—Howard Thurman, The Luminous Darkness

Over the last few weeks, the nation has witnessed the proceedings of two high-profile trials: the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, charged with fatally shooting two people and wounding another during protests in Kenosha, WI, and the trial of three white men who pursued and murdered jogger Ahmaud Arbery in rural Georgia. I have not followed the trials closely and intentionally avoided reading much about them. However, when the jury announced the verdict of acquittal on all charges for Rittenhouse last week, a heavy veil of despair fell over me. I went to the usual social media sites to see the reaction of friends and strangers. There wasn’t much anger or expressions of surprise. People appeared to be heartsick.

As I sat uncomfortably with the expressions of heartsickness, I remembered Howard Thurman writing about the mood of the human spirit. These crimes and trials and the views and actions of the defendants trouble the human spirit. The ease with which citizens can get guns, the violence accepted and celebrated as a way of handling conflict, and the automatic conviction and execution of the Black body without trial spring from a distorted human spirit. And as Thurman wrote in The Luminous Darkness, “the law cannot deal with the human spirit.” Regardless of the verdicts, we are hurting because of walls of oppression, domination, and injustice that rend the human family apart.

We rightly protest and attack systems and structures of injustice (e.g., segregation, homophobia, poverty, xenophobia, etc.) that show up in the law, culture, politics, and the economy. We seek changes in the law, guilty verdicts, court rulings, regulations, and public policy to address racism, violence, and discrimination. But the internal manifestation of these systems and structures—the mood and state of mind that created and maintained them—often go unrecognized and unaddressed. This is the issue of the human spirit. The human spirit creates, accommodates, and is conditioned by these systems and structures of injustice. It needs to be healed.

When the systems and structures of injustice fall, as they sometimes hopefully do, the human spirit that created them, benefited from them, or has been unaffected by them may not catch up with the reality of the progress we are making. According to Thurman, that’s when the real work begins. Perhaps the heartsickness we experienced indicates that the spirit that created the conditions that allowed the systems and structures of injustice to be erected in the first place has not been healed. The injustices we experience indicate we are failing to experience ourselves and our neighbors as human beings. That must be our work: to experience ourselves and our neighbors as being human to heal the human spirit. May it be so.

Worship Service

The prelude begins prior to the service.

Music from the Chapel Singers, led by Mary Laymon, and the Jazz Trio

THE CANDLE IS A SYMBOL

The prelude begins prior to the service.

Music from the Adult Choir, and Philip Brunelle

I AM THE DAY  Jonathan Dove

JESU, JOY OF OUR DESIRING Johann Sebastian Bach

Chancel Flowers are given in loving memory of her husband, Paul, and her grandson Dr. Daniel Cooper by Dorothy Noreen.

The congregation is welcome to attend services in person in the Sanctuary or watch via livestream on Facebook or Plymouth.org/worship.

Tuesdays at 9 a.m. - online

Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. - online

There are many reasons to pledge and support Plymouth Congregational Church. As we head into Advent and the Christmas Season, we’re reminded that this coming January will mark the one-year anniversary of Rev. Dr. DeWayne L. Davis joining Plymouth Congregational as Lead Minister. His dedication to and excitement about Plymouth's purposes as a church continues to give us new energy. 

His leadership, with the continued leadership of Beth Hoffman Faeth and Seth Patterson, has helped guide Plymouth as we’ve found new and creative ways to continue to Cultivate Faith, Nurture Connection and Amplify Love. Complete your pledge today, as we prepare for the coming year. 

“Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room.” –Neal A. Maxwell

The Racial Justice Initiative at Plymouth Church will offer a free online training series on Community Organizing and Social Movements.

Thursdays, December 9 & 16

7:00–8:15 p.m. Via zoom

2nd Monday of each month,

January–June

5:00–6:30 p.m. on Zoom.

Find out everything you need to know about what's going on with our Children, Youth, and Families here:

Meetings are every Saturday from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. and include a speaker and small group time. Please visit www.mplsgriefsupport.com for more information, schedule updates, and resources to help you grieve during these uncertain days.

Use the contact form on the homepage to use to inquire about Zoom credentials.

The clergy and staff at Plymouth are continuing to work to care for and support you—our congregation—and, as mentioned above, our essential building tenants. Our need for your support continues. Please consider making a gift online (click here), texting your gift to 612/999-2874 or sending in a check (1900 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis 55403). Mail is being collected securely and safely each day. We are so grateful for you!