January 27, a.m.

Transcription

1 Many hearts, one song; many hands, one church January 27, a.m. Children of all ages are welcome in worship. Nursery care is provided for ages 0 to 3 in the Education wing, if desired. See an usher for directions. Large-print bulletins and hearing devices are available from the ushers. Plymouth Congregational Church

2 Theme (Purpose No. 2): Cultivate our deepest and best selves vplease rise in body, mind or spirit, as you are able, when you see this mark. Please silence your cell phone before worship begins. Prelude LIEBESTRAUM IN A-FLAT MAJOR Franz Liszt Emma Taggart, piano (1850) IN A BOAT (from Petite Suite) Claude Debussy Emma and Jacob Taggart, piano duet (1889) vprocessional Hymn PRAISE, MY SOUL, THE GOD OF HEAVEN Praise My Soul (see facing page) vcall to Worship Leader: We gather together, a people who long and yearn Congregation: For a better world, in which all are whole. Leader: We gather together, straining towards full humanity Congregation: A state in which compassion overcomes fear. Leader: We gather together, longing to see clearly Jean Howell Congregation: A vision of goodness that will align our hearts and our minds with the fullness of Spirit. Robert Wetzler (1964) Worship him, all ye his angels: Zion heard and was glad. The daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O Lord. The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice: let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. vintroit for the Third Sunday After the Epiphany vunison Prayer Gracious God, humanity is in a state of formation in which we are molded by our upbringings, our families, our culture, our world. Often, this process of growth prevents us from becoming the radiant beings we were created to be. As the Psalmist says, You have made us little less than Gods, yet more often than not our feet are stuck in clay and our eyes are dimmed to the reality of the deep love that upholds all. Help us to be like the courageous blind beggars who so desired to be made whole that they risked the rage of the crowd to have Jesus attend to them. Help us to risk unveiling our full selves for the sake of a better world.

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4 vthe Lord s Prayer Tender loving God, hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen. Welcome and Announcements Seth Patterson Fellowship Concerns Whittier Volunteers Bill Davini Refugee Donations Mary Kay Sauter Anthem I WONDER AS I WANDER Carl Rütti I wonder as I wander, out under the sky, (1996) How Jesus the Savior did come for to die For poor or n ry people like you and like I. I wonder as I wander out under the sky. When Mary birthed Jesus, twas in a cow s stall With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all. But high from the heavens a star s light did fall, And promise of ages it then did recall. If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing, A star in the sky or a bird on the wing, Or all of God s angels in heaven for to sing, He surely could have it, cause he was the King. Traditional Appalachian carol Reading Killers of the Dream, by Lillian Smith (1949) By the time I had learned that God is love, that Jesus is His Son and came to give us more abundant life, that all men are brothers with the common Father, I also knew that I was better than a Negro, that all black folks have their place and must be kept in it, that sex had its place and must be kept in it, that a terrifying disaster would befall the South if I ever treated a Negro as my social equal and as terrifying a disaster would befall my family if I ever were to have a baby outside of marriage. I had learned that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that we might have segregated churches in which it was my duty to worship each Sunday and on Wednesday evening and prayers. I had learned that white Southerners are a hospitable, courteous, tactful people who treat those of their own group with consideration and who, as carefully, segregate from all the riches of life for their own good and welfare 13 million people whose skin is colored a little differently from my own.... From the day I was born I began to learn my lessons.... I learned them the way all of my Southern people learned them: by closing door after door until one s mind and heart and conscience are blocked off from each other and from reality.

5 vhymn SONG IN OUR SILENCE The Monks of Weston Priory (see following page) vversicles Minister: Let us prepare our hearts for prayer. Minister: God be with you. Congregation: And with your spirit. Pastoral Prayer Minister: Let us pray. Offertory NEW PRINCE, NEW POMP Benjamin Britten (from the choral suite Christ s Nativity) (1931) Jenny French, soprano, and Choir He spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all. The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. Romans 8:32; James 5:11 (KJV) Prayer of Dedication vdoxology #464 Behold a silly tender Babe (silly=simple) In freezing winter night, In homely manger trembling lies; Alas a piteous sight. Despise Him not for lying there, First what He is inquire; The Prince Himself is come from Heaven, This pomp is prizèd there. Robert Southwell Praise to God, immortal praise, for the love that crowns our days! Bounteous source of every joy, let thy praise our tongues employ; Singing thus through all our days: Praise to God, immortal praise! Amen.

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7 Scripture Reading Matthew 20:29 34 Sermon just say no to blindness Dan Wolpert vrecessional Hymn #145 O MORNING STAR, Wie schön leuchtet (Hymn introduction by Paul Manz) HOW FAIR AND BRIGHT vbenediction and Choral Amen 3. Oh, let the harps break forth in sound! Our joy be all with music crowned, Our voices gaily blending! For Christ goes with us all the way Today, tomorrow, ev ry day! His love is never ending! Sing out! Ring out! Jubilation! Exultation! Tell the story! Great is he, the King of glory! Postlude PRELUDE from Pour le piano Claude Debussy Jacob Taggart, piano (1901) Chancel flowers are given in loving memory of the Louds, Warren (d. 2010) and Mary Lou (d. 2016), by their children: Margaret McCamant, Elizabeth Liebman and John Loud. Cover Image: Prairie Morning by Daniel Wolpert. Parents and Families of Our Children: Thank you for bringing your children to church. If you need a place to go with a restless or hungry child, the Parsons Room (next to the library) is available. You and your children can hear the service from there. If You Have a Hope, a Suggestion or a Concern about Plymouth, please contact the Deacons via their address, deacons@plymouth.org.

8 Spiritual Exploration Workshops Winter-Spring 2019 You have a wealth of Spiritual Exploration offerings from which to choose: from experiences where art meets spirituality lasting a couple of hours, to book studies that meet several times to delve into important works, to retreats lasting anywhere from two to eight days. Learn more online ( or pick up a booklet from the literature racks. Philip Brunelle Through the Years, Feb. 4, April 1, May 6 Healing Touch and the Chakras, Feb. 12 The Intersection of Joy and Grief: Honoring Each, March 3 Relationship as Spiritual Practice: Foundation of Nonviolent Communication, March 8 9 Letters to All of Us: James Baldwin s The Fire Next Time and Ta-Nehisi Coates s Between the World and Me, March 14 April 11 Book Study: Almost Everything by Anne Lamott, March 28, April 4 & April 11 Retreat: Men Being Better, April 5 6 (offsite) Flower Arranging as a Spiritual Practice, April 6 A Call to Contemplation, May 3 4 (offsite) Pilgrimage to Chartres Cathedral, May (really offsite) To register, go to the relevant calendar entry ( which has the registration link.

9 Sundays at 10 on Feb. 3 Like podcasts, yet these experiences are in real time and offer opportunities for give and take. They are for everyone, of all ages, and anyone can drop in any Sunday! Why not try something new? Meditation in the Chapel Nonviolent Communication for Parents and Grandparents in the Fireside Room Forum Whittier School Volunteers: An Update, in Jackman Theology of the Purposes of the Church, in the Conn Theater Coffee and fellowship in Jones Commons Church School in the Education Wing Senior High in the Youth Room Please note: The nursery has professional staffing, 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The Archives, in the Bovey Room upstairs, are open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A free performance by pianist Angela Hewitt Jan. 31, 7:30 p.m. Internationally acclaimed pianist Angela Hewitt will play an all-bach program on Thursday, Jan. 31, at 7:30 p.m., here at Plymouth Church. The concert is free and no tickets are needed. The doors will open about 6:30 p.m. This performance is one of several events celebrating Philip Brunelle s 50th year as organist-choirmaster at Plymouth Congregational Church. Again: Admission is free, no tickets are needed. Tell your friends!

10 Dear Friends, We seek your help to create Plymouth s Lenten Meditations booklet, published as an offering by the Spiritual Exploration Committee for the past 11 years. We know these reflections help connect us as a community of faith, and we hope the time you take to write and share one or two meditations is a blessing of its own for you. The format we follow is simple: 1) a quote from scripture or another source; 2) your reflection; and 3) a prayer. Please submit your contribution(s) by Monday, Feb. 18, to jrabbers@comcast.net. Thank you! Jan Rabbers, Chair Plymouth Spiritual Exploration Committee Example The well was dry beside the door, And so we went with pail and can Across the fields behind the house To seek the brook if still it ran; Robert Frost, Going for Water, from The Poetry of Robert Frost Reflection Some years Lent grabs me by the lapels and demands that I pay attention. Some years it is just a sorrowful song of humans great capacity to hurt each other, and other years it is just a story as dry as the well. When the story of Lent is dust or only pain, I will look for a new source of inspiration and meaning in this time of reflection and prayer. Prayer Lord be with me and give me strength as I search to find new meaning in an old story. Amen.

11 Plymouth Staff Paula Northwood, Acting Senior Minister Allison Campbell Jensen, Director of Communication Cody Bourdot, Audiovisual Manager Seth Patterson, Director of Spiritual Formation and Theater Nina Jonson, Programs Manager Christine Ford, Nursery Coordinator Alecia Scharback, Nursery Supervisor Dylan Church, Children & Youth Specialist Laura Tsai, Children & Youth Specialist Maria Gisselquist, Director, Young Voices Carole Humphrey, Director, Genesis and Alleluia Dancers Beth A. Faeth, Minister for Congregational Care and Worship Doug Freeman, Ministry Assistant for Programs Larry Johnson, Strobel Drop-in Center Coordinator Daniel Wolpert, Interim Minister Vivian Jones, James Gertmenian, Ministers Emeriti Captain Tara Bauer, Covenant Partner, Chaplain, U.S. Air Force, Incirlik AB, Turkey Catherine Duncan, Covenant Partner; Spiritual Care Provider, Newbridge Health & Wellness Jenni Eagleman, Covenant Partner; Chaplain, University of Minnesota Medical Center, Oncology Karl L. Jones, Covenant Partner; Chaplain for Good Samaritan Society Philip Brunelle, Organist and Choirmaster Sonja Thompson, Music Associate George Maurer & Laura Caviani, First Service Music Directors James Bohn, Dan Dressen, Lisa Drew, Jenny French & Maria Jette, Soloists Siri Keller, Director, Youth Choir Marie Scholtz, Director, Cherub and Chorister Choirs Mary Laymon, Director, Chapel Singers Timothy O Grady, Director, Handbells Ann Tandy-Treiber, Music Librarian Annette Abel, Business Administrator Joy Hansen, Accounting Manager Emily Venell, Ministry Assistant for Hospitality Malcolm Williams, Public Safety Manager Robert Brock & Sheila Rafert, Evening/Weekend Receptionists Martin Cheruiyot & Kai Gerr, Public Safety Officers Kathryn Bahl, Misha Davis & Tracy White, Custodians

12 CHURCH REGISTER as of January 23, 2019 Recent Birth Gia Ramsey Ansari (1/17/2019), daughter of Akila and Ramsey Ansari; granddaughter of Aimee Maidi, great-granddaughter of Lois Larson Recently Baptized: Nora Mae Koester Cavallo (1/13/2019), child of Anna Cavallo and Shawn Koester. Home and Hospital Visits: Plymouth s ministers call upon members of the church in their homes, in hospitals or care and rehabilitation centers. If you know of someone who would like a visit from a minister, please contact Beth Faeth (bethf@plymouth.org or 612/ ). The Plymouth Covenant We covenant with you, O God, and one with another, and do bind ourselves in your presence to walk together in all your ways, according as you are pleased to reveal yourself to us in your blessed word of truth. based on the Salem Covenant of 1629 Like us on Facebook (facebook.com/plymouthcongregationalchurch) Follow us on Twitter (@PCCmpls) Tag us on Instagram #plymouthchurchminneapolis Follow us on Pinterest ( Plymouth Congregational Church 1900 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota / churchinfo@plymouth.org