PILGRIM CHURCH IS GROWING *
Have you felt it? Can you smell it? It is the new wave of excitement evident in everything we’re
doing at Pilgrim Church. And it all started with an Autopsy. Last June I shared information from
Thom Rainer’s blog about a vibrant church that died. The autopsy listed all the ills the church
had experienced over the course of its final years. It was a bleak picture to say the least. The
response? It was tremendous. Pilgrim Church took a look around and, in effect, said, “That
won’t be us.” And it’s working.
Since that day in June, the focus of Pilgrim Church has been transformed from inward to
outward. Rather than an obsession with our needs, there has been a shift to the needs of others.
Of course, Pilgrim has always been generous, but today it is different. A few examples of this
new attitude can be seen below:
Renewed interest in ministry to Camp Washington Homework Club, Back-to-School and
Thanksgiving meal.
Shared ministry with Palabra de Vida church in Drop Inn Center meal
Open and Affirming Discernment
Ministry to our own families experiencing difficulties
Mission Trip to Henderson Settlement
Our church is GROWING. No, it is not growing so much in numbers, but it is growing in faith and
practice. Studies show that churches fixed on their own needs have a tendency to dwindle in
participation and numbers. On the other hand, churches focused on the needs of others have a
greater chance of increased vitality and strength. And all it took was a look in the mirror.
I am re-invigorated in my quest to make Pilgrim Church the very best place it can be. I have a
feeling that’s what you want, too. Look through this issue of The Pilgrim for evidence of what I
am talking about. Get involved. Catch the Spirit. Be a part of something big – YOUR CHURCH!
Open and Affirming Timeline:
In an effort to keep everyone abreast of the events
shaping our Open and Affirming discernment, thefollowing tentative schedule is presented. Please
note that the final piece in the process will be a
Congregational Meeting at which we will vote to be
an Open and Affirming congregation within the UCC.
At that time, we will also vote on our new ONA
Mission Statement.
PROPOSED CALENDAR OF EVENTS
November 24 Screening of “For the BIBLE tells
me so”
“Through the experiences of
five very normal, very
Christian, very American
families – including those of former House Majority
Leader Richard Gephardt and Episcopal Bishop
Gene Robinson – we discover how insightful people
of faith handle the realization of having a gay child.
Informed by such respected voices as Bishop
Desmond Tutu, Harvard’s Peter Gomes, Orthodox
Rabbi Steve Greenberg and Rev. Jimmy Creech, FOR
THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO offers healing, clarity and
understanding to anyone caught on the crosshairs of
December Distribution of “Homosexuality
and Christianity” brochure
January Two opportunities for
discussions with Dr. Jim Esmail
on Psychological and Religious
response to Homosexuality
Formation of Task Force to write
New Mission Statement
Annual Meeting report on ONA Progress
March/April Lenten Bible Study on Jesus and
Inclusiveness
May 4 Congregational Meeting to vote
on Open and Affirming status
