Welcome to Pilgrim Church of Duxbury
An Open & Affirming Congregation
In accordance with Article III, Section E.1 of the By-Laws of Pilgrim Church, the Annual Meeting of the congregation will be held on Sunday, September 27, 2020 at 11:30am following the worship service. 

The agenda includes approval of new committee members/officers and an update on the state of the church.  All are invited and encouraged to attend; members may vote. 

Click HERE to view the 2020-2012 Nominations Slate 
There is still space available to attend our outdoor worship service in person this Sunday, September 27th at 10:00am. Please email or call the church office to make a reservation.
office@uccduxbury.org or 781-934-6591.
Masks required!

We will be in the back parking lot, by the playground. Bring your own chair. We will have a few on hand for those that do not have a chair to bring or it would be too difficult.
Plans for Autumn 2020: A Message from the Senior Pastor

Dear Friends,

Fall is here and there is movement in regard to live in person worship at Pilgrim Church of Duxbury UCC.

It has been a long time since we have been together in person. I am looking forward as we safely dip our toes back into the waters of being together again. Let me cut straight to the substance of our plan.

We will be meeting outside for the remainder of the month, weather permitting. We will update information on the website and Facebook if any cancelations are in order.

-         We are asking for Pre- Registration if you are coming, to limit the number to the state mandated level (50). Please call the church office or email office@uccduxbury.org
-         We will be in the back-playground area for worship
-         Bring your own chair if you are able (limited number available here)
-         Wear a mask, dress warm, bring a warm drink if desired
-         We will be socially distant in our seating arrangement
-         We will not be singing, but toe-tapping and humming is just as special to God!
-         Offering will be taken as you enter the area in a special box
-         One page Bulletins are available.

Our Diaconate and Church Council members have worked hard on this plan to get together.
I am very proud of their efforts.

On Sunday, October 4th, the worship service will be open only to our Confirmation class members, their families, and Mentors. We will welcome 11 members into the life of our church with their affirmation of their Baptisms and beliefs in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If need be, we will move the service inside on this Sunday due to weather concerns.

Towards the end of the month, we will decide on in person worship inside. The virus is still active, so we are relying on your honesty and responsibility to stay home if you are symptomatic.

Sunday School classes are being held in person and on line. Angelique will be informing all parents of these options. Youth Groups will be starting a hybrid model as well, along with our new Confirmation class.

My friends, I believe it is possible, during this challenging time, to weave the strands of the Pilgrim Church community into even more beautiful patterns. To do this, we need your help! We want to add your ideas to the picture that is emerging.

-         How can we best care for our members?
-         best engage the world?
-         best live out our faith, right now?
-         What do you believe God is calling us to do to draw people deeper into engagement with Jesus Christ and with the gospel that binds our hearts together and gives us a vision for a better world?

We want to hear from you! Please email revbill@uccduxbury.org with your thoughts and dreams.   

I fully support this direction for our beloved community. In its almost 180 year history, Pilgrim Church of Duxbury UCC has faced challenges head-on with faith and love, and will continue to do so! At every step along the way, this congregation has figured out how to live out a vibrant faith.

I am utterly confident we will grow in faith as we go about this work. And I trust that you will do your best to help facilitate Pilgrim Church of Duxbury UCC becoming the church God is calling us to be in this season: a resilient community—stubbornly determined to display Christ’s light, salt and love to the world!

Rev Bill Ferguson
Senior Pastor
I don’t know about you, but every morning I get up and look out the window, hoping to see something new and beautiful. In some of my phone calls with you, you talk about the walks you might take outside in the nice weather, the ways you reach out to friends, enjoy the books you’re reading, and try to find the best in each day. We all keep our eyes open for something new.

I’ve been reading Prayers for the Battle by Ted Loder. Here’s an excerpt from his prayer entitled “Breathe Into Me the Courage to Make Something New:”

Make me wide-eyed for beauty,
and for my neighbor’s need and goodness;
wide-willed for peace-making
and for the confronting power

with the call to compassion;
wide-hearted for love
and for the unloved,
who are the hardest to touch
and need it the most.

I hope to see you soon.

Blessings to you all,

Rev. John

Sunday School news!!

Middle Schoolers are meeting TODAY at the North Hill Marsh parking lot on Mayflower Street at 4:30 for an active Sunday School lesson!

This Sunday, September 27, will be our first in-person Sunday School for kids in grades K-5 on the front lawn of the church during the 10:00 church service. YOU MUST REGISTER to come to church with your kids by either emailing Melissa at office@uccduxbury.org or calling the church office at 781-934-6591.

High School Youth Group will meet for dinner at the Chestnut Street Grille next Wednesday, September 30 at 6:30. Please RSVP to Angelique (youthdir@uccduxbury.org) by MONDAY, September 28.

October 2020 Newsletter
Please submit any information you would like to be included in the October 2020 Pilgrim's Progress by Monday, September 28th. office@uccduxbury.org Thank you!
Pilgrim's Food Pantry

Please remember our food pantry; we can always use: peanut butter, canned vegetables, canned fruit, canned soup, tuna, beef stew, canned chicken, fruit juice, pasta, and pasta sauce.

Items can be dropped off inside the front doors of the church Monday thru Thursday 9:00am thru 3:00pm.
Thank you for your continued support!
Have you been having problems seeing our worship services live?


We have heard complaints that some people have not been able to watch our services until they are over.

We are looking into this, and trying to figure it out, but we have two immediate suggestions.

1) If you can't join our worship services when they are being broadcast live, try switching from your desktop or laptop to a phone or pad. When we've run into this problem, we've been able to monitor the service from a phone or iPad.

2) You should be able to watch the service after it has been recorded and saved, which happens minutes after the service is over. We have had no complaints from people saying they haven been able to access the recorded version.

We are looking into ways to address this issue, but it looks like it isn't going to be an immediate fix. Please email me if you are having other technical problems.

-- Dwight Shepard,