It is the single most important thing that we do at Plymouth Church. We do it every single week. I like to think we do it pretty well. But we rarely talk about it. Why do we worship? Exactly what are we trying to accomplish? And could we do it more effectively? I look forward... Read More
When I was graduating from college, every student in the Department of Biblical and Religious Studies was given a copy of the book Church: Why Bother? We were Christian college students. We had just spent four years studying the Bible and theology. But it still seemed like a pertinent question: Why bother with church?... Read More
When I really learned how to preach—I mean the exact “Ah-ha!” moment—it was while working with this text. Something one of my seminary professors had been trying to tell me finally clicked into place. I now consider it the sine qua non of good preaching. Are you ready for it? Here it is: The... Read More
IF YOU DON’T READ ANYTHING ELSE, READ THIS: David Telfort is preaching at Plymouth this weekend (5:30 Saturday Night and 11:00 Sunday morning). Don’t miss it! Now we return to our regularly scheduled blogging. What is joy? Where does it come from? Does it ever seem elusive? In our text for this week,... Read More
Join us for worship on Sunday, April 29, when Plymouth welcomes nationally-recognized preacher and activist the Rev. Traci Blackmon into our pulpit. Rev. Blackmon serves as Executive Minister of Justice and Local Church Ministries for the United Church of Christ and Senior Pastor of Christ The King United Church of Christ Florissant, MO. A featured... Read More
It’s one of my favorite questions -and one of the 80’s more mediocre sitcoms: Who’s The Boss? That is also what this reading from Acts is all about: Who is in charge and why does it matter? Acts 16:16-34 16One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave... Read More
The blog is back! I took the week after Easter to do…very little. Mary Beth and I took a trip to Mason City to do a little Music Man tourism. I binge-watched a Norwegian political thriller. I baked my very first pound cake, which was not very good, and my second ever pound cake,... Read More
This week’s blog post is simply an invitation: come and see. Holy Week is better experienced than explained. First, a little autobiography: I discovered Holy Week as a college student. My Low Church evangelical upbringing treated Easter as a one-off. The notion of commemorating, for example, Maundy Thursday seemed exotic and strange to me.... Read More
Who is really in charge here? As the trial of Jesus comes to its terrible climax, the question hangs in the air: who is responsible for these events? Who can we blame? The answer, unfortunately, is: us. John 19:1-16a Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns... Read More
Are we ready? Are we really ready for God to come to us? Are we ready for the transformation that will entail? Are we ready for what will be required of us? John’s Gospel suggests that we are not. Over the last two weeks, we have learned how, at the moment that mattered most, the... Read More
The September – August Planner will help you connect with Plymouth events, prepare for worship, and attune yourself more fully to the rhythms of our program year and liturgical seasons. We will print a limited number of these planners. You can reserve your copy by signing up on the website between now and July 16.... Read More
The Transition into Ministry Committee is pleased to announce and welcome Nikira Hernandez-Evans as the newest Associate in the TiM program. Nikira will join us at the beginning of June and this will be her first time living in the Midwest. She grew up in California but did attend undergraduate school at Mount Holyoke College... Read More
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