Pilgrim Lutheran Church

09/06/2026

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

09/05/2026

Join us at Pilgrim on Saturday, September 19, at 12:30 p.m. for a special afternoon where families grow together!

Enjoy an afternoon filled with food, faith, and fun. We’ll kick things off with pizza before breaking into groups, and then we’ll all reunite at the end for popsicles and community celebration.

Children will get to explore nature, plant seeds, help our garden grow, and discover how God helps us with worry and builds our hope. Parents will connect with other parents and discuss practical ways to help kids thrive, based on the book Balanced and Barefoot.

This event is completely free, and every family will receive a complimentary copy of Balanced and Barefoot to take home!

Space is limited. So, please register today.

🪴 Pizza, Planting, & Popsicles 📅 Date & Time: Sept. 19 at 12:30 p.m. 📍 Location: Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 1430 North Lake Drive, Lexington, SC 💲 Cost: FREE but space is limited! 🙋Who? Families of preschool and elementary children - both Pilgrim members & non-members ✍️ Sign Up: Pi...

09/05/2026

Thank you for wearing your work clothes to church tomorrow as we celebrate Labor Day. Labor Day grew out of a period when American workers faced 12-hour days, seven-day workweeks, unsafe conditions, and widespread child labor. Labor Unions—especially the Knights of Labor and the Central Labor Union began organizing strikes and rallies to demand better conditions.

These efforts created momentum for a day honoring workers’ contribution to the nation’s industrial growth. The first Labor Day was September 5, 1882.

While we often turn every Monday holiday into a time to take a mini-vacation, I think it’s also helpful to remember the roots of our celebrations. It’s an opportunity to give thanks to those who went before us and fought to make our lives easier. Such memories often inspire us to ponder what in our community now needs strengthening, restoring, or major change. It’s a time to ponder how we might be change-agents in our time.

On this Labor Day Sunday when we recognize these worker reforms, we’ll also think about our Lutheran Christian concept of vocation in daily life. Each of us in our baptism, in our lives, is called to use our gifts not only in the church, but to also use them for the common good. Think about your spiritual gifts and your call to serve our community.

See you Sunday. I’ll be wearing my work clothes, for sure!
Pastor Mary

09/04/2026

A Hot Mess: A workshop on Church Record Keeping with Pastor Mary Anderson

The ELCA Virginia Synod is once again offering a workshop on church recordkeeping to support congregational pastors, parish administrators, and archivists.

Many congregations discover, especially when they have big celebrations coming up (like an anniversary), or have a crisis (like a problem with their building or a request for someone’s baptismal date), that they suddenly need records they can’t easily find.

This introductory/overview session will be September 21, 7–8:15 p.m. EST.

Depending on continued interest, we may hold a four-part series in October to detail how to keep our vital records and how to find and organize them when they're a “hot mess!”

If you or your congregation are interested, here’s the registration link: https://vasynod.org/event/what-records-should-we-keep/

09/04/2026

Last call for the fourth annual McLeod Farms Dove Hunt!

Full details on the event, schedule, and location are on the flyer. It’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a day outdoors while supporting a great cause.

Register and buy tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mcleod-farms-4th-annual-dove-hunt-tickets-1996901479079?aff=oddtdtcreator

09/03/2026

💡We’re expanding our tips series! Moving forward, we’ll feature a mix of Parent Pro Tips and Senior Pro Tips each week. This week, we’re kicking off our first Senior Pro Tip with some great neighborhood safety advice courtesy of our friends at the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department!

🏘️ Walking in your neighborhood: Safety and awareness

👀 Pay attention to your surroundings.
Most victims say the criminal “came out of nowhere.” Keep your head up and stay aware of what is happening around you.

⚠️ Change up your routes.
Vary your routine and path so your daily habits aren’t completely predictable.

💡 Stay in well-lit areas.
Stick to clear, brightly lit streets and sidewalks, especially when walking near dusk or dawn.

🌾 Avoid overgrown areas.
Steer clear of bushes, tall hedges, or areas that cannot be easily seen by passing traffic or neighbors.

👭 Form a walking group or use the buddy system.
The more people you have with you, the lower your chances are of becoming a target.

📱 ALWAYS take a cell phone.
Keep a fully charged phone easily accessible in case you need to call for help or an emergency arises.

🔑 Have your house key ready.
Hold your keys in your hand before you reach your front door so you don’t spend time searching on your porch.

08/30/2026

We’re sorry. We are having technical difficulties today and are unable to live stream.

08/27/2026

📲 Calling all Pilgrim friends!

We would love to hang out together during the festival! A group of us will be meeting up for dinner on Saturday, October 10, at 5:30 p.m.

Look for us under the main tent to grab a table, enjoy great food, listen to the live music, and spend time together. Bring your family and friends. Come join in on the fun!

Oktoberfest 2026 is on, mark your calendars! 🤩 Oktober 9-11th at Incarnation Lutheran Church. Prost, y'all! 🥨🍻🎪

08/27/2026

💡 Parent Pro Tip 💡

Where’s the Line between Missing a Parent and Separation Anxiety?

“Missing” looks like sadness that responds to comfort and rituals. Separation anxiety looks like distress spreading to other separations like school drop-off or sleepovers.

Separation anxiety may also result in physical symptoms like stomach aches or sleep disruption. It also no longer responds to the parents’ reassurances. Track these things, and if it’s not easing within a few weeks, even when potential causes seem to be stabilized, that’s your signal. Get some help.

08/27/2026

Welcome back, Pilgrim Community Preschool!

On Monday, August 24, our halls officially came back to life! After a quiet summer, the building is once again filled with the sweetest sounds: bright little laughs, playful songs, and the happy hum of a brand-new school year underway.

We love seeing all the familiar faces and warm welcome-back moments, including a pair of best friends, Lilly and her sweet classmate, sharing a big hug after missing each other all summer long.

This school year also brings an extra special milestone for our community. We are honored to welcome back the Cox family! Both Dad (Lucas Cox) and Mom (Kayleen Cox) graduated from Pilgrim Community Preschool back in 2001. Now, their family legacy continues as both of their children step into the very same classrooms their parents once did. Cruz is in our 4-year-old class, and Wesley is in our 2-year-old class!

Seeing generations return to our school reminds us just how special this community is. Enjoy these sweet snapshots from their very first day, and help us give a warm welcome to all of our new and returning families!