Letter from Lindy Oct 3

Beloved Pilgrims,

At my house, we are on baby countdown. I say we because a few of my siblings are trying to coordinate coming to Durham to be with my mom and watch my brood of animals when I leave to meet my granddaughter, and more importantly, be a support to Thompson and Jake as they experience the joy and terror of being parents of a newborn for the first time. Their little one seems very comfortable in utero with seemingly no desire to enter the outside world quite yet, although positioned perfectly to do so. So, the doctors are beginning to talk to them about inducing, as they do not want Thompson to go past her due date (10/9). If things stay on this course, my plan is to leave Durham that following Monday to be with my family through the next two weekends and celebrate Thompson’s birthday on 10/12. We hold such plans tentatively, of course. Grayson Hansard and Richard Whitaker have graciously agreed to share God’s word with you those Sundays, and I am sure you will be better for their gifts. My niece is on first watch and if you keep an eye on active pilgrims, there will be an invitation for those inclined from her while she is here. Not often we get a Maui expert in our midst :)

As for this weekend, Sunday marks World Communion Sunday, where again we gather with the expanse of God’s people to break bread and share cup virtually, in-person, safely. And again it will feel weird, as our necessary protocols make our communing a bit awkward. I think it is important to acknowledge our discomfort as we live into its rhythm. In so doing, we will learn to be a people who are always alert, waiting and watching, for the unexpectedness of divine in-breaking. One way to practice is by joining outdoor communion after worship the three Sundays after this first one. Our porch offers an intimately beautiful setting (minus the crazy spider webs woven across the magnolia to the roof). Our first attempt at hybrid communion was truly lovely! Richard reminded and invited us to God’s inclusive table as we celebrated breaking bread with our LGBTQIA siblings on Pride Sunday. Please join us. There is a seat for any and every one.

Our alertness, waiting and watching helps us to prepare. To prepare to be God’s people, ready always to receive Holy breath wherever it blows. Preparing is part of our weekend worshipful work as Pilgrim’s leadership will gather Sunday at 1pm for an introductory retreat to help new and not so new members learn and experience how we live as beloved community in our little corner of Durham. The two hours is packed! Ami and I are betting whether we can actually accomplish all we want to share. My hope is our conversation stimulates a desire for more conversation as we adjust and reform as intentional community. Not that we paused through 2020 and beyond, but we did concentrate our effort and energy to honor our journey through pandemic. I experience our place today as a step beyond that season in which we learned our strength and resilience amidst and now adapt anew. There are some things we bring back into ministry, and I know these past 18 months have changed us, so our way of being and doing should change with us too. I pray you bring your listening hearts and questions born of your wisdom, experience and discernment about what it means to be church in this place and time.

If you have not rsvped, please still consider joining the conversation. The more who join together at table, the better we will always be.

grace and peace,
Pastor Lindy (she/her) why pronouns matter

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