PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

January 2007

 

 

A Last Byte from Bev…

 

            When a ploughman said, Speak to us of Work, the Prophet answered, You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth…. When you work you fulfill a part of earth’s furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born….

            These are the words of Kahlil Gibran in his timeless little book, The Prophet.  I received my first copy from our minister when I graduated from high school.  I had already been working every summer by that age—at Brigham’s in Arlington Heights.  It wasn’t plowing the earth or bringing in the sheaves, but it launched me into what Gibran calls life’s procession that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite.

            I have marched proudly and continuously in various work capacities ever since: counter clerk, student, waitress, physician’s assistant, dark room technician, student again, mom (that’s work!), graphic designer, copy editor, editor, student again, seminary intern, and now ordained minister.  I’d like to think that each one of these work roles has served in some small way to fulfill a part of earth’s furthest dream, assigned to [me] when that dream was born.

I do know that one day, 20 years ago or so, I was looking at our prodigious family tree, which had been researched by my grandmother and mother.  In almost every generation there was clergy, going back to my own grandfather, to Elder William Brewster, to the only minister hanged as a witch in 1692, and on to a Bishop of Chichester in the 1200s.   As I surveyed my generation across the bottom of the chart, I saw in a kind of epiphany (appropriate to this season), that God was probably calling me to fulfill not only some mystical dream of the eons, but to continue as a weaver of the family tapestry—something that had already been germinating in me since I was a teenager.  And here I am.

All of this is to say that I have been working—in the conventional sense--for many many years.  Ordained ministry has been a unique kind of work, and it has been by far, aside from parenthood, the most soul-satisfying and centering work I have ever done.  Now it is time for me, ironically, to do more keep[ing] pace with the earth and the soul of the earth and less keeping pace with what work has become (cars, schedules, meetings, phones, etc.) since the more agricultural workdays Kahlil Gibran alludes to.

I bid you an extremely fond farewell as I move on, not from ministry or proud submission to the infinite, but to a less ordered, more flexible, adventurous, and experimental life.  I have gotten glimpses of that life, for one example, when I go to Florida to be with the daughters and the grandchildren and they insist that I sit and relax while THEY do the work!  Ahhh, the fulfillment of one dream!

Please know that I will miss you all; thank you for letting me march along with you for a while.

 

                        Wishing you God’s blessing and with my love,

                        Bev Duncan

 

 

 

 

 

                       

An Overview of Christianity and World Religions

 

 

 

 

 

Please join our Bible Study Class for three consecutive Wednesday mornings and evenings as we learn and have conversation together about "Christianity and World Religions."  This is a video series offered by Cokesbury Resources and led by The Reverend Adam Hamilton.  In the films, Hamilton deals openly and honestly with questions people ask about other religions including the unique claims of Christianity.  He also interviews leaders of other faith traditions with great respect, recognizing the unique contribution of other religious traditions.  Hamilton is also an author of 7 books and was named by PBS’s Religion and Ethics Newsweekly as one of the top “Ten People to Watch.”  In addition to the video, there will also be a participant's manual with discussion questions for reflection during the week in preparation for our class together.  This will cost $9.00.  Please make a point to join us beginning Wednesday, January 24, 31 and February 7 & 14 at either 10:00-11:30 AM or 7:30-9:00 PM.  There will be a sign up sheet for both sessions on the bulletin board outside the vestry. 

 

                                                            The Reverend Beverly Weinhold

 

 

 

 

The Pilgrim Child Care and Preschool (PCCP), located at 404 Washington Street, Duxbury, Massachusetts, is a non-profit organization committed to early education and care. A non-denominational early education school, the PCCP is affiliated with the Pilgrim Congregational Church of Duxbury. PCCP provides the community with quality early care and education programs, including full day Kindergarten. PCCP meets the criterion of the National Accreditation for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) by implementing curriculum that is developmentally appropriate for infants, toddlers, preschool, and school age children. To learn more about PCCP, visit http://mysite.verizon.net/bizeasfb/pccp/ or contact (781) 934-8145.

                                                                       Michelle L. Manganaro, M.Ed.,Director PCCP
                                                           

 

The Board of Christian Outreach is organizing teams of 8 volunteers each month to serve dinner at the Pine Street Inn in Boston.  On the 4th Friday of the month from December 2006 through June 2007, the group will meet in the Church parking lot by 3:45 PM for the 5:00 PM dinner.  Anyone interested in volunteering for this important mission should contact Doug Backlund at 781-934-0764.  Thank you!

 

 

Saturday Night 5 

 

 

 

The next SN5! service will be on January 20th.  This is our annual service to honor the work and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  We hope you will join us for this very special service.  On Feb. 3rd, we will hold our Souper Bowl service.  This is a service of education and response.  Hunger is prevalent in our world, our country and even our own back yard.  How do we as Christians respond?  Bring in your canned goods and money and we will fight this together.  We hope to see you at both of these services.

 

It is with regret that we learned of Beth MacLeod’s resignation as Junior Choir Director effective December 31, 2006.  Beth has been an enthusiastic director with the ability to inspire the young people to sing well in praise of God every other Sunday.  Under Beth's able direction, the children have also been enthusiastic and have enjoyed being part of the Worship Service.  Beth had long seen the need for new robes for the choir and, thanks to her efforts and the generosity of a choir family, the choir now has them.  This is a wonderful legacy.  We will miss you Beth as part of the music program but expect to see you often on Sunday mornings.  Perhaps you will sing for us occasionally?

 

It is with pleasure that I am able to introduce our new Junior Choir Director.  All of you, I am sure, know Carol Cybulska.   She is our soprano section leader, a professional singer and teacher and we value her greatly as a person and musician.  We are delighted that Carol has agreed to take the responsibility of directing the Junior Choir beginning in January 2007.  Carol has a large class of young singers in her studio and is, therefore, well aware of the needs of young choristers. Please see the note from Carol concerning the choir schedule for January.

 

For the month of January with all its unpredictable weather, the senior choir will meet on Sunday Mornings at 8:30 for rehearsal thereby eliminating the need for a Thursday evening rehearsal.  If you have been "thinking" of joining us, this would be a good time.

 

                                                                        Cathleen Morrison,  Music Director

 

 

“Notes” from some other “voices” . . .

 

         Board of Trustees

The Trustees of Pilgrim church would like to recognize the outstanding effort and dedication Beth MacLeod has brought to the position of Junior Choir Director. We thank Beth for sharing her time and talents with our youth.

 

We look forward to a new year with our junior choir under the direction of another talented member of our church, Carol Cybulska.  Welcome Carol.

 

Music Board

On behalf of the Pilgrim Music Board I'm grateful for and pleased with Beth MacLeod's shepherding and leadership of the Pilgrim Junior Choir.  She has given time, effort and talent (the sharing of her gift) to this ministry, engaging the children and delighting the congregation's ears.  Her caring leadership and professional development of our young musicians' potential is laudatory. Beth's professional dedication to and obvious loving care of the individual child and their vocal education is appreciated, and shall continue its blessings for a long time.  We thank her very much and shall miss her continued participation in this capacity.

 

Also, I am pleased with and grateful for Carol Cybulska's upcoming stewardship of the Pilgrim Junior Choir.  As much as we shall miss Beth we welcome Carol to the choir's directorship.  We know she shall continue the fine music program to which we have become accustomed.

                                                                                                Cordially,

                                                                                                Ronald Wolfe, Chairperson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Junior Choir members and parents! I'm very excited to be your new Junior Choir Director. Rehearsals start on January 7 right after Sunday school in the choir room. I hope you will all be there so we can get to know each other and learn some fun new music. See you all there!

                                                                                                Mrs. Cybulska

The January dates for Junior choir are as follows:

 

 

Sunday, Jan 7, 14 and 28 - rehearsal from 11:15 - 12:00

Sunday, January 21 - rehearsal at 9:00, perform at 10:00 service

 

 

 

Beacon Hospice seeks volunteers to provide supportive care to hospice patients and their families as they face a life-limiting illness.  Volunteers do a variety of activities like provide a friendly visit to a patient, offer respite care for the caregiver, make scrapbooks, collages, or other hand-made items.  Your presence is your gift.  Please contact Kathy Creedon at 508-747-7222 for more information.

 

Christian Education Corner

 

By the time you read this, another Pageant will have passed by. As I am writing this, however, it has not yet taken place.  I have watched as a different group of children shows up for each rehearsal.  I have wondered how it will come together without a full rehearsal but then I am reminded that we are in the season of miracles-both big and small.  (Really though, is there any such thing as a small miracle?)  The Pageant is one of the times when we are reminded that the God who cannot be contained came to earth as a tiny baby.  We celebrate the wildness and wonder of the God who came to us and continues to come to us.

 

A big part of what makes the Pageant such a special thing is the coming together of so many members of the Church family who work hard to make this a wonderful service.  Thanks to all the parents who helped make sure the shepherds, angels, sheep, cows and other little actors were where they needed to be.  Thanks also to everyone who helps with costumes and scenery.Thanks to the confirmands who helped to make sure the kids got their cues. A big thanks to the CE Board members for all of their work in making this a wonderful Pageant.  A very special thanks to Gwynne Zisko for directing again this year.

 

Our next Rotation for CHURCH SCHOOL will be the story of the Good Samaritan.  The opening session will be on January 7th in the Vestry.  The rotation will run January 14, 21, 28 & February 4.

 

Kids Klub*Kid’s Klub—4th, 5th & 6th graders will meet on Sunday, January 14th from 2:30-4:00 in the Vestry.  It will be a time of fun, food and fellowship.  I hope you can join us and bring a friend.

 

JYF*JYF*JYF Keep an eye out for postcards telling you of the next activity.

 

CONFIRMATION  The classes continue with sessions on the 7th, 21st and the 28th, following morning worship.  On the 21st, after class, we will have a pizza party.  (Please note the schedule change.)  This will give you a chance to meet your Mentors and find out a little bit more about how this part of Confirmation works.  Keep working on your hours and remember to keep track of what you are doing.

May this New Year be full of new chances and possibilities,

                                                                                                                    Rev. Eloise

 

 

 

 

Girl Scout troop 254 would like to say thank you for  the generosity of those at Pilgrim Church and Holy Family Church.  With your help, our  troop 254 was able to make more than 160 bags of personal Carolina Hill!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Mass to Miss--the return.  Mission Trip '07"

June 23rd-30th

1st downpayment of $125 is due January 21st.

Second downpayment of $125 is due March 18th.

Questions?  Call Eloise at the Church office.

 

 

 

 

 

Bookworms

Bookworms will be meeting on the 4th Tuesday of the month, January 23, 2007 in the Church Library at 1:30 PM.  We will be discussing Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick.  Hope to see you then.  All are welcome.

 

Koinonia will begin the New Year at the home of Winnie D’Amelio on Monday, January 8th at 7:00 PM  If you have any questions, please call Elaine Guilfoyle at 781-934-9648.

 

 

Settled Pastor/Transition Update

Rod Clark, Moderator

 

I hope you will agree with me that due to the dedicated involvement of our staff, our leadership and our parishioners, we have navigated through the beginning of our transition from Ken to Beverly well.  When all is fine at the coffee hour after the Sunday service, I am a happy Moderator.   It is time for an update on where the “transition train” is, because it is about to leave the station.  It is only fair that if you have a seat on the train, you should know where you are going.  I hope the information below will give you a snapshot of the next 6-9 months of our journey.  Before we begin, it may be helpful to provide a glossary of commonly used terms.

 

  • Transition Team – a group of 6-8 volunteers taken from our committees that will be directed by Beverly Weinhold from December, ’06 to May, ‘07
  • Settled Pastor Search Committee – A group of 5-7 diverse church members who will recommend the final candidate for the Settled Pastor
  • Church “Profile” – a comprehensive document that describes who the Pilgrim Church of Duxbury is.  This document is posted on the UCC master website for future candidates to review.

 

We have a very busy calendar for the next 6 months.  I hope you will join me in my excitement for the possibilities that we will uncover about ourselves and our church.  Let’s all plan to get involved with the transition activities.  You know the old saying, “you get out what you put in.”  God bless you and let’s keep the tracks clear for a great ride.

 

Activity

Purpose

Responsible

Timing

Form Transition Team

Establish leadership for first Phase of transition

Beverly Weinhold, Rod Clark

COMPLETE

Church wide “History Night”

We need to know where we have been before we can go forward

Transition Team, Congregation

January 21, 2007 – 3:00 to 4:30pm at the church

Council meets with Conference leader to discuss process to form Settled Pastor Search Committee

Provide clear direction on team’s responsibility, process for selecting team

Church Council

January 16, 2007

Church wide “Core Values” gathering

What are the core values that we think are the most important?

Transition Team, Congregation

February, 2007

Formal assessment is distributed

Survey to gather membership data, opinions

Transition Team

February, 2007

Formulate Settled Pastor Search Committee

Form team to drive all aspects of hiring the new Settled Pastor

Church Council

March, 2007

“Hot Potatoes” Review

Formal process to examine conflicts, gaps

Transition Team

March, 2006

Transition Team’s final Report

Transition Team summarizes results of above activities to help Settled Search Committee develop “Profile” document

Transition Team

May, 2007

Settled Pastor Search Committee Begins

Begin process to hire Beverly Weinhold’s replacement

Settled Pastor Search Committee

June, 2007

Ongoing communication throughout the process

 

 

 

PARISH POST

Prayers of Healing:

Bill Poellmitz - Grace Poellmitz -  Ruth Whitcomb - Les Swanson - Kiki Houghton - Priscilla Sangster -

 

Prayers of Joy

For the birth of John William Wiedner, Pat Wiedner’s new grandson.

 

 Prayers of Comfort and Solace 

For the family and friends of John Geishecker.

For the family and friends of Larry Anderson.

For the family and friends of Sarah Bampton, Jean Robinson’s mother.