Summer Spiritual Formation Fun - 7/13 and 7/23

Summer Spiritual Formation Fun!

Join us this summer for Summer Spiritual Formation Fun! Pilgrim’s seminary intern Sam will be leading two sessions this summer for members and friends of Pilgrims and Western as a part of his integrative project for his seminary internship class. These will be opportunities for us to have some fun and fellowship time with one another, as well as engaging in art and play as forms of spiritual practices. Dates, times, and descriptions of each session are listed below.

July 13th 12:30-1:30pm – Creating in Community

           Join us after worship in the Bird room at Church of the Pilgrims for a time to create something with one another that will be used in worship later this summer. Prior experience in arts and crafts is not necessary for participating in this session! People of all skillsets are invited to come and have fun as we create something new in community with one another.

July 23rd 6:00-7:00pm – Popsicles and Play

           Wishing you could be at summer camp right about now? Then join us on Wednesday evening, July 23 in the Bird room at Church of the Pilgrims, for a time to engage in some summer fun games with one another (and we’ll have summer fun snacks too!). We’ll be playing games that people of all ages and skillsets can participate in so all are invited to come as we learn more about ourselves, each other, and our communities through play!  

Both sessions are open to anyone from elementary school age through adults of any age! (Younger participants however may need a parent or guardian to assist them with the July 13th craft session – please reach out to Sam if you have any questions).  

In order to ensure we have the necessary amount of supplies, please email Sam and let him know that you’re coming: sam.smith@churchofthepilgrims.org

I look forward to seeing you at one or both of these Summer Spiritual Formation Fun sessions! – Sam 

July Issues Among Us - 7/12

Take a ride with the Anacostia Riverkeepers and learn all about the river, environmental threats to the river, and solutions currently in progress. We’ll meet at the Anacostia Boat Ramp on Saturday 7/12 at 12:30pm. There is some paperwork to complete in advance, so you really do need to RSVP for this one. Please email Erin and let her know to reserve a space for you on the boat!

Open Table Cook Out! 7/6

It’s time for our annual Open Table Cookout Celebration! Stay after worship on Sunday, July 6th and let’s share in a feast together. Please bring a side dish to share. Hope to see you there!

Discerning, Discussing, and Dreaming - Summer Convos

We've been getting to know each other. We've enjoyed worshiping together. We shared burgers and dogs and Cheetos together. We kinda like each other. So, now what?

Things have gone so well over these past few months of Western and Pilgrims getting to know one another as we discern if we would be called to ministry together in some way. The next step is to discuss, wonder, and dream together about what what that ministry might be. To do that, we will spend the summer sharing in a series of one-on-one conversations.

This Sunday (6/15) during worship, and for a short time after worship, Pastor Erin will introduce the One-on-One Conversation plan. One-on-One conversations are a tool used frequently in community organizing to help build relationships and power, to help neighbors understand self-interests and passions, to help grow movements and connections. We are thinking that the One-on-Ones between Western and Pilgrims will help us get to know and discern God's call for our mission, in this moment, and together.

Over the summer, all Westerners and Pilgrims will be invited to participate in three intentional One-on-One conversations with a member from the other congregation (that's just one each month). This Sunday, Erin will provide some training and lots more details on how these conversations go and we'll practice briefly. Then you'll have one person per month to chat with. You can meet after one of our shared worship services, or find a time to meet on your own. Together, you'll dig deep into core values and passions, sense of call and dreams for mission. After these conversations, in the fall, there will be opportunities to provide feedback, to discuss what we heard from our conversation partners, and from the Spirit, along the way.

To pair with this practice, we've planned a Summer Worship Series exploring God's call in scripture. Maybe some themes will overlap. Maybe some ideas will spark. Maybe some new friends will be found.

Come and be a part of the conversation. See you Sunday at Pilgrims!

June Issues Among Us - 6/24

Harmonies of Liberty Concert and Salon Conversation

with Andrew Lee

An Evening of Music, Dialogue, and Community

Tuesday, June 24
West End Neighborhood Library

5:45 PM – Pre-concert Discussion

6:15 PM – Performance

Let's go together and join the Washington Conservatory of Music, American Purpose, and the DC Public Library for Harmonies of Liberty — an inspiring evening that blends stirring chamber music with powerful conversation.

This salon-style program features an ensemble performance of string works by Mozart, Florence Price, Duke Ellington, Antonín Dvořák, and James Weldon Johnson, celebrating the rich tapestry of musical voices that continue to shape our cultural identity.

Guiding the evening is  Andrew Lee, Executive Director of WCM, who will lead a pre-concert discussion that invites reflection on the universal human themes carried through classical and contemporary works. His insights will illuminate the enduring resonance of these composers’ legacies in today’s American narrative.

 Come for the music. Stay for the dialogue. Leave inspired.

Please RSVP to Erin if you plan to attend.

Click here to learn more about our Issues Among Us Series.

Summer Worship Schedule

As we continue exploring a ministry relationship with our friends at Western Presbyterian Church, we hope you’ll join us for some shared worship services this summer. Here’s the schedule:

Summer Worship Schedule

June 1 - Worship at Pilgrims - let's kick off Pride Month!

June 8 - Worship at Western - Pentecost, Pride, and a Picnic!

June 15 - Worship at Pilgrims with Western - Summer Conversations Kick-Off

June 22 - Worship at Pilgrims

June 29 - Worship at Pilgrims

July 6 - Worship at Pilgrims with Western- Open Table Annual Picnic

July 13 - Worship at Pilgrims

July 20 - Worship at Western - More Conversations after Worship

July 27 - Worship at Pilgrims with Western

August 3 - Worship at Pilgrims

August 10 - Worship at Pilgrims

August 17 - Worship at Western

August 24 - Worship at Pilgrims with Western - More Conversations after Worship

August 31 - Worship at Pilgrims

September 7 - Worship at Western - Big Fall Celebration

As we gather to worship all summer long, we’ll be looking at stories in scripture with Bold Calls and Faithful Responses. Come check it out!

Celebrate World Pride with Pilgrims!

The whole world is gathering in DC for World Pride. There are so many ways for you to get involved.

• Western Pres is hosting a Pride Concert on Saturday, May 31 at 4:30pm (see details below).

• The Dupont Business District is hosting 20 panels of the original AIDS Quilt this weekend, May 31- June 1, right outside the church, at Shevchenko Park. If it rains, they'll move the quilts inside the church. Make sure you come by to see them! Click here for details.

• We’ll be kicking off Pride month with a special worship service at Pilgrims on Sunday, June 1st at 11am.

• World Pride Interfaith Worship Service will be on June 3rd at 7pm at All Souls Unitarian Church. Details here.

• The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 7th. Come march with us!

Click here for more details and sign up for events with Presbyterians at Pride.

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Celebrate Pride with Action!

The Advocacy Committee on LGBTQIA+ Equity (ACQ+E) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is proud to be a signer of the 2025 World Pride Call to Action from the Lavender Interfaith Collective. Rooted in Reformed theology and a commitment to justice, ACQ+E works to affirm the full dignity of LGBTQIA+ people in the life of the church and the world. This call to action reflects the values the ACQ+E holds dear: liberation, joy, solidarity, and sacred worth across all identities. ACQ+E stands with faith leaders, advocates, and communities around the globe in calling for a future where every person can thrive. Read the full Call to Action here:

https://lincollective.org/wp-2025-call-to-action?utm_content=334098825&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&hss_channel=fbp-22627435207

Pentecost, Pride, and a Picnic - Come Worship with us at Western on 6/8

We will share in worship and a fabulous picnic at Western Presbyterian Church (2401 Virginia Ave NW) on Sunday, June 8th.
We’ll celebrate Pentecost and Pride in worship at 11am, both in-person and online. Then we’ll stick around for a picnic after the service. Hope to see you there!