The Church of the Pilgrimage | |
"a beacon for good in the world" | |
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Friends,
Next week we begin our five-week book discussion of the book When God Became White. Rev. Dr. Kim writes, “Korean Christians appreciated the fact that the Christian church was open to all people, at least in theory. This was different from their own traditional Confucianism, which was stratified and hierarchical. Under Confucianism, society was layered by ancestry and segregated by gender, class, and education…The Christian church, in contrast, welcomed and included women and people of all ranks in society, including outcast groups.” (p.68)
Her qualifier, “at least in theory,” is important. It is important because it is a recognition that the Christian church is a work in progress, like all of creation. The Christian church is a human institution with a Divine purpose, which is to carry forward the ministry and mission of Jesus. As a human institution, the Christian church often falls short of its Divine purpose, especially when it comes to being a community that welcomes all and treats everyone with respect and dignity.
Much of Rev. Dr. Kim’s book is a wrestling with the reality that the Christian church promised Koreans a different world than the one ruled by their Confucian faith. While she does not spend much time writing about Confucianism, her deconstruction of God as White is a theological attempt to construct a Christian faith that is not hierarchical, segregated by gender, class, and so on, which was the worldview of Confucianism and what Koreans believed they were leaving when they accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Peace,
Rev. Tim
| This coming Fall, I will roll out two opportunities for fellowship and nourishment. | |
The first opportunity is a book discussion. We will read and discussion a book by Rev. Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim. Dr. Kim is a professor of theology at Earlham School of Religion. She immigrated with her family from South Korea to London, Canada in the early 1970s and as a young adult came to the US. The book we will be reading and discussing together is, When God Became White: Dismantling Whiteness for a more Just Christianity. We will gather for five weeks exploring two chapters a week. We will read 2 chapters for each gathering.
The dates and times for the book discussion will be Wednesdays at 10:30 am to 11:45 am or Thursdays at 5:30 pm to 6:45 pm. The Wednesday gatherings will start on September 11th and run through October 9th. The Thursday gatherings will start on September 12th and run through October 10th.
There will be a sign-up list in Allerton Hall for the book discussion. This will help gauge overall interest. Once we have an idea of the number of folks, we will order copies of the book that you can purchase from the church directly. If you have already purchased a copy that is great.
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The second opportunity is a weekly lectionary based. We will explore together the coming Sunday’s lectionary reading that I will base my sermon for that Sunday. You are free to use your favorite Bible. The Bible study will meet on Tuesdays at 10:30 am to 11:45 am and again at 5:30 pm to 6:45 pm. We will begin on Tuesday, September 8th. This will be on-going each Tuesday.
If you are unable to attend in-person at the JRC, I will make a Zoom link available, so you can attend virtually.
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Music Notes
The prelude this week is a setting of the hymn St. Columba by Healey Willan (1880-1968). Willan was an organist and composer in Toronto, Canada. His organ and choral music has remained popular and are still performed today. Willan was the first non-English composer to be awarded a Lambeth Doctorate by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The postlude is by Dieterich Buxtehude (1637-1707). Buxtehude was a significant figure in North German music. He was a major influence on Johann Sebastian Bach. (Bach once walked three hundred miles to meet and study with the master.) The Jig Fugue is a fun example of Buxtehude’s exuberant style. The title was added many years later. The composer simply named this work Fugue in C. Enjoy!
--Michael Eaton
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Important Dates
Be sure to mark your calendar now for these important dates coming up in our Church!
Sunday, September 15th - Gathering Sunday - The traditional start of our program year. The choir will be back with us in Worship!
Sunday, September 22nd at 3:00pm - Installation of the 32nd settled Pastor of the Church of the Pilgrimage - Rev. Tim Garvin-Leighton.
Sunday, September 29th - Church picnic at Pinewood Lodge Campground (see article below)
Sunday, October 6th at 2:00pm - Ordination of our own Kim Engle as she starts her journey with our fellow congregations in Lakeville/N. Attleborough.
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Monday Meals
Monday Meals begins a new season September 9th!
For anyone unfamiliar with this important mission of The Church of the Pilgrimage, we have been offering meals and hospitality to people in need for many years. From September through May, on Mondays, we serve a light continental breakfast followed by a hearty hot lunch. Guests are also offered a sandwich bag to go, including fruit and cookies. Allerton Hall becomes a warm (or cool) place for our guests, some homeless, to gather and experience a welcoming space.
If you would like to be part of the team that makes this happen, there are many ways you can help. We need donations of large bottles of fruit juice such as apple, cranberry, orange or blends. You could contribute homemade or store bought pastries or be willing to drop off a dozen sandwiches. For anyone who is able to attend a Monday Meal, we need help with serving and cleanup. Or you could simply mingle with our guests, joining them for coffee and/or lunch, making them feel welcome.
Does this sound like something you can do?
Please call, text or email Karla Wood 508-254-8462 karlaw231@hotmail.com
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ANNUAL CHURCH PICNIC
Don't miss the Church Picnic on Sunday, September 29th from noon to 4 PM. Everyone is welcome! Bring your family and friends to enjoy this social event. There is NO charge for the picnic!!
The picnic will be held at the delightful Pinewood Lodge Campground, 190 Pinewood Road, Plymouth. We will be serving hamburgers, veggie-burgers, hotdogs, salads, desserts, etc. in the shaded Pavilion starting at noon. There is bocce, a playground and a beach!! Jeff Donn and friends will provide music. And, everyone’s favorite—Jim Sweeney will run the fourth annual Cornhole Tournament.
And if you’re wondering can I help, the answer is YES! We need volunteers to bring desserts, soft drinks, salads, as well as help serving and cleaning-up. Sign up at coffee hour at Allerton Hall or see the flyer below to RSVP by phone.
This is a great way to kick-off the church year with welcoming fellowship and fun outdoor activities.
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Church Picnic Cornhole tournament.
$10 per person, $20 per couple. To enter. We will pair singles.
Boards will be only 14 feet apart. Same as last year.
It will be single elimination. Change from last year.
Each player will throw four bags six times.
Three points if in the hole and one point if on the board.
Team with highest total score advances.
Contest will start at 1:00 and players can practice before one.
Anyone can play cornhole after the tournament.
Prizes will depend on number of entries.
Sign-up on Sundays the 8th.15th and 22nd at coffee hour or email Jim Sweeney at nsweeneyj@aol.com
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Do You Want To Be More Involved
at The Church of the Pilgrimage?
Have you heard about a group or activity and wondered how you can join? The Membership and Evangelism Committee has updated a list of Church activities, providing contact names, phones and emails. Activities are listed in many areas of interest: Ministry Teams/Committees; Outreach; Worship and Music; Christian Education (CE) for Children/Youth, CE for Adults; Fellowship and Support; plus Miscellaneous; such as, gardening, helping in the office, or helping with technology and publicity. There are many ways that your time, talents and spiritual gifts can serve our Church. Please pick up a copy of the list from our Information Table in Allerton Hall.
Pat Cronin and Nancy Sweeney
Membership and Evangelism Committee
Please click HERE to view the entire list of Ways to Be More Involved.
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Cows of Peace
In 2002, World Ark, a publication of Heifer International printed an article written by our own Rosalee Sinn. In this article Rosalee describes the impact of the work of Heifer in the wider world. An amazing story even more relevant today. The Church of the Pilgrimage has long been a strong supporter of the work of Heifer International.
Click HERE to read this fascinating article.
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PLEASE BRING FOOD TO THE CHURCH OF THE PILGRIMAGE SEPTEMBER FOOD DRIVE
Sunday, September 22, 2024
9:00 -11:30 am
The Mission Committee has planned the next Food Drive to support food insecurity issues in the Plymouth area. The Food Drive is scheduled for Sunday September 22,2024. It will be held from 9:00 -11:30 am. This notice provides the information you need to help make this Food Drive a success.
We are looking for non-perishable items to support the food pantries we have supported in the past food drives:
The Plymouth Area Coalition for Homeless needs items for complete meals for families: canned food items such as tuna, ham, vegetables, apple sauce, pasta and tomato sauce, mac and cheese, beef stew, rice and baking items for cakes and brownies, juice, cereal. and other breakfast foods, lunch food such as bread, peanut butter and jelly. They also need paper items: napkins, toilet paper, paper towels and diapers.
Christ Church Food Bank, utilized by seniors, needs canned food for hearty meals such as beef stew, soup, chili, ravioli and the like; cake/brownie mixes and baking supplies, canned mandarin oranges, and vegetables, juice, salad dressing, and mayo. They also need toiletries; shampoo, conditioner, toilet paper, Kleenex, dishwashing soap.
The American Legion Food Pantry needs canned food items including beef stews, ravioli, pasta and tomato sauce for distribution to Veterans and families. They also need canned veggies, fruits, canned tuna and chicken; kids snacks, crackers and cookies.
Plymouth Recovery Center, supporting those dealing with issues of daily living, maintain a small food bank that provides for those coming to them for services and training.
SSCAC/Greater Plymouth Food Warehouse has ongoing needs for provisions for children’s backpacks which are given out on weekends and school breaks. This includes individual bags of goldfish and pretzels, individual breakfast bars, granola bars, and peanut butter cracker packs, regular sized boxes of cereal, pancake mix and small syrup in plastic containers, jelly in plastic containers, canned stew, easy to make Mac n’ Cheese, canned green beans and corn.
The non-perishable donations will be collected by members of the Misson Committee outside of the JRC. The food will then be distributed to the various food banks. Thank you for your generosity as we continue to help our community fight food insecurity.
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Planned Giving
By committing to a weekly or monthly gift to the church you enable the trustees to accurately set their budget. There are several ways to get these gifts to the church but in each case, it is important that the giver is identified so his gifts can be recorded.
The standard way is to put the cash or check in an envelope (usually supplied by the church) and drop it in the plate. Some just drop a check in the plate or mail it to the church.
Here are some better ways to make a gift to the church. Some are convenient and some have tax advantages.
For convenience you can have your bank send a weekly or monthly check to the church or even wire the money directly to the church bank account. This is convenient but you have to remember to set a time limit and adjust the amount yearly.
These are the ways to give that might save you money.
Everyone knows gifts to the church are tax deductible if you itemize deductions. Gifts to the church are now deductible on your Massachusetts tax return even if you don’t itemize on your federal return.
Make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QRD).
Give from a Charitable Donor-Advised Fund.
Give appreciated stock.
All the above may reduce your taxes because you are donating money that hasn’t been taxed plus you still get a charitable tax deduction if you are eligible. You should always contact your financial advisor and tax advisor before making a QCD, gifting stock or setting up a Charitable Donor-Advised Fund.
Qualified Charitable Deduction (QRD)
A Qualified Charitable Distribution (QRD) enables you to get a charitable deduction without itemizing (Must be 70 ½ years old). Tax payers can make and IRA distribution (QCD) payable directly to the Church of the Pilgrimage (charity) and no income tax federal or state is paid on a QCD. If you do this when you are 73 the QCD counts toward your IRA MRD.
You need to contact your financial adviser to arrange the QCD transfer and your tax adviser to see if you will save any tax.
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Giving Appreciated Stock
If you want to make a onetime gift of appreciated stock to The Church of the Pilgrimage you need to contact your financial adviser to pick the appreciated stock and arrange the transfer. Then contact Michael Eaton at the church office to supply the information your financial advisor needs complete the stock transfer. You also want to tell Michael the purpose of the gift.
Charitable Donor-Advised Fund
If you own appreciated stock you plan to sell and you give money to The Church of the Pilgrimage and other charities you may want to set up a Charitable Donor-Advised Fund. You may get a charitable deduction from your income taxes and avoid paying capital gains tax by using this method. For donations of less than $15,000, the cost is about $100/year. There may be a limitation on the size of the donation. Fidelity and Schawb have a minimum donation of $50. These instructions are written assuming you have an online brokerage account such as with Schwab or Fidelity. If you deal directly with a stockbroker or financial advisor, they will likely do something similar on your behalf. If you hold actual physical stock certificates but have no broker, please contact the Board of Trustees as this will require a special procedure.
A Charitable Donor-advised Fund works as follows: once you have set it up (see below), you transfer stock from your brokerage account to this charity account using the normal stock transfer mechanisms of your account. At that point, you have donated the stock. The Gift Fund sells the stock and invests the money into mutual funds. You have given the stock away for charity purposes. From an ownership viewpoint, you no longer directly control it. You get a charity tax deduction of the value of the stock on that day and your broker will send a statement to that effect. You do, however, get to advise the charity fund how to invest this money until you actually give some or all if it to a charity.
How to make a donation to a charity.
You log on to your charity account and follow the screens for making a donation. You can donate to any 501(c)3 charity, including the Church. There will be dialog screens to identify the charity and the amount you want to donate. If you just type The Church of the Pilgrimage, it will likely pop up. There will be a chance to specify any special fund you would like to give to. There will be options for recurring donations such as monthly. There may be size limit of $50. If you wanted to give only $25 per month just give $50 every other month. Once completed, the Gift Fund will mail a check to 8 Town Square and the donation will be processed in the normal way, just as if you had written a check from your checking account. The Church has charity tax ID of 04-2307320, though the system will likely already have this number.
Setting up the Account
After logging on, go to the tab labeled something like “open an account”. There will be many options. Find the one called Charity or Charity Gift or something similar. You can name the account whatever you like, though it is suggested you don’t call it a “trust” as there is no legal trust document for this account and the funds cannot be inherited. Since the system already knows your ID and associated information, much of the screen will be filled out. However, there are other things to do. You can authorize other IDs to access this account, so people other than yourself can make donations. You can give instructions about where any residual money should be donated should you become deceased. Most important, you can advise the Gift Fund how to invest the proceeds from the donated stock prior to making a charity donation. For example, you could say, 75% to a wide-variety stock fund, 20% to a money market fund and 5% to cash. There are many options. When you make a donation, the Gift Account your broker will remove funds in a way that maintains the balance you have specified. You can change the percentages and funds at any time.
Some caveats: 1) It takes a couple of days processing to fully establish a charity account due to government regulations, so allow time if it’s near the end of the calendar year, and 2) if you itemize deductions on your 1040 tax form, when you receive your yearly donation statement from the church, be careful not to double-count. You got a tax deduction when you donated the stock originally; you can’t take a second deduction on the church annual statement for the donations from the Gift Fund.
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Thank you!
I very grateful thank you to the volunteers who assisted the Andover Organ Company last week with work on the pipe organ. John Porter, Andrew Witherow, Scott MacMillan, Jim & Nancy Sweeney all help move hundreds of pipes to allow the organ company to finesse some adjustments to cure lingering issues in the organ. Many hands made the work go much more quickly and smoothly. Thank you!!
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Pipes in the Ocean Side organ chamber.
Every pipe had to be removed and then put back.
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Creation Justice
For the the weeks to come we will share activities from Creation Justice Ministries that will educate and equip Christians to protect, restore, and rightly share God's creation.
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Use Green Transportation
How do you get from place to place? Make a plan for how you can reduce your footprint. Does your city/town have public transportation? Are there places where you can walk or bike instead of drive? Make a commitment and plan to improve your transit carbon footprint.
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Parking for Newcomers
Reminder that paid parking recommenced on April 1
A reminder that on Sundays most of us park on School St., Main St. Extension (3 handicap), Summer St. (4 hours), and in the Market St. and Middle St. lots. One can get parking permits from Park Plymouth at 4 North Street; ph. 508.747.5929; www.parkplymouth.com. If you have questions, please speak with Mike Eaton.
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On The Calendar
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September 6: Widowed Support Group, 10:30am
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September 8: Worship, 10:00am
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September 9: Monday Meals; Stewardship, 7:00pm
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September 10: Bible Study, 10:30am & 5:30pm
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September 11: Book Discussion, 10:30am; Coffee & Conversation, 1:00pm; Music, 6:45pm, Men's Bible, 7:00pm; Choir, 7:30pm
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September 12: Book Discussion, 5:30pm
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