Plymouth's Rock Magazine: September 2020 Issue

PLYMOUTH’S MONTHLY MAGAZINE

C O N T E N T S

3 The View From Here PAGE 5 Plymouth Academy 2020 PAGE Plymouth’s Virtual Picnic 2020 6 PAGE 11 Blessing of the Animals PAGE 12 Taizé Worship PAGE 13 Covenant Groups PAGE 14 Mental Health Awareness PAGE 15 Message from the Mask Ministry PAGE Order Your Christmas Wreaths!

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By Rev. Dr. Valerie Miller-Coleman

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ne of the great gifts I received from Rev. Peter Luckey came in characteristic Peter -style. His enthusiasm for my vocation in ministry felt like a warm hug. When I graduated from divinity school I didn’t know for certain where God would lead me or how I might be called to serve. I just knew I’d married a nice Kansas boy who was itching for home and I figured God would meet me there and show me the work I needed to do. As it happened, God did that very thing and Peter was there to help me see what God had in mind.

Over and over again, Peter asked me to step up and help lead worship here at Plymouth. He’d call me up and say, “Valerie, I wondered if you’d be willing to be liturgist next Sunday.”

I couldn’t say no. Pretty soon he asked me to supply the pulpit and to serve on Boards and committees and before I knew it, my life and Plymouth Church seemed pretty well wrapped up in one another. Then he began talking with me about my path to ordination and what God might be calling me into next.

Fast forward a dozen years or so. It was my turn to give Peter a call. A couple of months ago he and I began talking about the possibility of Plymouth’s becoming a teaching congregation in a more intentional way. He agreed that this spiritual gift belongs to the congregation as much as to him personally; Plymouth is a teaching congregation. It’s a place where young adults have discerned their calling to ministry over many decades. What I experienced here wasn’t unique. It’s just part of who we are as a church.

In that spirit, the church Council, Deacons, staff, and I have been in conversation about inviting seminary students to train for ministry among us. We’ve been in conversation with the faculty at St. Paul School of Theology and Central Baptist Seminary, both excellent seminaries in the Kansas City metro. They are familiar with Plymouth and eager for their students to work with us, both as part of their coursework and poten-

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VIEW tially as interns. We’re very early in this conversation, so how these relationships will develop remains in God’s hands. I do see a bit of the way ahead, however.

This summer the church Council voted to approve a job description for a “Mercy, Justice, and Worship Intern” along with a small stipend funded in part by income from the retirement gifts given and endowed in Peter’s honor. Another support for the intern-

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ship comes in part from the endowed Spangler fund for education, overseen by the Deacons, and from an anonymous gift. We are now advertising the internship in both seminaries.

We are also open to hosting contextual learning students (a little like student teachers) who would serve with us shorter term as part of their seminary coursework. This fall Phillip Kroh, a first-year (first month!) semi-

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narian from St. Paul School of Theology, will be doing some of his contextual learning with us. Keep an eye out for Phillip in classes and occasionally in worship. Be sure to let him know we’re excited to see how God’s call will unfold in his life!

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lymouth Academy is a fall and Lenten Adult Education Wednesday night adult education program at Plymouth.

During Plymouth Academy sessions, a wide variety of classes are offered on topics from Bible studies, to topics on social justice, parenting, environmental concerns, and much more. This fall, Plymouth’s Board of Christian Education chose to make the focus of Plymouth Academy Section One of the United Church of Christ's (UCC) “White Privilege: Let’s Talk” curriculum. Feeling that this conversation is one of the most important of our time, Plymouth extended an invitation to members of the Lawrence community and others in the UCC’s KansasOklahoma Conference to attend the class. The class began via Zoom due to social distancing guidelines on Wednesday nights beginning September 16 and will conclude on October 21. The class is led by Plymouth’s Racial Justice Team members who are trained and UCC certified facilitators of the Let’s Talk curriculum. We had an overwhelming enrollment and interest in this class as the class roster was full a week before the class began.

Plymouth’s Racial Justice Team has been leading classes on the UCC’s White Privilege curriculum since 2017. They have served as facilitator trainers for other congregations across Kansas and around the country. If you would like to learn more about the UCC’s White Privilege curriculum, check it out here.

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While we can’t all gather together this year for Plymouth’s All-Church Picnic, that doesn’t mean we have to miss out on the fun!

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ach fall, Plymouth’s Fellowship Board invites the congregation to join for an All-Church picnic at Clinton Lake State Park. This year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing, the Plymouth Fellowship Board invites the community to go out and enjoy a picnic on their own or with their family in honor of Plymouth’s annual picnic at any point between Sundays, September 13 and September 27. Plymouth members and friends are asked to snap a pic to share on their social media.

We provided a Plymouth’s Virtual Picnic logo (see right) for people to print out and include in their photos along with the hashtags #PlymouthVirtualPicnic and #Apartbutnotalone.

To give you a jump start for members and friends on what delicious things to pack for the picnic, the Fellowship Board shared some of their favorite “picnic” recipes. Members and friends are invited to try them and let us know what they thought! Take a look at the recipes on the next few pages.

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REGISTER YOUR PETS TODAY!

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The 2020-21 Taizé season is starting, but not in its usual way. Instead, like so many gatherings, the Taizé community is gathering via Zoom.

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very Friday, at 6 p.m., Plymouth members Christina and Jimmy Bloomquist host a short Taizé service that includes Taizé music, a scripture reading, a moment of silence, and prayers of the faithful. The entire service takes about 25 minutes. If you have been missing Taizé or would like to experience a virtual Taizé service, please email Judith Galas and Judith will email you the Zoom link and will put you on her weekly reminder list.

Prayer, in the manner of Taizé, is a good way to support your prayer practice and to give you a moment of calm and connection at a time when we need both.

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Earlier this summer, Plymouth Church launched its first Covenant Groups: a new opportunity to gather in intentional small groups to grow in faith and connect on a deeper level.

These groups of 8-10 people meet twice a month via Zoom to discuss spiritual matters and share in one another’s joys and sorrows.

Currently, the groups are viewing a video series from the Work of the People, “a spiritual visual library and virtual sanctuary for a growing community of people from all walks of life.” These materials guide their discussions and provide fertile ground for the seeds of conversation and spiritual growth.

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This training filled up quickly and registration closed with a full roster a week before the event. It will be a great opportunity to learn how to connect people that are struggling with the resources that already exist in Lawrence.

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ith summer over, we’re entering into an even tougher season for mental health. On Saturday, September 26, Plymouth will hold a Mental Health First Aid Training via Zoom and lead by Bert Nash staff representative and Plymouth Member Julia Gaughan.

This training will teach Plymouth members and friends to help others during this difficult time. This training is offered in conjunction with Lawrence Interfaith Mental Health Advocates.

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This training combined with Plymouth’s Deeper Welcome Worship Series, which held a Mental Health Awareness Sunday on September 6, 2020, and in continued support of one of Plymouth’s important mission partners, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), is a part of our continued effort to be there in times of need for others and to remove the stigma attached to mental illness.

For more information on the importance of sensitivity and understanding when it comes to mental health and how we talk about it, check out this recent story from NBC News.

You may also watch our Mental Health Awareness Sunday service here.

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ach of us will have to decide how much risk we are willing to accept as Kansas and Missouri enter into the next phase of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Many want to know how long they’ll have to keep wearing masks. The answer: Possibly into next year (when a vaccine is expected to become widely available) -- but for good reason. "These face masks are the most important, powerful public health tool we have," CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield said. "If we did it for six, eight, 10, 12 weeks, we’d bring this pandemic under control." If you need a mask, follow this link.

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ell, here it is again, time to start thinking about the Plymouth Bells holiday greenery sales. This year sales will be done by phone, text, and email due to COVID-19. Follow this link to see a color brochure of items, prices, and contact information for questions and orders. Order deadline for all items is November 5th, and items will be delivered and dispersed the weekend of November 20-22 at a predetermined location. Thank you for supporting the Plymouth Bell Music Ministry.