love of God summed up in the Christ Child fill us to overflowing that the only
reasonable response is to give…and to give…and to give again.
Love came down at Christmas
Love
all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star
and angels gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
Love
incarnate, love divine
Worship we our Jesus:
but wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token,
Love
shall be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and to all people
Love
for plea and gift and sign. (Christina Rossetti)
In the Magnificent Love
of the Christ of Christmas,
The Reverend Beverly
Weinhold
Save the
Date!
A
Walk Down Memory Lane
Sunday, January 21,
2007, 3:00-4:30 PM
“
Advent Bible Study
Our Wednesday
morning and evening Bible Study will begin on Nov. 29 at 10:00 AM and 7:30 PM respectively. Both Bible Studies will meet in the
Church Library. We will begin on
November 29 with Week 1 of the Lectionary readings below. I look forward to seeing everyone
again. Newcomers are most welcome!!
Lectionary
Week
1 Week
2
Jeremiah 33:14-16 Malachi
3:1-4
Psalm 25:1-10 Luke
1:68-79
I Thessalonians
3:9-13 Philippians
1:3-11
Luke 21:25-36 Luke
3:1-6
Week
3 Week
4
Zephaniah 3:14-20 Micah
5:2-5a
Isaiah 12:2-6 Luke
1:47-55
Philippians 4:4-7 Psalm
80:1-7
Luke 3:7-18 Hebrews
10:5-10
Luke
1:39-45; 46-55
Christmas
Eve Week
5: First Sunday After
Christmas
Isaiah 9:2-7 1
Samuel 2:18-20,26
Psalm 96 Psalm
148
Titus 2:11-14 Colossians
3:12-17
Luke 2:1-14, 15-20 Luke
2:41-52
Please note that the deadline for the January newsletter is December 11. This is
earlier than customary because of the heavy volume of work in the church office
throughout the Christmas season.
Submissions can be emailed to the church secretary at: tlclark@pilgrimchurchofduxbury.org.
And speaking of emails, here’s a handy list to tuck into your address
book:
` Reverend Beverly Weinhold, Intentional Interim Pastor revweinhold@pilgrimchurchofduxbury.org
Reverend Eloise Parks,
Associate Pastor for Christian Education
Cathy Doughty, Church
Administrator
cdoughty@pilgrimchurchofduxbury.org
Terri L. Clark, Church
Secretary
tlclark@pilgrimchurchofduxbury.org
Progressive Dinner update: The progressive dinner is on! Mark your calendars for Sunday, December
17. The schedule will be 5:30 PM
appetizers – 2 houses, 6:30 dinner – approx. 5-7 houses, 8:30
dessert – 1 house, 9:00 twelve days of Christmas finale. Sign up will be in the vestry on
Sundays, and on the Adult Fellowship board. Any questions contact Greg Hunter
934-2245 or Colleen Brayer 934-6474.
Come alone, come with your spouse, come with a friend – just come
and enjoy!
PILGRIM WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP
Plan to attend the PWF Christmas Brunch after
church on Sunday, December 10th. You will enjoy a menu of quiche, French
toast and ham for just $6.00 per person.
A family of four pays just $20.00 and children under 4 years of age are
FREE. Please sign up in the vestry
after church so that the cooks can prepare plenty of food.
Looking forward to
seeing you!
PWF Lunch
Out – It’s been
a while! Take some time out of your
busy schedule for some women’s fellowship with lunch at Wildflower,
Thursday December 7. Contact
Colleen Brayer 934-6474 to be included in reservations.
Koinonia
Koinonia’s Christmas party will be Monday,
December 11 at 7:00 PM at the home of Lynn DeHart. Don’t forget to bring a Yankee
swap gift (inexpensive or used but still useful and wrapped), some refreshment
to share; and, of course, your joys and/or concerns. For more information, call Elaine Guilfoyle, 781-934-9648.
The church directories have been sent out! Please support Pilgrim Women’s
Fellowship who produced this year’s excellent edition by mailing or
placing in the offering your $4.00 contribution in the envelope provided in the
directories. Thanks!
Bookworms
Bookworms will not be meeting in December. The book for January will be
announced after the November meeting. Have a blessed Christmas. See you all in
January!
Blue Christmas: Helping Hurting People Cope with the Holidays
Christmas is a time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is a time when the expectation is
that it will be a joyful celebration.
But for many this is a lonely and dark time. The
The congregation might be interested in knowing that 21 members of our
congregation have received or are receiving care from our Stephen
Ministers. God has called Stephen
Ministers to share the congregation’s caregiving
ministry with the pastoral staff.
It is one example of spiritual gifts at work within our church.
Christmas Services at
December 17th – Christmas Sunday
Worship Service at 10:00 AM
December 24th
– Christmas Eve
10:00 AM Christmas Pageant
8:00 PM – Service of Lessons and Carols
10:30 PM – Communion Service
The family of Louise Ritch would
like to extend a warm thank you to everyone for the many condolences and shared
remembrances that we have all received.
Outreach Board Announces New Fair Trade
Products
There are 3 new chocolate bars:
Dark
Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs is a combination of smooth, dark chocolate
and crunchy bits of roasted cocoa beans.
Mint
Chocolate is creamy dark chocolate with a refreshing mint crunch.
Chocolate
Espresso Bean offers sweet rich chocolate and crunchy pieces of roasted coffee
beans.
There are 4 new Premium teas:
Irish
Breakfast is a blend of black teas from North and
Green
Magic is a light green tea with a pleasant sweetness from
Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free, contains
antioxidants, has a fruity character with vanilla overtones, and comes from
Earl
Grey is a light and fragrant brew made from the finest tips and buds of
organic
Your input will be most helpful in deciding which, if any, of these new
products should be made available for sale. Therefore, please share your opinion
with the Outreach Board member selling Fair Trade Products on the 2nd
Sunday of each month; or
email Gordon Leach at lea_chg @hotmail.com. Please remember that several blends of
coffee are also available as “whole bean.” So include your desires on that matter
as well.
Thank you for the marvelous support you have demonstrated since this
important mission program started a little over one year ago.
Respectfully,
Gordon Leach
Lead for Fair Trade Products
Share your Christmas Spirit and help
decorate the sanctuary with a poinsettia for the December 17th
Sunday service. If you wish to give
a poinsettia to a shut-in or in memory/honor of a loved one, or plan to take
the plant home after the service, please use the form below to indicate your
preference:
_____IN MEMORY OF
______IN HONOR OF
(Please check one!)
NAME
OF HONOREE _____________________________________________________
I WILL: _______ DONATE
_______ PICK UP*
(Please check one!)
GIVEN
BY
______________________________________________________________
(The above
names will be in the Sunday Bulletin)
*Poinsettias
must be picked up directly after the 10 AM service at church on the 17th.
Please send your
donation to
Saturday
Night 5
We hope that you will join us on December 2nd
and 16th for our special Advent services. These services give us a chance to
reflect and get ready to celebrate the coming of the One True Light into our
world. A blessed Christmas to all of
you from the SN5! Worship Team.
HOLIDAY GIFT BASKETS
The Duxbury Interfaith Council is again preparing for their
The ways to donate are:
Food:
canned goods – yellow
and green vegetables, cranberry sauce, canned gravy; juice – 64 oz. in plastic bottles; packaged dessert mixes – quick bread, muffin, brownie, cake
& frosting; home-baked goods
– cookies, brownies, cupcakes, quick breads, pies;
turkeys – can be donated by calling Gladys Covino @ 837-3010.
Place all non-perishable food donations in the marked baskets at the
side entrance of
Money: send a check payable to the Duxbury
Interfaith Council,
Gifts: Call 934-8388 for information on picking
up gift tags. Return each unwrapped gift with its tag to
Volunteers are needed to sort and pack food and wrap gifts. Any amount of time is very much appreciated. The schedule is as follows: sort and pack baskets and wrap gifts
Dec. 18th & 19th from 9-2 and Dec. 20th
from 9-3; pack turkeys and baked goods Dec. 21st from 9-noon; and
load into cars from noon-5 that day – all at Holy Family. Limited deliveries will begin at 2:00 PM
on the 21st. Any and all
assistance you are able to give is so very much appreciated.
-Thank you!
On Thanksgiving Sunday, our
combined choirs; Junior Choir, Pilgrim Ringers, Senior Choir and quartet of
Carol Cybulska, Anne Briggs, Steve Johnson, Bob
Engel, and our wonderful young singers, Kaitlin Clark, Diana Cybulska and Vivie Doughty
provided inspirational music for our Worship service. We were most fortunate to have the
talented Scott Doughty provide trumpet music for us as well. It was exciting for all of us and based
upon the many favorable comments from members of the congregation, it was
exciting for them as well.
Don't forget your
bells on December 10th! On this date
we will have our traditional "
On Christmas Eve,
a special half hour prelude will begin at 7:30 PM All of our talented soloists and
Choir will provide the music with Worship beginning at 8:00.P.M. Those of you who attended the
Thanksgiving Sunday Service know that this will be worth coming early to hear. Melissa Toffoloni
will enhance the music by playing the French Horn!! We are all looking forward to that.
It is not too late
to join us at rehearsal for the music of Christmas Eve. Please do consider it. We would love to have you.
We are also in
need of a pianist/organist to play for the Service of Communion at 10:30 PM on
Christmas Eve. If you can do this
or know someone who may be willing, please call me at the Church or at home
(781-834-4856). As many of you
know, Claudia Landall has done this for us for many years for which we have all
been very grateful. I am sure we
would not be successful in persuading her to continue this year!! Thank you, Claudia for your generosity
over the years.
Cathleen,
Music Director.
Junior choir notes
--
Dear singers and parents, it makes me very sad to tell you that
Christmas Eve will be my last service as Director of Junior Choir. I have loved
every second of our time together and am very sad to be leaving you, but
illness in my family has made it difficult to continue. I know that the Music
Board is working hard to find the perfect person for you, and I hope that you
will ALL continue to make glorious music together. I look forward to seeing and
hearing you all in the future! I love you all, and God bless. Sing with Joy!
Beth
MacLeod
TO ALL MEMBERS OF
In
accordance with Article IV, Sec. 6 of the By-Laws of
From the
Collector—
As the year draws to a close, I want to thank all church members for
the financial gifts you have made to
Terri L. Clark,
Collector
Volunteer Opportunities at the
There are many ways to help out at the
Community helper Help with home maintenance and
repairs, yard work, etc.
Friday luncheons Help set tables on
Fridays for busy lunch hour
Friendly visitor Call,
visit, play a board game – done with assistance of the
Senior
Center Outreach Department
Meal drivers Deliver
lunch meals to home-bound seniors; alternate drivers needed
as well. Contact Karen at
781-934-5774 ext. 16.
Transportation Drive
clients to medical appointments, grocery store or pharmacy. Also, drivers willing to take veterans
to appointments
at the
For questions or to have an application mailed to you, kindly call
Becky Ford, Volunteer Coordinator at the
Christian
Education Corner
Kid’s
Klub*Kid’s Klub- 4th-6th grade. We will meet on Dec. 3rd from
2:30-4:00pm. Come for a movie and
fun holiday snacks. Bring a friend!
JYF*JYF*JYF- We’ll send
a postcard to you once we’ve nailed down the date for our meeting in
December.
Confirmation- Our only meeting
in December is on the 3rd.
Be sure to continue working on your hours and keep track of them. Keep an eye out for emails concerning
various activities.
The
Christmas Pageant-
Hear ye, Hear ye!
The Christmas Pageant this year will be at the 10AM worship service on
Sunday morning. Rehearsals for
the Pageant will be during the Sunday School times on
December 3rd, 10th and 17th. Try-outs for speaking parts will be held
after Church on the 3rd.
Costumes will be handed out on the 17th after the 10AM
service. All participants are to be
at the Church on Christmas Eve at 9:00AM.
Grace and Peace
to all of you during this time when we prepare for the birth of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. I
pray that Christmas will be a true Holy Day and not merely a holiday.
In
the true Spirit of Christmas,
Rev.
Eloise
Notice to all individuals, groups, committees, and boards