Dear Friends,

As we approach Mother’s Day, I want to take a moment to celebrate and recognize the incredible women in our congregation.

Motherhood is a calling that takes many forms, and on Mother's Day, we want to honor that diversity rather than simply asking one group to stand. However, Pastors often struggle with the realities that celebrating Mother’s Day may bring feelings of loss and grief to some women who have lost a child or have never had the experience of motherhood. I certainly don’t want to add to that loss, but rather than ignoring the day, I would like to share these prayers from a “Letter to A Pastor” recommending we try to expand and acknowledge the wide continuum of “mothering” that we hold up all in honor, so ….

• To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you
• To those who lost a child this year – we mourn with you,
• To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you,
• To those who experienced loss through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we mourn with you,
• To those who walk the hard path of infertility, weighed down with pokes, prods, and disappointment – we walk with you. Forgive us when we say foolish things. We don’t mean to make this harder than it is.
• To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms – we need you,
• To those who have warm and close relationships with your children – we celebrate with you,
• To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children – we sit with you,
• To those who lost their mothers this year – we grieve with you,
• To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst,
• To those who are single and long mother your own children, we see you and wait with you in your space,
• To those who step-parent – we walk with you on these complex paths
• To those who lavish love on grandchildren, and those who wait to do so, we lavish love on you,
• To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year – we cry and rejoice with you
• To those who placed children up for adoption — we commend you for your selflessness and remember how you hold that child in your heart,
• And to those who are pregnant with new life, both expected and surprising –we anticipate with you

This Mother’s Day, we walk with you. Mothering is not for the faint of heart and we have real warriors in our midst. We remember you.



RB

https://www.messymiddle.com/an-open-letter-to-pastors-a-non-mom-speaks-about-mothers-day/

Your input is important as we develop our vision for our future Pilgrim Church.

If you missed our worship service this past Sunday, we'd still love your input. Please answer the question below and either drop your answer off at the church office or email your answer to Lynne at lynne.devnew@gmail.com.  

May 3, 2026 - WEEK ONE:

We are on a journey to discern the next chapter for our church and the staffing pattern and partners we need to get there. 



Over the next few Sunday’s, we’ll be inviting you to reflect on the church. In particular, we’re seeking your insight on how the church touches your heart and how you feel it in your bones.

Take a moment to open your spirit to God’s presence then share your answer to this week’s question:

• What brought you to Pilgrim Church and what keeps you coming back?



SPECIAL NOTICE FOR MORNING PRAYER SHAWL AND BABY BLANKET KNITTERS:

In order to maximize people's schedules, the morning prayer shawl and baby blanket knitting session on this coming Tuesday, May 12 will be from 10:00 to 11:00, in the parlor.

This is the last session for this year. We will start again in September. Then, it will remain 10-11 in the parlor. If you would like to be on the notification email list for the morning session, please send your name to Nancy's email at chadwickvendors@gmail.com or text her at 781-264-4018.

A Greek word meaning Love and Fellowship.

Inspired by Acts 2:42

Koinonia will be meeting on May 18th at 1:00 PM in the church parlor. Please bring a food item to support the Pilgrim Food Pantry. All are welcome!

THEO OF GOLDEN book study with Angelique Kania on Wednesday, June 9th from 7 - 8:30 in the Youth Room!  

This New York Times bestseller has everyone reading and talking about it! Join me as we discover together what the buzz is all about. 

Theo of Golden is a self-published novel by singer-songwriter Allen Levi, released in October 2023. Initially intended for his desk drawer, the book became a viral phenomenon through word-of-mouth, selling over 175,000 copies before being acquired by Simon & Schuster in 2025. It is a story focused on kindness, redemption, and community in a small southern city.

You can try getting it at the library, purchase your book through Amazon , or even better, support your local bookstore 🙂 

Everyone is welcome! Start reading! 

The Mission & Outreach Committee has set up a group Build Day with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth. It will be held on Saturday, May 30th from 8 AM to 3 PM at their Carver renovation site on Green St. We are looking for 10 volunteers for this mission. If you are interested, please sign up on the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall or contact

Doug Sinclair at 781-336-9381 or dougsinclair2004@yahoo.com

Do you need a Name Tag?

Have you lost your name tag? Is it stuck on some unknown piece of clothing in your closet? Has it fallen down next to your seat in the car?

Perhaps you have changed your name or you are new to the church and would like a permanent name tag. Whatever the reason, we are sending in a new order and would like to hear from you. Please contact the office if you want a new (or first) name tag.

office@uccduxbury.org or 781-934-6591

The Reverend Eloise Parks Memorial Scholarship

& Giving Opportunity

It’s that time of year when we invite high school seniors to apply for the Reverend Eloise Parks Memorial Scholarship by sharing their faith journey.

As one of last year’s recipients wrote:

"Thank you for the honor of being selected… It is so special to be associated with someone who had such a thoughtful soul, an inspiring faith, and made such a difference in the lives of so many people. I hope to spread her spirit as I head to D.C. this fall!”

 Applicants are asked to submit an essay reflecting how they have demonstrated the following during high school:

• Personal Faith — Living out a call to faith with grace and understanding (strong consideration given to Pilgrim Church youth)
• Social Involvement — Making a meaningful impact in advancing equity and inclusion, especially among marginalized communities
• Leadership — Inspiring and mobilizing others toward equity and justice
• Community Engagement — Active service, such as advocacy (LGBTQ+, anti-antisemitism), mental health initiatives, mission trips, food pantries, or work with youth or elders
• Empathy — Listening to and respecting diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and beliefs

Please submit applications to youthdir@uccduxbury.org by the deadline. We strongly prefer applications written in the applicant’s own voice, reflecting their personal thoughts and experiences.

Support the Scholarship

Help us sustain this scholarship for years to come. Donations can be made by mailing a check to:

Pilgrim Church of Duxbury

P.O. Box 186

Duxbury, MA 02331

(Please include “Rev. Eloise Parks Scholarship” in the memo line)



You may also donate online on our website – Rev. Eloise Parks Scholarship

SOUP FOR COMFORT

In our small freezer in the kitchen, we have some homemade soup. Vegetarian lentil/Barley, chicken noodle and chili, corn chowder, clam chowder and green chicken chili.

Soup and some bread can be so comforting. If you know of someone who would benefit from some homemade soup, please see either Diane Corbett or Lucy Shepard on any Sunday during coffee hour.