June 3, 2007
Updates and Invitations: The Sabbatical Version
Throughout the sabbatical period, we will be hearing stories in worship and in our Updates and Invitations from Pilgrims based on our sabbatical themes of “connections and clarity.” Each Pilgrim “storyteller” was given a reflection exercise to help name and articulate a story of connection and clarity from their experiences at church. This story of connection and clarity comes from David Krone.
After moving to DC for college, finding a new place of worship proved both an exciting and confusing experience. For a while I decided to try branching out beyond my traditional Presbyterian roots. I went to a contemporary service held in a movie theater at Union station. I attended a very formal, almost liturgical, service at Georgetown University. Eventually, however, several moments of “connection and clarity” led me to visit the Church of the Pilgrims and to become an Associate Member at what is now my church in DC.
The first such moment came during the first semester of my Freshman year while I was back home in Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving break. I had attended Sunday services at my church and was mingling at the after service coffee-hour. There, I ran into the youth minister – a twenty-something, red-headed woman who had lived in DC for a short time. I told her I was looking for a social justice-oriented church with an active congregation. She immediately replied, “Church of the Pilgrims.” By her description, Pilgrims seemed an eerily perfect match to the kind of Church I was looking for. When I returned to Georgetown, I looked up the church online and next Sunday I attended service at Pilgrims for the first time.
I still, nonetheless, had not made up my mind on whether I wanted to actually join a Church during my stay at college. The next moment, however, reminded me how much the Church, especially the Presbyterian Church, had been a part of life since my birth and even before then. In preparation for his sabbatical, Pastor Krehbiel had done some preliminary research on the Presbyterian Mission Workers in Guatemala. One of the names that came up was David Wiseman. When Jeff mentioned him, I was astounded. Before traveling to Guatemala, Wiseman had served at a church in Cary, North Carolina for 26 years – the very same church my mother had served at as a youth minister so many years ago. In fact, though my mother denies it, Wiseman may have had an influence over the choice of my own name, David. It certainly felt nice to have long reaching roots throughout the church network and it helped convince me to remain a part of the Presbyterian community while at college.
The final moment of “connection and clarity,” however, the one that convinced me to stay at Pilgrims, was little more than a simple chat with Krehbiel over lunch about Pilgrims, the PC(USA), and my membership. While discussing church politics and the possibilities of an associate membership (where I retain membership at my church in PA but obtain membership rights and responsibilities at Pilgrims), I thought to myself, “Darn, I love talking about church politics and working together with an active religious group. I should stay here.” All the pieces simply seemed to connect and it was clear to me that Pilgrims would be my church away from home for the next several years.
Of course, I do not wish for moments of “connection and clarity” to stop now that I am a member of Pilgrims. I have participated in Church events like WIN and the Membership Outreach Committee and I look forward to many more such moments where I may seize opportunities to serve both God and the church community during my time in DC. Looking back, however, I realize now how God, through these moments, guided me in my first few steps into DC. I am grateful both to Him and to the congregation at Pilgrims for support, and I look forward to spending my final two years of college attended services at Church of the Pilgrims.
Sabbatical Updates:
- Where is Jeff? On June 1st, Jeff left for Taize <http://www.taize.fr/> in France and Iona <http://www.iona.org.uk/> in Scotland.
- Jeff’s a Blogger! Check out Jeff’s Sabbatical Blog <http://www.jeffkrehbiel.blogspot.com/>
- Sabbatical Preaching Schedule for June:
June 17th: Ashley. Come and witness the confirmation of Martinique Elsa Duran Gigax.
June 24th: Rev. Margee Iddings
Connections at Pilgrims
Summer Intern: Welcome to Rob Heppenstall, our summer intern at Pilgrims! Rob arrived on June 1st and is a rising senior at Davidson College and a Lilly Scholar at Davidson. In his first week, Rob attended a conference put on by Sojourners <http://www.sojo.net/> that allowed him to witness live the “Faith, Values and Politics” segment on CNN this past Monday that included interviews with Sen. Clinton, Sen. Obama and John Edwards. At this very moment, Rob is on an Urban Plunge with another intern from the National Coalition for the Homeless. For two days and two nights, the streets of DC will be Rob’s home as he “plunges” into the reality of homelessness: eating in soup kitchens, sleeping on the streets (in the rain!), panhandling and witnessing a bit of the truth of what it means to be homeless in D.C.
Christian Education--9:30-10:30 in the Bird Room
· June 10th: Connections and Clarity with Rev. Louise Green, our guest preacher for worship.
· June 17th: Connection and Clarity with Martinique Elsa Duran Gigax: Come and hear about Martinique’s confirmation process and witness Session approve Martinique to be confirmed in the Christian church.
· June 24th: Connection and Clarity with Rev. Margee Iddings, our guest preacher for worship.
Connections with the City and Global Village: Upcoming Dates
It’s Pride Week! Join Pilgrims in the celebration of the diversity and the dimensions of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered DC community.
Artist’s reception for “Through the Window: Spiritual Insights into HIV,” by Lois Wilson, Saturday, June 9th. Our artist’s reception is co-sponsored by the DC chapter of More Light Presbyterians <http://www.mlp.org/> , 3-7 PM (light refreshments) in the Bird Room at Pilgrims. Thanks to Gerry Hendershot for organizing this reception and exhibit.
Capital Pride Parade, June 9th, kicks off at 6:30 PM 23rd & P on Pilgrims door step; March with Pilgrims, More Light churches, and exquisite drag queens <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_queen> ! Meet on the front sanctuary steps around 5:30pm to gather with other More Light Presbyterians. We will find our place in the parade and receive cheers for being welcoming to the glbt community.
Pride Festival: Join Pilgrims after church on June 10th at our booth at the Pride Festival on Pennsylvania Avenue. Jonathan Mertz is looking for folks to staff the booth from Noon until 4pm. Our booth has information about the church and this is a great way talk with folks, evangelize Pilgrims, and present our faith community as a place of holy welcome. Email Jonathan to volunteer: kstodc@earthlink.net
Interfaith Convocation on Hunger <http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/worship/special.shtml> , June 11th, 6pm @ The National Cathedral. Join an interfaith gathering to call on the president and Congress to renew their commitment to end hunger. This convocation is sponsored by Bread for the World <http://www.bread.org/gathering2007> and other anti-hunger organizations.
WIN Action Team Meeting, Thursday, June 14th at Covenant Baptist Church. Join other Pilgrims at this WIN event to hear an update on politics with Mayor Fenty to implement the Neighborhood Investment Plans and Vote Neighborhoods First Election Agenda. Contact Jean Stewart if you are interested: stewartsj@starpower.net
Saturday, June 23rd: TASSC -- the Torture Survivors' Abolition and Support Coalition -- is sponsoring a 24 hour vigil at Lafayette Square in front of the White House. Please go to www.tassc.org <http://www.tassc.org> for information on how you can participate.
Tuesday, June 26th: The National Religious Campaign Against Torture, along with the American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International, and the Leadership Council on Civil Rights are sponsoring a Day of Action to Restore Law and Justice in Washington, D.C. You can find out more about the event here <www.juneaction.org <http://www.juneaction.org> >, and you can download the flyer for the rally here <http://action.aclu.org/site/DocServer/flyer-v2_sm_a.pdf?docID=1361>. The day will bring together about 3,000 people for a rally on Capitol Hill, to be followed by lobbying Members of Congress to end torture and secret prisons, to restore due process and fairness to detainees, and to reform the abuses of the Military Commissions Act (MCA) by enacting the Restoring the Constitution Act (RCA).
Prayer Concerns:
1) Continued prayers for Dick Gigax as he recovers from a fall. Alice and Dick are also preparing to move out of their home of many years so prays for the entire Gigax family in the midst of this major life transition.
2) Prayers for Van’s mom as she prepares for surgery in June.
3) Carol Huls requests prayers for a co-worker, Frank, whose wife just died in the midst of other family tragedies.
4) David Tyson, a frequent visitor whose health has been vulnerable this past month.
5) Prayers for Joanne Leong and Amir Venegas and Shannon Smythe and Michael Fleischman—couples at Pilgrims who will be married in June. Joanne and Amir will be married at Pilgrims on June 16th. Shannon and Mike will be married in PA on June 23rd and I’m making the trip to co-officiate this interfaith ceremony.
Peace,
Ashley
Sabbatical 2007 Pastor's Updates
February 2007 Pastor's Updates
December 2006 Pastor's Updates
November 2006 Pastor's Updates
September 2006 Pastor's Updates