CONTENTS 3 5 6 8 10 11 12 14 Rev. Dr. Valerie Miller-Coleman’s View From Here Column
Major Choral Work: “Magnificat”
The Children’s Christmas Pageant
166th Christmas Eve at Plymouth
Plymouth’s Holiday Cookie Swap!
Called to Grow: 2021 Annual Appeal Update
Advent Giving Opportunities
Reports Needed for Plymouth’s 2020 Annual Report
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VIEW By Rev. Dr. Valerie Miller-Coleman
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’m grateful for Zoom. I truly am. It allows us to carry on with a form of gathering that kind of works. It’s an okay substitute as a gathering space. There are some things it leaves to be desired, however. Zoom doesn’t make it easy to linger after a meeting and fill in gaps or answer casual questions. That’s a problem because while it may seem as though we’ve communicated there might be some details that didn’t come across clearly. The same thing could be said of broadcast worship. It’s a one-way street most of the time. That makes it an okay substitute under the circumstances, but just okay. I’ve heard enough questions on two important topics that I want to press pause and offer some clarification that might be useful. I hope it is. First, the Bible. The Bible is important to me. It’s the library of our spiritual heritage. It tells us who we come from and to whom we belong. As a preacher it’s important to me that I speak about scripture in a way that’s approachable and useful to the least biblically literate person in the room. Sometimes that means I may provide more background on a text than you might personally need. Toward the same end, since the fall of 2019 we’ve been following the Narrative Lectionary in worship. The Narrative Lectionary is designed to follow the full arc of the biblical story over the course of the year. It also highlights some of the most compelling stories in the text; I believe that supports a more compelling experience of worship. Over the last several months we’ve chosen to focus on one selected reading from the Bible in each service rather than incorporating multiple readings. The idea is to focus on one story at a time in depth. If you’re wondering why you’re hearing so many Bible sto-
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ries or anything else, please drop me a line. I miss hearing from you and particularly value your questions about worship. Second topic, the Building, specifically the facilities master planning project. Early in 2020, right around the time the world fell apart, Plymouth’s Church Council approved a contract with Clark Huesemann, a local building design firm, to evaluate how our building works for us and facilitate a planning process for its future use. The idea is to make a coordinated plan for the longer-term which we can use as a guide when it’s time to replace or refresh finishes like paint and flooring, to help us make progress on accessibility and sustainability, and think through the careful preservation of our historic heritage. I confess that I love planning. It helps me feel confident that the steps we take today are leading down a path which will take us where we want to be five or even ten years from now. Discerning that path is only possible when the whole congregation weighs in. You all are the experts on how our building serves our mission and how it feels to be at home in it. I’m grateful to the facilities master planning steering committee for their insight and leadership. Chaired by Devon Kim, the committee includes Alice Ann Johnston, Kathleen Morgan, Larissa Long, Doug Eason, Fred Kandeler, Margaret Morris, Susan McCarthy, Phil Mitchell, and Kim Manz. These are wise people. They’re looking for creative ways to connect with you and invite your guidance. Keep an eye out in the New Year for a survey and other opportunities to share your thoughts on how we use our building to worship God and serve all. In the meantime, please let me know what questions, doubts, fears, hopes, and dreams you have about the planning process. I value your wisdom. Please don’t hesitate to share it with me!
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Abraham. All of this taking place during her visitation with Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist.
n Sunday, December 13, “Magnificat” by Francesco Durante will be sung by members of the Chancel Choir, bringing the message that day through music. The biblical text set to music comes from Luke 1:46-55 when Mary sings “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Mary rejoices at the inestimable favor bestowed on her and Israel’s lowly estate. She sings praises to God, recalls the mercies shown to Israel, and sings of the fulfillment of God’s ancient promise to
Francesco Durante (1684-1755), the composer of this music was highly esteemed by his contemporaries, and even at the end of the 19th century was still described as “one of the greatest Italian church composers and composition teachers of all time.” For many years, one of his students, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi was credited with composing this setting of “Magnificat.”
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Kate Poindexter - Introducer Abby Poindexter - Introducer Lucy Miller-Coleman - Angel Sabina Scott - Angel Olive Mitchell - Mary Luke Johanning - Joseph Marjorie Roman - Innkeeper Nora Storey - Shepherd 1 Clara Palmer - Shepherd 2 Grant Britton - Wise Person 1 Rhett Chancey - Wise Person 2 Lauren Anderson - Wise Person 3 Olivia Storey - Angel Narrator 2 Ellen Hanrath - Angel Narrator 1 Amanda Clark - Director Special thanks to Kim Manz, Reid Bรถrk, Lourdes Kalusha-Aguirre, Susan Anderson, Emily Bennett, Bob Newton, Paula Aiken, and of course Susan Theroff and her family for letting us film the pageant at Dragonfly Farm.
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he Christmas Eve Celebration offering at Plymouth Church is one of this congregation’s gifts to the Lawrence community. The offering will be split equitably among two programs of most need as determined by Plymouth’s Mission and Service Board this year. These areas are as follows: Plymouth’s Language Program, which teaches free English classes to non-native speakers and Spanish for a fee for all who wish to learn; and the Head Start/ Community Children’s Center at Plymouth, which provides pre-school education to vulnerable children in our community. To make a donation this year, during our service, look for the yellow “GIVE” button located at the top of our website at plymouthlawrence.com. If giving by Vanco, looking for the “Christmas Eve Offering” option. If using PayPal, make sure to designate “Christmas Eve Offering” with your donations. Plymouth Church is grateful for your generosity. Because of you, we are able to carry the Light of Christ out into the world tonight.
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e won't have a Holiday Bake Sale at Plymouth this year, but we all love trying one another's Christmas cookies!
Sign up here to bake a dozen cookies and receive a dozen cookies. We'll connect you with someone to exchange desserts sometime during the month of December. If you can't bake, or aren't able to make cookies this year, we still want you to take part! Let us know in the form above and we'll send some extra cookies your way. ď‚˜
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Giving Advent 2020 Opportunities
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hile a lot of our usual Christmas traditions look very different this year, some things just don't change. The giving Spirit is alive and well at Plymouth year round, and especially at the Holidays. The Mission and Service Board would like to welcome you into our Advent Giving opportunities for this year!
CHRISTMAS FUND OFFERING The Christmas Fund has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums to our lower-income retirees. Over the past nine months, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergency financial needs of many who serve the church have increased dramatically. As a member of the UCC, Plymouth will participate in this offering on Sunday, December 20. On that morning, use the “Give� link on our website and designate your donations for the Christmas Fund. Or you can donate directly to the UCC right here.
JUST FOOD Traditionally, Plymouth has collected food items throughout the Holiday Season. This year, they have requested direct donations to support their efforts to feed our community. Those donations can be given right here.
FAMILY PROMISE Serving families with children who are at risk of, experiencing, or recovering from homelessness, Family Promise has become part of our church family through the years. This year, you can help a family put a meal on the table with the purchase and donation of a gift
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Giving Advent 2020 Opportunities card to one of our local area grocery stores. To donate, please utilize Plymouth's PAYPAL for your Family Promise gift card contributions. Please donate here, click on the PayPal link, then designate your gift as a Family Promise donation where it asks for instructions for your donation. This new procedure doubles your impact by running your gift card purchases through Plymouth’s Grocery Bucks Program. Plymouth member, Jane Bireta, will be informed as donations come in, and will regularly deliver the gift cards to Family Promise.
LAWRENCE COMMUNITY SHELTER The Community Shelter would typically receive shoes for their residents from Plymouth. This year, one of the changes due to the pandemic is a speedier process into housing! This is great news and gives a new way to help. They are requesting gift cards to Walmart and Target with a suggested amount of $25. These may be dropped off at the North Church mail slot. Please mark your donations with "LCS" upon drop off.
HEAD START FAMILIES ALL families participating in the Head Start Angel Tree have been adopted. Many thanks from our Head Start partners for your work to make sure all have a warm and safe Christmas. Our Mission Partners express gratitude to Plymouth and its congregation. They were so glad to hear that our giving campaigns were charging on in the midst of so much change. ď‚˜
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he early drafting of Plymouth’s 2020 Annual Report has begun. This year in review is published every year in time for our Annual Congregational Meeting, which will be held on Sunday, February 7, 2021. Included in the Annual Report are reports from Boards and Committees on their year that was at Plymouth. All Boards and Committees, please submit your reports for inclusion in the Annual Report to Jeremy Winfrey via email at communications@plymouthlawrence.com this month. Reports are needed from the following: Moderator; the Boards of Christian Education, Deacons, Fellowship, Membership, Mission & Service, Music & Fine Arts, and Stewardship; and Committees such as the History, Endowment, and Fundraising. For a template of what your report should look like, email Jeremy at the address above. To see examples from last year’s 2019 Annual Report, visit our website to see a digital copy. Copies of Plymouth’s 2020 Annual Report will be made available to the congregation by the close of business on Thursday, January 28, 2021.
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