Welcome to Pilgrim Church of Duxbury
An Open & Affirming Congregation
COVID PROTOCOL UPDATE
We no longer will require registrations for church services on Sunday. We will still take your names at the door on Sunday for contact tracing purposes and still require masks.

Sunday School sign up is still required.
Click here to register

*The service will also be on our Facebook page (Pilgrim Church UCC) and YouTube.
Good morning.

I have the growing sense that it is time to RESET, REVIVE, and RENEW.

After 15 months of Covid education and prevention efforts, I have the growing sense of hope that the time is coming to reset our bearings and start to look forward to what work needs to be done to revive our communal church life and experience and renew our covenant with each other and with God as we start to come together again!

Don’t get me wrong, there is still a lot we don’t know about safe gathering, but the signs are there if we follow the science as we have been doing for the past year.

  • We have dropped the requirement to pre-register for worship attendance on Sunday mornings.
  • We are still requiring masks, but we see the guidelines starting to change as more people are vaccinated, now even 12 – 15-year old’s have clearance to receive the vaccine.
  • We will be gathering for worship outside on Pentecost Sunday as we welcome eight new young people into our church family as they affirm their Baptismal vows and proclaim their own belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Bring your own chair and join us out back for the service.
  • Committees are starting to engage in conversations about resuming programming and special events as a wider community.

Yesterday, at our first in-person staff meeting in over a year, I asked our staff members to focus on September 12, 2021. That is the date for Rally Sunday, the traditional start of our regular church year, as vacations end and we look to renewed attendance. I will ask all of you the same as I asked them; let's start to focus our efforts to be ready to return to “normal”, in all our planning, making that date our goal to celebrate together as we reset, revive and renew our love for each other, for Jesus and for God in this beloved community together.

Peace,
RB
Enjoy the brightness of these May mornings and days. The sun is wonderfully comforting and invigorating. If you look out your window, sit in the yard, go for a walk, a bike ride, or a drive down to the ocean for a time of gentle prayer and connection, you will be giving yourself a gift of peace.


Betsy and I planted some new flowers in our yard the other day. The early morning sunlight makes the yellows and oranges of the marigolds shine. The colors lift our spirits and seem to reflect the hope we all feel for better days ahead. We can pray thankfully for the simple blessings of our lives.


Peace be with us all.


Take care,
Reverend John

Confirmation class this Sunday, May 16th 11:30 - 12:30.
Strengthen the Church Special Offering
Sunday, March 23

Pentecost celebrates the gift of the Holy Spirit, which empowered the earliest followers of Jesus to dream anew and envision a new future for themselves and their community. In Paul’s letter to the Roman’s he advises us to “…not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2). This Spring season represents renewal in so many ways. We see green leaves emerging, flowers blooming and warmer weather is on the horizon. In addition, there is light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, many of us are ready renew activities and routines that we haven’t been able to engage in over the past year. This is truly a time of renewal at Pilgrim Church.

On Pentecost Sunday, May 23, we ask that you give a special offering to support Strengthen the Church, one of United Church of Christ’s five special offerings. The Strengthen the Church offering supports grants which make a difference in the lives of people across the United Church of Christ. In years past, grants have helped various UCC churches improve community gardens, purchase new technology to provide virtual worship, and support meal programs. This year 80% of your donations will directly support the Southern New England Conference with Outdoor Ministries, Faith Formation Ministries, and a new Center for Transformational Leadership; 20% of your donations will help national ministries of the United Church of Christ.

For more information on Strengthen the Church please visit the United Church of Christ website.

Offerings for Strengthen the Church will be collected during worship on Sunday, May 23rd or you can donate online by clicking here
June 2021 Newsletter information

If you have any information you would like to be included in the June 2021 Pilgrim's Progress, please send it to Melissa (office@uccduxbury.org) by Monday, May 24th. Thank you!
FOR ALL WHO DONATED SO GENEROUSLY TO OUR MOTHERS DAY DIAPER DRIVE, THANK YOU!
On Sunday, Anne Fagan, representing your Mission Committee, collected our donations to be delivered to “Cradles to Crayons”. As you can see by the picture, the back of the Van was filled with your donations of diapers and wipes! Thank you for your generosity!
LAST CALL FOR CAMP SIGN-UPS!
As we introduce a new Summer Camp program, we are asking for a final time for applications as we are up against a deadline for commitments. Over 100 young people have signed up from three other churches with 25 staff members, and we are facing a deadline to ensure camp will be held.

If you have a 7th Grader who is graduating this June up to seniors in high school, the Camp Cody program is open for them! IF YOU WANT TO REGISTER, PLEASE CONTACT RB AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Our Mission Committee has agreed to help with camperships for eligible members, BUT TIME TO REGISTER IS RUNNING OUT.  revbill@uccduxbury.org