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LENTEN WEDNESDAY BEGINS TONIGHT
SUPPER AND BIBLE STUDY AT 5:30; EVENING PRAYERS AT 6:30
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Dear Pilgrims:
I’ve heard from many of you about your appreciation for the automated calls you are receiving and the increased communication. We’re all working hard to stay connected, informed, and inspired.
Our Season of Lent is always a Season of Renewal, and for us at Pilgrim in 2023, we are anxious for the renewal and revitalization only the Holy Spirit can give. As Pastor, Church Council, and Congregation, we are all called to engage in this ministry of renewal. None of us are bystanders, and none of us are alone. Jesus gave us the Church as a way to give us a gift to each other.
I like to remind us that when Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves, that also implies that everybody else in the world is commanded to serve and care for us. That’s a huge support system!
Renewal also calls for innovation. That’s what the first Church had to do. It’s what every generation of the Church has had to do. It’s what we have to do. Given the Holy Spirit’s way of working, some innovations of the Spirit come unawares, and other times they build over time. That means we don’t always know what the next best thing is. The Spirit works out ahead of our planning and our strategic plans. What serves God’s people best is to stay alert, to be attentive to the signs around us, and to be open to the Spirit’s leading.
Keep your ears and eyes open, and keep your heart open too.
Renewal blessings to you all. Keep your prayers active for the Maggie Cafferty family and all others who stand in need.
Pastor Mary
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Important news and information from Council | |
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Access Road
Karl Horner came out Saturday and smoothed out the dirt access road behind and around the back of the church. Karl often steps up like this, and we are grateful.
Is someone in your family
graduating from high school or college?
If so, we want to know who is graduating, where they are graduating from, and when. We know that Madisson Kaminer, Amy Shealy, and Victoria Smith are graduating before June 4. So, that date is looking good for our recognition Sunday. If someone else is graduating, please get in touch with Reed Corley, office administrator, at (803) 359-9421. Graduations will be here before we know it!
DialMyCalls Update
As we anticipated when we began using our new calling program, we are finding that the contact information we have for some of you needs to be updated. For instance, many of us have dropped our landlines and only use mobile telephone numbers. However, we haven’t updated our information on record at Pilgrim.
As you remember, Pastor Mary Anderson’s first call on Friday, Feb. 17 attempted to call 150 people. Of those, 131 were completed successfully, as 69 of you answered her call and 62 went to voice mail.
Reed Corley and I began updating our records by starting with the 19 calls that didn’t go through on Pastor Mary’s first telephone message. If you were one of the 19, we changed your telephone number to your mobile number if we had one for you. If we didn’t, Reed reached out to you by email, if possible, to see if you have a mobile number we can use.
Pastor Mary’s second call on Friday, Feb. 24, attempted to call 151 people. Of those, 142 were completed successfully, as 61 of you answered her call and 81 went to voice mail. Her third call on Friday, Feb. 25, attempted to call 151 people. Of those, 142 were completed successfully, as 64 of you answered her call, and 78 went to voice mail.
As you can see, our work updating our calling list improved our number of unsuccessful calls from 19 to 9. It looks like it also impacted our success rate for texting. With Pastor Mary’s first text on Feb. 20 to 148 recipients, less than 100 went through. Her second text’s success rate on Feb. 23 was better. Of the 144 recipients she texted, 42 were unsuccessful.
The texts come from a telephone number the DMC company assigned to us for texting but that you wouldn’t recognize — (833) 474-7760. We learned we couldn’t change that. So, it might help to add a contact on your mobile telephone with this number and call it Pilgrim, PLC, or Church. That way, you’d know it was a legitimate text from Pilgrim.
If you haven’t received Pilgrim’s telephone calls or texts, please call Reed Corley, office administrator, at (803) 359-9421.
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Shrove Tuesday
Many thanks to Pilgrim’s Lutheran Men, who cooked pancakes, sausage, and bacon for Shrove Tuesday. We thank Karl Horner, Jimmy Metts, Carl Richardson, Lee Ruff, and Ricky Wingard. It was so good!
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Need a Sunday pick-me-up?
Thanks to Carolyn Horner and Ricky Wingard from Church Council’s Witness Team (community, growth, hospitality, outreach) and Council Members Karl Horner, Kathleen Shutt, Jimmy Smith, and Linda Spires for providing coffee and goodies after the worship service on Sunday.
We hope you took a few minutes to enjoy a little social time with your fellow Pilgrims right after the service. If not, you get another opportunity this Sunday.
And we would love for you to volunteer to do this one Sunday. You would provide finger food and a beverage. Just reach out to Carolyn Horner by text at (803) 609-7411 or Ricky Wingard by email at econobugrw@gmail.com. They can get you signed up, as they will continue to lead this mission through the Witness Team.
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Would you like to represent Pilgrim at SC Synold Assembly?
Your Church Council would like to hear from members interested in representing Pilgrim Lutheran Church at the 2023 South Carolina Synod Assembly. If interested, please get in touch with Reed Corley, our Office Administrator, by email at plc@wearepilgrim.com.
The Assembly will be Thursday-Saturday, June 8–10, at the Marriott Columbia located at 1200 Hampton Street, Columbia, SC, 29201. The theme is I See Jesus. You can read more about it here.
https://scsynod.com/assembly/
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Involved in a ministry? Please take this survey | |
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During our Season of Renewal and beyond, the Church Council is committed to supporting the various ministries at Pilgrim. Covid disrupted church life in many ways, and most of our activities had to adapt or be put on hold during the pandemic.
The Council is now surveying the current state of Pilgrim ministries. If you know of a group or activity that meets at Pilgrim Lutheran Church and/or is associated with Pilgrim, please use the button below, and take a moment to fill out this brief survey. We want to be aware of every ministry.
We look forward to encouraging each other and growing together.
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Do you have an idea for a new ministry you would like to see at Pilgrim? Stay tuned - we will soon ask for your ideas and inspiration.
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Lenten Wednesdays begin March 1 with supper and study | |
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Lenten Wednesdays — March 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29
Supper and Study, 5:30–6:15 p.m.
Come to the Fellowship Hall for a light supper provided by Pilgrim people. While we enjoy our food, Pastor Mary will lead us in a Bible Study that she wrote, “How (ELCA) Lutherans Interpret the Bible.”
Holden Evening Prayer is at 6:30 p.m.
After our supper and study, we’ll join together for a service of evening prayer in the chapel.
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Holy Week and Easter Schedule, April 2-9 | |
Holy Week and Easter — April 2–April 9
Maundy Thursday — April 6 at 7 p.m.
Worship in the Sanctuary.
Good Friday — April 7 at 7 p.m.
Worship in the Sanctuary.
Holy Saturday Fun and Egg Hunt - April 8, 9:30 a.m. to Noon
Easter Day! — April 9
7 a.m. — Sunrise Service
7:30–9:30 a.m. — Easter Breakfast in the Fellowship Hall
10 a.m. — Festival Service of Easter in the Sanctuary
Plans are still underway for other Children’s Easter Activities. Stay tuned for more details.
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Pilgrim Youth will meet monthly for lunch | |
Pilgrim Youth, Middle School, and High School students will have a monthly lunch together and then join in a time of conversation.
Please mark your calendars:
Sundays, April 30, and May 21
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Preschool celebrates Read Across America Week | |
It is another busy week at Pilgrim Community Preschool.
We are celebrating our love of books & Dr. Suess's Birthday by participating in Read Across America Week.
On Monday, the teachers and children wore our favorite hats to school, from baseball caps to princess crowns, we saw every variety of hat imaginable. Silly Socks ruled the school on Tuesday. We love wacky tacky and could not wait to show our Wackiest Tackiest Fashions on Wednesday. We are ending our week with everyone's favorite "Pajama Day."
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Preschool opens registration for 2023-2024 year;
Pre-registration tours available Thursday, March 2
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Pilgrim Community Preschool's Registration has started for the 2023-2024 school year. We are allowing current Pilgrim Families (Church & Preschool) priority enrollment now before we open registration to the public on Monday, Feb. 13. If you are interested in enrolling, please email directorofpcp@gmail.com, to request a packet. We are asking you to join us in prayer for the children and the families that will be joining our community in the future.
| As part of its 2023-2024 registration process, Pilgrim Community Preschool is hosting a tour on Thursday, March 2 at 10:30 a.m. If you are interested in attending a tour or would like more information on enrolling, please email directorofPCP@gmail.com. Please join us in praying for the families and the children that will be joining us in the fall. | |
Preschool prepares for Art Festival, April 28 | |
Pilgrim Community Preschool (PCP) is excitedly preparing for its 3rd Annual Art Festival on Friday, April 28, 2023, at 5 p.m.
This fun event not only showcases artwork from children enrolled at PCP but also encourages local artisans and vendors to join in on the fun. Last year, some of the vendors featured were a local children's author, a jewelry designer, a clothing retailer, handmade charcuterie boards, an antique dealer, and some local favorite food trucks.
Our goal is to bring the community together and celebrate our preschool. We would love to have you join us for the Art Festival as a vendor or attendee. If interested in vending, please email directorofpcp@gmail.com.
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Prayer and Share Group meets March 14
Pastor Mary will reflect on Holy Land pilgrimage
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You are invited to join the Prayer and Share Group for a special presentation by Pastor Mary on Tuesday, March 14, from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Pastor Mary will reflect on her pilgrimage to the Holy Land in November.
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Suggestions for shopping
As you grocery shop, consider our Food Pantry
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PILGRIM'S COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY
Did you know that our Community Food Pantry is utilized by our neighbors multiple times weekly? There is a genuine need right outside our front door. On your next grocery run, please pick up a few items to help keep our pantry well-stocked. You can drop off items in the narthex at the Welcome Desk on Sunday morning, and volunteers will keep our pantry ready to share with our neighbors.
Suggestions for shopping:
Peanut butter; soups that contain meat; canned meats such as chicken, ham, corned beef, or tuna; packs of mashed potatoes that only require water to prepare; canned spaghettios, ravioli, and lasagna
Let's help our neighbors "Taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8.
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Thrivent Financial estate planning workshop | |
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Alan K. Hyatt – Thrivent Financial is hosting an Estate Planning Workshop on Thursday, March 30, 2023, at The Country Club of Lexington, 1066 Barr Road, Lexington, SC 29072. Learn steps to start planning your estate, including wills and trusts, durable powers of attorney, and beneficiaries. Light refreshments will be served. We will have limited seating, so please RSVP early to Dawn Hyatt at (803) 957-3073 or dawn.hyatt@thrivent.com to register.
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Prayers and Thanksgivings
Myron Corley; Marie Visscher’s son, David; Bill Sanders; Dell Collins; Vivian Rikard; for all living with cancer that they find strength in God’s promise; Adam Frank; Ron Davis; Zach Mattox; Jaiden Isola.
Boyd Shealy's mother, Caroline
Baby Phoebe Lane
The family of Maggie Cafferty
Hayes Wingard
Lee Ruff’s sister, Terrie
Rachel Dieter
Diane Davis’ son, Brian
Jamy Claire Archer’s father, Tom
Dorothy Tunstall’s cousin, Nila
Gary Southerland
All those victims of gun violence, their families and communities
The people of Ukraine and all living in places of war
Myra Boyd
Raishad Glover
Emma Dashiell as she moves to a new job and a new city.
If you have prayer requests and thanksgiving to share, please contact the church office at plc@wearepilgrim.com or call (803) 359-9421 or write them on the welcome cards at worship.
| Condolences - The family of Maggie Cafferty | |
We hope by now you know that Maggie Cafferty, daughter of our Director of Music, Susan, and her husband, Brendan, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 24, at her home surrounded by her loving family.
Visitation takes place today, Wednesday, March 1, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Thompson Funeral Home of Lexington, located at 4720 Augusta Road in Lexington.
A funeral mass will be on Thursday, March 2, from 11 a.m. to Noon at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, located at 2350 Augusta Highway in Lexington.
Maggie’s burial will be at 12:30 p.m. at Greenlawn Memorial Park, 845 Leesburg Road in Columbia.
Maggie’s obituary is on Thompson Funeral Home’s website at https://thompsonsfuneral.com/tribute/details/313095/Margaret-Cafferty/obituary.html#tribute-start.
May the cross and empty tomb give us all peace, comfort, and courage
| If you have prayer requests and thanksgiving to share, please contact the church office at plc@wearepilgrim.com or call (803) 359-9421 or write them on the welcome cards at worship. | |
Sunday's worship service - Feb. 26, 2023 | |
A Gift or Offering is an act of worship | |
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You may also mail your gift or offering or deliver it in person to:
Pilgrim Lutheran Church
1430 N Lake Drive
Lexington, SC 29072
Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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