Together, Church of the Pilgrims and Western Presbyterian Church are hiring a part time (10-15hr/week) Communications Coordinator.
Click here to read the position description and details on how to apply!
Advent Worship Planning - 11/5
Do you love Advent? Have a favorite Christmas hymn that you want to make sure we sing this year? Curious about how worship services get made? Well then, you should come to our Advent Worship Planning Pop-Up Meeting! No need to join a committee or have any special training. Just show up! Wednesday, Nov. 5th at 7pm at Church of the Pilgrims in the Bird Room. Hope to see you there!
Soup Night - 10/14
Come to Pilgrims on Tuesday 10/14 anytime after 5pm to help make soups to serve on Sundays with Open Table. Hope to see you there!
Table Talk - 10/8
What brings you to worship each Sunday? Have you noticed when you connect especially with the sermon? What is it about the music that moves your spirit? These are just a few questions that might help us dig into a conversation about what we value in worship. As Western and Pilgrims have been worshiping together over these past several months, we've tried a few different things, we've shifted some other things, and we've explored what worship might look like together. Let's get together and share a meal and discuss some of those experiences and discern what we value together in worship! Wednesday, 10/8 at 6:30pm at Church of the Pilgrims in the sanctuary. Please RSVP (so we can plan the food) to officeadmin@churchofthepilgrims.org.
Issues Among Us - 9/20
Issues Among Us
9/20 at 11am
Let's go see some of the Smithsonian Exhibits that everyone's talking about. The current Administration has called for the Smithsonian to review several of their exhibits, especially at the National Museum of American History. Let's go see this Ben Franklin exhibit and the Democracy exhibit for ourselves and discuss how we talk about history and how we share our story together. Meet Steve Coxe at the National Museum of American History at the National Mall entrance at 11am. Click here to email Steve and let him know you're coming.
Pilgrims & Western Town Hall - 9/28
Session Members from Pilgrims and Western will be leading a Town Hall conversation on Sunday, Sept 28th after worship to update both congregations on our Shared Ministry Discernment. We'll celebrate all we've done together so far this year, lay out our big plans for the Fall, and go over some of the long term options and possibilities (yes, that means buildings, and budgets, and pastors, Oh My!). Come and bring your questions and let's discuss! 9/28 at 12noon, both in person and online.
Fall Worship Schedule
As our congregations are in a season of discernment over how we might be called to shared ministry together, the sessions of Pilgrims and Western each voted last week to approve a worship schedule for this Fall that will have the congregations worshipping together each Sunday. With one exception we will worship at Western on the first and second Sundays of each month, and at Pilgrims on the third and fourth Sundays. (The exception will be Sunday, Sept. 21, when we will worship at Western.)
The combined worship planning group of Western and Pilgrims, meeting last month with pastors Erin and David, proposed this worship calendar through November. The group based the plan on two key factors:
First, the strong sense that the work of relationship building has been overwhelmingly positive, and both communities feel ready to move forward in forming something new. Thus it makes sense to move to joint worship regularly.
Second, the recognition that the ultimate decisions on property are complex and not likely to be settled in the near term. Thus it makes sense to continue using both spaces for worship so that everyone becomes increasingly familiar with both spaces. The worship team and both sessions believe this will help everyone more readily embrace whatever decisions ultimately get made regarding property.
We are excited about spending the Fall together continuing to get to know one another and continuing to discern God’s call for us in this new season!
Western and Pilgrims Fall Worship Schedule
Sept 7 Worship together at Western - Big Fall Celebration
Sept 14 Worship together at Western
Sept 21* Worship together at Western
Sept 28 Worship together at Pilgrims
Oct 5 Worship together at Western - World Communion Sunday
Oct 12 Worship together at Western
Oct 19 Worship together at Pilgrims
Oct 26 Worship together at Pilgrims
Nov 2 Worship together at Western - All Saint’s (observed)
Nov 9. Worship together at Western
Nov 16 Worship together at Pilgrims
Nov 23 Worship together at Pilgrims
At our October joint session meeting, the sessions of both congregations voted to keep worshiping together, with the schedule as follows:
11/30 - Worship at Pilgrims
12/7 - Worship at Western
12/14 - Worship at Western
12/21 - Worship at Pilgrims
12/24 - Christmas Eve Worship at Western
12/28 - Worship at Pilgrims
Big Fall Celebration - at Western Pres - 9/7
Join in worship on Sunday, Sept 7th at Western Presbyterian Church for a Big Fall Celebration. We'll reflect on our Summer conversations, dream about a Fall spent together, and share a whole lot of snacks! Come for worship, stay for the party! See you there.