Holy Week at Pearl Church

Sunday, March 24 to Sunday, March 31

This upcoming week marks Holy Week—the pinnacle of the Christian Calendar. Beginning with Palm Sunday and continuing through Easter Sunday, we follow along with the events leading up to the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus. For many Christians this week is a time of special observance, creating space for us to meditate on the presence of Divine Love with us in our many experiences of suffering, loss, death—and in our many experiences of new life, rising again, restoration and hope.

Palm Sunday, March 24, 10:00am service
This Sunday commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, when the crowds acclaimed him as their expected Messiah, the one who would bring restoration and peace. We mark this week with palm fronds, which are folded into crosses and held as a reminder until the following year, when they are made into the ashes for Ash Wednesday.

Maundy Thursday, March 28
Recalling the events of the Last Supper, when Jesus gathered around a table and broke bread and wine with his disciples, “Maundy Thursday” invites us to meditate on Jesus’ last command (in Latin, mandatum)—to love one another. While we will not have any events this year, many people like to celebrate this day by gathering for a meal with loved ones and friends.

Good Friday, March 29, 7:00pm service
Throughout the ages, mystics and theologians have pointed to the image of Christ crucified and declared: This is the image of God. The Divine suffering, the Divine broken, the Divine self-giving, the Divine with us in our deaths. You are invited to join us for this special service as we ponder this God who is known most truly in vulnerability and solidarity. This special service will follow a tenebrae format, as we slowly extinguish candles while descending with Jesus into the darkness of Good Friday. Childcare will be offered for children through 5th grade; youth are encouraged to attend the service with their families.

Holy Saturday, March 30
Recalling the silence and sorrow of the disciples as Jesus lay in the tomb, many choose to observe this day with a period of silence, solitude, fasting and prayer.

Easter Sunday, March 31, services at 9:15am and 10:45am
He is risen, indeed! As the highest point of the Christian calendar, Easter celebrates Resurrection—new life bursting forth out of death. All are welcome to join us for services on Easter Sunday! Starting Easter, March 31, we will be offering two services at 9:15am and 10:45am. The two services will be identical, but kids and youth programs will be offered only at the 9:15am service. (We will continue on a two-service schedule through May 19, the weekend before Memorial Day.)

Flowering the Cross—March 31, both services

As you arrive for Easter on Sunday, March 31, there will be a flowering cross located outside the entrance doors on the west side of the building (next to Hot Lips). We invite you to bring freshly cut flowers to place on this cross but we’ll have extra flowers in case you’re unable. The contrast between the barren altar that you have observed throughout Lent and the living flowering cross that you will see as you enter into church for worship will be a welcome sight that helps to prepare our hearts for celebrating new and abundant life in Christ.

Kid’s Easter Egg Hunt—March 31, between services
Join us Easter Sunday, March 31, at Pearl Church for an all-ages Easter egg hunt between the two services. We will begin as soon as the first service ends, around 10:20am. We’re so excited to have you join us for some Easter fun!

Signups for Spring Term Home Groups Start 3/24

Sign Up Between 3/24–4/7; Spring Term begins week of 4/7

Home Groups exist to cultivate our church’s rhythm of Common Table. By making space to gather together on a weekly basis, our Home Groups intentionally nurture the sacred work of growing in relationship. We’d love for everyone who calls Pearl “home” to be in a group. However, before committing to a term of Home Group, it's helpful to know if Pearl is a good fit. So, if you've been at Pearl for less than three months, we want to encourage you to better know Pearl by taking the next couple of months to check out an array of opportunities.

Our Home Groups are spread across the city and besides sharing in life together, our groups participate in one service project per calendar year and the default content is to discuss the weekly sermon. That said, each group has agency to pursue its own interests such as a book discussion or taking turns sharing about life, etc.

Interested in getting to know our Home Group Leaders? Click here.

You can sign up for a home group here:

Easter Choir

Do you enjoy singing? Come lend your voice in our Easter Choir. No audition necessary. All are welcome to join. Rehearsals will be held Mar 17 and Mar 24 after the Sunday morning service. Attendance at both rehearsals is strongly encouraged; attendance at one rehearsal is required. The choir will be singing on Sunday Morning, March 31 at both the 9:15am and 10:45am Easter Services. To sign up, please contact Brian Cheney at brianc@pearlchurch.org.

Two Services beginning March 31

Over the past several months, Sunday morning attendance has been increasing steadily at Pearl Church. We are so grateful to be hearing from newcomers who tell us how much they appreciate our community!

It is wonderful to see so many new people among us, but you’ve probably noticed that some Sundays we’re getting so full that it is difficult for people to find seats when they arrive. We particularly want to be sure first-time and newer visitors feel like there is room for them to join our community.  In order to make room for more people to join in at our Common Table, beginning Easter Sunday (March 31), through May 19, we will be offering two Sunday services at 9:15am and 10:45am, with children's and youth programs offered at the 9:15am service.

Story & Table Season 1 Now Available!

Story & Table, a new podcast from Pearl Church Pastor Mike Roth, exists to make connections between the stories that we tell and the tables that our stories sustain. Through a lens that is intentionally non-violent and non-dominion, Mike explores an ecology of Christian language that sets loving tables, around which humans are freed and inspired to flourish.

All episodes from Season One are now available to download on our website or on Apple Podcasts!

Cozy Kiddo Room for Our Littlest Ones

Every Sunday in the Church Office during first service—Just Past the Women’s Restroom, then Turn Left

Parents and Caretakers are warmly welcome to have their littlest ones remain with them in the Adult Service. However, if your little one grows wiggly or fussy, we ask that you help to ensure the service’s quiet-focus by taking advantage of our Cozy Kiddo Room. This room has comfy chairs, a clean play rug, age-appropriate toys, and live audio-video of the Adult Service so that parents and caretakers can follow along!

End of Year Giving - Stories of Raising Kids

Pearl Church member Heather Griffin shares about her hopes for kids to encounter good, non-violent theology at Pearl.


As we near the end of another calendar year, would you consider giving a special gift to Pearl? Pearl Church exists through the generous donations of those who love and tangibly support our work and end of year giving traditionally covers about 30% of our annual budget, which makes this time of year especially important to meeting our fiscal needs. This year we find ourselves especially in need of support, as we have extended our budget in order to bring on additional staff and expand our offerings. You can find more about how to give a special end of year donation here, and also learn how you can easily set up a recurring donation.

End of Year Giving - Stories of Community

Pearl Church members Phil and Janis Petrowski share about their experience of community and support at Pearl through their battle with cancer.


As we near the end of another calendar year, would you consider giving a special gift to Pearl? Pearl Church exists through the generous donations of those who love and tangibly support our work and end of year giving traditionally covers about 30% of our annual budget, which makes this time of year especially important to meeting our fiscal needs. This year we find ourselves especially in need of support, as we have extended our budget in order to bring on additional staff and expand our offerings. You can find more about how to give a special end of year donation here, and also learn how you can easily set up a recurring donation.

End of Year Giving - Stories of Inclusion

Pearl Church attender Hongya Chen shares about his experiences of LGBTQIA+ inclusion at Pearl Church.


As we near the end of another calendar year, would you consider giving a special gift to Pearl? Pearl Church exists through the generous donations of those who love and tangibly support our work and end of year giving traditionally covers about 30% of our annual budget, which makes this time of year especially important to meeting our fiscal needs. This year we find ourselves especially in need of support, as we have extended our budget in order to bring on additional staff and expand our offerings.

You can find more about how to give a special end of year donation here, and also learn how you can easily set up a recurring donation.

End of Year Giving - Stories of Reconstruction

Pearl Church attenders Chris and Bentley Barbour share about their experience of Pearl as a safe place to reconstruct their faith.


As we near the end of another calendar year, would you consider giving a special gift to Pearl? Pearl Church exists through the generous donations of those who love and tangibly support our work and end of year giving traditionally covers about 30% of our annual budget, which makes this time of year especially important to meeting our fiscal needs. This year we find ourselves especially in need of support, as we have extended our budget in order to bring on additional staff and expand our offerings.

You can find more about how to give a special end of year donation at our website, www.pearlchurch.org/donate, and also learn how you can easily set up a recurring donation.

Pearl Court Pantry Needs Your Paper Grocery Bags!

Each month we plan to distribute about 50 bags of groceries to our neighbors next door. We double bag the groceries to ensure that the bags don’t break. This means we’re in need of about 100 bags per month! Please consider donating your extra grocery bags by placing them in the collection bin, next to the Connecting Table, at Ecotrust on Sunday mornings.

Advent Devotional: Making Space for Christ

Click here to download

The Church calendar begins in the darkest days of the year, with the First Sunday of Advent. Advent encompasses the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, this year beginning on November 27th. During this season of longing, we intentionally cultivate space for the light of Christ in the midst of darkness. It is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to treasure up and ponder all that is possible, in Christ.

This year, the Pearl community is exploring how to Make Space for Christ. Just as the old Christmas hymn proclaims, “Let every heart prepare him room!” As we draw near to the Feast of the Incarnation, the songs we sing in this season stir up our longing to experience the peaceful presence of God-with-us. This Advent, our Sunday sermons will explore four ancient practices, which help us awaken to the Divine who is pleased to dwell among us. By reconsidering rest, prayer, fasting and forgiveness, this series aims to hold up wise ways of making space for Christ in the goodness of our ordinary days.

This weekly Advent devotional includes liturgies and practices for families, friends, housemates and individuals to engage throughout this Advent season and make space for Christ in the texture of daily life. The weeks leading up to Christmas can be a blur of activity and frivolity, but also of family tensions, tight budgets, high expectations and stressful schedules. Making intentional space to reflect, slow down, and be prayerfully present to Christ and loved ones can help prepare our hearts to truly celebrate the gift of Christmas—God With Us, Emmanuel.


Music for Advent

You can download a song sheet with the lyrics of songs in the Advent Devotional here.

You can download MP3s of the songs referenced in the Advent Devotional here:

Work Against Racism: Consider Taking the IDI

For those of you who missed our discussion with Dr. Jenkins last Sunday, she introduced us to a personal development tool called the Intercultural Development Inventory, which provides insight into how each of us tends to respond in situations of cultural difference. As Dr. Jenkins mentioned, working against racism occurs at the societal, communal, and personal level. This is a tool that provides personal awareness and recommendations for you to develop your intercultural mindset as an individual. If you are interested in taking the IDI assessment yourself, you’re welcome to reach out to her directly. If you’d prefer to pursue the IDI with someone from Pearl Church, long-time Pearl member Abby Coppock is trained and certified on the IDI and is also willing to assist. Feel free to reach out directly to Abby. Please note, fees may apply.

Working Against Racism

At Pearl Church, we embrace values embodied in the life of Jesus. Equity and inclusion are two of our values, and our intention to work against racism is a natural outflow of these values.

Definition(s)

Definitions of racism, long considered to be about individual attitudes and actions, have been updated in our day to include the growing recognition that racism goes beyond the individual. Racism is perpetuated by systems of power: governments, schools, prisons, families, economies, religions. Racism is also understood to intersect with other forms of discrimination, and this intersectionality—the ways various identities interact, such as race, gender, class, sexual orientation, and ability—affects individuals’ lived experiences, shaping their perspectives, worldview, and relationships.

Working against racism, then, is any measure that produces or sustains racial equity between racial groups and must include an attentiveness to the intersecting identities of the members of a community.

Our Commitment

Pearl Church understands Jesus’ message of divine love to be inclusive of all people. The Christian scriptures show Jesus seeking out and elevating those marginalized by the dominant voices of society. This purposeful action moves counter to the insidiousness of racism. Following Jesus, therefore, we commit ourselves to intentionally work against racism, standing firmly against racism in all forms. Our commitment is:

  • The deconstruction of disadvantage based on skin color,

  • to unearth bias, both conscious and unconscious,

  • and to work in our community to counter inequities long rooted in the poisoned soil of racism.

Equity asks us to examine and deconstruct systems that marginalize and perpetuate disparities and to construct new, more generous and just systems in their place. Inclusion asks for active investment in our community—engaging with the unique and intersecting identities of those within our community and offering support and opportunity for all to realize their full (and fully loved) selves.

Member's Meeting 2022 Highlights

At Pearl, our financial/ministry year runs from July through June, so each year we host a member’s meeting in July. This past July 10th, the Oversight Team led us in celebrating the last year, shared some important updates for the upcoming year and ways our community can support our vision. Below you'll find highlights for a few of the most important updates from the meeting.


Members’ Meeting Highlights

Member Updates

  • We met and welcomed twelve new members over the last twelve months.

  • We celebrated several members’ forthcoming marriages and recent weddings.

  • We celebrated high school graduations and new babies born into our community.

  • We heard updates on health from several members and remembered those who passed way this year.

Working Against Racism
Over the past year our board has worked out some language regarding our intent to work against racism. You can find that statement here. We also shared about the board’s recent work with Dr. Debra Jenkins through Share the Flame. At this point our Oversight team has met individually with Dr. Jenkins and as a team. Soon we will make available a church-wide meeting with Dr. Jenkins in the coming months.

Ben’s New Role
During the meeting we shared that Pastor Ben is now working full-time as our Operations Pastor, from July 1. Ben will continue to preach and offer pastoral care, but will also be taking on the operational aspects of Pearl - finances, managing staff, volunteer coordination and donor management. This position was created after the Oversight Team met and charted out what tasks could be removed from Pastor Mike’s plate to create more room for exciting work both inside and outside our church. (See below for more on this!) The Oversight Team asked if Ben would be interested in taking on these responsibilities and he shared that it felt like a dream job description. We commissioned Ben in this new role on Sunday, July 17.

Mike’s New Work
As I shared on Sunday, I’m excited about these changes. With Ben taking over the operations side of my job, I’ll now have time to pursue more of my passion and skill by developing non-violent theology while also expanding Pearl’s work in the world. I believe that this is important. The theological work that we’re doing at Pearl is helping those who are deconstructing to reconstruct consequential faith and we’d like to be intentional to make this work accessible beyond Pearl. To be clear, the majority of my work will continue to be embodied in our local community. And, I’m looking forward to thoughtfully exploring how Pearl’s work may extend beyond Portland. I believe that the extension of Pearl’s work in the world will help to nurture change that’s desperately needed in today’s American Christianity.

I look forward to sharing more about this transition when I share my heart for Pearl as an Oversight Team member, on 8/14.

Supporting Pearl
We're so excited about the good things that are happening at Pearl - this is a work that we all share in, together. As we begin moving forward from these pandemic years toward the future, making room for more people to find and join us at Pearl will depend on our community supporting Pearl, both by volunteering and giving financially.

Part of Pastor Ben's role will be to help provide opportunities to get involved—whether spending a Sunday morning with our kids or youth, serving our Pearl Court Neighbors at our monthly Pantry, greeting newcomers on Sundays or hosting a home group. We want to be sure that all of us are able to share creatively in making this a warm, inclusive community for all people.

In addition, the Oversight Team shared that in order to hire Ben full time, we have extended ourselves financially, with a 2.75 year runway of savings to support this. In order for our community to continue to grow and thrive, we are depending on the generous giving of our members and attenders. You can learn more about ways to give, here.

As always, please be in touch with any questions.

Thank you,

Pastor Mike

Recent Covid News & Safety

Multnomah County is currently in the low transmission category for Covid. The county is not mandating universal indoor masking at this time, but is encouraging community members to wear a well-fitting mask indoors around others if experiencing symptoms or testing positive for COVID. We will continue to monitor the situation and plan to follow CDC and Multnomah County recommendations. Multnomah County's current position is to strongly recommend indoor masking. We're asking everyone to think about their own health, their own risk level, and the risk level of those in their households and social circle, and to act accordingly. For more information visit the county's website, here.

Statement on Violence Against AAPI, from Sunday Morning, 3/21

Pearl Church stands with all Asian American and Pacific Island people as we collectively grieve the violent events–not only of this past week, but of past months, years, decades, and generations.

We want to name white supremacy and patriarchy, and the specific ways those forms of power get taught and normalized in Christian traditions. It is not okay and it is all around us.

To be clear, the recent violence is not an isolated act. Over 3800 acts of anti-Asian hate in the US have occurred since COVID began, including over 800 acts of violence toward the AAPI community in California alone during the first 3 months of COVID.

"Intersectionality" is when social identities like race and gender overlap to create unique forms of discrimination. We want to specifically lift up Asian women in this moment, as this impacts them in multiple ways. All women may relate to the misogyny in this violence. All members of the AAPI community may relate to the racism in this violence. But Asian women are processing the effects of both types of community trauma.

We want to call out Christian purity culture and its undeniable connection to the misogyny and racism that played a large role in Robert Aaron Long’s life, which prevented him from seeking consequential help beyond the tools of religious violence–shame and blame

Lastly, we want to say that women working in the sex industry adds another layer to the recent violence. Women who work in the sex industry have a 45-75% chance of experiencing sexual violence and they have some of the highest homicide rates among women. Women–children of God, with hopes, dreams, and precious lives, desperately need our attention and care.

Neighbors Update, November 2020

Church Family,

Over the years, so many of you have at one time or another, been a part of the faithful team who have invested in, loved on, and worked to build authentic relationship with our neighbors at Pearl Court Apartments. It is so hard to believe that it has been 9 months since we were able to physically hold a pantry or dinner. But despite the building being closed and our volunteers not being allowed in the building, we have continued to support our neighbors physically, spiritually, and relationally.

We opened access to our pantry three times in order for a few faithful neighbors to deliver much needed toiletries and canned goods to those in need. We've directed our monthly allocated budget to Lift UP, a local food pantry who has continued to deliver food boxes and pantry supplies throughout the COVID lockdown. We are happy to report that Pearl Court's Emergency Pantry is now fully stocked!

Emergency Food Closet (2).jpg
Emergency Food Closet2 (2).jpg

In September, we purchased a refrigerator for Pearl Court Apartments. With the fridge, Lift UP is now using our monthly donation to provide fresh food items for the residents. This is something our residents have been longing for but we never had a way to store.

Freezer Items.jpg
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This month, in coordination with Regina Rozier, Pearl Court's Community Service Coordinator, we helped to provide Thanksgiving meals catered by Elephants Deli. Two years ago, we started the tradition of cooking and serving a Thanksgiving dinner to our neighbors. Since COVID prevented our ability to do so this year, we were able to provide extra funds this month that we had yet to use towards our monthly Pearl Court Dinners to help purchase 70 dinners. Meal sign-up and delivery was possible only through the amazing assistance of four of Pearl Courts residents: Nancy, Jason, Sean, and Chyna.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused us to pause so much of what our lives used to look like, our work in being good neighbors has not stopped. We find peace and joy knowing that we are still able to have an impact. As we enter the Christmas Season, we will continue our efforts to intentionally maintain relationship in new and creative ways. Thank you Pearl Church family for your continued support of this important work.

Leslie Barnes
Neighbors Ministry

Statement on Racial Justice

As a Christian community we imagine and desire the consummation of peace in a world integrated by Divine love. However, the last few weeks make clear that the peace we long for is far from being realized. The heinous acts of violence against people of color, the existence of prejudiced systems and policies that promulgate racism, and, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, “… the white moderate who is more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: ‘I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action…’” are evidence that much change is desperately needed.

Pearl Church categorically affirms that black lives matter. Pearl Church categorically insists that police brutality is unacceptable, must be held accountable, and illumines the need for substantial change in policing policy and protocol. Pearl Church categorically recognizes that Christianity has been complicit in perpetuating ideas and in sustaining systems that harm, minimize, and dehumanize black lives, voices, and perspectives. 

As a faith community we are committed to demonstrations, conversations, policies, systems, and theologies that elevate and advocate for marginalized voices and perspectives. We believe that the marginalized are our sisters and brothers who have much to teach our world about equality and justice. Therefore, with renewed intention we stand in solidarity with the marginalized. We will listen carefully to their voices in order to learn and grow. And with hearts that break by today’s inequality and injustice, we will participate in effectual change that moves us toward that which we truly desire—the consummation of peace in a world that is integrated by Divine love.

Opportunities

Over the coming days Pearl Church will provide opportunities to more deeply engage issues surrounding racial inequality. On June 7th, Pastor Mike will begin a six week sermon series on the book of Lamentations, which will encourage us to see and to grieve the desolation all around us. Abby Coppock will facilitate a couple conversations to help us process our responses to the events of the past weeks. Pastor Ben will offer a vigil that makes space for naming, grieving, and committing ourselves to participate in necessary change. And later in the month Pastor Mike will lead a book discussion on a resource to help us engage this conversation more deeply.


Resources

Although many resources related to current events are widely available, here are a few that stand out to us:

ONLINE

  • In a recent Instagram post by President Obama, he provides very practical steps that we can take, on a local level, and he highlights two relevant websites. The first site leads to a report and toolkit developed by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. It’s based on the work of the Task Force on 21st Century Policing that he formed while in office. The second site is for those interested in taking concrete action. It’s a dedicated site at the Obama Foundation to aggregate and direct you to useful resources and organizations who’ve been working at the local and national level. 

  • Scaffolded Anti-Racism Resources” This extensive collection of activities, articles, podcasts, and videos provides prompts for people at various stages of engaging racism in themselves and the systems surrounding them.

BOOKS

  • White Fragility, by Robin D’Angelo

  • How to Be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi

  • The Cross and the Lynching Tree, by James Cone


SERMONS FROM PEARL

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

  • The Racist History of Portland, the Whitest City in America – The Atlantic, 2016. Portland is known as a modern-day hub of progressivism, but its past is one of exclusion. This article dives into the history that created the whitest city in America. 

  • Oregon’s Black Pioneers – Oregon Public Broadcasting. A 30 min video, February 2019. For decades, Oregon legally excluded black people from settling in the region. Despite racists laws and attitudes, some came anyway. “Oregon’s Black Pioneers” examines the earliest African-Americans who lived and worked in the region during the mid-1800s. They came as sailors, gold miners, farmers, and slaves. Their numbers were small, by some estimates just 60 black residents in 1850, but they managed to create communities, and in some cases, take on racist laws — and win.

  • Bleeding Albina: A History of Community Disinvestment, 1940-2000. By Karen J. Gibson, Transforming Anthropology, 2007, volume 15. Portland, Oregon is celebrated in the planning literature as one of the nation’s most livable cities, yet there is very little scholarship on its small Black community. Using census data, oral histories, archival documents, and newspaper accounts, this study analyzes residential segregation and neighborhood disinvestment over a 60-yr period.

  • Communities of Color in Multnomah County: An Unsettling Profile. A 2014 report from the Coalition of Communities of Color. This report centers the experiences of communities of color in Multnomah county, and the disparities that exist for our people. It includes a brief history and outcomes across a variety of social, health, and economic indicators. 

Donate to Pearl Using Your Fred Meyer Rewards Card

If you shop or buy gas at Fred Meyers and are looking for a simple way to support the work of Pearl Church, consider connecting your Fred Meyers' Reward Card # to Pearl Church. Simply visit fredmeyer.com and once you're logged into your Fred Meyer account, search for "Pearl Church" either by name or by QR407 and then click "Enroll." New users will need to create an account, which requires some basic information: a valid email address and a rewards card. Moving forward, all shopping at Fred Meyers when using your Rewards Card will result in a donation to Pearl. Questions? Contact info@pearlchurch.org