October 2017 Interim Pastor: Reverend Louis R. Paradise

• • • • • • Pilgrim Church has a website, www.pilgrimchurch.com. It now is possible to download or read the “Progress” online. If you would like to receive the “Progress” via email, please contact the office at office@pilgrimchurch.com or call, 229-2915.

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Pilgrim’s Progress

So the time has come to write the last Pilgrim’s Progress article. I feel like Paul writing to one of the churches he loves and hopes to see great things coming for that congregation. I do love this congregation and am very convinced that God has called us together for a season of renewal, reflection and revitalization.

I know that I am renewed in many ways. Standing at the front of that renewal feeling is experiencing God who has been leading us these many months. I hope that you have felt God’s presence as I have. We have focused on Christ, and Christ’s grace has brought us before God in a very real way. God has blessed us and filled us with his own Spirit that we might persevere and run the race faithfully; so we have.

Reflecting on this time I see many trials and tribulations overcome. Things we didn’t think we would get through, we did. At the same time many blessings have poured out to us and we have rejoiced. We have relied on one another and each one’s faithfulness to Christ. We have joined hands together and seen change begin to blossom among us.

It’s odd how simple changes can revitalize our energies as a people. A little change in attitude here, a bit more effort and willingness to try something different, sparks in us the creative portion of God’s image we are created in. Being creative with new

ideas and the opportunity to express our creativity has begun to revitalize this church. If you are like me, you wish this could all happen overnight and wiz-bang we are super-Armenian church again. Alas like so many things revitalization is a slow and steady process.

As I look back on my year and a half at PACC I see that only about one-third of what I would like to see change has happened. That means that it would take about three more years for the real transformation to come about. Can I (We) be that patient? It always takes awhile to settle in to a new ministry and figure out what the priorities are, and it is always best to start with the most important first.

Everything Christ did was about change – water into wine; law into grace. It is interesting to note that it took Christ about three years to get the change started. Then it took God’s Spirit pouring into the lives of people to keep the change growing. Change is what we can all expect in our future. With God’s Spirit working in each one of us we can expect God’s change to take place.

Let’s all look forward to the changes God will provide and let’s be patient as we await that change.

In Christ, Rev. Louis R. Paradise Interim Pastor

A Message from Pastor Lou

NEWS BRIEFS SAVE THE DATE:

FOUNDERS’ DAY 2018 will be a special banquet at Pardini’s – We have reserved space for 200 people – Come and join the memories January 27, 2018.

VISA AND/OR MASTERCARD – giving is available in the church office. We also have a Square Card Reader, which gives us the capability of charging to the church using a smart phone.

RECIPE BOOK REQUEST – Pilgrim church office has been get- ting requests for, “A Harvest of Recipes” cookbook dated 1901- 2001, burgundy in color. If you would like to donate your copy to the church office it would be appreciated.

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WORSHIP For Prayer and Praise

PRAYER CHAIN. For prayer, call Sheri Manoogian at 412-4241 or Helen Sadoian at 439-3443. If you would like to be added to our prayer list, please call the church office, 229-2915.

PILGRIM CHURCH COUNSELORS. If you have any concerns and/or affirmations, please speak with or call any of our counsel- ors, Carol Forrest 431-2530, Alex or Sonia Jemanjian 579-8389, and Joe and Johnanna Soghomonian 834-3150.

• • • • •

COUNCIL ACTIVITIES By Moderator Cristel Tufenkjian

The Council held their September meeting starting with a devotional by John Eleazarian on church leadership and an opening prayer preparing us spiritually for the work ahead of us. Highlights of the business conducted include the appointment of Alexander Jaramishian to the Goorabian Family Life Center Committee and Sedrak Israyelayn to the Board of Trustees and approval of three requests to change membership status from inactive to active. The Council concurred with the calling of a special congregational meeting on October 8 to approve expenditures for repairing the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units and the fountains and for the installation of a projection system in the sanctuary. The Council thanked the Board Trustees and Deacons for their leadership and the giving of their time in the upkeep of the church campus. Pastor Lou led the closing prayer. This was the last Council meeting under the guidance of Pastor Lou. We will miss his thoughtful input and support. He has helped us with structure and order creating a more efficient, productive meeting. He will be greatly missed.

• • • • •

October 8 – Special Congregational

Meeting There is a Special Called Congregational Meet-

ing for October 8, 2017 following morning Wor- ship for the purpose of approving funding for Air Conditioning Repairs; A Projection System for the Sanctuary; Restoration of the Fountains and other items that might pertain to the well-being of PACC facilities and its ministry.

MISSIONS OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

SUNDAY SCHOOL MISSIONS PROJECT If you haven’t picked up a shoe box yet,

please see Cathy Cholakian. Sunday School would like to donate 70 shoeboxes from PACC this year and would appreciate the support of the congre- gation to meet this goal. Shoeboxes need to be re- turned to church by Sunday November 12.

Please note when you receive your instruction sheet that CANDY, GUM and TOOTHPASTE CANNOT BE INCLUDED in your box THIS YEAR because of cus- toms issues. ALSO the desired donation for postage and handling is now $9.

Harvest Festival Sunday October 22

Join us for an evening of SAFE FUN! Church and neighborhood families are welcome.

Pilgrim Social Hall 5:00-7:00 pm

FUN • CANDY • FOOD • GAMES • SURPRISES LEARN ABOUT JESUS

FRESNO MUSICAL CLUB PRESENTS A PUBLIC CONCERT

Sunday, October 8, 2017 • 3:00 pm Pilgrim Armenian Congregational Church

This annual concert features some of the FMC Award winners as well as a few FMC regular members. This year’s performers will be Michael Krikorian, pianist and winner of the 2017 Bell T. Ritchie Audition; Mark De La Mora , baritone and Tiffanie Trujil- lo, soprano winners in the Young Singers Audition; Dr. Alan Rea playing piano compositions by Barbara Ulman, FMC member; and Faye De Long, PACC organist and FMC president, playing the 27 Rank /2 Manuel Reuter Pipe Organ.

The concert is free and a reception following the concert takes place in the Fellowship Overflow Room.

Please join us! – Faye De Long

SUNDAY SCHOOL Sunday School classes began on

September 10. The Christian Education Committee and Sunday School staff have adopted a new curriculum – Bible Studies for Life. This is a solid Bible-based program designed to make “disciples at every age.” Middle

School students – 6th, 7th, 8th graders – and high school students will continue to meet in their individual classroom. A rotation through centers model, similar to VBS, is being initiated for preschoolers through 5th graders. Additionally, we have added a Toddler class for 1- and 2-year-old children.

SUNDAY SCHOOL MORNING SCHEDULE 10:00-11:00: Middle school and High school; Middle School meet in Library; High school meet in Family Life Center 10:30-11:30: Toddlers through 5th graders; all students start in Room 6 for a Bible lesson before going to stations 11:00: Worship begins/nursery care available for toddlers and preschoolers 11:30-12:00: Enrichment Preschool through 6th Grade

If you haven’t been to Sunday School yet this year YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE MISSING. See you SOON!

15TH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE

ARMENIAN EVANGELICAL

FELLOWSHIP

Womens

“REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS. I WILL SAY IT AGAIN: REJOICE!” – PHILIPPIANS 4:4

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Roseann Saliba 559-960-4100

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Lena Garabedian,

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INFORMATION:

Roseann Saliba 559-960-4100

resaliba@sbcglobal.net

Lena Garabedian,

Registrar 626-533-2531

LVGarabedian@cbbank.com

or aeuna.org

HAPPY BIRTHDAY… to these in