Isaiah writes in 2:3 “’Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that (God) may teach us (God’s) ways and that we may walk in (God’s) paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” This is the   traditional encouragement to go back and make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. This act of returning is called “aliyah (עלייה).” While modern Zionism has also adopted the term, it is nevertheless a call to return and make a spiritual pilgrimage to the home of your spiritual ancestors. Precisely, that was the main goal when 19 other pastors, two professors and I made our spiritual   pilgrimage “up to the mountain of the Lord.”

In this week’s Pastoral Musings, I would like to invite you to make a spiritual pilgrimage during our Advent season, and invite you to come and join us in worship, and join me in the Advent Forum on November 27.

“Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord!” When the priests call on the people to go up, I can tell you that they are not using the term “up” metaphorically. Going to   Jerusalem is literally an ascent up the steep hills surrounding the city. Travelers of old would not only physically exert themselves for the long journey there, but the final ascent often would take half a day. When the temple stood on the temple mount, faithful worshippers would gather from all over the territory to come and worship God. This tradition of going up the “holy place” goes further back than the time of Moses. Moses, after all, ascended the mountain of God to receive the Ten Commandments. Hannah, mother of Samuel, also made her annual pilgrimage to Shiloh for prayer and worship. Throughout the synoptic gospels,  Jesus’ final ministry took place in Jerusalem and his ministry in the Galilee area was part of the set-up to go up to Jerusalem. Christians joined the journey of  pilgrimage to the Holy Land soon after the death of Jesus. Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, traveled to the Holy Land and erected churches to commemorate the holy sites of Jesus and the gospels.

In this year’s Advent preparation, perhaps we can adopt the pilgrimage mindset. We are walking toward the single most astonishing intersection of divine and humanity: God became one of us! This reality needs ample and   intentional time from us to begin to comprehend the gravity of this birth. This journey is an act of spiritual devotion in order to deepen our faith and clarify a spiritual calling. Consider the next four weeks as a form of pilgrimage. Each week, you will have multiple partners walking with you. Phyllis Daniels has written an insightful devotional guide for us. Each Sunday, we will have festive services to stir our hearts, minds and souls. Our worship services will have interactive elements of drama, music, ritual, and teaching. We would like to invite you into this season with excitement and anticipation of transformation in our lives through the incredible message of the birth of Christ. To do so, we need our hearts open and spirits willing to walk toward this life-changing reality. God became one of us, and we are indeed deeply loved by God. So, come, “let us go up to the mountain of the Lord” in this season of Advent. Come and prepare yourself on this spiritual pilgrimage of Advent. Come and let us celebrate the good new of the birth of our Savior. Come, let us go to the house of the Lord.

Advent is the beginning of the Church year and starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, ending on Christmas Day. The 12 days of Christmas begin then and end on Epiphany, January 6, the celebration of the Magi’s visit to baby Jesus. Advent traditionally is either a time of repentance and turning inward or an anticipatory time waiting for Jesus’ coming.  This year's Advent devotional, listing daily readings from November 29 to December 23, has been written with more emphasis on the anticipatory aspect.  How do we prepare for the coming of the Savior?  Devotionals will be available in the kiosk Sunday, November 22.

The Plymouth Congregational Council has launched its search process for an Interim Associate Minister of Faith Formation.  The purpose of the search is to fill the vacancy due to Kris Anderson Ostrem’s resignation, which is effective at the end of November.  Council members Helen Gorsuch, David Guthrie and Nancy Smith are leading this search. (Not to be confused with the recently elected committee charged with searching for a new settled senior minister.)

The Interim Search Committee posted the job opening with the United Church of Christ Pacific Northwest   Conference.  It also solicited the Seattle University School of Theology and Religion and The Pacific School of Religion for potential candidates. A variety of names have been brought to the search committee’s attention via other channels.  Interested candidates must submit a letter of interest and CV to Helen Gorsuch by November 15, 2009, at which time the Interim Search Committee and Interim Senior Minister Tom Stiers will begin conducting interviews. 

The Interim Associate Minister of Faith Formation Search Committee hopes to fill the vacancy by this December. 
—David Guthrie, Vice Moderator

Gifts Needed for Holiday Party

Plymouth Housing Group’s annual Holiday Party for its residents is coming up on December 10. They are gathering new hats, gloves, scarves, and socks to be given as gifts at the Party. If you are interested in being a part of the gift giving, please bring these winter items to Plymouth Housing Group’s Administrative Offices at 2113 3rd Ave, 98121 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday before Tues, December 8. For more information contact Georgia Nicon, 206-374-9409, ext. 135 or via email volunteer@plymouthhousing.org.

We may have just turned our clocks back but I invite you to join me on a little adventure into the future. Imagine it is spring (as you are composting the seeds from your Halloween pumpkin carvings), open up those cupboards, drawers and sideboards and ask yourself, “Do I really need five mismatched sets of serving spoons, forks and tongs?”  If you are like me, you can hardly open your sideboard ‘cause 1) it is way too full and 2) the doors are so stiff ‘cause the only time they are opened is if I am hosting Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. “Why do I own 3 quiche pans when I haven’t made one since Easter 1989?” I envision all of my serving platters and pie plates in the back cupboard on a revolt, not seeing the light of day since I don’t know when.  Sound familiar?  (If not, I am feeling very alone).  Have no fear!  Plymouth is here — to take your overstock serving bowls and muffin tins off your hands!  All sizes are needed to stock Plymouth’s kitchen.  Feel free to throw in some heavy plastic containers with lids if the you so desire (some brands may start with the  letter “T”).  Bring ‘em on down (technically up) to the kitchen.  Molly Anderson, Plymouth’s chef extraordinaire, would dearly appreciate it. Make some room in your cupboards! (warning: this is not an invitation to fill them with more stuff).  No chips or cracks please (bummer, that eliminates one of my quiche pans).

— Diane Jacobsen