Letter from Lindy Sept 26
Beloved Pilgrims,
One of our dear friends from Champaign, IL was a kindergarten art teacher back in the day--now retired and grandparenting in NOLA, used to love the start of the school year as one of the first teachers these newbie students ever experienced (way before the days of mandatory pre-k). She used to laugh when telling us that the first months lesson was most often learning how to sit in a chair at a desk without falling off, before any real artwork could be done. That image of 5yr olds rolling to the ground just because has been at the forefront of my prayer time, because that's a little bit what coming back to in-person/in-sanctuary worship has felt like for me. How about you? I don’t know where to look. My impulse is to walk in places I’m not supposed to go. My speaking, tentative and stilted. I still haven’t mastered genuinely greeting folx, let alone fellowship small talk. They will come. They will come. And for now we just need to practice over and again.
Each week it seems, though, like we are introducing yet another new thing back into our worship experience and this Sunday will be no different. Even on top of our hybrid Pride celebration. We have sent out a separate newsletter about how Pilgrims might support and join in the Pride activities and I hope you do. Especially the labyrinth walk if you are feeling, like so many, a sense of loss yet again.
Communion after worship will resume this Sunday as well. The board of deacons and I have done much praying around how to best make gathering at table, hybrid-style--feel as inclusive as possible. I would like to share with you what I have written for our first presider, Richard Whitaker, in the hopes that knowing our hope for this sacred ritual will help you step into it with comfort. And maybe even intrigue those who have never joined before to do so.
So here goes…..
After worship, during the blessing and in sanctuary passing of the peace, I will invite those who want to participate in communion to 1) follow whoever is presiding to Pilgrim’s back porch if they are in person 2) and/or if they are virtual, at the conclusion of the postlude, sign off the webinar and click on the communion link which will be in the Newsletter and hopefully added to chat.
We have set up a personal communion room on Pilgrim's zoom account that people may enter without the host yet being present, much like fellowship. That being said, the worship webinar must end before that room automatically opens (which it will). We have spent time setting up a hybrid communion experience so as to welcome all who would like to participate. On Pride Sunday, this feels especially important.
The deacons will have a basket of traveling communion elements just outside the porch door. Chairs have already been positioned for people to take a seat. If there are more than 6 people, some folx will have to stand this first Sunday.
There is a mobile phone stand on the railing so that those at home can join by zoom. Given the architecture of the porch, those joining virtually will only see the host and not fellow Pilgrims. We will keep playing with set-up to try to enhance the experience.
Because of COVID protocols, only traveling communion elements will be used (including the host). I know there is sacrifice in not breaking the bread and sharing wine together, but we will be safer. If any of our home-bound Pilgrims need traveling communion elements, please reach out to Franklin to arrange a pick-up.
I’m sure we’ll feel awkward this first Sunday, but I bet that brings us more into communion with Jesus when he broke bread with his disciples—I can only imagine how messy and awkward that was with no one really knowing what to do :)
So let’s do this! Break bread. Share cup. Together. And apart.
grace and peace,
Pastor Lindy (she/her) why pronouns matter
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