April 3, 2008
Pilgrims on the Journey:
1. This Sunday we will be joined all day by Father Jean Monique Bruno, an Episcopal Priest from Haiti with a thirty-year mission relationship with Church of the Pilgrims. (The Episcopal Church in Haiti is a mission partner with the Presbyterian Church USA). Pilgrims first supported Father Bruno's work by contributing to the building of a vocational school in a 1979 capital campaign. This was followed by two work trips to Haiti in 1980 and 1984, and a subsequent visit by Father Bruno to Pilgrims. Father Bruno's work in North Haiti with the medical clinic Esperance e Vie (Hope and Life), and two schools, is supported domestically through Bethlehem Ministry, based in Athens, GA (www.bethlehemministry.org <http://www.bethlehemministry.org> ).
The schedule for Sunday:
- 9:30 a.m. Father Bruno will share with us during the Adult Education hour in the Bird Room. (Our two on-going Adult Classes will be suspended for the day, and resume next Sunday).
- 11:00 a.m. Father Bruno will be our preacher during morning worship.
- 6:00 p.m. All members and friends of the congregation are invited to a pot-luck supper at the manse, 4324 Van Ness Street NW. Please bring a dish to share. Beverages will be provided. Please RSVP's to me and let me know what you plan to bring.
2. New Covenant Group Forming: Pilgrim Stan Lou is forming a new "Covenant Group" for prayer and mutual support that will focus on life transitions. The group will meet for the first time Sunday evening, May 11. If you might be interested in being a part of this group, send a note to Stan for more information: stangoblue@yahoo.com .
Are you interested in starting your own Covenant Group, or being a part of one? If so, speak to Jeff or Ashley.
3. The Washington Interfaith Network will have a follow-up "Public Accountability Action" with members of City Council on Monday, April 28, ST. MARTIN’S RC CHURCH, 1908 N. Capitol Street, NW, to hold DC Council accountable for their pledges to WIN’s Vote Neighborhoods First election agenda to invest $1 billion to revitalize DC neighborhoods. Speak to Jean Stewart or send her a note if you can be part of Pilgrim's delegation: jean.stewart@rcn.com
4. Philip Mangano, the Executive Director of the US Interagency Council on Homelessness will speak at an event sponsored by Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place. It will take place in the Perry Auditorium (7th floor) of the National Cathedral on Monday, April 21, 2008. There will be receptions before the event at 6:30 and following the program which will begin promptly at 7:00pm. It is necessary to RSVP by Friday by calling 364-1419 ext 23. If you have questions, please e-mail Pat Goeldner – pgoeldner@iona.org or call her at 202-362-0813.
5. Special Note: Thursday night choir rehearsal is cancelled this week to avoid travel during the Pope's visit. Regular rehearsal Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m.
5. Congratulations to Joanne Leong and Amir Venegas on the birth of their daughter, Kendall Leong Venegas, born last week. (I don't have stats, but I do have their address if you'd like to send a note: 1715 15th Street NW., #36, WDC 20009.
Peace,
Jeff Krehbiel, Pastor
Church of the Pilgrims
Washington, DC
www.churchofthepilgrims.org <http://www.churchofthepilgrims.org>
April 3, 2008
Pilgrims on the Journey:
1. Eastertide is the fifty-day season between Easter and Pentecost (May 11), when we reflect each Sunday upon the meaning of Jesus' resurrection. Following the theme of my Easter sermon, (http://www.churchofthepilgrims.org/sermons.html), this is a season to "Excavate for Life."
This Sunday during our buffet following worship you have an opportunity to do that by joining the Outreach Team for a discussion of the congregation's mission, both local and global, led by our new Elder for Outreach, Jeff Francisco.
There will be two primary focuses for the discussion: First, hearing from Sandy Champion, National Capital Presbytery's "Hunger Action Enabler," who will share briefly about her work and how she might be supportive of our ministry to hungry people, such as Open Table.
Second, we will plan for the April 20 visit of Father Jean Bruno, an Episcopal Priest from Haiti, with whom Pilgrims has a long-term mission relationship. Pilgrims contributed to the construction of a vocational high school and made several mission trips to Haiti in the 80's and 90's.
We will also review how things are going with Open Table, WIN, the Pilgrimage, our Cuba partnership, and any other area of local, national, and global mission that participants would like to discuss. If you have ideas you would like to put on the table, send Jeff a note: jefranci@yahoo.com
2. This Sunday two new Adult Education classes begin at 9:30 a.m.:
Meditation and the Hard Questions for an Authentic Life.
April 6th, 13th, and 27th. Led by Stan Lou in the Upstairs Education Room.
This three week class is based on the book, The Hard Questions for an Authentic Life: 100 Essential Questions for Designing Your Life by the Inside Out by Susan Piver. Piver defines living authentically as “what you’re doing when you find congruence between your inner world – your feelings, values, gifts, needs, spirituality, and passions – and your outer world – your job, relationships, home, and community. When you live an authentic life, these things support and synergize each other. For three Sundays, we will work through some of the 100 questions Piver poses and incorporate the practice of meditation. Piver believes mediation clear our minds so that we may be open to identifying the voices inside of us offering thoughts, sensations, hopes, and fears that can establish unique qualities, direction, and real value. This class has a level of accountability. We hope participants will practice meditation through the week and the class will have some reflection homework based on the questions.
Reinhold Niebuhr: A Theologian for This Time
April 6, 13, 27. Led by Jerry McPike downstairs in the Bird Room.
Reinhold Niebuhr was the most famous and influential theologian in American history. Niebuhr (B.1892, D. 1971) was a theologian who had no interest in discussing the Trinity or the dual nature of Jesus. His focus was on the events in this world and particularly the issue of social justice. Much of his writing dealt with the inadequacies of theologies and ideologies which, although pro-social justice, were flawed to an extent that impeded any move toward a more just society. He emphasized the imperfections and sins that existed in our societal structures and our philosophies about the human situation. Self interest, in his opinion, permeated all our activities, and was the basic factor limiting any movement toward the kingdom of God. In the latter half of his career his focus moved toward foreign policy and he became a leader in the “realist” school of foreign policy. Much of what he had to say regarding both foreign and domestic policy has great applicability in our own time.
3. This Monday night, April 7, the Washington Interfaith Network (WIN), will hold a public "Accountability Action" to hold DC Mayor Adrian Fenty accountable for meeting target investment goals in the upcoming FY 2009 city budget as part of his pledge to WIN’s Vote Neighborhoods First election agenda to invest $1 billion to revitalize DC neighborhoods. 7:00—9:00 PM EMORY UMC CHURCH, 6100 GEORGIA AVE, NW. Please let Jean Stewart know if you can join us: jean.stewart@rcn.com
4. We have sixteen Pilgrims signed-up to participate in this Saturday's DC Habitat for Humanity Build in NE Washington, along with members from five other Presbyterian churches in the city. Thanks to Zach Wilks and Mary Lib Pate for organizing the crew! Please keep them in your prayers.
5. Our webmaster and "graphic artist in residence" Kathy Keler has a display of "Figurative Works" at the Hyattstown Mill Arts Project now through April 30. 14920 Hyattstown Mill Road, Hyattstown, MD 20871, 301.874.2452. www.hyattstownmill.org <http://www.hyattstownmill.org/>
6. Please keep Rob Passow's mother in your prayers this week. She is home recuperating after a brief hospital stay over the weekend with a heart-related ailment.
Peace,
Jeff Krehbiel, Pastor
Church of the Pilgrims
Washington, DC
www.churchofthepilgrims.org <http://www.churchofthepilgrims.org>
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