“Our small increments of time are long enough for loving action and long enough to reveal the endless grace of the Everlasting One . . . The God who holds eternity can be trusted with the next twenty-four hours, whatever they hold.” —Thomas Long and Donyelle C. McCray, A Surprising God
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A 24-Hour Moratorium on Worrying
Rev. Dr. DeWayne L. Davis
Books and daily devotionals filled with Advent prayers, reflections, and readings populate my mail and email every year around this time. I usually pick one to follow throughout the season. Still, depending on what catches my attention in my flooded inbox or on my overstuffed bookshelves, I often end up spending time with an Advent resource different from the one I initially chose to follow. As I was thumbing through a new Advent devotional that came in the mail the other day, I discovered a provocative bit of wisdom that has stayed with me: “The God who holds eternity can be trusted with the next twenty-four hours, whatever they hold.” What a comforting thought.
I cannot count the many sleepless and anxiety-ridden nights I endured obsessing over something that felt threatening and existential. When I was younger, worrying seemed like the only way to cope with difficult things, whether it was school, work, or a relationship. I look back with a smile at how hard it was to settle myself for just a night, especially when most of that night was spent in prayer, hoping for some breakthrough. As I got older, worries about the injustices of the world took over. It dawns on me now how comforting it would have been to rest in the reassurance that a loving God full of grace could hold what troubled the world and me. That maybe I could have released my worries for a moment as a way to be open to the loving action and endless grace all around me.
The Advent season offers us an opportunity to release our worries into the providential promises of God. We can face the reality of the world’s troubling problems and trust that what is wrong, immoral, and unjust about the world is not solely ours to fix. Yes, our discipleship requires that we love, serve, and act where our hands can make a difference. But the change we anticipate won’t be secured by our power alone. This world will need a power bigger than us—God coming in power and glory to make things right. Let’s try a new Advent discipline, much like many of us have done during the season of Lent: Stop worrying for a bit. For 24 hours, give up on thinking that the transformation of the world depends on us alone. Release the weight of the worries of life for a day and anticipate the revelation of God’s “endless grace” and the loving action of our neighbors and friends as signs of God’s promise to birth something new. I pray you enjoy a little respite from worry. May it be so.
DeWayne L. Davis
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Second Sunday in Advent
December 5, 2021
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The prelude begins prior to the service.
Music from the Jazz Trio
Sermon Response
MY LORD WHAT A MORNING
African American Spritual
Sundays at 10
Confirmation, Church school, and Sunday Forum
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The prelude begins prior to the service.
Music from the Adult Choir, Solo Quintet and Philip Brunelle
Anthems
VIGILATE William Byrd
AVE MARIA R. Nathaniel Dett
This week: Evensong
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Chancel Flowers
Chancel Flowers are given in loving memory of Rev. Joel D. Albers by his parents, Sonia and Bob Albers.
The congregation is welcome to attend services in person in the Sanctuary or watch via livestream on Facebook or Plymouth.org/worship.
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Contemplative Prayer is offered:
Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. - online
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Update on Worship and COVID-19 as of December 3, 2021
Dear Beloved Community,
A blessed Advent to you! In these days, may we live with expectant hope as we prepare our hearts for Christmas. What meaning are you making in this sacred time?
I look forward to the week when I write to you all with good news about the pandemic. Unfortunately, COVID-19 cases continue to be present in Minnesota in an alarming way. And now the Omicron variant becomes a factor in our area, too. The Covid Advisory Group is watching the statistics closely and will advise leadership each week regarding the status of in-person activities if the numbers continue to climb. Right now, we are especially attuned to the Hennepin County positive test rate (which today was 8.3%), as well as the weekly number of positive cases per 100,000 people (today was 355). If these numbers increase, we will need to make decisions that may impact in-person worship services.
This week, however, we will gather for worship in person and via livestream. Worship protocol can be found here:
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I will lovingly remind you that if you test positive for COVID-19 in the seven days following your presence at worship or any church gathering, you must contact me at BethF@plymouth.org or 612-977-1286. Your name will not be shared, yet we must inform others of a possible exposure. Thank you for your understanding.
The touchstones of Advent are hope, peace, joy, and love. Let us be centered in these tenets even as pandemic frustration escalates. Let us find creative and connective ways to live into these beautiful, life-giving words as we give thanks for our life together in a scattered yet gathered congregation. Indeed, may we be people of hope, may we be kind and caring, may we remain faithful in community.
Blessings,
Rev. Beth Hoffman Faeth
Minister for Congregational Care and Worship
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Afghan Family Support
Our Immigrant Welcoming Working Group (IWWG) agreed to co-sponsor an Afghan family with the Minnesota Council of Churches. Volunteers from throughout Plymouth have been working to get furniture, home supplies, and groceries ready for the family as they made a move into a house. Our volunteer group asks that you hold us and the family in your prayers. If you would like to help financially, please address checks made out to Plymouth Church to Beth Faeth's attention. The memo line should say IWWG–Afghan Family Support.
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Cultivate Faith, Nurture Connection, Amplify Love.
Make your Annual Giving Commitment you will be continuing to support the art, the music, the outreach, and the impact we have on the community and our partners.
Please note, if you have an automatic payment set up, you still need to complete a pledge to let us know your giving plans for the coming year.
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A New Kind of Christmas Festival
December 18, 2 p.m.
“Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room.” —Neal A. Maxwell
One of the most beloved traditions at Plymouth is the Christmas Festival. Gathering together to make festive crafts, eat delicious food, and sing a few songs is a highlight for many in our Plymouth community and is always sure to make our building feel full of joy. If we have learned anything in the past 18 months, it is that Plymouth is much more than a building, and in 2021 and beyond, we are called to live out our faith beyond our walls, spilling out our joy, our love, and our good news into the streets of Minneapolis.
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Christmas Season Intergenerational Festivities:
- Purchase a wreath this Sunday from our fun and festive teens! They are using the funds to offset costs for a weekend youth retreat this summer. Please plan to pay with cash, check, or credit card. Costs for wreaths, swags, and garlands range from $14 to $38, depending on size and item. See you in Jones Commons 9:45–11:15 a.m. We can even carry items to your car for you, or you can pay for them before service, and pick them up after!
- Make an ornament or two for the Community Christmas Tree! Limited kits are still available—let Nina know if you are interested.
- Participate in the Living Nativity. This is your chance to be an angel, a shepherd, or a member of the Holy Family—no acting experience required! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f094faaab28a57-living1
- Bring in a homemade “snow person” (all materials welcome) to add to our snow village in Jones Commons! Take a peek this Sunday—can you find the mermaid? The yellow duck? What about Mr. Pastahead or the Cyclops in a beret? As you can see, the only limit is your creativity!
- Do not miss the Community Christmas festival on Saturday, December 18, from 2 to 4 p.m., or the Festive Sweater Party on Sunday, December 19, 10–11 a.m.!
Don't miss seeing the magic of Christmas through the eyes of a child; join us in one of these fun ways today!
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Our Spending Power Makes a Difference
Plymouth’s Racial Justice Initiative encourages you to buy from Black and Native-owned businesses, and businesses owned by people of color this holiday season and throughout the year. We’ve provided a few links to help you find high-quality gifts for the people you love (and yourself . . .) at Indigenous-, Black-, Latino-, and Asian-owned Minnesota businesses!
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Community Organizing and Social Movements Training
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
Many of us at Plymouth want to take action as a result of our educational efforts in working toward a more just and level playing field for all citizens of our cities.
Claudia Albano, University of California-Berkeley and community activist, will share her knowledge of and involvement in community activism and social movements.
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Intersection Returns
Plymouth's Climate and Environmental Justice Team will be joining the Immigrant Welcoming Working Group and Racial Justice Initiative to offer new materials that explore the issues unique to each group as well as the junctions among them.
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2nd Monday of each month,
January–June
5:00–6:30 p.m. on Zoom.
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Textile Lovers Group
Textile Lovers Group (TLG) is a One More Chair social group using fiber in handwork as a common thread (pun intended). We gather with this interest to grow friendships within Plymouth. It is our hope that TLG will be a means of promoting connections between people who otherwise might not meet. Bring your portable handwork on Monday, December 13 for 90 minutes of connecting over fiber, from 6:45 to 8:15 in the Fireside Room. Contact: Cheryl Davenport, c2daven@gmail.com.
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Church School!
Find out everything you need to know about what's going on with our Children, Youth, and Families here:
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Downtown Grief Coalition: Back to Zoom
Meetings will finish at St. Mark’s Cathedral on Dec. 18, with no meeting on Christmas Day. Starting Jan. 1, we will transition back to Saturday morning Zoom meetings due to the uptick in COVID cases in our state and winter weather.
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.
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Ongoing Tuesday Vigils for Justice
**** Note New Time: 12 Noon****
Racial Justice Initiative justice vigils are now being held from noon to 12:30 p.m. every Tuesday. Plans are to continue the vigils through the winter, weather permitting. Please join us when you are able. We always meet by Door 1 by Jones Commons.
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Nicollet Square Holiday Party
Nicollet Square Holiday Party will be different again this year. There will be no tree, no dinner, no gift room, no cookie platters to take home. BUT with your help, we can give a boxed dinner and a gift card to our 42 youth residents. Please send gift cards in any amount for Target to Penny Bond, 101 Promenade Ave. Apt. #243 W, Wayzata, MN 55391 by Dec. 13. Call 612-710-2421 with questions. Let’s try to make it a Happy Holiday for these young people. And a Happy Holiday to you!
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Plymouth Church Building COVID-19 Updates
With growing rates of COVID-19 due to the Delta Variant, the number of breakthrough cases, and the extreme contagiousness of the variant; the PCC COVID Advisory Group has decided to re-implement the masking policy in the building.
As of Thursday, July 29, 2021: All Plymouth congregation members, staff, and guests, vaccinated and unvaccinated, will need to wear a mask inside the Plymouth building.
Our goal is to be proactive and preventative while our country gets a handle on the Delta Variant. Our COVID Advisory Group will continue to closely monitor the Delta Variant / COVID-19 and respond accordingly. The health, safety, and wellbeing of all who use Plymouth Congregational Church is our top priority.
Thank You For Your Support
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!
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and ask to be removed from this distribution list.
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Plymouth Congregational Church
1900 Nicollet Avenue (at Franklin)
Minneapolis, MN 55403
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