S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0 | I S S U E N O . 7 THE SPIRE The Official Newsletter of Pilgrim Congregational Church, UCC 15 Common Street, P.O. Box 281 Southborough, MA 01772 April 2021 Growing Faith. Strengthening Families. Loving All. IN LIKE A LION TABLE OF CONTENTS by Pastor Charley Eastman “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it Important Dates - 3 that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the Sanctuary Flowers - 3 end is still to come.”–Matthew 24:6 (NIV) PCYG Schedule - 3 Holy Week Music Well, March certainly came roaring into the midst of our Events - 4 reflective Lent. I had no idea what a storm we’d be in by the Minister of Music end of this month, and I can tell you right now, I do NOT like Search Update - 4 it! Palm & Easter Sunday Family Events - 5 The news of the Vatican reiterating the position they’ve Fellowship Activities long held that endorsing same-sex marriage is impossible Update - 5 was not unexpected for anyone who’s been paying Card Making Workshop attention. But it still stings, especially after such kind and Photos - 6 welcoming words from Pope Francis. Now I’m not going to Food Pantry Needs - 7 critique how one faith handles their stance to the LGBTQI+ Deacons' Corner - 8 community, because it’s not my faith. It’s not my faith, and Birthday & so it’s not my problem. There are many faiths I don’t adhere Anniversaries - 9 to, and Catholicism is one. Celebrations & Concerns - 10 On the other hand, we do offer safe harbor at Pilgrim Staff & Officers - 11 Church for anyone who wants to follow a Christianity of love and welcome. I don’t want to steal anyone away from their church homes if they are happy and fulfilled there, but if this issue reaches a breaking point for friends and relatives you may have in our area, then invite them along. Everyone In Like a Lion (cont.) deserves a spiritual home that aligns with their sense of how God blesses all of God’s people, no matter who they are or how they identify. Most won’t take you up on it, but if any are in need, tell them we’re here. The same goes for the entire LGBTQI+ community: we are here for you. We stand by you, and we do bless your unions. I have had the privilege of officiating at a number of weddings for couples who do not fit the cis-gendered “typical” wedding modality, and if has always been a pleasure for me to do so. I look forward to many more! But of course, the news cycle didn’t stop there. Our relations with China are being tested. Our nation seems poised to return to cold-war style relations with Russia. And a murderer in Atlanta took the lives of eight people. He seemed to be on his way to Florida to take more when police caught up with him. This last one was particularly galling for the AAPI community, and I wrote about this on my blog on our church website. The killer claims he was not racially motivated, but he doesn’t get to characterize his actions anymore. He forfeited that right when he did the crime. On top it of it all, we’re still in this pandemic. We’re still not all vaccinated. And in the midst of all this: Holy Week arrives. A parade on Palm Sunday, remembering Jesus’ triumphal entry to Jerusalem, even as the noose tightened, and he became the target for an empire to cure some of its ills. Then Maundy Thursday, with a somber Tenebrae, and Good Friday, with a classical one. Holy Saturday, we watch and wait, until the moment comes again when we whisper, then speak, then yell: REJOICE! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Does the world need the witness of Pilgrim Congregational church? Now more than ever! They need our acceptance, our welcome, and our sense of the healing love of Christ that rebukes violence and takes a path of peace and reconciliation. I hope you’ll be able to spend Easter in reflection. Use the day as a reset on the events of the last several weeks. Afterword, please carry that Easter spirit of redemption and salvation forward through the rest of the year. I can’t wait to see what will unfold! March may have come in like a lion, but it’s time for the Lamb to take over now. Rev. Charley Eastman 2 Important Dates Sanctuary Flowers Thursday, April 1 The opportunity to donate flowers 7:30 p.m. - Maundy Thursday Service to beautify our Sanctuary on Sunday mornings is available again! Sunday, April 4 Anyone wishing to do so, should Easter Sunday sign up on our homepage https://pilgrimchurch.us/ and scroll Mondays, April 5 down to Sanctuary Flowers. Then 7:30 p.m. – Women’s Spirituality Group contact Michele Landes (508) 361- 3516 by Wednesday morning of the Mondays, April 5, 12 &26 week before for arrangement 9:30 a.m. – Healthy Living Group details. Please make your checks out to Pilgrim Church in the Friday, April 9 amount of $40 and send to P.O. 8:00 p.m. - Fellowship Trivia Night Box 281, Southborough, MA 01772. Sunday, April 11 11:00 a.m. - "Heaven at 11:00" Please be sure to fill out all Coffee Hour information online. We suggest that you take the arrangements Monday, April 12 home after the service. 7:30 p.m. – Council Meeting Thank you to Michele for her Thursday, April 14 ministry of flowers. 7:30 p.m. - Thirsty Third Thursday Happy Hour Friday, April 16 April Spire Deadline PCYG Schedule for April Sunday, April 11 7:00 p.m. - Confirmation Zoom 8:00 p.m. - PCYG Zoom 3 Holy Week Virtual Music Events On Sunday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m. Reverend Charley Eastman and the Interim Minister of Music, Andrus Madsen will team up to lead a zoom forum: The Stabat Mater, Sharing in Grief from a Distance. We will look at themes in the Ancient Stabat Mater poem that connect directly to the events of Holy Week, as well as how they connect to our shared experience over this last year. The forum will also connect directly to the music which will be in the Musical Tenebrae service which will appear online later during the week. Check your email for a Zoom link. On April 2, a Musical Tenebrae Service will also go online featuring Tenebrae lessons and the Stabat Mater from 1680s Vienna. This service will feature Paul Max Tipton bass, Teresa Wakim Soprano, Sarah Freiberg Ellison Cello, and Andrus Madsen Harpsichord, in a video recorded at Pilgrim Church. The Music will consist of an incredibly moving setting of the Stabat Mater (poetry describing Mary’s experience at the cross) by Giovanni Felice Sances, as well as three hauntingly beautiful Tenebrae Lessons (texts from the Lamentations of Jeremiah) by Giovanni Paulo Colonna. This will be an amazing opportunity to travel to 1680s Vienna and take in the music and pageantry of Good Friday without having to leave your home. Minister of Music Search Update Good news! As you may have read, the job listing for a new Minister of Music has been posted on the following sites: The American Choral Directors Association for Massachusetts; The American Guild of Organists, Worcester Chapter; The American Guild of Organists, Boston Chapter; and Indeed. The posting is also on Pilgrim's Facebook page, although we are trying to understand why some can only retrieve the posting on their phone while others can see it from the computers or iPads. If anyone has an idea how to correct this situation, please contact Peter Zschokke or Diane Wallace. We have heard from another potential site. The Boston Singer's Resource for New England has requested us to post on their site as that group is expanding their offerings to more musicians, including organists. We hope to have posting on that site soon. At the time of this writing, we have received preliminary expressions of interest from three individuals already, a hopeful sign! This is all good progress for Pilgrim. Please keep the Committee in your prayers for a successful conclusion to our search in finding the inspirational Minister of Music Pilgrim desires. Thank you from the Committee 4 Palm Sunday & Easter Family Events KIDS! Parents! Join Us for a Palm Sunday Parade! It will be held on Sunday, March 28 at 11:00 a.m. in the Pilgrim Church Parking Lot! Come for a “drive by” and receive your palms and other goodies (including CHOCOLATE!) We’ll also be having an Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday, April 4, at 11:00 a.m.- with “social distancing” in place! Show off your Easter bonnet or favorite outfit and receive treats! Fellowship Committee Activities Update The Fellowship Committee continues to be busy holding Zoom events for folks to get together. Here are some upcoming events: We will be hosting our “Heaven at 11”, Coffee Hour on Sunday, April 11, 11:00 AM. Thirsty Third Thursday will be held on Thursday, April 15, 7:30 PM this month. Our virtual event for April will be a Trivia Night on Friday, April 9, 8:00 PM. Save the date of Saturday, May 1 for an outdoor Cinco de Mayo celebration. Look for details soon! A big event is coming in June (date TBD).