All Pilgrims is the most loving, dynamic congregation I've encountered. The current pastor, Rev…read more Greg Turk, is engaging, energizing, and committed to ministries that bring spiritual growth to individuals and loving justice to the community and world. The rainbow banner on the church tower reads "All Are Welcome", and they mean it.
Worship services are uplifting--this is a singing congregation and the sanctuary is one of the best music spaces in town! The messages consistently encourage participants to both receive and grow in God's love (a favorite phrase--God loves you and there's nothing you can do about it!) and to share that love through ministries serving others, especially those who are disadvantaged by our current society.
Growth opportunities take many forms--pastoral care, classes, worship, and service ministries are the most common. We're far from perfect, but we're loving toward one another as we explore our faith, experiment with ways and means of giving and receiving, and flexible in response to a changing society.
The theology relies on each believer to invest in their own faith and understanding rather than there being a single shared list of beliefs that everyone must subscribe to-no creeds or absolute doctrines. This is balanced with an expectation that we will join one another in understanding our faith, scripture, tradition, and our relationships with God--by learning together we assure that none of us unwittingly twist the message to suit our own needs, prejudices or denial. The idea is that we are all pilgrims, each on our own faith and life journeys, and we are journeying together for now. While we are together we are interdependent, each doing what we can to contribute to others and the whole, as well as being served. When someone moves on, they are missed and blessed for their journey.
I've been a member of All Pilgrims since before there was an All Pilgrims...that is, I continued in the new congregation when First Christian Church (where I was a member) and Pilgrim Congregational UCC united in 2003.
As you'll understand from the messages below, all congregations go thru various "seasons" in our life together. For example, we brought the pastors of both congregations into continued service with the new congregation. Since then, we've had as many as 5 part time pastors at one time, and have now settled in with one pastor. Each brought their own gifts, styles, and personalities to the position and then current needs of the congregation. Some have been contemplative and pastoral, some dynamic and energizing, and a lot more descriptions applied over time.
