A Letter from Lindy Aug 21

Pilgrims,

Some of you know I’m a bit of a news aficionado. Well more specifically, a NY Times and Washington Post junkie. As a subscriber, I have tailored my inbox to receive various issue-specific emails that peak my interest. Of course, Headlines and The Daily and The Morning start my day, but I populate those with Opinion Today, On Politics, the 7, 5 Minute Fix, The Post Most and Breaking News throughout the day. No wonder I am prone to doom-scrolling because each offers links that can take me places I best not go.

I try to balance this tendency with other areas of less “gate-crashing” topics–cooking, gardening, climate, Wordle, What to Watch and Books Worth Reading, and Well. This may explain why I occasionally miss emails with all of these others cramming my inbox ;) My hope is that the conversation God births in me between scripture and life remains applicable to our place and time. Judge and jury out on that on a weekly basis.

I was perusing yesterday’s Well and its editor, Melinda Wenner Moyer, reflected on Fall’s fast approaching horizon, now that we have passed the midway mark of August. Time, she observed with some lament, to face the annual transition of end-of-summer to what she termed “the chaos of autumn.” Our calendars, between work and home, triggering some anxiety at how we are going to juggle the mix of deadlines and schedules. I smiled because a similar sense fluttered around the Zoom Room in last night’s council meeting when Ami shared the first draft of Pilgrim’s Big Picture Calendar for September -December to the gathered. Our small but mighty church is a busy bunch of people, with loads of wonderful activities and worship, coupled with the season’s advent of budget and stewardship. We do all this as we pass the leadership baton to a new team with our proposed slate of incoming officers.

With joy, Council affirmed the work of Pilgrim’s Nominating Committee, recommending the proposed slate to come before you at our biannual congregational meeting this Fall. My heart is full for all of you who had capacity to say yes to serving and helping Pilgrim continue its journey of opening fully as we learn to live with COVID as part of our terrain. Our hope is that as the temperatures drop and school begins, more and more Pilgrims will find their way back into our pews for in-person connection and community. Remember always that however you need to be in relation to Pilgrim, we support you.

With delight, we have much to share and engage in as we find our way forward. Even with our desire to linger in the most normal summer we’ve had in a few years, the energy of last night’s meeting helped me see Pilgrim’s emotional agility to traverse our new landscape with hope and purpose as we open ourselves to God’s leading us forward.

I hope each and everyone of you will join us in the way that feels best for you!

Pastor Lindy (she/her) why pronouns matter

Living and working on occupied Shakori land.
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