December 2010
The Vine
A Monthly Publication of All Pilgrims Christian Church 
In This Issue
Greetings from Pastor Greg
IMAN Visiting All Pilgrims
Christmas Celebration
Poinsettias
Church Tech Study
Helping Those In Need
Giving Tree & Shoe Drive

All Are Welcome!

Miss You 

Sunday Schedule: 

10:30 AM
Worship

11:45 AM
Coffee Hour
 
Location:

500 Broadway East
Seattle, WA 98102
  
206-322-0487
[email protected]

  

Miss You

  

  All Pilgrims' Vision

 We are a welcoming people, following Christ's example by journeying to:

 

...encounter the Holy

...live faithfully

...and do justice.

Greetings from Rev. Greg TurkGreg Turk

 

If and when I meet with folks as part of marriage preparation, I've done three sessions before the big event and three after.  I used to have all of them happen before, but I grew weary of googley-eyed answers like, "We never disagree." Or, "Everything he does is wonderful and fine with me."  Or, "She smells terrific."  To which I would say, "Uhh, oookay, but the question was how does your family of origin communicate while in conflict?"  "...it's like honeydew..." 

 

The monthly conversations after the event were different; the wonder of proximity and clearer sight.  In the first three weeks, though, I like to ask a question asked of Lynn and I, "How will you celebrate Christmas?"  It was a sneaky question because it was really a question that raised issues of difference, rooted in long-held family traditions.  These traditions are wrapped in memories with strong emotional content.  "We open presents Christmas morning." Then, "Well, we go to late Christmas Eve Service, Santa came, and we'd open them that night."  The homework was to get the other to see that I was right, or, I mean, come to a sensitive understanding of why this is important to each other and negotiate a mutually agreed upon plan. 

 

The strength of my habits and personal traditions is not based upon how I like, or don't like them as much as the emotional content, good or bad.  Changing the ones I want to need to change is quite a task.  Personal habits are easily wrapped in "This is how I am," "This is how it is," "I won't risk that again," even "I'm right, you don't understand," statements that often cover deep, emotion filled patterns that may take some intentional self-awareness to discover.  "Why do I feel and act so strongly when that happens?"  "Why do I keep doing that and what was I thinking and feeling at that critical point?"

 

In the Gospel of Luke, Zechariah and Elizabeth were a righteous couple, unable to bare children, and enjoying senior discounts.  They had their traditions.  Zach was a leader in his community of faith, repeating traditions, such as offering sacrifices in the temple.  I imagine, after years of being married, they had their relational habits well engrained, too.  The future was probably seen as pretty predictable, given their past.  Then, the angel Gabriel shows up and announces to Zach that his wife will have a baby.  The baby will be John, and he will make way for the Lord.  That's big news!  Not in the plans kind of news.  I can't relate to this kind of news.  Nice thought, but ridiculous, kind of news.  But, that's what God has in store for them.

 

Here are two things I invite us to consider in this season of gift giving.

  • One, Gabriel says this is what Zach prayed for. "Your prayer has been heard."
  • Two, as Zach doesn't believe that the very thing he prayed for can happen, he is made silent, unable to speak until it comes to pass.  These are pieces in the story of a God who can make our tomorrows different from our yesterdays.  That is good news on all levels.  For me to become more whole and healed allows me to bring that to my immediate relationship and to my moving to serve God far and wide as a co-partner in loving the world into new being.  The gift of God is intimate.  The impact deep and wide.

 

1.  Are there things in your life that you've prayed for but don't believe could happen, even with God at work?  If so, might you be missing God's gifts of opportunity for new ways of being, not so defined by the past?  Look with faith beyond habits of yesterday for open doors.

2.  God's silencing Zechariah may be the very gift he needs in order to receive what God has for him.  In other words, to stop the constant flow of words that would come as arguments to prove and convince himself and others that it can't be so in order to keep life the same.  Quiet.  Hold potential in God in your heart and mind with silence.  Let the arguments against wear out, then consider what it would be like to actualize the new and what are the immediate steps.  I bet Zach's mind gradually went from "How can this be?" and all the reasons it couldn't be to imagining a baby in his arms, a toddler on his shoulders, and how good that would feel, so good, it outweighed the fear of the new.  Let us prepare the way to receive God's gift with faithful wonder and silence to re-imagine what God may bring.  Even the future can smell like honeydew.

IMAN to Visit All Pilgrims

- December 5 


A very special event will take place at All Pilgrims Sunday evening, December 5.  A group of our new friends from the IMAN Muslim congregation in Kirkland will visit our church for an interfaith prayer service, a shared meal and some small-group conversation.

Approximately 35 members and friends of All Pilgrims visited the IMAN Center in Kirkland on October 29 for a Friday Muslim prayer service, a presentation on "Islam 101," and an elegant buffet dinner.  The event on December 5 will give us an opportunity to return the gracious hospitality shown to us by the good folks from IMAN.


The evening will begin at 5 pm in our Sanctuary and, following the prayer service, move into Stuart Hall for

Muslim Christian dinner and conversation.  It will be a rewarding experience, and a chance to show our Muslim friends that we stand behind them in this time when their faith is so sadly misunderstood by many.

Please let us know you're coming so that we have an idea of how many to prepare for.  Contact Theresa Hohman at (206) 377-9090, [email protected], or David Paul (206) 522-1309, [email protected].

 

Join us!

 

IMANIMAN stands for the Ithna-asheri Muslim Association of the Northwest. For more information about this Shi'a congregation, visit http://www.iman-wa.org/

Celebrate Christmas with All Pilgrims 

Join the All Pilgrims Choir, Sunday, Dec. 19th at 10:30 am as they celebrate Christmas with a performance of John Choir SingersRutter's festive Gloria.  The choir will combine with brass, percussion and organ to lead worship in song and fill your heart with the joy of the season.  All are welcome!

 

Poinsettias 

It's time to place your orders for Poinsettias.  We have Red, White, Pink, White Glitter, Burgundy, Apricot (Pink Peppermint), Picasso (Monet), Marble or Ice Crystal.  They Poinsettiacan be purchased in memory or honor of someone special.  We will collect money from November 28 through December 12.  Cost is $6.50.  If you have any questions, see  Michael Small.

 

Church Technology and Communications Study Results Released 

 

The Pacific Northwest Conference of the UCC recently released a report on a study commissioned from Hosfeld & Associates, Inc. on the state of technology and Technologycommunications in the 84 conference churches.  The study finds opportunities to bring more churches into relationship with each other and to support the work of conference leaders through technology tools and support.  The Conference Moderator, Kristine Zakarison, is requesting input based on the report which can be found here:

http://pncucccomtech.blogspot.com/

Charting Your Course

Through the Job Search Sea

 

You can get from Down There to UP HERE, careerwise, even in a tight job market.  And keep from getting discouraged too.

 

How?  By attending the job search workshop, hosted by Bruce P. Sprague of Roadmap Resumes.

You'll learn the effective use of a resume, as well as the many sources of jop openings, how to best use those sources, and, most important, how to stand out in a competitive job market.

 

Job SearchYou'll learn the 8 / 80: Eight sources to finding work, when 80% of job openings aren't listed. And ways to uncover that unlisted openings.

 

You'll also learn techniques to keep going when the seas get really rough.

 

When: Saturday, January 22, 2011, 1:00-3:00 pm
Where: All Pilgrims Christian Church, Chapel

 

To preregister or for more information visit brucethewordwright.com

Workshop fee: $10.00

Can you afford not to miss it?

Helping Those in Need

 

Want to help Mary's Place win $50,000?

Here's your chance!

 

Mary's Place is in the running for a $50,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh Project.  This project funds good ideas.  Our

Homeless Woman idea, "keep homeless moms and their kids safe and off the streets in Seattle," will be in competition with 1,000 other ideas.  If we are voted as one of the top 10 ideas in the $50,000 category, we will receive $50,000 to provide services to homeless moms with kids, making sure that they have a safe place to stay at night and helping them find resources and permanent shelter.

 

Vote for our idea throughout December.  Here's how!

 

1.Go to www.refresheverything.com/marysplaceseattle to find our idea.

2.Click "Vote for this idea."  Create a password the first time you vote to use when you vote again.

3.Repeat every day of December!

4.Tell your friends, family, and coworkers to vote every day!  

5.Post it to your Facebook page or blog! Create a movement!

 

Your votes will make all the difference!

Thank you for your support!

Holiday Giving Tree & Shoe Drive 

All Pilgrims is holding its annual Giving Tree Drive.  We will be sponsoring five children  from Lowell Elementary School this year and their gift request cards will be up on the tree.  We will also be doing a shoe drive for the Mary Magdalene Women's Shelter.  The shoe drive is for the women and children of the shelter.  We will have a number of shoe gift cards on the tree. The cost of these shoes will be $15 dollars and will be good for the selection of a pair of new shoes for someone in need.  All donations must be received no later than Sunday, December 12th.  This allows us to give these gifts to their proper recipients in time for Christmas.  Thank you in advance for your generosity!

 

Cmastree

  

Christmas Tree Lot Help Needed

The Mens Group is looking for a few volunteers to help with the tree lot at the Dunshee House this December.  Volunteers are needed to help sell Christmas trees, clean up and tie trees on cars and trucks.  It's a fun job!  The dates available are: December 7, 14 or 21, from 6-9 pm.  There will be coffee, hot chocolate and holiday treats and maybe even snow!  It all goes to support the HIV and gay men's health project. Dress warm!
If you have any questions, please call Michael Small at 206-909-2490.

All Pilgrims Christian Church

 500 Broadway East 
Seattle, WA 98102

 
206-322-0487
[email protected]