Welcome to Children, Youth, and Family Ministries at Plymouth Church. At Plymouth, we are dedicated to creating a gracious environment wherein seeds of faith can take root and grow. We strive to be faithful companions with young people as they discover their journey of faith. In classrooms, service opportunities and in every context we embrace the truth that all are beloved by God. Together we look and listen for ways to encounter the dynamic and transformative presence of the still speaking God. We hope to see you soon in order to extend an extravagant welcome to you and yours. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family.html Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120517123345/img1.jpg As a way to lift up our historical relationship with Mount Zion Baptist Church I wanted to pass along an invitation to their summer Vacation Bible School (VBS) program.

The program, "Fishin' on a Mission" starts on June 25th. The program runs for two weeks, Monday through Friday from 9am – 12pm (lunch included).

The ministry program is free and there are classes available for all ages (potty trained through adult).

You can find a registration form by clicking here. If you have questions, or you'd be interested in volunteering, contact Georgia at (206) 722-0964.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12667.html Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700 This Sunday we celebrate as youth affirm the baptism they received through the Rite of Confirmation. As we celebrate their choice we remember our baptism. Like many of the sacraments, rituals, and faith practices in Christianity, the Rite of Confirmation is simultaneously focused on the choice of the individual, the significance of the community and the role of the holy spirit.

During the Rite of Confirmation the community affirms again its covenant with one another. It's this role of covenant that I hear in the videos below. Paul Sparks, co-founder of the Parish Collective, speaks about being discipled by the culture, what gives him hope, and the consurmerism of church. I was particularly intrigued through with two ideas contained in the videos below; ideas that have something to say about the role of community and the critical nature of the covenant we'll affirm again this Sunday.

Listen for his relfection on the connection between the baptized and the land and connect it to the role of community in this video.





Listen for his reflection on the medium as the message and connect it to the purpose of community in this video.



http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12664.html Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120516112800/img1.jpg A reflection on Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 May 15, 2012

"And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles." - Acts 1:26

This week's lectionary passage from the book of Acts is not particularly glamorous or exciting or seemingly filled with the Holy Spirit. Given that we are only a week away from Pentecost, I would think we would be reading passages that are replete with the movement of the Holy Spirit. Instead we hear about the mundane task of picking an apostle to replace Judas after Judas betrayed Jesus. What's more, they do not ask for divine guidance. How do they pick a replacement? They cast lots. This is a method that somewhat randomizes the outcome of whatever is at stake.

This is a tough passage for me because I have trouble finding any sense of God within the story. To me it seems like an everyday story that does not have much to do with the larger purposes of the Bible. If the Bible is a compendium of people's interaction with God, then why is this story included? However, as I have sat with this story I have realized there are things that I can learn from the passage.

This text is a reminder to me that life continues on, no matter what. Not all of our days can be Christmas, Easter, or Pentecost. There have to be some normal days in there as well. Not only do the normal days give the special ones some sort of meaning, but there also has to be time to prepare and get the every day parts of life done in order to take time out and celebrate the special occasions.

I really dislike doing laundry. I especially don't like folding the clothes when they come out of the dryer, but all the same I know that I have to do it. Just like picking a new apostle by lots, doing the laundry is not glamorous or exciting but it is necessary. Doing the laundry allows me to do all of the other things in my life.

That is what strikes me most about this passage. There are ordinary things that we must all do in order to get to the mountaintop places in life (holy days in the church, graduations, birthdays, and all types of celebrations). Without the ordinary everyday things we cannot make it to the exciting events. This passage in Acts reminds me that even the apostles were forced to take care of their business. They needed to find someone to replace Judas, so they set about their business in the only way they knew how. Once they were done, they were able to go out and spread the good news of Jesus Christ. Without the ordinary everyday business though, they wouldn't have been able to spread their message to the world. I'm not sure I can cherish chores like laundry and the dishes, but this passage at least reminds me of the necessity of the little things in life that allow me to get to the bigger things.

Holy Spirit,

On the day of Pentecost, we are told that you descended upon your people like tongues of fire. We are not quite there yet though. Help us through the mundane and the everyday so that we can get to the good stuff. Be with us as we accomplish the necessary tasks so that we can get around to enjoying the rest of life.

Amen

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Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12657.html Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120515152714/img1.jpg After walking with representatives from the Pacific Northwest Conference for over a year, the faith community at Liberation Ministries decided to enter into covenant with the 83 other UCC churches across Washington, Idaho, and Alaska. It was a fantastic celebration at the Annual Meeting when the gathered body embraced this church in the Madrona neighborhood of Seattle.

Learn more about Liberation Ministries (a young, open and affirming, multicultural church with a pentecostal flair in worship) and their pastor Rev. Darrell Goodwin by checking out the article in UCC News.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12655.html Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120510101341/img1.jpg Seminary was a significant experience in my faith journey. I entered thinking seminary was a place where teachers filled my head with all the information and tools I'd need for ministry. I left realizing it was more of a refining fire for my heart. I thought it was a place where I would be filled, instead I was left open.

Thinking of theological education? Check out this note below from Rev. Carol Shanks, Director of Admissions at Eden Theological Seminary

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Trustees Initiate “Seminary Exploratory Year” Scholarship for UCC students for the 2012-2013 Academic Year.

Meeting in St. Louis on May 2nd and 3 the Eden Seminary Board of Trustees initiated scholarship covering full tuition for an “exploratory year” for entering United Church of Christ Master of Divinity students. The scholarship affirms Eden’s historic engagement with the United Church of Christ. The board chair, Virginia Toliver, said “Eden trustees are opening a way for women and men eager to explore God’s call to ministry but restricted because of finances. Although the trustees want very much to open such a scholarship to the broad ecumenical community, we have acted today to begin with Eden’s core church relationship—the UCC.”

To qualify for the 2012-2013 full tuition scholarship, students must apply and be admitted to the Master of Divinity program at Eden. In addition, they must be a member of a United Church of Christ congregation and become a member in discernment with an association of the United Church of Christ during the first year of study. Students receiving the scholarship must be involved in a contextual education placement. The exploratory year scholarship is for first year students only. Scholarship monies will be available in the second and third years in accordance with the seminary financial aid policy.

The Reverend Carol Shanks, Director of Admissions at Eden says: “We speak so often to members of the United Church of Christ who want to go to seminary, but just don’t think they can afford it. With this scholarship, folks will be able to come and see that first year if seminary is right for them.” For more information about this scholarship and making application for the Master of Divinity contact Rev. Shanks at 314-918-2501 or at cshanks@eden.edu.

Rev. Carol Shanks
Director of Admissions
Eden Theological Seminary
(314) 918-2501
Toll-free (877) 627-5652
cshanks@eden.edu

www.eden.edu

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12606.html Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120509094924/img1.jpg A reflection on 1 John 5:1-6 for Sunday, May 13, 2012

"For the love of God is this, that we obey God's commandments. And God's commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world." - 1 John 5:3-4a

Are the commandments of God burdensome? Is it hard to follow the commandments of God as you seek to live your daily life?

I have often struggled with Martin Luther's statements that we are saved by our faith instead of being saved by the things we do. He claimed that a person is saved by their faith in God no matter what that person does. If we are saved by our faith, then it would follow that all we have to do is believe in God. It sounds so easy, yet in practice it seems very daunting to me. It is hard for me to rely on my faith and accept that nothing I do (good or bad) ultimately will alter my relationship with God. I always wonder, "What if my faith isn't good enough?"

The author of 1 John makes a statement that is extremely comforting to me. He says that our faith is the victory that conquers the world. In the midst of my questions about my own personal faith, the author of 1 John tells me that my faith is enough. He tells me that I do not need to worry about anything else because my faith will sustain me. What a weight off my shoulders!

I don't however believe that this passage ends with a statement that faith is enough. I believe this passage also calls us to be in and of the world working for the betterment of all people. This passage emphasizes the role of faith, but it also stresses the role of our response to our faith. The author says, "For the love of God is this, that we obey God's commandments." I do not believe that this means we need to obey literal commandments from the Bible (read: Old Testament laws) but I do believe this means we need to love our neighbors and ourselves. We need to act in the best interest of humanity and we need to work to make the world a better, more positive, more loving place.

Faith is not the trump card that gets us out of jail for free. Instead, faith is precisely the thing that calls each of us to be better people. We act as we believe God would have us act in the world because of our faith in God. Ultimately, our faith is enough. Our faith is enough to help us be the people we can and should be. Our faith is enough to keep us reconciled with God because our faith should drive each and every thing we do.

God of Grace and God of Glory,

We ask you to pour your power out on each of us. We ask you to grant us wisdom and courage to face each day. Finally, we ask you to strengthen us through our faith so that we may serve you whom we adore.

Amen

(Prayer adapted from hymn 436 "God of Grace and God of Glory")

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Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12599.html Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700 Last week I posted a short reflection from Australian Missiologist Mike Frost on the role of the church. It seemed appropriate given the nature of the work at the All Church Retreat.

This week we begin to live into what was distilled at the retreat and I found another reflection with Mike Frost. I'm not sure I'm following all that he's saying, but I know he's talking about imagination, about risk, and I'm intrigued by his discussion on liminal spaces.

I thought I'd share it. Here you go.





http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12604.html Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120509150242/img1.png Perhaps you've heard of the One Night Count where volunteers take to the streets on a cold January night to count those living on the streets, in their cars, or packed in tents under bridges. The count serves to document the extent of homelessness in King County, and to build public engagement with the issue of homelessness.

The work extends beyond the January night as the Seattle King County Coalition to End Homelessness offers an advocacy workshop like the upcoming opportunity at Keystone UCC in Wallingford.

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Do you want to be a part of the national movement to end homelessness? When funding for federal social service programs is cut, will you be ready to speak up?

Join FAITH and SKCCH for “Federal Advocacy 101” and go Beyond the One Night Count to find out how to help put an end to homelessness in your community and in our state.

Come hear from Nancy Amidei about how to advocate for change at the federal level, and learn about important federal policy issues. Don’t miss this exciting event!

Saturday, June 2, 2012
10:00AM – 12:00PM Keystone United Church of Christ
5019 Keystone Place N.
Seattle, WA 98103

To register, visit www.faithadvocacy.org and click on “Events.” While you’re on our site, don’t forget to check out our current advocacy alertand send a message about funding McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants!

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12603.html Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120329114730/img1.jpg Here are some resources for parents, grandparents, teachers and other caregivers in response to some recent reqests.

A book about books:

Books to grow with: A guide to using the best children's fiction for everyday issues and tough challenges by Cheryl Coon (011.62 RR COO) Books about adoption:

Adoption by Fred Rogers (J 362.7 RR Rog) How it feels to be adopted by Jill Krementz (J 362.7 RR KRE) We adopted you, Benjamin Koo by Linda Walvoord Girard (J 362.7 RR GIR) Books about grief:

It must hurt a lot: a book about death, and learning, and growing by Doris Sanford (E RR SAN) I found a dead bird: The kid's guide to the cycle of life & death by Jan Thornhill (J 306.9 RR THO) Search the online catalog for many other titles dealing with grief for readers through high school. Books about bullying:

For very young children, Just a Bully by Gina Mayer and The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill can be found in the picture book section. For older elementary students, there is also a dvd in the Parent / Teacher Resource Room called Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain. Also useful for use with upper-elementary and middle school children are Teasing: Deal with It Before the Joke's on You by Steve Pitt (J 302.3 RR PIT) and the zippily titled Research Based Tips, Strategies & Activities for Dealing with Bullies by Daphne Morris (J 302.3 RR MOR) - both in the Resource Room. Grade school kids may also want to read Nothing Wrong with a Three-legged Dog by Graham McNamee (JF MCN). The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier is a Young Adult modern classic on bullying that can be read by most middle school students (YA F COR). I would also recommend The Goats by Brock Cole (J F COL) for middle school readers. More suitable for the high school reader are Mousetraps by Pat Schmatz (YA F SCH) and Magic and Misery by Peter Marino (YA F MAR). They both deal with the bullying of gay teens. Also for high school students, we have It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living by Dan Savage (YA 306.76 SAV) and Odd Girl Speaks Out: Girls Write About Bullies, Cliques, Popularity and Jealousy edited by Rachel Simmons (305.235 SIM). A title for adults to read is Bullying: a Spiritual Crisis by Ronald Hecker Cram (261.8 CRA). Some other recommendations:

The Safe Zone: A Kid's Guide to Personal Safety - Donna Chaiet (J 613.6 RR CHA) GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Teens - Kelly Huegel (YA 306.766 HUE) The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids - Alexandra Robbins (305.23 RR ROB) Worried All the Time: Overparenting in an Age of Anxiety and How to Stop It - David Anderegg (649 RR AND) When Nothing Matters Anymore - Bev Cobain (YA 616.85 COB) In the Midst of Chaos - Bonnie Miller-McLemore (248.845 RR MIL) 15 Minutes Outside - Rebecca Cohen (790.1 RR COH) How to Talk So Teens Will Listen & Listen So Teens Will Talk - Adele Faber (306.874 RR FAB) (RR in the call number indicates that the book is in the Resource Room.)

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12596.html Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120503151550/img1.jpg Amy Johnson is the Youth Ministries Coordinator at Wayside United Church of Christ. She creates great programs for young people and was instrumental in getting the Our Whole Lives program to Plymouth. Check out the program she has created for pre-teen girls and their families below or download the flyer by clicking here.

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The goal of our classes is to create an opportunity for pre-teens and a parent or trusted adult to receive information in an engaging format and relaxed atmosphere. We emphasize family communication and resources to support young people on their journey through adolescence.

For Girls Only | A Heart-to-Heart Talk on Growing Up

Recommended for girls ages 10-12 and a parent or trusted adult. This two-part class uses an informal format to present and discuss the issues unique to pre-teens:

What girls experience in puberty (breast development, growth, skin changes, menstruation, nutrition and sleep needs) What boys experience in puberty Social issues and decision making Sexuality and sexual reproduction Instructor: Amy Johnson MSW

Dates: May 29 and June 6, 2012, time 6:30 to 8:30 PM

Cost: $70 per parent/child pair ($20 per additional same-gender child). Scholarship funds are available

Place: Federal Way High School Little Theater

Register Visit www.greatconversations.com for more information and to register online, or call 206.789.2306

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12583.html Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700 A reflection on Acts 8:26-40 for Sunday, May 6, 2012

"As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, 'Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?'" - Acts 8:36

In Acts this week, we hear the conversion story of the Ethiopian eunuch. In this passage we hear that Philip was compelled by the Holy Spirit to join a chariot. In the chariot, Philip encountered the Ethiopian eunuch reading scripture. Philip proclaimed the good news of Jesus and the eunuch was so moved by this that he immediately decided to be baptized.

I think for most of us, this type of conversion experience is somewhat foreign. I get the feeling that we have all had times where we have felt more faithful or even less faithful but a time in which we have suddenly felt an overwhelming preponderance of faith is less common. That is one of the reasons that this passage is so striking to me. The text does not exactly say what Philip said to the eunuch, but whatever it was it must have been extremely convincing because the eunuch was immediately ready to be baptized in the name of Jesus.

Perhaps you or I have not necessarily felt this same immediacy of faith, but by virtue of your reading this I can assume that you have some sort of faith in the good news of Jesus Christ. If you are like me and cannot empathize or imagine what exactly the eunuch is going through, what then are we to make of this passage? One explanation that I have come across is that this passage is a literary construction meant to show how far the message of Jesus has been spread by the Apostles at this point in Acts. I don't know about you, but this leaves me feeling somewhat cold and separated from the movement of God within the story.

So where is God moving within the story? I see God's divine movement in the connection of Philip and the eunuch. We are told that the eunuch was traveling a road between Jerusalem and Gaza that is described as a wilderness road. It is here that Philip has a chance encounter with the eunuch based on the direction of the Holy Spirit. What are the chances that Philip would just come across a chariot on a wilderness road? I'm guessing the chances are probably pretty slim. In addition, what are the chances that there would be someone reading scripture in that chariot? Once again, I'm guessing the chances are probably pretty slim.

If I had been in Philip's shoes, I might have thought I was crazy to heed the urging of the Holy Spirit to look for a chance encounter on a wilderness road. Philip however was smart enough to listen to the Spirit. Is God moving in your life in similar ways? Are you feeling compelled to join a certain ministry or address a need that you see? Perhaps you are like Philip. Perhaps there is a chariot on a wilderness road that you are being led towards.

God of Motion,

You move in our lives in mysterious ways. We are not always sure of the ways that you work in our world. Sometimes we feel your push towards a wilderness road no matter how crazy that push may seem. Help us to give in to the push and give up our lives of comfort to follow your lead.

Amen

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Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12579.html Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700 With this weekend's discernment series coming to a conclusion at the All Church Retreat in mind I discovered this video. The video addresses a question that has been part of our conversation in this time of discernment. It's short and helpful, check it out.





http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12580.html Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700 This past weekend the committed individuals from churches across Washington and Idaho gathered in Pasco to be encouraged, to be inspired, to speak out against injustice and to worship.

Over 200 delegates from the 83 churches in the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Church of Christ gathered for our Annual Meeting.

Part of the Annual Meeting is the work around justice and faith expressed in resolutions. These resolutions provide a biblical and theological grounding to timely issues of our day. Two resolutions were presented at this year's meeting:

Constitutional Rights for People Not Corporations Divesting from Bank of America and Other Harmful Banks Both resolutions were passed by the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Pacific Northwest Conference.

The community gathered also proposed an emergency resolution to address a timely issue of the Vatican's reprimand of Roman Catholic Woman Religious (read a good article on the issue from Sojourners by clicking here). At the core of the resolution was a desire to support our Roman Catholic sisters. The resolution was sent to the conference Board of Directors for further work with the desire that the issue be addressed by the next Annual Meeting.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12581.html Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120313165651/img1.jpg Community Living - Leadership Development – Justice Advocacy/Direct Service - Faith Conversations

Serve as a year-long intern with the UCC Young Adult Service Communities (YASC)

Positions are still available for 2012-2013 with:

First Congregational UCC, Saginaw, Michigan – Host Church emphasis on the arts

Pilgrim UCC, Carlsbad, California – Host Church emphasis on progressive theology and the world

JOB (Justice Overcoming Boundaries), Community Organizer Solutions for Change, Educator Keystone UCC/All-Pilgrims UCC-DoC, Seattle, Washington – Host church emphasis on Justice Leadership Education

Seattle King County Coalition on Homelessness (SKCCH), Organizer Applications requested immediately for September 2012 start. Apply Here.

Questions or Inquiries – please contact Mary Schaller Blaufuss, Executive for Volunteer Ministries at blaufusm@ucc.org

Housing, Food, Health Insurance provided. Possibility of a part-time AmeriCorps Education Grant.

You can be the change you want to see in the world!

Rev. Mary Schaller Blaufuss
Executive, UCC Volunteer Ministries
700 Prospect Ave. E., Cleveland, OH 44115
216-736-3214 www.ucc.org/volunteer

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12564.html Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 I've been thinking about last Saturday's great gathering here at Plymouth as we continued on the path of discernment. I really enjoyed the facilitation and discussion. Hearing, seeing ideas bubble up, evolve, mesh with other ideas and end up speckled with colored stickers on the big blue board was a lot of fun for me. The gathering also left with me much to consider regarding leadership in the church.

This Sunday, our lectionary texts circle around the image of Jesus as the good shepherd. They are beautiful texts, and some of my favorite in all of scripture. The image of God as shepherd also has vivid implications about leadership.

As this theme of Christian leadership has been percolating in my heart, I found this short video reflection to add to the mix. It's by writer, speaker, and co-ordinator of the experimental collective Ikon, Peter Rollins. Check it out.





http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12557.html Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120425122141/img1.jpg A reflection on John 10:11-18 for Sunday, April 29, 2012

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” – John 10:11

In the Gospel reading for this week, we encounter Jesus talking to a group of Pharisees a short while before his death. The part of his discourse that we hear seems as though it is straight out of Psalm 23. Psalm 23 is the well-known psalm that starts out, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” While the passage seems straight out of Psalm 23, it is slightly different because Jesus is referring to himself instead of God as the good shepherd. He also says that a good shepherd will lay down his life for the sheep.

For a long time I have struggled with this passage because I have trouble believing in a God that would require a sacrifice on behalf of all humans in order to forgive the sins of each of us. This God seems vengeful and unlike the God that I know. Yet, this passage seems to be saying that the shepherd will lay down his life in order to save the sheep. The shepherd will sacrifice himself for the well being of the sheep.

This leaves me with the question of, if I do not believe that this passage is saying that Jesus dies for us as the shepherd would for his flock, then what good is this passage? This passage speaks to me because Jesus is the shepherd that leads us into death and new life. In the resurrection, Jesus shows us that death is not the final answer. Death is not a period at the end of a sentence but is instead the beginning of something much greater. So, Jesus is the shepherd that leads us (his flock) into death and shows us the way to new life on the other side.

The journey through death into new life is not just a literal journey but is also a metaphorical one as well. Every day there are things that we die to or bring an end to. Hopefully with most of these endings there are new beginnings as well so that we are always in a cycle of death and rebirth. We are forever following Jesus whether we are aware of it or not. We can use Jesus as the example as we attempt to go through these death and rebirth cycles with grace. What in your life is coming to an end or is just starting anew and how does the Easter story help you move to new life?

Loving God,

Each day, we face endings and beginnings. Some are big; some are small. Some are expected; some are unexpected. Through it all you are with us. We ask you to help us remember the ways that Jesus so boldly and courageously faced death and so gracefully entered into new life. Finally, we ask that you would help us to emulate his courage and grace as we ourselves face the never-ending cycle of death and new life.

Amen

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Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.







http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12555.html Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120424171745/img1.gif I found a few articles interesting in the UCC's weekly publication, "Keeping You e-Posted" that I thought I'd pass along.

"The Voice" A New Bible translation that clarifies common Christian lingo and focuses on dialogue A Liberal Christian Revival Catholic churches in Washington state split over marriage equality If you want to subscribe to KYeP click here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12552.html Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120423150131/img1.jpg The Villa Academy in Seattle is hosting a variety of parent workshops. Check out the note below about an upcoming workshop on parenting with firmness and kindness. You can also learn more about the event by clicking here.

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Jody McVittie, MD, a parent trainer, coach and parent educator will focus on how parents can connect with kids and see behavior that makes everyone happier. Jody will guide us through new ways of thinking about balancing firmness and kindness to create better relationships. She will provide insight into why we all do the crazy things that they do when trying to get along in families.

This event is free, open to the public and for parents with children of all ages.

Villa Academy is located at 5001 NE 50th Street, Seattle, WA 98105. Just east of Children’s Hospital at the corner of NE 50th St. and 50th Ave. NE.

Childcare will not be provided at this event.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12521.html Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120329114730/img1.jpg Did I get your attention with the title "Exciting Event"?

I will be presenting a program in the library next Sunday, April 29, from 10-10:45 am.

I will be sharing books on parenting - and grandparenting - with a special focus on various topics that have been suggested by church members such as bullying and the pressures for children and teens to overachieve. Not only will I be talking about books aimed at parents and other adult caretakers, but I will also have suggestions of books for children and teens to read.

I would like to get a general idea of how many of you might be attending so it would be great if you would respond by emailing me at: plymouthlibrary@gmail.com

I'll have booklists for you and maybe even party favors! Now if that isn't exciting, I don't know what is!

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12522.html Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120418094631/img1.jpg A reflection on Luke 24:36-48 for Sunday, April 22, 2012

"Then Jesus said to them, 'These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you - that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.'" - Luke 24:44

In this week's lectionary, we hear Luke's version of the manner in which Jesus appeared to his disciples after the resurrection. We do not have an indication of how Jesus got there, but suddenly we are told that he was standing amongst his disciples. After their initial shock Jesus takes some time to address the disciples. He tells the disciples that they had been and continued to be witnesses to the fulfillment of God's promises that crop up throughout both the Hebrew Scriptures and the Gospels.

Fred Craddock notes that in this passage, "Luke has reminded the reader of the consistent faithfulness of God" (Interpretation Commentary Series: Luke by Fred Craddock). For Luke, Jesus is the method for God to be consistent to the promise that "repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations" (Luke 24:47). Jesus shows us that God is faithful to God's own divine word. Jesus reconciles us to God, who loves each of us and desires to be reconnected to all of humanity.

In the UCC, we are fond of saying that God is still speaking. We claim that God, "has more truth and light yet to break forth" (John Robinson's Farewell Sermon, July 1620). Jesus was an important part of God's truth and light entering into a broken world, but is God done with this world? It is my belief that the answer to that question is an emphatic no! There is still more that is to be done with this old world. As we proclaim, God is still speaking. This means that God is still moving and still working through and with each of us.

So, what is God at work doing in this world? That is for you, reader, to figure out. I cannot give you the answers because only you can discern where God is at work in the world and how you fit into the divine work of humanity's reconciliation to God. Jesus is certainly a part of this work, but so are we. I believe this is what Luke was trying to convey to us in this passage. Luke wants his readers to understand that Jesus is an integral part of the fulfillment of God's promises and also that God continues to fulfill promises to each of us.

God who dances in creation,

You are the God of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebeka, and Jesus. We remember how integral each of these people was to you and your promises. We ask you to bless us and make us a part of your promise of repentance and forgiveness of sins. Help us to listen and look for your voice in everything we see and do.

Amen

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Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12495.html Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120417140736/img1.jpg This Friday the Kony 2012 campaign is hoping that their digital viral video will become something more. On April 20th the organizers are hoping that people will turn out in mass to post "Kony 2012" signs, contact their legislators, engage in community service and sport "Kony 2012"clothing to raise awareness of the despotic leader of the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda.

In the last several weeks, the organization, Invisible Children, which launched the "Kony 2012" campaign has come under criticism for it's strategy, stewardship, and philosophy. Recently, Real Change has featured an article that highlights some of these criticisms and asks some thought provoking questions. "Can viral video free Uganda's child soldiers?"

This Friday will be an interesting test case about the involvement of media skeptical and savvy young people. Can a viral video do more than provide a short break in our day? Can an organization continue to inspire despite doubts about its leadership and legitimate concerns regarding its methods? What's the lifespan of an internet sensation? Does this word-of-facebook movement still have momentum or has the consistent mainstream attention (most of it critical) made it old, tired news?

It's one thing to forward a video to a friend, but will the masses turn out to paint the town red?

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12491.html Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 What does Earth Day have to do with Christianity, our faith, or even salvation? Daniel Spencer, Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Montana, reflects on care for creation as a biblically rooted Christian practice. It's a great reflection as we approach Earth Day this Sunday.





Want to do more for Earth Day? Check out the petition by the United Church of Christ Justice and Peace Network by clicking here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12492.html Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120417145409/img1.jpg A recent study by Grey Matter Research sought to address the question, "What impact does the Christian faith really have on American society?"

The study surveyed 1,000 people, asking whether they felt the Christian faith generally has a positive impact, a negative impact, or no real impact on 16 different areas of society.

children being raised with good morals the less fortunate being helped keeping the U.S. as a strong nation the role of women in society the amount of crime in society the amount of poverty in society the amount of violence in society differences of opinion being discussed in a civil manner how people view others with different beliefs and perspectives ethics in the business world participation in politics and voting the amount of racism in society the amount of substance abuse (drugs and alcohol) in society how people treat the environment how the U.S. is viewed by other countries sexuality in society Two areas stood out with highly positive views of the Christian faith. Can you guess? How about which area the Christian faith was viewed as having the least positive impact?

Check out a nice summary of study here or go wild and read the full report.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12493.html Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120416141521/img1.jpg Did you get a chance to read the article in the Herald by Tad Anderson and Leona Warner, for Plymouth's Eco-Power Ministry Team? The library has a number of new titles on the topics of local food movements, ethical treatment of animals, etc. Come into the library this Sunday to check them out, or stop by the library table in the lounge during fellowship time. The books are on display behind the librarian's desk. These are just a few of the titles:

The compassionate carnivore: or, how to keep animals happy, save Old MacDonald's farm, reduce your hoofprint, and still eat meat / Friend, Catherine 641.36 FRI

Free-range chicken gardens : how to create a beautiful, chicken-friendly yard / Bloom, Jessi. 636.5 BLO

What the world eats / Menzel, Peter 641.3 MEN

The one-block feast : an adventure in food from yard to table / True, Margo. 641.302 TRU

Food movements unite! : strategies to transform our food systems / 338.19 HOL

Farewell, my Subaru : an epic adventure in local living / Fine, Doug. 333.72092 FIN

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12454.html Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120416150632/img1.jpg Under the leadership of the 5th/6th Grade Class teachers (Anne K, Tom M, Bob F, Rosemary H, & Sarah C) the students have undertaken a very cool project. Check out introduction and interview below.

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LEGACY PROJECT

(The 5th and 6th graders are interviewing Plymouth members to learn how they are answering Jesus’ call to love one another. This is the first of what we hope will be many installments of what they have learned).

For over 30 years, 50+ year Plymouth member Marlene Falkenbury has helped to feed the women at Angeline’s Center and been involved in other work that cares for the needy in our community. For many years, Marlene has purchased and delivered the makings that the children in the church school have used to prepare sandwiches for the women at Angeline’s. The Angeline's Center for Homeless Women is named after Princess Angeline the homeless daughter of Chief Seattle.

On March 25th, the 5th and 6th grade Sunday school class and their teachers gathered to honor and celebrate Marlene Falkenbury’s ministry with Angeline’s Center.




Tessa and Nolan’s Q: When and how did you get involved in Angeline’s?

Marlene: In the 1980s at a Plymouth Women’s Group meeting, someone from Angeline’s came to say that they needed help. We fed baked potatoes with bacon, onion, sour cream and cheddar cheese to 130 people in the summer and 150 in the fall and winter.

Bob Freund’s Q: Who else helped with this?

Marlene: Jane Peabody, Mae Durland and Betty Eberharter helped a lot, but there were others, too.

Jane’s Q: When were sandwiches added and why?

Marlene: We added this for the third Sunday of every month because it was a way for kids to be involved and sandwiches were easy for them to make.

Nelson’s Q: What other ministries are you involved in?

Marlene: The Seattle Milk Fund (started in 1904 by Jessica Ballard, but named the Milk Fund in 1934) sponsored by Darigold, helps deliver food vouchers and helps 26-29 women attend college every year.

Rosemary’s Q: What brought you to Plymouth?

Marlene: A friend of my husband’s, who he worked with on the Grand Coulee Dam project, introduced us to Plymouth.

Wesley’s Q: How does your work in the community affect your relationship with God?

Marlene: Helping people helps God.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12487.html Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120411095941/img1.jpg A reflection on John 20:19-31 for Sunday, April 15, 2012

"Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As God has sent me, so I send you.'" - John 20:21

Well, the day of Easter is over. Once again, Lent has come and gone. So, what has changed for us? This past Sunday we sang the triumphant words of "Christ the Lord is Risen Today." We sang, "Soar we now where Christ has led, following our exalted Head, made like him, like him we rise, ours the cross, the grave, the skies." Have we changed as a result of this event? What is different for us as a result of our journey through Lent and Easter

This week's lectionary is the first appearance of Jesus to all of his disciples after his resurrection. This is his first opportunity to instruct his disciples in light of his victory over death. Given this opportunity, what does he tell them? Jesus sends the disciples out in the name of God. They are sent out to share Jesus' message with the rest of the world. Jesus does not give the disciples a copious amount of instructions, he just tells them to receive the Holy Spirit and sends them out. They already know the story, they already know the message. They do not need Jesus to give more instructions; they know what they are to do.

Aren't we in the same position as the disciples? We already know the story. We already know the message. We already know what is expected of us as Christians. I believe Jesus is speaking to us just as he spoke to the disciples. He says, "Peace be with you. As God has sent me, so I send you." We know the story, the message, and now we are being sent. We are being sent to do the work of God here on Earth.

In Easter, we have seen that death has been defeated by Jesus. Nothing will ever quite be the same and we are called to live in light of this. Just as the disciples were sent out into the world after Easter, so are we. As Theresa of Avila says in her famous poem, "Christ has no body now on earth but yours... yours are the hands with which he is to bless [people] now."

In this Easter season, how are you different as a result of the events of Easter? What has changed for you?

God of Grace and God of Glory,

We have heard a story again that we have heard so many times. We have heard about Jesus' triumphant victory at the cross. But have we really heard the story? Has the story really changed the ways that we look at all of creation. Have we really let the story of Easter affect our whole being? We ask that you continue to work this story of rebirth into our lives so that when we least expect it, your story will burst through in everything we say and do.

Amen

--

Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12428.html Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 This week's lectionary takes us into the Gospel of John and the story of Thomas, called the twin.

"So the other disciples told him, 'We have seen the Lord.' But Thomas said to them, 'Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.'"

No doubt, what we see, what we look at, what we focus on, can have a profound impact on the choices we make, the direction we move in, and the people we become.

Along that train of thought I found this video with scholar N.T. Wright. Check it out, and if you have an extra minute I'd highly recommend his article, "Where People Get Scripture Wrong."





http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12429.html Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120410161433/img1.jpg Need money for higher education? Undergraduate scholarships are available for returning students. The application deadline is May 18th.

Learn more by clicking here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12417.html Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120410161824/img1.jpg I found this article on the United Church of Christ's "Keeping You e-Posted" newsletter. It's a simple story of a creative and fun way to live into the gospel.

Read the story by clicking here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12418.html Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 The documentary, Bully, follows the stories of five families and how bullying has affected their lives. I first heard of this documentary when it made headlines for receiveing a "R" rating from the MPAA. The documetary's rating seemed odd when juxaposted to its contemporary teen blockbuster "The Hunger Games," rated PG-13. The documentary has since made the necessary edits to recieve an a PG-13 rating and will be released in Seattle this weekend.

Check out the trailer below and read the Seattle Times article on the documentary by clicking here.





http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12426.html Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120410173036/img1.jpg Recently, I recieved a message from Anthony Salisbury that led me to a fun and thought provoking article by Plymouth member, Margot Page-Salisbury. Anthony does a good job in setting the context. Check out his message and the link to the published article below.

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As many of you know, Margot has nearly completed her memoir about our travels and experiences in Central America. Took long enough! I guess the full-time job kind of cramps your style when you’re trying to write a book at the same time. She has begun the difficult search for an agent so that she can later find a publisher. Anyway, she’s already been published in ParentMap, and she’ll be published again in the upcoming issue of Brain, Child.

It’s good stuff, well-written, funny, touching, and true. If you can’t find the mag at your local newsstand, you can read it online:

http://www.brainchildmag.com/essays/spring2012_page.asp

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12427.html Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120404100557/img1.jpg Come One, Come All! Opening Worship for the Festival of Preaching
Free and Open to the Public
Plymouth UCC, Monday, April 23rd, 8-9 pm.
Rev. Otis Moss III, Pastor of Trinity UCC, Preaching The Festival of Preaching Northwest kicks off on Monday night, April 23rd with the dynamic preaching of Otis Moss III, Jeremiah Wright's successor at Trinity UCC in Chicago, the church the Obamas attended before moving to Washington D.C. Author of books, essays, articles and poetry, Reverend Moss was named by The African American Pulpit Journal as one of the "20 to watch" ministers who will shape the future of the African American church. His passion for youth and inter-generational ministry led him to create the Issachar Movement, a consulting group designed to bridge the generation gap within churches and train a new generation of prophetic church leadership.

Don't miss this opportunity to hear one of today's premier African-American preachers. Everyone is welcome! On-site registration will be available for those interested in registering for the Tuesday and Wednesday sessions of the Festival.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12235.html Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120404100009/img1.jpg A reflection on John 20:1-18 for Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012

"Jesus said to her, 'Mary!' She turned and said to him in Hebrew, 'Rabbouni!'" - John 20:16

We have finally made it through Lent to Easter! We are finally nearing the end of the story of Jesus' life. This week, we hear about how the rock was rolled away from the tomb in order to reveal that it was empty. Jesus then speaks to Mary Magdalene but she does not recognize him until he speaks her name.

Has there ever been a time in your life when you could not recognize that you were in the midst of a sacred moment until after the moment passed? I was at N-Sid-Sen for family camp when my grandfather passed away. I chose to stay at family camp instead of going to San Francisco for the funeral because somehow I knew I was right where I needed to be. In the midst of my grief, a trusted friend and mentor asked me if I would be interested in walking the labyrinth at N-Sid-Sen with her. We walked the labyrinth in silence and afterwards, we sat by the entrance to the labyrinth and this trusted friend listened for an hour as I talked about my grandpa and what he had meant to me.

As I look back on that time, I realize that God was present in that moment through the care and love of my friend. I could not realize it at the time, but I have fond memories of that moment in spite of everything that had happened because I now realize that I was in the midst of a sacred moment.

In this week's lectionary, Mary Magdalene is in the midst of a sacred experience and does not realize it until Jesus calls her by name. Hearing her name spoken snaps her into a heightened awareness of who she is talking to and what is happening. Unfortunately, we do not always hear our names called so clearly when we are experiencing the presence of the Divine.

My hope is that in this Easter season each of us is more aware of the sometimes small voice of God that is calling us to awareness of the divine presence in each of our lives. It is always nice to realize after the fact that we have just had a close encounter with God, but wouldn't it be great if we paid more attention on a daily basis to the ways that God moves within our daily lives?

God of the Resurrection,

You called Mary by name and she understood that it was you. We hope that we can pay enough attention to hear you calling each of us by name. We ask that you be patient with us as we try and try again to be quiet enough to hear you speaking our names and calling us closer to you. We trust you will not give up on us and will continue to reach out to us even when we are not paying attention.

Amen

--

Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.


http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12234.html Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120403160239/img1.jpg Holy Week is unlike any other in the Christian tradition. It is a week packed with the experiences of life. As we move from Palm Sunday through Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and into Easter we encounter joy, confusion, friendship, betrayal, death and new life. Personally, I am fascinated with the gaps between these valleys and mountain tops. I am fascinated with Silent Saturday.

In the Christian tradition the Saturday before Easter morn is commonly referred to as Holy Saturday and is a time for prayer vigils and fasting. I am struck though by the silence of scripture regarding this day. The Gospel of Mark devotes nearly half of his book to that final week of Jesus' life, yet not a word is uttered for that space inbetween the cross and the empty tomb.

Silent Saturday, or Holy Saturday, is a space ripe for exploration and reflection. Christine Valters Paintner, a Benedictine Oblate, proposes that much of our lives exist in that space between loss and hope. Check out her wonderful relfection by clicking here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12215.html Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 A Poem for Maundy* Thursday

*The word "maundy" has its roots in the Latin word for "commandment." We call it "Maundy Thursday" because on this day Jesus spoke to his disciples in the upper room saying, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you."

“Gethsemane,” by Mary Oliver

The grass never sleeps.

Or the roses.

Nor does the lily have a secret eye that shuts until morning.

Jesus said, wait with me. But the disciples slept.

The cricket has such splended fringe on its feet,

and it sings, have you noticed, with its whole body,

and heaven knows if it ever sleeps.

Jesus said, wait with me. And maybe the stars did, maybe

the wind wound itself into a silver tree, and didn't move,

maybe

the lake far away, where once he walked as on a

blue pavement,

lay still and waited, wild awake.

Oh the dear bodies, slumped and eye-shut, that could not

keep that vigil, how they must have wept,

so utterly human, knowing this too

must be part of the story.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12207.html Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 At 10:00am this Sunday Jamie Shilling will be leading a time of crafts and music with children in kindergarten through grade 2 in rooms 121 and 122.

Jamie could use your help so drop her a message at jamesonshilling@hotmail.com

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12206.html Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700 As we approach Easter morn I found this video by Parker Palmer to be especially timely and moving.





http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12205.html Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120329114730/img1.jpg This Sunday we move from Lent into Holy Week and then into the season of Eastertide. Suzanne Sanderson, the Plymouth Librarian, has compiled this list of books for our young readers that connect with Easter themes of peace and new life. All of these books can be found in the Plymouth Vida B. Varey library (you can search the library's catalogue online).

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Celebrate Easter with colored eggs, flowers, and prayer - Deborah Heiligman J 263.93 HEL

The Easter Story - Brian Wildsmith J 232.96 WIL

The magic school bus plants seeds: a book about how living things grow - Patricia Reif J 582 REI

The Gardener - Sarah Stewart E STE

Let there be peace on earth: and let it begin with me - Jill Jackson J 782.4 JAC

Peace tales: world folktales to talk about - Margaret Read MacDonald J 398.2 MAC

The General - Janet Charters E CHA

The enemy: a book about peace - Davide Call E CAL

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12168.html Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120328152908/img1.jpg The Seasons of the Spirit curriculum takes scriptural passages and finds connections with current events. They call these connections, "Spirit Sightings." Check out this week's Spirit Sighting connecting the events of Holy Week with the anniversary of the Tibetan uprising.

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From Fraser Macnaughton

The drama of Holy Week surely has its contemporary counterpart in recent stories emanating from China where young Tibetans take drastic steps to publicise and protest on the 53rd anniversary of the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule. The latest protest according to the London-based Free Tibet group was 18-year-old Gepey, who self-immolated in Aba, a town that is under heavy security lockdown in the western Sichuan province. The group says Gepey was a monk from the town’s Kirti Monastery, the scene of numerous protests against the Chinese government over the past several years.More than two dozen Tibetans, including several teenagers, have set themselves on fire in China over the last year, protesting against China’s suppression of their religion and culture, and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama.

Chinese officials have sought to discredit Tibetans who set themselves on fire in protest at China’s rule over their region, calling them outcasts, criminals, and mentally ill people being manipulated by the exiled Dalai Lama. China blames supporters of the Dalai Lama for encouraging the self-immolations and anti-government protests that have led to the deaths of an unknown number of Tibetans at the hands of police. The Dalai Lama has praised the courage of those who engage in self-immolation and has attributed the protests to what he calls China’s “cultural genocide” in Tibet. But the Dalai Lama also says he does not encourage the protests, noting that they could invite an even harsher crackdown.

According to Wu Zegang, an ethnic Tibetan who is Beijing’s top administrator in Aba, “Some of the suicides are committed by clerics returning to lay life, and they all have criminal records or suspicious activities. They have a very bad reputation in society.” Wu Zegang said the self-immolations were “orchestrated and supported” by the Dalai Lama and Tibetan independence forces. He said that before setting themselves on fire, the immolators shouted, “Independence for Tibet” and “other slogans that aim to divide the nation.”

This is a sensitive time for Tibet, and for all of China. China’s annual legislative session has convened and it is a time when security is tightened across the country. March is also when Tibetans mark significant anniversaries, including that of the unsuccessful 1959 revolt that caused the Dalai Lama to flee, and the deadly anti-government riots that rocked the Tibetan capital of Lhasa in 2008.

Explore…Mark 14:1—15:47

What do you think may be the common denominators that contribute to the stories of Holy Week and the Tibetan anniversary protests? What parallels can you draw between these two stories on a political level? About the same amount of time has passed between the Tibet revolt of 1959 and the revolts in 2012 as had passed between when the events of Holy Week happened and the time they were written in gospel form. In what ways do people become story keepers that enable a movement to flourish? Pray…
As we immerse ourselves in the well known narrative of Jesus’ last days may we also be aware of the similar struggles for justice and peace and freedom that go on today, knowing that God’s way and God’s presence transcend all cultural and historical chains. Amen.

Read more…

Article in the Guardian, March 13, 2012 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12161.html Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120328102229/img1.jpg A reflection on Mark 15:6-15 for Sunday, April 1st, 2012 (Palm/Passion Sunday)

"So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified." - Mark 15:15


In our journey toward Easter we have come to Palm and Passion Sunday. The Passion story gets lumped in with the story of Palm Sunday because it has a tendency to get lost in the weekly shuffle and the next Sunday we naturally move on to the Easter story. The Passion story is a familiar story to most. Judas betrays Jesus, then Peter denies Jesus, then Jesus is tried and found guilty by the high court. Jesus goes before Pilate and is then crucified next to two common criminals.

In rereading this passage I was struck by the actions of Pilate in the story of Jesus' final days. Pilate is often vilified when this story is told and retold. We are told that Pilate recognized that Jesus was handed over out of jealousy and not because of any real lawlessness. Pilate tries to get the crowds to say Jesus' name so that he can release Jesus yet in the end acquiesces to the crowd when they say the name of Barabbas. Instead of vilifying Pilate for his role in Jesus' death, what if we looked at him as an instruction for us as the followers of Jesus Christ?

Pilate's role is actually positive at the beginning of the passage. He recognizes that Jesus has been set up to take the fall for trumped up charges. When Pilate recognizes this, he even tries to get Jesus released. This is the point at which we can learn from Pilate's actions. If Pilate had the power to release a prisoner at the behest of the crowd, then surely he had the power to release a prisoner if he believed the person was being held improperly. Instead of following his intuition and releasing Jesus, he gave in to the pressure of the crowd. It is at this point that Pilate became culpable in Jesus' death.

Are there times when we as followers of Jesus choose to do what is socially acceptable or what the crowd is doing instead of what we know to be right? Personal intuition is a powerful guide. Yet, history is rife with people who have followed the crowd instead of their own moral compass. I know there have been times in my life that I have acted as Pilate did. I am not proud of those moments, but they have helped me to understand the role that my own personal intuition and morals should play in my decision making process.

Hopefully in this Lent and Easter season we as people of faith can practice listening to our own internal guidance and bucking the will of society to work towards a more just world. Let Pilate be the example. Let Pilate show you what can happen to a person when he or she does not listen to his or her internal voice.

Still Speaking God,

You call us to be our best in your world. You instill us with a desire for those things that are good and a hatred of those things that are bad in the world. And yet, we do not always listen to our own internal voice. We fail to listen to your guidance. Help us to live more in the manner that you would have us live.

Amen

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Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12156.html Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 Rev. Brigitta preached a powerful message for Plymouth Church this past Sunday. Her sermon touched on the theme of surrender in Mark 8:34-37. The theme of surrender weaves through Plymouth's discernment series as well.

I found this video reflection on the church by author and professor Dwight Friesen that touched upon this theme of surrender that I found thought provoking.





http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12165.html Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 A Poem for Palm Sunday

“The Poet Thinks of the Donkey,” by Mary Oliver

On the outskirts of Jerusalem

the donkey waited.

Not especially brave, or filled with understanding,

he stood and waited.

How horses, turned out into the meadow,

leap with delight!

How doves, released from their cages,

clatter away, splashed with sunlight.

But the donkey, tied to a tree as usual, waited.

Then he let himself be led away.

Then he let the stranger mount.

Never had he seen such crowds!

And I wonder if he at all imagined what was to happen.

Still, he was what he had always been: small, dark, obedient.

I hope, finally, he felt brave.

I hope, finally, he loved the man who rode so lightly upon him,

as he lifted one dusty hoof and stepped, as he had to, forward.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12163.html Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120328180827/img1.jpg This year's Annual Meeting of the Pacific Northwest Conference (PNC) of the United Church of Christ has several exciting elements:

Diverse worship experiences Great preaching (Rev. Elizabeth Dilley & Rev. Dr. J. Bennett Guess) Celebrating a new church in the PNC Thoughtful Resolutions (e.g. Divesting from Bank of America & Other Harmful Banks, and more...) Plus, you get to celebrate with Brandon as the Annual Meeting is his last official duty as PNC Moderator (Woohoo!!!) The Annual Meeting is a fantastic way to make real the covenant we affirm with local churches across the region. Check out the Annual Meeting 2012 Report Booklet and Financial Report below for more information.

Annual Meeting 2012 Report Booklet
Annual Meeting 2012 Financial Booklet
2011 Year At-a-Glance

Register by April 4, 2012 for a discount on the registration fee. Contact Arlene at the PNC Office (206.725.8383) or download the registration form here.

We look forward to seeing you in Pasco!


http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=12164.html Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120321154306/img1.jpg Calling high school sophomores or juniors!

Peace Activist Trainee Program
Do you know any high school sophomores or juniors who care about peace and justice? Tell them to apply for: WWFOR's (Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation's) Peace Activist Trainee (PAT program)

July 9 - August 2, 2012. 4 days/week; $500 stipend. Application deadline May 14

For more information check out the Peace Activist Trainee flyer by clicking here or send an email to pat@wwfor.org

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11902.html Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 Miroslav Volf (Christian theologian and professor at the Yale University) answers the question, "What breaks your heart?"

It seemed an appropriate reflection during this season of Lent.



http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11903.html Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120321115641/img1.jpg A reflection on Jeremiah 31:31-34 for Sunday, March 25, 2012

"But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." - Jeremiah 31:33


This week's lectionary passage from Jeremiah talks of a new covenant that God was going to make with the people of the houses of Israel and Judah. The ancestors of the two houses had broken their covenant with God because according to F. Dean Leuking they had, "collapsed under the weight of an externalized, corrupted religion of form that lacked content" (Living by the Word, www.christiancentury.org). As a result of this downfall, God promises to establish a new covenant in addition to, "[Forgiving] their iniquity, and [remembering] their sin no more.

As we move through the season of Lent on our journey to Easter, I think it is easy to read Jesus into this passage that was written many years before the time of Jesus. I find myself thinking, "Obviously this new covenant is Jesus. Jesus is the one who call us to God and calls us to be God's people." I'm not so sure that this passage is that easy though.

So what is God doing in this passage? The other thing that I think of when I read this passage is the "God is Still Speaking" campaign of the UCC. This campaign reminds us that God has been speaking in every time and place and that God continues to speak even today. The campaign is also a reminder that because God continues to speak to us, we must be attentive to that voice in our lives.

This passage reminds me of the movement of God within the lives of God's people. We hear that God is unhappy with the way things are going for the houses of Israel and Judah. As a result, God invites the people into a new covenant. The people are invited to take part in a new way of living and being in relationship with God.

I believe that just like in this passage, God is continuously inviting each of us into a new and more full relationship. God seeks to involve each of us in the new covenant that writes God onto each of our hearts. How is God speaking to you in this time and this place? In what ways is God inviting you into a more full relationship with the Divine? What brings you closer to God? These are all questions that God is inviting us to consider during the season of Lent.


Still Speaking God,

You seek intimacy with each of us. You call us to be your people and call us to be in relationship to you. Help us to hear your voice even when we have trouble responding. Help us to hear what you are saying to us even when it is not what we want to hear. We give thanks for your love and care.

Amen

--

Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11898.html Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120320124536/img1.jpg Check out the invitation from Rev. Jim Spraker (member of Plymouth Church and the Conference Global Ministries Committee).

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Greetings,

In our meeting Saturday, Global Ministries has authorized a official delegation to Germany and Poland to visit our sister churches.

I want to encourage you to talk to your church folk and others about the trip. We need more people. If you have beenon a trip like this you know there are changes in peoples lives and their ability to make the trip. We need a larger poolof people so that we can have a group of 7-10. Listed below is the basic information. E-mail me with questions or have peoplecontact me directly.

The UCC Conference has had a relationship with the German Church for several years, but it has been inactive. We want to renew that contact and establish new relationships. The most recent visits have been with clergy. We want to expand the visits with lay person and a service projects.

In Poland, we have had Liz and Doug Searles as our missionaries in Lodz, Poland. They were sponsored by both the UCC and DOC thruGlobal Ministries. We have a opportunity to build on that relationship and experience a church on the margin.

So we would have the opportunity to experience a large church system and a church on the margin. The information listed is the skeleton of the trip. The details are yet to be determined. I heard from both my contacts in Germany and Poland that they want tohost us and so we will be adding more details. Anyone interested can help shape the trip.

BASIC INFORMATION:

Global Ministries (combined UCC & DOC committee) is planning a Mission Trip to Germany and Poland. Goals: to have a people to people experience with our partner churches and share is a short service project Date of Trip: First week of September Length of trip: 12-14 days Cost: $2000-2500, includes airfare People interested should contact Jim Spraker---jim@spraker.net

Jim

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11896.html Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 A reflection on Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 for March 18, 2012

"O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever." - Psalm 107:1

Last week as I was working on a final paper for one of my classes, a good friend (I will call him John) from high school called, told me that he was in the area, and asked if he could stop by and talk for a few minutes. I thought this was odd, but I figured my paper could wait if he wanted to stop by. A few minutes later, John walked in, sat down, and told me that he had realized he was an alcoholic. He then told me that the reason he was in the area was because he had just come from an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and was in his 18th day of sobriety.

Among other things, we talked about the various steps that he was either working on or will work on for the rest of his life. John told me some of the first steps involved admitting that he is powerless over alcohol and needs help from a higher power. As he told me this, I had the words of the psalmist running through my mind. The psalmist tells us this week of the goodness of God. In the second portion of this week's lectionary we are told of the sick and suffering that have been saved by God. Finally, the psalmist instructs those that have been saved to praise God for God's steadfast love.

At one point, the psalmist says that after the sick called out to God, "God sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from destruction" (Psalm 107:20) I think John would probably say that this passage resonates with him as he works through the beginning of his journey of recovery. He has called on God and must trust that God will be with him as he struggles with the things that led to his understanding that he is an alcoholic.

I have realized this passage can be instructive for many people, and not just those people that are working through a process of recovery. We are taught from a young age that if we work hard enough we can control any situation that comes our way. Yet, I can attest to the fact that we cannot control every situation and sometimes things just don't go our way.

When things are not going our way (or even when things are going our way), we can fall back on our faith. We can give thanks to God because, "God's steadfast love endures forever." This Psalm instructs us to call on God for strength because God will not abandon us. Just like John must admit that he is powerless against alcohol, at times we must admit that we are powerless to control the situations we are facing. At that point we can call on God because God will be with us no matter what we are going through.

Holy One,

We give thanks for your steadfast love and presence. We admit that sometimes we feel like we don't deserve your unwavering support. We need that support though. When the world seems like it is working against us in every way possible we need to know that you are on our side. Help us to trust in you and feel your presence as we tackle the obstacles that we face.

Amen



--

Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.



http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11615.html Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 This summer more than 3,000 youth from UCC churches are gathering at Purdue University. We have a large group going from the Pacific Northwest. There is still time to join them (although the deadline is coming up fast). Check out the note below from my friend and local youth director Susan Andresen.

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Hi friends in the Pacific Northwest Conference-


I am pleased to say that we currently have 36 youth and 12 chaperones signed up for our Pacific Northwest group going to National Youth Event in Indiana this summer. When including Mike Denton, that puts our current group total at 49! It is going to be a wonderful event.

At a youth event at Admiral UCC this past Saturday, two more youth I wasn't aware of, mentioned they were interested in joining our group. I am wondering if there are any others out there? If so, we'd love to have them! We need to know ASAP however, as were in the process of completing our booking of airfare to make sure that we're on flights together.

If you have a youth who'd like to go, please contact me at susan_andresen or 206-265-2987 or Tara Barber at barbertara@hotmail.com ASAP. The initial paperwork needed is attached below:
http://app.razorplanet.com/acct/41158-3095/resources/NYE_2012_flyer.pdf

Thanks all!

Peace.

-Susan Andresen
Minister of Youth
Normandy Park UCC





http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11616.html Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120314150245/img1.jpg Several weeks ago the Seasons of the Spirit curriculum took us into the story of Noah. The story contains several elements (the ark, the animals two-by-two) that can easily take on a cutesy tone. Although, anyone familiar with the story cannot shake the long dark shadow cast of the drowning of humanity. How do we tell, how do we teach, such stories to children?

The lectionary often side-steps the more gruesome parts of Bible stories but scripture rarely pulls punches when it comes to diving into the complexities and pain of living together. Many biblical stories include “rated-R” elements of violence and brutality confronting us as teachers with the question of how do we tell the stories of scripture?

Here are a few ideas that I’d offer as we wrestle with this question. I’d love to hear what ideas you have (leave them in the comment section below)

First, tips for approaching the story as the teacher:

More often than not, we are trained to read for information rather than to read for formation. In school my reading assignments were based upon number of pages covered and details of the story I could recall. As I matured in school, I was expected to pick out themes, metaphors, and hidden meanings locked away in pages. The analytical skills I was taught in literature classes are the same skills I bring to the Bible. While these skills often reveal ironies buried in the text or inspirational ideas, they are skills based on a goal of information. We are blessed when we read scripture for information and we are blessed (perhaps even transformed) when we read scripture for formation. Reading for information calls us to the question of what is be said. Reading for formation calls to the question, what is being said to me/us. When we read scripture for formation we are looking for an encounter with God in the story. To read for formation is to listen before we make a judgment call (i.e. This is good story, or I don’t like this story). Much like experiencing fine art, we wait and listen to all that it surfaces in our own memories and wishes before we attach a judgment. In reading for formation we pour over the pages(often again and again) with the question, “God what are you seeking to say to me in this passage?” The stories of scripture tell us about God’s relationship with a particular people in a particular time. In biblical studies it is important to first listen for what questions the author might have been addressing before we see for universal or timeless truths in a story. Certain biblical stories have a way of immediately touching a nerve within us (the story of Saul in 1 Samuel 15 gets to me every time) and it is easy to stop asking questions of the scripture and instead hear only the cries of injustice. It is important for us to acknowledge those reactions, to see their root (often coming from a heart for compassion, a desire for equality, or a personal story of pain that relates), and to come to the story again with a desire to understand the relationship between God and the particular people of a particular time. In this quest to understand our curriculum gives tips and we are blessed with a solid library at Plymouth with easy to find resources. Often the difficult stories of scripture are difficult because of their seeming portrayal of a God we’d rather not know. The stories of God as love, as forgiveness, as one who suffers with us, who stands with the vulnerable and liberates the oppressed, who casts a vision of new earth, these are the stories we to which we gravitate. But these are not the only stories of scripture. Far too often we run into the stories that seem to reveal God in a dark light. Stories that speak of God as oppressor, devastator, wholly ignorant, incompetent, or just plain evil. These are the stories that chip away at people’s faith and are lifted up as examples that there is no good God. Can we believe in the God revealed in scripture? Doubt, is not a part of our faith, it is central to it. We can dive into these difficult stories because we trust that God is bigger than these stories. God is deeper than our understanding and our misunderstanding. God is broader than the original authors of scripture could have perceived. We do not shy away from these stories because there is still more truth and life to discover in God. There is a great video reflection on Christianity and doubt below, check it out. Tips to consider when teaching the story to children:

Keep to the essential idea of the passage. Consider what a key idea of story and use the elements of the story that help children relate to that idea. Each week we send out the BIG Ideas that are linked to the particular scriptural lesson of the week. While other key ideas live in each of these stories, the BIG Idea give you a starting place and a lens through which to view the story. Allow the story to help you explore the idea. For example, how we respond to fear is a key idea in the story of David and Goliath. David trusted in God and responded to the fear felt by the people of Israel by challenging Goliath. You might explore ways we can trust in God that don’t lead to fight or flight, when responding to fear. It’s helpful to deal directly with sin. We don’t need to take children into an abstract definition of sin but instead allow them to talk about evidence or effects they have seen or experienced. Many of the difficult parts of scripture connect to greed, selfishness, and fear. Unfortunately, experiencing the shadow side of humanity is not limited to adults. Church can be a place where we talk about this and often biblical stories provide an entry point to discuss what happens when we hurt each other. Often it is the details of scriptural stories that seem to go over the line. Our goal as teachers of scripture is to provide age appropriate detail in order that kids can relate to a particular person or situation in a story. We can simplify stories without “dumbing them down.” There are details that we do not need to touch on in order to convey the main idea. For example, it is not necessary to include David’s beheading of Goliath in order to talk about the theme of fear in that story. Finally, remember that you do not have to cover all aspects or themes of a particular story. Each year we can build upon what has been taught. The lectionary and the liturgical calendar are cyclical and we will address the same stories again. As children grow, we can add in the age appropriate details and themes to a particular passage. Again, I'd love to hear your ideas, feel free to leave them in the comment section below.

Here's the video I recommended on "Purifying Doubt".



http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11620.html Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 At General Synod 28 (the 28th national gathering of UCC churches), the denomination leadership articulated three core values to for the United Church of Christ

Continuing Testament Extravagant Welcome Changing Lives Connected to this the national office has created short videos of individuals testifying to how their lives have been changed through the UCC. Below is the testimony of one such Seattlite.



You can check out more of these videos of people in the Pacific Northwest Conference by clicking here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11610.html Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120313165651/img1.jpg Check out the note from Rev. Mary Schaller Blaufuss below about the Young Adult Service Communities (now with a location in Seattle led by Lauren Cannon!)

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“Lose yourself in service. Gain your life in servant leadership.”

YOU could become part of the next group of the UCC Young Adult Service Communities (YASC).

Young Adult Service Communities – Ages 21-30 – September 2012 through early August 2013

Community Living Direct Service/Justice Advocacy Work Leadership Development with a Host Congregation Faith Conversations Serve with food security issues in Carlsbad, CA – advocacy related to homeless populations in Seattle, WA – the Michigan UCC conference’s youth and young adult ministries in Saginaw, MI – Communities in Schools in China Grove, NC – refugee resettlement in Phoenix, AZ – homeless women and children in Chapel Hill, NC – and many more organizations and leadership development opportunities with these host churches. … Click here for lots more information

This is an experience you won’t want to miss. This is a growing leadership development setting in the United Church of Christ. Be part of its expansion!

Begin your application here.

Hurry. Second round of placements begin March 15. Additional placements will be made on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. Questions? Please contact Mary Schaller Blaufuss, Executive for Volunteer Ministries blaufusm@ucc.org or Tonya Pettigrew, Administrative Assistant adamst@ucc.org or 216-736-3216.



Peace,

Mary

Rev. Mary Schaller Blaufuss - Executive, UCC Volunteer Ministries - 700 Prospect Ave. E., Cleveland, OH 44115 - 216-736-3214 www.ucc.org/volunteer

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11611.html Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 The Villa Academy in Seattle is hosting a variety of parent workshops. Check out the note below about an upcoming free workshop on practical tips on how to encourage tweens to be independent and safe. You can also learn more by checking out the Villa Academy website found here.

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March 21 from 7:00 to 9:00 in the Parlor

Kim Estes of Savvy Parents, Safe Kids will give practical tips and tools to confidently talk to kids about being more independent and keeping themselves safe without scaring them (or you!). No graphic conversations or scare tactics. We’ll cover staying home alone, cell phones, babysitting, going to mall or movies without you, body and personal safety, school and neighborhood safety, sleepovers and new friends.

This event is free, open to the public and for parents with children in 2nd through 8th Grades.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11612.html Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 Greetings!

The Youth Choir is GREAT!

We have had two productive rehearsals plus a “make-up” practice. In all, 18 students have come. Their sound is beautiful and the energy and support of each other is phenomenal. Thank you for all you give by remembering, arranging schedules, waiting for us and giving us all words of encouragement.

We will be singing on Easter Sunday, April 15 (three Sundays away) and will be practicing the next few weeks preparing for that day. The two practices which are most important are the two Sundays before Easter, March 25 and March 1st. They will be the only two times we’re all together to finish learning notes, get places and become “One!” The schedule of rehearsals is listed below:

Choir Rehearsal Schedule (Wednesday practices from 6:30 to 7:00 are for all who like to sing and for any who would like the extra practice, especially if you missed a Sunday rehearsal)

Wednesday, March 13 – 6:30 to 7:00 in room 225 Sunday, March 18 – No Rehearsal so we can support our high school youth. YF Shareholders Lunch and Presentation right after church. All are invited to attend that event. Wednesday, March 21 – 6:30 to 7:00 in room 225 Sunday, March 25 – Room 225 from 12:15 to 1:15, Pizza or Subway Sandwiches at 1:05 Sunday, April 1st – Room 225 from 12:15 to 1:15, Pizza or Subway Sandwiches at 1:05 In this process of learning and being together to sing, I’m enjoying the smiles that come from learning a part and having it fit with three other parts into a beautiful sound. Each of us brings a gift of energy and voice and presence which, when put together, creates music that fills us and which has the potential to soar out and touch others. It is good work.

Thanks and blessings to you. See you at practice!

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11613.html Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120312120135/img1.jpg Heifer International is hosting a unique multi-city summir for you to connect with their world-wide work. This is a family friendly opportunity to engage with your local Heifer volunteers, supporters, and coordinators.

Your opporunity to connect is on Saturday, March 24th from 10:00am - 12:00pm at Keystone Church UCC (5019 Keystone Place N, Seattle, WA 98103). The Spring into Action event at Keystone will have:

International updates & community opportunities Friendly faem animals & children's activities Compost demonstration with Seattle Tilth For more information check out the flyer or contact Heifer Community Volunteer Coordinator Eliza Penick at Eliza.Penick@heifer.org

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11595.html Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120307100045/img1.jpg Come to the library on Sunday, April 29, from 10:00-10:45 a.m. I will be talking about parenting so if you are a parent or are involved with childcare, please come. I'll be sharing books on — no surprise — parenting, but also books you can use with your children to help them deal with some of the hurdles of childhood. There are stories that deal with the death of a pet or being in a bad mood or having to go to the doctor's office. Stories can be very powerful. They can be used with all ages. If you would be interested in attending, please pre-register at plymouthlibrary@gmail.com so that I will have sufficient chairs and handouts!

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11532.html Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0800 One Great Hour of Sharing is the refugee, relief and development offering in the United Church of Christ. UCC churches across the nation unite in this offering that transforms lives through health, education, agricultural, and emergency relief initiatives in 138 countries. Many UCC churches take up this offering on March 18th. At Plymouth, we're a little ahead of schedule and we took up this offering last Sunday (March 4th).

Check out this video to learn more about how your gift to the One Great Hour of Sharing transforms lives.





http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11529.html Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0800 A reflection on John 2:13-22 for Sunday, March 11, 2012


"Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables." - John 2:15


This week's Gospel passage is one of the more well known stories from the Gospel's. We hear from John the story of Jesus driving the money changers and merchants out of the temple.

When I heard this story as a child, I always wondered what the money changers were doing in the Temple. I would walk into the sanctuary and think about how foreign it would be to have merchants set up in the back of the sanctuary trying to sell people items that would be crucial parts of the worship service. The merchants that Jesus drove out of the Temple were selling animals to the people who were there to worship. These animals were vital to the worship of the Jewish people in the time of Jesus because they were sacrificed in the process of worship. Without the animals, a Jewish person in Jesus' time could not worship God in accordance with his or her faith. It would be as if a merchant were set up at the back of the sanctuary to sell us the bread and juice that we would use as a part of communion.

One of the many reasons that this passage is important is because of the way that Jesus re-imagined what worship was and could be. He imagined a place of worship that functioned as something other than a marketplace. He hoped people would be able to come worship at the Temple without being swindled by the economic system that had grown up around the Temple sacrifices.

Plymouth is in its own way going through this same process as we work through "The Way that is Well for Us." Whether you have been attending the sessions on Wednesdays, Sundays, or not at all we as members of Plymouth are being invited to re-imagine what worship is and can be. We are also being invited to re-imagine what church is and can be.

Probably the results of this process will not be tables flying and coins being poured out as when Jesus drove out the money changers, but it is still a good lesson to pay attention to during times of discernment. Jesus was not afraid to shake up the status quo. He looked at the Temple with all of its money changers and did not see a system of worship as it always had been. Instead he saw an oppressive economic system that was in need of change. In times of discernment it is healthy to look at the way things have always been done and ask if there is a another way, just as Jesus looked at the Temple and asked if there was another way.

God of stability and change,

We know that you love us too much to leave us where we are. We know that you call us to more from wherever we are. Help us to constantly seek to live out your call to more. Help us to constantly move forward rather than becoming complacent. Help us to live the life you would have us live.

Amen

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Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11531.html Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120305144001/img1.jpg In 2008, Plymouth Church partnered with the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) to provide move-in-kits for all 50 Rainier House residents.

In January 2011, DESC was awarded funding from the City of Seattle and King County to build a new housing development at 10507 Aurora Avenue N. Construction of the building commenced in October, 2011.

DESC will create 87 units of affordable housing with supportive services for homeless men and women living with mental illness at 10507 Aurora Ave. N. due to open December, 2012.

Now, Plymouth members and friends are invited to join together in the “Adopt an Apartment” vision. The vision is to create move-in kits for 45 Aurora Supportive Housing residents. By adopting an apartment and helping to create a move-in kit we're helping to create a warm, inviting, and functional space for residents of the future Aurora Supportive Housing program.

Want to learn how you can “Adopt an Apartment”? Contact Barbara Campbell at (Campbellbk2@comcast.net) and check back soon for updates, FAQ sheets, and move-in kit details.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11520.html Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120305150553/img1.jpg The Companion program at Plymouth is vital to ministry of hospitality. The skills and perspective shared and learned at the Companionship Training are helpful in all relationships.

Companionship is an intentional relationship in which we respond with empathy, compassion and understanding to the suffering and struggles caused by mental or emotional disorder. We teach companionship as a capacity in us all and a calling for us all, a way of approaching each other as human beings and souls of infinite worth and value. Companionship is a way of faith, ever open to the deepest levels of life, a way rooted in love and in the belief that a healing tenderness is at the heart of every moment.

We are blessed to offer a training later this month with the Rev Craig Rennebohm and Kae Eaton of the Mental Health Chaplaincy ministries in Seattle.

The training is free and will be held here at Plymouth in the Lounge on Saturday March 31, from 9:30am - noon.

For more information, contact:

Kae Eaton, Mental Health Ministries kae.eaton@gmail.com

June Hayakawa-Fung, Parish Nurse at Plymouth UCC: jhayakawafung@plymouthchurchseattle.org

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11521.html Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120305151309/img1.jpg The UCC Environmental Justice Center at Pilgrim Firs in Port Orchard, WA will hold its first training event April 20-22, 2012. It includes grounding in five basic environmental justice themes, a local hands-on immersion experience, and strategies for hope and bringing environmental justice to our home communities.

Cost is $160 and limited to 21 persons. To register, click here. For more info, contact Jim Deming, UCC Minister for Environmental Justice at demingj@ucc.org.

Check out the flyer with more information by clicking here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11522.html Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0800 With Super Tuesday upon us I was drawn to the title of this video reflection with Phyllis Tickle (author of The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why). It begins with a great reflection on Micah 6:8 (God has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God), and then dives even deeper.





http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11523.html Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120229095115/img1.jpg A Reflection on Mark 8:31-38 for Sunday, March 4th, 2012

“But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’” – Mark 8:33

In this week’s lectionary passage, Jesus foretells the Passion story. In just a short time we will be hearing the actual Passion story as we gather for Palm Sunday and Easter with Holy Week in between. However, this passage is not just Jesus telling of what is to come, but also his admonition to followers to, “take up their cross and follow [Jesus].”

The part of this passage that always surprises me is when Jesus reprimands Peter. I have never known quite what to make of it. The language has always seemed vague to me and left much to my imagination. All we are told is that Peter takes Jesus aside and rebukes Jesus. I have always wondered what exactly Peter said and why it made Jesus so angry that he lashed out and called one of his disciples Satan.

One commentator notes that for the author of Mark this interaction between Peter and Jesus is meant to both recall the temptation of Jesus while also looking forward to Jesus’ crucifixion. The commentator states, “Jesus is tempted (and so are we) to think that God’s anointed can avoid suffering, rejection, and death; that God’s rule means power without pain, glory without humiliation… and Jesus, overcoming this tempting suggestion, identifies it as a devil of an idea.” He also points out that this interaction reminds the disciples of their position as followers of Jesus rather than the guides and waypoints on the journey.

For me, this is a good message to hold on to as we work our way through Lent towards Easter. Jesus overcomes the temptation that he can avoid suffering, rejection, and death. In Lent, we too are invited to overcome our temptations to avoid suffering, rejection, and death of the soul. Many people give up something during Lent as a way of working to overcome the temptations that keep a person from growing closer to God. I have also heard that instead of giving something up, some people will take on an additional spiritual practice during Lent as a way of growing closer to God. These are ways that some people choose to overcome the temptations that keep us from a relationship with the Divine.

I find that I need to remember that there are always temptations that keep me from growing closer to the God. One of the reasons that I initially agreed to write a weekly reflection is that I had become lax in my spiritual discipline. I knew that forcing myself to reflect on the lectionary each week would be a good way to rekindle my drive to continually examine my faith and spirituality. I am pleased to say that I have enjoyed and even look forward to the time that I set aside each week to write this reflection.

Jesus recognized the ease with which one can give into temptations. It would have been easy for him to give into the tempting suggestion that he could avoid the crucifix and could live a long and happy life. It would have been so easy for him to stop proclaiming his message. He could have gone home and he could have easily ignored the call to speak out against the power structure. Nevertheless, Jesus recognized what he was being called to and realized that ultimately he must follow his calling. As we journey through Lent and seek to draw closer to God, may Jesus’ example of ignoring temptations be one that we remember day in and day out.

God,

In those times when we think we have too much to do and not enough time for you,

in those times when we would rather watch tv, sleep, read, or relax,

in those times when we want to give in to temptations of the world,

may you be the gentle guide back to your loving presence.

Amen

--

Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11258.html Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120227131819/img1.jpg This week Real Change has a fascinating (and a bit chilling) interview with Peggy Orenstein author of "Cinderella Ate My Daughter". The interview surfaces a number of great questions about raising daughters in our culture. The interview dives into issues of sexualization, marketing, and the false "either/ors" that are propped up for young girls.

I'd recommend that you pick up a copy of Real Change this week if you have the chance. You can also find a shorter interview with Peggy Orenstein online by clicking here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11153.html Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120227135805/img1.jpg This year Plymouth has offered the Our Whole Lives curriculum for 7th and 8th grade students. The program is supported in the national setting of the UCC by the Rev. Ann Hanson, Minister for Sexuality Education and Justice.

The topic of contraception has recently bubbled to the surface of the national conversation given the debate around access by prominent political figures. Outrageous quotes and misinformation inspired the Rev. Ann Hanson to add her voice to the discussion:

"Reducing issues related to women’s (and men’s) health to pithy sound-bites or a provocative picture does not make for a healthy perspective on sexual health."

Check out her full blog posting here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11154.html Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 This week the gospel reading from the lectionary includes the well known saying of Jesus, "What does it profit a person to gain the whole world and forfiet their soul?"

The question reminded me a of short reflection by Ecuadorian theologian Pene Padilla. Check it out.





http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=11155.html Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142529/img1.jpg This week we dive deeper into "The Way That Is Well For Us" discernment series. This third session focuses on what transformation means for individuals and in congregational life. Claiming our strengths is a focus on this third session and I believe one of the strengths of Plymouth lives in the children and youth who call this faith community home.

Along this way of discernment, I have been brainstorming with others around the church on how we can help children and youth connect to this series. How are the voices, ideas, and dreams of children and youth incorporated into this visioneering process?

Last Sunday we held a Children's Chapel focused on the story of Jesus' transfiguration in the gospel of Mark. The story of the transfiguration culminates with a voice from the heavens declaring, "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!"

We did a little drama with the story and then talked about listening. I shared that the church is currently in a time of deep, intentional listening. Through discussion groups, poetry, scripture, prayer, and testimony we are listening for the heart of Christ. We are listening for how we can join with the good work of God in our midst. We are listening for what the wild Holy Spirit is calling us away from and leading us towards.

In that spirit of listening I asked the children a few questions about their experience at church (instead of a discussion group format we made it into a little game with colored paper, markers, and makeshift snowballs). I thought that we might listen for how the spirit might be speaking through their testimony. Here are just some of their responses.

What is the best thing about coming to church?

Children's Chior Friends Cookies (this was popular, and confirms my long held suspicision that God loves all things related to cookies) Sunday School Worshipping God The Service When do you feel love at church?

When we're doing the greeting of the peace When they hug me I feel love while worshipping When we pray for each other Class What would you change about church?

Meet at night More things for kids to do in service I would change communion to everyday The timing of when church is (this sentiment was shared by many) Have ice cream (Amen!) As we continue deeper into "The Way That Is Well For Us" may we have ears to hear and eyes to see the living God reflected in the voices and faces of all those around us.

If you've missed a session or haven't connected yet, no worries! There are several more sessions and you can catch up with the materials from past sessions by clicking here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=10355.html Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120221232419/img1.jpg A Reflection on Genesis 9:8-17 for Sunday, February 26, 2012

“As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you..." - Genesis 9:9

This passage out of Genesis is probably familiar to many readers. It comes from the end of the story of Noah and is one of the first covenants in the Hebrew Scriptures. After the ark had come to rest and the animals had all departed for dry land, God establishes a covenant with Noah, Noah's descendants, and all of the animals that there will never be another flood to wipe humans off the face of this world. God then states that the rainbow will be a sign of this covenant.

In the United Church of Christ we use the language of covenants quite a bit. This is a phenomenon that happens both at the local church level as well as throughout the national settings of the denomination. We say that each setting of the UCC (national offices, general synod, conferences, and local churches) are held together through covenant with one another. We also enter into covenant with one another when we become members of a local church. When we install ministers at Plymouth, we also enter into covenants with them. Our church is replete with covenants.

Despite all of our talk, the nature of covenants has vexed me for quite a while. My first experience with a covenant was in Youth Forum. When we went on Mission Trips each of the youth signed a covenant agreeing to some basic ground rules for the duration of the trip. At the time, this seemed contractual to me and seemed as though it was lacking some of the pieces of a covenant.

In the time since those YF covenants I have spent a lot of time thinking about the nature of covenants. In that time one of the things that I have realized (through the help of others) is that a covenant has three (or more) parties involved and one of those present is often forgotten about. The party that I believe is often forgotten about is God. When we enter into covenants, we not only enter the agreement with the other person but also with God. We agree to try our hardest through the Grace of God to uphold the expectations of the covenant. We also recognize that if the covenant is not upheld, it is through the Grace of God that both parties can hold each other in love and mutual support as they try to work through the issues at hand.

I now realize that when I entered into covenant on each of the Mission Trips, I was accepting responsibility to uphold the agreement with God's help. I also realize that if I had not upheld the covenant, the adult leaders had entered into covenant with me. Their covenant with me was that they would seek resolutions to the issue that acknowledged the love and support of everyone involved. In the midst of conflict, that love and support is easier said than done. We must rely on the Grace of God to get us through the conflict while maintaining love for each other.

Our covenants might seem slightly different than Noah's covenant with God, because ours are agreements between two parties and God rather than just Noah and God. They are fundamentally the same however, because of the recognition that only through God's Grace can we enter into truly covenantal relationships.



Loving God,

We seek on a daily basis to forge relationships with one another. Yet, we recognize that you are the one who is at the center of each of these relationships. We ask for your love and Grace as we attempt to enter into covenant with one another. Amen

--

Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=10344.html Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 Next week we celebrate Ash Wednesday and begin the season of Lent. We have multiple resources here at Plymouth to walk with during this season of preparation.

At the Plymouth front office you can find a copy of "! Give It Up", the 2012 Lenten devotional from the Stillspeaking Writers' Group (check out the video).

We also have resources for children (ages 8-12) in the Plymouth library that connect to Lenten themes of discipleship, friendship, and family (themes that connect to the Sunday school curriculum). Suzanne Sanderson, the Plymouth Librarian, has compiled this list of books available in the Plymouth library for our young readers.

--

Rissa Bartholomew's Declaration of Independence - Lynda B Comerford JF COM

You're the Best! 14 Stories About Friendship - Belinda Hollyer JSC HOL

Yang the Third and Her Impossible Family - Lesey Namioks JF NAM

Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet - Sherri Smith JF SMI

How Tia Lola Came to Visit Stay - Julia Alvarez JF ALV

In Our Mothers' House - Patricia Polacco E POL

Sarah, Plain and Tall - Patricia MacLachlan JF MAC

The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963 - Paul Christopher Curtis JF CUR

My Mama had a Dancing Heart - Libba Moore Gray E MOO

Mrs Katz and Tush - Patricia Polacco E POL

Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival - Kirby Larson E LAR

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7898.html Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120215113438/img1.jpg Did you know we're giving away free books in the Plymouth library?

Look at the little table in front of the children's section for books with a blue "free" bookmark in them. Right now, we have titles on the Middle East such as The Kabul Beauty School and Jill and Leon Uris' Jerusalem.

There are also new titles on the display shelves and behind the librarian's desk - all on the Middle East. Look for movies such as Offside, an entertaining film from Iran about girls who want to see a soccer game, or The Band's Visit which tells what happens when an Egyptian police band becomes stranded in an Israeli village.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7899.html Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 After learning about how Jesus both healed others and took care of himself, by seeking time for prayer the class thought about the various ways to serve others and to restore their own spirits. From this lesson the class decided to make and deliver Valentines to Horizon House.

Last Sunday, the 12th, the Plymouth 3rd/4th grade class built on the relationships and the blessings of the Christmas Poinsettia Delivery to Horizon House by delivering those Valentines to the same Horizon House residents.

Many of the children remembered the residents who guided them through the building and the residents they visited. The residents were welcoming and charming as they took note of the care the students put into the valentines.

One of the 3rd/4th teachers remarked that, "The kids were so energized by their visit. Several of them mentioned that they would like to go again. A couple of them suggested we might go visit our Horizon House friends again around Easter."

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7900.html Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120215134912/img1.jpg This past Monday, February 13th was a historic day for families in Washington state and great day of celebration at Plymouth.

The Seattle Men’s Chorus and the Seattle Women’s Chorus gathered in the Plymouth sanctuary to celebrate with song Gov. Gregoire’s signing of the Marriage Equality Act into law. Rev. Brigitta Remole welcomed the hundreds who gathered.

Read all about it, including a quote from Pastor Brigitta, in the Seattle Times article found here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7903.html Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 Last week I posted a video with Jean Vanier that related to "The Way That Is Well For Us" discernment series.

This week I stumbled across another short video of Jean Vanier that again connects to our time of intentional listening and dreaming. The video touched me deeply and led me to wonder about the areas we need to grow as a church. The video begins with a simple question, "What does the word, grow mean to you?"





http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7904.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120214171100/img1.jpg A Reflection on Mark 9:2-9 for Sunday, February 19, 2012

"Then Peter said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.'" - Mark 9:5

This week, the lectionary leaps forward to the Transfiguration for one last hurrah before we enter into the liturgical season of Lent. We hear that Jesus took three of his disciples (Peter, James, and John) up to a mountain top. While on the mountain top, the disciples saw Jesus transfigured. He was wearing dazzling white clothes and was standing with Elijah and Moses. The disciples urged Jesus to stay on the mountain top and at that moment God's voice could be heard saying that Jesus was God's son. Once God's voice had subsided, Jesus was no longer transfigured and the men went down from the mountain.

There are many different pieces that can be pulled out from this story. It is one of the stories of the Gospels that are dripping with symbolism and veiled references, but what stands out to me the most are the disciple's reactions. The disciples have a true mountain-top-experience. For Peter, James, and John this experience is one of the times that they are drawn close to the Divine. Therefore, their reaction is a natural one. The disciples want to set up tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah so that they can all stay on the mountain top to revel in their proximity to the Divine.

If I was in the disciples shoes, I think I would have had the same reaction. This past weekend, I had the opportunity of participating in a Clearness Committee. This is a tradition from the Quaker church that holds a focus person in prayer while a committee of five or so help the focus person to discern a path through an issue that the focus person is currently wrestling with. This process for me and the other members of the committee turned out to be a thin place that helped us to feel connected to the Spirit of God. At the end of the two hour process we continued to sit in the circle in silence refusing to move from a place that had been so infused with the Grace of God. I think this is the feeling that the disciples may have had as well. We all knew though that we could not remain in that circle forever. We had come to the end of our time together and knew that what must remain with us from the experience of the Clearness Committee were our memories of how we felt in that sacred space.

In spite of the disciple's mountain-top-experience, at the end of this week's lectionary they must go down the mountain and return to everything they had left on the way up the mountain. Their descent down the mountain feels almost palpable to me. On this last Sunday before Lent, we the listeners are treated to a mountain-top-experience and then we must descend down the mountain toward Ash Wednesday and eventually to Jesus' crucifixion. I know though that as I go through Lent, I will hold on to the joy and Grace of the Clearness Committee that I was a part of as I seek to come ever closer to God. What experiences will draw you into the Grace and love of God as you journey through Lent this year?



Spirit of God,

We are drawing ever closer to the Passion of Christ. We are drawing ever closer to the moment in which we as human beings are complicit in Christ's death. But, we are also drawing closer to Christ's resurrection and victory over death. We beseech you to be with us in this season of preparation as we seek to remember the times that we have felt closest to you.

Amen



--

Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7897.html Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120209094246/img1.jpg The Rev. Mike Denton is the Conference Minister for the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Church of Christ. He provides pastoral support and guidance to the pastors and the congregations of the 83 churches in parts of WA, ID, and AK. Recently, his blog posting on the recent passing of the marriage equality bill in Washington state (Senate Bill 6239) was posted on the CNN Blog Page.

Check out Mike's reflection by clicking here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7877.html Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 Today we begin "The Way That Is Well For Us" discernment series. It is an open invitation to all members and friends of Plymouth to listen and dream together with the spirit of God as we look to future. It is in community that the spirit's stirrings are heard and affirmed. In thinking about this process and the need for our community to dive into the deep together I stumbled across this short video reflection with Jean Vanier. In it he discusses Jesus's dinner instructions and experiencing the presence of God amongst human communion.



http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7867.html Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 During the Plymouth Leadership Retreat, our guest speaker, Diana Butler Bass, offered this prayer of discernment from the 20th century Trappist monk Thomas Merton. I thought we might do well to come back to it time and again as we travel through "The Well That Is Well For Us" series.

--

O Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going,
I do not see the road ahead of me,
I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,
And that fact that I think
I am following Your will
Does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe
That the desire to please You
Does in fact please You.
And I hope I have that desire
In all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything
Apart from that desire to please You.
And I know that if I do this
You will lead me by the right road,
Though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore I will trust You always
Though I may seem to be lost
And in the shadow of death.
I will not fear,
For You are ever with me,
And You will never leave me
To make my journey alone.

Source: Thomas Merton, Pax Christi, Benet Press, Erie, PA.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7868.html Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207152843/img1.jpg Reflection on Mark 1:40-45 for Sunday, February 12th, 2012

“Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” – Mark 1:41

The lectionary passage from Mark this week comes on the heels of last week’s passage that ended with Jesus preaching his message throughout Galilee. Without any indication of passing time, we the readers are left to assume that in this week’s scripture Jesus is still preaching when he is interrupted by a leper who tells Jesus that if Jesus chooses to, he can heal the leper. The New Revised Standard Version of the text says that Jesus heals the leper because he is moved by pity. Other translations and indeed some historical texts instead say that Jesus was angry but healed the leper.

As I read the footnote that noted the use of anger in other translations, I wondered, “What was Jesus so angry about?” Was Jesus angry that no one had helped this man out because of the ritual impurity that this society associated with leprosy? Was Jesus angry that he had been interrupted while he was trying to proclaim his message? Was it another reason entirely?

Whatever Jesus was angry about, it is instructive to me to recognize that he might not have been moved by pity but rather by anger. Jesus was not all positive emotions and love for all. Some of the passages from the Gospels that resonate the most with me are the ones where Jesus defies easy categorization and does the things that he is not supposed to do. It is easy for me to read this passage and think that Jesus cannot be angry that a leper wanted to be healed, and yet some of the translations claim just that!

In his book titled Lies My Teacher Told Me, James Loewen has a chapter titled “Handicapped by History: The Process of Hero-making.” Loewen argues that history classes in American public school tend to anesthetize historical figures and in so doing rob the children studying history of real life role models. The example that Loewen focuses on is Helen Keller. He tells of her heroic struggles with physical impediments but he doesn’t stop there. He tells parts of the story that aren’t so often told. He also tells of her radical socialism and support for the USSR. Loewen argues that by only telling part of Helen Keller’s story, history books and teachers are doing a disservice to students who are robbed of a real life role model that had both positive and negative qualities. In short, the students are robbed of a hero that is human and relatable. He says, “Students poke fun at the goody-goodiest of them all by telling Helen Keller jokes. In so doing, schoolchildren are not poking cruel fun at a disabled person, they are deflating a pretentious symbol that is too good to be real.”

When I read this week’s lectionary using the phrase “moved with pity” Jesus, like Helen Keller seems too good to be real to me. Using the word pity, I often feel as though the author of Mark is making a hero with a standard that is impossible to follow. When I reread the passage as saying that Jesus was angered by the interruption (for whatever reason) I can more easily relate to Jesus. He was a man who felt the range of human emotions that you or I may feel in the course of the day. Yet look what he did after he felt angry. Jesus stretched out his hand and broke all of the social codes of the day by touching the leper and healing him. Jesus did not let his anger stand in the way of his work.

Gracious God,We are not always the perfect people that we should be. Help us to follow the example of Jesus by turning our anger into good works for our fellow human beings. Amen

--

Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7857.html Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207153512/img1.jpg The Bumpas-Maher family is heading to Copalis Beach on April 21st to join in the efforts to clean up Washington's beaches. Want to join them for this family friendly volunteer opportunity? Perhaps even carpool? Maybe even make a party of it!?!

If you're ready to sign up or just a little curious, feel free to contact Elizabeth at boathousemaher@yahoo.com or click here to learn more about the Washington Coast Savers program.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7858.html Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207160857/img1.jpg In a little over a week the Youth Forum will journey to Guatemala to work along side farmers and hospital staff in an effort to share cultures and experience a different way of life.

After service on February 12th the Youth Forum will be selling shares and direct trade coffee from the plantation we will be working at in Guatemala.

Now you can also donate online!

Shares will also be available to purchase online now and while we are in Guatemala by visiting http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/donate/. Select "Youth Mission Fund" from the drop down menu. Shares for the Shareholder Lunch can be purchased for a $30 donation and donations of all amounts are greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your help, without your generous support, we could not offer this once in a lifetime opportunity to our youth!

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7859.html Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207161822/img1.gif The United Church of Christ Stillspeaking Writer's Group is unveiling a helpful tool to shape our spiritual practices as we head into the season of Lent (beginning on February 22nd).

Give up your old ideas about Lent, and get a brand new take on the season from these short daily reflections. This 56-page devotional offers inspiration, humor, and unexpected insights for each day of Lent.

Ready to order or want to know more? Find "! Give It Up" on the Pilgrim Press website by clicking here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7860.html Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207162542/img1.jpg We have an opportunity to gather supplies for a mobile school in Guatemala with a focus on environmental education. We take the supplies for free as checked luggage! We have 30 travelers and each can take 50 pounds, that is a total of 800 pounds of supplies we can bring!

Think of how much that could benefit the school and kids!

Who wants to help gather supplies? You can ask your friends to help, your school, your family, anyone who cares about education and/or the environment!

The school needs:

Whiteboard/chalkboard
Whiteboard Markers/chalk/erasers
Butcher paper
Crayons
Markers
Pens
Notebooks
TV w/VCR
Calculators
Recycling posters
Any informational posters about the environment- water processes, trees, composting, ect., and etc.
Any educational books about the environment
File folders
Rulers
Art Supplies
Calendar (erasable)
Storage bins
Velcro
Glue
Jars (to hold pencils)
Informational placemats- environmentally themed illustrations we can put on desktops
Stapler
Staples
Tape
Scissors
Clipboards
Erasers
Hi-lighters
Educational videos- environmentally themed
Cleaning supplies- spray bottle, rags, broom, mop

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7861.html Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142639/img1.jpg Good news, sisters and brothers! After Randy Crowe announced he would be retiring from his position after 22 years of wonderful service, we began to put together a process and a hiring committee to find our next director.

After reading through dozens of resumes and interviewing several candidates and their references, I am pleased to announce that Mark Boyd will be starting at N-Sid-Sen mid-March. Mark Boyd has been an active participant in the life of the conference; has a significant background in business management; is currently on staff at Pilgrim Firs; and is a member of the staff of The United Churches of Olympia as their youth minister. Click here for a copy of a press release we'll be sharing with local media near N-Sid-Sen as well as a reflection on our discernment process by one of the hiring committee members.

In the coming days, look for more information about Mark's transition in to this position! Also, we'll soon be sending out information about upcoming opportunities for saying a hearty "THANK YOU" to Randy for all the ways he has served the people of this conference so well!

Congratulations, Mark!

Rev. Michael Denton
Conference Minister
Pacific Northwest Conference of
The United Church of Christ

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7796.html Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142621/img1.jpg This March families from Plymouth will have an opporunity to join the "Holy Rollers" ministry team on a family friendly volunteer opportunity in downtown Seattle.

The Holy Rollers will be meeting with coordinators from the DESC on March 3rd to complete a painting project at a drop in center for homeless and disabled adults. The drop in center is closed on the weekends so the volunteers will have the facility to themselves.

Children are welcome to join in the volunteer efforts. Older children can help with the painting while younger kids will have a separate project, a St Patty's Day cookie bake off and decorating. Anyone who is willing to bring cookie dough and/or cookie decorating supplies is welcome to do so.

The center is located at 216 James St Seattle, WA 98104. The Holy Rollers will be paiting from 9:00am - 1:00pm with a break for lunch. Volunteers are welcome to come for part or all of the time.

This is a great opportunity to a family to volunteer together. Please contact me if you are interested or have questions.

To learn more about the Holy Rollers Ministry Team from Plymouth, click here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7797.html Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142611/img1.jpg Reflection on Mark 1:29–39 for Sunday, February 5th, 2012

"He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them." - Mark 1:31

This week's Gospel lectionary is the first physical healing (as opposed to exorcism) in the book of Mark. Jesus had just driven an unclean spirit out of the man in the synagogue. When he and the disciples left the synagogue, they went to the house of Simon. At Simon's house, Jesus healed Simon's mother-in-law and then healed many other sick people from the city. Following this, Jesus proclaimed his message throughout Galilee.

As one commentary on the book of Mark points out, "Here the mother-in-law's response to the healing of Jesus is the discipleship of lowly service, a model to which Jesus will repeatedly call his followers throughout this Gospel and which he supremely embodies in his own service." Simon's mother-in-law becomes the ideal of discipleship because as soon as she is healed, she gets up and begins to serve Jesus and his disciples. This ideal becomes even more amazing as I think about the times that I have had a high fever. It always takes me a while (even after the fever subsides) to begin feeling like doing anything for myself, let alone others. Here she is helping others as soon as she is healed.

The commentator contrasts the service of the mother-in-law to that of Simon who, "calls to Jesus' attention the crowd clamoring for more healings (v. 37) but does nothing, himself, about them." Almost the antithesis of his mother-in-law who got up and began to serve without even being asked, Simon notices the need of the people around him and implores Jesus to help without actually doing anything on his own. As some of you might be aware, I was a student intern at a UCC church last school year. The times that I was at my best were the times that I was simply present to the needs and desires of the members of the church. There wasn't always much that I could do to help, other than to listen and be present. Most of the time the act of listening was more helpful than suggesting solutions to other people's problems.

I take this passage as a reminder to serve in the spirit of Simon's mother-in-law rather than Simon. May we all delight in service that calls us to get our hands dirty rather than standing on the sidelines as we ask others to work harder.

Holy One,

We hear your call to action. We hear you imploring us to help change the world instead of hoping that other people will make the world better for us. You challenge us to live out our beliefs in the world. Help us in our attempts to bring the Kingdom of God to your creation through each of our actions.

Amen

~~~

Kevin Bechtold is a member of Plymouth Church and is studying in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Contact Kevin at kevbec AT comcast DOT net.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7778.html Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 This Sunday we celebrate communion once again. This video begins in Marburg, Germany with the disagreement between Luther and Zwingli concerning the presence of Christ in the celebration of communion. Yet the question, "Where is Christ?" extends through the centuries and well beyond the bread and the cup. Check out this video reflection below.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7777.html Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142548/img1.jpg This winter and spring (Epiphany through Easter) members and friends of Plymouth Church are invited to engage in a series of listening and discernment events meant to identify congregational priorities that inform our programs, staffing and budget.

"The Way that Is Well for Us" is a series designed to be broadly inclusive. It is important that all members bring open hearts and minds, and the willingness to listen deeply to each other, to the world’s needs, and to the voice of the still speaking God in our midst.

As an exercise in discernment, this series will reflect three elements:

Willingness: Willingness to open ourselves to God and Divine guidance. Attentiveness: Listening and paying attention to ourselves, what’s moving within us asindividuals and as a congregation? Responsiveness: Responding to what we’ve noticed or recognized; preparing to takeaction in response to what we have heard in the listening process. Each event in our series will contain these three elements, and the series as a whole will movethrough the three elements in sequence. For more details click here to view and download the plan for "The Way that Is Well for Us"

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7779.html Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 The Villa Academy in the Sand Point neighborhood of Seattle is hosting Julie Metzger as she offers a free seminar reviewing the latest research on social dynamics to help kids communicate effectively and build healthy relationships. Come and hear strategies for navigating such things as not getting invited to a birthday party or being teased at recess.

The event is February 2nd, 7:00-9:00pm is and for parents of children in 2nd through 8th grade.

For more information check out their flyer by clicking here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7780.html Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142744/img1.jpg The "Faith Formation at Home" workshop was great. I loved how it directly addressed some of the anxieties we wrestle with as we teach children about faith, scripture, and religious traditions. Lisa and Tamara were great presenters and I hope we can have them again for another session (if that's something you're interested in please be sure to let me know).

Here are the handouts they shared at the workshop:

Spiritual Parenting: Interacting with the Bible Your Bible Backpack: Faithful Parenting The Bible Backpack discussion asked us to consider what are the 10 essential stories/scriptures from the Bible that aid us on our trek through life.

What would a couple of your 10 be?

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7781.html Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 [Dear friends, this will be my last reflection for the time being. The internship I’m embarking on is quite intense and time-consuming, so I will be focusing my energies on chaplaincy for awhile. It has been a privilege to share my thoughts on scripture with the Plymouth community. - Becky]

Reflection on Mark 1:21–28 for Sunday, January 29, 2012

This healing takes place early in Mark’s narrative of Jesus’ ministry, right in the first chapter. No sooner had Jesus returned from his 40-day exile in the desert and called the disciples than he walked into a synagogue and began teaching and healing. “They” (The disciples? The Jewish residents of Capernaum observing the Sabbath? There is no mention yet of the leaders who were to condemn him so harshly) were astonished at the authoritative teaching of this young upstart, this stranger from Nazareth.

But beyond teaching, beyond mere words, Jesus does something even more astonishing – he heals a man with an unclean spirit. Surprisingly, no mention is made of judging Jesus for healing on the Sabbath in this passage. Perhaps because the powers that be do not yet know of Jesus and so are not yet threatened by his authority … perhaps because the people in the synagogue are so astonished at what they are seeing that they don’t think about the taboo against working on the Sabbath day.

It’s often suggested that those characterized as possessed with evil spirits in Jesus’ time were suffering from mental illness. Whether Jesus healed the man of demonic possession or a chemical imbalance in his brain, or simply transformed an agitated soul with the calm assurance of his manner, it is a miraculous moment, and a moment that adds even more to his authority in the eyes of the witnesses surrounding him.



As I embark on a 400-hour hospital chaplaincy internship, the notion of healing, especially spiritual healing, is in the forefront of my mind. What can we, as chaplains, offer in the midst of a medical crisis or the quiet despair of a frightening diagnosis? What can all of us, as keepers of our brothers and sisters, offer one another in times of illness and pain?

One thing that I hold in my heart is that healing isn’t always synonymous with curing. Even the medically-trained hospital staff can’t always guarantee that a patient will be 100% cured. But even the greenest chaplain or the employee at the bottom of the hospital hierarchy can offer a compassionate gaze and word that bring reassurance, calm, even a little germ of healing to those troubled in body and mind.

In my training for this internship we talked about claiming your authority as a chaplain. Far from a power play, this is simply having the self-confidence to approach the nurses’ station, to enter a patient’s room, to offer prayer to a worrying family. In that synagogue in Capernaum, Jesus claimed his authority to share God’s promise and offer healing. I believe God calls us all to claim our authority to heal and to exercise it often. May it be so.

~~~~

Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7765.html Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Mark 1:14-20 for Sunday, January 22, 2012 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.




This week’s passage tells the familiar story of Jesus calling the disciples. He calls them to put their talents for fishing, for catching, to use in ministry. He calls them to be “fishers of people.” In this year’s lectionary we get the version from Mark’s gospel, but I like the expression Jesus uses in Luke’s version of this story – “From now on you will be catching people.” The Greek word used for “catch” implies capturing, taking alive. A literal translation reads, “from now on you will be live-catching people. Live-catching people. Catching them alive, so that they may have new life.

So who’s ready to give up their livelihood to become fishers, or live-catchers, of people? Any takers? Maybe not. But maybe we don’t have to abandon ship to follow Jesus. Maybe like the brothers called together from their fishing boats, we can continue to live and work among those we love.

I have a friend from Plymouth who has one of the most powerful ministries I know of. She talks to strangers when they sit down next to her on the bus. She asks them what kind of day they’re having. She asks them where they’re headed. She listens to them. She wishes them well. She also talks to cashiers and food servers and everyone she runs into. She says hello to them. She asks them their names. She sees them. She brings a moment of grace to the lives of everyone she interacts with.

Another friend, who works with retirement plans, was wondering if that was really where God was calling him. “What’s my ministry?” he asked. Then he realized that patiently helping senior citizens fill out forms, tracking down retirees who didn’t realize they were entitled to benefits, and making sure company pension plans are financially stable so they can pay people what they’re owed – that is his ministry.

Maybe Jesus uses fishing metaphors with people who fish and asks us to find the metaphor that’s meaningful for us. Maybe we each have to find our own way to be a live-catcher:

“Follow me,” Jesus says, “and I will I will make you accountants of troubled souls, and help them heal their financial lives so they can have the peace of mind and stop living in fear.”

"Follow me and I will make you healers of spirits as well as bodies – healers who listen to patients’ fears and concerns and reassure them.”

“Follow me and I will make you caregivers who show children that they are valued and loved.”

“Follow me and I will make you baristas of the lost and lonely, offering a smile and a kind word and allowing the person in the back, the one with the threadbare coat, to linger for far longer than it takes to finish a cup of coffee.

Maybe by following Jesus we’re called to give up not everything, but the tangled nets of unhealthy relationships, the snares of destructive behaviors, old baggage we’ve been wrapped up with for far too long. Maybe we’re called to turn away from those things, to face a different direction, to face the cooling, bracing breeze that drives the old, stagnant air of our cynicism and despair away. To open our arms and catch something, or someone, alive.

~~~~

Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7759.html Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142559/img1.jpg This Saturday Plymouth will play host to an amazing muscian. Check out the article below by Doug Cleveland for more details.

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I’m excited to announce that on Saturday, January 21, Hal Hopson, one of America’s leading church musicians and composers will be coming to Plymouth Church to lead an all-day sacred music workshop entitled: “Keepers of Song.”

The event is sponsored by Plymouth Church, First Presbyterian in Snohomish, the Presbytery of North Puget Sound, the American Choral Directors Association, and the American Guild of Organists. The event is open to all members of Plymouth Church free of charge.

The one-day event is for music directors, organists, pastors, choir members, worship committees, and all who love sacred music. Hal Hopson will be discussing new ways of singing hymns, singing psalms and leading a creative hymn festival.

Hopson resides in Dallas, Texas, and has over 1,300 published works, which comprise almost every musical form in church music. With a special interest in congregational song, he continues to make a significant contribution to the new repertoire of hymn tunes and responsorial psalm settings in many hymnals, including the UCC New Century Hymnal. His cantata, “God with Us” was one of the few compositions selected to be performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

I hope you will take advantage of learning from this amazing leader of church music in America. Below is the schedule for the workshop held in the Plymouth Sanctuary. Parking is free in the Plymouth garage.

Workshop Schedule:

8:30-9:00 Registration 9:00-9:15 Morning Prayer 9:15-10:30 Keepers of the Worshipping Congregation 10:30-10:45 Break 10:45-12:00 Keepers of the Singing of Hymns 12:00-12:45 Lunch 12:45-2:00 Keepers of the Singing of the Psalms 2:00-2:30 Preparation for the Hymn Sing 2:30-2:45 Break 3:00-4:15 Hymn Sing —Doug Cleveland

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7756.html Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 After being accused of disturbing the peace during the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Martin Luther King Jr. responded with the now famous quote, "True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice." This video reminded me of that truth.







Could There Be Peace?

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7757.html Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 Get your sled/ski/snowboarding gear, winter coat and hat ready and head to Camp Koinonia, February 18-21, for a weekend of fun, games and great fellowship! The annual Plymouth Snow Camp is great fun for all ages. We have a terrific sled hill and cross country skiing at the camp. Snoqualmie Pass is close for more country cross country skiing and downhill skiing. The camp cooks all the meals so all you have to do is have fun! Each night we have games. Bananagrams has been a big hit, as well and a mean game of bridge dominos, and anything else you want to bring.

Cost is $108 for 13 yrs and older, $64 Youth 9-12, $53 Child 3-8 and children under 3 are free. That's for six meals and 2 nights! Scholarships are available. Signups will start on Sunday, January 22.

If you have any questions, contact Mari at maricmp@comcast.net or 206-380-6011. Let it snow!

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7709.html Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 A stirring video reflection from Will Willimon.



http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7708.html Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142630/img1.jpg The United Church of Christ and International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) work as partners in long term disaster recovery in the United States. As a result of two disasters in 2011 (Houston, TX and Minneapolis, MN), the IOCC is assisting these communities to rebuild/repair damaged homes.

Recruiting Volunteers For 2012 Orthodox Action Teams

Since the devastating hurricanes in 2005, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) has provided over 600 volunteers and thousands of man-hours to help surviving families along the Gulf Coast rebuild their lives by constructing new homes or doing critical renovations to existing ones. Working in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, IOCC expanded its efforts last year by sending Orthodox Action Teams to build homes in Houston.

For 2012, IOCC will extend its humanitarian reach with more home construction and restoration projects set for Houston and for Minneapolis, which suffered a destructive tornado last summer. IOCC is currently recruiting volunteers for one week of active service in Houston or Minneapolis. You do not need to be skilled – just energetic! Activities vary depending on location and construction schedules, but can include siding, roofing, framing, landscaping, painting and support.

The following Orthodox Action Team opportunities are available:

June 3 - June 9, 2012 Minneapolis, MN June 10 - June 16, 2012 Houston, TX July 15 - July 21, 2012 Minneapolis, MN July 29 - August 4, 2012 Minneapolis, MN August 5 - August 11, 2012 Houston, TX IOCC invites US and Canadian residents to participate in this life-changing experience. The volunteer contribution is $450 per person, which includes local transportation, room & board, materials, supplies, tools and site supervision. Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older, but volunteers over the age of 16 may participate if they are accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or an adult with a power-of-attorney to act on their behalf for the duration of the deployment. Individuals (or groups) are responsible to travel to the build city on their own, but ground transportation will be provided from the local airport(s) to the housing site. Teams arrive on Sunday afternoons and depart on Saturday afternoon.

Please consider becoming a part of this growing network of good and helping your brothers and sisters in Christ who need your support. To volunteer, please fill out and submit the online form at www.iocc.org/actionteam. For specific questions, please contact the US Programs Department of IOCC at 1-877-803-IOCC or by e-mail to dchristopulos@iocc.org.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7686.html Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142719/img1.jpg Socks for Mary’s Place

You may have noticed a big, leafless dogwood tree in the foyer. It was donated to us by Susan and Geoff for a very special purpose.

The first day of epiphany was Friday, January 6. This is the day the three Magi visited the baby Jesus and brought him gifts, and by so doing, revealed Jesus to the world as lord and king. Epiphany is the season of enlightenment and hope.

And thus, the dogwood tree, representing the season of giving and hope to the women and children of the church of Mary Magdalene and Mary’s Place.

Mary’s Place is the recipient of the 2011 change grant, $35,000 given each year for three years.

Mary’s place is a day shelter serving homeless and formerly homeless women and their children. It is the only day shelter that accepts women with children without a referral from another agency. It is a place where women regain their dignity, experience love and find hope. The church of Mary Magdalene is the church and spiritual support for the women, working in close partnership with Mary’s Place.

And back to epiphany with the dogwood tree, again! You can help bring hope by filling the tree with the gift of socks. Any color, any size. For the next three Sundays bring a pair or two pairs of socks and hang them on the tree with the special hooks (clothes pins) provided in the basket next to the tree. The women and children always need socks, especially in the wet and cold winters of the Northwest. Help keep the women and their children warm and dry. Celebrate Epiphany by giving them the gift of hope and love. Show you care, fill up the tree! Thank you.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7687.html Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142709/img1.jpg A historic day for families in Washington looks to be dawning and you're invited to be a part of it.

Vancouver First Congregational United Church of Christ is organizing teams for an Interfaith March for Marriage Equality from Vancouver to Olympia, February 9-15. The march begins with a prayer breakfast in Vancouver on the 9th and ends on the Capitol steps on the 15th.

The Equality Day Rally is the next day in Olympia, Feb. 16. Find more information about the march and organizing a team in this flyer. Registration deadline is January 19.

Contact MarriageMarch@gmail.com or (360) 693-1476 with questions. Clergy and lay leaders are sought for the prayer breakfast, the first day of the march and for the arrival in Olympia.

Interfaith March for Marriage Equality -Vancouver to Olympia - February 9-15

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7688.html Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Mark 1:4-11 for Sunday, January 8th, 2012 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

So there’s John, wrapped in his camel pelt and eating bugs and dunking people in the river. And there’s Jesus, coming down from Nazareth to be baptized by this odd character. It seems strange, doesn’t it – Jesus coming to John, who offers a baptism of repentance and forgiveness? What would the son of God have to repent from or be forgiven for?

Theologian Jack Kingsbury suggests that in being baptized by John, Jesus is voluntarily identifying himself with humanity, with all our flaws and shortcomings. Jesus comes not to dispense justice from on high, from a position of superiority, but as one of us, subject to the same temptations and suffering that we endure.

The power of this story is also conveyed by Jesus’ intentionality. He wasn’t passing by, drawn in by the crowd and spectacle at the river’s edge. He wasn’t on his way somewhere else. He had come from Galilee for the express purpose of being baptized by John. It wasn’t an impulse. This was something Jesus had thought about. It was something he had decided.

Thinking about Jesus’ baptism can help us remember our own baptism because they are in many ways the same. We, too, begin with conscious intention – either our own, or that of our parents, to enter into the body of Christ, to follow the path of Jesus. Perhaps most importantly, we too are beloved children of God, in whom God delights. Paradoxically, even though we are hard pressed to acknowledge ourselves as sinful, we find it equally hard to see ourselves as beloved by God. As Henri Nouwen wrote, “I kept refusing to hear the voice that speaks from the very depth of my being and says: ‘You are my beloved; on you my favor rests.’”

We are God’s beloved. This is the true essence of our being. And God is with us always, every step of the way. But, like Jesus we realize that God walking alongside us, loving us, does not spare us from experiencing pain and suffering. When we cast our lot in with Jesus, we come to understand that like him we are favored by God, yet bound for the cross.

Jesus asks his disciples, “Can you be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” And Paul asked the early church in Rome, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” This probably isn’t what we think about when we “remember our baptism.” We need to hear the rest of the story. We need to remember that Jesus stepped into the muddy water before us, that Paul goes on to say, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the God, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.” God has promised that at the end of the path lies not a gallows, but a banquet. So let us remember our baptism, and be thankful.

~~~~

Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7648.html Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 At the last General Synod (the national gathering of UCC local churches) the UCC's Collegium of Officers (the leaders of the UCC's ministries) set forth three values that could serve as a foundation and guidepost for our vision and planning as a denomination. The UCC's core values were stated as:

Continuing Testament Extravagant Welcome Changing Lives This handy slideshow gives more detail about what each of these mean. What do you think, do these statements sum up for you what is core about the UCC?

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7646.html Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800 Have you ever wanted to change a policy or program at your child's school?

The League of Education Voters is presenting an Education Activist Training this Saturday at Highlight Community College. The training will include workshops on state funding, public charter schools, universal pre-kindergarten, and more.

Check out the note below or check out the League of Education Voters website.

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The League of Education Voters (LEV) is working to build a quality public education system from cradle to career. At the Education Activist Training you can get learn how to take your passion and use it to change your child's school. Attend workshops on hot topics like: state funding, stopping school pushout, public charter schools, universal pre-kindergarten, disproportionality in Advanced Placement courses, algebra I and college-ready curriculum.

The Education Activist Training is on Sat Jan 7 @ 9 am, Highline Community College, Building 8 -- The Student Center (2400 South 240th Street, Des Moines, WA)

Register online at http://www.educationvoters.org for $25, or contact, maggie@educationvoters.org to apply for a scholarship.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7647.html Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142434/img1.jpg Advent and Christmas are full of excitement and joy, celebrating the birth of Christ and his mission soon to follow. Throughout the season we light candles signifying the eminent celebration, but what is next?

Too often we get back into the thick of it, daily life. Join us this January 8th, 15th, and 22nd to celebrate a festival of light and understanding. During this time of new understanding we will celebrate together as a church, young and old. The Youth Forum has thoughtfully planned many activities that will appeal to all. Leading this celebration is our gift to the Plymouth community, a way to say thank you for your help and support as we travel to Guatemala and work side-by-side with Guatemalans at a hospital and coffee plantation. In preparations for our Mission, we would like to share activities inspired by our journey, they involve:

Basket Weaving Spanish Lessons Cooking Music Friendship Bracelets Paper Snowflakes Dancing
Please join us in the celebration of new beginnings and hope.

Thank you,

Youth Forum

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7609.html Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Psalm 72:1–7, 10–14


Psalm 72, called a “Prayer for Guidance and Support for the King Of Solomon” in my online NRSV Bible, describes the kind of messianic king longed for throughout the Hebrew Scriptures – not a personal savior to rescue individuals from eternal damnation, but a leader to save the people, God’s people, from oppression, exile and suffering. A king of righteousness and justice. A wonderful counselor, the prince of peace.

This ruler is a judge, but not a punitive judge. The psalmist prays for a judge who will uphold the rights of the poor and the oppressed: “May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice…may he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy.” Rather than ruling with an iron fist and oppressing the people, this Messiah brings liberation, crushing oppression.

The people of Jesus’ time saw in him just such a Messiah – a living, breathing, earthly representation of God’s justice, love and mercy. He sided with the poor and oppressed. He assured those who could not pay their synagogue fees that they were still worthy and welcome in God’s sight. Rather than condemning tax collectors, he sat down at the table with them and inspired them to change their ways. He argued for an interpretation of God’s laws that did not aggrandize the religious leaders, but lifted up sinners.

The good and wise king or queen is iconic in many cultures – someone who champions the poor instead of exploiting them, someone who judges fairly against the rich and powerful when they seek to gain advantage against those who have no voice. Our government is based on an ideal of equality meant to level the playing field for everyone.

But just as the Bible is full of stories of fallible humans who fell short of exemplifying God’s concepts of justice and fundamental human worth, so it is with our history. Even something as basic as suffrage, the right to elect leaders by vote instead of bowing to dictators and dynasties, was originally restricted to white male property owners.

This is the human story. The people cry out for justice, God responds with love and mercy, and in our fear and greed we succumb to the temptation to get leverage over others, or simply to accept a status quo that privileges us at their expense. As we begin another election cycle, let us pray as the psalmist did, for just and righteous rulers whose vision of prosperity extends to all, who seeks to mitigate, not exacerbate, the suffering of the marginalized. Let us rejoice in the Christmastide good news of a Messiah who brings light to everyone, not just the wealthy and powerful:

“For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight.”

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Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7607.html Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142733/img1.jpg Reflection on John 1:1–14 for Sunday, December 25, 2011

The Word…Logos…Emmanuel…life…light. This week in the northern hemisphere we have a very concrete image of light returning to the world to carry us into Christmas. The Winter Solstice, occurring at 5:30 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time on December 22nd (9:30 p.m. on the 21st Pacific Time) marks the moment when “the sun stands still” – the apparent movement of the sun’s path comes to a stop before reversing direction, and with this shift comes the lengthening of days we associate with the Solstice, the long awaited, gradual return of the light. The sun, the Son, the true light, the light that enlightens everyone, the light that shines in the darkness, the light the darkness did not overcome, is coming into the world.

In the prologue to John’s gospel, this light is associated with life, and again, the connections between the physical and the spiritual run deep. The return of the sun, the gradual lengthening of days, gives hope in the deep winter that life will be renewed – spring, summer and harvest will arrive in their time, seedlings will sprout, calves and lambs will be born, the sun will nurture them and infuse them with life that will in turn sustain us through another turning of the earth away from the sun.

Our weary souls, our darkened spirits, rejoice in the return of the sun, the warmth on our faces, the dawns and dusks that come a little earlier and a little later, day by day, until full and glorious summer. As the people of the world gather around the glowing Christmas tree, the Hanukkah menorah, the Solstice bonfire, the Kwanzaa kinara, may we be filled with the light of the world, which comes to so many places, in so many guises, to bring light and life to us all.

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Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7594.html Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142744/img1.jpg Recently, I was speaking with a great colleague about family ministry. She had some insightful ideas about a workshop to equip parents with skills for continuing faith formation throughout the week. This January we'll be offering this Faith Formation at Home Workshop here at Plymouth.

The workshop will be led by Tamara Roberts and Lisa Domke and will address questions such as:

What prayers can I teach and say with my child? What faith practices can we do at home with my child? How do I talk to my child about the bible, prayer, church, etc.? The Faith Formation at Home Workshop will be on Sunday January 22nd, in room 221 from 12:30-1:30pm.

Snacks will be provided and childcare is available on the first floor at Plymouth.

Contact me with any questions.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7595.html Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142649/img1.jpg Events, updates, and articles about news in the Pacific Northwest Conference United Church of Christ can be found online.

The Pacific Northwest Conference News is a great way to keep abreast with the wider church.

This month's issue features the PNC Treasurer's trip to Haiti, Richmond Beach UCC housing project, Newport UCC column on OCWM, assistance for retired pastors, advocacy events, annual meeting, and more.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7596.html Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/upload/i20120207142538/img1.jpg "It's really important to me that children have access online to music, scripture and peer conversation that is not influenced by corporate advertising and does not usurp parental authority" - Rev. Robin Blair, founder of Common Good Radio.

It was this conviction along with career experience in media and personal ministry experience with children and youth that inspired Rev. Blair to create the online streaming radion station, Common Good Radio

Common Good Radio is a place for children, especially the 10-and-younger crowd, to hear programming that is, "simply an attempt to support a compassionate lifestyle," said Blair. "Kids can be entertained without any commercials that try to persuade them to desire something unhealthy." The radio station also features programming created by youth. Rev. Blair encourages youth and families to submit audio clips and reflections.

Read the full article about Rev. Blair and the Common Good Radio here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7597.html Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

The Plymouth Library continues their "Around the World" theme this Sunday, traveling to China!
Look on the display shelves for the following new acquisitions written by Chinese authors and/or taking place in China:
Shower (DVD, 1999) - an award-winning comedy that explores a man's responsibilities to his family and his heritage. The New York Times says: "Sweet serious comedy! Uplifting and witty!"
In Search of My Homeland: A Memoir of a Chinese Labor Camp by Er Tai Gao (2009), NYT Book review here
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie (2001), NYT Book Review here
Anya's War by Andrea Alban (2011, a novel suitable for readers from 7th grade and up)Anya's family left Odessa for Shanghai in the 1930s to escape Communism more than anti-semitism although that, too, was a sad part of their life. Shanghai offered great opportunities along with tremendous culture shock. When Anya found a discarded baby girl in a sewer on her fourteenth birthday, she discovered just how different Chinese culture was. The reactions of her family were also a shock to her. And in the background was the threat of Japan as it invaded Nanking. Despite a few anachronisms, this story, based on experiences of the author's family, rings true, and the flawed characters are fascinating.
Come in this Sunday, December 18th, to stock up on Christmas books, CDs and DVDs. You will find them on a cart next to Suzanne's desk and displayed throughout the library. The Plymouth Library will be closed on Sunday, December 25th, and Sunday January 1st.~~~
The Plymouth Library is open Sundays from 9am-12pm. To access Plymouth Library's on-line catalog, click here and enter the name of the library: vidabvarey. (That's the official name of the Plymouth Library.) No password is needed. Search the catalog by keyword, author, title, subject, etc.

If you would like to renew a book, reserve a book, or if you have any questions, please contact Suzanne at plymouthlibrary@gmail.com. We are always getting new books so visit the library often! http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7458.html Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/God-Coming-Advent-Theoblogger-Challenge-12-05-2011?offset=0&max=1

http://www.cacradicalgrace.org/richard-rohr/dailymeditations/arch-dailymeds-dec-2011/arch-dailymeds-2011-dec-10 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7457.html Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Luke 1:26–38 for Sunday, December 18th, 2011In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her. When I read this passage, visualized since I was a child and no doubt influenced by many depictions of the Annunciation in art, TV, movies and Christmas pageants, I imagine a visible figure, like a person but larger, fairer, stronger, perhaps glowing a bit, literally speaking to young Mary. No wonder she was much perplexed by the angel’s words – although I think I would have been perplexed (or terrified) by the angel showing up at all, much less speaking to me.

Few of us would say we’ve had such a direct message from God via such an actual encounter. But no matter how the message is delivered, I’ll bet even fewer of us have had the courage to accept God’s message at face value and acquiesce so gracefully, saying, “let it be with me according to your word.”

Even the greeting, God naming us and claiming us as beloved, is perplexing to the human mind: “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” Despite years of singing “Jesus Loves Me,” despite countless hearings of the words of assurance and the opening lines of our liturgy: “May the love of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all,” we struggle to accept that we are favored, beloved, chosen by God, and that God is with us. What if this was our greeting to each other as we passed through the narthex on our way to worship? What if this was what we spoke to one another during the passing of the peace? “Greetings, favored one! God is with you!”

After the greeting comes the charge. Few of us literally see angels, but many of us have felt called by God to step outside our comfort zones in ways large or small to teach Sunday School, donate generously, or pray out loud. Like Mary, our first response is often to argue with God, to explain why what we feel called to do is impossible. “How can this be, since I am an introvert?” “How can this be, since my calendar is so full?”

But for God, nothing is impossible. Not the pregnancy of an old, barren woman. Not the eloquence of someone who has never dared to speak out before. Not the opening of hearts long closed and estranged. The Holy Spirit will come upon us, and the power of the Most High will overshadow us. God has a way of clearing our calendars and challenging our self-imposed limitations.

In worship we often sing, “Won’t you let me be your servant?” As we travel lightly through this Advent season, shedding our fear and self-doubt, let us have the humility and courage to say, with Mary, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”


~~~~

Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7459.html Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 This short, beautiful video clip with author, educator & activist Parker Palmer speaks to the heart of the Christmas calling. Check it out and take the risk.

The Risk Of Incarnation http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7460.html Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 What's with the pink candle in the Advent wreath? You might say that it comes back to a Lenten rose.

In the earliest years of the church, faith communities lit seven candles (one for each week of the season) during Lent. Lent then, as now, was seen as a time of reflection and repentance. However, the season of Lent is made significant in the Christian tradition because it is a precursor to the celebration of the resurrection. So, you might say that there is an element of hope and joy in Lent when we hold the whole story.

There is an ancient story, that to honor this reality, the pope, on a particular Sunday would honor a particular citizen with a pink rose. In time priests began to wear pink vestments and would light a pink candle (the traditional candle color of Lent is purple) on that Sunday as a reminder of the coming joy.

There are some thematic overlays between Advent and Lent. Both seasons are a time of reflection and waiting for a coming joy. Advent traditions adopted from it's Lenten counterpart, particularly in the colors. Pink became an Advent color that now serves as a turning point. It marks a shift from perhaps the more solemn tone of the first two Sundays of Advent (the hope and peace candles), to an atmosphere of joy and love (the 3rd and 4th candles) as the lighting of the Christ candle quickly approaches. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7461.html Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Cheryl Lawrie:
the pregnant pause

Perhaps our mistake is thinking
that love will always come
in the shape we have known it: a happy ending
a new beginning
a christ-child. In this pregnant pause
while the earth holds its breath
waiting for what
it does not know,
let us have the faith
that even we,
with all our wise
and cynical
knowing,
would not imagine
the shape that love
will take and instead just
have the faith
that it will come.

Additional Advent inspiration available from Tony Robinson and Becky Withington http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7075.html Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 This past Saturday we had a great panel and small group discussion with the interfaith Occupy gathering here at Plymouth. Occupy organizers, Plymouth members, and interested Seattle-ites talked about the movement, how it connects with our passions, concerns, and faith.

As a follow up to the meeting, I'd like to post a couple of thoughtful resources that have come up this week.

--There is a good article in Crosscut, "In Occupy Movement, Religion and Politics Mix" that features reflections from local religious leaders including our Conference Minister, Rev. Mike Denton.

--Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper (one of the UCC's Still Speaking Writers Group) wrote a thought provoking confession regarding the change in her thinking regarding the Occupy movement. "I Was Wrong About Occupy"

--Holy Mess: The Role of Faith and Spirituality in the Occupy Movement. The video trailer below looks at the Occupy Boston movement and how a community of faith and spirituality has taken root. This documentary shows the ways in which faith and spirituality have brought many to the movement and how it informs their participation. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7071.html Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Psalm 126 for Sunday, December 11th, 2011When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’
The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.

Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses in the Negeb.
May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves. re·store
to bring back into existence, use, or the like; reestablish: to restore order. to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition, as a building, statue, or painting. to bring back to a state of health, soundness, or vigor. to put back to a former place, or to a former position, rank, etc.: to restore the king to his throne. to give back; make return or restitution of (anything taken away or lost).
Of the four lectionary readings for each week – usually Hebrew scripture, psalm, gospel and epistle – it isn’t often that our Seasons of the Spirit curriculum selects the psalm as the focus text for the week. In fact, this week the lectionary gives the option of skipping the psalm entirely, offering Mary’s Magnificat from Luke as an alternative.

The psalms are often overlooked in preaching and in worship. At Plymouth our practice has been to occasionally squeeze a few verses into the call to worship. But lately the psalms have been lifted up in the scripture reading as chants, usually led by the clear, pure voice of one of our outstanding soloists with the choir and the congregation responding with a refrain. This incorporation of the psalms into the liturgy gladdens my heart and helps me travel lightly through the growing darkness of Advent because the psalms truly are the music of the Bible.

Psalms express the gamut of human emotion. There are psalms of lament and psalms of bitter anger, psalms that express a deep longing for God’s comfort and protection, and psalms that express a longing for revenge. While the psalms are directed to God, and are often about God’s works and attributes, they are also very revealing of our human nature.

Some psalms are so long as to be unmanageable in a single reading. Some go back and forth between gratitude, pleading, and anger. Some exalt the people represented by the writer and vilify the people considered to be “the enemy” like a high school cheer: “Our team is red hot! Your team ain’t diddly squat! And God is going to smite you – so there!”

But this week’s psalm, Psalm 126, is short and unambiguous. It’s a psalm of gratitude and joy for the great things God has done. Specifically, God has restored the fortunes of Zion, of Jerusalem. Restoration, the return to health, soundness and vigor, is one of the great themes of scripture. God’s promise to us, steadfast love that endures forever, salvation from meaninglessness and darkness, companionship through all the joys and sorrows of life, the ultimate realization of the reign of God, is encapsulated in the concept of restoration.

As promised in perhaps the most famous psalm, the 23rd, God restores our souls. God brings us back into existence, back into the reality of the body of Christ, from lonely exile. God reestablishes us as inhabitants of the innocence and beauty of the garden. God brings us back to our formal, original, normal condition, unbroken by life, made whole by love. God brings us back to our natural state of health, soundness and vigor. God brings us back to our former place and position as beloved children of God. God gives back, makes return and restitution of all we have squandered, everything we’ve thrown away in pursuit of fleeting, temporary pleasures. In gratitude, let us come home with shouts of joy, bearing our sheaves and seeds for planting, carrying them lightly, as we wait for the return of the light no darkness can overcome.


~~~~

Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7081.html Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Too old to go the National Youth Event? Consider a life-changing trip to Palestine-Israel this summer instead!

From UCC Global Ministries:
Jesus often taught about God’s love and justice by doing something unexpected that challenged and convicted his audience. Christ continues to invite his disciples today to follow him in resistance to oppression, creatively witnessing to liberation for all, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our vision is to provide young adults with an alternative pilgrimage experience that challenges faith perceptions and actively engages with the people living in these lands.
11 days in Palestine and Israel Cost: $1200 includes all land costs but not airfare or transportation to/from the airport
Apply Now! www.sabeel.org and read Luke 19:35-42 Visits to Palestinian and Israeli Communities – Cultural Activities – Contextual Tours of Holy Sites – Volunteering and Activism – Worship and Bible Study – Panel Discussions and Advocacy Workshops

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7078.html Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 If you are sick of Christmas by December 25th, you haven't done Advent correctly!








http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7077.html Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800 I know we haven't yet turned the corner into winter but it's time to envision sunglasses, plane tickets, and 3,000 youth from UCC churches across the country.

It’s time to start gearing up for National Youth Event (NYE) 2012 – at Purdue University! National Youth Event is a gathering for UCC youth from all over the country. There will be workshops, worship services, service projects and more! It is a fantastic way to connect: with new friends from around the country; with vital ministries; with the spirit of God in our midst.

There will also be a literacy labyrinth, which sounds pretty intriguing.

Youth from the Pacific Northwest will fly out on Saturday, July 7, 2012, to Indianapolis, IN, to spend a couple of days with the UCC church doing mission work. Then the group will drive to Purdue on Tuesday, July 10, for the NYE until flying home on Saturday, July 14. The cost for each person will be $575 (covers all food, event, lodging and ground travel) plus airfare.

Want to register or need more details? Check out the National Youth Event website, or download the NYE flyer by clicking here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7084.html Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 You are invited to this opportunity to meet with Occupy Seattle Organizers and learn about the movement. Talk with those on the ground, and explore how this movement informs our faith.

Saturday, December 3, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon at Plymouth.

Questions? Contact the Reverend Brigitta Remole: info@plymouthchurchseattle.org, or check out the flyer below.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7091.html Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Mission 1 was the UCC's united effort to feed the hungry and confront food related injustice. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7094.html Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 St. James Cathedral and Seattle First Baptist Church are combining their facilities to host a commemoration of Las Posadas on December 17.

What is Las Posadas? What is this event all about? Check out the message below from the Washington New Sanctuary Movement.


LAS POSADAS IN SEATTLE - IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS JOINS THE STORY OF CHRISTMAS

The age-old commemoration of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem with the Christ Child, known today as Las Posadas, begins this year in Seattle at 1 PM, Saturday, December 17 on the steps of St. James Cathedral.

After an opening presentation at the Cathedral, everyone who joins the early afternoon event will proceed on foot to Seattle First Baptist Church (SFBC). The free program will include film, live presentation, Q and A, food and music, and end at 3 PM. Sponsored by the faith-based Washington New Sanctuary Movement.

Michael Ramos, Greater Seattle Council of Churches, and Diakonda Gurney, spark plug of the Washington branch of national New Sanctuary Movement (WNSM) will lead the events.

WNSM fights for the rights of immigrants from all over the world – Somalis, Guatemalans, Persians, Nicaraguans – everyone who is in danger of their lives if they are sent back to their home land. They welcome you to Las Posadas at St. James, or to join the afternoon event at SFBC at approximately 2 PM.

For more information call Lee Suitor at 206.367.3023. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7095.html Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Warm hearts & souls with your donation of hats, gloves, scarves and socks! The items collected will be given as gifts to Plymouth Housing Group residents at their annual Holiday party on December 8.

Bring your donations to church and drop them in the barrel marked “Plymouth Housing Group” on or before December 4. To learn more click here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7096.html Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Our friends at University Congregational UCC are offering an Our Whole Lives program for adults this winter.

Check out their note below for information about the adult OWL class and to see if this could be something for you.

---

Why should I care about this class?Because sexuality is a God-given, creative force with enormous potential to enrich as well as generate life. Because gaining information and insight into sexuality’s myriad connections with other aspects of your life is interesting and maybe even life changing. Because what you learned in junior high and high school sex ed just isn't cutting it anymore. Because if you have kids or grandchildren you want to be well informed enough to talk intelligently with them. Because you’re curious about what there is to learn at your age. Besides, where else are you going to find this opportunity? Think about it.

Who’s welcome?EVERYONE. Lesbian, straight, gay, bi-sexual, and/or transgender...
You may choose to attend the program on your own, with a friend, with a partner, or with a spouse. Every individual is entitled to healthy, age-appropriate, current, factual information about sexuality. This opportunity is for you.

What’s Our Whole Lives?A progressive, comprehensive curriculum (developed by the UCC and the Unitarian Universalists) that deals with the totality of human sexuality in all its amazing complexity. Plymouth Church is already providing an OWL class for youth. In the adult program, topics include the connectedness of sexuality and values, spirituality, communication, relationships, intimacy, diversity, family, aging, and health. This is not a lecture class. There will be activities, discussions, plenty to think about, and even stuff that’s fun!

What’s the time commitment for this?The course consists of 12 sessions and is scheduled for Tuesday evenings, 7-9 pm, in January, February and March 2012, at University Congregational UCC. OWL classes are trust and care filled learning communities. Consistent attendance is important. We’re asking that participants commit to being present for at least 10 of the 12 sessions.

What about cost?Fees will cover the cost of materials and will help support the acquisition of up-to-date resources for the Our Whole Lives program. A sliding scale of $45, $60 or $75 per person enables you to choose the amount that’s most do-able for you. Monthly payments are an option. If you have concerns or questions about the cost, contact Paul or Kathie Forman (email/phone info below). We can work something out.

OK, how do I register?You can obtain registration materials by contacting Brandon Duran (or with the link below). Completed registration forms must be returned to Brandon no later than Monday, December 5. Enrollment in the course is limited, and registration will close at 20 people or on December 5.

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Paul or Kathie Forman at pkforman@juno.com or by calling 425-486-1737. We would love to hear from you.
You can download a registration form by clicking here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7092.html Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 All children and families are invited to "The Littlest Pageant" led by our youngest children (through 2nd or 3rd grade) on Sunday, December 18th from 10:15-10:45am in the Chapel!

What you will be witness to is not a performance but a "process" of re-telling in song the story of Jesus' birth! Led by Jamie Shilling with guitar, this simplest of pageants brings delight to all!

Children in TPK through 2nd grade (and 3rd if desired) will be practicing for this and the 5:00 pm Christmas Eve service on Sunday December 11th at various times of the morning! http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7088.html Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 The video asks a simple Advent question. What are you waiting for?

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7086.html Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800
December 1st is World AIDS Day. Learn how you can be involved in simple or in grandiose ways at worldaidsday.org http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7087.html Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 At Plymouth we love showing the kids engaged with great projects, faith formation activities, and fun. We want the world to see that at Plymouth children and youth are given opportunities to test and stretch their gifts in a loving environment.

Of course, before we can share these scenes we need to have parent/guardian permission. If you have not yet filled out a media release form then click the link below to download the simple form. You can submit a completed form to the church office.

Please note that it is our policy to not attach a name with any image of a child/youth at Plymouth (without express consent from a parent or guardian above and beyond the media release form)

Media Release Form http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7099.html Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

(Click the image for a larger version) http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7101.html Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Additional Thanksgiving inspiration from Tony Robinson, Earth Ministry, and The Writer's Almanac.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7103.html Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Isaiah 64:1–9 for Sunday, November 27th, 2011
Our scripture readings this week are full of comings and goings, or maybe I should say, full of presence and absence. Even as God’s people in the reading from Isaiah long for God to appear in their midst, they remember back to the time of the Exodus, when God did wondrous deeds and walked before them in the desert: “When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.

The Isaiah passage expresses a longing for God to come back, and the Mark passage describes God’s return as the Son of Man with great power and glory in this first week of Advent, of preparation for the birth of God in our midst as, quite literally, a son of humanity, not in glory and power, but in helpless infanthood and humility.

Verses 5-7 of Isaiah 64 describe separation, alienation from God related to human sinfulness, although rather than our sin causing God to hide from us, in these verses it sounds as if it’s God’s hiding that causes us to sin. So is it all God’s fault? Has God abandoned us and caused us to fall into evil ways?

Remember, this is the God whose love is everlasting, who led the people out of slavery in Egypt, who restored them from exile, who will be with us always, even to the end of the age. The God who came to us tiny and vulnerable and was laid in the straw in a feeding trough. The God whose love is strong enough to bear all our projections, all our blame. When we walk away from God’s path, from God’s love, is it really God who hides from us?

When we feel the need to remind God, as the writer of Isaiah does, “now consider, we are all your people,” let us remember, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. God will not always accuse, nor remain angry forever. God does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities (Psalm 103:8-10).” Let us hold onto that promise as the nights darken and lengthen and we await the one who has promised, always, to be with us, Emmanuel.


~~~~

Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7107.html Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

The Plymouth Library continues their "Around the World" theme this Sunday, traveling to Asia!

Check out their display of books and DVDs set in Asia or written by Asian authors, including:
Indonesia: The Flamboya Tree - an interesting account of a Dutch family's experience during World War II and Surviving Against the Odds: Village Industry in Indonesia - written by S. Ann Dunham, Barack Obama's mother and Mercer Island High School alumnaMongolia: Beyond the House of the False Lama: Travels with Monks, Nomads, and OutlawsKorea: Two books for young readers - A Single Shard and Year of Impossible Goodbyes Cambodia: First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia RemembersTibet: Dalai Lama: The Soul of Tibet (DVD) and The Tibetan Way of Life, Death and RebirthThailand: the award-winning novel Fieldwork, and a beautiful coffee table book, Spiritual Abodes of ThailandVietnam: Streamers and The Beautiful Country (both DVDs), a new book for young readers - A Million Shades of Grey, Medic! - the heart-pounding true story of a conscientious objector, and Tim O'Brien's classic, The Things They Carried
Be sure to look for the free guidebooks and give-aways to help you plan your next trip to Asia!

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The Plymouth Library is open Sundays from 9am-12pm. To access Plymouth Library's on-line catalog, click here and enter the name of the library: vidabvarey. (That's the official name of the Plymouth Library.) No password is needed. Search the catalog by keyword, author, title, subject, etc.

If you would like to renew a book, reserve a book, or if you have any questions, please contact Suzanne at plymouthlibrary@gmail.com. We are always getting new books so visit the library often! http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7105.html Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Matthew 25:31-46 for Sunday, November 20th, 2011
Today’s passage is one of those that really seems to focus on judgment and punishment – eternal punishment, as a matter of fact, for failing to take care of one’s brothers and sisters, for failing to love one’s neighbor as oneself – part of what Jesus calls the greatest commandment.

Does God indeed cast us into a fiery pit, “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” if we fail to obey the commandments, if we do not feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the ill and imprisoned? Careful reading of verse 41 reveals that God does not magically transport the accursed to an eternal fire, but tells them to depart for the fire themselves. The Greek verb is translated as “make one’s journey,” “betake oneself, “pass from one place to another.”

Perhaps God is not sending those who do evil, or fail to do good, to Hell, but describing the conditions – accursedness, estrangement, misery – in which those who have decided not to love God and their neighbors have placed themselves. Have you ever been estranged from someone with whom you once had a good relationship? It hurts. It’s like being in a kind of Hell – often, a self-imposed Hell we’re too stubborn to walk away from.

To be cast out into the darkness…to be on the outside looking in…the fear of being condemned to exile runs deep in our psyches. Exile is a big theme in the Bible, too. From the Israelites in Babylonia to the Prodigal Son, the story of the Bible is a story of longing for homecoming, for restored relationship.

Sometimes, like the Israelites, people are driven into exile. But sometimes, like the Prodigal Son, exile is self-imposed. We choose the darkness over relationship, over reconciliation, over hope, over trusting God, others, even ourselves. We abandon the marginalized to exile, and in so doing, we exile ourselves.

Perhaps Jesus is being descriptive here, not prescriptive. Perhaps he’s just pointing out the obvious: When we fail feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the ill and imprisoned, we also starve, deprive, and imprison ourselves. We create Hell on earth instead of inheriting and participating in the kingdom prepared for us from the foundation of the world, right here on earth. No wonder Jesus begins his earthly ministry by suggesting that we repent, i.e. “turn around.”

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Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7110.html Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 This Sunday will be such a full celebration as we honor our 50 year members as well as joyfully embrace our new members. In thinking about community and church I came across this video reflecting on the nature of church with Stanley Hauerwas. Check it out.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7108.html Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 FAITH (Faithful Action In Transforming Homelessness) is a faith based program created to end homelessness in Washington State.

FAITH was founded by local UCC pastor Rev. Rich Gamble. They do great work around the Puget Sound. Recently they sent out a newsletter outlining some of the many different ways we can be involved in transforming our world this holiday season. Check out some of their suggestions below
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Greater Seattle Area
Sacred Heart Family Shelter
This amazing shelter for families with children in downtown Seattle could use your help in collecting hygiene supplies, warm infant, toddler, children, and adult clothing, coats and blankets during this holiday season. If you call now, they may still have a meal serving opportunity or two open during the holidays. Contact volunteer coordinator Evan Miller at evanm@ccsww.org for more information.

North King County
Totes-to-Go
Consider joining the Totes-to-Go network started by Northshore United Church of Christ in Woodinville. Serving Northshore School District, the project coordinates donations of non-perishable food with school officials who send home weekend care packages in backpacks with children who would otherwise go hungry. Join the Northshore network, or learn how to start a network in your community. Contact Kristin at Kristin@totes-to-go.org for more information.

East King County
The Eastside Winter Shelter
Great news for the Eastside: a mens’ emergency cold weather shelter, and a women and families cold winter shelter will open nightly beginning November 22. The opening of these shelters has been a collaborative effort among a large number of organizations in East King County. Volunteers, supplies, and meals are needed. For additional information or to find out how you can help, please contact Barbara Woontner at 425-417-4815 or wintershelter@SophiaWay.org. If you are interested in helping with food or meals, please contact Andrea Liggett at 425-822-0295 ext. 110 or andrea@hfkparish.org.

South King County
REACH OUT
REACH OUT will be adding an emergency cold weather women’s shelter in Federal Way this year, along with their regular men’s shelter. To contribute or sign up for meal serving or volunteering at one of the Federal Way area shelters, contact the Leadership Team at reachoutshelter@comcast.net or visit their website for a current list of donation requests and service opportunities at www.reachoutfederalway.org http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7109.html Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7111.html Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Last Sunday during a gathering with the parents of confirmands I shared that I am sucker for scripture put to music. It moves my spirit every time.

This week the lectionary lifts up a powerful verse from the prophet Ezekiel. Check out this short video below that puts Ezekiel 34:11-24 to music.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7112.html Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 This past weekend I attended a pretty inspiring conference called the Seven Secrets offered as a part of the New Church Leadership Institute.

The Seven Secrets included:
Secret One – The Future of the Church
Secret Two – Asset Mapping: Building With What You’ve Got
Secret Three – Effective Communication: Selling What You’ve Got
Secret Four – Spiritual Formation/Small Groups – Who are We Becoming?
Secret Five – Compelling Mission – Why Do we Do This?
Secret Six – Ad-Ministry-ation (How To Do it Right)
Secret Seven – Transformational Worship

The first secret (The Future of the Church) had the potential to be very depressing as stats and figures of decline and change could easily been overwhelming. Yet they managed to end the workshop with hope and showed this video as an illustration. It's a creative and uplifting little video.
If you're curious about what was included in the others then find me and let's talk.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7113.html Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 As the Occupy Seattle movement moves into it's 7th week a group of interfaith clergy continues in its efforts to offer various faith practices and services at the sanctuary tent on site, advocate for non-violence, and host education panels.

One of those upcoming educational experiences is coming to Plymouth. Check out the flyer below for more information.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7114.html Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Wow! These pictures (many thanks Jessie) reveal the joy and spirit present at last Saturday's celebration at Mary's Place. What a great way to launch into our change grant relationship.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7115.html Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

The Plymouth Library continues their "Around the World" theme this Sunday, traveling to Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji and the South Pacific!

Check out their display of books written by Australian authors. Here are the thoughts of our librarian, Suzanne, on Melbourne writer Martine Murray's young adult novel, How to Make a Bird:
Early morning. Mannie puts on her mother's red evening gown and rides her bike to the train station. She has an address on a scrap of paper, a clue to what happened in the past when her family's life, always fragile, unravelled. In the Australian city that she goes to she meets a rock singer, loses her shoes, visits her grandmother, and discovers that nothing was quite the way she had believed it to be. Sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, this is ultimately a hopeful book. Recommend this book to a high school girl, or read it yourself.
Other Australian authors in the Plymouth Library include children's book illustrators Mem Fox and Colin Thompson, juvenile fiction writers Catherine Jinks and Sonya Hartnett, as well as adult fiction writer Markus Zusak.
Be sure to look for the free guidebooks and give-aways to help you plan your next trip to Oceana!

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The Plymouth Library is open Sundays from 9am-12pm. To access Plymouth Library's on-line catalog, click here and enter the name of the library: vidabvarey. (That's the official name of the Plymouth Library.) No password is needed. Search the catalog by keyword, author, title, subject, etc.

If you would like to renew a book, reserve a book, or if you have any questions, please contact Suzanne at plymouthlibrary@gmail.com. We are always getting new books so visit the library often! http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7116.html Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Matthew 25:14–30 for Sunday, November 13th, 2011
In today’s parable, the parable of the talents, the servant who does the prudent thing and protects what the master has entrusted him with is punished. And the master justifies his actions by saying, “for to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.” Really? How does that work in the Reign of God? What happened to The Beatitudes: “blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth?” What happened to Mary’s anthem of social justice, the Magnificat: “God has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.” Has Jesus abandoned the widow and the orphan, the poor and despised, the marginalized people he champions earlier in the gospels? Does Jesus really advocate taking from those who have nothing even the little they have? I guess that depends on how you look at having and not having.

A couple of weeks ago there was a very interesting juxtaposition of two opinion columns on the op-ed page of the New York Times. The subject of Nicolas Kristof’s column was an experiment designed to test whether charitable giving can release the same kind of endorphins that exercise does. He writes, “researchers have found that generosity isn’t always a sacrifice; instead, it often exhilarates us. One set of experiments at the University of Oregon involved young women hooked up to brain scanners as they were presented with modest amounts of money. Their pleasure centers lit up when they received money, as one might expect — but also when they gave money away.” He concludes, “On the basis of the latest brain research, as well as practical experience, let’s acknowledge this profound truth: altruism and generosity can be hedonistic pleasures.”

Right next to it in the paper was Thomas Friedman’s column about the financial giant Citigroup, which had to pay a $285 million fine when it came to light that Citibank sold a package of toxic mortgage-backed securities to unsuspecting customers — securities that it knew were likely to go bust — and shorted the same securities — that is, bet millions of dollars that they would go bust. Friedman’s analysis? “It doesn’t get any more immoral than this.”

In 2009 the Wall Street Journal reported that after the big banks were bailed out, they sat on the money – hoarded it – rather than returning it to the economy by lending it to businesses and consumers. And the more money a bank got, the less it loaned out, bringing an already stalled economy to a standstill.

So who is burying their treasure, hiding it away from the light of day, and who is reaping the benefit of their investment? Who is cast out into the darkness, forced to pay fines and marched against in the streets, and who is exhilarated? I guess that depends on how you look at having and not having.

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Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7118.html Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 In connection with Veterans Day, this week’s Forum will feature Veterans Administration Chaplain Joe McMahan and Plymouth member Tracy Simpson, who is a clinical psychologist at the V.A. They will each introduce us to the work they do with those who have been injured in one way or another as a result of their time in the military.

Do the issues that need to be addressed differ depending on the war in which a person fought? What special challenges do women veterans face? Does a particular veteran’s religious background affect the way in which a chaplain ministers to him or her? To what extent does the work of a chaplain in a V.A. facility differ from that of a chaplain in a different health care — or other — environment? What does the path to healing look like for someone battling not only Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, but also addiction? In responding to these and similar questions, our speakers will draw upon a wealth of training and experience.

Chaplain McMahan grew up in Western Washington. He has Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and religion from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho and a Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City. He was ordained in the Church of the Nazarene in 1985 and was a pastor of two congregations from 1985 to 1993. Since the mid-1990s, he has ministered in health care settings in Oregon and Washington. He also helps to train new chaplains. He and his wife have two children in college and one in the U.S. Army.

Tracy Simpson received her Doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of New Mexico and completed her clinical internship at the University of Washington. For over a decade, she has been with the V.A. in Seattle, where she has developed and led a weekly therapy session for nine women veterans struggling with substance abuse. Tracy will illustrate through an example or two how providing a safe, non-judgmental space for women who have historically felt alienated from society, as well as from themselves, can lead to growth and fulfillment. She and her partner, Laura Little, along with their daughter, Iris, have been at Plymouth since 2004.

Please come and join with others in the congregation concerned about doing right by those who continue to suffer in one way or another as a consequence of their selfless service to our country. Sunday, November 13, 10:00 a.m. in Hildebrand Hall.

—Bill Zook, Adult Education Board http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7117.html Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 The Villa Academy in Seattle is hosting a variety of parent workshops. Check out the note below regarding the screening of the documentary, "Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood". Check out the trailer below or watch the full documentary online by clicking here.

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Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood DocumentaryNovember 29 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Parlor
This documentary film throws light on a relentless marketing machine that sells kids and their parents everything from junk food to the family car. Drawing on insights of health care professionals, children's advocates, and industry insiders, the film shows how youth marketers use the latest advances in psychology, anthropology, and neuroscience.

This movie screening is free, open to the public and for parents with children of all ages. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7119.html Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 We're more than a month into our middle school OWL (Our Whole Lives: Faith & Sexuality) program and things are going well. But what if you're not in middle school? No worries!

There are OWL programs for a variety of different ages. Wayside United Church of Christ in Federal Way will be beginning their OWL 10th-12th grade program soon and is getting the ball rolling with a parent information session. Want to know more?

Check it out on Thursday, November 17 from 6:30pm - 9:30pm at Wayside United Church of Christ (2000 SW Dash Point Rd, Federal Way, Washington) or contact Amy Johnson at amy@diligentjoy.com. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7120.html Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 The Northwest Center for Creative Aging is hosting an evening with author Wendy Lustbader on the unexpected pleasures of aging.

Join in conversation with Wendy, Seattle University students, and adults of all ages as we explore, in small intergenerational groups, how life gets better as we age.

Wednesday, November 306:30 - 8:30 pmCampion Hall, Seattle University$10.00 suggested donation at the door to support the Northwest Center for Creative Aging(Students attend free)
Seating is limited. Reserve by phone: 206/382-3789
More information at www.nwcreativeaging.org http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7121.html Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Our Youth Forum heads to Guatemala in February for eight days and you can help make it happen!

Wreaths, door swags and garlands from local noble fir, silver fir or juniper are available in various sizes with 50 % proceeds going to the trip.

On Nov. 6, 13 or 20, come see the options and place your order in the lounge at 10:00am or during coffee hour. Pre-paid wreaths to be delivered to Plymouth on Dec. 4.

Download your wreath order form by clicking here.

Thank you for your support. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7122.html Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800 The Mission 1 Campaign has completed 1 of the 4 goals! With 4 days left the United Church of Christ around the country is still working towards:
1,000,000 items of healthy food (791,332 currently donated)$111,111 to Neighbors in Need hunger related ministries ($27,953 currently donated)$111,111 to East Africa Famine Relief (currently $41,117 currently donated)It's easy to add your efforts toward this great work to feed the hungry and confront food related injustice.

Click here to learn how. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7124.html Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Becky Colwell has brought a beautiful opportunity for giving to the Confirmation class. I think the project could easily extend beyond the 7th & 8th graders and become a faith practice for families of any number or age. Check out her note with details below.

Plymouth Friends

Please join the Confirmation Class in a Season of Gratitude activity!

We are all surrounded and supported by many blessings, tangible and intangible. It is so easy to forget this! This year Confirmation is studying Global Religions. We are aware that many people around the world struggle for what we take for granted.

To help us, literally, count our blessings, I have designed a calendar, of simple daily activities. Each day you and your family will count one “asset” and reflect upon how it enriches your lives. Then you make a small cash deposit in a jar. On Sunday, December 4, bring your collection to the Confirmation Room, 222. The proceeds will be donated to Imagine Scholar, our partner program in South Africa.

Imagine Scholar is, like our Confirmation class, a group of bright, curious and high-energy middle-schoolers. Unlike us, most of them are AIDS orphans, growing up surrounded by a climate of death, poverty and hopelessness. Their public education system is so poor that even the best students are unable to successfully go on to college. Imagine Scholars offers them a life-changing opportunity; a rigorous 6-year educational enrichment program, followed by college scholarships. In this program, young people participate in a challenging after-school study, mentor younger students, and commit to bringing back their new skills to their communities after graduation. Your collection will help them realize their dreams!

Thank You!
Becky Colwell

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Download the calendar by clicking here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7125.html Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Check out this invitation to a "Happy Thanks Living" at Mary's Place on November 12th

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7126.html Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0700 The Villa Academy in Seattle is hosting a variety of parent workshops. Check out the note below about an upcoming workshop on how to identify attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or to learn more about the event, click here.

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Identifying ADHD: What Parents Should Know
November 15 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Parlor

Lauren Plawner, MD, a Pediatric Neurologist will help us understand ADHD. This workshop will help parents identify ADHD, distinguish it from other problems it may look like, as well as provide strategies to support school performance, organizational skills and family relationships.

This event is free, open to the public and for parents of children age 3-14. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7127.html Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0700 The UCC 11 day campaign to feed the hungry and confront food related injustice has begun!

The goals for Mission 1 include:
1,000,000 - items of healthy food donated11,111 - letters mailed to congress$111,111 - donated to Neighbors in Need hunger related ministries$111,111 - donated to East Africa Famine ReliefCurious how we're doing after one day? Click here to find out.

Want to be a part of Mission 1? Click here to learn more. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7128.html Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0700 There is a terrific resource for parents coming in November to the Pacific Northwest Conference. On Saturday, February 4th the Congregational Leadership Northwest will be leading the seminar, “The Naked Truth: The Church and Sex”.

What does it mean to be Christian and sexual? How do Christians navigate all the messages in society about sex?

Join Tony Robinson, Amy Johnson, Kmbris Bond and Kendal Bond for an enlightening and interactive workshop. Learn about healthy sexuality in a Christian context, encompassing self-worth, sexual health, responsibility, justice, and inclusivity. We look forward to your voice in this conversation.

Time/Location: 9:30am – 12:30pm @ University Congregational UCC
Cost: $30 per person or $25 per person for groups of three or more from same congregation.
Learn more and register online by clicking here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7129.html Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0700
This Sunday (Oct 30) the 5th/6th class has a special guest as Anne K. will show the class the worm bin and how it works. Glenda C., Judy R., and Linda S. have been working to get a worm bin project off the launched here at Plymouth. Interested in seeing Plymouth take another step in the good greening work or perhaps you're looking for a fun way to interact with kids? Either way, contact Linda Strandberg for more information. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7130.html Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0700

What images does Antarctica bring to mind for you? Barren ice fields? Penguins? Orange snowsuit clad researchers? I recently watched the film Encounters at the End of the World and was captivated by the images of Antarctica.
The Plymouth Library continues their "Around the World" theme this Sunday, traveling to Antarctica. Check out their display of books to play with penguins, learn about Ernest Shackleton, and discover what is threatening our iciest continent.
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The Plymouth Library is open Sundays from 9am-12pm. To access Plymouth Library's on-line catalog, click here and enter the name of the library: vidabvarey. (That's the official name of the Plymouth Library.) No password is needed. Search the catalog by keyword, author, title, subject, etc.

If you would like to renew a book, reserve a book, or if you have any questions, please contact Suzanne at plymouthlibrary@gmail.com. We are always getting new books so visit the library often! http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7131.html Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Matthew 25:1-13 for Sunday, November 6th"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.

As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.'

And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour"


This week’s passage is one of several parables Jesus tells about the kingdom of heaven. Marcus Borg makes some interesting observations about the kingdom of heaven in the book The Heart of Christianity, the subject of this fall’s Plymouth U class. Borg explains that while the other gospel writers and Paul tended to use the phrase “kingdom of God,” Matthew refers more often to the “kingdom of heaven,” perhaps because of his reluctance, as a Jew, to write or speak the name of God. This usage led to the assumption that when Jesus talked about the kingdom of heaven, he was talking about the afterlife. But many scholars, including Borg, suggest that the kingdom of heaven is God’s kingdom realized here on earth:
“…it is what life would be like on earth if God were king and the rulers of this world were not. The Kingdom of God is about God’s justice in contrast to the systemic injustice of the kingdoms and domination systems of the world (133).”It’s hard for us to reconcile our understanding of God’s system of justice with the image of Jesus standing behind a closed door saying to those on the outside, “I do not know you.” And those who have oil self-righteously refusing to share with those who have none might not fit with our idea of God’s kingdom, of heaven on earth.

Throughout the gospels Jesus talks about the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of heaven, and also about the importance of keeping watch, staying awake, because we don’t know the day or the hour when this kingdom will be realized. In order to remain vigilant, to see through the overwhelming darkness of the world around us to the possibilities of kingdom life, we need our own oil. We need to carry our own fuel supply, our own source of light, around with us. We can depend on someone else’s oil, the brightness of someone else’s spirit, for awhile, but in the end we may end up causing the source of this light to burn out, leaving both them and ourselves in the darkness.

Cowering in the darkness, we’re on the outside looking in. Leaning on someone else for light, we may eventually end up increasing the sum of darkness instead of the sum of light. If we fill our lamps at the Source that can never be depleted or extinguished, if we carry that oil with us into the world, we help to dispel darkness with the light of the kingdom – the light of justice, compassion and right relationship. We do our part to illuminate the banquet hall, and when the feasting begins, we’ll be ready.


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Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7132.html Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This weekend Casa Latina and Plymouth lived into the Change Grants guiding principle of mutually beneficial and enriching relationship through the celebration of Dia de los Muertos. Check out the slideshow below of the weekend's preparations and celebration.



(Thanks Jessie for the pictures!) http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7133.html Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This past Sunday we celebrated Dia de los Muertos with Casa Latina. It was a great opportunity to live into the vision of the Change Grant at Plymouth. Change Grants are meant to connect Plymouth members and friends with the population being served in mutually beneficial and enriching relationships. The grants are built on the belief that we are called by God to deep partnership.

In that spirit of partnership and connection all Plymouth members and friends are invited to Mary's Place on Saturday, November 12th. Check out the invitation from Caroline Becker below.


Mark your calendars! Mary's Place, recipient of Plymouth's 2011 Change Grant, invites ALL Plymouth members to visit its Day Center at 314 Bell St. on Saturday, November 12. This is an opportunity to have lunch and participate in the uniquely welcoming and spirit-filled environment that is Mary's. Men, women and children of Plymouth are all invited. Come join in any or all of the following: 10:30 a.m. Singing; 11:30 a.m. Worship; 12:00 noon Lasagna and salad lunch.

After lunch, an open-house where Plymouth members are invited to talk with the women and participate in activities. Street parking is available. Questions: Contact Caroline Becker at becker14@comcast.net; 206/679-9782 or Jan Aura at bjaura1967@msn.com. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7135.html Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700
Celebrate All Hallow's Eve from United Church of Christ on Vimeo. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7138.html Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 On this past Monday morning more than 40 religious leaders and concerned laity from a spectrum of faith traditions gathered at Plymouth, "robed up" and then headed to Westlake in order to listen to those at Occupy Seattle. Lauren, Brigitta, and myself were among the group.

Rev. Peter Ilgenfritz has written a great reflection on the time which you can read by clicking here.

Once we arrived I tried to focus my time with occupiers around two questions, "What inspired you to Occupy?" and "What is something that has happened since you've been here that keeps that inspiration alive a midst the elements and uncertainty?"

If you want to know what I heard or are curious about the live streaming interview I was pulled onto then find me at church and let's chat. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7139.html Mon, 24 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Joshua 3:7-17 for Sunday, October 30thThe Lord said to Joshua, ‘This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that I will be with you as I was with Moses. You are the one who shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, “When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.”’ Joshua then said to the Israelites, ‘Draw near and hear the words of the Lord your God.’ Joshua said, ‘By this you shall know that among you is the living God who without fail will drive out from before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites: the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is going to pass before you into the Jordan. So now select twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. When the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan flowing from above shall be cut off; they shall stand in a single heap.’ When the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan, the priests bearing the ark of the covenant were in front of the people. Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest. So when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the edge of the water, the waters flowing from above stood still, rising up in a single heap far off at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, while those flowing towards the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people crossed over opposite Jericho. While all Israel were crossing over on dry ground, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan.
This week’s text brings us another water image, the parting of the River Jordan which allowed the Israelites to finally cross into the promised land. A fitting bookend to the Exodus story, it mirrors the parting of the Red Sea when Moses and his followers left Egypt. After 40 years God’s people are finally crossing over, as the priests bearing the holy ark of the covenant stand in the middle of the dry riverbed, watching them pass by. That this river is the Jordan, site of Jesus’ baptism so many years later, adds particular resonance.

It’s a moving image, but also a triumphalist image. Joshua leads the people across the river not to escape pursuit and attack, but to take possession of Canaan, the promised land, the land flowing with milk and honey, by forcing out the people who already live there:
Joshua said, ‘By this you shall know that among you is the living God who without fail will drive out from before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.’I was warned plenty of times in seminary not to judge the people in these ancient stories based on my 21st century perspective, but whenever I read this verse I can’t help thinking of the arrival of Europeans in North America, disrupting, uprooting, passing on disease and outright slaughtering the inhabitants of the land as they made their way west. I tried reading the Message version, but that didn’t make it any more palpable:
Then Joshua addressed the People of Israel: "Attention! Listen to what GOD, your God, has to say. This is how you'll know that God is alive among you—he will completely dispossess before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.” Is this how we know God is alive among us – by the number of people God dispossesses? Really?

I read an interpretation of this passage explaining that those driven out symbolize the shortcomings and misguided notions we must drive out of ourselves in order to reach the promised land of God’s love and abundance, but that wasn’t particularly satisfying, either. I can’t figure out how to get around the implication that some are chosen and some are not, some are worthy and some are not, and the unworthy can be displaced, pushed aside, to make room for the worthy.

Like some of the verses about slavery and the treatment of women in the Bible, this is one I can’t interpret away. It just reads and sounds and feels completely wrong to me. So what do I do with that?

These sticking points in the Bible, and I believe we all have them, can help us ponder our understanding of what and who we believe God to be. They can act as cautionary tales, urging us not to judge those long gone but to ask ourselves, “who have I discounted, pushed aside, usurped?” And they remind us that the Bible isn’t a tidy collection of fables and morals, but a complex, frustrating, glorious and perplexing story of human struggles and the unfathomable love and mystery of God.

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Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7140.html Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This Sunday all are invited to the annual Stewardship Brunch following the 11:00am worship. Molly is preparing two fishes and five loaves of bread. If you are able,
please bring some prepared food to add to the meal. Leftovers will be delivered to local communities in need.

Jon Palmason and Catie Wilson are our hosts for this special kick-off event. Look forward to musical entertainment in the Plymouth tradition that combines humor with
commitment. All are welcome.

In thinking about this event I found this little video reflection on the Matthew 14 story.

The Five & Two

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7141.html Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 How do we see the spirit of God present in our everyday world? Each week writers for the Seasons curriculum lift up international news stories and current events that correlate to the lectionary passage for that particular Sunday. They call this linking of current events and scripture Spirit Sightings.


A hero of mine, Wangari Maathi - leader of the Green Belt movement in Africa, passed away a few weeks go. She was a Nobel laureate, women's rights activist and environmentalist who believed that African women could change the world, planting one tree at a time. And they have - with an estimated 40 million new trees in Africa, breathing biodiversity, soil retention, water and life into the soil.

Writer Sandra Rooney parallels this loss with Moses's death in the Deuteronomy text this week. Visionary leaders leave us; we have to find ways to carry on their legacy even when they are no longer at our sides. For Maathai the tree also became a symbol of the democratic struggle in Kenya. Although the Green Belt Movement’s tree planting campaign did not initially address the issues of peace and democracy, Maathai said it became clear over time that the success of environmental efforts was not possible without democracy. She helped mobilize citizens, men and women, to challenge widespread abuses of power, corruption and environmental mismanagement. She will be remembered for her courage and tenacity in seeking social justice, conservation and democracy, and for fighting corruption in government. Read the whole reflection here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7142.html Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700
Some life lessons from Harry, courtesy of Your Life, Better on the UCC website. Click the image, or here to view them.
What are your take-away lessons from the series? http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7145.html Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Deuteronomy 34:1–12 for Sunday, October 23rdThen Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. The Lord said to him, ‘This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, “I will give it to your descendants”; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.’ Then Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord’s command. He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigour had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended. Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the Lordhad commanded Moses. Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom theLord knew face to face. He was unequalled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.
Finally, after forty years of faithfully leading God’s people from slavery in Egypt to the promised land, Moses is so close to the land flowing with milk and honey that he can taste it – or at least see it. God brings Moses to the mountaintop, shows him the great vista of the land promised to the descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – and then Moses dies there, “at the Lord’s command.”

Our reaction to this harsh fate might be “hey, what gives?” or “not fair!” Is this the thanks Moses gets, to come all this way, leading God’s grumbling, disobedient, stiff-necked people for forty years through thirst and famine, only to die on the threshold of the fulfillment of God’s promise?

Who among us, you might ask, would agree to a deal like that if we knew the outcome? Who would work under arduous conditions for forty years, only to glimpse but never experience the result of our efforts? No one? I would like to suggest – most of us. Every parent takes a gigantic leap of faith, working through the first twenty years or more of our children’s lives to assure that they will grow into strong, loving adults with sound values. While many of us do live on to enjoy our children’s adulthood, we know we may not be here to see the fruition of our labor.

As we work for social justice, for the realization of God’s reality on earth in which every person has both sustenance and dignity, we know that the fullness of God’s dream for humanity will probably not be realized in our lifetimes. Not every stomach will be filled. Not every disease eradicated. Not every eye wiped dry. Sometimes we feel like just giving up, but most of us don’t. Like Moses, we follow God’s command and do our small part to lead the suffering people of the world to a better place.

Kathryn Schifferdecker, Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Luther University, writes,
One of the most striking uses of this text, of course, is in the speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on April 3, 1968, the night before he was assassinated. He addressed the crowd in Memphis:
Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people will get to the promised land.It takes faith and courage to keep pushing towards the promised land, especially when we know that like Moses and like Martin Luther King Jr., we may not make it there in this lifetime. Faith and courage – may God grant us both.

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Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7146.html Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Did you hear the drone of helicopters as you sat in the Sanctuary on Sunday? It wasn't a medical emergency or news crews filming the Occupy Seattle crowd at Westlake. No, it was merely a fire drill. Albeit a dangling-people-six-hundred-feet-in-the air type of fire drill. From the http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7147.html Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 The Fellowship and Recreation Board at Plymouth is looking to put a little fun in October. Check out the note from Diane Jacobsen below about an upcoming event at Plymouth.

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Time to pull out the old Halloween costume, you know the one in the back of the closet behind all of the Christmas stuff. (One of these years I will remember to store in chronological order. No I won't.) This year you have the grand opportunity to scare the life out of people other than October 31, (and yourself first thing in the morning). Announcing Plymouth's Costume, Food and Dance night Saturday, October 22, sponsored by the Fellowship and Recreation Board! Grab your favorite potluck dish (don't bring deviled eggs, I am bringing deviled eggs) and join us in Room 221/225 with food in Room 222 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Dancing at 6:45 p.m. WOW! This will be such a grand event, they booked three whole rooms! Hmm...costumes, food, and oh yea, DANCE! Lots of music genres will be on hand to get in the groove. Not into freestyle? No worries, I have a lot of ideas up my sleeves to get you on the dance floor. We will dance out little hearts out! Ooooooo, sounds scary.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7148.html Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Last year the people of Plymouth produced an Advent Devotional encompassing the individual interpretations (reflections, poems, sketches) on the daily lectionary text.

Will we do it again this year? At this point we only have 5 people signed up for the season of Advent (November 27th - December 23rd). Advent may seem a ways out but now is the time to grab a day and submit your creation so it can be ready for the first Sunday in Advent. There are plenty of options (days and texts) available. Contact Diane Jacobsen to grab a day or ask a question. The deadline for submissions is October 31st. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7149.html Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Villa Academy, is hosting some great parent events that are free and open to the public. Here is one that I thought sounded interesting.

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Resisting Raising Children Who Feel Entitled (October 24 from 7:00-9:00pm)

Jan Faull, the well-known educator, author and Seattle Times columnist, will help us avoid the pitfalls of entitlement. How do parents teach responsibility and accountability instead? It’s tough but worthwhile because children will learn to delay gratification and have better long-term outcomes.

This event is free, open to the public and for parents with children of all ages. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7150.html Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Check out this note from Pastor Lauren regarding a faith formation opportunity for the parents of 7th & 8th grade confirmands

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Parents of Confirmands have LOTS of questions to field. Luckily, at church we are not in to grading nor answers! We get to talk and learn together!

October 16 is our first class for this year’s parents of our 7th and 8th grade Confirmation students. Please contact Pastor Lauren for more information: 206-622-4865 ext 16.

We will meet in the Chapel 12:15- 1:30 pm, with potluck lunch, with Rev
Brandon and Pastor Lauren, while 8th graders meet with their Mentors. Seventh graders have study time, and childcare is available for younger children. Please pick up your own copy of "To Begin at the Beginning: And Introduction to the Christian Faith" by Martin Copenhaver.

—Lauren Cannon,
Interim Minister for Faith Formation & Service

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So the room / schedule looks like this:
222 – All gather for potluck with confirmands, mentors, parents, children
225 - 7th graders
Chapel – Parents with Pastor Lauren & Brandon
1st floor childcare area for younger family members http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7151.html Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Each year the people of Plymouth write down names of people who have passed from this world in The Book of Life. All the names recorded in The Book of Life will be listed in the Order of Worship on November 6.

The names of those who passed away during the last year will be lifted up to God in spoken prayers that during worship on Sunday. You can find The Book of Life at the kiosk in the Lounge through November 2. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7153.html Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 How do we see the spirit of God present in our everyday world? Each week writers for the Seasons curriculum lift up international news stories and current events that correlate to the lectionary passage for that particular Sunday. They call this linking of current events and scripture Spirit Sightings.

The lectionary text this week focuses on Moses, who struggles to trust God when the future remains unknown. Scottish theologian Fraser Macnaughton reminds us that our brothers and sisters in Egypt are also struggling to build relationships and trust each other in the ever-changing political landscape.
Relationships between groups of people in many of the Middle Eastern countries experiencing elements of the “Arab Spring” are always very fluid. In these extraordinary times all sorts of alliances and deals are set up and some mysterious bedfellows emerge, none more so perhaps in Egypt, which was the catalyst for political change in the region. “The people and the army are one hand,” had been the chant which resounded around Egypt’s squares as euphoric Egyptians embraced soldiers in the early post-Mubarak days. At that time it was not only the people’s revolution, but the army’s too. Had the army not sided with the protesters in Tahrir Square, the story of Egypt’s revolution might have resembled the stories coming out of Syria, Yemen, and Libya. However, since that time, relationships have changed. In an article in The Guardian on September 26, 2011, Soumayer Ghannoushi reflects on recent events in Egypt. No longer does the army perceive itself as a partner and ally in the revolution.Read the whole reflection here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7154.html Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Exodus 33:12-32 for Sunday, October 16thMoses said to the Lord,“See, you have said to me, ‘Bring up this people’; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favour in my sight.’ Now if I have found favour in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favour in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.”

The Lord said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

And Moses said to him, “If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favour in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.”

The Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favour in my sight, and I know you by name.”

Moses said, “Show me your glory, I pray.”

And the Lord said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, ‘TheLord’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.” And the Lord continued, “See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”
While then-Senator Obama hit the best seller lists in 2008 with The Audacity of Hope, he’s far from the first leader to challenge authority with audacity. Centuries earlier, in a land far away, Moses had the audacity to challenge God.

Today’s reading begins with the 12th verse of Exodus 33. In verses 1-3 God, angered by the people’s idol worship, told Moses that while he is to lead the people to the Promised Land, God will not be accompanying them. Instead, God says, “I will send an angel before. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”

Not content to continue on with God’s surrogate, in today’s passage Moses asks for an explanation: “Show me your ways.” In other words, share your plans for the people with me. If it’s true, as you said on the mountain, that you know my name and I have your favor, don’t keep me in the dark. Moses also reminds God of God’s own promise that the people he led out of Egypt have been named and claimed as God’s people. And, amazingly, God acquiesces in the face of Moses’ audacious request. God goes one better than letting Moses know what’s going on – God responds, “My presence will go with you,” after all. So relax, put your mind at ease.

Audaciously, Moses ups the ante once again, asking God, “Show me your glory.” What Moses means by this is not precisely defined, but metaphorically it’s connected in this passage with looking upon God’s face. It is at this point that God draws a boundary. “I will make all my goodness pass before you,” God promises, “But you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.” This is puzzling since verse 11 reads, “the Lord used to speak with Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” Perhaps an answer lies in the words between God’s promise to show Moses God’s goodness and God’s prohibition against Moses seeing God’s face: “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” Perhaps the message isn’t so much, “no one can look on God’s face” as “the appropriate time and place for the revelation of God’s face is up to God.” While we can ask as audaciously as we dare, the outcome is up to God.

Yet in the face of this prohibition, in the gospels we read "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matt. 5:8), and "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9). Our inability to see God may be connected to our infidelity to God and our covenant with God. But as these verses suggest, the revelation of God to us is completely in the gracious and forgiving hands of God.

~~~~ Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7155.html Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 We have a couple of fun scripture connections springing up this Sunday, October 9th at Plymouth. During the 10am hour, I'll be meeting with the third and fourth graders to show the students some Bible basics - what it is and how to use it. You might recall that Plymouth gave our fourth graders their own personalized Bibles in worship two weeks ago.

After church at 12:15pm, we'll start out the new Young Adult Bible discussion. We'll be discussing the questions that arise from this week's gospel text.

While thinking about these scriptural offerings, I came across this helpful meditation by the Anglican New Testament scholar N.T. Wright on the sweep of scripture.




http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7156.html Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 The United Church of Christ national offices are considering ways to best support congregational education programs. There may be some big changes ahead for the faith formation resources available to local churches. Your voice is needed as they discern the best ways to support local churches.

Please take the time to answer the questions on this survey (it took me about 10 minutes) regarding faith formation, discipleship, and education programs you've experienced.

At the end of this survey is an opportunity for you to indicate what conference you're from (Pacific Northwest, just in case you were wondering). This survey will have the possibility of helping those doing this work in our conference.

Click here to take the survey. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7157.html Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Philippians 4:1-9 for Sunday, October 9thTherefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Remember that old saying from the 1970’s – keep on truckin'? It originally came from a cartoon drawn by Robert Crumb. The cartoon was a picture of a man, striding forward, his giant left foot in the foreground. Although his face is actually pretty small and hard to see in the drawing, especially compared to that huge foot, the character is smiling. He exudes a sort of goofy, relaxed confidence. He’s gonna keep on truckin’, no matter what.

In today’s world, fraught with economic and social ills as it is, keep on truckin’ is a motto that’s hard to embrace. Keep on truckin’ when you’ve lost your job, or your home? We may well ask, “how?” Even getting through the newspaper or the television news takes a kind of emotional stamina. Crime, war, poverty – it’s a grim picture.

That’s why I was so amazed and delighted last week to see an entire section of the New York Times (“Small Fixes,” Science Times, September 27 20l1) devoted to stories about low-cost innovations that are making a big difference in the quality of life of those who are suffering the most. Frustrated by the high cost and logistical challenges of delivering health care to remote areas where people live on $2 a day or less, inventors are coming up with small-scale solutions.

At Harvard, a doctor has invented a blood test on a piece of paper the size of a postage stamp. The tiny square of paper is coated with proteins and dyes that react to chemicals in a drop of blood, and can be instantly read by an untrained eye to diagnose illness. A ventilator to help premature babies breathe costs $60,000. But a bioengineering student at Rice University has invented a machine using an aquarium pump and a Nalgene water bottle. It’s enough to give you faith that maybe the world isn’t going to the dogs faster than we can read about it happening. It’s enough, even, maybe, to make you rejoice.

Paul, who wrote to the Philippians, the Corinthians, and other early Christians, certainly lived in a troubled, uncertain world and faced much personal hardship. Beaten, stoned, jailed, shipwrecked – Paul did not have an easy time of it. Indeed, he is writing this letter to the Philippians from a jail cell in Rome. And yet he says, “Rejoice. Rejoice always.”

He writes to the Philippians, calling them beloved, and asks them to pray for what they need with thanksgiving, as if they have already received it; and he asks them to maintain a certain perspective, a certain focus: “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things;” focus on these things.

Focus on the unfolding of the work of the gospel. Focus on the 22 year-old woman from Kitsap County who won a Carnegie Hero Fund medal for rescuing an 11 month old baby from a trailer home that caught on fire in Port Orchard. Focus on family and friends who offer us hugs and smiles and listening ears. Focus on God’s steadfast love that endures forever, God’s peace that passes understanding. The true, the honorable, the just, the pure, the pleasing, the commendable, the excellent, the worthy of praise – these things, these people, these events still exist in our troubled world. Think on these things, and rejoice.

~~~~ Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7158.html Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700


Fall has arrived with gusto - it's the season of pumpkin patches, crunchy leaves, crisp mornings and warm applesauce simmering on the stove.

Plymouth member Margot Page recently wrote an article featured in the October 2011 edition of ParentMap magazine on making applesauce with her kids. You can pick up a free copy of ParentMap at your local library branch, community center, grocery store or other family-friendly public place.

Or, you could just read her article here: Fall Family Traditions: Making Homemade Applesauce with Kids. You may be inspired to start cooking your own! http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7159.html Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700



What is Mission: 1? From UCC News:
For 11 days in early November, the entire United Church of Christ will make good on its "that they may all be one" motto with a coordinated mission campaign to gather more than one million food and household items for local food banks and marshal its 5,300 congregations to advocate collectively — and loudly — for hunger-related causes, both domestically and around the world. "In a nutshell, 'One united church on a shared mission for 11 powerful days to feed the hungry and confront food-related injustice' is the centerpiece of this major push that we are launching today," the Rev. Geoffrey A. Black, the UCC's general minister and president, told United Church News. "If you've ever yearned for the whole UCC to walk hand in hand to achieve a common goal, this is the answer to that prayer."

Affirmed unanimously by the UCC's 90-member Executive Council, meeting March 17-19 at the Church House in Cleveland, "Mission: 1" — as the campaign will be called — plays on the prevalence of the number "1" in the Nov. 1-11, 2011, timeframe and calls for three overarching goals:
In the 11 days, the United Church of Christ will collect more than 1 million items of healthy food and other household items for local food banks and outreach services.
In the 11 days, the United Church of Christ will make an extra-special push to gather online contribution of more than $111,111 for Neighbors in Need, offerings that will be shared for hunger-action purposes with agencies of justice and compassion throughout the United States.
In the 11 days, the United Church of Christ will offer more than 11,111 letters to Congress asking the government to reform U.S. foreign assistance in a way that more effectively benefits hungry and poor people worldwide, helping to provide a major final push to Bread for the World's 2011 "Offering of Letters" campaign.On Nov. 1, the UCC's homepage will be converted into an online tote board that will tally the denomination's collective count of food stuffs, donations and letters — information that will be updated and celebrated in real time. Churches, as well as individuals, will be encouraged to self-report their participation.Read the rest of article here. Want to learn more? Check out the Mission: 1 home page. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7162.html Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Finding Kind is an award-winning documentary created by two young filmmakers who were both teen victims of "mean girls." Their experience inspired them travel across the country to over 250 schools and create a documentary about the experience of other young girls.

Finding Kind sparked the creation of Kind Campaign, a school program that seeks to bring awareness and healing to the negative effects of meanness within the "girl world."

The film will be screened at Pilgrim Hall, Magnolia United Church of Christ, 3555 West McGraw Street, on both Friday, October 21st at 7pm and Sunday, October 23rd at 2pm. There will be a facilitated discussion following the film.

All are welcome, but the film is geared toward girls ages ten and older, their parents, and friends. A $5 donation at the door is appreciated.

Check out a trailer of the film:


And here's an article about when the filmmakers visited Seattle-area schools last spring. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7160.html Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700
The CYF Blog continues the series on hospitality with a collection of quotes. Does one speak to you? Post your response in the section below.

I am drawn to the Nouwen one myself.
"Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ, for he is going to say, 'I came as a guest, and you received me.'"
- Rule of St. Benedict
"A story said to originate in a Russian Orthodox monastery has an older monk telling a younger one: 'I have finally learned to accept people as they are. Whatever they are in the world, a prostitute, a prime minister, it is all the same to me. But sometimes I see a stranger coming up the road, and I say, 'Oh, Jesus Christ, is it you again?'"
- Kathleen Norris, Dakota
"For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who … defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing."
- Deuteronomy 10:17-18
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle."
- Philo of Alexandria
"To open up and become sensitive to God's own mission could also mean that we begin to recognize the strangers as messengers, sent to us with a particular message, and that, therefore, before we dare preach to them we ought to listen to their stories."
- Gerhard Hoffmanin
"I believe we are still here to help men and women to learn to live as each other's guests. We are guests of this life. We are guests of this planet, and we are almost destroying it. … People should learn a new language, a new way of life, learn to be guests and let others be their guest."
- George Steiner
"The scope of who it is that God means to invite to the feast, you see, is not ours to define. We are not put in charge of the guest list."
- Don C. Skinner, A Passage through Sacred History
"In an era when many of us feel that time is our scarcest resource, hospitality falters.… 'In a fast-food culture,' a wise Benedictine monk observes, 'you have to remind yourself that some things cannot be done quickly. Hospitality takes time.'"
- Dorothy C. Bass, Receiving the Day
"That is our vocation: to convert … the enemy into a guest and to create the free and f fearless space where brotherhood and sisterhood can be formed and fully experienced."
- Henri J. M. Nouwen, Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life
"Your whole life… seek the face you've lost in strangers' faces."
- Frederick Buechner, Godric
If you're looking for more, check out this good Alban Institute article on Hospitality to the Stranger http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7161.html Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This week the Forum at Plymouth is highlighting a speaker of particular interest to families with young children and youth. Check out the article by Margaret Kitchell, of the Adult Education Board:

Remember when you were a child and used to build a treehouse? More and more children today don't have that special place in the outdoors that we had as children. Martin LeBlanc will discuss the problem of nature-deficit disorder and some common sense community-based solutions to the challenge. Together we will leave no child inside! Martin LeBlanc is vice-president and a co-founder of the Children and Nature Network (C&NN) He is the National Youth Education Director of the Sierra Club, the largest and oldest conservation group in North America. Martin oversees the organization’s youth programs and special projects related to non-traditional partnerships to connect children to the outdoors. The Sierra Club’s Military Families Outdoors program has helped connect thousands of military children to the outdoors and was highlighted by the Obama Administration’s 2009 Summer of Service kick off. As a leading advocate for efforts relating to children and nature at the local, state and regional level, Martin works closely with the Obama Administration on the Let’s Move! initiative on childhood obesity and the America’s Great Outdoors campaign. A founder of C&NN’s Natural Leaders Network, Martin heads the initiative to encourage young people to become leaders of the children and nature movement. A passionate speaker, he has presented to over 30 organizations in the United States and Canada, inspiring audiences throughout North America. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7163.html Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700
Just in case you haven't heard, Youth Forum Ministry is heading to Guatemala this year with Global Visionaries. The trip will be in February as the winter breaks for the Bellevue and Seattle School Districts are perfectly aligned. Check out the note from the Mallorys below for more information.

Mission Trip February 17-25th:

We are very happy a few parents have already asked about the faith component. We have set the theme for the year of Wealth, Poverty and Christianity and plan on incorporating lessons before and after the trip. One reason why we chose Global Visionaries is because they are secular and therefore we can create faith lessons tailored to Plymouth youth. A few ideas we have are:
Christian approach to poverty/wealth compared to other religions (or secular)Biblical basis for taking care of poorHistorical figures who have dedicated their lives to helping poorCurrent peopleAnd of course, those who are currently in poverty who are Christians (who/why/how it helps/etc)We don't have the exact itinerary yet, but during the trip we have planned for 30 minutes in the mornings for gathering together for prayer/bible reading and have an hour and a half in the evenings together for faith formation. We want to use the same approach as the Spring Retreat last year, where every morning we begin the day with faith and prayer and end the day with a discussion. We are very excited about the timing this year. Since it will be in February, we can follow up better on the post-trip enthusiasm and hopefully connect the youth to local organizations to continue volunteering. Plymouth is a great place for this!

Details as of now:
Dates: February 17th-25th (Friday-Saturday)Total cost/teen: TBD based on airfare (approx. $1850)Family cost/teen: $800 (or $1500 for families with two teens in YF)Deposit amount: $450/teen due September 18th (scholarships available)Health insurance: Insurance is included, but it is recommended to also check with your insurance provider to see what they cover internationallyPassport: February is six months away! If you don’t have a current passport, you should start the process as soon as possible.Hopefully you will have a chance to take a look at Global Visionaries website and learn about the organization, which has sent over 1,000 local kids to Guatemala without injury. We are confident that GV is the right choice for our youth. In fact, last year they received a Change Grant from Plymouth and Plymouth member Don Schlosser is the Board of Directors President. One thing that really impressed us is their supervision policy. One-hundred percent of the time the teens are with a Plymouth adult or GV adult, unless inside the host family’s home. We can go over the rules later, but if there are any problems, the teen will be sent home on the next flight. We think their rules are fair and reassuring more for the teens than anyone else. It would be good for parents to visit the State Department Website for more country-specific information.Finally, Global Visionaries has a wonderful video:

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7164.html Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Pastor Brigitta introduces herself and Plymouth in this video. Check it out, it's pretty cool and don't miss the special invitation at the end.




A schedule of upcoming Coffee with Brigitta dates is available here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7165.html Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Exodus 20:1–4, 7–9, 12–20 for Sunday, October 2ndThen God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work.Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.”The Ten Commandments. If those words don’t put the fear of God in us, what can? Thou shall. Thou shall not. Thou shall not, not, not. “Moses said to the people, ‘God has come only to test you and put the fear of God upon you so that you do not sin.’” Does this sound like the loving and compassionate God, the God of grace, on whom we rely? Is this just another example of the contrast between the harsh Old Testament God of the Law and the forgiving New Testament God of love?

In the Jewish Bible, what we know as the Ten Commandments are called the Ten Words…words to live by, instructions for right living. God gives Moses’ followers the Ten Commandments not as a hammer of judgment, but as a gift, a blueprint for happiness and peace of mind.

God gives us an enormous amount of information about how to live rightly – how to follow the path that gives new life, abundant life. God establishes covenants – relationships of mutuality and respect – with God’s people through Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus. In Micah 6:8 the question, “What does God require of you?” is answered simply, “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.” God tells us to care for the widow, the orphan, the stranger, and Jesus urges us to do the same. When the Pharisees ask him which commandment is the greatest, Jesus responds, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Do you notice a common thread in all these commandments and covenants? They’re all about relationship. How we are to live in relationship with God, but just as importantly, how we are to live in relationship with one another. In mutuality and respect. Doing justice and loving kindness. Four of the Ten Commandments explain how the people are to relate to God, and six, more than half, explain how we are to relate to one another. When asked to name the greatest commandment, Jesus stipulates not only loving God, but loving your neighbor. Us, loving each other. Just as love, forgiveness and compassion are the defining characteristics of God’s relationship to us.

According to a UCLA study, the average toddler hears the word “no” more than 400 times a day. One recommended way to counteract this is to “catch children doing something right.” God gives us an enormous amount of information about how to live rightly. So maybe God isn’t sitting on a cloud somewhere tallying all our mistakes and missteps. Isn’t it more likely that the God of infinite love and mercy is waiting to catch us doing something right? When we’re going down the wrong path, when we’re walking into darkness, maybe we would do right to fear – to fear living in estrangement from God, and from one another. But in this week’s reading, Moses also says, “do not be afraid,” because God’s test is an open book test, one we can repeat as many times as we need to while God waits patiently to catch us doing something right.
~~~~
Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7166.html Sat, 24 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This fall Linda Strandbreg and Ines Andrade have created a fantastic program for children during Plymouth-U.

The children will be learning to lead Plymouth-U participants in the 'Brain Dance' as well as a 'Spanish Brain Dance'! Ines and Linda plan to teach at songs in Spanish with both with movement/folk dance elements.

There will also be a craft time as well as study hall for students who need space to complete their homework. Possible craft activities include a clay project as well as creating a personal mosaic labyrinth. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7167.html Thu, 22 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Our hospitality series continues this week with a song written by Sweet Honey In The Rock. The song is entitled "Would You Harbor Me?" Below the video are the lyrics to the song.

It's a powerful reflection. Take a moment and let the lyrics wash over you.


Would you harbor me?
Would I harbor you?
Would you harbor me?
Would I harbor you?

Would you harbor a Christian, a Muslim, a Jew
a heretic, convict or spy?
Would you harbor a run away woman, or child,
a poet, a prophet, a king?
Would you harbor an exile, or a refugee,
a person living with AIDS?
Would you harbor a Tubman, a Garrett, A Truth
a fugitive or a slave?
Would you harbor a Haitian Korean or Czech,
a lesbian or a gay?

Would you harbor me?
Would I harbor you?
Would you harbor me?
Would I harbor you?Written by Dr. Ysaye M. Barnwell, 1994. Performed by The Choral Project, San Jose, CA. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7168.html Thu, 22 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This morning I picked up a copy of Real Change and read a fascinating article about children in Zambia who are taking it upon themselves to make sure that justice has a voice.

Child paralegals in Mazabuka in the south of Zambia.
Photo courtesy of Street News Service
Check it out: Children that Run the Law (Street News Service) http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7169.html Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 The Children & Youth Board Chair, Mary Stevens, read this devotional by Tony Robinson and thought (rightly so) that it would be helpful to all of the volunteers in the Plymouth Church School. It's a reflection I heartily applaud, check it out:


Shout Out to Sunday School TeachersReflection by Anthony B. RobinsonSeptember 17, 2011
Excerpt from Psalm 105: 1-6, 37-45: Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold, and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled. It occurs to me this being Saturday, and early in September, there may be a fair number of folks preparing their first Sunday School lesson of the year today (or tonight). Thank you. Thank you for teaching, for telling the story, for loving the kids, and for helping all of us in the church to fulfill our baptismal promises to our children and their parents. It matters.The long 105th Psalm basically tells the story of Israel and thus the story of God, or part of it. One of the main things we are up to in Sunday School is helping people learn and love the stories, the great stories of our faith.

Some opening lines from the novel Ceremony by Native American author, Leslie Marmon Silko, have stuck with me. "I will tell you something about stories . . . They aren't just entertainment. Don’t be fooled. They are all we have, you see, all we have to fight off illness and death. You don’t have anything if you don’t have the stories."

Imagine that: stories as health care! Stories to strengthen our immune system, set our broken bones and mend our torn hearts.

As people of faith, we have lots of amazing and wonderful stories. Together they make up one big story. It's the story of a God who created this good world and all of us in love and won't ever give up on us. It's the story of a God who has the first word and will have the last one, and that word is "Yes." It's the story of a God who finds a way when we don't, and who will be the way through life's many dangers, toils and snares.

So Sunday School teachers (preachers and parents), tell the stories. Furnish the imaginations of your children and adults with the stories. They aren't just entertainment. You don't have anything if you don't have the stories.

And Sunday School teachers: thank you.

Prayer
Dear Lord, bless all those who are your storytellers tomorrow. Grant them such grace that they may be so caught up in your story as to forget themselves and be truly found alive and anew in you. Amen.
Want to receive the Stillspeaking Daily Devotional? Click here to sign up. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7170.html Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Next week Plymouth will launch it's first OWL (Our Whole Lives: Sexuality & Our Faith) program. The program we will run is for students in 7th and 8th grade. However, OWL is for more than just teens and pre-teens.

At my training to be an OWL facilitator I must have heard every person (from people in their 20's to 60's) say at least one of two things: "I'm learning so much, there is much more to human sexuality than I thought" and/or "I wish I had this information when I was younger."

There is always more to learn and for this reason the OWL Young Adult curriculum is an amazing resource. If you would like to know more about OWL, call me (Brandon) at Plymouth. If you are ready to go and would like to know more about the upcoming OWL Young Adult program then click here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7171.html Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This Saturday the Plymouth community will celebrate the life of Uli Schoettle alongside his family and friends. The service will begin at 11:00am with a reception following.

Please note that transportation on Saturday might be a little more challenging than usual as there is the Seattle AIDS Walk from 9:00am - 2:00pm.

Later in the day Environment Justice Center launches with special guests speakers at Plymouth. You can find a schedule for the day's activities (both at Plymouth and as a part of the Moving Planet: Seattle event) by clicking here.

With the probable extra traffic, you may want to consider other transportation. You can find directions for biking and more by clicking here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7172.html Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 http://kuow.org/program.php?id=24584 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7173.html Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Revelation 22:1–5 for Sunday, September 25thThen the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.Whether or not we expect a Revelation-style apocalypse at the end of days, I believe there’s something in us that responds to the promise of the beautiful vision painted by these verses from the book of Revelation. It touches on major themes that run through the Bible like the river it describes. Water. Sustenance. Healing. Worship. Light.

I recently attended a memorial service where we sang “Amazing Grace,” and the last verse of that hymn also alludes to this vision: When we’ve been there ten-thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, than when we first begun.

In the midst of this shining, this light, our activity is described as worship and praise. We worship and praise because nothing accursed is found anymore, because we have escaped the imprisonment of chromos time and have slipped into kairos time. The ancient Greeks had two words for time, chronos and kairos. While the former refers to chronological or sequential time, the latter signifies a time in between, a moment of indeterminate time in which something special happens.

Most of us have had moments of kairos time, when we weren’t aware of the clock, or of chronos time passing, or of the next task on our list bearing down on us. The question I have for you today is: which comes first, worship and praise or immersion in kairos time? When we are overwhelmed by gratitude for our daily bread, the beauty of the natural world, the love and companionship of others who travel with us along the way, time stops. We hold our breath and we are suspended for a moment outside of time.

Do we worship and praise because we experience the bright crystal river and the tree of life, or do we experience the river and the tree because we hold a worldview of praise and gratitude for all God has given us which is good, a lens that gives us eyes to see the tree and ears to hear the river? Because we choose to live in the light of God’s love that illuminates that which is good, that which is beautiful, around us?

At the same time, we acknowledge that God’s promise of peace and plenty has not been realized yet. There are many who suffer, who live in darkness not of their own making, in hunger, in oppression, in pain. Can we extend a hand to them and draw them into the light? Can we help them slip the bonds of chronos time that keeps them mired in misery and give them the gift of kairos time? Perhaps that is when we, as servants of God, truly see God’s face.
~~~~

Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7174.html Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 The Confirmation and Youth Forum Fall Retreats are right upon us.

Here are some final details (just in case you don't have it all memorized):

When: September 16-18 (This weekend!)
Both Confirmation and YF will gather at Plymouth at 5:30pm for dinner (parents welcome to join). We'll leave Plymouth at 6:30pm.

Where:
YF - Camp Huston (14725 Ley Road, Gold Bar, 98251)
Confirmation - Warm Beach Camp (20800 Marine Drive, Stanwood, 98292)

Cost: $75 (same price for both camps)

Permission Form: You can find the form for download by clicking here.

Packing List:

Necessary toiletries and clothing for a two day retreat (weather report shows highs in the mid 60s and lows in the mid 40s)Bedding (preferably sleeping bag)Essential towelsFlashlightJournalClothes for hikingSwimwearBug RepellentFavorite Game
Return: We'll return Sunday between 12:00pm and 12:30pm. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7179.html Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700
Check out this note from the Plymouth's Peace Action Group regarding the International Day of Peace Vigil:


The Power of Prayer:United Nations International Day of Peace VigilSeptember 21
An ever-expanding number of people worldwide, representing a wide variety of religious and spiritual traditions, have committed to the task of working with other like-minded individuals and groups for an International Day of Peace Vigil. The objective is "to encourage worldwide, 24-hour spiritual observations for peace and nonviolence on the International Day of Peace, September 21 in every house of worship and place of spiritual practice, by all religious and spiritually based groups and individuals, and by all men, women and children who seek peace in the world."

At Plymouth, we will pray for peace together on Sunday, September 18. We invite you to honor the September 21 vigil with your personal prayers for peace and nonviolent conflict resolution whenever you are able throughout the twenty-four hour period.

One event to consider is an interfaith panel to help create world-wide ceasefire on 9/11/2012. Wednesday September 21, 7:00 p.m., at East Shore Unitarian Church, 12700 SE 32nd St., Bellevue. Questions? Call Judith at 425/830-2323. —Peace Action Group


~~~Learn more about the event at the UCC Global Ministries website. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7180.html Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Family Promise is a national organization that provides short term shelter to homeless families by empowering churches to make space, meals and companionship available for one week family stays. Participating host churches provide shelter for two families 4-5 times per year.

In August, Plymouth completed our second time hosting families. Our next week hosting will be October 2-9.

The guest families arrive 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, leave each morning at 7:00 a.m., and return each evening until the following Sunday morning.

We need volunteers for the following opportunities:
Provide a warm, nutritious dinner for one of the evenings.Donate food for light breakfasts and sack lunches that the guests prepare.Companions to spend the night at church in a separate space from families (2 adults per night)Donate items needed for the program: pillows and cases; sheets and blankets (twin size), towels, mattress pads, throw blankets, games and DVDs (family movies, etc) and volunteers for laundry at week’s end.This allows us a wonderful opportunity to serve and companion with those in extreme need within the walls of our church. As one volunteer noted, “a humbling experience to be with those who have so little, yet are so cheerful and gracious.”

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Don Castle: djcastle AT comcast DOT net; 425/867-9319.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7182.html Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 We're continuing our series on hospitality on the CYF Blog. This week's video explores hospitality in a multifaith world with Catholic Theological Union’s Director of the Catholic-Muslim Studies Program, professor and author Dr. Scott Alexander.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7183.html Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This video is a nice little pick-me-up with a attitude altering tune.


God Is Not a White Man by the Michael Gungor Band. Some background on the song here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7184.html Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7175.html Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Check out this schedule and note from Pastor Lauren regarding the celebratory launch of the Environment Justice Center:

Opening Celebration of UCC Environmental Justice CenterSeptember 24, 2011, 4:30 pm at Plymouth"By awesome deeds ... God, you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas." ~Psalm 65:5
Have you been curious to learn more of what the buzz is as Plymouth prepares to host the Opening Celebration for our denomination’s Environmental Justice Center of the UCC at Pilgrim Firs?

Many at Plymouth, led by our new Eco Power ministry team, have been hard at work behind the scenes to help offer Seattle’s September 24 “Moving Planet” day. At 4:30 pm Plymouth will offer the lead to welcome over 200 people through our doors to celebrate the launch of this new center that will be located at Pilgrim Firs UCC camp in Port Orchard, WA.

You are invited on Saturday September 24 at 4:30 pm at Plymouth… not only to help offer our extravagant welcome to visitors, but to learn details about the kinds of trainings that the center will begin offering in 2012. The trainings include focus on biblical and theological understandings of justice that prompt us to create equitable greening in our communities through the UCC. We will hear from our UCC executive minister for Justice and Witness Ministries, Rev. Linda Jaramillo, and our national minister for Environmental Justice, Rev. Jim Deming.

In the last year, some Plymouth members have begun studying distinctions between our interests in environmental education, and our call to be part of God’s deeper justice for those most marginalized by climate change, environmental racism, and increasing economic pressure. At the opening celebration, we will learn from three young adults. Each was successful in impacting environmental change for justice in their communities, on their college campuses, and in their high schools. We will hear of their projects on the Menominee Reservation, WI, in Washington, DC, and in San Francisco.



September 24 will be a day for all ages: at Lake Union and Plymouth UCC

9-10am: Plymouth garage opens for free parking for the day of “Moving Planet Seattle." Enter through the exit gate. The workshops are at Lake Union’s China Harbor Restaurant, 2040 Westlake Ave N.

10am-12pm: Workshops: Power Past Coal and Transportation for Washington.

12-2pm: Family friendly activities around Lake Union including: Mini yacht flotilla on pond, family bike expo, and Skate like a Girl.

12-3pm: Come visit our Plymouth UCC table at Lake Union.

1-2pm: People powered parade around park. Music by the Black Whales.

2-3pm: Rally to Move Beyond Fossil Fuels: with speakers including Mayor Mike McGinn.

3:30pm: Join folks at the Plymouth banner to stroll from Lake Union to Plymouth.

3:30-4:30pm: Plymouth garage open for free parking for evening. Enter through exit gate. Volunteers set up reception.

4:30-6pm: Program of speakers, music and dance - in Plymouth sanctuary.

6-6:30pm: Reception with heavy hor d’oeuvres and treats by Molly- in Hildebrand Hall.

6:30-7pm: Discussion groups, as volunteers clean up.

On Sunday our Plymouth Adult Forum will be headlined by Rev Linda Jaramillo, UCC Justice and Witness executive minister.

To join efforts, call the church office 206-622-4865. You can also sign up to receive a weekly emailed “Eco Digest” by contacting Tad Anderson: tadand99 AT gmail DOT com

We look forward to Plymouth being able to host this opening celebration that signals more discipleship to come!

Lauren Cannon
Interim Minister for Faith Formation and Service http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7176.html Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Romans 8:18-27 for Sunday, September 18th
The image of creation groaning in labor pains is certainly an apt metaphor for the world as we experience it today. Pain is all around us. Our corner of the universe groans as we subject it to more and more stress. From oil spills bubbling up at the very depths of the ocean to the mountains of trash buried under our feet to the space junk orbiting over our heads, we’ve given creation plenty to groan about. And this pain extends to human pain, as well. War, hunger, domestic violence, homelessness caused by human indifference and natural disasters -- we groan under the weight of our burdens, both self-inflicted and beyond our control.

But the pain of labor isn’t just meaningless suffering – it’s productive pain. It’s the pain caused by bringing new life into the world. Paul says we groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies, and what saves us is hope. Not just the hope we see manifested in our world when someone doesn’t turn away, when a corporation doesn’t make the greediest decision, when politicians finally agree on something that will benefit those most in need. Not just the visible signs and results of hope in the world, but hope that is not seen. We are called not just to notice hopeful signs around us, but to hope for what we do not see, what we only dream of: the birth of a new heaven and a new earth, the ascendancy of good over evil, human choices in alignment with God’s promise that brings rebirth, new life. God, through Paul, asks us to hope for what we do not see, and to wait for it with patience.

I have to admit I’ve never heard of a woman laboring patiently for the birth of her child. Waiting patiently for what we cannot yet see is a tall order, a lot to ask. Especially since most of us, and our fragile ecosystem, do not wait in peace and relaxation. While we are waiting the suffering continues. Sometimes, in spite of Paul’s admonition, we feel hopeless. We give in to despair. When we have lost hope, it’s important to remember that the God who knows firsthand what it means to suffer and die does not abandon us. When our hearts are so heavy that we can’t even articulate a prayer, God’s Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And God knows. God understands. God calls us to hope even when we see no reason to hope, and God abides with us, comforts us, in the depths of our despair.
So let us take heart. Let us look for signs of hope. Let us participate in creating and birthing the world we long to see, and act as signs of hope for others. Even when we can’t see it, let’s keep hoping. And when we tire, when we feel overwhelmed by the pain of birthing this world into being with God and despair overtakes us, remember that God hears our sighs, our wordless groans of pain. The God of hope and comfort abides.
~~~~ Becky Withington is a graduate of Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7185.html Thu, 08 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of that tragic day. Below are some gatherings to help process and consider how we can continue to respond peacefully to that painful memory.


Wednesday Sept 21, 7 pm East Shore Unitarian Church, (12700 SE 32nd St., just off I-90 and Factoria Blvd, Bellevue)
International Peace Day event with an interfaith panel. The purpose: Challenging the audience to take to their community the message of Peace One Day, a complete world-wide ceasefire on 9/11/2012, and getting their community involved in making it happen. For more info call: Judith 425-830-2323

Dessert Social & Discussion – “September 11 - one decade later”
All Plymouth members and friends are invited to join the Peace Action Group at 7:00 p.m. on September 11 in Horizon House's Sky Lounge for an old fashioned Dessert Social (provided by PAG members) and discuss short pieces from PBS Frontline's "Bush's War." This will help us prayerfully recall the early days after 9/11 and consider how we might have responded differently, and what have we learned. Please RSVP to Janet Perry (206) 382-3668


Service of Remembrance, Comfort and Hope
*September 11, 2011
6:30 Beginning at Olympic View Church of the Brethren (425 NE 95th Street) and Walking to the Idriss Mosque arriving about the time evening prayer is concluded

7:30 Candle Lighting Ceremony at Idriss Mosque (1420 NE Northgate Way)
*Organized by the Church Council of Greater Seattle, Faith Action Network, Olympic View Community Church of the Brethren, and Idriss Mosque http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7186.html Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This year we kicked off the Children & Youth Choir Camp at Camp Huston with a picnic for all. Check out this short slide show (thanks Jessie) of the event below.



http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7187.html Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Last year we attempted a new way to start Sunday morning with the children (K-Grade6) and we called it, "10@10". There were a lot of pluses that came from this format of beginning the morning together.

This year we thought we'd build on what we had learned and attempt to tweak the 10@10 a bit a create "10to10". Here is what this means:

Gathering at 9:50am instead of 10:00am (gathering at 10:00am meant that teaching time was cut into and teaching teams didn't have the time to cover what they had prepared, gathering at 9:50am gives that time back to the classrooms)Gather in the Lounge instead of the Chapel (the chapel, while a beautiful space, is not the most accessible or intuitive to find, especially if you're new. The Lounge is more centrally located, easier to find and encourages broader inter-generational participation)Varied activities (incorporate more games and activities, we'll still have some singing but we'll vary what we do from week to week)Snack for parents and kids (as families are dropping off their kids they can have a bite to cover that breakfast they may have missed while rushing to church)
This is an experiment. We'd love to hear from you about how it is working, or not working. Our goal is simple, make it easy for families to connect with the church school, each other, and the wider community. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7188.html Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700
This year, Sunday school opens with a psalm. The Seasonsof the Spirit curriculum leads the children of Plymouth into a selectionfrom Psalm 139.Where can I go fromyour spirit? Or where can I flee fromyour presence?
If I ascend to heaven,you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings ofthe morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your handshall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast.This psalm reminds us of the presence of God. We have miles to go before Advent, but areminder of the Emmanuel the God with us, is always welcome. It is an especially good way to begin thechurch school year. The knowledge of God’spresence grounds us and provides a foundation for how we live and move. In Practicing the Presence of God, theancient Carmelite monk, Brother Lawrence, shares this insight, “The most excellent method of going to God isthat of doing our common business without any view of pleasing people butpurely for the love of God.” Helpingthe children of Plymouth grasp and experience the presence of a faithful,loving God is the work of every volunteer in the children and youth program,and in reality, it is the work of every church member. Each interaction we have, from the Sundayschool classroom, to side conversations in the Lounge, to the pew in worship,presents another opportunity to practice God’s loving presence with one anotherfrom every generation.
Of course, it is not only the children who need to hold fastto the loving God present with us. Thedeep knowledge of the God who is near can be healing and restorative toall. This Sunday marks the 10thanniversary of the tragic events on September 11th, 2001. When remembering searing moments such asthis, it is common to reflect on the question of location. “Where were you when…?”
God has been present when we have cried the tears of thelost, when we have struggled to know where now to turn, and when we have ragedagainst the pain and damage resulting from that dark morning.
The psalmist reminds us that God’s presence goes well beyondgeography and gently touches all of our hurts, be they a decade or a dayold. God is present as we sift throughpainful and confusing memories. Thebreath of God is soothes as we grapple to imagine what is next for our familiesin the blurry light of loved ones lost. The grace of God is surrounds us in our recovery as we strive tocultivate new life, new work, and new relationships.
It is the presence of God that gives us words to pray onthis Sunday of old wounds and new beginnings, “God of compassion; hold us, healus, guide us as we seek to live your dream of a peaceful and just tomorrow forall of your children.” http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7189.html Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Being a church of the radical welcome means creating space where children can participate in and help lead worship. Worshiping with the children of the church is a tremendous blessing and it requires a little creativity. So, I thought I would offer a few ideas for how to help connect your child to worship.
1) Bags: In the back of the sanctuary there are brightly colored bags prepped for children. The bags contain much more than a simple coloring book and a crayon or two. Each bag contains two special bulletins (one for children ages 3-6 the other for ages 7-12) that focuses on that day's scripture. The children's bulletins have puzzles and games based on the morning's reading. You'll also find colored pipe cleaners in each bag. The pipe cleaners give little hands a chance to creatively fidget. And yes, the coloring book is also still in the bag.
2) Books: The Plymouth Librarian, Suzanne Sanderson has created a suggested book list for children that corresponds to the emphasis of a particular litugical season or themes in the church.
This September through November we are in the season of creation. Themes in the church school curriculum and in the life of the church touch upon creation care, stewardship, and environmental justice. Based upon these themes Suzanne Sanderson suggests the following books for children (ages 8-12). All of these books can be found in the Plymouth Vida B. Varey library.
Grandad's Prayers of the Earth - Douglas Wood E WOOThe Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest - Lynne Cherry E CHEGreen Boy - Susan Cooper JF COOThe Earth Is My Mother - Bev Doolittle JF DOOBrother Eagle, Sister Sky: A Message from Chief Seattle E JEFGiving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message - Chief Jake SwampE SWAThe Future of the Earth: An Introduction to Sustainable Development for Young Readers - Yann Arthus-Bertrand J338.9 ARTThe Rain Forest J 574.5264 RAIMy First Green Book - Angela Wilkes J 363.7 WILNatural Earth, Living Earth - Miranda Smith J 570 SMIOur Choice: How We Can Solve the Climate Crisis - Albert Gore J 363.7 GOR
3) Some simple practical tips include:Sit near the front so children can see everythingExplore the sanctuary when it is empty (can they find the trap door in the sanctuary?) so they can get a sense of the space and share with them the significance of certain items or symbols (ask a pastor if not sure)Have the children find the Bible reading or the HymnPerhaps get your child a copy of the large font bulletin as it is easier to readPractice reading the parts where the congregation speaks in unisonI'd love to hear what other tips you have learned as a parent. Post them in the comment section below. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7190.html Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 As we mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11 the Stillspeaking ministry from the national office of the United Church of Christ shares this brief reflection of remembrance with hope.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7191.html Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700
This past July, we tried a bit of an experiment: we added a few elements to the worshipservice, to create a more welcoming space and experience for the youngerworshippers among us. All who respondedto Jane’s request for feedback had positives to share: “It was good to hearwhat the children were thinking.” “Iliked having at least one hymn that I really knew each Sunday.” And more than one commented on how wonderfulit was to have all of us – older, younger, more “churched” or less so –together for worship.
You can think of Plymouth Church as a great soup: manyflavors, many textures, swirling together to make something that none of us cando alone. All that care for one another;for our environment; for social concerns outside our doors; for beauty and art;for meaningful worship and powerful discussions; for our God, our scripture andthe continuing testament of God is Still Speaking,; for spiritual development; forthe questions we ask and the answers we wrestle with: all those things make forthe richness that is Plymouth UCC. Tothis great base, we are going to deepen one of our flavors: our 3rd,4th, 5th and 6th graders will be joining us inworship more regularly this coming program year.
Focus – our program during the 11 AM worship service whereyounger ones left the sanctuary to work on a project that would be “revealed”during worship later in the year – will still happen, but with lessfrequency. More often, those who wouldbe heading off to Focus last year, will be staying in the sanctuary with therest of us this year.
Changes always present challenges….and opportunities. Here is another chance to walk our talk abouthospitality. We want to be seen andunderstood as an “extravagantly welcoming” church. What does that look like on a Sundaymorning? And how does that change orexpand to include our own young ones?
As you think about how you would answer those questions, hereare some suggestions for you to consider.
Item 1: When it comes time to sing a hymn out of the hymnal,take a moment and help your neighbor find the right page. Whether your neighbor at that moment is yourown child, someone else’s child, or just someone new to the experience ofchurch, this can be such a gift. I(Jane) remember once attending anEpiscopal service, where following the order of worship meant juggling twobooks and one multi-page bulletin. Ifsomeone had offered to show me the right page, it would have added so much tomy experience! I would have been able tofocus on worshipping God and not my embarrassment at looking in the wrong placeand missing most of the song. If your neighbor is having difficulty knowing what to dowith the hymn on the page, ask if you can help them to read it. No one is born knowing how to follow words toa hymn or how to read the notes. Just afinger along the correct line can do a lot to help teach someone new to thisgreat tradition of the church. Item 2: When yougreet someone with the peace of Christ, don’t turn it into a conversation. A conversation with someone you know canbecome a signal to a newcomer: “You aren’t known here; you don’t belong here.” It can tell a young person, “you’re notimportant until you’re older.” Instead,look for the person you don’t know – whatever their age – and share God’s peacewith them. Make a point of showing byyour words and your look that this time of greeting is a gift to them, and thatyou receive their greeting as a gift to you. It’s not the same thing as being introduced to a new client, your boss,or your child’s teacher. This is thegift of peace you’re sharing. Let thatinfuse your sharing with care and respect and honor, for the recipient as wellas the One whose peace we are naming. Item 3:Through your words to parents or guardians, through your facial expressions andbody language, express your appreciation for the presence of children inworship. We all remember being childrenand how sitting still could sometimes stretch our limits. Express to others, by your smile or your nod,that you do indeed remember that fidgety feeling, and that everyone, howeverthey’re feeling that morning – fidgety, or nervous, or sad, or bubbly –everyone is welcome here.
Do you have ideas about how to be more welcoming? About how we can expand our lived definitionof hospitality? Please, pass themalong! This is important learning for usall. For now, we’re going to continuewhere we left off in July: with repeated lines in the Call to Worship, so thatthose with limited reading skills can still participate; with at least one veryfamiliar hymn each week; and with accessible language. Let’s encourage each other to be thewelcoming church we know we can and want to be, especially as we prepare towelcome the Rev. Brigitta Remole as our new Senior Minister!
Blessings….
Jane Sorenson, Lauren Cannon and Brandon Duran http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7192.html Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This year I think we'll see hospitality emerge as a strong theme throughout Plymouth. Hospitality will be key as we welcome our new settled senior minister, Rev. Brigitta Remole; as we embrace returning friends and first time visitors; and as we open our doors to new friends from ministries like Family Promise. We'll want to embody the extravagant welcome in our worship, in our ministries, in our Sunday school classes, and in the conversations in between.

Over the next 4 weeks I'll offer a video, song, or other reflection on this theme of hospitality. We'll start with a brief reflection from Diana Butler Bass.



She'll be speaking on Christianity after Religion at University Congregational Church this October (click here for details). http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7193.html Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700
Moving Planet SeattleSaturday, September 24, 9am-6pmLake Union Park, 860 Terry Ave N, Seattle, WA
Earth Ministry invites you to Moving Planet Seattle, a day to move beyond fossil fuels! This September, people all around the world are joining together for 350.org's Moving Planet: a worldwide rally to demand solutions to the climate crisis. Earth Ministry, 350 Washington State, Sierra Club, Climate Solutions, and many other local groups are coming together to host Seattle's event on September 24 at Lake Union Park.

Moving Planet Seattle is a community gathering with workshops, events, and rally to demonstrate our community’s call for clean energy and transportation solutions for the 21st century. Thousands of citizens are expected to turn out to show our decision makers that the time has come to move beyond fossil fuels. Join us!

Move Yourself9am-1pm, Lake Union, Seattle
Come be in the parade of boats and bikes, feet and wheels, pedaling, rowing, and dancing all around Lake Union. End at Lake Union Park at 1pm for music and family fun.

Take Action10am-12pm Location TBA
Learn how to be a powerful advocate at two concurrent workshops: Power Past Coal and Transportation for Washington. Learn how we can end our reliance on coal and oil while taking action on urgent campaigns in our region: coal exports, transportation choices and better fuel efficiency.

Rally to Move Beyond Fossil Fuels!2-3pm Lake Union Park, 860 Terry Ave N, Seattle
This is the place to be today - no matter where you spent your morning, come rally for a sustainable future! Show your support for moving beyond fossil fuels while enjoying inspirational speakers, community information booths, and music for all ages.

Engage in Environmental Justice4:30-6pm Plymouth United Church of Christ, 1217 6th Ave, Seattle
Be inspired by recipients of the David Brower Youth Award given to outstanding
young adults working on environmental justice issues. Stay for a reception marking the launch of the new national United Church of Christ Environmental Justice Center in the Seattle area.

Check out www.facebook.com/MovingPlanetSeattle
and www.moving-planet.org/seattle for details about the event!

For more information, contact Jessie Dye at jessie@earthministry.org or (206) 632-2426.
And check out these books from Plymouth's Vida B. Varey Library:Alternative Energy Beyond Fossil Fuels by Dana Meachan Rau 333.79 RAUFarewell, my Subaru by Doug Fine 333.72092 FINGreen Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less are Keys to Sustainability by David Owen 304.209 OWEHow to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint by Joanna Yarrow 621.042 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7194.html Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Diane Jacobsen shares with us that the recycling program at Plymouth needs our help if it is going to continue.

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I begin with a Herald article dated April 2009:

“Caring for the earth is a concern all of us share and Plymouth Church is ready to take a green step in that direction! Biodegradable hot cups, cold cups, and soup bowls, etc. are now available during church events. Separate containers, lined with light green biodegradable bags, are ready and waiting to save the earth from excess landfill. Everything from food waste to napkins! But we cannot succeed without your help. Please take a moment to make sure the correct items are placed in the correct receptacles. We have all received information in the mail at home guiding us in sorting out what qualifies for compost, recycle or the waste can. Eventually it will become second nature but for now signs will be posted above the bio containers to help us all along the way.”

Sounds great doesn’t it? The theory was that by switching to sustainable packaging, we would substantially reduce our carbon footprint, and waste packaging previously destined to landfill sites would be composted or recycled instead, greatly lowering the environmental impact, not to mention our garbage bill. Well, I am here to tell you the theory ain’t workin’.

Even with actual photos of individual items posted above each container in the Lounge and Hildebrand Hall, biodegradable/compost is tossed in recycle, garbage in compost and recycle in garbage. This contaminates each bin thus all ends up in the garbage. Plus, compostable cups, bowls, bags, etc. are more expensive than “regular” products so expenses have actually increased along with garbage pickup.

Twenty years ago, the words “recycle” or “compostable” were not commonly used in daily conversation as they are today. Our kids and grandkids, on the other hand, have literally grown up with this stuff. Clean green and biodegradable...second nature. The future of our planet is in good hands. So I have challenged the kids to step up to the plate and help teach us adults all this “what-goesin-what-bin” stuff.

It may take an extra few seconds to stop and think about it but, “We cannot succeed without [all] your help.” After all, the future of our planet is technically still in our hands.

Gandhi said “Be the change you want to see in the world”. Taking steps, however small, to care for our planet is one change I believe all of us want to see, but if the current trend continues it may be necessary to discontinue the program.

—Diane Jacobsen http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7195.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Diana Butler Bass is coming to Seattle this fall. If you are not sure who she is (or you just want a short, solid reflection on church and mission) then check out the video "Fitting In" below.

Check out this note David Anderson, Church Business Administrator at University Congregational.
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The Lecture Series of University Congregational United Church of Christ

Tickets for the Diana Butler Bass lecture series at University Congregational United Church of Christ, 4515 16th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105 go on sale August 1, 2011.

Diana Butler Bass will speak on, October 7, October 8 and October 9, 2011 on Christianity After Religion: the End of the Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening. Friday October 7, Dr. Bass will give a lecture from 7 pm to 8:30 pm on Christianity After Religion. Tickets for Friday evening are $15. On Saturday, October 8, Diana Butler Bass will give a series of 2 lectures on Trends & Questions Shaping a New Spiritual Awakening from 9 am – 3 pm. Tickets for Friday and Saturday’s lecture series are $50 in advance. We offer discounted rates of $25 to college and seminary students and also offer group discounts. Sunday, October 9, Diana Butler Bass will give a talk at 9 am titled What’s Up? Looking at Religion Around Us and she will preach during the 10 am worship service.

Dr. Bass is an author, speaker and scholar whose focus is American religion and culture. She is the author of seven books including “A People’s History of Christianity: The Other Side of the Story” and “Christianity for the Rest of Us.” Diana Butler Bass encourages Christians to seriously practice their faith as a way to reform American churches and political life. Her work combines elements of liberal theology, progressive spirituality, classical evangelicalism, mystical awareness, feminist concerns, and Christian tradition to create an inclusive and transformative vision of Christianity.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7199.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700 I try to keep most of the postings on the CYF Blog related to children and youth. However, this week an article on UCC.org caught my attention.

Faith leaders arrested in Capitol Hill protest to protect nation's most vulnerable persons.

The article has stayed with me in large part because of the local news this week that King County will not be receiving needed funds from the Emergency Food and Shelter program. The lost income will have an immediate impact on the vulnerable here in Seattle as 15 shelters may be forced to close by next week.

As the challenges created by the economic crisis continue, people in need will turn more and more to communities of faith for authentic hope. I hope, that people of faith will find ever more imaginative ways to work together in caring for the most vulnerable. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7200.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700
Sunday, August 28, after church, everyone is invited to head for the hills! At Camp Huston, near Gold Bar, in the Cascade foothills, join in fellowship, food, and music led by Linda Strandberg, Doug Cleveland and Kent Stevenson. We will picnic in the field and share activities suitable for all age groups. Invite friends and extended family to enjoy a late summer Sunday. It'll be a great way to reconnect before the church program year. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7196.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0700 You are invited to celebrate the opening of the UCC Environmental Justice Center (EJC) at Pilgrim Firs.

The EJC will sponsor workshops to teach four foundations for environmental justice:
• Biblical and ethical principles
• Local, regional and national Environmental Justice issues
• Practical applications for your local community
• Training for advocacy at the local, state and national levels

The launch celebration will be at Plymouth on September 24th and will be part of the larger local, national and international Moving Planet events that weekend.

For more information download this flyer or contact Jim Deming, the U.C.C. Minister for Environmental Justice at demingj AT ucc DOT org. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7198.html Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This year's Plymouth Summer Camp at N-Sid-Sen will focus on the theme of Creation. We'll look at creation in relation to the world, the self, and the community.

Check out this video as one way to begin thinking about creation befor our discussions at N-Sid-Sen.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7201.html Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700 As you may have heard Plymouth Church has called Rev. Brigitta Remole as the next senior minister. Before sharing her faith journey and preaching at Plymouth (The Fluffer Predicament), Rev. Remole visited with Plymouth members and friends at Horizon House during their pie social. Thanks to Jessie we have this slide show of the visit.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7202.html Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Matthew 10:40-42
This week’s reading is long on promises but short on definitions. Just what is a prophet’s reward? And what is the reward of the righteous? It sounds good, but what does it mean? Perhaps Jesus is talking about what happens after we die – heaven is often described as a reward for those who have been saved or those who try to live righteous lives. Or perhaps Jesus is talking about blessings here on earth – like prizes for good behavior. But there’s also an expression, “virtue is its own reward” and perhaps we could apply that not only to virtue, but to welcome: “welcome is its own reward.”

Jesus says that those who welcome Christ’s followers welcome Christ, and those who welcome Christ welcome God. By welcoming God we’re allowing the Spirit into our lives to comfort and guide us. We’re allowing the still-speaking God to speak to us and through us. Welcoming another puts us in connection, communication and community with them – only then can we become the body of Christ.

The startling, empowering thing about allowing the Spirit in is that we may find that our roles change from encounter to encounter. Sometimes we are the welcoming ones, eager for the word of the prophet or the example of the righteous, or holy, or wholeness-seeking one. Sometimes we may find that we are the ones speaking the prophetic word of promise or challenge, we are the ones modeling one small piece of what it means to follow Jesus along the Way. Sometimes we are the ones seeking welcome.

Giver and receiver, speaker and hearer – the two essential halves of the equation. When catalyst and matter come together, a chemical reaction happens. We’re jolted into action. We offer welcome – the word, the gesture, the gift that another needs. Elements come together to form the living water that fills the cup, the well, the baptismal font. Our reward is that living water, the water that blesses us and welcomes us into the presence of God. Remember the next time you welcome another – you have just become more than the sum of two parts. You are rewarded and you are blessed.

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Becky Withington is a graduate from Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7203.html Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Genesis 24:34–38, 42–49, 58–67
Dip into a well story in the Bible and you’re likely to come up with a courtship. Isaac met Rebekah (by proxy) at a well, just as his own son, Jacob, met his future wife Rachel at a well. When Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh, he defended seven sisters who were being bullied by local shepherds at a well and was given the hand of the oldest, Zipporah. On the face of it, you might not think of the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well as a courtship story, but some interpreters explain it as a symbolic courtship between Jesus and Samaria, in which Jesus offers Samaria the living water of the good news he came to proclaim.

In the arid climates of biblical regions, fresh water is life. There is no survival without it. Perhaps because water is so crucial, the Bible is full of images of water, both symbolic and literal. Water symbolizes sustenance, God providing for God’s people; purification, as in ritual bathing and baptism; and fertility…or at least that’s the way it was supposed to work. But although Isaac and Rebekah’s marriage was first brokered at the well, and although Rebekah demonstrated generosity and good will by giving water to the servant and his camels, scripture tells us that she was barren for the first 20 years of their marriage.

Is there a place which is a well for you? A place of refreshment and replenishment? I believe we must seek out “well moments” in our daily lives – “well” not just in the sense of well-being, but moments of cool comfort in our harried, busy, overheated lives. We must find our own “wells,” our own sources of renewal, our own places to lay our burdens down, sit and enjoy a cool glass of water – both symbolically and literally.

Life in the ancient desert and life in 21st century America can feel barren – barren of meaning, of refreshment, of moments to rest and renew. At these times, we need to pause and ask, “What is the wellspring of my life? From where does my energy, my life-force, my joy in living flow? What is the source of my creative capacity, and how can I tap into it?” Mystics throughout the centuries have found renewal in meditation, spiritual practices, nature, contemplation of sacred texts, and in many other ways. People of faith who are going through hard times and suffering have also found comfort in these ways. Can we dare to seek out and name our barren places? Can we dare to seek out and partake of the living water, the source of life and love, of sustenance and replenishment? Come back to the well.

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Becky Withington is a graduate from Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7204.html Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700 LANTERN FLOATING PEACE CEREMONY AT GREEN LAKESaturday, August 6, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.mNorthwest shore just south of the Seattle Public Theater (formerly Bathhouse Theater)

Invite your neighbor, bring your picnic, & come to Green Lake.

From Hiroshima to Hope, Seattle’s annual peace event honors the victims of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and all victims of war and violence.

Pre-event activities begin at 6:00 p.m. and include lantern calligraphy and folding of peace cranes. At 7:00 p.m. a program of musical performances (Kokan Taiko drums & more) and speakers will commence. The candle-lit lanterns are floated on the lake at dusk. This year’s ceremony commemorates the 66th anniversary of the bombings. From Hiroshima to Hope is created annually by local peace, faith and community organizations. The many sponsors include Plymouth’s Peace Action Group.

For more information, please call 206-453-4471. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7205.html Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Grammy-nominated and nationally-renowned family musician Justin Roberts and The Not Ready For Naptime Players come to Fauntleroy UCC Church to perform songs from the Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament from his CD set Why Not Sea Monsters?

The benefit concert will be held on Friday, August 19 at 6:30pm.

Click here to learn more about the music of Justin Roberts.

Family Promise mobilizes local faith groups to provide temporary housing for newly homeless families as they seek stable housing. Click here to learn more.

For more information, contact Rev. Katy Lloyd at revkaty@nwlink.com http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7206.html Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700 It has been a full year in the Plymouth church school and I for one have felt very blessed.

This week the Toddler / Pre-Kindergartner (TPK) class is sending out a note to the families of the children they have cared for throughout the year. I thought their note was a simple and beautiful closing thought and I'd like to share its sentiment with all of the church school families.

"Thank you for being in our church school family this year. We have loved playing, singing, eating, learning, and growing with you this year. We hope you will always remember that God loves you.As you go out from here, may the Lord go with you.The face of God shine on you every day.As you go out from here, may the Lord go with you,And bless you every day.
Have a great summer and keep coming to church!"

Thank you TPK for allowing us to share this blessing with all of the Plymouth church school families.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7210.html Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Check out this message below from Pastor Lauren regarding an exciting (and delicious) summer opportunity.

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Sign up for a weekly vegetable box, delivered to church, starting June 19 through October! Join this opportunity for community supported agriculture at Plymouth, for farm fresh certified organic produce, grown locally in the Snoqualmie Valley. Our Eco Power ministry team has arranged for you to Pick Up each Sunday at Plymouth, 10 AM - 12 Noon on the deck outside the sanctuary. Sign up required at www.oxbow.org. If you split a small share with a friend, it will be approximately $10/week. You can skip weeks when you are out of town. Contact Pastor Lauren lcannon@plymouthchurchseattle.org or 206-622-4865 Ext 16.
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Learn more about the Oxbow Organic Farm, a sampling of what's in a weekly box, and more from www.oxbow.org http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7207.html Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Wait until your sick or in prison and see who visits you then http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7208.html Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Genesis 1-2:4a for Sunday, June 19th
This first account of creation at the very beginning of Genesis is often conflated with the second account in Genesis 2:4b-25, but there are many distinct differences. This is the version in which God gradually builds up creation from a formless void to a world of earth, sea and sky, light and darkness, day and night, heavenly bodies, plants, animals and humans. In this account man and woman were created together in God’s image, rather than male being created first, then female from male. This account introduces the concept of Sabbath, a blessed and hallowed day of rest. And at the completion of each day’s tasks, God declares each new facet of creation good.

God speaks the world into being. In my Inclusive Bible (Priests for Equality, 2007) this is made explicit through the use of spoken dialog addressed by God to the elements of creation:
Then God said, “Light: Be!” and light was (Genesis 1:3).
God then said, “Waters: swarm with an abundance of living beings! Birds: fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky!” And so it was (Genesis 1:20).Remember the prologue to the Gospel of John:
In the beginning there was the Word;
the Word was in God’s presence, and the Word was God.
The Word was present to God from the beginning.
Through the Word all things came into being,
and apart from the Word nothing came into being
that has come into being (John 1:1-3, Inclusive Bible).Through the Word, the Logos, the Christ co-existent with God, all things came into being. And all of it was good. In the beginning, Genesis tells us, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, but the wind from God – the breath or Spirit of God – was present even in the dark void. In Reading the Bible with the Damned, Bob Ekblad writes, “God’s Spirit is there, even when darkness and chaos seem to reign….God speaks. God’s Word brings light where there was darkness. We notice that God does this. The darkness and chaos did nothing to deserve it (16).”

How often do we feel undeserving of God’s love, thinking that we need to clean up our acts and beg for forgiveness before God will look on us with favor? I think both are true, but one is not conditional upon the other. We do need to clean up our acts and ask for forgiveness, and God always looks upon us with favor, as beloved children of God, whether we’re in the midst of reconciliation or chaos. God is always present, Spirit is always hovering in the darkness offering the peace that passes understanding, even in the midst of our stubbornness and selfishness. We do not need to be forgiven in order to be loved; because we are loved we are forgiven. God’s grace is given freely, through God’s Spirit, through God’s Word, through God’s love. And it is good.

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Later this month Becky Withington will graduate from Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7209.html Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700 On Sunday June 12th in the 11am service, we read the names of all the members of our volunteer teaching teams and child care program in appreciation of your loving service this past year. The contributions you have made to the lives and faith formation of our children and youth have been immeasurable. You have passed along your values, patience, care, creativity, and joy - all of which will have lasting effects on the students and on Plymouth Church as a whole.

Children from the 5/6 class handed out personalized stones as a small token of our profound gratitude. The words painted on them were: love, peace, hope, believe, and thanks. To those of you who were not able to attend the service, please feel free to pick up your gift as a symbol of how much…YOU ROCK!

-The Children & Youth Board http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7211.html Fri, 10 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7212.html Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700 The blessing of the seniors with quilts hand crafted by the Piece Makers ministry team is one of the more beautiful traditions at Plymouth. I am blown away each year by the tangible expression of love from the Plymouth community and the genuine excitement of the seniors. Check out these pictures from last Sunday's celebration.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7213.html Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This year's summer camp at N-Sid-Sen will spring from the central theme of creation. N-Sid-Sen is a UCC camp and conference center on the shores of Lake Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. The camp is July 24-30 and every is welcome. Scholarships are available and you can sign up at the kiosk on Sunday morning or by contacting Edwin at the Plymouth church office (206) 622-4865.

As we've been working on the adult program I've been thinking about the role of creativity and imagination in the lives of Christians and the church. I thought these two videos had some interesting nuggets for conversation on this topic.



http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7214.html Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Acts 2:1-21 for Sunday, June 12, 2011

When the day of Pentecost arrived, scripture tells us, Jesus’ followers were gathered together and suddenly there was a sound like the rush of a violent wind. It was the Holy Spirit pouring in, filling the entire house and each of them. This was the Spirit, the Advocate, that Jesus had promised them.
In the gospel reading for this week, John 20:19-23, Jesus himself fills the disciples with the Holy Spirit by breathing on them. I imagine that experience to be a warm, rich, comforting experience. It makes me think of the great benevolent lion Aslan breathing on the creatures who the evil White Witch has turned to stone, bringing them back to life, in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia.

The description in Acts is much more vivid and intense. A sound like the rush of a violent wind filling the entire house seems more like the terrifying tornados that ravaged communities in the South Central and Southeastern United States this spring. Sometimes it feels like we’re at the mercy of whatever hits us, whatever rushes through us. Emotions overtake us, impulses strike us, some power is compelling us to act.
But just like the wind which both generates electricity and devastates communities, energy that unexpectedly rushes in to fill us can be positive or negative, and cause us to speak or act for good or for ill. How can we discern which is which? As with most dilemmas, the Bible doesn’t offer concrete answers so much as it points the way for our own discernment in cooperation with God.

In the Old Testament and the Gospels, God lifts up the golden rule as the highest law: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27).” Is what we feel driven to do, even called by God to do, in alignment with what Jesus called the greatest commandment?
In John 10 Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10).” Will our proposed course of action lead to more abundant life, or to destruction? In Matthew 25, those who are seeking to live faithfully into Jesus’ mission ask him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And he replied, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me (Matthew 25:37-40).” Do our impulses cause us to reach out those Jesus considers family, the “least of these?”

Discernment, seeking God’s guidance for our lives, is no easy task. When we feel enflamed by energy from some mysterious source, it’s hard to stop and analyze, but if we seek to follow the Way of Jesus our fidelity to that path matters deeply. Prayer is a powerful tool for discernment. So is studying scripture. So is community, having trusted partners in faith whom we can ask, “Is this a faithful response to what God is calling me to do?” Jesus promised not to abandon us, but to send a Spirit, an Advocate to comfort and guide us. May we seek to be faithful to that Spirit as God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, is ever faithful to us.
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Many thanks to Becky Withington for faithfully writing the Bread for the Journey reflections each week. Since the church school year draws to a close on Sunday, this is her last reflection.
Later this month Becky will graduate from Seattle University with a Master of Divinity, and is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7215.html Fri, 03 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This Sunday, June 5th, we will continue our tradition of celebrating communion on the first Sunday of the month. Communion at Plymouth is more than a marker of the beginning of a new month. In fact, after asking a few members, I learned there is a breadth and depth of significance around the bread and the cup for the members of Plymouth.

Over the past couple of months I have asked people at Plymouth to respond to one of the following questions:
What is meaningful for you about communion?What is a memory you have around celebrating communion?Check out what some people at Plymouth had to say. It's pretty amazing.



How about you? Add your voice by responding to the one of the questions in the comment section below. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7217.html Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Ardy B. has composed a great announcement for the Herald regarding the Plymouth Picnic (June 12th). See her message below.

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Mark your calendar! The annual Plymouth Picnic is on June ! We will gather after the 11:00 a.m. service at Genesee Park along the shore of Lake Washington in southeast Seattle. The park is located on South Genesee Street between 43rd and 45th Avenues. Casa Latina folks will be our guests at the picnic again this year, and we want them to feel welcome and a part of our Plymouth community! We'll have fun and build community with Casa Latina and with each other through music, games, good food and conversation.

We want to provide rides to all who need transportation to and from the picnic. If we do not contact you personally, please call the church office to request a ride and we will arrange one for you. A van will also be available after the service for anyone needing a ride to the park.

Please bring a generous-sized salad, side dish or dessert to share. Hot dogs, hamburgers, vegetarians burgers, condiments and beverage will be provided. Cost of the picnic is $3 per person or $8 per family, payable at the park.

Bring the sunshine! Bring blankets and chairs! Bring balls and Frisbees! Bring your appetite and a desire to have a good time! See you at the picnic! - Ardy B. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7219.html Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Acts 1:6–14 for Sunday, June 5, 2011

Although the disciples were with Jesus throughout his ministry to the poor and marginalized, although they knew he had been arrested and put to death, in the opening verse of this passage it sounds as if they are still expecting a Messiah-King to swoop down and oust the Romans. No doubt the community hearing these words written some 50-70 years after Jesus’ death and continuing to struggle under Roman oppression was also hoping for a Messiah who would liberate them from the Romans’ yoke. We might think they were naïve to hope for a magical deus ex machina event end to their struggles, but if we’re honest we must admit that we sometimes also secretly long for an “act of God” to extract us from the latest difficulty we find ourselves in, globally, locally or personally.

Jesus’ response to the disciples might not sound like good news, especially to a persecuted community. According to Jesus, the transformation of heaven and earth isn’t an event we can mark on our calendars and prepare for – or not prepare for, assuming that God will appear on the appointed day, so no further effort is required on our part. Even the reassurance that follows doesn’t let the disciples, or us, off the hook: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” We are not to sit back and enjoy the benefits of God’s power – we will receive power. The Spirit will imbue us with the power to witness to Christ to the ends of the earth.

Our communal and individual lives are our witness. We are called, not just to wait and hope, but to live the life God intends for us and for the world here and now. So often humankind bears witness not to Christ, but to human fear and greed. We fight wars to restore our kingdoms of territory, oil rights, “peace” that doesn’t last and comes at a devastating price in human lives. This year’s Arab Spring, with oppressed people of many faiths joining together in non-violent protest in countries throughout the Middle East, is a much more authentic witness to the way of Jesus, to God’s realm of peace and justice, than the courses of action many “Christian” nations pursue. We choose to enact God’s vision for the world or the world of human suffering and sorrow every day, in ways large and small. Jesus invites us to open ourselves to the power of Spirit and make a conscious choice to live the kingdom life. Ghandi said it so simply and so well: Be the change you want to see in the world.

Becky Withington is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7220.html Tue, 31 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Church school ends on Pentecost Sunday, June 12th. This summer the children's program will be led by the talented Jamie Shilling and Carrie Stultz. See their note below for information on this summer's theme and details.
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"God's House Is My House" is the theme of this summer's children's program! Art, music and stories will focus on a personal God that plays with us every day, but especially on summer Sundays from 9:30-11:30am! Older children are welcome, if interested, to help with caring for younger children who will be creating box play houses and art-full windows.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO SIGN UP RIGHT AWAY FOR SUNDAYS JUNE 19-SEPTEMBER 4. Don't know your summer schedule yet? NOT TO WORRY! We are flexible and will re-schedule you if need be! SUMMER! LAUGHTER! Playing with our children. What can be more important?

Thanks for contacting us soon!

Jamie Shilling and Carrie Stultz (carrie_stultz@yahoo.com or call the church office at 206.622.4865) http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7221.html Fri, 27 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 In December of 2010 Ruby de Luna of KUOW reported on a federal grant awarded to Washington state for the Apple Health for Kids program. Many hoped that the $17.5 million bonus would save the program from the budget chopping block.





This week, some good news came out from Olympia as the Apple Health for Kids program was saved from the budget ax. However, while the senate's approved measure saved the program, it also increased the plan's premiums. Unfortunately this may make the plan inaccessible to families in need. Manuel Valdes of the Associated Press has more details in this article featured in the Seattle PI online.

I want to celebrate the continuation of this vital program (especially in given economic climate) but I keep thinking of those families for whom the increased premiums are an uncrossable chasm. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7222.html Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on John 14:15-21 for Sunday, May 29th, 2011
I have to admit it – I was enraptured this weekend. It came as a total surprise. Despite all the warnings, despite the billboard advising me that May 21st was the day, I couldn’t help seeing every time I left my neighborhood, it was something I just didn’t expect.

Due to a last minute change of plans, my husband Paul and I were able to attend a piano and vocal concert at St. Paul’s UCC on Saturday evening. St. Paul’s music director Chris Davis and soloists June Mendoza, Ev Merrienne and Becky Peterson absolutely rocked the house with selections from Rachmaninoff, opera arias and show tunes. As I listened to the soaring music in the warm glow of the church I closed my eyes and felt utterly transported to a different plane of existence. I felt the earth move.

Sunday morning I was shaken to the core by the deeply moving faith statements of Plymouth’s confirmands, by the beauty of the rite of confirmation, and by the commitment every confirmand made not just to be confirmed, but to become a full member of the church (full disclosure: my son Griffin was among them). Hear again the words prayed over each confirmand:
May the God of mercies multiply grace and peace in you, confirm you in your faith, guide your life, empower your serving, give you patience in suffering and bring you to rest with all the faithful who have gone before you into God’s everlasting arms. This blessing is fully true and freely given not just to the young men and women of Plymouth on the day of their confirmation, but to each of God’s beloved every day, to you; to me. God has promised it is so.

In our gospel reading this week, Jesus promises the disciples, “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live.” This sounds a little like the billboards and websites and news stories of last week – “Jesus is coming.” But it doesn’t really seem to me as if Jesus is talking about a triumphant return, the second coming that some folks say will be initiated by the Rapture. My sense is that Jesus is speaking of his appearances to the disciples following the crucifixion. Those who feel threatened by Jesus, those with closed eyes and closed ears, will not see Jesus, but the disciples will.

“Jesus lives” is the message of Easter, of the empty tomb, not the message of Revelation. And because Jesus lives, we also live. Not in heaven, not at the end of time, but here and now. Here and now, at any moment, we can be filled to overflowing by the Spirit, the Advocate that Jesus promised us. Here and now we can be transported by the beauty of creation, the gifts we share with one another through our God-given talents, the moments when we are revealed to one another as deeply faithful, beloved children of God. We can be enraptured, we can be ravished, we can be transformed. Here and now. Any minute. Unexpectedly, taken by surprise.
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Becky Withington is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7223.html Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Bob Almquist provides some details on the upcoming YFM 40th Anniversary celebration (June 5th)
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Youth Forum Alums, Siblings, Family and Friends
If you are either a YF Alum, a parent, sibling, or friend of a YF alum, we need your help in letting them know about the YF 40th Anniversary Celebration on June 5. Please pass the word along to the alumni you know or let the church office know of people we should contact and how we might reach them. We will be celebrating in three ways. First, the Adult Forum will be telling the story of YF, how it was created, how it has evolved and where it may be headed in the future. Second, the current YF leader, David Mallory, will be preaching that Sunday and the seniors (future alumni) will be honored. Finally, the Fellowship Hour will feature an alumni reunion, where we hope that alumni from all 40 years will join us to renew some old friendships and see how people are doing. Please help us get the word out. The more folks who come, the more fun it will be.

—Bob Almquist http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7224.html Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Check out this note from Doug Cleveland about the upcoming spring concert.
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Musicians from Plymouth Church will be performing a concert after the coffee hour YF celebration on Sunday, June 5 at 1:00 p.m. in Hildebrand Hall. The Plymouth Choir, Bell Choir, Diane Jacobsen and members of the congregation will be sharing their talent in a fun “musicale” style concert. The choir will be serving sandwiches after church so you can enjoy the concert while eating lunch. This is a benefit concert for AIDS Lifecycle: Ride to End AIDS. Phil Schlueter, who helped rebuild the Plymouth organ after the Nisqually Earthquake, is participating in the bicycle ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to support a cure for AIDS. He is riding specifically in honor of our former music director, Steven Williams, and his partner, Kevin Clark. Donations will be taken after the concert.

–Doug Cleveland , Music Director and Organist http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7225.html Mon, 23 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Confirmands, families, and mentors gather before worship for final details and to sign Plymouth's membership book:
Click here to view these pictures larger



Confirmands with their mentors and families:
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7226.html Fri, 20 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 As we celebrate the rite of confirmation this Sunday and welcome the 8th graders into the church, it seems important to pause for a moment and give thanks that our confirmands grew up in a time and place removed from the harsh realities of war and civil unrest. But that is not the case for our sisters and brothers around the world, as we will be reminded by the Rev. Dan Romero.


Sunday, May 22nd is International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC) taking place in Kingston, Jamaica May 17-25. A declaration on Just Peace “Just Peace Church” in 1985.

What is your prayer for peace? How will you bring change to the world?

More info and resources from the UCC Justice and Witness Ministries http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7227.html Thu, 19 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7228.html Wed, 18 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 All of us are held in the wide embrace of Confirmation Sunday. Whether we are 50 year members or we are taking our first steps as a Plymouth member; the joy and gravitas of Confirmation Sunday belongs to each of us.

This Sunday we will celebrate the journey of our confirmands. We will celebrate the choice they make to stand side by side with Plymouth members past, present, and future. We will celebrate the faith that God is nurturing within them. As one past confirmand wrote in their faith statement, “I believe that God created all we know and is still creating this day and every moment of our lives.”

The voices of confirmands past reflected in their statements of faith remind us that contained within the celebration of Confirmation Sunday is a call extended to the wider church. “I believe in the church. My congregation and my family, the Church is my home, reminding me I’m never alone on this path.”

Within Confirmation Sunday is a call to remember. We are called to remember the baptismal vows many of us have made to renounce the powers of avarice, malice, and bitterness. We remember the invitation to live into the freedom of new life in Christ. As we bear witness to our 8th graders confirming their baptism we recall the baptismal promise many of us have made to follow in the path of Christ, to resist oppression, to show love, and to live justly.

During the Confirmation liturgy we demonstrate our support and care for one another as we rejoice in the pilgrimage of faith which has brought our youth to this time and place. Again to quote a youth of confirmation past, “To me confirmation is not a destination…what I definitely can conclude about myself is that I will always wonder about God and that I am committed to exploring my spirituality…” On Confirmation Sunday, we each are presented with an opportunity to confirm again our willingness to travel with one another on this adventure of faith. Part of the Plymouth’s strength is the affirmation and embrace we offer equally to those who choose to become members as well as those who choose another path.

A brilliant beauty of Confirmation Sunday is the inspiration uncovered as the youth bravely stand before the community and reveal their hearts in their statement of faith. This boldness, authenticity, and wonder is revealed in a simple statement of another confirmand who wrote, “I am choosing to become a disciple of Christ. I believe that this requires me to think of more questions, to dig even deeper into what God means to me.”

On May 22 the confirmands will lead us on a border crossing of sorts. In the confirming of their baptism, the confirmands will invite us to walk away from indifference and move towards the mystery of faith. We will be invited again to trust God with another step along the path of Christ. Again, perhaps a prior confirmand said it best. “Confirmation is like a gate, a border I am crossing, a path I am choosing, leading to a long road which I will walk on my whole life…” http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7229.html Tue, 17 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Joan G. extends a personal invitation to families of Plymouth to check out Tom Colwell & the Southbound Odyssey. Check out her invitation below.



“Come listen to Tom Colwell and the Southbound Odyssey (8 of the 9 members are from Plymouth) at the NW Folklife Festival! There are two venues: 7:10 pm Friday, May 27 at the Fisher Green Stage and 6:30 pm Saturday May 28 in the Intiman Courtyard for a Peter Seeger Sing-Along. We’d love to see you in the audience.” http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7230.html Tue, 17 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 How do we see the spirit of God present in our everyday world? Each week writers for the Seasons curriculum lift up international news stories and current events that correlate to the lectionary passage for that particular Sunday. They call this linking of current events and scripture Spirit Sightings.


Anglican Church of Christ the King
Tripoli, LibyaFor most of us, practicing our faith and attending church does not present physical dangers. However, Scottish theologian Fraser Macnaughton reminds us that even centuries after Luke wrote of the stoning of Thomas, found in the Acts text, the small Christian community in Libya is serving as a witness and sanctuary in these dangerous times.
With the sound of NATO bombs in the background, the priest of the Anglican Church of Christ the King in Tripoli, Hamdy Daoud, explains that though most Christians have fled the city in search of safety, he and other ministers have remained. “Even though the majority of our community has evacuated, I am still here to serve those who are not able to leave or who have chosen to remain. It is important that we retain a Christian presence here at this critical time,” Hamdy said. “There is a certain normality in Tripoli during the day, but no one goes out at night in concern for safety,” said Hamdy, who is from Egypt, and churches have switched service times in order to conclude before sundown. “We are standing in prayer and in solidarity with those who are left here,” said Hamdy. “Those who are left here often think that they have been forgotten. We try to help them in any way we can.”Read the whole reflection here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7231.html Mon, 16 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Acts 7:55-60 for Sunday, May 22nd, 2011
Last week in Acts we read about the idyllic Christian community, where followers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers,” where “they had all things in common,” where “day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” In a reversal that calls to mind the familiar Easter pattern of Palm Sunday to Good Friday, this week hearers of Stephen’s vision of the glory of God and Jesus deliberately cover their ears, intentionally shutting out word of the good news. Stephen’s words also echo those of Jesus on the cross: “Into your hands, I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46). “Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

The Stoning of Stephen
Cologne CathedralStephen stepped out boldly and gave the kind of witness we might be shy of proclaiming even if the stakes were just personal embarrassment rather than life and death. The witnesses to his prophetic vision dragged him off, then stripped off their coats and laid them on the ground, the better to stone him. And Saul, who had not yet had his fateful encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus, stood by, a silent and presumably tacitly approving witness.

What do our lives bear witness to? What do we profess through our words, our actions, our interactions with those we encounter? Can those around us tell that we are part of a loving community actively reaching out to engage the world, to feed the hungry and bind up the wounds of the broken and suffering?

When do we stubbornly close our ears to the witness of others – when they don’t look like us? When they don’t sound like us? When we can’t credit what they’re saying, can’t accept that a vision of the glory of God is coming through them? When we label them “fundamentalist,” “homeless,” “other?”

What injustice and cruelty do we witness, standing silently by, giving tacit approval through our inaction? Lack of affordable health care? Lack of safe working conditions? Lack of simple human dignity?

What we witness, what we bear witnesses to – these things define us. We live within society, within the popular culture. We also live in God’s world, the body of Christ blessed and sent out to be God’s hands. May we be open to the witness of the world around us, the silent and the spoken, and may our witness reflect the love of God.
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Becky Withington is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7232.html Mon, 16 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Missed the Plymouth All Church Retreat? No worries, Kate W. has created a live report from the retreat.

Click here to check out her blog and learn about the fantastic workshops with Rev. Felix Carrion, the 3 questions that had people talking, and a report from the search committee. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7233.html Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Acts 2:42-47 and Psalm 23 for Sunday, May 15th, 2011
As we were studying this week’s texts, one of the wise scholars in my study group suggested intertwining the reading from Acts and the 23rd Psalm, verse by verse. The Acts reading bears powerful witness to the founding principles of what would become known as the Christian church, reflecting the ideal values of living in community. The well-known and loved 23rd Psalm bears witness to the ideal of individual human life lived secure in the knowledge of God’s loving care. Taken together, they suggest a way of community life made possible by individual faith and commitment (the verses from the Psalm are in bold type):

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

God makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.

God restores my soul and leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
All who believed were together and had all things in common;

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.
they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts,

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Individual and community life, lived in faith – one informs the other. Because God protects us, provides for us, restores us and blesses us, we are able to, and are called to, devote ourselves to formation and fellowship, table and prayer. We are able to, and called to, share with those in need, to worship together, and to praise God. This is at once how we are saved, and for what we are saved.

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Becky Withington is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7234.html Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 The Rev. Felix Carrion, coordinator of the "Still Speaking" initiative of the United Church of Christ, will be the keynote speaker at Plymouth's All Church Retreat this weekend at Pilgrim Firs and will join Plymouth Church in Seattle for worship on Sunday. Below is a video of Rev. Carrion talking about the Still Speaking campaign.


http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7235.html Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700
This weekend's Confirmation Spring retreat will be nestled in the Plymouth All Church Retreat. Here are a few final details for those who are attending.
Packing. In addition to the staples (i.e. change of clothes, toiletries, flashlight etc.) you will need: towel, bible, bathing suit (just in case), bathroom shoes, any prescription medication.If you are bringing prescription medication or have a medical condition we need to be aware of then please fill out the Pilgrim Firs Health Form which you can find by clicking here.The Confirmands will be staying with Joan G. and Brandon D. in the Huckleberry House.Friday dinner will be a simple dinner of pizza and salad. We won’t have a formal dinner time as people will arrive at different times on Friday evening.Bring your favorite board or card games, puzzles, or musical instruments.The retreat will end after a simple lunch at noon on Sunday.Directions to Pilgrim Firs can be found website.Mentors, if you are able to come then the best time to meet with your confirmands would be on Saturday at either 10:00am or 4:00pm.Please contact Brandon with any other questions.For those confirmands not attending the retreat you are invited to join with students in 221 at 10:00am to make lunch for Angeline's Center. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7236.html Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 During the 2010-2011 program year the Children and Youth Board at Plymouth implemented a lot of changes. As we plan for next fall we'd love to hear how you experienced those changes as a parent or a teacher or as one of the students.

The following survey is for those parents who had child in Pre-K through 6th grade programming, church school volunteers and teachers in the Pre-K though 6th grade classes or students in those classes.

The Children and Youth Board will use the data from this survey as one tool to plan for next year.

Click here to take survey http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7237.html Tue, 10 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Plymouth Church Vice Moderator Bob Turner provides some good information in preparation for this weekend's retreat.

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The All Church Retreat is this Friday through Sunday.

For those thinking of driving across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, I’ve heard there is construction on the interchange from I-5 to SR 16. I am not sure if this will present a problem on Friday and/or Sunday. You should check on it before deciding to drive through Tacoma.

Here is a link to Google Maps for the location of Pilgrim Firs.

It looks like a great retreat. Bring your enthusiasm! I’ll see you there.

Bob Turner
Bobt9876@gmail.com
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Bob has also provided a camper information page (including a tentative schedule for the adult program, children and confirmation will have somewhat different schedules) and driving directions to Pilgrim Firs.

Click here for the camper information page.
Click here for driving directions. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7238.html Wed, 04 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Luke 24:13-35 for Sunday, May 8, 2011
Another story of troubled hearts after Jesus’ crucifixion. After the joyous triumph of Easter, it’s only natural that we would to want to focus on the resurrection, on hatred and evil and death overcome. After the solemnity of Lent and the drama of the empty tomb, when everything from budding trees to soaring hymns is proclaiming that Christ is alive, alive, alive, it’s only natural that we would long to proclaim it to, and so we should.

At the same time, it’s important to remember that this was a confusing, chaotic and disheartening time for the earliest Christians, who did not even know themselves by that name yet. Only when the Spirit enters them at Pentecost are they truly filled with the power to take this faltering revolutionary movement and spread it to the ends of the known earth, the Mediterranean Basin.

By the time the gospels were written, Paul’s letters were already reaching the communities of Corinth, Thessalonica, and other strange yet familiar sounding places from the New Testament. Yet 50 to 100 years after Jesus’ death, even though Christianity was spreading, the communities that Luke and the other gospel writers were addressing were still facing persecution and living in fear. It’s likely that they could identify with the fear, sorrow and confusion of Jesus’ original followers, and likely that they would have been comforted by stories of Jesus’ appearances to his bereaved.

On the sometimes troubled paths we walk, when it doesn’t always feel like Easter morning, may we be comforted too. Even when we are doubting, disbelieving, confused, lost, grieving, Jesus walks alongside us. The essential Christian story remains the same. We meet face to face. We walk side by side. We gather around the table. May the scriptures be opened to us, may our hearts burn within us, may we say with Jesus’ companions, “Christ is risen indeed!”
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Becky Withington is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7239.html Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Check out this article by Bill Zook about the YF Spring Trip experience.

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On Sunday, May 8, the Adult Forum will focus on the Youth Forum (YF), specifically the group's recently completed camping trip to the Escure Ranch (try to find it on a map!) in eastern Washington. Whereas some years, our high school youth travel to distant places to be in mission, in the last few years such sojourns have alternated between distant places and places that are closer to Seattle, in which the focus is on one’s inward journey. In either case, upon YF's return to Seattle, an Adult Forum is always devoted to learning what took place and what it means, not only for those who went away but for the congregation of which they are a part.

This year a total of 14 Youth Forum members spent all or a portion of one week living very close to — and even off of — the land. At times, the weather was harsh, but the beauty of the remote surroundings proved to be a source of inspiration as well.
How does the literal wilderness compare with figurative wilderness times we all experience?

Of what significance is one wilderness area in comparison with others?

How much did it matter that the trip took place during Holy Week?

How did YF members’ experiences relate to Biblical accounts of the wilderness?
For thoughts on these and other questions, including those you are invited to ask, plan to attend this exploration of how a wilderness encounter can shape a person's faith journey.

Please join us at 10:00 a.m. in Hildebrand Hall this Sunday, May 8. —Bill Zook http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7241.html Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Rev. Da Vita McCallister serves as the Associate Conference Minister for Connecticut Conference where she focuses on Youth and Young Adult Ministry. Her keynote address during the 2011 Annual Meeting on "Connections, Reflections, Directions" was amazing.

Was it the best ever? Watch and decide.

Part 1 of 4


Part 2 of 4


Part 3 of 4


Part 4 of 4
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7242.html Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Anne K. from the 5th/6th grade class shares with us a beautiful reflection on the 23rd Challenge experience.---Psalm 23 Challenge Results

Congratulations to Iris L. and David S. who both learned the 23rd Psalm and recited it 23 times!

Anton C.-J. wrote his own version of the Psalm:
Psalm 23 According to Anton:
God will protect me.
God will give me a home, with food and water.
God helps me do the right thing.
God will protect me from evil people, and help me feel safe.
God gives a lot of drinks (water and juice) and food to me.
God loves me forever.
This was a powerful exercise not just for the kids, but for their teachers. I also learned Psalm 23 and now recite it when I do my daily exercises and on my commute to and from work. I find myself repeating it aloud or in my head whenever difficulties arise (which they do, regularly). Aside from being beautiful poetry, it is also practical. Remembering to take the time to allow God’s invitation to “make me lie down in green pastures and to “lead me beside still waters” really does restore my soul! And when it is tempting to join in gossip about some small injustice or annoyance, I can call up, “He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” and bite my tongue. When our dear friend Catherine lay in her hospital bed awaiting surgery for a brain tumor, she asked me about the 23rd Psalm challenge and an earlier comment that I had shared that the words, “Thou art always with me,” had brought me great comfort. At that point, Kael (who also learned the 23rd Psalm) and I held her hands and recited the Psalm to her and her mother, Margaret joined in. Later, she told me she had learned it as a child and was surprised that it had come back to her. That is what I wish for our 5th and 6th graders: that they, too, will carry Psalm 23 in their hearts and rely upon it to guide them in challenging times.

Confession: I unknowingly combined the NRSV and the King James version in the translation I shared with the 5th and 6th graders, so we all learned what I am now calling an “Annelation.” Kael later explained to me that the word “thou” is a more intimate form of “you” like “tu” instead of “vous” in French. The King James writers knew this would make a more intimate psalm and it works beautifully. An interesting article about the King James translation appeared in the NY Times a short time ago.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7243.html Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Last Christmas children from Plymouth had the opportunity to deliver poinsettias to our neighbors at Horizon House. It was a blessed time for all involved.

Last week members from Horizon House sent a thank you card to the Plymouth Sunday school program for the gift of poinsettias and presence.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7244.html Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 I am really enjoying the video vignettes from Brene Brown (University of Houston researcher). In this video she weaves together faith communities, parenting, and vulnerability in our culture, a thought provoking and stirring reflection. Maybe we can invite her to Plymouth.

FYI - The video below may not show on Windows Explorer. The video will play on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. I'm not sure why Explorer is being a stick in the mud. If you are using Windows and want to watch this short clip, then you can find it here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7245.html Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on John 20:19-31 for Sunday, May 1, 2011
Alleluia, Christ is risen! Hopefully you had an opportunity to attend worship on Easter Sunday, and hopefully your own spirit rose upon saying and hearing these words. As Christians, we are an Easter people. Everything hinges on this glorious affirmation of abundant life, the assurance of God’s everlasting love. The resurrection changes everything…and yet, when we turn on the evening news Sunday night or reach for the newspaper on Monday morning, it seems that it changes nothing. Greed, warfare, famine and all the ills of our world march on despite our exclamation of gratitude and joy, “Alleluia, Christ is risen!”

For Jesus’ followers at the empty tomb and in the upper room, Jesus’ horrific death did not seem like a change for the better. The King of David had not been restored to the throne. The Prince of Peace did not rule in Jerusalem, putting the Romans on the run. Instead, the disciples were on the run, huddled in fear behind a door locked against the local religious leaders who had given Jesus up to the Romans. Fear of persecution was still the order of the day, and had perhaps even intensified. Nothing had changed…and yet, everything had changed. Just as the tomb could not contain Jesus, a locked door could not shut him out.

When we cower in the darkness, when we bar the doors of our hearts, minds and spirits against all we fear, Jesus finds a way. In a familiar passage from the 10th chapter of John, Jesus says, “I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.” In keeping with the context of shepherding, the Greek word “thura” is translated here as “gate,” but a more accurate translation is “door,” the same noun used in John 20:19 and 20:26.


Jesus says, “I am the door.” The gospel author writes, “…these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” If you believe you may have life…how does that work? Is it a magical formula – all those who accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior will ascend to heaven for eternity and all those who don’t will not? Or by asking us to “believe,” is Jesus asking us for something else, something more? Again going back to the original language of the gospel, the Greek word for “believe” means to have faith in, to trust, to commit. Placing our faith in the good and the life-giving, trusting that God’s desire for us is abundant life, committing to follow Jesus through the locked doors of our fears and out into the world, we have life, new life, abundant life, in his name. Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia.

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Becky Withington is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7246.html Tue, 26 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Following the completion of our recent Communications Assessment, Plymouth Church is embarking upon an initiative to redevelop our web site. One of the most frequently relied-upon tools to communicate with members and visitors alike, the web site is also the “face” of Plymouth. As a result, it is important that it reflect who we are and what we stand for.

In order to allow the web site to reflect our collective identity, Plymouth will take part in two exercises that will support the development of a new brand. The first step will be a spiritual gifts inventory, designed to help Plymouth name and celebrate the spiritual gifts that are most strongly present in the congregation.
Step One: All are invited to take the Spiritual Gifts Survey you can find by clicking here:

Printed copies are available for those without internet access by calling the church office. The survey will close on May 6. Please take the survey before then.

Step Two: Plan to attend the May 10 All Boards night meeting, where the survey results will be presented and discussed. All Boards starts at 6:00m, and survey results will be discussed that evening. For those who cannot attend that evening, we will post a report online to share the results.

When you take the spiritual gifts survey there is an option for you also to score yourself on your own strongest spiritual gifts, and to use this information for your own spiritual formation. Otherwise, your responses will be collected with others’ and presented together. All responses to the survey are confidential.

In June, we will take a second step in the branding process using the language of archetypes. Questions? Please contact Wendy Blight wblight@plymouthchurchseattle.org or Kathleen Hosfeld, our communications consultant, hosfeld@hosfeldconsulting.com http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7247.html Tue, 26 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 The Congregational Council is delighted to announce the appointment of the Reverend Jane Sorenson to succeed Tom Stiers as Plymouth’s Interim Senior Minister. Jane will be at Plymouth part-time starting on April 27 and full-time starting at the All-church Retreat, May 13-15. She plans to serve as our Interim until Plymouth calls a new permanent Senior Minister.

The interim search committee sought recommendations from our Conference Minister, from Tom’s Search Committee, from Tom himself, and from other ministers in our congregation. Half of the identified candidates were from Washington and Oregon, while half were from other parts of the country. We were fortunate in identifying an excellent pool of candidates. The committee conducted face-to-face interviews with three finalists and heard all three preach, either in person or via audio files. While all three were highly qualified, Jane emerged as the committee’s clear first choice.

A Washington native and UW graduate, Jane has held positions on the office staffs of both University Congregational Church and the UCC’s Pacific Northwest Conference. She received her M.Div. degree from Seattle University in 2003 and was ordained that year. Her first call was as Senior Minister of Sunnyslope Church in Wenatchee, where she served for four years. In 2007 Jane moved to the west side of the Cascades to be closer to her husband, who serves as the Pastor of Monroe Congregational Church UCC, as well as her mother. After her move, Jane served as Interim Minister at Bellevue Congregational Church, followed by almost two years of service as Senior Interim Minister at First Congregational UCC in Bellingham.

The committee found Jane to be thoughtful, confident, and well-grounded, with a collegial working style and a great sense of humor. She is a strong, lectionary-based preacher. She has successfully guided congregations through short and long-term interim periods, and has provided clear, calm leadership in some exceptionally challenging circumstances. She is a good listener, well loved by the congregations she has served, and comes to us with glowing references from clergy, staff, and laypersons alike. We are excited to welcome her to Plymouth.

—Catie Wilson, Plymouth Church Moderator http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7248.html Tue, 26 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This Sunday after the 11:00 worship members from Plymouth are invited to join with Casa Latina in the March for Worker's Rights and Immigration Reform.

Check out the invitation below from Jamie Shilling.

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Families off all ages are invited to two post-church events this Sunday, May 1st to support the March for Worker's Rights and Immigration Reform:

In Hildebrand Hall: Join the "Plymouth Rally", making signs and noise makers and singing a few songs. Those staying to go on the March are welcome to the "sandwich table". There will be people from the UCC annual conference joining the preparation. Please join with your children in the activities and contribute in this creative "send off" for those going on the March!

The March: Around 1:30pm we will be leaving to join up with families from Casa Latina, as the March progresses along 3rd Avenue through downtown Seattle! The March ends at the Seattle Center Staduim where the city-wide rally will begin around 3:00pm. Families may wish to join a short portion of the parade! It doesn't matter how far you walk, for it is a "faith-forming" walk in solidarity with our friends from Casa Latina, and for those in our country that are most marginalized! Of course it is also great fun to walk down the center of the street, a time of "one-ness in diversity!"

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A Note Re: Parking
As we finish our sign painting after 12:15 pm, and head to the May Day March we will not be able to re-enter the building later, but our Plymouth garage entrance will be open until 4 pm (and then you can drive out per usual, as the exit gate goes up via the pressure pad.)

If you parked in IBM this morning, be sure to shift your car over to Plymouth parking garage. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7249.html Mon, 25 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 How do we see the spirit of God present in our everyday world? Each week writers for the Seasons curriculum lift up international news stories and current events that correlate to the lectionary passage for that particular Sunday. They call this linking of current events and scripture Spirit Sightings.

Even in this joyous season of Eastertide, Australian minister and writer Bruce Grindlay reflects on the story of doubting Thomas found in the gospel of John and how our indifference to climate change and environmental destruction
Jesus didn’t berate Thomas. For Jesus doubt wasn’t an enemy. Jesus breathed on the disciples, giving to them peace and God’s Spirit, and sent them forth to witness to God’s saving love. Included in that witness they were to offer a warning of the danger of continuing in disobedient ways. Jesus was reminding them that indifference rather than doubt is the greater denial.

For Clive Hamilton and others the danger is not that people may doubt or even deny climate change. The real danger is to be indifferent before the dreadful consequences that may result from such denying.Read the whole reflection here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7250.html Mon, 25 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Though Handel's Messiah is usually thought of as a Christmas piece, it actually follows the entire story of Christ - from the prophecies in Isaiah to birth, crucifixion, resurrection and final triumph. Handel wrote the entire oratorio in just 24 days, and it premiered during Lent in the spring of 1742. The Hallelujah Chorus celebrates the resurrection, and is a joyous soundtrack to this season of Eastertide.

A creative elementary class in Quinhagak, Alaska (population 555) made this video of the Hallelujah Chorus last December. Turn up the volume and sing along!



http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7251.html Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 University of Houston researcher Brene Brown talks about why the church should be more like a midwife than an epidural. If you like this video then I recommend her video on why grace is not attractive.

FYI - The video below may not show on Windows Explorer. The video will play on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. I'm not sure why Explorer is being a stick in the mud. If you are using Windows and want to watch this short clip, then you can find it here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7252.html Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This year observances collide as Good Friday and Earth Day share April 22nd. Check out this article from a pastor in Spokane on how these two days actually work in concert. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7253.html Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 I spent the evening of Palm Sunday as well as Monday and Tuesday with the YF on their spring trip at Escure Ranch. One of the many things that impressed me about the youth was their understanding of environmental issues.

Below is a posting regarding a workshop with Sustainable Seattle on raising environmentally conscious kids. Perhaps this is a resource that would fit for your family?

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This dynamic and interactive workshop is designed to empower parents, teachers, and guardians to help children embrace their connection to the Earth and make choices that are compassionate, sustainable, and respectful. Participants will be asked to reflect on how they do and can model the principles of living consciously, while learning the four elements of humane education and how they can be applied to successfully raising the next generation of planetary citizens.

The workshop is taught by Gina Diamond-a mom and an eco lifestyle coach-who is dedicated and passionate about teaching people how to parent intentionally so that we can co-create a healthy, sustainable, and peaceful future for all.

Gina has over 15 years experience working as a creative environmental educator and a compassionate life coach. She is passionate about bringing out the best human qualities in her clients and she enjoys helping people make the connection between personal health and global healing. Using a holistic approach, her work combines environmental sustainability principles, best educational practices, and human development strategies.

For more information and to register online, click here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7254.html Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 What a fantastic Family Worship Service we experienced on Palm Sunday. We are continuing our Holy Week celebrations with another Family Worship Service on Easter morning. Check out the note from Linda below regarding coordination for that morning.---
Thanks, in advance, for making it possible for your children to be involved in the Easter festivities.I'd like to give you a schedule of upcoming activities, and I understand that people will attend as they are able. FOCUS children---PLEASE PLAN TO MEET IN THE SANCTUARY AT 8:30AM ON SUNDAY MORNING to rehearse the gospel enactment, Easter Alleluia, and hymn verse. CHILDREN'S CHOIR---Please meet in the sanctuary at 8:20am Sunday morning to practice our anthem with Caroline--these 10minutes are our only chance to rehearse, so please be punctual! There is an Easter egg hunt between the Sunday services (Robin and Didi say that there are 'a LOT of eggs' hidden already on the 3rd floor!!---fortunately, they are made of chocolate) Please stay for the beginning of the second service (children's choir anthem and Easter Alleluia--Focus and youth). Thanks to all of you,Linda http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7255.html Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Gethsemane
They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And he said to them, "I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake."

And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. He said, "Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want."

He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.

And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him.

He came a third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand."
-Mark 14:32-42

Gethsemane

The grass never sleeps.
Or the roses.
Nor does the lily have a secret eye that shuts until morning.

Jesus said, wait with me. But the disciples slept.

The cricket has such splended fringe on its feet,
and it sings, have you noticed, with its whole body,
and heaven knows if it ever sleeps.

Jesus said, wait with me. And maybe the stars did,maybe the wind wound itself into a silver tree,and didn't move, maybe the lake far away,where once he walked as on a blue pavement,
lay still and waited, wild awake.

Oh the dear bodies, slumped and eye-shut, that could not
keep that vigil, how they must have wept,
so utterly human, knowing this too
must be part of the story.

-Mary Oliver
from her collection of poems, "Thirst" http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7256.html Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Check out the note from Pastor Lauren below regarding Plymouth's beautiful Easter morning tradition.

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Bring a flower Easter morning to adorn our cross!

Please accept this annual invitation to bring a flower from your garden, or pick one up to bring with you as you arrive at church Easter Sunday morning.

All ages are welcome to help with our tradition to adorn our wooden cross before the 9 AM and 11 AM worship services.

~Pastor Lauren http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7258.html Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Reflection on Matthew 28:1-10 for Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011
Imagine it – you’ve brought the body of your loved one to those who will prepare it for burial. You’re overcome with grief. You spend a sleepless night remembering, regretting, longing. The next morning, exhausted and with a heavy heart, you return to say your last goodbyes. But the unimaginable has happened. The coffin in the viewing room is…empty. The body, the one last physical link to the person you loved so dearly, is gone, and no one knows where. Your first reaction might not be unadulterated joy. The first words from your lips might not be, “hosanna!” or “hallelujah!” Like those who gathered around the empty tomb, you might react with fear and confusion.

Mark’s gospel, which scholars believe to be the earliest Biblical account of Jesus’ life and death, offers the shortest and bluntest account. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and a third woman named Salome brought spices to the tomb the morning after Jesus’ death to anoint his body. When they were met by a young man who explained to them that Jesus has been raised and is not there, “they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” There are another fourteen disputed verses tacked onto Mark’s gospel, but the explanation favored by most scholars is that the gospel simply ended with the women fleeing the empty tomb, and the additional verses were added later to soften the ending.

Matthew’s account, chosen for this year’s Easter Sunday, provides more reassurance and leaves less to the imagination. Mary Magdalene and 'the other Mary' see an angel descend from heaven and roll the stone away, all the while giving them an explanation for the body’s disappearance and instructions to tell the disciples that Jesus has been raised from the dead. Even so, they set off to find the other disciples with fear as well as joy. In John's and Luke’s versions, weeping, fear and confusion also figure into the discovery that Jesus’ body has disappeared from the tomb.

The resurrection is shocking, disturbing, and terrifying. New life, life renewed, is like that. If you’ve ever had the sudden realization, the sudden sure knowledge that whatever you believed was holding you back, weighing you down, limiting the expansiveness of love and creativity in your life has been stripped away, your first reaction may not have been joy, but fear. Freedom is shocking, disturbing, and terrifying. God, through the resurrection, confounds and baffles us and sweeps away all our “yeah buts..." in one unparalleled gesture of new life and everlasting love. Jesus lives, and we live, as fully and fearlessly as we dare to. The stone entombing our life force has been rolled away. The weight on our heart has been pushed aside. “Something’s missing,” our old selves grieve, looking about in fear and confusion for what we’ve lost, but that which we have lost, death and fear of death, have disappeared and have been replaced by the risen Christ.

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Becky Withington is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7259.html Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 How do we see the spirit of God present in our everyday world? Each week writers for the Seasons curriculum lift up international news stories and current events that correlate to the lectionary passage for that particular Sunday. They call this linking of current events and scripture Spirit Sightings.

As we walk through Holy Week towards Easter, Australian minister and writer Bruce Grindlay reflects on the Easter story in Matthew and how our modern consumer culture conflicts with our holy proclamation that "Christ is Risen!"
The five-day Easter long-weekend will be chock-a-block full with sporting and national observances as well as extended shop-trading hours, and the promise of “sales, sales, sales.” And in the midst of this Christians will be observing two of the most important days in their faith life, Good Friday and Easter Day. The glorious celebration of Easter Sunday will now have to compete with a cacophony of the marketplace. People will have to choose between attending church and going to work.Read the whole reflection here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7260.html Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Do you receive the Still Speaking daily devotional from the UCC writers' group? After witnessing some palm sword-fighting in church yesterday, this recent reflection by Lillian Daniel seemed especially appropriate.
One Palm Sunday early in my ministry, the children were all at the front of the church for a children's sermon being given by my colleague. His words were thoughtful and well-planned. There was only one, small problem. The children had all been given their palms before coming forward. So no matter what the minister talked about, they had something much more interesting in their hands: a sword. First one little boy thrust his palm frond into the head of another, who cried out with a loud, "Ouch, what was that? Then he decided to try out his palm frond on the girl next to him. She shrieked, at first in shock and then in delight. Why didn't they get these neat swords every Sunday? Soon, every kid seemed to be either dodging or stabbing a palm into another kid's eye, all while the pastor spoke to them about Christ's never-ending love and kindness. It was a microcosm of the real Palm Sunday story. A leader enters in triumph but the people are fickle. They turn on him, and then upon one another. One minute Jesus is the object of their cries of admiration, the next they are crying "Crucify him." Children poking each other with palms in church are kind of funny. Especially when you're not the pastor giving the children's sermon that day. But grown-ups who turn on each other without a second thought are scary. Beware of the crowds that get whipped up in praise and adoration, for they could just as quickly get whipped up in hatred and cruelty. That's what happened on Palm Sunday to Jesus, and it could happen anywhere on earth today There's a neat trick to folding the palm fronds in just the right way so that they become crosses. You learn how to do it here. Let's turn our palms into crosses so we won't be tempted to use them as swords.

Click here to sign up for the daily devotionals.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7261.html Fri, 15 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Not registered for Annual Meeting but still want to worship with your sisters and brothers in the pacific northwest conference? No problem.

Check out the note below from Rev. Kent French Lead Pastor at First Congregational Church UCC, Bellingham and coordinator of the Annual Meeting worship.

BTW, did I mention that the Plymouth Choir will be assisting in leading worship at Annual Meeting?

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Join us for worship on both Friday and Saturday evenings at 7pm at University Presbyterian Church. You do not need to be registered for Annual Meeting in order to attend.

Here's the Info
As we are not having Sunday morning worship this year, we want to encourage as many people as possible to join us on Saturday evening. This will be an exciting evening of Spirit-filled worship.

On Friday night, we will hear our guest keynote speaker and one of our denomination's most powerful preachers, the Reverend Da Vita "Day" McCallister, teach us about "The Pelican and the Grasshopper."

Our musical guests for the service will be the fantastic Total Experience Gospel Choir.

On Saturday night, our Conference Minister, Rev. Mike Denton, will lead communion and preach along with two dynamic members of our Conference.

Heidi Blythe, the Director of Music at University Congregational, has brought together a dynamic and eclectic array of musicians for our festival worship, including:

the combined choirs of Bellevue UCC, Plymouth Congregational, Prospect UCC and University Congregational UCC with singers from the Pacific Northwest Conference of the UCCa brass quinteta jazz comboa Japanese marimbist andnationally acclaimed organist, Dr. Doug Cleveland of Plymouth Congregational (Yay Doug!)
You will want to encourage your key worship leaders to attend to be inspired and fortified.

In order to accommodate as many people as possible, we are holding worship at University Presbyterian Church (4540 15th Avenue, NE, Seattle, adjacent to University Congregational)

Best parking location is the north lots at UW. Take NE 45th St, and turn south on 17th Ave NE. Once past the gate house, either turn right and park near or behind the Burke Museum, and cross 45th at 15th. Or, once past the gate house, turn left and park in the lot on your left, and cross 45th at 17th. Parking fees at UW north lots are $5 for Friday evening and Saturday morning, free after noon on Saturday.

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I hope you come for this once a year worship experience with members of the United Church of Christ from around the Pacific Northwest region. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7262.html Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 More than 150 congregations responded to the call to tell their stories as a part of the "Imagine What’s Possible" contest. Choosing a handful of winners became a difficult task. But, in the end, one winner from each of the UCC's six geographic regions was chosen to be recognized for working to make a dreamed possibility into a reality.

One of those winners was Everett UCC! Yay Everett!

Read the whole story here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7263.html Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 The partaking of holy communion in our church is a wonderful celebration. The opportunity to share in the administration of the bread and the cup is a blessed experience. Check out the note from Ruth Williamson regarding the opportunity to serve from table of Christ.
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Adult opportunity--We're creating a pool of willing and able communion servers, and would love to have parents of children in the Church School among those who serve at the 11am service. Participating is not a long-term or even a specific commitment, it indicates a willingness to be asked to serve communion on a particular Sunday and to say yes about once a year. The current schedule is that communion is served the first Sunday of each month, with a few case-by-case exceptions. Most months are by intinction at the front, and two or three times a year communion is served in the pews. Email Ruth Williamson at willrek@seanet.com if you would like to be asked to participate periodically. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7264.html Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This summer the Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation (WWFOR) is offering a Peace Activist Trainee program for youth this summer.

WWFOR seeks to replace violence, war, racism and economic injustice with nonviolence, equality, peace and justice. It links and and strengthens FOR members and chapters throughout Western Washington in promoting activities consistent with the national FOR statement of purpose. WWFOR helps members and chapters accomplish together what we could not accomplish alone. FOR is a faith-based, interfaith, pacifist organization which works on a variety of peace and justice issues.

See the FAQ about the Peace Activist Trainee program below.

What is the PAT Program?
The PAT program is a paid month-long summer program for high school students who want to gain skills in organizing for peace and social justice. It’s designed to help you develop your voice to create change in your community. It is run by Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation (WWFOR) staff with the partnership of the Abe Keller Peace Education Fund. We learn about peace and justice issues, the practice of non-violence, and gain skills such as public speaking, group leadership, creating videos, conducting surveys, public relations, outreach, and lobbying. We meet individual activists, visit organizations, are introduced to current hot issues, and are mentored by older, more experienced activists.

An important part of the program is when students work together to create an activist project that puts the knowledge they are gaining into action in the community. Past group projects have focused on topics such as homelessness, police accountability, racism in Seattle, what is terrorism, the military in schools, the war in Iraq, and nonviolence.

So far, the PAT program has graduated 55 high school students from the greater Seattle area. After returning to their schools, PAT graduates have put what they learned into practice, including raising funds for a girls’ school in Afghanistan, launching a school peace group, directing an all-day Martin Luther King Day event, helping organize a city-wide walk-out in opposition to the Iraq war, limiting the Junior ROTC in the school, raising funds for aid to Katrina victims, being a panel member at a large event on the illegality of the Iraq war, and co-teaching a high school class on social change.

The PAT program is challenging, fun, intense, and relaxed. It’s a whirlwind of learning that will leave you inspired to work, along with your new friends, to make your world a better place!

Who participates?
This program is for students who have finished their sophomore and junior high school years from the greater Seattle area. It is for folks who have an interest and passion for peace and justice issues, and who want to learn more about how to work to change their communities. Students often have a variety of previous experiences, so don’t worry if you haven’t done much organizing before. If you have read this far and are still interested, this program may be for you!

What is the schedule?
The program will run for four weeks, from July 5-28, 2011. We’ll meet five hours per day, from 10am-3pm, four days per week. The first week will be Tuesday to Friday (July 5-8) and the following three weeks will be Monday to Thursday (July 11-28).

The days are usually divided up into a morning and afternoon session, with a lunch break. We ask that trainees bring their lunch with them, as there is not enough time to go out for lunch. We will usually start and end the day at Woodland Park Presbyterian Church, at 70th and Greenwood in Seattle, where WWFOR rents an office. If we end the day elsewhere, we will make arrangements to return students to the office if needed.

In addition, participants and staff will jointly schedule two evening events: a dinner for family and supporters and a group project event. After the summer program is over, PATs and staff get together to hang out, catch up, and attend each other’s special events.

What will we do?
We will meet activists, participate in workshops, visit organizations, listen to people on the street, communicate with a person in power, speak in public, and create and complete a group project. We will work at the WWFOR office, on the street, and various other sites. We will cover a wide range of topics and skills, and you will have time to do your own work.

Who is leading it?
A core group of adult leaders run the program. Ellen Finkelstein and Kaeley Pruitt-Hamm (a graduate of the program) will serve as the coordinators and facilitators. Mike and Ruth Yarrow will also often lead trainings and exercises. Marcia Mullins and Sara Rinehart also provide support with the office, logistics, and other things. In addition, we bring in outside speakers with specific areas of expertise.

Can I get school credit?
If you want to get independent study, internship, and/or service-learning credits for your high school, we can work to arrange it with you and your school. We are willing to serve as supervisors for these sorts of programs. If you are interested in doing that, please ask your school about their requirements and procedure, then talk to us!

What about pay?
You will receive a $500 stipend for their time. If you opt to pursue school credit or partial credit, you will probably not be paid for those hours. (This may vary by school.)

How do I apply?
You can download the application form by clicking here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7265.html Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 How do we see the spirit of God present in our everyday world? Each week writers for the Seasons curriculum lift up international news stories and current events that correlate to the lectionary passage for that particular Sunday. They call this linking of current events and scripture Spirit Sightings.

This week's Palm Sunday story in Matthew takes us to the streets of Jerusalem, where people take to the streets to greet a new leader. Australian minister and writer Bruce Grindlay reflects on how we have seen that same story in other cities across the Middle East in recent months.
Some 2,000 years ago a people lived under the domination of the Roman Empire, a cruel and violent oppressor. These people also found themselves under the stultifying domination of their own political, and religious, classes. Their social, political and religious life, their entire being was grinding them down. They were looking for a savior, someone to free them from their oppression. Into their midst came an itinerant preacher and teacher, not one with power and might but with humility. But there was something about him, something that made the crowds join in a street procession, crying out, “Hosanna!” and “Save us now.”Today, crowds in the countries of the Middle East are marching and crying out. Like those in Jerusalem 2000 years ago, these people are also looking for political liberation. They are crying out for salvation from oppressive regimes.Read the whole reflection here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7267.html Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Entry of Christ Into Jersusalem (Wilhelm Morgner, 1912)Reflection on Matthew 21:1-11 and Matthew 27:11–54 for Sunday, April 17, 2011
The Revised Common Lectionary lists two passages from Matthew for this Sunday, one depicting Jesus’ triumphant ride into Jerusalem, which focuses on the Palm Sunday aspect of the Sunday before Easter, and one describing Jesus’ trial and crucifixion, which focuses on the passion side of Palm/Passion Sunday.

Matthew 21:8-9 from the Palm Sunday story reads “A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’”

The online version of the New Revised Standard Version Bible that I use provides a grim outline of Jesus’ passion in the form of paragraph headings in bold type:
Pilate Questions Jesus
Barabbas or Jesus?
Pilate Hands Jesus over to Be Crucified
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
The Crucifixion of Jesus
The Death of JesusWhich one would you rather write about? Which one would you rather read about? Which one would you rather think about? Like the prayer of confession, the crucifixion makes most of us uncomfortable. But as one of our previous Plymouth pastors remarked, “You can’t get to Easter without going through the crucifixion.”

Besides the ghastly nature of Jesus’ death, for most of us the discomfort arises from the theological notion of substitutionary atonement, the idea that God sent Jesus to die in our place to atone for our sinfulness. This atonement theology raises several thorny theological issues: Are we so evil in God’s eyes that we deserve to die? What kind of a God would punish humanity for their human frailty with death? What kind of a God would sacrifice an only son to die in our place?

While this understanding of the crucifixion, developed and expanded upon by early Western theologians, may be the only atonement theology many of us have been exposed to, it isn’t the only Christian understanding of the crucifixion, its meaning and purpose. Breaking down the word atonement into its component parts reveals at-onement, union with God. God became present in our midst, God-with-us, Emmanuel, to walk side by side with us, as one of us. God in the person of Jesus experienced the entire range of human suffering, even abandonment, even death. There is no place of human darkness where God draws the line and says, “Uh-uh, I’m God. I don’t go there.” God goes all the way with us, to be at-one with us, no matter what the cost.

Even as Jesus rides into Jerusalem on the cloaks and palm leaves strewn by the ardent crowds who extol him as the Son of David, he knows this path leads to betrayal, suffering and death. Jesus, terrified, human, prays to be released from his fate. But Jesus, all-loving, divine, knows that he must go all the way to the cross and knows that death doesn’t have the final word. As Jesus enters Jerusalem, let us walk those last miles alongside him, faithfully and fearfully, believing we will come out alive and at one with him on the other side.~~~~
Becky Withington is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7268.html Fri, 08 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 In this video Walter Breuggemann speaks about the season of Lent, the coming of Eastertide, and contemporary culture. It is a great reflection to close out this Lenten season and prepare us for Holy Week.
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FYI - The video does not seem to be showing on Windows Explorer. The video will play on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. I'm not sure why Explorer is being a stick in the mud. If you are using Windows and want to watch this short clip, then you can find it here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7269.html Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 How do we see the spirit of God present in our everyday world? Each week writers for the Seasons curriculum lift up international news stories and current events that correlate to the lectionary passage for that particular Sunday. They call this linking of current events and scripture Spirit Sightings.



This week's Ezekiel passage focuses on revival after a seemingly endless drought. Sandra Rooney intertwines the lectionary text with the creation of a new state in South Sudan. She writes of the burgeoning hope of Sudanese refugees around the world, as they make plans to return home after years of exile.
Included in the 2005 peace agreement was the provision for a referendum to be held in five years. In that referendum, held January 9–15 of this year, 98.83% of more than 3.8 million registered voters in southern Sudan voted to separate from the north. While voter registration sites had been set up in the United States, Europe, and Australia for southern Sudanese living overseas, many of the “Lost Boys” still returned to their homeland to cast their votes there. “We want to be in Sudan to feel that connection, to look at the graves, to think about the fallen,” said Valentino Achak Deng, who has written of his experience in the book “What Is the What?” Read the whole reflection here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7270.html Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 The Plymouth All Church Retreat is about a month away. Vice Moderator, Bob Turner provides an overview of this year's retreat.

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What Should Plymouth’s Future Look Like?

Make plans to join fellow Plymouth folks from Friday evening, May 13 – Sunday afternoon, May 15 at beautiful Pilgrim Firs for what will be a spirit filled time of reflection, fun, connection, and inspiration!

As we look to our future with a new Sr. Minister we can drift—or we can reflect creatively on the future we want to have for Plymouth. We can be moving Plymouth forward before the new Sr. Minister arrives. Let’s get ready up to work with our new Sr. Minister in moving Plymouth into an exciting future.

Leading our reflection and challenging us will be the Rev. Felix Carrion, Coordinator of The Stillspeaking Ministry for the United Church of Christ.

Of course, this is an All Church Retreat. We will have a program for Children; the Confirmation Class will be there as well as the Youth Fellowship Ministry. Childcare will be available during the Saturday discussion sessions so parents can participate.
Former moderator David Guthrie will provide an update on the Sr. Minister Search.

Hits from last year’s retreat will be repeated; get acquainted activities on Friday night lead by Clare, Helen and Lauren; walks, rest, reading or canoeing time; and intergenerational square dancing on Saturday night lead by Diane. We won’t be serious all the time!

It will be a wonderful weekend for all ages. Registration for the retreat will continue for the next two Sundays, April 17th and 24th, in between services and after the 11:00 service.

All are invited and welcome – please join us for a wonderful retreat weekend!
—Bob Turner http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7271.html Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This year the Worship, Arts, and Music Board has hosted workshops preparing us for the coming liturgical season. This service continues with the Eastertide Season Liturgy Workshop. See the notice from the WAM board below.---
Eastertide Season Liturgy Workshop, Saturday April 16 10am-1pm
The Sundays between Easter up to and including Pentecost are the most profound celebration of the mystery of Christ. But, have you ever wondered why we wear white and gold in the choir loft and at the pulpit during the Easter season?
Do you know how the early church resolved to celebrate this Eastertide season or that it was a time used for the education and enlightenment of new church members?
Did you know that this same season is celebrated by the men and women of the Jewish tradition as the Counting of the Omer?

If these or other questions about the liturgical celebration of Eastertide, its scriptural beginnings and worship traditions interests you, then please check your calendar and see if you are available Saturday April 16 from 10am to 1pm for an Eastertide Liturgy Workshop being presented by Rev. Dr. Thomas Stiers and Rev. Brandon Duran. We will be digging into these questions and examining how to faithfully approach it by praying, reading and examining the scripture lessons for the season, and thinking creatively about Christian worship during Eastertide.
You can sign-up at the church office or between services April 2 & 9.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7272.html Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 All children in elementary school and younger are invited to participate in an egg hunt on Easter Sunday after the 9:00 service! The hunt will be on the 3rd floor and will take place between the two services on Easter morning. Didi Proctor will be shaping and leading this fun event. If you have any questions please contact her at shirleyurjoking@yahoo.com or call Brandon in the Plymouth office.

The Plymouth community is encouraged to recycle plastic eggs from previous hunts by bringing them to church by Palm Sunday. There will be a bin at the kiosk ready to receive your plastic eggs. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7273.html Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Ezekiel 37:1-14 for Sunday, April 10, 2011
What is your valley of dry bones? We’ve all traveled through at least one. For many of us it’s an experience of personal loss, be it loss of loved ones, relationships, abilities or hope. Even those few who have not had to walk through the dark valley of one kind of personal loss or another walk with all humanity through the boneyards of environmental devastation, the graveyards of genocide and crimes against humanity that we as a people have wrought upon the earth.

When confronted with the pain of all we have lost, we might be tempted to say as the house of Israel said in Ezekiel’s vision, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” When God asks us, “Can these bones live?” we may answer as Ezekiel did, “Oh Lord God, you know.” Ezekiel’s response may suggest resignation or despair, but as revealed in Ezekiel’s vision, God does know that yes, these dried up bones, seemingly devoid of any sign of life, can indeed live. Through the word of God, the breath of God, God’s people are restored.

Monday, April 4th marked the 43rd anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr. Those bones, deeply mourned and much beloved, have been buried in the ground for several decades. But the movement he galvanized, the hope he awakened, live on. The struggle to achieve Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of a nation where all are judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character lives on.

As the first anniversary of an environmental tragedy, the April 20th blowout on the Deepwater Horizon, approaches, restoration efforts continue in the Gulf of Mexico. An independent report released February 2, 2011 predicted the gulf will recover sometime in 2012. In the midst of death, in the darkest valley, new life. Meanwhile BP is already in talks with the Interior Department about permits to resume deep-water drilling in the gulf. It seems that even as the life of the gulf is restored, it is threatened by human greed and dependence on oil.

As these events, anniversaries marking the loss of a great civil rights leader, the loss of marine life, human life and livelihoods in the Deepwater Horizon disaster, and countless others, converge with our annual Christian observance of the death and resurrection of Jesus, God calls upon us again to choose life over death.

As Martin Luther King Jr. exhorted in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, “Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.” As the 23rd psalm assured us last week, even though we walk through the darkest valley, we need fear no evil, knowing that God is with us. Through the prophet Ezekiel, God has promised us, “I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live.”
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Becky Withington is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7274.html Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7275.html Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 This week we celebrate communion and in honor of our gathering around the table of Christ I thought I'd share this simple upbeat video from the The Work of the People.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7276.html Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 We've all heard the phrase, “A song in your heart” but how about, “A Psalm in your heart”?

This Lent, our 5th and 6th graders are exploring this psalm through games and drama before committing it to memory so that they will carry it in their hearts and lean into it in times of need. We are calling it “The 23rd Challenge”’ and here’s how it works:

Each 5th/6th grader who chooses to do so will learn the 23rd Psalm by heart and find 20 people to recite it to. You can help them by following along on the card he or she gives you and, if successful, signs your name on the card. Once a week on the blog and in the elevators we will post an update. Our goal is to have a minimum of 150 listeners listed by Palm Sunday, April 17th.

By the way, you too are invited to take the challenge. All listeners will receive a sticker that says, “I heard the 23rd” and all who successfully recite it will receive stickers that state: “I learned the 23rd!"

Even better: Let’s talk about it!
What are your green pastures?
What restores your soul?
How does God lead you in paths of righteousness?
What are your dark valleys?
How does your cup overflow?
What does it mean to live in the house of the Lord?Pick a question and add your voice in the comment section below. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7277.html Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Some of our friends from University Congregational UCC have created videos inviting us to the Annual Meeting. Check out some of the videos and get an overview of the Annual Meeting in the recap below.









So just to summarize Annual Meeting 2011 at University Congregational in Seattle.

AM.2011 - Keynote Speaker Rev Da Vita McCallister
AM.2011 - Workshops
AM.2011 - Youth Program
AM.2011 - Offering hospitality to those coming from across the state
AM.2011 - Registration http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7278.html Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/march/hymnsthatkeepgoing.html http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7279.html Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 A few weeks ago, Sue Eastgaard spoke at the Plymouth forum about youth suicide prevention. Now, from the national UCC office, comes a new resource: Stop Bullying This Lent: A Guide for Sunday School, and Stop Bullying This Lent: A Guide for Parents & Mentors. Rev. Elsa A. Peters created these resources, grounded in the weekly lectionary, for her church, First Congregational United Church of Christ in South Portland, Maine. Take a look at them and see how you might incorporate some of the activities and discussions with the children in your life.

For this week, the fourth in Lent, focusing on Psalm 23:
The Psalmist invites us to imagine God as our shepherd. These are deeply loved words that remind us that God is always with us. Invite the children to put these words in their own words so that they can remember these words when they need God most. Recall together how important the words we use can be. They can hurt and they can bless. Invite each child to choose words that matter to them. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7280.html Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 How do we see the spirit of God present in our everyday world? Each week writers for the Seasons curriculum lift up international news stories and current events that correlate to the lectionary passage for that particular Sunday. They call this linking of current events and scripture Spirit Sightings.



As the lectionary takes us to the familiar Psalm 23 this week, writer Sandra Rooney reflects on the ongoing disaster in Japan, and how in times of tragedy, shepherds emerge from among us, protecting and caring for the vulnerable.
One story, among thousands, tells of a young man, Yuta Saga, who was picking up broken cups, after the earthquake, when he heard sirens and the screams of “tsunami.” He grabbed his mother’s arm and pulled her with him to the junior high school, the tallest building around. In the streets panicked drivers crashed into one another. When Saga and his mother reached the school they found the stairwell clogged with older people who appeared not to have the strength to climb the stairs. Younger people began pushing and shoving in their panic to reach the roof. The old people simply couldn’t save themselves. Saga saw one older woman sitting on a step as the water rose around her. He grabbed her under her arms, lifted her up and another person grabbed her. Soon a human chain was lifting older people and some children to the top. Read the whole reflection here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7281.html Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Psalm 23 for Sunday, April 3, 2011
This is the psalm my grandmother used to recite aloud almost every day. I learned it without conscious effort just from hearing her repeat it so often when I was visiting her. It was part of the goodness of staying on grandma’s farm, like the Nestle’s Quik mixed with milk fresh from the cow and the sweet baby vegetables we ate off the vine in her garden. I still hear the King James Version in my head (Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me…) and when I recite it out loud with others I speak a mish-mash of yous and yours and thous and thys.

But for me, the point of this psalm/prayer is that it doesn’t matter how well or poorly you speak it. It doesn’t matter how inarticulately you sputter it out, or even if you just hear it silently in your own head. These are words of comfort and assurance that people have reached for in times of duress and despair for millennia, in every tongue under the sun.

Long before the gospel writers recorded Jesus’ self-identification as the Good Shepherd, God’s people found comfort in the image of God as shepherd. David paints a vivid pastoral vision of protection and sufficiency of need. But God’s comfort, God’s protection, transcends the physical. God restores our souls. God saves us from evil. God anoints us as God’s own.

Even in the midst of the pain, the turmoil, the negative powers that surround us day to day, God lays out a banquet, a table plunked down right in the presence of those who might resent us or wish us ill or seek to tear us down. Seated at God’s table, surrounded by loved ones, we are so immune to these forces that our only response can be to invite the naysayers to join us in partaking of the largess of God.

On communion Sunday, I am particularly aware of the table that God sets for us right in the middle of everything, for all to see. The table where there is a place for everyone, and everyone has enough. In the presence of Christ, embodying Christ, in deep communion with God and with one another, surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, and we shall dwell in the house of God our whole lives long.

~~~~
Becky Withington is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7282.html Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 For the first time in 15 years the Annual Meeting of the UCC churches in the pacific northwest will be gathering west of the Cascades. We are excited that for this momentous occasion the Rev. Da Vita McCallister will be the keynote speaker on the theme:

Connections - Reflections - Directions
In the Connecticut Conference Rev. McCallister supports and equips youth workers and ministers, building a youth leadership movement that is multicultural and multiracial. Her ministry inspires local churches and the Conference to join in the ways God calls young people to leadership in the church.

Known as "Day," Rev. McCallister has more than 20 years' experience working in youth and young adult ministries. Check out the videos below to get a sense of the good news she is called to share and join with us in our excitement to welcome her here this April.

To learn more about the Annual Meeting (April 29 - May 1) click here.



http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7283.html Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Last week I attended the periodic a clergy ethics training course needed to maintain standing in our conference. This year the curriculum added a new element regarding guidelines for digital communication. We explored the Connecticut Conference internet safety guidelines. I appreciated the update and I wondered if/how we could adopt something similar (your input in the comment section below is welcome). The conversation also gave me time to reflect again on the ways we work to maintain a safe church environment for the children at Plymouth.

We have good practices and policies in place such as background checks and multiple adults with children. Creating a gracious and safe church requires the work of the entire community. A key component is the check-in process. Most of the children of Plymouth are very familiar with the building and can navigate it (especially the staircase) with great ease. Nonetheless, we do well in maintaining a safe church when we drop off and pick up our children from their classroom or event each Sunday. If you child is in primary school we ask that you check-in and check-out your child from their classroom. This helps the Sunday school teacher and the wider community.

Many thanks for the extra time you have already taken in picking up your child from their Sunday school class or from the Focus program. The extra effort goes a long way in caring for the whole community. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7284.html Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Last Thursday the Plymouth Children's Choir traveled to Olympia with parents and friends from Horizon House for Interfaith Advocacy Day. It was a blessed journey and an inspiration to hear their voices around the capitol campus, in the Senate Rostrum and from the steps. You can read more about the day in Robin Appleford's article.

Many thanks to Robin, Linda, Didi, parents, volunteers, and the friends from Earth Ministry who contributed to the day.

Enjoy the slideshow!
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7285.html Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 How do we see the spirit of God present in our everyday world? Each week writers for the Seasons curriculum lift up international news stories and current events that correlate to the lectionary passage for that particular Sunday. They call this linking of current events and scripture Spirit Sightings.


http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7286.html Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Jesus and the Samaritan WomanReflection on John 4:5-42 for Sunday, March 27, 2011
This week I would like to take the liberty of selecting the gospel text, not the curriculum focus text, and offer Sandra Schneiders’ interpretation of this passage[1] rather than my own reflection in order to share with you an amazing alternative reading of the story of the Samaritan woman at the well.

For many of us, this is one of those Bible stories that we are so familiar with that we struggle to see anything new in it, to get past our own preconceived notions of what the story means. This familiar understanding hinges on the immorality of the Samaritan woman, who, Jesus reveals, has had five husbands and is currently living with a man who is not her husband. Amazed by Jesus’ promise of living water and his insightfulness into her sinful situation, she quickly leaves the well to tell her neighbors about him.

In her book The Revelatory Text, Sandra Schneiders, professor of New Testament studies at the Graduate Theological Union, suggests that the story of the woman at the well is a “type story” – a narrative that follows a recognized biblical pattern: “…the story recounting the meeting of future spouses who then play a central role in salvation history.” According to Schneiders, “The basic purpose of the Samaritan Woman story…is to establish the full equality in the community between Samaritan Christians and Jewish Christians.” Like other symbolic characters in the New Testament, the Samaritan Woman is nameless in order to emphasize her symbolic representation of a community. When Jesus asserts that the time is coming when God will be worshiped neither on the Samaritan’s Mount Gerizim nor in Jerusalem, he is calling both parties to transcend their particularism and find their common religious identity in the Messiah, whom Jesus reveals himself to be.

Samaritan Woman at the WellAccording to Schneiders, if the story symbolically illustrates the inclusion of Samaria as the bride of the new Bridegroom, as implied by the Biblical type scene of man and woman meeting at a well, the woman’s five previous husbands can be understood symbolically as the worship of the false gods of five foreign tribes described in 2 Kings 17:13-34. “Samaria’s Yahwism was tainted by false worship and therefore even the ‘husband’ she now has (a reference to her relationship with the God of the Covenant) was not really her husband in the full integrity of the covenantal relationship.” In claiming that she has no husband, the woman is describing the current religious situation of the Samarians.

Schneiders concludes, “…the entire dialog between Jesus and the woman is the ‘wooing’ of Samaria to full covenant fidelity in the New Israel by Jesus, the New Bridegroom. It has nothing to do with the woman’s private moral life but with the covenantal life of the community.” Like the apostles leaving their fishing nets and families to follow Jesus, the woman abandons her water jar and returns to her town as a prophet of the good news. Rather than an example of disgraceful behavior, the Samaritan Woman is a successful evangelist whose witness stirs a community to come and see for themselves and accept Jesus as the Messiah.

Schneiders’ interpretation is supported by the diligent scholarship of the rest of her book, in which she lays out the rational for her hermeneutic, her approach to deriving meaning from scripture. Such powerful new interpretations can help us see the familiar old stories in new, startling and transformative ways.

[1] Sandra M. Schneiders, The Revelatory Text: Interpreting the New Testament as Sacred Scripture (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1999), 180-199.
~~~~
Becky Withington is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7287.html Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 At the bottom of this post is a short video of the Plymouth Children's Choir singing in Olympia for Interfaith Advocacy Day. Many, many thanks to Linda Strandberg, Robin Appleford, Didi Proctor, Jessie Dye (Earth Ministry), Dana Swanson (Earth Ministry), and the many parents and friends from Horizon House who helped make this beautiful event happen.

Robin Appleford gives more detail on the day's events in her article below.
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Children’s Choir and Friends visit Olympia for Interfaith Advocacy Day
Eleven children in addition to parents and friends from Horizon House journeyed to Olympia for the third year in a row. Our goal has always been to inspire hard-working public servants through song and the lively presence of our intergenerational group. We have no political agenda and were there to inspire and support our elected officials.

We sang to the Interfaith gathering which included people from across the state. Linda and the children had everyone in the room singing along to “We Shall Overcome” and “Eyes on the Prize”. The children taught them the “Crossing Bridges” song, along with the hand movements. It was amazing to see the whole room join in song and hand movements!

We were invited to the Senate Rostrum by Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen where we sang to members of legislative leadership and their staffs. We continued our inspirational journey by “caroling” through the Senate Republican and Democratic office buildings where staff and legislators came out to hear the angelic voices of the children. They joined in from time to time because our songs are known to those of many denominations. We brought tears to Sen. Haugen’s eyes for the second year in a row. Her quote: “You are beacons of Christ’s light and we are grateful for your gifts.”Like Sen. Haugen, I am grateful for the gift of our children’s choir, and for the ongoing gifts of Brandon and Linda in supporting our music and arts program. If you see the children, Linda, or Brandon, please thank them for their efforts in spreading Plymouth’s word of love and hope. The photos of our wonderful day should be posted soon on the lounge bulletin board.

-Robin Appleford

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7288.html Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Over the past week there have been several images and stories of the disaster in Japan.

The magnitude of this tragedy, its complexity, and its impact on the world raises particular questions when we consider how to best process the event with our children. How much do we say? Do we tell them anything at all? Should they see the pictures and videos from Sendai?

Here are a few tips when considering a conversation with very young children about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan:
Wait for their questions. Provide simple and accurate information that directly addresses their question.What are they expressing? Do their questions or thoughts about the tragedy express, worry? anxiety? curiosity? As you provide words of reassurance be sure to validate their feelings as well.Be prepared to have several conversations. You may need to repeat assurances or information.Try to watch any images with them in order to be a part of the discussion and processing.Be attuned to how you are feeling with the awareness that children pick up on your emotions.Cultivate their instinct towards compassion. How can we help the children in this devastated area of Japan?Here is a simple prayer you can pray with your child inspired by Psalm 46:1-3

God of earth, of sea, and of sky
You are a safe place to hide, ready to help when people are in need.
In times of trouble when we feel afraid we can turn to you for courage.
When the mountains shake and the sea roars we will call on you because you come close.
Draw near to the people of Japan.
Keep safe the children in Japan, hold families together, and place your love on everyone who is hurting.
Give strength to those trying to help and open our eyes to ways we can help.
Amen. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7289.html Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 see notes from teacher training

Media

Library Resources

Can do story time in classroom, host students at the library, happy to be in contact to help enrich curriculum
Closet with curriculum resources, open 9-12 on Sundays, at church 1x/month, Tuesdays by appointment
new bookcases for children’s area! http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7290.html Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700
Reflection on Genesis 12:1-4a for Sunday, March 20, 2011
This week’s focus text brings us another story of a journey into the unknown. God has singled Abram and Sarai out and chosen them to be the patriarch and matriarch of a great nation – but at what cost? They are to leave behind country, kin and home and follow God blindly to “the land that I will show you,” as God describes it to Abraham. God is asking for a radical leap of faith, and a willingness to let go of all that is familiar in order to live out God’s will and live into God’s promise.

By acquiescing to God’s will, Abram and Sarai (soon to be renamed Abraham and Sarah) will be blessed, and at the same time they will become a blessing – a blessing through whom all the families of the earth will be blessed.

Most of us would agree that we have been blessed by God, not just materially, but spiritually and emotionally through the nurturance of our church family and others we hold dear. In the United Church of Christ we hold one another in a particular form of relationship known as covenant. Rather than submitting to a hierarchical form of governance, the national denominational body of the UCC, local churches and all the individuals associated with them hold one another in a multi-directional commitment to bear one another’s burdens, challenge one another in love, act in good faith, and remain in relationship even when the going gets tough. As we have been blessed, we seek to be a blessing to one another.

But our call to be a blessing to others extends far beyond the walls of the church and the walls of our homes, beyond our family trees and networks of friends. Like Jesus walking into the wilderness alone to be tempted, like Abram and Sarai walking away from everything they know and love, during this season of Lent God calls us away from our complacency and comfort and towards a life of discipleship, with all its attendant joys and challenges. When we choose to give something up or take something up during Lent, the purpose isn’t to increase our feelings of being deprived or burdened.

Dan Clendenin writes, “Our ultimate journey is to move from a self-regarding heart curved in on itself to an other-regarding openness to the love of God, a love for others, and a love for all God’s world.” May it be so for us.~~~~
Becky Withington is approved for ordination pending call by the United Church of Christ, Pacific Northwest Conference. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7291.html Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Ever wonder if childcare is available for your after church meeting, event, or extended conversation?

Every Sunday, after the 11:00am worship service, childcare is available for children through grade 2. If needed, childcare will be provided until 1:30pm on the first floor at Plymouth (room 122).



PLEASE NOTE

Childcare providers will be available at 12:00pm each Sunday. If no children arrive for childcare by 12:30pm then the providers will leave and childcare will be closed for the day.

Children older than grade 2 are welcome in room 122 as well depending on space. Older children are always welcome to help care for the younger children.
Questions? Want to schedule childcare? Contact Jamie Shilling at (206) 948-5752 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7292.html Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700
We've been writing about the annual meeting quite a bit lately. We invited you to open your homes to attendees, we shared about exciting youth programming, and posted the list of fabulous Friday workshops. Well, now it's time to register.
The annual meeting is being held in Seattle, at University Congregational Church, April 29-30. You don't have to pay for lodging. You don't have to pay for gas to drive across the state. Heck, you don't even have to pay for food if you bring your own picnic lunch and dinner.
If you have never been to an annual meeting, or you haven't been in a number of years, this is your opportunity to meet, learn, discuss and worship with our UCC brothers and sisters from around the region. Bring the whole family - childcare is included in your registration fee, and kids up to age 8 are free!
Early registration ends April 8th - click here to fill out the forms. Childcare registration available here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7293.html Mon, 14 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Author and historian Diana Butler Bass talks about Lent and dying to yourself. This video comes from the website the Work of the People.



FYI - The video does not seem to be showing on Windows Explorer. The video will play on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. I'm not sure why Explorer is being a stick in the mud. If you are using Windows and want to watch this short clip, then you can find it here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7294.html Mon, 14 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700 Check out this radio spot for Plymouth Church playing on KING FM this Lenten season.



http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7295.html Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0800 OMG is a fun and clever little book for youth that includes fifty reflections on topics like “Confidence,” What Matters,” “Other People,” “Reputation,” “The World,” and more.

The devotional resource was developed by the Stillspeaking Writers' Group which includes authors such as: Anthony B. Robinson, Ron Buford, Martin B. Copenhaver, Lillian Daniel, Donna Schaper, and many more.

Curious about this resource? You can learn more here, see a sample of the book here or talk with Brandon or Robin to get your own copy of OMG.
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OMG FAQ
WHAT IS A DEVOTIONAL?
A devotional is a short reading that turns your attention to God and helps you to live your life better. Some people like to read one each morning, or in the
evening. But you can turn to these any time you want to feel closer to God, perhaps when you are feeling thankful. You can also turn to these when you are in
trouble, or confused or needing God’s help. Some people just like to read one every day, no matter what.

HOW DO THEY WORK?
These devotionals include a verse from the Bible. You can look up the verse in your own Bible to see where it fits in the larger story, but you can also just read what’s included right here. Then read the remarks about that verse. At the end of each devotional there is a short prayer for you to say, out loud or quietly in your heart. You can stop there or keep on praying whatever’s in your heart. The devotional gets you started and the rest is up to you.

WHAT SHOULD YOU CALL GOD?
The Bible contains dozens of names for God. Some remind us that God is powerful and mysterious: Alpha and Omega, Sun of Righteousness, Bright Morning Star, Ancient of Days, Holy One, Other names seem to bring God to our side in an intimate way: Abba (which means “Daddy”), Comforter, Counselor, Love. Many of the names for God in the Bible are masculine, but others are feminine, and in one place God is called a Brooding Hen!

CAN I JUST SAY “OMG?!”
So why do we have so many names for God? Quite simply, each name says something about God, but no name says it all. No one name is enough. OMG (“Oh my God”) is just another modern way of talking to God, so we’ve called this book of devotionals OMG.

And remember, the devotional is just the beginning of the conversation between you and God, because God is still speaking, through you and through me.

-Lillian Daniel http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7296.html Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0800
On February 28th, Pastor Lauren referenced in her sermon a special happiness survey created by Sustainable Seattle. The survey is part of the Seattle Area Happiness Initiative.

Interested in how Plymouth's happiness compares to the rest of the city? Help us find out! The survey compilers have set aside a special reference code for Plymouth members so that they might be able to offer us an analysis of the happiness of our community. Click here to take the survey and be sure to enter the Plymouth reference code: 2950.

Now shut down the computer and go do something that makes you happy! http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7297.html Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0800 This Sunday, the Adult Education Board is pleased to present a forum on Teen Suicide Prevention. Please join us in Hildebrand Hall at 10am for this important conversation about bullying, suicide and ways to support our youth.

100% of young people are impacted by bullying – as the bully, the victim or the bystander. Bullying can be direct, like name calling and physical intimidation or indirect, like spreading malicious rumors via text messaging. There are significant negative mental health outcomes to bullying behavior, including suicide and attempted suicide. As you may recall, last fall the media reported on a significant number of suicidal deaths as a result of bias-based harassment or bullying. According to a national study conducted by GLSEN, nearly 85% of GLBT students reported being verbally harassed and 62% reported feeling unsafe at school. So what can we do about this behavior, as people of faith, as peers, as parents, as educators and mentors? Come and share in a conversation about this important topic.

Sue Eastgard is a nationally recognized expert in the field of suicide prevention. She has worked on mental health issues for 25 years as a clinician, manager and director of crisis services and suicide prevention efforts. She currently directs the Youth Suicide Prevention Program of Washington State, developing and implementing programs directed at young people, caring adults and parents to reduce the incidence of youth suicide in Washington State. Sue holds a masters degree in social work from the University of Washington. She is also certified as a Master Trainer for the ASIST program, a suicide first aid training program designed to teach suicide intervention techniques to teachers, counselors, nurses, mental health professionals and others who work with youth.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7298.html Wed, 09 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0800
SESSION ONE WORKSHOPS
#1 Meet Our Keynote
Da Vita McCallister is the Connecticut UCC Conference’s associate minister for youth and young adult ministries. She was ordained in the Southeast Conference in 2004 and has served in local churches, the Southeast Conference and as minister for youth, young adult and outdoor ministries with the national setting of the United Church of Christ.
#2 The Moses Project: How a Church and a Child Advocacy Organization Partnered for
Social ActionLearn a new model for effectively engaging a congregation in a year-long social action campaign, while also learning about an exciting organization in Washington known as the Children’s Alliance. The Children’s Alliance focuses on four core issues: access to early learning, child healthcare coverage, child hunger, and the equitable treatment of children of color in Washington’s child welfare system.
Emijah Smith is the Community Organizer for the Children’s Alliance which works to promote and ensure laws, policies, and programs that advance the safety and health of children. Before coming to the Children’s Alliance in 2009, Smith worked in the fields of healthcare and social service. She holds a Master in Public Administration from the University of Washington’s School of Public Affairs where she focused on education and social policy.
Brooks Berndt is the Pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Vancouver, Washington, previously mentored by pastors and community organizers who had been leaders in the civil rights movement and the farm workers movement. His organizing background before becoming a pastor involved work on prison issues and labor issues.
#3 Multifaith Living
Join a moderated roundtable conversation about multifaith life: in our personal lives, our churches, and our wider communities. Where do your principal interactions with other faiths happen: at work? At home? In the news? What aspects of multifaith living are helping you? What are some multifaith challenges you are encountering? Add your voice and hear from others as we talk about multiple faiths and real life.
Matt Smith is a third-generation UCC member who came to it late in life. Currently serving as a campus minister, Matt is actively searching for the next call: parish ministry! Matt is passionate about the gospel, multifaith dialogue (especially with atheists), LGBTQ spirituality, intersections of science and religion, and boldly reclaiming our Christian heritage from abusive
interpretations.
#4 Every Stitch Tells a Story: A Worldview
You are invited to a trip around the world, a “trunk show” of colorful studio art quilts illustrating stories based on memories of world travel and living overseas (Saipan, Mariana Islands, Ecuador, and Nepal). She expresses her ambivalence with the changes in the traditional life of indigenous people that have resulted from development and concern about the direction the world is headed. She served as a docent at the Portland Art Museum since returning to the U.S. after four years as a Global missionary in Kathmandu.
Mary Maxwell is a retired oncology nurse from the Portland Veterans Hospital. She has served as a UCC global missionary, teaching nursing in Kathmandu. She has lived and traveled worldwide collecting ethnic textiles and creating colorful textile art inspired by her travels. She has created fiber art based on the changes in the traditional life of indigenous people that have resulted from development and contemporary global issues.
#5 Sex and Church: the Benefits of Our Whole Lives/Sexuality and Our Faith Curricula
Join Amy Johnson for an interactive workshop. Learn why this program is growing rapidly in popularity and how you can get involved and be a part of this exciting ministry.
Amy Johnson, MSW and Certified Sexuality Educator, and Our Whole Lives Facilitator and Trainer, is passionate about working with children and families. For over 25 years, Amy has worked diligently to provide parents, teens, and younger youth with tools that will help them flourish and thrive physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
#6 Interplay as a Life and Spirit Practice
InterPlay is a movement practice and a new folk art that invites simple movement, storytelling, singing, and contemplative reflection. All body types honored and your own limitations respected.
Deanna Murray is an InterPlay leader who has led small groups with this practice in many settings, for more than ten years. Deanna has added InterPlay into her own personal spiritual practice and into her professional life as the Pastor at Prospect Congregational on Capitol Hill.

#7 Closet Activism or how one person, YOU, can make a differenceThe goal of this workshop is to give tools and ideas through role play, hands on ideas (crafts) for pins and courage to interact with individuals be they people on buses at grocery stores, church, book clubs or family members. These ideas can be applied to any cause you are passionate about. Advocacy is catching and fun. Jeaneane changed from reluctant to enthusiast.
Jeaneane Hill, a member of University Congregational UCC, fled to PFLAG (Parents, Family and Friends, of Lesbians and Gays, Bisexual and Transgender) where she began her education process. Eventually becoming the President of Bellevue PFLAG for several years. Jeaneane met Rev. Mel White of Soulforce and joined him in 1999 to help stop Spiritual Violence in churches and faith communities. Soulforce trained her in nonviolence with others as leaders. With Soulforce she has been arrested and jailed while trying to nonviolently protest the spiritual injustices faith communities have heaped on their members.
#8 Treasurer Update Workshop
Treasurer Update Workshop-An update of Federal, State & Local reporting requirements for local church treasurers. Suggestions for best practices for church record keeping, preparing understandable treasurer reports and choosing church software packages.
Martha Baldwin is the PNC Treasurer and is a CPA in Bellevue, WA.
Michelle Johansen is PNC Staff Accounting Manager who also has an inactive CPA license in California.

#9 Food Faith and Justice
Using the elements of communion, we will trace the journey the bread and wine/grape juice made from the farm to the communion table. We will explore justice issues that arise along the way, and the environmental factors that need to be considered as we make our choices. The workshop will be grounded in the Christian faith through scripture, and discussion.
Presenters for this session are Lauren Cannon, Peg Faulmann, Linda Hagedorn, Nancy Hannah, Jill Komura, and Meighan Pritchard and members of the Christian Life and Service in Action Committee of the Pacific Northwest Conference.
SESSION TWO WORKSHOPS
#10 UCC 101
What is the Pacific Northwest Conference and what does it do? How does the national setting of the UCC affect local churches in the Pacific Northwest? Come to this quick-paced, informative, interactive workshop to get answers to those questions and many more.
Kathie Forman, and other of our Conference's representatives to national-level Covenanted Ministry Boards and members of PNC Conference Leadership Committees. The session is coordinated by the Ministry Resources Committee with Kathie Forman serving as emcee.

#11 Around the World in 80 Minutes
Featuring information about the ministries, missionaries and projects supported by the Global Ministries Committee - a joint ministry of the PNC UCC and the Northwest Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The workshop will include a report on our delegation's visit last year with our church partners in South Korea, report on upcoming visit from a youth delegation from Korea, a report from a missionary, and information about Oikocredit - a micro-credit project working to empower women around the world.
Ed Evans, a retired UCC pastor, serves as the Chairperson of the Global Ministries Committee, a joint ministry of the Pacific Northwest Conference of the UCC and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Ed also serves as the Convener of FOCUS, a missionary support association of Wider Church Ministries. Ministry was a second career for Ed who was a broadcast news reporter for KOMO TV in the 1970s and KIRO TV in the 1980s.
Peter Lin was born in Taiwan while under Japanese occupation, and grew up in Shanghai during WWII where he saw poverty first hand. He became an economist, earning his law degree to enact some of his hopes of helping the poor. Peter has served on various committees of the Conference, as well as the Executive Council, and an elected member of the Oikocredit Northwest Board, an international ecumenical nonprofit organization.
#12 Faith, Climate, and Coal - Brooks Berndt and LeeAnne Beres
Washington is one of the hot spots of a budding movement to transition our country away from the use of coal energy. Learn why and how faith communities are getting involved and playing a leading role as we strive to be the first state in the nation to be without a coal plant.
LeeAnne Beres is an active member of Fauntleroy United Church of Christ, where she served on the Church Council, Outreach Ministry Board, and Green Committee. LeeAnne has a Master’s degree in Marine Fisheries Management from the University of Washington, a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Whitman College, and a Certificate in Management Skills from the UW Business School.
Brooks Berndt is the Pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Vancouver, Washington. Before coming to Vancouver, Berndt was mentored by pastors and community organizers who had been leaders in the civil rights movement and the farm workers movement. His organizing background before becoming a pastor involved work on prison issues and labor issues.
Jessie Dye is the Program and Outreach Director for the Seattle-based non-profit organization Earth Ministry. Their mission is “to inspire and mobilize the Christian community to play a leadership role in building a just and sustainable future.” Dye has been actively involved in the campaign to transition Washington away from coal and has given presentations on coal in faith communities. Before coming to Earth Ministry in 2007, Dye’s career history included 20 years
with the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle.
#13 Death Penalty: Who Would Jesus Execute?
Learn about the practical and moral questions surrounding the capital punishment debate, significant history, facts and fictions about the death penalty, as well as UCC involvement and resources.
Yvonne Wilhelmsen, a member of The United Churches of Olympia, current serves on the PNCUCC Christian Life, Service & Action Committee. At last year's Annual Meeting, she presented a Resolution of Christian Witness Calling Upon Churches in the PNCUCC to Support Abolishment of the Death Penalty, which passed with overwhelming support. The inspiration for
this workshop came while attending the People of Faith Against the Death Penalty conference in Atlanta, GA last November. She has been active on death penalty issues for over 10 years and was recently elected to serve as treasurer of the Washington Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
Stefanie Anderson works with the Washington Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, and brings her perspective which draws from a rich faith background.
#14 On the Grid 24/7: Generational Conflict and New Technologies
This will be a facilitated conversation among youth and adults on how people, often younger ones, engage with new technologies. The idea is not to “dissect the differences” between generations, but to build deeper understandings of each other and to look for those bridges that connect youth and adults. Topic will include cell phones, the internet, Facebook and social networking as a whole.
David Domke worked as a journalist for several newspapers, including the Orange County Register and Atlanta Journal Constitution, before earning a Ph.D. in 1996. Now a Professor and Chair in the Department of Communication at the University of Washington, he was named the Washington state Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in 2006, and in 2008 was selected as the favorite professor of the UW graduating class.
#15 Conflict Resolution Skills in Ministry
We are a conference that bridges significant cultural/geographic divides, as well as a denomination that bridges religion and culture, Scripture and science, church and creation, as well as different ethnicities. For us to navigate the challenging conversations that come up within our congregations and our conference it is essential to have skills for allowing these conversations to be both open-hearted and faithful.
Jan Van Pelt, an ordained UCC pastor, is trained as a mediator through Snohomish County Dispute Resolution Center. She has mediated with Washington Dispute Resolution Centers, the Seattle Public Schools, non-profits and her own private practice since the 1990s. She has consulted with over 150 congregations going through conflict and change. Trained as an
intentional interim with the Interim Ministry Network, she has served as interim in eight churches in four denominations.

Sophie Morse, a Member in Discernment and Associate Pastor at Keystone Congregational Church in Seattle, recently graduated from Seattle University with a Masters in Divinity. She has trained in basic and advanced conflict resolution skills with the Indianola-based Compassionate Listening Project, and is a certified mentor mediator with the Kitsap Dispute Resolution Center where she has been a volunteer mediator and training coach for several years. Her former career was in outdoor experiential education, working primarily with marine-based programs in New England.
#16 The Saint and the Scientist: Discussions on Science and Faith
Both Science and Faith have become pervasive in our culture and around the world. How can people come to understand and live with the impact of these influences in their lives as they seek to be whole persons? This seminar will explore the nature of these two forces, their similarities and differences and what it all may mean for the individual, specifically in the church.
Kendal Bond is a teacher at Seattle Preparatory High School. He holds a masters degree from Creighton University in Physics and has participated actively in theological activities for most of his career.
#17 Justice LED (Leaders Engaging and Developing) primer
Will you be a leader for justice in your church? Justice Leaders Engaging and Developing is a brand new curriculum/process designed to enable you to lead your congregation to renew its dedication to justice-based mission by becoming biblically informed, theologically sound, and in touch with the realities of today. Come and join us for an introduction (a teaser really) as to what this program is all about.
Peg Faulmann, Jan Kinny, Susan Andresen, Linda Hagedorn, and other members of the Christian Life and Service in Action Committee of the Pacific Northwest Conference.
#18 Transformation of Worship through the Arts
A creative arts workshop!
Register soon for the PNC Annual Meeting! Click here to download the registration form http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7299.html Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Matthew 4:1-11 for Sunday, March 13, 2011

Last week we talked about mountaintop experiences; most of us also go through times we might think of as desert experiences. A desert experience can be a time of bleakness and barrenness, or it can be a kind of vision quest – a time when we focus less on comfort and physical sustenance and more on seeking illumination into our spiritual or life path.

The first kind of desert experience, the barren kind, often comes when we’re exhausted, burned out. The activities that we used to find fulfilling seem less satisfying; we may start to resent demands on our time. Sometimes loss of interest in activities and relationships signals depression that we need to attend to, but these experiences may also have a spiritual dimension. I have found these times, times when I felt a lack of inspiration, of creative energy, of the Spirit moving within me, profoundly discouraging. It feels like a personal failure of some sort, as if I could somehow will myself to be inspired if I tried harder. But as I take more trips around the calendar, I find myself viewing these times with equanimity, even gratitude. Although I might feel spiritually and creatively depleted, over the years I’ve learned that I can count on a rebirth of spiritual connection and creative juices within a few weeks. I believe the seasons of our lives and the seasons of the church calendar are intimately connected with the seasons of the earth, and just as farmland needs a fallow time to replenish nutrients and prepare to bring forth new life, so do our hearts and spirits.

The other kind of desert experience, the spiritual quest, is often begun more intentionally, although sometimes the realization that we have indeed embarked on an internal quest of this nature catches us by surprise. As with most approaches to life, there’s a self-denying, joyless asceticism which is a denial of the beauty and joy God created us for, and then there’s the path of the mystic, traveling light and unencumbered by self-indulgence, at least temporarily. Emptying ourselves instead of focusing on constant physical, emotional and spiritual satiety allows us to notice the stirrings within us, God’s gentle nudges, the Spirit moving within us. Like Jesus in the desert, we can see where our temptations lie and become more intentional about what we say yes to and what we say no to.

Whatever desert experiences we may have during this Lenten time, be they experiences of lying fallow or experiences of embarking on a journey of shedding excess and focusing on the essentials, or even both together, may they be experiences of growing awareness and intentionality, of deepening connection to God as we wait to burst forth with new life even as Jesus did 2000 years ago.

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Becky Withington is Plymouth’s in-care seminarian. On February 10, Becky met with the UCC Pacific Northwest Conference Committee on Ministry (COM) and was approved for ordination pending call. Once Becky is called to an ordained ministry position her ordination celebration will be scheduled, wherein she will become an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. Currently, Becky is finishing her last quarter at Seattle University and faithfully writes the Bread for the Journey reflection series. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7300.html Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0800 This year we have implemented several changes in the Sunday School program at Plymouth. One of the changes I enjoy the most is the gathering at 10:00am in the Chapel on Sunday mornings. As we enter the second half of program year I want to revisit why this time is so valuable for children, parents, and teachers.

-Gathering in worship as a community adds a burst of energy to the morning
-It's an opportunity to become better acquainted with the children in your class and the children in the other classes
-It's an opportunity for kids to become better acquainted with you
-It provides a moment of intergenerational worship
-During this time of song we'll be touching on the themes for that morning's lesson
-Gathering in one location makes it easier for visitors and parents to know where their children go for Sunday School and can make for an efficient check-in process

If you have not joined us for the 10 minutes of singing in the Chapel at 10:00am then I highly encourage you to come. Whether you are a kid, a parent, a teacher, or just someone who likes to sing then this time is for you. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7301.html Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0800 The planners of this year's program have created something pretty cool. They have put a lot of thought and creativity into this year's youth program. Check out this announcement regarding this special youth event at the Annual Meeting (April 29 - May 1)

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YOU’RE INVITED! Youth in grades 9-12 are invited to the Youth Program at Annual Meeting!
We want all the youth to be there! Come for the great workshops and to be part of the plenary sessions! Come for the amazing worship services and the inspiring keynote speaker, DaVita McCallister—Conference Minister of Connecticut for Youth and Youth Adults! Come to make new friends and reconnect with old friends! It’s going to be a BLAST!

What’s different about this year?
This year, we are offering a whole youth program at Annual Meeting (A.M). You will travel to A.M. with other youth from your church or area churches with your adult youth leaders or chaperones and attend A.M. as a large group. All the youth attending A.M. along with your youth leaders, will stay all together at local UCC churches. We will stay, do activities, and participate in A.M. as a group. It’s a fun and exciting way to build up your church youth group, and continue those connections you might have made at camp or at regional/national youth events.

Outline of Schedule:
The Youth Program begins with Annual Meeting registration at 12:30pm on Friday, April 29. There are two workshop times. Check out this workshop that is designed for the youth! “On the Grid 24/7: Generational Conflict and New Technologies”. We’ll have dinner together and then do fun activities in the evening. Saturday, we will attend the keynote speaker, worships and plenary sessions. In the evening, we’ll have some time to hang with DaVita. She is excited to hear from you about what’s important in your lives and faith these days. Sunday, we will attend worship together! Our weekend will involve a Seattle area event - either a Ride the Ducks tour of Seattle (Sunday afternoon) or a night at Jet City Improv.

How to sign up:
1. Let your pastor/youth leader/chaperone know that you would like to be part of the Youth Program at Annual Meeting
2. Fill out the Annual Meeting registration form and check the box for the youth program.
3. Fill out the Youth Program medical form and covenant.
4. Mail in paperwork and check to the Conference Office. (note the early reg fees)
5. Pastors/youth leaders/chaperones: please be in touch with Margaret Irribarra to let her know you are planning on coming and how many youth you will bring.

Leadership Team:
We have a great leadership team of adult Youth Leaders from PNC UCC churches that are working on planning an amazing program for all the youth!
Margaret Irribarra - University Congregational UCC
Susan Andresen - Normandy Park UCC
Dana Sprenkle - Shalom UCC
Mark Boyd - United Churches of Olympia
Staci Schulmerich - Richmond Beach UCC
Tara Barber - University Congregational UCC
Kristen Almgren - University Congregational UCC

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
Questions? Contact Margaret Irribarra - mirribarra@ucucc.org / 206.524.2322 / 206.399.2213 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7302.html Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Spirit of the living God
Flow into your beloved child
Heal where there has been harm
Strengthen where there is weakness
And life our hearts to reflect your glory Amen

The past three weeks in Focus, we've had a focus on Celtic Spirituality. We made new prayers and then spent the past two weeks making prayer beads.

On Sunday, children will remain in worship for the entire service, and then invite the congregation up to the communion table with song. Some of the youth will lead the healing prayer found above in the back of the sanctuary.

The children will be leading us in the communion song Hallelujah! Pelo Tsa Rona. They'll be singing the English (not the Swahili) - start practicing so you can join in!





Be sure to check out the new weekly children's bulletins found in the cloth bags hanging in the back of the sanctuary. They are lectionary-based word puzzles, activities and coloring to keep wiggly fingers occupied during the service. Grab a bag on your way in to worship!



And don't forget to come upstairs after worship to purchase a sandwich in support of the Youth Forum 2012 mission trip! http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7303.html Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Our Lenten journey begins with a special Ash Wednesday worship. This simple service has unique and experiential elements. One such element is the imposition of ashes in the form of a cross on one's forehead.

Historically the ashes came from the palm branches used in the previous year's Palm Sunday celebration. The ashen cross calls to mind several scriptures: Luke 9:23-24 wherein Christ calls each of us to take up a cross and follow; Ephesians 1:13-14 which mentions the seal or mark of the holy spirit; Romans 6:3-10 which expresses our unity with Christ in baptism.

Traditionally, the season of Lent served as a time of preparation for those seeking baptism. The 40 days before Easter became a time of reflection as one contemplated joining the church in following the way of Christ. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent and served as a beginning for all in the church to recover a baptismal focus. During the season of Lent the followers of Christ are reminded to turn from sin and be faithful to the gospel. This clear call of turning, or repentance, is one we embrace throughout our lives. As the beginning of Lent, Ash Wednesday calls us to the conversion journey that marks the season and leads us to Easter morning.

Below is Jamie Shilling's invitation to this significant service in the life of the church.
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Please help our Ash Wednesday service on March 9th be intergenerational!

After a Molly Meal at 6:00pm and the option of walking the Labyrinth we invite families to join us in a contemplative service at 7:00pm called "Prayer Around the Cross" which will be held this year in the sanctuary.

Child care is provided for our little ones in order to allow older children (those ready to sit quietly!) and their families to participate in this experience of chanting, lighting candles and sitting "at the foot of the cross" in this service of prayer that begins our Lenten journey with Christ.

The service is simple and deeply engaging for young and old alike. We would particularly encourage the attendance of our young adults in middle school and high school. The service ends with the "imposition of ashes" on our foreheads.

You can come as early as 5:00pm for the Labyrinth or as late as 6:45pm to gather for the 7:00pm worship!

Please call the church office, or Jamie directly (206-948-5725), if you need child care which will begin at 6:30pm. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7305.html Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Every other year thousands of UCC members gather for inspiration, worship, and action. This gathering, known as the General Synod, is happening this summer in Tampa, Florida. This year's program will have a special program just for youth. Check out the message below from the Waltrina Middleton, the Minister for Youth Advocacy and Leadership Formation for more on the Youth @ General Synod program.
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GREETINGS & CALLING ALL YOUTH,

I am really excited about Youth @ General Synod and hope you are too!

Help us get the word out about the Youth HUGS-COREM Café at General Synod.

Sunday, July 03, the youth afterhour activity immediately following evening worship will feature spoken word, lyrical emcees, vocal and instrumental art and more. This will be a showcase of our youth’s gifts and another opportunity for our youth to celebrate in their own way the beauty and diversity of the UCC.

God is still speaking through our youth and this is a chance for them to step up to the mic and express themselves.

We need your help in getting the word out.

Youth @ General SynodHUGS-COREM CaféSunday, July 03, 20119:30 p.m.
The evening will be a fun-filled evening of artistic expression.

Youth will have the opportunity to sign up at Synod (See the Youth Table in GS Resource Area) to step up to the mic. Help us give them a heads up to prepare for Synod by sharing with your networks.

Learn more about Youth @ General Synod by becoming a fan of United Church of Christ Youth on Facebook or following TheUCCYouth on Twitter. We will also provide flash updates during General Synod via Facebook and Twitter so encourage your youth to follow us and win random prizes during General Synod.

Questions? Pease contact Waltrina Middleton, Minister for Youth Advocacy and Leadership Formation: 216-736-3871 or middletonw@ucc.org

God is still speaking, and so are our youth!

Peace,
Waltrina

Waltrina Middleton, Local Church Ministries
Minister for Youth Advocacy and Leadership Formation
Congregational Vitality and Discipleship Team
middletonw@ucc.org http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7306.html Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Matthew 17:1-9 for Sunday, March 6, 2011

People sometimes talk of “mountain top experiences.” A mountain top experience might indeed happen at the top of a mountain, or at least at the high point of a hiking trail. It could take place in some other place of inspiring natural beauty. Or it could happen in your own room, your own head, or even in a dream. What these experiences have in common is a feeling of transcendence, of getting outside yourself or beyond yourself, a feeling of mystical connection with another, with all that is, or with God. Another thing they have in common is that they are almost always fleeting.

In this week’s gospel reading, Peter and James’ mountain top experience does indeed happen on top of a mountain, where Jesus has led them. Before their eyes, Jesus is transformed, his face shining like the sun and his clothes a dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appear. “This is great!” says Peter to Jesus. “I know, I’ll make dwellings up here for you and Moses and Elijah, so you can take up permanent residence!” Peter really thinks he’s on to something, but before he has even finished speaking, the voice of God causes him and James to fall down trembling. “This is my Son, the Beloved, with him I am well pleased,” the voice says, just as it did at Jesus’ baptism. The voice continues: “Listen to him!” And what does Jesus tell them? “Get up, do not be afraid.” Then he leads them back down the mountain, back to their lives of discipleship.

One of the events in the life of Plymouth that offers me the opportunity for mountain top experiences is the annual week of camping at N-Sid-Sen. It’s called “Point of Inspiration” for a reason, but in addition to the beauty of the lake and the dazzling views afforded by several trails in the area, there are many other mountain top moments – watching children you’ve known since their time in the crib room swim to the raft for the first time, singing “You Have Come Down to the Lakeshore” with the YF teens, experiencing vulnerability and trust that grow exponentially each morning your small group meets, 3-minute conversations on the porch of the lodge that turn into moving worship experiences for the whole camp.

Most of us leave at the end of the week with mixed feelings, ready to experience our own soft beds again but not ready to let go of the magic that happens when people gather for a week of community living with God at the center. “We have to find a way to bring this experience back with us,” we say every year. “We have to share this with the Plymouth folks back home.” Rich treasures in terms of worship elements and spiritual practices from the week at N-Sid-Sen do make their way back to the Plymouth community, but the feeling, the mountain top experience, fades. As much as we’d like to, we can’t take up residence at the Point of Inspiration. Not only do we have jobs and obligations to get back to, but others are waiting for us to move on so they can enjoy their camps and meetings and mountain top experiences there.

So we do move on, we return, carrying memories and those words, “Listen to him.” What has Jesus told us? To seek spiritual high after spiritual high, to reach the peak and build a dwelling there? No, Jesus calls us back down from the mountain, to get our hands dirty and stretch our hearts and live day by day inspired by our mountain top experiences. Jesus calls us to share our glimpses of heaven with others and work side by side with them to transfigure the world.

~~~~

Becky Withington is Plymouth’s in-care seminarian. On February 10, Becky met with the UCC Pacific Northwest Conference Committee on Ministry (COM) and was approved for ordination pending call. Once Becky is called to an ordained ministry position her ordination celebration will be scheduled, wherein she will become an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. Currently, Becky is finishing her last quarter at Seattle University and faithfully writes the Bread for the Journey reflection series. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7307.html Sat, 26 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 The week, the Plymouth Forum wraps up a three week series on environmental topics. February 13th brought Jessie Dye of Earth Ministry, followed by Seattle City Council member Richard Conlin discussing carbon neutrality. This Sunday, ocean conservationists from the Around the Americas expedition will be speaking on their travels and the health of our oceans.

In her weekly e-mail update, our thoughtful librarian Suzanne Sanderson included a number of environmentally-themed books that you can check out at our own Plymouth Library. Earth Day is April 22nd - it's never too early to think about how you will be celebrating!

Suzanne's recommendations include:

My First Green Book by Angela Wilkes (1996) - J 363.7 WIL


In addition to delivering her message succinctly, Wilkes provides hands-on activities that demonstrate the importance of pitching in to protect our planet. Similar in format to the publisher's popular Eyewitness series, the book is filled with large-scale, color photos that effectively illustrate such experiments as those that show how clean the air is, how acid rain affects plants, how various objects biodegrade at different rates (if at all) and why rain forests are so crucial to the Earth. Publishers Weekly






50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth by Earth Works Group (1990) - J 363.7 JAV
A practical and upbeat guide to saving resources and protecting the environment. Each brief chapter begins with an often humorous "Take a Guess," followed by an overview of a problem in "Did You Know," "What You Can Do," and "See For Yourself" sections. Statistics and measurements are translated into age-appropriate terms, such as comparing children's weight to the amount of garbage thrown away in a year. Simple demonstrations (counting cans in a supermarket) impress upon children the vast quantities of materials and energy routinely used. Andrews McMeel Publishing





Brother Eagle, Sister Sky: a message from Chief Seattle adapted by Susan Jeffers (1991) - E JEF
In the 1850's, when the US wanted to buy his people's Pacific Northwest land, Chief Seattle delivered this eloquent message to a Commissioner of Indian Affairs; since then, it has been adapted several times. Poetic and compelling, it's a plea to revere and preserve the web of creation: "Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves." Jeffers's finely detailed art focuses on the beauty and nobility of the Native Americans' world, with a tidy clear-cut forest to represent the depredations to come. Kirkus Review




Older youth and adults might be interested in:
The Green Bible - 220.5An Inconvenient Truth - DVD 363.73874 INCAnd much more! Stop by the library on Sunday morning, visit the book cart during fellowship hour, or browse the catalog (library name is vidabvarey, no password needed).

If you'd like to be added to Suzanne's updates, contact her at plymouthlibrary AT gmail DOT com http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7308.html Wed, 23 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 How do we see the spirit of God present in our everyday world? Each week writers for the Seasons curriculum lift up international news stories and current events that correlate to the lectionary passage for that particular Sunday. They call this linking of current events and scripture Spirit Sightings.


David Kato in Rome, Nov 2010This week, Scottish writer and minister Fraser Macnaughton reflects on how the death of David Kato, a Ugandan gay-rights activist killed in his home on January 26, 2011, intertwines with the Matthew lectionary text on living in a world of fear and anxiety.
Kato was one of the few openly gay men in Uganda, and one of the fiercest critics of the anti-homosexuality bill currently before parliament. Inspired by local evangelical preachers, the legislation proposes locking up gay people for life, with repeat offenders sentenced to death. Ugandan police continue to argue that Kato’s death was the result of a burglary and have arrested a man who has been charged with the killing.Now, however, some 70 religious representatives and 25 organisations have issued a statement in response to the violent death. Peter Prove, Executive Director of the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA), who prepared the statement, said, “Given the universal religious understanding of God-given human dignity, religious leaders and organisations should be at the forefront of efforts to overcome stigma and discrimination and associated violence.”Read the whole reflection here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7309.html Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Matthew 6:24-34 for Sunday, February 27th, 2011

My mom was a worrier. As a single mother with a low-wage job, she had a lot to be concerned about. Things got financially easier when she remarried and then successfully launched her children into the world, but with age came health issues that were also a source of stress. But it wasn’t just the tough realities of her life that my mom worried about – she worried if she didn’t hear from us for a few days; she worried about things she had said that might have been taken the wrong way; she worried about the animals in shelters waiting to be adopted. Worries laid to rest resurfaced as new worries – worries many people would find silly.

My mom was also a devout Christian, and appealing to her faith was one way to help her deal with her anxiety. “You know, worry is a sin,” I told her gently. “What do you mean?” “You have faith in God, right?” “Of course,” she answered. “And you put your trust in God?” “Of course.” “Worrying is a way of not trusting God, of not having faith in God’s love for you,” I suggested. This made sense to my mom. This helped her to trust more and worry less, because her faith was the bedrock of her life.

Of course trusting God with the outcomes of our attempts and adventures, our very lives, is easier said than done. When Jesus talks about the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, my first thought is that he never had a mortgage or kids to put through college. And yet I know that life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. I know that by worrying I cannot add a single hour to my span of life. I know it, but I struggle to live it. Perhaps what Jesus calls us to is not complacency, but confidence. Confidence that we are God’s beloved. Confidence to act in our own behalf in ways that also benefit others instead of serving our own selfish self-interest at their expense. Confidence that even when we face the empty pantry or the frightening diagnosis, we are not alone.

Perhaps this is why we cannot serve both God and wealth – not because wealth and the pursuit of wealth inspire greed, but because the pursuit and retention of wealth are such deep sources of anxiety. Realizing that we have far more than enough to meet our basic needs and that the abundance of God’s creation provides enough for all if we hold it loosely and share it open-heartedly, is God’s gift to us. When we accept and share this gift, worry ceases to be our master.

Reflection by Becky Withington. Contact Becky at withing AT comcast DOT net
~~~~Congratulations to Becky Withington, Plymouth’s in-care seminarian! On February 10, Becky met with the UCC Pacific Northwest Conference Committee on Ministry (COM) for her final ordination examination. With joy and celebration, the COM approved Becky for ordination pending call. Once Becky is called to an ordained ministry position her ordination celebration will be scheduled, wherein she will become an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. Currently, Becky is finishing her last quarter at Seattle University and faithfully writes the Bread for the Journey reflection series. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7310.html Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 On January 23rd the Youth Forum Ministry led the Plymouth community in worship. During that service three seniors in YFM gave their reflections inspired by their experience and the passage from Matthew 4:12-23that calls us to "let go of our nets." Below are their reflections.
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Emily Br.

We come into this world as children of God, called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus’ disciples. There is more than one way to fulfill this belief but all of them require us to make some sort of sacrifice. As we just read in the gospel, Jesus called to these fishermen to follow him and they did. They simply dropped their nets, got up and went out to spread light into people’s lives. Now I am not saying that if you are approached by some random person and they say “Come and follow me!” you should just drop your bags and leave your family without a word. These days we are called to be disciples and a light in a time of darkness in a sort of less dramatic way. It could be as little as giving up some of our time to pray for those who are suffering or as big as actually giving up our everyday routine to help someone in need.
On this day two weeks ago a man approached a Safeway in Tucson Arizona where he broke into a shooting rampage. Before he was taken down he managed to kill six and injure thirteen others. This was a horrific event that brought Arizona and many others into a time of darkness and mourn. During this time however, candlelight vigils were arranged to pray for the families of the victims and express hope for the injured. People took time away from their daily lives to attend. Not only in Arizona but cities across the country did the same, including Seattle. We were all called together to bring light into people’s lives who were effected that day and let them know that all sorts of communities were joining together to pray for them.

Another time that I have seen people called together is last year after the earthquake in Haiti. Molly Hightower was an alumnus of my high school and a well loved member of the community. At the time of the earthquake she was volunteering in a hospital building that collapsed. Many of the teachers I had last year had taught her and I never thought I would see any of them in tears. Although I did not know Molly personally, I also was brought into this time of mourning. And it was difficult but because we were a strong and close knit community we got through it. We were all a light in a time of darkness for each other. We also utilized this time to raise money for the children and schools Molly has been working with. We ended up raising over $30,000. It was an amazing thing and through that we not only spread light amongst our community, but Haiti as well. Molly’s aspirations were light for us to try and fulfill her passion for helping others, she was someone who gave up more then was ever expected of her to help those in need.

The place where this passage of being called to be a disciple really hits home for me is in my own experience of becoming the light for someone. One of my close and long time friends was kicked out of her house last August. Summer was ending and I was ecstatic about getting back to school and starting my senior year. However things ended up going a little differently then I planned when I heard this news. My family opened up our home to her and I thought “hey, this could be fun. Kind of like an extended sleep over.” But boy was I wrong, that sleep over lasted so much longer then I was expecting! My life as I knew it had changed. Now don’t get me wrong I love this girl to death, but I have always been an only child so suddenly having a sister was a WHOLE new experience. After three weeks of her in the house I cracked, going to my parents and honestly telling them how I felt. All they had to say was deal with it, “She is the way she is because of her influences. We are keeping her here and showing her what a family really is capable of.” It was truly touching but did not cut it for me. I was infuriated, fed up and trying to find ways to avoid home. I felt like I had lost my family, my safe haven, my happiness and my drive. School and the people there became my escape and provided me with support. I never thought the end of the school day would ever be my least favorite thing. Not to mention I felt like a parent, waking her up in the morning and getting her to school, and being texted randomly asking for rides or to borrow money. All I could think was this is not what I wanted to be doing my senior year of high school! To this day she still lives at my house. We have painted her room, gotten her furniture, and bought her things she has needed. She is essentially my adopted sister and she is a part of my family. My house is the place she will always come back to; she calls my house home. This whole experience started off as me putting aside my plans and being a light for her in a time of need and showing her what a family really could be capable of. Through this experience however I think she at some point became a light for me. Because of her I have learned what it is like to have a sibling, an experience I would have never gotten. Some days I wanted to just kill her and other days we would be sitting painting our nails, and just laughing about nonsense. Putting down my net was hard at first, but in the end I am glad I did because I was able to truly help a friend, but also gain a little knowledge of my own.
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Emma L.

If a stranger walked up to me and called “Come, follow me.” I am pretty sure it would not happen. However, as I mulled over this story of Matthew, I realized that I would follow because I follow every day; maybe not in the same sense of dropping my job, family, and life and literally following a strange man, as the brothers in this story do, but in the sense that I follow teachings and ideas. Every day that I go to school, especially math and science class, I accept what the teachers are teaching as the “right way”. So in a sense each and every day that I speak, spell, do math, and read, I am using skills that I learned by following, just as the brothers blindly followed Jesus. So, as I was rethinking my position on whether or not I would follow the call of “Come, follow me”, I realized that following can pretty much be in any way, shape, or form, but, normally following something that you wouldn’t normally do. It seems to me that following is about trusting someone and their knowledge while still giving your opinions and expressing your knowledge, like a mutual following. Although every day I got to school and follow teachers, sometimes I am reluctant, my own ideas or the previous way that I learned a math concept will cause me to come to a debate with my teacher.

Eventually one of us has to do as the brothers did and drop our nets, or in this situation, our argument, and change the way we think about a concept in order to follow the other. I feel like this is a formula for following, if you could place following into a formula. First, you have to be able to put down your net, the thing that is holding you back, whether it be a concept, idea, or way of living, so that you are able to change your thoughts and follow. When I think of this formula, I can also see the fact that many things are still hard to understand or see until after you have taken that step of faith and trust. Although, a wise word was told to me that as people grow older, they find it harder to follow and trust in this sense. A student may follow teachers for months or years in a subject until they finally get it, and they understand the subject matter and what is going on in class. For adults, it may be that they do not see yet where their job is going, or what they really contribute to their company, but eventually they are able to see what they are following. For me it was church and faith, I came to Plymouth when I was 5 because I was following my mom, but as I grew up, I picked up a net in a sense, I became reluctant to come to church, the rebel inside of me didn’t want to wake up early on Sundays, and definitely didn’t want to do what my mom told me to do. Each Sunday morning ended in arguments, silent car rides full of tension, and grumpy Mondays. So, my mom gave in, she let me stay home Sunday mornings. After 2 years of hearing about my sister’s experience in 8th grade confirmation and Youth Forum, I decided to make the decision to go back to church and go through confirmation with the other kids my age that I had grown up with in the church. This was my putting down the net. I had to put down my rebellion, and my change was that now I think of going to church as my own decision, not as my mom’s decision for me. I then followed the church, and my friends in the church, because I felt such a strong sense of community in my 8th grade confirmation class, and even though I didn’t really see what my beliefs were nor where I was going, I followed. In a way I connect this to the disciples, they joined the church with the sense of community in mind even though they did not yet understand the callings of Christ or what the sermons were even about. Eventually though their trust and following helped them understand and see in the way Jesus did in his sermons. They put down their nets of religious beliefs and ways of living, and followed Jesus. My belief is that any one can learn this, if they take that step, put down their nets of comfortability, or what is holding them back, and trust and follow.

Today I am asking you to follow us, the youth, and put down your nets, whether this is your order of worship, your comfort zone, or your beliefs in the right and wrong way things should be done. At first this might seem unusual, uncomfortable, and maybe even a bit upsetting. But, we all need to be put into that kind of situation at some time in our lives, where you are following someone or something new, for just a day, weeks, or even years. To be able to experience new things and have an open mind you need to figure out how to drop your nets, and conformabilities, and follow.
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Emily Bu.

The most frequent question I am asked when I find myself in a conversation with an adult is the typical “So, College…” I’m sure that my fellow seniors will agree with me when I say that this is a very awkward conversation starter, especially considering that it isn’t even a question. You have no idea how often I have wanted to respond with “College?...” but instead I dutifully answer in one breath “Carleton, Whitman, Grinnell, Lawrence, Middlebury, Bates, and Bowdoin.” And because I know you are all dying to ask me “No, I do not have a favorite yet.” Along with the stress of college and ‘what comes next’ a high schooler’s senior year has a lot of responsibility. I have rather suddenly found myself one the oldest (and tallest) kids in the school, the captain of the basketball team, the planner of school dances, and preparing for my senior violin recital, not to mention things like, well, writing this reflection for youth led worship.
Of all the responsibilities mentioned I believe I have found this one the most challenging and frankly the most terrifying. How am I supposed to sum up all I have learned from YF and from Plymouth Church in the past 4 years in only 10 minutes? As I racked my brains for a topic that wouldn’t seem like I was trying to be too deep but smart enough so that my parents felt like my Northwest School tuition had been worth paying, I knew I wanted to, more than anything, have the chance to thank this congregation for the 4 wonderful years I have had in YF. I feel grateful every day to have had such a supportive community of loving people surrounding me throughout what many would deem as ‘a rough period’ aka adolescence.

While pondering what to say next I came across the question: Why do I go to church every Sunday instead of sleeping in till noon like so many of my peers? Why am I a disciple of Christ? Although I had been attending services with my mom on a semi-regular occasion since I was 8, I never went to any Sunday school classes or Focus group. It seems funny now but I was terrified of other kids my age until I was about 14 years old. Therefore in the spring of 7th grade my mom somewhat hesitantly asked me if I would like to do the confirmation class, and handed me the invitation to join. I can still remember that part of the description of the class was “Make meaning out of your life using stories from the bible.” And I thought to myself “That sounds pretty cool.”

So that fall I walked into a classroom on a Sunday to be greeted by 10 unknown teenagers, and trust me that was basically like my worst nightmare. So why am I standing here now? Obviously I didn’t run out of the room screaming, because that nightmare turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. And that is because of those 10 wonderful teenagers, some now adults, who welcomed me into their midst and made me feel more accepted and comfortable than I had almost anywhere else. So I walked into the arms of the church, and to this day I like to think that the power of our welcome and greetings are one of our greatest strengths and are why people so quickly feel at home here.

The truth is YF may be made up of high schoolers, but it’s not like any high school class I’ve ever seen. It is a place where you feel like you can speak openly about anything and not be judged by those around you. We grow close bonds not because we see each other every day but because we choose to go to a place where we can express our faith and our doubts. The safe environment is created by a policy of ‘acceptance no matter what’ and the motto that “We don’t have to like each other, but we do have to love each other”. This community has been built on the teachings of Jesus, and the love of God. God is what ‘drove’ us together in the first place, and while God may not always be what keeps us together, the longer you stay the better you understand that God’s what it’s all about.
Now, I’m sure that anyone who has applied to college remembers the intimidating “Personal Essay” that most colleges require (something to look forward to juniors). Luckily for me, the “life-changing” event that I was supposed to describe and analyze in detail had only occurred a few months before I started writing about it. Therefore, I would like to conclude by reading my personal essay about my experience at the Heifer Ranch with the hope that you will be able to see what an impact service can have on an individual, as well as being part of such a loving and supportive community such as this.

I found myself trudging down a hill in the hot afternoon sun, overalls and boots caked in mud and dung, a day-old lamb tucked under each arm, followed by a loudly bleating mamma sheep. My afternoon farm work assignment was to document the newborn lambs, which meant: catching the lambs; cutting off their umbilical cords and dipping them in iodine; hanging them in a sling to be weighed; recording their mother’s numbers, their new numbers, their weights, date of birth and markings; and finally tagging their ears. It was the most fun I’d ever had. The whole time I was working I kept on thinking to myself, “This is definitely not what I expected…”

It’s when you are put out of your comfort zone that you learn the most about yourself. My youth group’s trip to the Heifer Ranch Learning Center in Little Rock, Arkansas was full of moments I had never experienced before. There was no ‘one moment’ when I felt like my life was altered, but by the end of the week, and now, months later, I realize how I was inspired to think about and experience the world in new and different ways.

Usually when we eat something, we give little thought to where it comes from: the grocery store, right? When we were given the task of making pizzas for lunch at the Ranch one morning none of us thought much of it. Back home it only takes 20 to 30 minutes to either bake a frozen pizza or order from a delivery service. But now we were cooking from scratch, really scratch, and we learned quickly the simpler the better; these weren’t going to be any multi-toppings pizzas. We started with the dough, grinding whole grain kernels grown at the farm to make flour. Milking a goat came next. I squeezed the warm udder gently several times, satisfied by the stream of milk hitting the pail. We took the milk back into the kitchen to make cheese, a long and tedious task involving a lot of straining, stirring, and apple vinegar. The sauce was made from tomatoes grown at the farm and herbs we picked from the garden. After nearly two hours of ‘ingredient gathering’ we put everything together and popped the pizzas in the oven before regrouping to discuss what we had learned.

It was at this point of the trip that I began to really think about the benefits to myself, my community and the world of local organic food as opposed to the industrial kind. At our first meal at the ranch, we were told that we were expected to take only as much food as we could eat, and to clean our plates. This idea really struck me as I thought about my school lunchroom. I watch kids dump untouched, perfectly good food every day, and it’s a pure waste. I had heard the expression ‘clean your plate, there’re starving children in Africa’ many times, but now it fully registered itself in my mind. A quote we heard again and again at Heifer was ‘If there is enough for all, why don’t all have enough?’ I try and remember this every day so that I never forget that there is still so much work to be done.

Not long after the trip while reading the book Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, I came across a passage that spoke to me: ‘Devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” Perhaps that most important thing I discovered while working on the Heifer Ranch was that in the future I want to be involved, like the people I met there, in something that has meaning and defines me as a person. I know that as long as I try everyday to be the person I want to be, I will be happy.

I’m back to being a high school senior. My future is looking kind of scary. There are going to be a lot of different roads I can take, and there is no way that I can predict what is going to happen in the next chapter of my life. What can I take with me on my journey that I have learned here? What can any of us take with us from here on our journey through life? I encourage you all to think about why you come to Plymouth? Was it for the community? Did you want the bible stories to have meaning for your life? Did you want to find God’s forgiveness and love? Whatever the reason, ask yourself today: Why did I cast down my nets and choose to follow Jesus? http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7311.html Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 post revolution Egypt - by Flickr user HilaliReflecting on the situation in Egypt and this week's lectionary 'love your enemy' text from Matthew, Scottish writer and minister Fraser Macnaughton writes:
As this drama unfolds, one of the great challenges will be the need to resist the impulse of retaliation, both from the authorities, encultured into cowing the population, and the citizenry, bruised and angry from years of repression. Expanding the boundaries of care and understanding another’s’ point of view will be crucial if the disparate elements of Egyptian society will be able to live together.Read the whole thing here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7312.html Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Spirit of the living God
Flow into your beloved child
Heal where there has been harm
Strengthen where there is weakness
And life our hearts to reflect your glory Amen

In the Focus program, we're spending a few weeks on Celtic Prayers. Last week, we took the words to the prayer above and rearranged them to make new prayers.

God, strengthen our hearts
Living your glory where beloved spirit has been
Flow weakness of the child to heal
Reflect harm into your lift
and where there is living there
Amen

God is our beloved and living spirit where there has been weakness
Spirit heal our childLift our weaknessStrengthen hearts into your gloryAmen
Building on these beautiful prayers, we'll be making Celtic prayer beads in Focus this week. For those of you not heading off to snow camp, come join us! http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7313.html Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Last Sunday during our gathering time in the chapel, Jamie led us in singing a new version of This Little Light of Mine. Some of you requested the lyrics, so here you go:
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

On Monday, gave me the gift of love
On Tuesday, peace came from above
On Wednesday, told me to have more faith
On Thursday, gave me a little more grace
On Friday, told me to watch and pray
On Saturday, told me what to say
On Sunday, gave me the power divine, to make my little light shine.

(chorus)
The song was written around 1920 by Harry Dixon Loes, a Chicago-based composer, music teacher and evangelist. It became a Civil Rights anthem in the 1950s and 1960s, and different folk musicians adapted it over time, adding verses such as the one we sang on Sunday.

Here's a video of the Kingston Trio performing the song in 1962. Perhaps we should find a banjo player to join us some Sunday!



http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7314.html Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Matthew 5:38-48 for Sunday, February 20, 2011

As theologian Karl Barth recommended, as I write this reflection I have the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other, the remarkable events in Egypt just a few days ago still vivid in my mind.

This week we continue with the Sermon on the Mount. I often conveniently remember the Sermon on the Mount as synonymous with the Beatitudes and think “oh, isn’t that nice, blessed are the peacemakers, the oppressed, the downtrodden…” That false recollection was pretty much shattered by last week’s passage. As Jesus continues his famous oration, once again this week he has some uncomfortable words for us. Turn the other cheek. Do not resist evil. Love your enemies. “Easy for the son of God to say,” we might think. But are we really to let evil flourish without resistance? Allow ourselves to be abused? Love people who hate us, who wish us ill? Or exploit and oppress the powerless?

Jesus, or Ghandi, or Martin Luther King, or any of the heroes we hold up as examples of the power of nonviolent action to effect change might say, “it depends on what you mean by resistance.” Walter Wink observes that by forcing your tormentor to strike you with the front of the hand instead of backhanding you, by handing over the cloak that covers your nakedness after you’ve lost your shirt, by going the extra mile for someone who forces your cooperation, you shame the one who would abuse and shame you, a powerful tool in an honor/shame based society like ancient Israel.

Fast forward 2,000 years to protesters in Tahrir Square standing peacefully against the assault of Mubarak supporters for hours before finally resorting to striking back by throwing rocks. To the army moving to protect them when the guns came out. “When we saw people bringing their children to Tarhir Square, wanting to see history being made, we knew this was something different,” said a U.S. official quoted in Monday’s New York Times. The brave Egyptians who brought down a repressive regime didn’t resist by fighting fire with fire, giving tit for tat, taking an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Confronted with decades of poverty and oppression, instead of turning to violent revolution they offered up their belief in themselves, their ability to nonviolently effect change and claim their own destiny.

In his Bible translation The Message, Eugene Peterson puts it this way: “I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” May we find the faith and courage to do likewise.

Reflection by Becky Withington. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net



BONUS

Congratulations to Becky who recently was interviewed by the UCC Pacific Northwest Conference Committee on Ministry and was approved for ordination pending call.

This is quite an achievement and means that once Becky is called to a particular ministry she will be an ordained reverend in the UCC! http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7315.html Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 This week's lectionary reading from Matthew 5:21-37 includes some tough sayings (e.g. "if you say, 'You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire" yeah, that's a tough one.)

Understanding the cultural context can help. Check out the article below from the Seasons of the Spirit curriculum that helps to provide some of that context.

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The purpose of the Ten Commandments, historically, was to prevent feuding and thereby to halt internally generated group annihilation. Honor-shame societies are agonistic (conflict) societies; hence challenges within a group can escalate
and actually lead to such annihilation. For example, Jesus himself was killed because of conflict taking place within Israel.

What the scenes described in these antitheses offer is a way out of the honor-shame impasse that requires taking satisfaction. If repentance, reconciliation, generosity, or the intervention of third parties exist, feuding rooted in the defense of honor need not mar the social landscape of the Jesus faction. Such strategies to counter feud-based satisfaction work much like the benefits of sun and rain falling on the good and the evil alike. Given the situation-based quality of Mediterranean moral sanctions, it is doubtful that such strategies involved the inward, psychological healing that U.S. persons imagine. But they would provide freedom from the in-group feuding that is pervasive in agonistic societies.

5:23–24: Astonishingly, this saying ranks reconciliation with a member of the community above temple worship obligations to God.

5:27–30: “Adultery” refers to the action of dishonoring a male of one’s community by having sexual relations with his wife. The dishonor consists in the adulterer’s ability to cross another’s family boundaries with impunity. As a dishonor to family reputation, adultery requires satisfaction that can often lead to interminable wrangling, feuding, and death. To prevent this, Israelite law required both adulterer and wife to be killed (Deuteronomy 22:22: “If a man is caught lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman as well as the woman; so you shall purge the evil from Israel”). Hence the “woman” at which a male might look “with lust” in v. 28 is a married woman, a “Mrs.” The added nuance is the “right” eye. “To pluck out the right eye” means to suffer dishonor (as in 1 Samuel 11:12: “But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, ‘On this condition I will make a treaty with you, namely that I gouge out everyone’s right eyes, and thus put disgrace upon all Israel’”; see also Zechariah 11:17). Here one is urged to suffer dishonor in the service of community peace that would be radically disturbed by dishonoring another.

5:31–32: Divorce is the dissolution of a marriage; where “marriage” means the fusion of honor of two families for political and economic reasons, divorce usually means a feud between families. To “make one’s wife an adulteress” in this case means to dishonor oneself by acting as a pimp and offering one’s wife for sexual union with other males. To “commit adultery” by marrying a divorced woman means to dishonor her previous husband who has given up rights to her. Such statements are exaggerations of sorts, and make little literal sense in the culture.

5:25–26: There is substantial evidence of debt causing the loss of land among peasants in the first century. One of the first things the Zealots did on gaining control of Jerusalem during the great revolt (66 CE) was to burn the debt records of the city. The legal background of this passage is more likely Roman than Israelite. In Roman law a magistrate could grant a creditor one of two choices: he could either force his debtor to work until the debt was paid off or have him put in prison. In the latter case, the expectation was that relatives would either sell his land to pay the debt or bail him out themselves. In such cases, the purpose of imprisonment was extortion.

5:33–37: Swearing means calling God to witness the veracity of what one is saying. Such swearing usually occurred in the process of buying and selling. It was always a seller’s market, and normally there was no third-party system to assure honesty in the interaction. A seller would call God to witness to the quality of the product by means of a set of phrases meant to refer to God, yet not exactly mentioning God: “by heaven,” “by the earth,” “by Jerusalem,” “by my head.” Asking God to witness to shoddy goods or animals is to take God’s name in vain, to dishonor God. That is the meaning of the Third Commandment. Such subterfuge frequently led to conflict, and as the language here implies, the seller invoking such oaths raised the suspicion of poor quality that needed covering up.

From Social Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels by Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaugh. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7316.html Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Currently, in the entry way of the sanctuary, Plymouth provides colorful bags filled with coloring books and crayons for children to use during the worship service.

The Children and Youth Board decided to take it up a notch.

Starting this semester each bag will also be filled with two bulletins each tailored for a specific age group and for the Sunday's particular scripture reading.

The children's bulletins will follow the lectionary and will correspond (as best as we're able) to the sermon text of the morning. One bulletin will have activities geared toward children ages 3-6 and the other will have puzzles for those ages 7-12.

You can see a picture of the bulletins below or you can down a sample of each using the links provided.

Ages 3-6

Ages 7-12



http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7317.html Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 This week's lectionary scripture from the gospel of Matthew includes portions of the Sermon on the Mount. Throughout this text Jesus repeats the refrain, "You have heard that it was said...but I say to you." With this refrain Jesus references the sections of the Torah and then moves us beyond the letter of the law to something deeper.

Dealing with the letter of the law has the benefit of clarity and simplicity. However, moving past the letter, to the spirit of the law, to the story that lies beneath, or to values and principles upon which the law stands often yields to deeper wisdom. Yet as we dig beneath the letter of the law we may begin to relinquish some of that clarity and simplicity.

Jesus was consistently moving past boundaries. He walked right by social, political, and religious boundaries. In the Sermon on the Mount we see Jesus moving beyond the boundaries of the Torah. This movement was not to abolish that which defined the community but to lead us all into a deeper understanding of the purpose of the Torah.

Jesus' refrain "You have heard that it was said...but I say to you..." was not meant to replace one old law with a new law but instead it was meant as a call lead to join him in exploring the depth of God's vision for who we could be.

Check out this simple video below which continues to reflect on Jesus' call beyond the law.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7318.html Mon, 07 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Matthew 5:21-37

“To be foresworn,” to break your oath, is an old fashioned-sounding concept in today’s legalistic society, where everyone seems to be contractually obligated to someone. Of course there are still verbal agreements between people which are considered legally binding – but are they ethically binding? The rule of law is one of the blessings of living in a democratic society, but at the same time I wonder if our legalistic approach, while holding us accountable legally, lets us off the hook ethically. “Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court,” Jesus urges us, but in the 21st century these terms often involve deep pocket corporations paying for an injured party’s silence.

When Jesus talks about coming to terms with our accuser, he’s talking not about compensation but reconciliation. Jesus urges us to set things right among ourselves before approaching God with our offerings and praise. The behavioral guidelines in this passage, and the penalties for violating them, sound harsh to our modern ears. But the call to right relationship sounds very familiar. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God models, exhorts, and begs us to accept that we are loved and forgiven, and in turn to love and forgive others.

Why the harsh condemnation of lust, adultery, and even divorce, which was technically legal under Hebrew law? Notice that Jesus seems to be particularly directing these prohibitions towards men, although in other passages this bias isn’t evident. It’s important to note that in this patriarchal society where women were utterly financially dependent on men, divorce or abandonment by a husband could be tantamount to a death sentence for a woman. How often in scripture are God’s people urged to care for the widow and the orphan? There’s a good reason for that. Without the support of family or community, widows were generally reduced to prostitution or begging.

Jesus’ warning is dire, but when he invokes the fires of hell, what is he referring to? The Greek term “Gehenna” which is translated as “hell” in the New Testament refers to a valley located outside ancient Jerusalem. Various ancient references to the Valley of Hinnom, as it was also known, describe it as a place of sacrifice to the Phoenician god Moloch and a burning rubbish heap where fires were kept burning perpetually to consume the filth and corpses thrown into it. Was Jesus talking about eternal damnation and torment, or was he talking about being utterly alienated from the community, cut off without proper burial or resting place?

Perhaps to posture before God while members of our community have legitimate grievances against us that we refuse to set right, to betray our loved ones and leave them impoverished and marginalized, to speak falsely and be foresworn is to find ourselves in a kind of hell, the hell of alienation rather than connection, bitterness instead of love. Perhaps it would be better to be physically maimed than spiritually mutilated…strong words from a strong and passionate leader who walked boldly all the way to the cross.

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7319.html Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 This year the conference is living into some exciting ideas for the Annual Meeting. One of those ideas is fostering connections across the conference. When the wider community has come together God has done some amazing things through our work (the list of UCC firsts testifies to this).

One of the ways that we can foster connections between churches is to offer our hospitality and homes to those traveling to Seattle for this years Annual Meeting. By opening our homes we are taking a simple step in living into the extravagant welcome we want to be known by as members of the UCC.

Below is a note from Arlene at the conference office with more details.
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We need your help for the Pacific Northwest Conference’s Annual MeetingApril 29-30, 2011

This year we are trying something new for Annual Meeting. In addition to having the option of staying in local hotels, we are looking for money-saving options for those who would find staying in a hotel financially challenging. We are hoping to keep the costs down for attendees and also “get connected” with our church family and folk from around our conference. We are asking our members of our local area churches to help us with housing for our visiting delegates and friends.

If are willing to provide a guest room in their homes on the nights of April 29th and 30th please let us know. (A few of our folks may also need housing on April 28th.) Feeding your guest/s is not an expectation.

Please call:
Kathy at Normandy Park Congregation UCC 206-824-1770 or kathy@npucc.org or Arlene at the Conference Office, 206-725-8383 or pncucc@gmail.com, if you would like to help provide housing. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7320.html Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Join your Plymouth friends for a weekend of snow play at Camp Koinonia, February 19-21. We’ll be sledding,cross-country skiing, and playing indoor games in the recently remodeled lodge. Best of all, someone else doesall the cooking! Sign up in this Sunday, February 6. An informational meeting will be held February 13.

Questions? Talk to us at the sign up table, or contact Mari Mitchell-Putnam at maricmp@comcast.net. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7321.html Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 As we begin the winter/spring semester the 8th graders in the confirmation class will turn more towards the crafting of their personal statement of faith.

During the fall/winter semester we began with identifying our own values and moved into a study and reflection on the UCC Statement of Faith. At the fall retreat I was impressed by the discussion that ensued after reading Sister Prejean's "This I believe" essay.

The essay focused on the connection between faith and action and has inspired the class. In the crafting of their individual statement of faith the 8th grades are encouraged to focus on the connections between what we believe and how we live. The process leads students to see connections between the people they want to be, God's vision for humanity, the way of Jesus, and the wider church.

Click here to view and download the statement of faith process. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7322.html Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800 This Sunday the Festival of Epiphany comes to a close with the Festival Worship. As we approach this collaborative effort in creating worship I have been reflecting on liturgy, "the work of the people" and on the definition of worship. I stumbled upon this short video reflection by author Brian Mclaren on the "Worship Industry."

Check it out.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7323.html Thu, 27 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 The theme of hospitality continues to call out to me. I found this video with Catholic Theological Union's professor Dr. Scott Alexander to be quite moving.

FYI - The video does not seem to be showing on Windows Explorer. The video will play on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. I'm not sure why Explorer is being a stick in the mud. If you are using Windows and want to watch this short clip, then you can find it here.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7324.html Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 On Sunday, January 30th the YFM guided the wider Plymouth community in worship. Below is a video outlining the morning's theme, scripture, and the wonderful sermons by three YFM seniors. Check it out (there's more video to come...)
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7325.html Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800
Curious about what's coming up in Youth Forum Ministry?

How about the latest update on Confirmation?

What to know more about the Children & Youth Board?

You can learn the latest about each of these areas at any time by checking out the new pages on YF, Confirmation, & CYB. You can access the new pages by clicking on the links under "CYF Ministries" found below the "CYF Calendar" on your right. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7326.html Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 The Festival of Epiphany continues this week. Check out the schedule below.

9:30- Festival of Epiphany:
Fellowship, songs and snacks for all ages (Hildebrand Hall)

9:50- Gathering of Music and scripture

10:10- Festival Activities:
Silhouettes/Poetry/Collage… Hildebrand Hall
Lantern Making…Hildebrand Hall
Flower Making… Hildebrand Hall
Epiphany Choir…221, 223, 225
Song Circle… Chapel

11:20(ish)- Focus Program:
Primary school children may accompany Brandon from the 11:00am worship
service (after the gospel reading) to Hildebrand Hall to continue on
their festival project.

If you have yet to make it to the festival, then check out the video below. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7327.html Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 As the Festival of Epiphany draws to a close we will end the month long intergenerational arts festival with a worship service that we create together. Jennifer Castle gives us a glimpse into the festival worship on February 6 in the article below.
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The Festival of Epiphany has been a wonderful success, with people of all ages listening to scripture, creating beautiful crafts, and making music together. The Festival will culminate this Sunday, February 6 with festival worship, in which the art and music that has been created over the last three Sundays will be incorporated into the 11:00 service. All will gather at 10:00 in the sanctuary to divide into small groups, and each group will be responsible for creating a part of the 11:00 worship service. We have engaged in this process at Plymouth in the past and it is used frequently at our camps and retreats. I have found that the worship that is born of this process is always inspiring and powerful. Whether you’ve participated in the Festival of Epiphany in the past few weeks or not, we welcome and encourage your involvement in creating a beautiful, engaging worship service that will reflect the spirit and light of Epiphany. -Jennifer Castle, Facilitator of Lay & Community Ministries http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7329.html Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 This past week the Living the Questions series focused on hospitality. Along this theme I found this video with Diana Butler Bass to be timely and thought provoking.

FYI - The video does not seem to be showing on Windows Explorer. The video will play on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. I'm not sure why Explorer is being a stick in the mud. If you are using Windows and want to watch this short clip, then you can find it here.



May our hospitality at Plymouth continue to grow in extravagance and love. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7330.html Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 What a fantastic panel with friends from University Congregational and Broadview UCC. The youth, parents, and facilitators shared about their experience with the Our Whole Lives sexuality and faith curriculum. Below is a 25 minute video from our guests.

** BE ADVISED
**-The first half of the video has very poor lighting. Fortunately, it is their testimony that is truly of importance.
-You will want to turn up the volume on your speakers.

Ask Brandon about samples of the OWL curriculum.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7331.html Wed, 19 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 The Seasons of the Spirit curriculum offers a few historical and cultural insights regarding fishing in first century Palestine. These helpful bits of information give some possible glimpse into the kind of people that were first called to follow Jesus.



Matthew’s gospel really emphasizes fishing when telling the story of Jesus calling Andrew and others to be disciples. Read the following “fish facts.” What qualities of fishers are needed by disciples of Jesus as they are called to live God’s great adventure?

Fact 1: All kinds of fish, all kinds of people
The Sea of Galilee (which is really a large freshwater lake) was loaded with a great variety of fish. The cities and villages all along the lakeshore were filled with people from all over the world who had come to work in the fishing industry.

Fact 2: Dangerous storms
Small boats caught out on the Sea of Galilee in a storm are in immediate danger. Storms can come up suddenly and without much warning. Since it is a fairly shallow lake, the water is churned up quickly during a storm and waves can easily sink small boats.

Fact 3: Fish food
Not surprisingly, fish were an important part of the diet of people in the area. Fishers in the area made a good living, and provided an important source of food to the whole region.

Fact 4: Fish symbols
Because of Jesus’ call of fishers as first disciples, the fish shape became a popular symbol for Jesus among early Christians. The letters that spell the Greek word for fish (ichthus) correspond to the first letters of the Greek words that described what the early Christians believed about Jesus: "Jesus the Christ, Son of God, Saviour."

Fact 5: Team work, hard work
Fishing was often done with a seine net which is shaped like a long wall, with the top held up by floats and the bottom weighted down. Seine nets are huge and are pulled by teams of up to 16 people. The people on each fishing team sling heavy ropes across their shoulders or around their hips and pull the net toward the shore. It takes over an hour to spread the net a little way from shore and slowly pull it back in with towing lines. This may be done eight times or more in a day. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7332.html Wed, 19 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 This year a grassroots effort to convince Ellen DeGeneres to come to the UCC gathering in Tampa has really taken root. Pastors and churches are making videos inviting Ellen to come to General Synod. The effort has a facebook page.

I was fairly impressed with a video that the youth in the Northern California Nevada Conference made as a part of this effort. Apparently they are pretty excited about General Synod this summer in Tampa, Florida.


Curious about General Synod? Click here to check out the UCC's main page on this years gathering in Tampa, Florida. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7333.html Wed, 19 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 The Festival of Epiphany kicked off at Plymouth this past weekend. Thanks to Jessie we can check out this slide show with photos from Saturday's Epiphany Cafe concert with the Shillings and Sunday's festival activities.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7334.html Wed, 19 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Creating experiences and an environment for the faith formation of children and youth at Plymouth takes the time and energy of a lot of talented people. One key team is the Children and Youth Board (CYB). The CYB plays an integral part in the faith formation of the students and teachers in the Sunday school program at Plymouth.

The responsibilities of the Children and Youth Board include:
-Recruiting, equipping, supporting, and appreciating the work of Sunday school, confirmation, and Youth Forum Ministry teaching teams.
-Celebrating significant moments in our children and youth’s faith life including: Baptism, Kindergarten & 4th Grade Bibles, Confirmation, Youth Led Worship, etc.
-Evaluating Sunday school curriculum needs and resources
-Reviewing childcare ministry to ensure a safe environment for Plymouth’s youngest members and guests
-Facilitating effective communication around children and youth ministries
-Preparing a budget that meets the needs and supports the growth of children and your ministries
Board members are assigned as liaison to Sunday School classes in order to provide a communication channel wherein teachers can bring questions, concerns, new ideas or other topics to the attention the Board.

This year the CYB is excited to have two members from the Youth Forum Ministry join the team.

The CYB meets on the second Tuesday night of the month (along with many of the other boards at Plymouth). Curious about what the CYB is working on or it's goals for the year? Contact Brandon Duran (bduran@plymouthchurchseattle.org) or current CYB Chair, Mary Stevens (mk-stevens@live.com) for more information. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7335.html Wed, 19 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Mary Stevens, Children & Youth Board (CYB) Chair, shared this video with the CYB last night. It is a great video showcasing fourth graders from Watkins Elementary School in Washington D.C. gathered on the Lincoln Memorial's steps to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous speech in 1963.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7336.html Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Thanks to Jessie we have some pictures from the Christmas Eve rehearsal and the labyrinth at the Longest Night service.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7338.html Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Check out this note from Roger McRea concerning one of the workshops during the Festival of Epiphany.
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Have you always wanted to sing with the Plymouth Choir, but don’t have the time to commit to Thursday evening practices and Sunday morning services all year?

The Epiphany Festival will give you a chance to join together and sing with the Plymouth Choir at the worship service on Feb. 6th. Each Sunday at the 10 o’clock hour, as part of the Festival of Epiphany, singers of all ages and experience are invited to learn the anthem that the Choir will be singing on Feb. 6th, plus learn the hymns and the Sevenfold Amen which follows the Benediction. Roger McRea, David McGee and Hedy Fredrickson will lead the three weeks of 10 am practice. You do not have to attend all three Sunday practices if you also want to attend other Festival sessions, such as the Song Circle with Bruce Hanson. If you have questions, contact rogermcrea@hotmail.com. - Roger McRea http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7339.html Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Below is a reflection by one of the Youth Forum Ministry Coordinators, David Mallory, regarding the youth led worship service planned for January 23rd.
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Two Sundays ago a group of us traveled to New Beginnings Christian Church in Renton and found a service very different from our own. The songs were different, the energy was different, the preaching was different and at two hours and 45 minutes the length was different. Some liked the service, some did not. I did. I liked it, though, as a visitor and that is not the same as someone choosing to be a member. I don’t know what it would be like to be a part of that community. I don’t know what it is like to be a member and I don’t know how easily I would relate to the individuals that call it theirs. I do, however, still feel a desire to know them better and know what gives them the feeling we all saw in that service.

On January 23rd the Youth Forum Ministry will be leading the worship at Plymouth church; leading the music, leading the prayers, reflecting on the passages and God willing give you all a different perspective on what we do on Sunday mornings. Last Sunday we did our best, with the thoughts and ideas of twenty, to plan the music, reflections, prayers, order of worship, and bulletin of the service. There are probably things we forgot and I will find out about these tomorrow at the staff meeting. There may be some awkward transitions. It will, however, be different, and, it is good to keep in mind that a service is not a performance, but an event that we experience and participate in together and are moved by according to that participation. Come January 23rd to see what the those members of Plymouth Church ages 14-18 felt served best to fill three hours of your Sunday morning. We started with a blank slate, they kept some things, temporarily put aside others and the result is a good indication of what the future generations of Plymouth may look for in a church service. - David Mallory http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7337.html Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 I am excited about the new things we're trying at Plymouth. This weekend we are launching "The Festival of Epiphany." It is a intergenerational event that I believe will create lasting memories of faith formation.

It also means that the 10:00am hour will look very different from the regular church school schedule.

Children in kindergarten and above are invited to join in the month long festivities. During the Festival of Epiphany there need to be a few guidelines, based on our child safety policy found in the Faith Formation Handbook to help maintain a safe and gracious space for children.

1) Parents/Guardians of children in primary school (grades K-5) need to check-in and check-out their child from the child's chosen workshop. Primary school children may not rotate between workshops without the accompaniment of their parent. Parents, please check-out your children no later than 10:50am in order that all may have an opportunity to attend the 11:00am worship on time.

2) Young children (grades K-2) who are not connecting with the various festival projects are invited to join the Toddler/Pre-Kindergarten (TPK) class on the first floor. The TPK class welcomes the young ones into their program and, in the interest of safety and clarity, expects that parents will personally check-in and check-out their children from the TPK class.

3) Youth (grade 6 and above) may freely rotate between workshops during the 10:00am time. During the Festival of Epiphany the confirmation class is put on pause in order that the confirmands might fully participate in the festival.

4) Volunteer monitors will watch main entry points to help ensure the safety of children during the festival. If you are interested in volunteering to serve as a monitor please contact me.

5) Check out the chart below with more information regarding the schedule for children during the Festival of Epiphany.

Festival of Epiphany Chart
If you have any other questions about the involvement of children and youth in the Festival of Epiphany then please call me. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7340.html Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 I found this short and interesting video with Walter Brueggemann. It seemed an appropriate reflection as we approach the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. this weekend.
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http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7341.html Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Check out the note below from Plymouth Librarian, Suzanne Sanderson, regarding a new resource in the Plymouth Library.

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The good news is that I would like to announce the grand opening of the new Parent/Teacher Resource Room.

As you can see in the photos, it occupies what used to be a closet next to the children's section of the library.

The Parent/Teacher Resource Room is where you will find books on parenting and teaching skills. The children's religion section has been moved into the Parent/Teacher Resource Room as well as books that help children deal with various issues such as bullying. There are also videos which teachers are encouraged to use to expand their curriculum.

The bad news is that the library will be closed on January 9, as it will be used as changing space for performers in Amahl and the Night Visitors. Books may be returned to the church office, and do check out the selections in our Travelling Library at Hildebrand Hall after the performance! http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7342.html Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 On January 9th we remember the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3). As we consider Jesus' baptism we remember the many ways that the symbol of water is employed throughout scripture. The Seasons of the Spirit curriculum invites us to dig deeper into the image of water. Check out their reflection below.

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The Bible contains many stories about water. The people of Israel lived inland, away from the sea. Most were not familiar with the ways of the sea; many feared it. Because of this, water in the scriptures represents danger as well as life. Review each of the passages below. What do you learn about water in each passage? Does the image of water seem to be a positive or a negative one? How so?

Genesis 1:1–10
Genesis 6:11–1
Exodus 14:5–30
Joshua 3:1–17
Isaiah 35
Matthew 10:42
Matthew 14:22–3
John 4:4–15
Revelation 22:1–5
John the Baptizer called people to repentance – to turn again to God’s ways – in a challenging and direct manner. Those who came to John for baptism were plunged under the water – were “drowned” and “raised up” from the Jordan River.

In your church ritual, what is the meaning of the water used in baptism?
How has your understanding of the meaning of your baptism changed over the years?

John 7:38 says, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.”

What does it mean, as Jesus’ followers, to be “living water” for one another? http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7343.html Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800 This weekend we are excited to tell the story of "Amahl" at Plymouth. Several members of the church, including children and youth of Plymouth, will tell the story through drama and song.

Check out the synopsis of the story below.

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“Amahl and the Night Visitors” tells a simple tale of a boy and his mother. They live in poverty among shepherds. One night, the Three Kings, on their star-led way to Bethlehem to pay homage to the newborn Christ child, stop for shelter at the rude hut where Amahl and his mother live. They are given hospitality and are entertained by the neighboring shepherds.

The mother envies the gold and other splendid gifts being brought to this child the Kings do not even know. When she is caught trying to steal some gold for her starving child she is forgiven. Then they tell her about their Child and the new light he will bring into the world and the kingdom he will build. The poor widow repents and returns the gold. Amahl, in a gesture of innocent generosity offers his crutch, his most prized possession as a gift to the Child. In doing so, he is miraculously cured of his lameness, and he is allowed to accompany the Kings to Bethlehem to give thanks to the Christ Child.

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Amahl and the Night Visitors
January 7th @ 7:30p.m.
January 9th @ 11:00a.m.
Words and Music by Gian Carlo Menotti

Menotti's classic opera Amahl and the Night Visitors will be performed in the Sanctuary. Northwest Boychoir soloist, Benjamin Richardson will be featured in the title role. Plymouth's Mary McGee will be the Mother, Ann Allen the featured dancer, and Erik Kristen will be the page. The three Kings are Charles Robert Stephens, Michael Delos, and Gino Lucchetti. Members of the Plymouth Chancel Choir with the Shepherd's Chorus. Jon Palmason is the Stage Director and Producer.

Donation of $15 is suggested; children 12 and under are free. Park in the Plymouth garage. There is no charge for the performance on Sunday, January 9, at 11:00 a.m.

For more information contact the church office. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7344.html Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Calling all Pacific Northwest Conference UCC Youth and Chaperones!

Venture with us to Youth @ General Synod in Tampa, FL, Wednesday, June 29, through Wednesday, July 6, 2011. It will be an amazing adventure and an awesome way to experience how God is still speaking. We’d love to have everyone interested tag along!

General Synod is a time for all who gather to worship, build friendships, celebrate our varied ministries, and recognize our relationships in the ecumenical and world community.

General Synod meets every two years and is a gathering of people delegated by our 38 Conferences to represent the United Church of Christ and to address important matters relating to the church. General Synod participants also include visitors from UCC churches; local, conference and national UCC staff; representatives from many diverse UCC institutions, agencies and ministries; and friends and colleagues from other faith traditions.

Why come to General Synod?

☺ Friendships, old and new!
☺ Cheer for the Pacific Northwest Delegation which includes Brandon Duran from Plymouth Church!
☺ Two days of immersion in service and justice!
☺ Learn more about the UCC and have faith conversations to help you on your journey!
☺ Help the church discern how we can respond to significant issues in our churches, communities, nation and world!
☺ Worship that feeds your soul, food that feeds your body, adventures that feed your heart and mind and spirit!
☺ Concerts, workshops, exhibits, movies, games, socializing… and more!

Who can participate in Youth @ General Synod?

Youth @ General Synod is for youth who will be in grades 9 – 12 in 2011 (including 2011 high school graduates). Youth groups are invited to register with a minimum of 2 adults and 2 youth, with adult genders matching the gender of the youth. Youth group leaders and their adult chaperones are responsible for the supervision of their respective youth groups during the event.

What is the cost, and how do we register?

The cost of $480 for youth and $525 for adults includes: lodging for 7 nights (from June 29 through July 6); all meals on Thursday and Friday; daily breakfast (all week); service projects; youth programming; and General Synod events.

Where will we stay?

Housing for the Youth @ General Synod participants will be at the Howard Johnson Hotel in Tampa, about 1 mile from the Convention Center. Your lodging needs will be included as part of your registration for the Youth @ General Synod program.

Do we have to come for the full week to go to General Synod?

No - General Synod is available for all the people! If your group wants to go only to General Synod, you should register as visitors on the main General Synod site (www.ucc.org/synod). General Synod registration costs are $135 for youth and $200 for adults, but do not include any meals or lodging.

The Youth @ General Synod program is a parallel, weeklong program that includes General Synod but costs more to encompass lodging, meals, service/mission experience and related programming, as well as General Synod. Each evening at General Synod, there will be evening (“afterhours”) activities for youth groups that are open to both Youth @ General Synod participants AND youth groups attending only General Synod.

Questions? Interested in joining the Pacific Northwest Conference group?

Contact: Tara @ barbertara@hotmail.com or Susan @ susan_andresen@hotmail.com.

For more information check out:
www.ucc.org/youth http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7345.html Thu, 23 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 I am very excited to share that on January 2nd the Plymouth Forum is hosting Dr. Laura Kastner to discuss parenting in the 21st century.

Read the article below by Margaret Kitchell for more details on this special guest lecture.

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For the January 2 Forum (10:00 a.m. in Hildebrand Hall), we are very pleased to have Dr. Laura Kastner speaking on “Getting to Calm: Toolbox for parents and friends of teens”. Dr. Kastner is the author of Getting to Calm: Cool-headed strategies for parenting tweens and teens. She will begin by discussing how parenting in the 21st century is very stressful, and that families have less social support and connectedness than in the past. Parenting requires wisdom, patience, and time. She will discuss recent neuroscience findings that illustrate the basis for adolescent moodiness, emotional reactivity and impulsivity. In addition, neuroscience has also illuminated why adults lose their tempers, and how anger, fear and anxiety can derail reasoning skills and communication with teens.

Laura shows how, instead of dealing with teens under the influence of highly charged emotions- in both parties, parents can modify their approach and access the “thinking” brain, using cool-headed strategies to connect with and influence teens. She will use examples and tools from her book to illustrate typical situations. However, this talk will not just be for parents. Laura will discuss how elders in the US are underutilized as supportive agents for parents and children. She will discuss potential roles for elders, and for the whole community, in supporting parents.

Laura is a clinical psychologist and clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at University of Washington. She is a nationally recognized author and speaker and has appeared on The Today Show, the McNeil/Lehrer news hour and many local TV news interviews. She has co-authored three books with Jennifer Wyatt: The Seven Year Stretch: How Families Work Together To Grow Through Adolescence; The Launching Years: Strategies for Parents from Senior Year to College Life, as well as Getting to Calm: Cool-headed strategies for parenting tweens and teens.

After receiving her Ph.D. at University of Virginia, Dr. Kastner joined the faculty at the University of Washington where she teaches in the departments of psychology, psychiatry and the school of medicine. Specializing in adolescent health, the topics of Dr. Kastner’s academic articles include adolescent sexuality, behavioral medicine, teen suicide, eating disorders and the teaching of interviewing skills in primary care. She has received the Distinguished Psychologist Award from Washington State Psychological Association and been named one of Seattle’s Top Doctors. She maintains a private practice in which she treats children, couples and families. She and her husband of twenty-five years have two children in college.

—Margaret Kitchell http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7346.html Tue, 21 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 PC Advent Poster 2010 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7347.html Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Family Service

Sunday School Poinsettia Delivery to Horizon House

The Littlest Pageant

Many thanks Jessie & Angela for the pictures! http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7348.html Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Winter Sundays at Plymouth

**Please note that the Winter Arts Festival is now called the Festival of Epiphany** http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7349.html Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 I'm not talking about a nocturnal bird of prey wandering the sanctuary. I am referring to the "Our Whole Lives" curriculum. Our Whole Lives is a sexuality and faith curriculum for children, youth, and young adults.

Ms. Ann L. Hanson, the UCC Minister for Sexuality Education & Justice gives more details and background of the OWL program in the section below.

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Our religious heritage compels and guides us in creating a safe environment where people can come to understand and respond to the challenges facing them as sexual beings. As faith communities we promote justice for all people and we affirm the dignity of every individual, the importance of personal responsibility and the essential interdependence of all people.

Recognizing the need for faith based, comprehensive sexuality resources, the General Synod of the United Church of Christ asked the United Church Board for Homeland Ministries to develop sexuality education resources for all age levels. In a consultative process that included a needs assessment survey, field testing, and focus groups, full age span resources have now been developed. Our Whole Lives/Sexuality and Our Faith is the program for children, youth, young adult and adult.

Our Whole Lives/Sexuality and Our Faith is a series of sexuality education programs with components for all age levels. The program provides an opportunity for children, youth, and adults to learn about sexuality in the affirming and supportive setting of the church. It is based on embodiment theology and the philosophy of comprehensive sexuality education, which helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, comprehensive sexuality education provides not only facts about anatomy and human development but supports participants in clarifying their values, integrating sexual and spiritual understandings, building interpersonal skills, and understanding the spiritual, emotional, social, and political aspects of sexuality.

Our Whole Lives/Sexuality and Our Faith was developed in partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Association in response to the needs expressed by members of both faith groups. Both denominations have a proud tradition that calls us to take an active role in the promotion of education and justice in human sexuality. The program offers members of all ages in both denominations a profound opportunity to deepen their faith and put their values into practice. The program promotes sexual, spiritual and emotional health in our communities and fosters meaningful dialogue between peers, partners, families, and friends.

We live in a culture that is deeply conflicted about sexuality. Our Whole Lives/Sexuality and Our Faith offers an antidote to a culture that is saturated with mixed messages and misinformation about sexuality issues. The programs provide an opportunity to step back, reflect, and evaluate these messages, so that participants and their families can more effectively act on and communicate their religious and sexual values. The programs create a partnership between the family and faith community and help parents fulfill their roles as the primary educators of their children on sexuality issues.

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Check out this video as two teens from a United Methodist Church in CA explain the OWL program and discuss their experience in the OWL program at their church.



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The Children & Youth Board is hosting an OWL information session on January 23rd, at 12:15 in the Lounge. Friends from University Congregational UCC will lead a panel discussion regarding their experience in the OWL program. You don't want to miss this event.

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Here are what some people are saying about their experience with OWL.

Our Whole Lives is a jewel in the crown of the United Church of Christ...it is scripturally-based, it is person-centered, it is positive, it is realistic...it is needed!

Matthew H. Nevels, 7-9 teacher
Chattanooga, Tennessee


To offer sexuality education in a congregation is to acknowledge that human sexuality is simply too important, too beautiful, and too potentially dangerous to be ignored in a religious community.

Rev Lena Breen
Boston, Massachusetts


To be involved with these young people in one of the most important stages of their lives is an honor that is not taken lightly.

OWL teacher and parent


When I first went to OWL class, I didn't know what to expect. Now I know it has changed my life. Everything I learned will help me.

Middle school student


What a gift! Most faith communities shy away from conversations about sexuality, but ours has embraced it and made it a central part of the transition our children make into adulthood.

Parent


Don't every stop offering OWL at church. I took it when I was in high school and I think it saved my life. Every kid should see themselves the way OWL sees them.

College student http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7350.html Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7351.html Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 December 18th
6pm- Sunday

It is official, we have scheduled an overnight this Saturday at the Church. We will be joining "La Posada" from 6-9pm, where there will be dinner, pinata and most fun... Salsa dancing! David is ready to show off his mad Salsa skills (I like to do something called "free form salsa").

We created a Facebook Event, but if you would prefer, email drmallory@plymouthchurchseattle.org. If you would like to come, but will be a little late, please let us know in advance. Also, we will be working on some music elements of the YLW, so bring music, or ideas.

List of things to bring:


Sleeping Bag/pillow/pad?
toothbrush
comfy clothes and maybe fun salsa clothes
most importantly... warm, welcoming spirit

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7352.html Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 In this week's gospel reading, Matthew 1:18-25 an angel comes to Joseph in a dream and refers to Joseph as "Son of David."

How can this be and what does it mean for Jesus? In this week's Seasons of the Spirit, Tip of the Week, Patricia Bays (Anglican author and theological educator) walks us through a little biblical study on this title. Check out her article below.

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In the introduction to the story of Jesus in Matthew’s gospel, the author attempts to give a response to the question, “Who is Jesus?” One of the many titles given to Jesus, especially in Matthew’s gospel, is “Son of David,” a title that would have particular meaning for Jewish Christians. The author of Matthew highlights Jesus’ Jewish origins and shows in the gospel the ways in which Jesus fulfills Hebrew prophecy. The gospel writer describes Jesus’ life and ministry as an extension of Israel’s story.

Who was David?

David was the second of Israel’s kings. You can read his story in 1 Samuel 16–1 Kings 2. Israel’s king was chosen by God and anointed by God’s prophet. Like many cultures of this time, the king came to personify divine rule over the people. It is God who is the shepherd (Psalm 23) but the king is anointed by God to act as shepherd on God’s behalf. In 2 Samuel 7:16, God through the prophet Nathan promises, “Your throne shall be established forever.”

What hope did the people find in David?

When the Jews were conquered and exiled, David was held up as the example of God’s rule that would once again come about. In later history, the rabbis taught that the Messiah, God’s anointed one, would come from the house of David. In fact, the term “Son of David” was used as a synonym for “Messiah.”

Why is it important that the Messiah be born in Bethlehem?

Bethlehem was the hometown of David through his descent from Ruth. Both the writers of Matthew and Luke find ways to explain how Jesus came to be born there. In Matthew’s gospel, Joseph and Mary have a house in Bethlehem where Jesus is born. In Luke’s account, Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem as part of a government census.

How is Jesus “David’s Son”?

Matthew 1:1–17 sets out the genealogy of Jesus, tracing his ancestry from Abraham to David and Israel’s kings to Joseph, the husband of Mary. In that way, Jesus is seen as continuing the covenant relationship made between God and Abraham. Jesus comes to fulfill the promises held by the people through the centuries. The Messiah will come from David’s lineage, and the genealogy shows that Jesus is indeed part of that lineage. In Matthew 1:20, the angel reminds Joseph that he is a “son of David,” a descendant of that royal house. Joseph has a part to play in the story of salvation. Joseph’s decision, his saying “yes” to accept Mary as his wife, is necessary for that story to continue.

How can Jesus be David’s son when his descent is traced through Joseph, who seems not to be physically the father?

At the time of the angel’s message, Joseph and Mary were betrothed, a legal bond that could be broken only by divorce. Thus Joseph is called Mary’s husband (verse 19). As Mary’s husband, Joseph is the legal father of ber child. The giving of the name to the child is a further sign that Joseph is declaring himself to be the father and taking on the responsibility for the child. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7353.html Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Thanks Jessie for the pictures!
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7354.html Tue, 14 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 The UCC website has a nice video Christmas card. I particularly enjoyed the Christmas reflections shared by the Rev. M. Linda Jaramillo, Executive Minister, Justice & Witness Ministries and by the Rev. Stephen L. Sterner, Executive Minister, Local Church Ministries. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7355.html Tue, 14 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 If there's no Sunday school for kindergarten through confirmation, then what's happening this winter during the 10:00am?

*Check out the article below by Pastor Lauren regarding the Festival of Epiphany.

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Stepping up to “Let Our Light Shine” - this Epiphany season!
Festival of Epiphany
10-11am on 4 Sundays
January 16, 23, 30, & February 6, 2011
“I shall give you as a light to the nations…so that my salvation reaches to the ends of the earth.” - Isaiah 49:1-6

Mark your calendars for a first-ever month of all-ages faith formation, service learning, music making, and creative arts. Plymouth is getting ready to share our warmth this winter— through a spirited and fun intergenerational revival of sorts! Prepare to bring out your muse, and roll up sleeves to create some wearable art that we will give to those in need of wamth this winter, such as Mary’s Place. Start thinking of joining your friends and neighbors at Plymouth on Sunday mornings to make luminaries that will bring light to those in need of a lift.

To kick off, on Sunday January 16, our Plymouth Forum pauses, as we welcome all to Hildebrand Hall, to start our Festival. Each Sunday at 10am, in Hildebrand or the Lounge, with your participation, all ages of Plymouthians will gather to enjoy some food from chef Molly, to share some songs, and engage our scriptures, then break off in to classrooms for creative art and music projects. For these weeks, the Sunday School classes, the Confirmation class, and the Youth Forum will participate in the Festival as their learning curriculum (and our devoted teachers will have a chance to plan their next semester of classes.) Our 10:10am Bible Study pauses for these 4 Sundays so all ages can join together for creative study of our theme from Isaiah from our lectionary: prophets and teachers in our midst.

Last year, the faith formation circuits caught on to this model from a UCC church in Minnesota (called “Plymouth” no less.) As we received more and more excitement about our new gathering time with children (and all ages welcome) in the chapel each Sunday at 10am, we thought carefully about how we could enjoy a short period of that kind of learning, all together, all ages, at Plymouth. Your staff and boards dreamed and discerned that we could do a little winter energizer, where we could taste, in this interim period, from a kind of learning, where we step out in service, have fun, as well as make music together. The result: some months of planning led to the development of creative teams to prepare with Pastor Lauren for this winter opportunity- so mark your calendars now. If you aren’t hitting the slopes- there will be a lot buzzing at the Plymouth Festival of Epiphany!

Starting on January 16, Martin Luther King holiday weekend, the themes from Isaiah 49: 1-6 will inspire our month long Festival. Sunday January 23- our Youth Forum leads worship. The winter fest will culminate in the February 6 worship service at 11am, welcoming participation of all ages. Contact Lauren- we welcome and seek many more to join our planning teams.

~Lauren Cannon, Interim Minister for Faith Formation

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* During the Festival of Epiphany Plymouth will continue to provide childcare and Sunday school for infants, toddlers, and pre-kindergarteners. Youth Forum will be preparing for youth led worship on January 23rd. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7356.html Tue, 14 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Matthew 1:18–25

I count myself lucky to attend a lectionary discussion group on Monday mornings. Besides providing interesting insights into scripture, many of which inform these weekly reflections in what I hope are enriching ways, praying and studying with the group starts my weekday routine off with a focus on God that helps me keep myself oriented all week.

During this Monday’s discussion we focused on the gospel text for the week, and much of our discussion revolved around two short phrases that really caught our attention: “Do not be afraid;” and “God is with us.”

The angel’s instruction to Joseph not to be afraid is not the usual reassurance we are familiar with in the Bible, as in do not be afraid in the face of the awe-inspiring power of God, or the presence of God’s angels filling the sky, or the presence of enemies on the battlefield. The angel seems to be counseling Joseph not to be afraid of public opinion. Don’t be afraid to take a risk. Don’t be afraid to believe the good news that the baby Mary is carrying has the power to save us from darkness and despair.

There are many things to fear in this world, and most of us have fallen victim to living in fear at one time or another in our lives. But the Bible is full of evidence that living in fear is not God’s desire for us. The words “do not be afraid” and “do not fear” occur over and over in scripture.

It’s easy to say, “don’t be afraid” or “don’t worry,” but these words ring hollow with nothing to back them up. Our text from Matthew also gives us reason not to fear. In these verses Jesus is revealed as Emmanuel, “God is with us.” This is the amazing, startling, great good news that we yearn for, that breaks through each dark December. This is why we need not fear. No matter what painful realities we face, we do not face them alone. God is with us.

God was with Moses and his followers as they wandered through the desert, God was with Daniel when he faced down lions, God was with the disciples and first believers in the person of Jesus Christ, and God is with us now. The gospel of Matthew begins with the introduction of Jesus as Emmanuel, God is with us. And after everything, after all the teaching and healing and crucifixion and the resurrection, the last verse of this gospel ends with Jesus’ promise, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7357.html Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 We watched this video in the confirmation class. It generated a good discussion about the purpose of Advent. What do you think about this video?

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7358.html Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7359.html Thu, 09 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Advent, like many holidays, can be upon us before we know it. If you were thinking of lighting an Advent wreath this year but simply have not yet had the time, no worries! Advent is a season all about fresh starts.

The story of Advent is the story of the fresh starts that God makes in relation to creation. The Season of Advent is four weeks long; the four weeks leading
up to Christmas. Below is a simple liturgy that your family can do at home with an Advent wreath.

In the opening story of the season from the gospel of Matthew, we are reminded of the fresh start God made after the great flood, putting a rainbow in the sky. (Light a blue/purple candle.)

On the second week, the prophet Isaiah dreams of a fresh start for peace when even the lion and the lamb will lie down together. (Light a blue/purple candle.)

On the third week, Mary sings of a fresh start for those who are poor and lowly in our third story. (Light a blue/rose candle.)

In the fourth and final week of Advent, right before Christmas, the angel appears to Joseph, inspiring him to have the courage to make a fresh start with Mary and her baby: a baby that will bring a fresh start to all of creation. (Light a blue/purple candle.)

:
n When have you been angry with a friend and
wished for a fresh start?
n When have you seen something you wish was
different in the world, like poverty or the way
we treat the environment?
n What sorts of fresh starts can you imagine?

Gather everyone together again in a large circle, say:
Well, the message of Advent is simply this: What are
you waiting for?! Dream the dreams and have the
courage to make a fresh start. Let’s imagine how we
can participate in God’s hope, peace, joy, and love.
Divide the group into groups of four by travelling
around the circle saying the words, “hope, peace, joy,
love” over and over again, asking people to remember
the word you say as you point to them. Divide into the
four groups. Invite each group to think of three ways
they can show hope or peace or joy or love (depending
on the group) to others and find a way to mime these
three ways for the larger group.
Call the groups back together and teach the Advent
Chant below. Say the chant slowly, pausing after each
word (hope, peace, joy, love) so the group with this word
can mime one of their actions. Repeat the chant two
more times as each group mimes their three actions.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7360.html Wed, 08 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Every so often the Seasons of the Spirit curriculum offers ways we can see the themes of scripture and the church calendar connect to current events. This week Seasons draws us into the two nearly identical stories that express the joy and sorrow that is often felt in this season of Advent.
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December 12, 2010: Heartbeat of Justice
From Fraser Macnaughton

In recent news were two stories of mining accidents across the world—in each one there was great hope invested in the rescue efforts but each had a very different outcome. These two stories both reached a conclusion on the same day and each accident involved exactly the same number of miners. Yet the contrast couldn’t be greater between the experience of joy and relief in the one and the grief-filled tragic ending of the other.

In one story, a huge explosion tore through a coal mine in New Zealand, extinguishing any hope of survival for 29 miners trapped underground for five days after an earlier blast. Police superintendent Gary Knowles, in charge of the rescue operation at the Pike River mine, had to break the news to the families. Relatives who had maintained a vigil at the mine in the desperate hope their loved ones were still alive emerged from the meeting crying. Some were also angry, critical of the apparently slow pace of rescue efforts, though rescuers stressed throughout that high levels of toxic and explosive gases within the shafts made it a hugely difficult operation. Nothing had been heard from the 29 men since the initial explosion, from which two of their colleagues escaped, but many relatives had stayed hopeful, in part because of the good safety record of the country’s mining industry (181 deaths in 114 years). Although buoyed by the recent rescue of 33 men after 69 days underground in a Chilean copper mine, this story ends in heart-wrenching tears and heart-numbing grief.

By way of complete contrast, 29 men trapped in a flooded coal mine in China were lifted to safety, ending a day-long rescue drama. The miners had become trapped after the sudden flooding of the small Batian mine, in Sichuan province in south-west China. The rescued miners were barefooted and naked, their work clothes apparently drenched by the flood, and blindfolded to protect their eyes from the sunlight after more than 24 hours in the dark tunnels of the mine. China Central Television showed a line of ambulances and large crowds waiting near the entrance to the mine. Doctors eased survivors, wrapped in quilts, onto stretchers after they were brought out of the mine. This story ends with expressions of heartfelt joy and relief from family members and onlookers.

Explore…Luke 1:47–55

On this Rejoice Sunday we are called to join our heartbeat with Mary’s in praise of God. If “rejoice” means “to affirm our confidence that God is present in our lives – even when we do not see evidence of God’s presence,” in what ways might God’s comforting presence be experienced by those whose hearts beat with pain?

Prayer links…
As we call to mind the joy and the grief of these two news stories, may we also remind ourselves of the divine presence within, a presence to strengthen and comfort, to fill us with hope, and allow us to continue to be the heartbeat of justice in our communities. Amen

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More information on the stories of the miners mentioned can be found at the links below.

The story of rescued miners in China

The story of the mine disaster in New Zealand http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7361.html Wed, 08 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Don't Let Them Lie To You from United Church of Christ on Vimeo.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7362.html Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Luke 1:46-55

The text offered this week as an alternative to the weekly Psalm is Mary’s glorious song of praise, the Magnificat. The Magnificat has been set to music many times and is an iconic choral piece performed during Advent and Christmas. The version we sang in my high school choir was Bach’s Magnificat. I can still hear its soaring crescendos in my head. We sang it in Latin, as Bach wrote it, so while I found it beautiful and moving to sing, I didn’t have much of an idea of what I was singing. I don’t recall this passage as part of my spotty Christian formation, and certainly the social gospel wasn’t preached at the large Lutheran church we sometimes attended, so I sang away, lustily and cluelessly. I couldn’t have told you what I was signing about, but I knew it was a song of praise, something beautiful and good. I imagined it had something to do with God’s magnificence.

I like to think that if I had understood the words I was singing, I would have appreciated the radical message of God’s favor bestowed upon the powerless, the lowly and the hungry through the Incarnation. But to begin at the beginning, it would have been helpful first off to know that the Latin word we were proclaiming means not “magnificent,” but “magnify.”

“My soul magnifies the Lord.” What can that mean? Trying to picture it visually, I can only suppose that, viewed through Mary’s soul, God looks bigger. Enlarged. But why would God, in God’s infinite glory, need magnifying by Mary, or by any of us small and puny humans? How could our souls possibly make infinite love and power any bigger? But sometimes I could use a bigger God than my weary and discouraged soul perceives. There are times when I let so little of that infinite light and love in that I can barely see my way. Maybe, in anticipation of the Incarnation, Mary’s soul enlarged God in and for her, rather than for God’s benefit.

How do we feel when our souls magnify God, when God looms large in our lives and our whole bodies, hearts and souls radiate gratitude, love and praise? How do others perceive God through the magnifying lens of our souls when our souls are overflowing with God?

During Advent, many things are enlarged, supersized, captivating our attention. What do the media magnify? What does culture magnify? What do we wish to magnify for ourselves, those we love, and those in need of a bigger God? In this holy season, may it be something worthy of our most good and beautiful songs of praise.

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7363.html Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 December 12th is the last day of the fall semester of church school at Plymouth. On December 19th we have a variety of special programs for children and families including: a special worship service at 9:00a, "The Littlest Pageant" with Jamie Shilling, and more. Check out the schedule of the morning below.

Plymouth Church School Schedule for December 19th http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7364.html Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 During the Advent season we spend a lot of time in the book of Isaiah. Several of it's passages speak to us in moving and powerful ways as we draw near to Christmas

2:4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

11:1 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

11:2-6 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord...with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth...The wolf shall live with the lamb...

7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

9:6 For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The Seasons of the Spirit curriculum offers some insight as we delve into the words of Isaiah this Advent and Christmas season.
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On first glance, you get the impression that the book of Isaiah is one whole book written by one person. In fact, many people who have studied this book in depth think Isaiah was written over a great number of years by perhaps three different authors. These people divide the book into three sections and have named them First Isaiah, Second Isaiah, and Third Isaiah.

First Isaiah (chapters 1–39)
The prophet whose name, family, and mission are mentioned in the first chapter likely began speaking to the people of Judah around the year 738 BCE. The Assyrian army had conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and was marching on the southern kingdom of Judah. The Assyrians were destroying the countryside as they went and were threatening to take over the capital city of Jerusalem.

Second Isaiah (chapters 40–55)
About 200 years later, 539 BCE, a different world power, Babylon, which had conquered Judah, destroyed Jerusalem, and taken most of the people into exile away from their homes 50 years earlier, was itself conquered by Persia. A different prophet likely wrote to the exiled people in anticipation of their return home to Judah with visions of joy and prosperity.

Third Isaiah (chapters 56–66)
This prophet probably wrote to the people who had returned to Judah after being released from Babylon. These people began to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, which were in ruins. While Second Isaiah spoke of this as a wonderful time, Third Isaiah was writing to people who found the work of rebuilding hard and discouraging. This Isaiah gives the people encouragement as they do the hard work of rebuilding.
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Understanding the historical context of each of the "Isaiahs" gives us a deeper appreciation of the Advent and Christmas texts. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7365.html Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Curious for ways to celebrate Advent at home (beyond the candles and the wreath)?

Looking for ways to celebrate to Advent that connect with social justice, or that connect with creation, or even, ways to celebrate that are edible?

Check out this resource, "Family Advent Rituals & Activities." You can download a .pdf copy below or stop by the Plymouth office and ask for a copy.

Family Advent Rituals & Activities http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7366.html Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800





Teams competed to build the tallest structure using only one Sunday paper and roll of tape. The winning team competed for silly putty and bragging rights. All of the teams showed great teamwork and creativity. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7367.html Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 All families and children from infant through 2nd grade are invited to this "do-it-yourself" Christmas Story re-enactment on December 19th in the Chapel beginning with Christmas Carol singing at 10:00am and the "Littlest Pageant" from 10:15-10:45am. Jamie Shilling has led this simple, engaging sing-a-long for many years. After the 9:00am Family Service, grab a treat with your family and come to the Chapel for some Christmas community singing and playing with our littlest children! All are welcome to join in the celebration. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7368.html Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Earlier this fall Rev. Martin B. Copenhaver (Senior Pastor, Wellesley Congregational Church) wrote this brief reflection as a part of the UCC's Still Speaking daily devotional. His message is timely as we prepare for Christmas so I thought I'd share it.

Click here if you're interested in receiving the daily Still Speaking e-devotional.

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Excerpt from 1 Timothy 4:6-16

“Put these things into practice, devote yourselves to them, so that all may see your progress. Pay close attention to yourself and your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

Reflection by Martin B. Copenhaver

I was once asked to recruit some folks to stand outside the entrance of our local supermarket on a December Saturday to solicit contributions for the Salvation Army. All the volunteers were asked to do is stand beside a red bucket and ring a bell. I thought I should take a turn myself. It was fascinating to see how people responded.

I noticed that there were two groups that responded in extraordinary numbers: First, there were the members of my church. I like to think that they would have responded that way no matter who was ringing the bell, but all I can say for sure is that every church member who passed me put a contribution in the bucket.

The others who responded in extraordinary ways were adults with children at their side. And the reason seems clear enough: they knew that there were very important eyes on them—the eyes of their children. Knowing that they were being observed by their children helped them draw on the better angels of their nature. They became more generous than they would have been otherwise.

That experience also was an important reminder to me, and to parents and grandparents and to all who have some special tie to a child: there is nothing we can give our children—no toy, no trip, no tuition—that is more important than the gift of our generosity to others. It is the one thing that will not and cannot be taken away from them.

Prayer
God, help me to seize an opportunity to be more generous today, as if young eyes were trained on me because… well, they are. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7369.html Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Isaiah 11:1–10

No doubt every time this reading comes up for the second Sunday of Advent, those who hear it feel that the times they are living in especially call out for this kind of transformation, this kind of peace. In our present reality, the collapse of the real estate market, the Great Recession that barely missed becoming the second Great Depression, and the widening wealth chasm between the rich and the poor are some of the conditions that have us crying out for “the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might,” who will “with righteousness shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.”

Frank Rich wrote out in a recent column: The top 1 percent of American earners took in 23.5 percent of the nation’s pretax income in 2007 — up from less than 9 percent in 1976. During the boom years of 2002 to 2007, that top 1 percent’s pretax income increased an extraordinary 10 percent every year. But the boom proved an exclusive affair: in that same period, the median income for non-elderly American households went down and the poverty rate rose.

Jesus calls us to love, not demonize, the “other,” but it’s hard not to see the superrich, who buy politicians and influence financial policy at will, as the animals of prey described in verses 6 and 7. At the same time, we know you don’t have to be among the top 1% of American earners to feed off the vulnerable. On November 13th the Seattle Times ran a story about Emiel Kandi, a self-described “wolf” who charges borrowers desperate to keep their homes as much as he can get away with and, if they fail to comply with the loan agreement, seizes their property. Indeed, to bring up this story in the Seattle Times online, all I had to do was enter the words “mortgage wolf.”

How and when will mortgage wolf Emeil Kandi and the thousands of others like him kneel in peace beside the thousands who are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure? When will the 22% of U.S. children living below the poverty line cease to feel the sting of hunger like a snake in their bellies?

This week’s text promises us that like a holly stalk pushing up through the cold, damp Seattle soil, a shoot shall come out of the root of Jesse and push through the grim statistics. Billionaires will sign onto Warren Buffett’s pledge to give away at least 50% of their wealth to charity. Estranged family members will reconcile. Broken hearts will mend. Lost and lonely souls will stumble into a church and find a loving community. How and when? Where else can we picture the lion and the lamb, the leopard and the kid kneeling in peace together than at the stable where God lies swaddled, tiny and human, in a feeding trough?

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7370.html Fri, 26 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Each year, the vocabulary of this season surfaces to the stage of national discourse. I have no intention of discussing the relative merits of our well wishing, be it “Merry Christmas,” “Season’s Greetings,” or “Happy Winter Solstice.” I want to discuss the cheery, merry, joyful, happy language that pervades the season of Advent.

In the season of Advent the church remembers, and lives into again, the eager anticipation of the light of God being revealed in the world. This theme of the coming light, of the presence of God with us, certainly sees a natural connection to the language of celebration. The angels appearance to the shepherds in the Gospel of Luke directly illustrates this connection.

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger….Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” – Luke 2:10-14
It is only natural that joy walks hand in hand with new life. It is pretty difficult to frown at a new born.

The season of Advent leads us to the manger wherein we experience anew the Immanuel. Hope, joy, and peace all flow from the celebration of God with us. Yet, the presence of God brings much more than our holiday cards seem to let on.
There is another Advent story in the Gospel of Luke that deepens our understanding of the Immanuel and calls on us to consider again our seasonal language. In this story, a very pregnant Mary visits her relative Elizabeth. During the visit Mary offers a song that continues to inspire today.

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for God has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me and holy is the name of God.

God’s mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

God has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

God has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

God has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.

God has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

God has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as God had promised our ancestors.” - Luke 1:46-55
This song, known as the Magnificat, begins with a similar proclamation of joy and blessing. However, there is a definite shift in the images and a deepening of theme.

“From now on” things are going to be different. Because God is with us a turning begins to take place. Socially, politically, economically, religiously, the presence of God will turn the world upside-down. From now on the proud will be scattered. From now on the humble will be exalted and thrones will be toppled. From now on the hungry will be fed. From now on mercy will comfort the afflicted and gather the forgotten.

Mary’s song reminds us that during Advent many wait in eager anticipation for the justice, nourishment, and peace that flow from the celebration of God with us. Mary’s song adds radical, subversive, and perhaps even revolutionary language to our Advent season. The revolutionary nature of Christmas is a direct result of the presence of God not the absence of God.

What might our greeting cards sound like if they took a cue from the Magnificat? Should our vocabulary of the season be expanded or perhaps even turned upside down? The season of Advent leads us to the manger wherein we experience anew the Immanuel. Because God is present in the world, from now on, how will we be different?



Here's one possible example.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7371.html Fri, 26 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 We end our series with the beginning of a new season. This Sunday, November 28th, is the first Sunday of Advent. Each Sunday in Advent, members of Plymouth will light a candle in the Advent wreath. The creating and lighting of an Advent wreath is a simple way to connect the Sunday liturgy with spiritual practices at home.

At Plymouth we have resources available for you to create a traditional Advent wreath at home. If you are interested in these resources, then please let me know. For those who have created traditional Advent wreaths in the past, perhaps you would like to put a new twist on the timeless tradition. See the picture below for one interesting example of a non-traditional Advent wreath.


You may also be interested in this resource from the Global Ministries office of the United Methodist Church. It includes a brief description of Advent as well as simple liturgies you can do at home with the lighting of the candle each Sunday in Advent. Click here to check out this resource. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7372.html Fri, 26 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 The Seasons of the Spirit curriculum weaves relevant and stirring art into the church school lessons. Each class's curriculum includes posters that correlate to the liturgical season featuring artists such as Sir Stanley Spencer, Palmer Hayden, Corinne Vonaesch, and more.

Check out this handy one page information sheet regarding the art and artists selected for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany.
About the Art http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7373.html Tue, 23 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Check out this article regarding the inspiration for the Advent banners written by Jamie Shilling.

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On Nov. 6th, 13 Plymouth people associated with the Arts Ministry team participated with Kristen Gilje (the artist who created our Butterfly Banners), painting 16 silk banners in 4 designs created by Kristen. The designs were inspired partly by two sessions of Plymouth members discussing this year's Advent texts. Here are key excerpts from the texts that inspired the designs which you will see revealed, four at a time,
on the four Sundays of Advent:

Nov. 28, Isaiah 2: ..."They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

Dec. 5, Matthew 3: ..."Even now the axe is lying at the root of the tree; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

Dec. 12, Luke 1: ..."The angel said to Mary: 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you...and the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God....and Mary said: "my soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."

Dec. 19, Matthew 1: ..."An angel of the Lord appeared in a dream and said, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus...."

We hope that the images on these banners enlarge and illuminate your worship experience during Advent. What might God in this season of waiting and uncertainty wish to illuminate in you?

Jamie Shilling, for the Visual Arts Ministry http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7374.html Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Matthew 24:36-44, the 1st Sunday in Advent

This week’s reading bids us, “Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” Of course in one sense we do know on what day our Lord is coming; we celebrate his birth every Christmas. But we also know that babies often don’t arrive on their due dates, and even when they do they’re full of surprises. Sometimes they have medical conditions that require immediate attention. Sometimes they’re boys when we’re expecting girls. Sometimes they’re two when we’re expecting one.

Most parents know, however, about watchfulness in the night. Even without a baby monitor, with the first hungry wail in the middle of the night our eyes pop open and we’re stumbling towards the baby’s room. We shepherd them through nightmares and “accidents,” sleeping with one eye figuratively open, half-expecting to be woken every night. Almost as soon as those nighttime interruptions are over, we’re laying awake half the night waiting for our teenagers to make it home safely.

John Lennon said, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” I would like to suggest that children are what happens when you’re busy making other plans. Even when they’re grown, you never know when you’re going to get a call announcing a broken leg, a broken heart, a new job or a new baby on the way. Grace is like that too, isn’t it? The presence of God is like that. We’re driving along, mentally reviewing our “to do” lists, when a sun break suddenly reveals the glory of God’s creation. We’re sitting drowsily in a pew when suddenly the words of a prayer pierce us to the heart and tears flow.

When I read about Jewish holidays, sometimes I’m absolutely overwhelmed by the amount of work that goes into correctly preparing for and observing Hanukkah or Passover. But those preparations and rituals are part of Christian and even secular celebrations too, aren’t they? The trick is not to let the shopping, cleaning, cooking and decorating become distractions instead of sacred acts of hospitality to welcome a miracle. In addition to, and perhaps more important than, physical preparation is the Advent preparation of our hearts and spirits in the quiet darkness to welcome one who wails and cries that God is alive, alive, alive.

So shop and clean and cook and decorate, but don’t make yourself (and those around you) crazy. Prepare your heart and spirit as well as your home and hearth. And no matter how ready you think you are, expect the unexpected and be ready to be surprised.

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7375.html Thu, 18 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 This last Sunday before Advent is known as "Reign of Christ" Sunday. Reign of Christ Sunday marks the final week in the Christian liturgical calendar. The cycle of lectionary readings begins again the following week with the first Sunday of Advent, which might better be described as “New Year’s Day” according to Christian sacred time

On Reign of Christ Sunday we are invited to remember who Jesus is. The passage from Colossians highlighted in the curriculum this week gives a vision of God's power in Christ. In the passage (thought perhaps to be part of an early hymn) Jesus is praised as the image of God, agent of creation, and the one who reminds us of God's presence among us. Jesus is the one who came to show us what God is like and inspired us to image a world oriented around the vision of God for humanity.

In other words, on Reign of Christ Sunday, we are invited to remember that the “Kingdom of God” or “Reign of God” — to which Jesus constantly pointed — is as fully available now. The question that remains each Reign of Christ Sunday is whether we will choose to live as if the one who reigns is not Caesar, but God.

A significant characteristic of the Kingdom of God is the celebration of sabbath.

Sabbath is creating space that emphasizes being over doing. Sabbath literally means rest. It is a space where work and worry are set aside. It is a space where we are free to simply be without expectation or deadline. Rabbi Abraham Heschel in his book, The Sabbath, writes:

"The meaning of the Sabbath is to celebrate time rather than space. Six days a week we live under the tyranny of things of space; on the Sabbath we try to become attuned to holiness in time."

Part 4: November 21
Set aside time one evening to simply be as a family. Make you favorite beverages (tea, hot chocolate, etc.) that the mere act of sipping is a pleasure. Spend several moments sitting together without the distraction of media to simply be and enjoy. Each person can share about what experiences or contexts help them to relax. Share about a time when you felt truly at ease. Talk together about the level of importance moments of rest are for you individually as well as a family. Would it be possible for your family to build in regular times of Sabbath rest? http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7376.html Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 This week the Plymouth library is highlighting an exciting resource, Feasting with God: Adventures in Table Spirituality.

The book is fantastic. The author, Holly W. Whitcomb, offers creative ways to feed the body and soul. Her book opens with a wonderfully concise and articulate theology on shared meals and the centrality of the table.

Check out this excerpt.

"Through the ritual of a shared meal, hospitality is extended and acquaintances become friends and companions. The word companion comes form the Latin: cum, meaning “with,” and panis, meaning “bread.” Our companions are those with whom we share meals. Our companions are those with whom we break bread...The word sacrament itself is derived from root words meaning “mystery” and “sacred feast.” Sharing food is one of life’s most prima and bonding experiences. Eating together creates community."

Throughout the book Holly Whitcomb offers full feasting experiences complete with theme ideas, organizational plans, reflection questions, and recipes! Listen to these chapter titles:

-Flamboyant Fantasy: An Outrageous Feast
-Rites of Passage: A Feast of New Beginnings
-Feast of Wonder
-At Wisdom’s Table
-Eat the Serpent

Curious, no?

You can find this, and other Thanksgiving resources in the Plymouth library.

"I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you." - Psalm 63:5 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7377.html Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 This Sunday is our last Sunday before the season of Advent. The lectionary designates this last Sunday before Advent as, "Reign of Christ" Sunday.

In the spirit of this coming Sunday I offer this brief video.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7378.html Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 This Sunday we share in our Thanksgiving feast at Plymouth (and celebrate our 50 year members). Before we know it Thanksgiving day will be here and we'll be gathering around the table.

As I was reflecting on the Thanksgiving holiday I stumbled across on this video which gave me something extra to chew on.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7379.html Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Colossians 1:11–20

This reading certainly feels appropriate to the Sunday for which it is assigned, the last Sunday of the liturgical year, designated as Reign of Christ or Christ the King Sunday. According to www.churchyear.net, “Christ the King Sunday celebrates the all-embracing authority of Christ as King and Lord of the cosmos.” That sounds awfully lofty – what I learned in theology school to call a “high Christology;” that is, a theology of Jesus that emphasizes his divine nature. Is the “all-embracing authority of Christ as King and Lord of the cosmos” a concept that we’re ready to embrace? Is it faithful to our understanding of Jesus in the UCC?

Selecting the “About Us” link on the churchyear.net website reveals that it “exists to help individuals of all denominations and perspectives better understand Catholic Teaching, Practice, Spirituality, and Morality.” So perhaps Christ the King Sunday isn’t relevant for mainline Protestants. While the depth and meaning in the rhythms and observances of the liturgical year are hardly exclusive to the Roman Catholic tradition, maybe in this case it’s just “old theology.” Or even “bad theology.” After all, we in the UCC embrace Congregational polity, don’t we? We don’t even hold to a central authority of the denomination determining our local practices or policies. Can we accept the idea that we do answer to a higher authority, that even though decision-making power resides at the local church level in the UCC, there is a power over us when we gather as the local representation of the body of Christ?

Integral to the identity of the United Church of Christ is the notion of covenant – a relationship of cooperation and good faith that binds us together even as we celebrate our individual gifts and expressions of church. We of the UCC are also bound together by the founding documents that brought together two denominations (which had been four) in 1957. The second article of the preamble to our UCC Constitution says, “The United Church of Christ acknowledges as its sole Head, Jesus Christ, Son of God and Savior.” Acknowledgement of the sovereignty, divinity, humanity and saving grace of Jesus Christ is a defining feature of Christianity and a defining feature of our denominational heritage. That doesn’t mean we have to take a triumphalist stance and say it’s the best way or the only way. But as Christians, it is our way.

The both/and of God encompasses Jesus Christ as the helpless human baby and the timeless sovereign of the cosmos, covenant and autonomy, tradition and innovation, the cross and the resurrection, the world as it is and the reign of Christ,. Rather than memorizing doctrines and being told what to believe, we of the UCC are invited to ponder, question, doubt and celebrate these mysteries. We are called, always, to engage them.

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7380.html Thu, 11 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Check out this invitation from the Worship, Arts, & Music Board

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Setting Aside Time for Faith Formation: Exploring Epiphany

Does this time of year find you yearning to set aside quiet time for discussion and contemplation with members of your faith community? Would you like to learn more about the church season that arrives right after Christmas? If so, you are cordially invited to join Rev Tom Stiers, Pastor Lauren Cannon and members of the Worship, Arts and Music Board on:

Saturday, November 20th 12:00 – 3:00 pm in the Church Lounge

We will learn about the meaning and purpose of Epiphany, read upcoming lectionary texts together, pray and talk about what they mean to us. Will anything we discuss end up in worship service at Plymouth? Only God’s grace, our clergy’s generosity, and the gathered group will tell! Child care provided and parking in the Plymouth garage. Sign up at the church office, or just drop in!

Kyna Shilling and Jane Dunkel for the Worship, Arts and Music Board http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7381.html Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 In Isaiah 65:17-25 we hear the words of the prophet to God’s people who have returned from exile. The return was not as glorious as they had hoped. Their homeland was a shambles and rebuilding was hard. The prophet encourages the people first by reminding them of God’s steadfast love and forgiveness. Then Isaiah shares a vision of a restored creation. God has a dream and, through us, God is working to bring it about.

God is creating “new heavens and a new earth.” In verses 20–24, this new creation is described as a place where God’s people will enjoy long and purposeful lives in close relationship with God. The images reverse situations of human distress – premature death, hunger, having the fruits of one’s labor taken by force – and speak a word of God’s ultimate and infinite justice to all who have suffered. In this dream there will be no more weeping and God’s people will live out full lives. God’s people are participants in this new creation.

Below are two ways that families can seek to embody this new creation.

Part 3: November 14
Idea A:
Create something as a family that symbolizes this image of restoration, justice, and restored relationships. Perhaps create a picture frame out of recycled materials for a family picture. Or perhaps, create a new family ritual such as choosing one night a month when your family invites another family, that has never been to your home, to join at your table for dinner.

Idea B:
In the vein of creating a "new earth," assess your family's carbon footprint and look for ways your household can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Click here for a carbon footprint calculator and simple ways your family can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7382.html Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7383.html Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Check out the announcement below from Plymouth Church Moderator, David Guthrie:

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Anticipation is growing as Plymouth searches for its next minister to lead our church into the next decade. No doubt, many of us are thinking and praying about the kind of leader we hope will, one day, walk through our doors.

What you may not be fully aware of is that your Search Committee and the Congregational Council are also thinking about getting ready to be led. Every good leader needs a good followership.

Just what does it mean to be a good followership? The Plymouth Leadership Task Forces recent report to the Council defines followership as ..a discipline of supporting leaders and helping them to lead well. It is not submission, but the wise and good care of leaders, done out of a sense of gratitude for their willingness to take on the responsibilities of leadership, and a sense of hope and faith in their abilities and potential.

In the spirit of further exploration of what followership looks like at Plymouth, your Congregational Council invites you to participate in a congregational gathering, which will take place Sunday, November 14, after the 11:00 a.m. service. Leadership Task Force Chairman, and Council member Todd Stine will lead us in our discussion. How will Plymouth help our next called minister to lead well? Are changes in church governance potentially helpful to encouraging a healthy, settled pastorate at Plymouth? What hopes, ideas and questions do Plymouth members have around these issues?

I also invite you to review the attached document, which includes a draft of bylaw modifications and changes recommended by the Plymouth Church Leadership Task Force.

David Guthrie, Moderator

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If you are interested in the document David mentions above please send an email to Brandon Duran at bduran@plymouthchurchseattle.org. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7384.html Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 The Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Church of Christ announces the release of the report from its Communications and Technology Assessment, commissioned this spring.

The Conference Council and Board of Directors received a briefing on Saturday, Nov. 6, on the results of the Communications and Technology Assessment. The study was commissioned by the Conference and completed by Hosfeld & Associates, Inc., a Seattle consulting firm.

The study was commissioned to “identify more effective ways to utilize the gifts and skills within the Conference through “efficient modern communications means, methods and technology.”

The study combined surveys, interviews and professional assessment to respond to approximately 30 specific questions the Conference asked about communications means, methods and equipment used by churches, Conference staff and Conference leadership. Surveys and interviews reached approximately 50% of all churches in the conference, with representation on both sides of the Cascades.

Under the leadership of Conference Minister, Rev. Mike Denton, new life and enthusiasm have infused the Conference leadership structure. As new energy flows in to revitalize the Conference’s role in engaging member churches and doing ministry, there is an opportunity to build new communications infrastructure to support full participation, to further facilitate such revitalization and to provide transparency of action.

The report documents a significant “digital divide” in the Conference in which many churches have virtually no communications technology or infrastructure. This report says that the Conference as a whole, and the churches within it, lag behind nonprofit organizations of comparable size in communications practice and technology adoption.

The study also found that clergy who lead churches, members of congregations, Conference leaders, specialized ministers and youth have distinctly separate needs for communication, and varying degrees of interest in bettering their technology proficiency.

You may download the report here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7385.html Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Cory, a parent of two confirmands, has an invitation to the parents of youth in the confirmation class. Check out her note and invitation below:
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I admit it: my motivation starts from jealousy. That doesn't seem like a very constructive place to begin, but there you have it. During the last few years of leading the Youth Forum Ministry, I looked over at the YFM Parents group with, well, envy. I, too, wanted someplace where Bill + I could go to sift through the intersection of parenting youth within a faith community. An emotionally safe place where parents could be real about the good, the bad, and the boring parts of this journey.

Here we all are: parents of 7th + 8th graders. Maybe some of you have wanted a group like this too. Maybe not. Either way, I'd like to offer us a chance to find out.

If you are interested in an ongoing meeting [frequency to be decided] with other confirmation parents during the 10:00am hour on Sunday mornings, please join Bill, Jane + myself to listen into what that could look like. None of us have a program outlined, ready to roll out. All we know is that we'd like to see what might be possible. Maybe we'll read the Copenhaver book about Christian faith Lauren lifted up last month. Maybe we'll meet "just" to talk. Maybe we'll figure out different ways we can support the faith formation of our youth and ourselves as parents, in the midst of our already full lives.

If any of this sounds intriguing to you, please join in the conversation at the Starbucks on the NW corner of 6th/Union at 10:00am-ish Sunday November 14th. No need to RSVP, just show up. However, if you can't make the gathering + are still interested in this idea, please email me.

Yours on the journey through all the twists + turns,
Cory http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7386.html Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0800 Reflection on Isaiah 65:17–25

The heading for this week’s portion of Isaiah is “The Glorious New Creation” and certainly that’s an apt description. God’s people in exile dreamed of return to and restoration of their homeland, and in this passage the prophet describes God’s new creation as a fulfillment of those dreams. These images of overflowing vineyards, of wolves and lambs eating together peacefully, of people benefiting from the fruits of their own labor instead of being exploited could be a vision of some people’s idea of heaven, but in these verses God declares the creation of a new heaven and a new earth. We don’t have to wait until the hereafter to enjoy the fruits of this new creation, this new thing that God is doing.

But if that’s so, why is this vision still yet to be realized millennia later? Infant mortality rates have fallen dramatically, but there are still babies and children who die from lack of neonatal care, food and medicine. Human longevity has increased in much of the developed world, but in many cases we’re outliving our independence and vigor, and in some African countries people can’t expect to live past their 40’s. Many still build and grow and labor for the benefit of others instead of to improve their own quality of life. Think of child laborers in third world countries, impoverished Mexicans building exotic resorts for wealthy vacationers, migrant workers picking apples, peaches and plums for us to eat.

Hopefully thinking in this direction leads us to think about our responsibility in helping to bring about God’s realm, the reign of justice and peace, on earth. Are we doing what we can to create the “now” in the “now and not yet” of a new earth? At the same time, thinking in this direction can be a temptation to despair. Reading the newspaper, watching social service funding erode, hearing the language of hate and intolerance spreading around the world, it’s hard to believe that our puny efforts can make a difference.

Thankfully, God has given us voices like that of Archbishop Oscar Romero as an antidote to our despair and discouragement:

“It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the church’s mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything. This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one-day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.”

May this Grace of God enter everything we do.

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7387.html Fri, 05 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7388.html Thu, 04 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0700
Last Sunday we all headed down to SAM to see the Pablo Picasso exhibit. If you haven't seen it yet, it is an impressive collection, not just a few puny pieces like a certain impressionists exhibit a few years back. (*) This week we will look at some of the quotes from Picasso that you may have seen on the walls of the exhibit:

"Every act of creation is first of all an act of destruction."

"Painting isn't an aesthetic operation; it's a form of magic designed as a mediator between this strange and hostile world and us."

"Art is not made to decorate rooms. It is an offensive weapon in the defense against the enemy."

"Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but it's about how to dance in the rain."

Is the world strange and hostile? Do we need a mediator? Who is the enemy? How does this relate to the discussions we have had so far on Genesis?

* Referring to the Monet exhibit of three pieces! http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7389.html Tue, 02 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0700 This past summer Rev. Tom Stiers along with Jennifer Castle and myself explored the idea of "Thin Places" in a sermon one Sunday morning. We were inspired by a play we had seen at the Seattle Intiman Theatre.

The sermon explored experiences where the veil between this world the "other world" or the "eternal world" is seemed ever so thin. You might think of thin places as times when the presence of the Divine felt close or the voice of God rung clear in your heart. The experience of a thin place can transform an ordinary moment into an eternity you carry with you throughout your life. Keeping this idea of thin places in mind, I offer two suggestions for worship practices at home.

Part 2: November 7
Idea A: Create a sacred space in your home. Invite members of your family to find artifacts, symbols, or mementos that signify an experience of a thin place in their life. Each person can share their experience and leave their artifact on a specially designated table. This table can become a sacred space that reminds the family of the nearness of God.

Idea B: The Bible passage for this week comes from the letter to the church in Thessalonica. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 calls on the community to remember traditions and stories of faith that help them to have courage in uncertain times. As a family, use a variety of art supplies to symbolize Bible stories or significant events that strengthened your spirit collectively or individually. Gather each of these images in scrapbook that can serve as a source of encouragement. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7390.html Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Luke 20:27-38

The Sadducees in this week’s gospel text remind me of the kids in school who love to point it out to the teachers when someone else is doing something wrong. “Miss Johnson! Miss Johnson, Billy has gum!” Or adults who are up in arms about situations that just don’t apply to them – men who adamantly oppose abortion, heterosexuals incensed about gay marriage. Before the Sadducees even pose their question, we realize that they are not sincere, since the text tells us they don’t even believe in resurrection.

It’s one thing to be scrupulous about your own life, but Jesus is constantly being confronted by those who are invested in the scrupulousness of others. Perhaps they themselves are suffering from scrupulosity – pathological guilt about moral and religious issues – and their obsession with others’ behavior is a projection of their own moral insecurity. Or perhaps they’re just trying to discredit Jesus.
And in fact, Jesus goes beyond merely pointing out that their speculations about relationships are irrelevant to the resurrected life to testify to “the fact that the dead are raised.” God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob; and God is the God of the living. Jesus resolves this paradox by explaining, that to God, all of them are alive.

What does it mean to be alive to God when we are dead to this world? Monroe UCC pastor Tom Sorenson suggests that since we live within time, while God transcends time, God’s eternal love for us and our eternal relationship with God are beyond our understanding. With our thinking firmly planted in chromos time, we have no frame of reference for thinking in kairos time, God’s time. Something to ponder as All Saints Sunday draws near.

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7391.html Fri, 29 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 The question sparks an ongoing conversation in church community. Should children worship with their family and with the wider community in "big" church or in a children's church setting more geared for their age and size?

Those who seek an integrated approach with children worshiping along with the wider community often advocate that:

-children need to see their parents worshiping. They learn so many things by example.
-children are equal members of the community and the liturgy should be crafted to be inclusive of all church members, friends, and guests.
-children's participation in the liturgy brings a special joy to the wider church.

Those who desire to craft worship experiences that are separate and specifically tailored for children advocate that:

-children need a safe place that they can call their own where they can learn to worship God freely without anxiety.
-including children in "big" church often reduces the experience to merely managing the children rather than engaging them in vital worship.
-unfortunately, children in "big" church are often a distraction for their family and others sitting nearby. Parents are not free to focus on worship as they must be mindful of their children.

Click here to check out further reflections from children and youth ministers on both sides of the question.

At Plymouth we are attempting to connect with the values inherent in both options. Once a month we host Children's Chapel at the 10:00a hour which is specifically designed to connect with children. In addition, at several points throughout the year we seek to integrate children into the 11:00a service by having them participate in and sometimes lead various elements of the service.

What do you think about this question? Where should children worship? Add you insights to the comment section below. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7392.html Fri, 29 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Check out this article from Rev. Peter Sawtell of Eco-Justice ministries. It has some thought provoking ideas regarding how we teach our children and youth about eco-justice.

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Your Class Is Too Small

Way back in 1952, J.B. Phillips wrote the book, Your God Is Too Small. His little (dare I say small?) volume is recognized as a classic for calling believers beyond Sunday School notions of the divine, and toward theologies that can encompass challenging life experiences.

Sixty years ago, Phillips didn't write about the ecological factors that might stretch our notions of God. It is clear -- to me, at least! -- that 21st Century Christianity's ongoing quest for relevance and a bigger God requires us to pay more attention to all creation, and not just people.

Our theological and ethical expansion hits a roadblock, though, when our education is too small. When our churches are limited to a "Sunday School" understanding of educational programming, then we'll have trouble bringing our members into Earth-honoring theology and practice.

+ + + + +

We usually think of religious education as classes which impart knowledge. Classes are important, but a larger vision of education opens new and enticing possibilities.

On several occasions, Eco-Justice Ministries has offered a workshop, Greening Your Church: with a focus on education. The session is designed to help educators, clergy and "green team" members look at the many ways that we learn, and at the variety of goals that educational programs might address. We start the workshop with a small group discussion.

In groups of three or four, participants share stories about the question, "When did you learn to drive?" They're encouraged to go beyond a short, "when I was in High School", and talk about all of the steps that were involved in that learning, how long it took, and how it felt.

The conversations reveal that learning to drive is complex. The groups quickly come to the educational insight that there is a difference between learning practical driving skills and the "book learning" of laws. People remember vividly that there is anxiety about learning new behaviors (and about teaching them!). They realize that learning to drive is a life-long process while they deal with new technologies in cars, more crowded streets, and the personal changes that often accompany aging.

Then we asked a slightly different question: "When did you learn that you wanted to drive?" Did you ever take a class that taught you to want that knowledge? The second round of small group discussion lifts up the "hidden curriculum" which built that interest in the first place. The desire to drive is soaked up from advertising and movies, friends who drove, parents who were eager to have their children learn (or not), and the cultural sense that getting a driver's license is a rite of passage.

In all of the discussions, nobody ever spoke of going to a class that was designed to create an initial interest in driving. There is teaching and education involved in creating that desire to drive, but it does not happen in the classroom.

+ + + + +

Many of us, I'm afraid, have planned wonderful classes for our churches about environmental issues and ecological theology, and been disappointed when few people turn up. The problem is not with the amount of publicity we put out, or a title that wasn't catchy enough. We have small classes because the church's hidden curriculum hasn't been used well to generate interest and excitement.

Congregation members are far more likely to turn out for scheduled classes on environmental topics when the culture of the church emphasizes that a mature and rewarding faith has given thought to these important questions. There are specific educational steps that churches can take to build that culture. Way before any classes are offered, we can and must teach our members about what we value.

+The listing of helpful tips in church bulletins or newsletters -- change light bulbs, use cloth shopping bags, recycle cans -- may get some people to change their behavior. Just as importantly, they communicate to everyone that the church considers those behavior changes to be worthwhile. (The tips are more effective on all levels when they're tied to a church member: Jan Black always takes canvas bags to the store.) When common environmental behaviors are encouraged at the church -- when the church has recycling bins, and people are reminded to turn off lights -- the lesson being taught is about both actions and values.

+Worship experiences are at the heart of building the congregation's ethos. If an awareness of God's whole creation never enters the Sunday morning hour, then it is almost guaranteed that crowds won't turn out for classes on the topic. As eco-justice themes become more common in worship -- in prayer concerns, litanies, children's stories, sermon illustrations, hymns and anthems, sanctuary decor and bulletin art -- then it will be easier to recruit people for classes.

+Word of mouth affirmations and mentoring are essential. The brave or committed folk who have come to classes need to talk it up in exciting and personal ways. "Our discussion group on Food and Faith has given me fresh hope that I can do good things personally and institutionally, and I have a new appreciation for the daily gifts of food!"

Those ongoing, subtle messages are part of the educational program of churches. They need to be part of the planned curriculum that we use to teach our members about faithful living.

Take a few minutes today to think about the education taking place at your church. Is the necessary groundwork being done that will make people want to learn about ecological theology and environmental issues? Is the hidden curriculum an intentional part of educational planning?

Antoine de Saint-Exupery wrote, "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." In our churches, how do we teach a longing for environmental living that will change their behavior, and maybe even bring them to a class?

Shalom!
Rev. Peter Sawtell
Executive Director, Eco-Justice Ministries http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7393.html Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is a holiday that focuses on the gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember loved ones who have passed away. The holiday is of particular importance in Mexico, yet is also celebrated in Hispanic communities around the world. Traditions connected with the holiday include building and adorning altars with various gifts, or ofrendas, meant to honor the deceased. Examples of an ofrenda include pictures, candles, mementos, religious symbols and/or the favorite foods of those who have passed away. Altars are often built in private residences as well as in public spaces such as schools or government offices. Traditionally, families and friends spend some time around the altar, praying and telling anecdotes about the deceased. The overall tone of the Day of the Dead is a time of celebration, where partying and eating is common.

This weekend at Plymouth we'll be partnering with Casa Latina in the celebration of Day of the Dead. On Saturday, October 30th, from 1p-4p we'll be constructing an altar in the lobby as well as preparing the tamales for the Sunday celebration. Members and friends of Plymouth are invited to bring ofrendas to add to the altar on Sunday the 31st.

On Sunday the 31st in the 11:00am worship, children from the Focus program will share what they have been creating in connection with the Day of the Dead celebration. After the service, the celebration will continue as we will enjoy tamales with members of Casa Latina. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7394.html Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 One of my favorite family traditions as a child was the Advent Calendar. Each morning my mother and I would guess what treasure awaited our discovery behind the small paper door. I loved the daily ritual, the little surprise, and it didn't hurt that often their was a small piece of chocolate behind the numbered panel. The exploration of the Advent Calendar at home felt like a continuation of the discussion and celebration of the Advent season at church. The little calendar was one of those places of connection where what happened in the sanctuary on Sunday overlapped with what we did at home on Monday.

The church school curriculum, Seasons of the Spirit, follows lectionary scriptures as they guide us through the major seasons of the church year: Advent - Christmas - Epiphany - Lent - Easter - Pentecost - Ordinary Time.

We are currently in the season of "Ordinary Time" which will come to a close in a few weeks as we begin the cycle again with Advent. We will closeout this season with a five part series entitled, "Bringing the Story Home." Each week this series will offer ideas on how to connect what the children are learning in church school to simple practices families can do at home.

Part 1: October 31
Idea A:
Each week in the Sunday school classrooms the lesson begins with a simple prayer or song around a table with a green table cloth and a candle. Green is the color of "Ordinary Time" and reminds of us new life. The light of the candle can symbolize many things. I like to connect the light to the presence of God. One simple way to bring this home is to use a green candle as a centerpiece or perhaps a adorn a table with a green table runner.

Idea B:
The focus this Sunday is the story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). Read the story as a bedtime story to your child(ren). Perhaps you could use the children's Bible Plymouth gives to kindergarten students in the church school.

Idea C:
On a large sheet of paper draw the outline of a simple tree with branches. Connect this image to the tree Zacchaeus climbed in order to better see Jesus. Have each member of the family write names of people on the branches who have shown them God's love. In other words, have each person identify someone who has helped them see Jesus.

Taking a few moments to foster tangible connections such as these will enrich your child's experience at church school and could possibly create lasting memories. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7395.html Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Luke 19:1-10
This week’s gospel lesson is an old, familiar one to many of us – the story of Zacchaeus. Remember the song from Sunday School? “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he…” Although he was a tax collector, and not just any tax collector, but a rich chief tax collector, for some reason Zacchaeus was dying to see Jesus. He was determined that nothing would stand in the way of his desire. But just as the walls of Jericho stood between the Israelites and the land of Canaan centuries before, Zacchaeus’ way was blocked by a wall of people, the crowd that had gathered to watch Jesus pass by. As we know from the story, Zacchaeus overcame this obstacle between him and his faith, between him and God, by lifting himself above his circumstance as a collaborator with the Romans – by climbing higher.

His plan worked; as Jesus passed by he looked up and spotted Zacchaeus in the tree. And when Jesus saw Zacchaeus, he said something surprising, but also rather strange. He said, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” I must. Why was it so urgent that Jesus stay at Zacchaeus’ house? Surely there were others in the crowd who were eager to invite him into their homes, to get some one-on-one time with Jesus, maybe some wise teaching, maybe even some healing. As a matter of fact, they were none too happy when Jesus chose the home of Zacchaeus, a sinner. But to Zacchaeus’ house was where Jesus felt he must go.

What happens next is even more astonishing: Zacchaeus spontaneously repents and swears to make restitution. He doesn’t bargain with Jesus, and Jesus doesn’t bargain with him. Zacchaeus doesn’t say, “if only you will save me, I will repent.” Jesus doesn’t say, “If only you will repent, you will be saved.” When Zacchaeus repents, saving himself from the guilt and shame of continuing to exploit and cheat his fellow Jews, Jesus acknowledges the change in him, but Jesus doesn’t stop there. Beyond simply acknowledging Zacchaeus’ conversion, he declares, “Today salvation has come to this house.” And not only is Zacchaeus’ household saved, but the poor from whom he extorted unfair taxes and those he had defrauded.

Salvation is not just individual or personal; it has social and economic dimensions. Salvation also extends beyond what we may think of, in traditional terms, as a cleansing of the soul, a “ticket into heaven.” The word translated as “saved” in verse 10 is also translated as “made well,” “healed” and “made whole” in the gospels.

Theologian Karl Rahner wrote that God’s salvific will, God’s offer of grace and forgiveness, healing and wholeness, is available to every person. That is the divine imperative that compelled Jesus to visit Zacchaeus’ household as he passed through Jericho. That offer of grace still stands.

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7396.html Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Here in the greater Seattle area it appears as though the large, more theologically conservative churches (e.g. Mars Hill, The City, EastLake Community, etc.) are drawing in the young adults. However, this might not be the case.

Check out Tony Robinson's article Religious Right Drives Young from Churches for more. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7397.html Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 The Seasons of the Spirit curriculum offers the Tip of the Week email which gives insights into the focus Bible passage for the week.

This week's tip centers on the gospel story of the prayers offered by a tax collector and a pharisee(Luke 18:9-14).

The tip invites us to "Ask the Rabbi" in order to better understand some of the cultural context of the passage. Rabbi Adam Morris lives in Colorado and serves as a consultant to the Seasons of the Spirit editorial team. See some of the questions he addressed from readers.

Who were the Pharisees?

Answer: Just like Judaism and Christianity have different denominations today, the Jews were made up of different groups. The Pharisees were one of these groups. The word "pharisee" comes from the Hebrew word 'Payrooshem' which means 'the ones who separated'.

What made them separate? The other groups in Judaism put a heavy emphasis on the Temple and all the things that went on there. The Pharisees put more emphasis on learning scripture and following religious practices. They also believed that a Messiah would come to the world, in life after death, and in the existence of angels. A lot of Jews at the time were attracted to their ideas. - Rabbi Morris

What were the Pharisee prayers?

Answer: Well, let me say two things that will definitely confuse you. First, Judaism changes so much through its history that it is almost impossible to say exactly what prayers were recited by the Pharisee in the story. Second, Judaism values tradition so much that the way that the Pharisee prayed may be very similar to the way we pray today. Wait! How can it be both different and similar? I do not know how, but I know that it is so. Judaism is about both change and tradition. So, when the Pharisees -- who were working to change Judaism in their day -- attempted to introduce their own ways of doing things, they kept a lot similar so that it would not repel the other Jews. So, when it came to prayer -- the words they choose to say or sing or chant -- they were new and different to many people. However, they made the structure, order and schedule of prayer similar to how things happened in the Temple. The structure of our prayer services today, the order in which we do things, the times of day and of the week that we pray all come from the changes that the Pharisees began to make at that time. There are parts of what the Pharisee in the parable was doing that are very foreign to us Jews today AND there are parts of what he was doing that look quite familiar to us and what we do.

Do only men pray them? In that time, and for some traditional Jews today, the obligation to say these prayers is only for the men. Women -- in this way of thinking -- have other things to do, other responsibilities. I am not saying it is the best way of thinking, but it is a way that Jews then and a small part of Jews think today. The good news (at least from my way of thinking) is that we have people like you in the Jewish community. You know, just like there are people like you who are looking at and studying and questioning what your religion means -- we have and had people like you, too. You not only ask questions, but have the courage to change things that may limit other people just because they may not happen to be a man, or have a certain skin color or live in the right country ... well, you get the idea. We have people like you, too, and most Jews around the world welcome and encourage men and women to participate equally in whatever they may be doing. - Rabbi Morris

What does a tax collector do?

Answer: Tax collecting has to be one of the worst jobs in all of history. Do you know what these people have to do? They have to go to the people in their community and ask them for their hard earned money. It is like your teacher asking you after you earned an 'A' on an exam to only take a 'B' so that he can give part of your grade to someone else. This kind of asking is hard enough, but what makes it harder is that tax collectors ask not because they are going to give it to some charity or even to invest it, they ask because they have to give it to the government. The asking is a little easier in countries where the government does a good job. But if you ask the Jews of the first century if they thought the Roman government did a good job - if they were not too scared to be thrown in jail - they would have definitely said "NO!" So even though this job was one that no one really wanted to have, there were some people who really needed it. If someone needed to feed his children and his wife and could not find a job he had a few choices, he could: (A) let them starve and die, (B) steal money and food and maybe get caught and thrown in jail or (C) he could work as a tax collector and make money for his family even though all the people in his community would hate him because he was taking their money and giving it to the government that they hated so much. There were not many people who had any compassion for tax collectors, even though it seems they needed a lot of it. - Rabbi Morris

Curious about other tips of the week? Sign up to receive the email here (scroll to the bottom of the page). http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7398.html Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Missed the first one?

Have some suggestions about how we close out the fall or start up the spring?

Want to meet up with your Teaching Team to go over scheduling, roles, classroom management, etc.?

Have questions about the various online tools (Seasons online, Seasons Tip of the Week, Google Docs, Doodle, etc.)?

All of these would be a great reasons to attend the Church School Teacher Training on November 7.

The workshop will be from 12:15-1:45p in room 323 and will have 4 primary foci:

1) Curriculum: How is it being used? What could make it more useful? Learning with the lectionary

2) Communication: Using online tools and other methods for communicating with your Teaching Team.

3) Coordinating: Time set aside for Teaching Teams to: plan the remainder of the fall and possibly look forward to the spring; discuss classroom management; set goals for the classroom.

4) Feedback (I couldn't keep the alliteration going): What adjustments need to be made before spring?

There will be snacks provided. Please let me know by October 31 if you are planning on attending so I can make adjustments accordingly.

Thank you for the time, effort, and care you have invested in the children and youth programs at Plymouth. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7399.html Mon, 18 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Luke 18:9-14

Dear God,

I thank you that I am not like the arrogant, self-righteous Pharisee in this week’s gospel reading! I would never pray such a self-congratulatory prayer. I would never go around judging the sinfulness of others. Don’t you hate when people do that?

I thank you that I am not like religious fundamentalists, who condemn the beliefs and practices of others. You know what they do, God, you’ve seen them – persecuting the gay community, blaming the poor for their poverty, taking the Bible literally – what ignoramuses! I thank you that I am not the kind of narrow-minded Christian who judges others. What? Talk to those people – those people? Seek common ground? Work to heal the brokenness of the worldwide Christian communion? There’s no talking to them, God – you know that.

I thank you that I don’t work for a corporation that pours toxins into the environment, or collects giant agribusiness subsidies at the expense of small family farms, or lobbies to have the minimum wage lowered. My firm’s corporate clients? That’s not really within my control. And we can’t afford to turn away business in this economy, you know. My investments? My retirement fund? Mostly mutual funds, index funds, you know. I don’t know which stocks they contain. I don’t have time to analyze individual stocks. That’s why I let the experts choose for me.

And I thank you God, that I care about what I put into my body and about the environment. I thank you for my Prius and my local, organic produce. Yes, I know those famer’s market prices are out of the reach of many families, but that’s why I give money to the food bank, right? I know many folks don’t have the money for a fuel-efficient car and some can’t afford to spend two hours or more commuting by bus every day because they’re working two or three jobs, but shouldn’t they find work closer to home instead of driving an old gas guzzler to work?

I thank you that I am not a racist, or a sexist, or a homophobe, or a bigot of any kind. I know institutionalized discrimination exists, but I didn’t cause it, right? I know I benefit from white/male/heterosexual privilege ever day, but that’s not my fault, right? I didn’t create it. It’s not my sin.

What’s that, God? You forgive me? I’m forgiven? But what – ? Why – ? What do you mean, I’m forgiven? I don’t understand. But thanks, I guess, and amen.

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7400.html Fri, 15 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700
Living the Questions is back at Plymouth.

The LTQ series at Plymouth dives into foundational questions and topics of the Christian faith. Through video clips and discussions, LTQ participants thoughtfully reflect on biblical theology, personal experience, and Christian tradition. LTQ is one more way we come together to explore, as a community, what it means to follow in the way of Christ.

Topics Include:
-Taking the Bible Seriously
-Lives of Jesus
-Challenges Facing Progressive Christians
-Restoring Relationships

This fall you can connect with this experience on Wednesday nights.

Five-week session | October 20 – November 17
Dinner served 5:45 to 6:30
Video/Time for the Spirit 6:30 to 7:00
Class time 7:00 to 8:30

Class options include:

For Adults
-Living the Questions 202
-Living the Questions 102
Adult groups are limited to 12 participants and space is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For Youth
A series of videos and discussions led by Youth Forum Coordinators, David & Robin Mallory

For Children (Ages 6-14)
Spiritual and Creative Arts Exploration

For Children (Under 6)
Dinner and free childcare

For more information check out this brochure or contact Plymouth Church UCC at:
206.622.4865 | plymouthseattle.org http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7401.html Fri, 15 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 We’ve had a lot to celebrate in children and youth ministry at Plymouth this fall. We’re excited about the programs and people that create a gracious space for the faith formation of children at Plymouth.

One of the ways that we create and maintain this safe space is through our “Check-In/Check-Out” process. The “Check-In/Check-Out” process applies to all children in the Plymouth church school program through grade 6. Parents and guardians check-in their child(ren) into the church school program in the chapel at 10:00am. From the chapel, students are accompanied by their teachers to their particular classroom. Teachers and volunteers may only dismiss a child from the classroom if the student is checked-out by the appropriate parent or guardian.

Below is a sample Sunday morning timeline that outlines the process.



•10:00AM – Parents/Guardians check-in their child(ren) in the chapel (all are invited to stay for the time of singing)
•10:50AM – Parents/Guardians check-out their child(ren) from the appropriate classroom (K/1st/2nd room 320; 3rd/4th room 321; 5th/6th room 221).
•11:00AM – Parents/Guardians accompany their child(ren) to the worship service.
•11:20AM (approximate) – After the reading of the gospel passage, children in kindergarten through grade 6 are invited to join in the Focus Program. Children are led from worship service by staff and church school volunteers. Children are also welcome to stay in the worship service with their family.
•12:15PM (approximate) – At the conclusion of the 11:00AM service parents/guardians check-out their child(ren) from the Focus Program (room 221).

A timely Check-In/Check-Out process is just one of the ways we can help to create a gracious space for faith formation for children, parents, and teachers. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7402.html Fri, 15 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 On October 3rd we heard a stirring sermon by Minister Stephen Epps, the eco-justice sermon winner here at Plymouth. The great challenge after every moving sermon is the question, "How do we now move with this?" One way to take action in environmental justice is to get involved with some pretty exciting plans that are in the works at Pilgrim First (a United Church of Christ camp located on the Kitsap Peninsula). Check out more in the posting by Chris Sanders below.

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Pilgrim Firs Work Party & Environmental Justice Center Discussion

Part of the re-awakening environmental justice or "Eco Power" ministry at Plymouth is the opportunity to help shape the proposed Environmental Justice Center at Pilgrim Firs. As we have heard over the past few weeks, exactly how the Center emerges will depend on how "justice" and "social action" and "environment" are melded to form a compelling, transforming, and activating experience. Plymouth's involvement in this is just beginning, and on Saturday October 23, we are planning to hold a hands-on work party and discussion at Pilgrim Firs. For the "hands-on" part of the day we will help camp staff remove invasive plant species; for the "discussion" part of the day after dinner we will hear from Deeg about the proposed Center and begin talking amongst ourselves about how justice, social action, and environment can meet in the Center. To make this easier, all meals and lodging will be provided free. Participants can travel to Pilgrim Firs either Friday night or Saturday morning, and plan to return Saturday night.

This is an opportunity open to everyone at Plymouth, including families and youth. If you are interested in participating in this activity or in joining the Environmental Justice Center group, contact Chris at chrisosanders@hotmail.com http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7403.html Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 There is an exciting stirring at Plymouth to support the young adult community. Check out the update below by Kyna Shilling.
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This summer at Camp N-Sid-Sen, the Fellowship and Recreation board asked a few of Plymouth's Young Adults, "What would be the best way to support Young Adult gatherings at Plymouth?" and the answer was: "Feed Us!" This answer is emblematic of the challenges facing young adult programming everywhere-- fellowship and food have always gone hand-in-hand, but as young adults we're often living with tight budgets and can't afford to bring food to share.

Starting this fall, Fellowship and Rec has been working to find Plymouth Covenant Groups to sponsor Young Adult Gatherings once a month. This partnership has been vital in allowing Young Adult Programming at Plymouth to flourish. At our last gathering, we had 12 Plymouth Young Adults in attendance, ranging in age from 19 to 28 years old, and a quarter of those were non-YF graduates! This is really exciting-- we're making new friends, deepening connections, and getting caught up with each others' lives. And we're focusing this positive, generative energy on future YA programming this winter, including some UCC Conference-Wide Young Adult events hosted at Plymouth Church! God willing (and I bet she is) we have the beginning of a vital, sustainable young adult group at Plymouth.

And what makes this kind of gathering possible is the support of Covenant Groups answering the simple plea of "Feed Us!"

With your help, and food, we've started something that is bringing Plymouth's Young Adults together in fellowship, and is making the dream of YA Programming into an obtainable reality. So thank you; not just for feeding our stomachs, but by doing so, providing a place where we can feed our spirits.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

-Kyna http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7404.html Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Luke 18:1-8

This week’s gospel lesson begins, “then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray and not lose heart.” Most of us need look no further than our own lives, our own neighbors or our own communities to see reasons to lose heart. Unemployment, home foreclosures, acute and chronic illnesses, relationship problems…the list of discouraging circumstances seems to never end. And that’s even before we open a newspaper or turn on the news. I was talking with a group of friends last week about the spiritual discipline of staying informed about what goes on in the world without giving in to cynicism or despair. It’s not easy.

It wasn’t easy for the hearers of Luke’s gospel, either. Scholars think this gospel was written about 60 AD. A new generation had grown up since Jesus had been put to death, and he had not returned, as his believers hoped he would. The Roman occupiers had not been overthrown. It was hard to keep the faith.

This pattern of crying out to God for justice and waiting, waiting, waiting for God’s response was familiar to Jews from the experiences recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures. Last week’s text from Jeremiah encouraged the Israelites exiled in Babylonia to marry and establish households in exile, instead of waiting for deliverance any time soon. “We’re in this for the long haul,” he warned them. In the story of Exodus, too, God’s people suffer and wait to be liberated from Egypt, then wander for decades in the wilderness. When Moses goes to the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments, they become so restless they turn to other gods, afraid that Moses, and God, have abandoned them.

There are many reasons to lose heart. There are many times when it seems that God just isn’t listening, or just doesn’t care. Yet, as people of faith, we are called to keep praying, to keep trusting. We are called to be persistent in our faith. I have an elderly relative whose favorite expression is “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” From her tone it doesn’t sound like she believes squeaky is a good way to be. She seems to be implying that those who complain are rewarded, while those who suffer in silence…hm…I guess they go on suffering in silence. That will show those squeaky wheels.

The widow in today’s story made such a nuisance of herself that finally even a judge utterly devoid of respect for God or person granted her justice in order to escape from her persistent nagging. Over and over again we read in scripture that God’s people cried out to God, pleading for salvation, for justice. Does Jesus tell us to shut up and stop being such squeaky wheels? Quite the opposite – Jesus tells us we need to pray always, to not lose heart. If we do this, Jesus promises, God will quickly grant justice. Quickly…that often doesn’t seem to be our experience. It doesn’t seem like that was the experience of the Jews in Babylonian exile, or Moses’ followers wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. So what does it mean to say that God grants justice quickly?

Perhaps it is we who are slow, not God. God has given us a template for justice: caring for the widow, the orphan, and the stranger – those on the outside and on the margins; loving our neighbors as ourselves; doing kindness and walking humbly with our God. If we are here to faithfully live out the word of God, if we are God’s hands in the world, then perhaps it is we, while we wait and pray and refuse to lose heart, who should be moving a little more quickly.

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7405.html Fri, 08 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Curious about what is the UCC? Here's a little taste.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7406.html Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Approximately once every six weeks the chapel space at Plymouth transforms as the children in kindergarten through grade six gather through the 10:00am hour for a worship service by and for them. This is an opportunity for children to learn about the liturgy of Plymouth as well as create their own. Children's Chapel is a space they make sacred as they worship God through song, dance, and play.

Parents are invited to stay for the worship or can pick up their children after the service at approximately 10:45am http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7407.html Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 (NOTE: This post is for a past event and is meant only to give a description of the Mentor/Confirmand Potlucks. You can find the most recent scheduled Mentor/Confirmand Potluck on the CYF Calendar)

On October 17th faith formation will be on the menu with two different options.

At 12:15pm the 8th grade confirmands will have time to meet with their mentors to discuss questions of faith as they work on their own statement of faith. Together with their mentors they will wrestle with questions such as: When was a time you shared in communion that was particularly meaningful for you? When was a time that you felt as though God sought after you? What does God seem to want in the Bible stories you have heard?

At the same time the parents of confirmands, as well as all interested adults, are invited to an adult confirmation...of sorts. Pastor Lauren and Brandon will host a discussion that will use the confirmation curriculum as its inspiration to dive into questions of faith. Those in the "Adult Confirmation" will hear an overview of the themes and ideas presented in the confirmation class. So far this year the confirmation class has touched on the origins of the Bible, the significance of communion and the United Church of Christ statement of faith. There will be an opportunity to engage with some of the material and the questions the youth of Plymouth are wrestling with.

With whatever entrée you choose this is a potluck style event in both heart and in food. So be prepared to share. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7408.html Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 In the wake of four teen suicides, the president of the United Church of Christ is encouraging people of faith to "recognize the God-given worth and dignity of every person" and to "work in solidarity to stop the bullying and violence against LGBT people."

United Church of Christ General Minister and President Rev. Geoffrey Black along with the Collegium of Officers issued this statement which names the culture of anti-gay bullying and calls us to action.

"The culture of anti-gay bullying that persists in academic and other institutions is an aspect of the broader issues of violence and harassment LGBT people face in the United States and around the world. It is experienced in a variety of ways from the invasion of privacy and taunts in school hallways to being beaten and tied to a fence; from the enactment of laws that criminalize sexual orientation and extra-judicial killing of people believed to be gay to the failure of elected officials to pass legislation that ensures the full equality of every citizen.

"The reality of anti-gay harassment and bullying creates environments of fear and intimidation that not only have tragic consequences for those who are targeted, but also for the communities in which they occur. Even when anti-bullying policies are in place, without effective implementation peers, teachers and other adults can still be intimidated into silence and inaction. Studies continue to tell us that this is more often than not the reality in the vast majority of our schools. Nine out of 10 LGBT youth report being verbally harassed at school; 44 percent say they have been physically harassed; 22 percent report having been assaulted; and 60 percent say that when they report abuse, no one does anything to help or protect them.

"All people of faith must recognize the God-given worth and dignity of every person that human judgment cannot set aside. Together we must work in solidarity to stop the bullying and violence against LGBT people and ensure the safety and protection of all our children. This is a baseline call to action grounded in the commonly held values of the Golden Rule, which every household of faith should be able to embrace."

Click here to read this story on the UCC national website and find resources on how to address bullying here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7409.html Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Luke 17:11-19

The people whose villages Jesus instructed the disciples not to visit when he first sent them out to spread the good news. The people whose village did not welcome Jesus on his way to Jerusalem. The traveler who took pity on a man who was attacked by robbers and left for dead. The one leper who turned back to thank Jesus. By now you’ve probably figured out what all these folks have in common – they are all Samaritans, and so, in the time and place of Jesus life, they are all outsiders.

At one time or another, most of us have had the experience of feeling like an outsider. Maybe it was on a school playground. Maybe in a work situation, like a business meeting, or a social situation, like a party, or in our own communities. Maybe even, heaven forbid, in a church. Those who fit in, those with the right clothes or bank balance or accent or skin color, can be blithely insensitive to the feelings of those on the other side of the dividing line. Sometimes they can even be cruelly, intentionally insensitive.

Being on the outside, feeling like we don’t belong, is painful, but for many of us it’s an infrequent occurrence. Those of us in the white middle class majority are usually surrounded by, and accepted by, people like us. In truth, most of us are more in danger of being the insensitive ones than of feeling the sting of their words, their sideways glances, their subtle gestures of exclusion.

Few of us know from personal experience what it feels like to wear your outsider status like an indelible badge, to be constantly judged and found different, unaccepted, other. The homeless woman given wide berth on a downtown sidewalk, the two young (male) lovers harassed for holding hands in public, the man in the wheelchair turned down for yet another job he’s perfectly qualified to do – maybe people who have known these struggles can imagine what it was like to be a leper – too unclean to even be touched – in ancient Israel. To be untouchable and to be a Samaritan, despised by Jewish society, to be doubly, eternally on the outside, almost defies imagination.

Until Jesus expands his ministry beyond the Jews, even he distances himself from the Samaritans. In Matthew 10:5-6, when Jesus first gathers the twelve disciples, he sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.”

And in Luke 9, when Jesus turns resolutely towards Jerusalem, “he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.”

But in Luke 10, the very next chapter, the Samaritan is depicted in quite a different light, as the traveler who shows compassion to one in need whom a priest and Levite pass by. And in our gospel reading this week, it is the Samaritan, out of all those who are healed, who turns to thank Jesus and praise God. In reply, Jesus says to him as he has said to many others, “your faith has made you well.” Certainly he has been healed from his physical illness, but then so have the other, less grateful lepers. But perhaps this healing has a special significance for the Samaritan leper. Not only is he able to rejoin his community, but Jesus has extended his blessing beyond the lost sheep of Israel. Jesus has embraced and included the outsider.

If we believe, as Jesus claimed earlier in Luke’s gospel through the words of Isaiah, that he was anointed to preach good news to the poor, proclaim freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, what is our responsibility as insiders? What does the year of God’s favor look like in a world of homophobia, sexism, racism, harassment and persecution of the other, the outsider?

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7410.html Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 A Reflection on Psalm 137

The weekly lectionary selections often skirt around the most negative and violent verses in scripture, even truncating or skipping verses of psalms. For example, when Psalm 95 comes up in the lectionary only verses 1-7a are read, beginning with “O come, let us sing to the Lord” and ending with the affirmation that we are God’s people, conveniently omitting the ending, which depicts God saying, “Therefore in my anger I swore, they shall not enter my rest.”

This week’s psalm selection, however, doesn’t pull any punches. Every verse of Psalm 137, including the ghastly revenge fantasy at the end, is included. Many beautiful laments have been written based on the first two thirds of the psalm, including the reggae-influenced “Rivers of Babylon” and “On the Willows” from Godspell, but what can we do with verses 8 and 9?

8 O daughter Babylon, you devastator!
Happy shall they be who pay you back
what you have done to us!
9 Happy shall they be who take your little ones
and dash them against the rock!

Moreover, of the four lectionary texts for the week, this psalm is the focus text in our Church School curriculum. How do we talk to the young in our community about such passages? How do we come to terms with them ourselves?

Just as discipleship isn’t always easy, scripture isn’t always easy. The scriptures reveal the glory of God, the steadfast love of God, the promise of new life through Jesus Christ, but they also reveal every human failing and demonstrate how we project human nature onto God. And these projections aren’t just quaint theological foibles from the ancient past. We may reject stories of a vengeful God, a wrathful God, a punishing God, yet those same depictions of God are still used today to justify everything from social ostracism to warfare.

Appropriating God for our own purposes and limiting the nature of God through our own faulty perceptions is still common today. When we insist on exclusively male images and language for God, when we hurl words from the Bible at one another as weapons to shame or punish, when we insist that God is on our side in combat and conflict, we are appropriating God language to build up a human-made idol.

The words of vengeful wrath that concludes Psalm 137 are a painful but truthful reminder of how our human minds work when we are threatened, afraid and angry. We can’t eradicate them from our character any more than we can excise them from the Bible. We were not created as mindless puppets who never think an ignoble thought or commit a harmful act.

Carl Jung believed that in order to become whole, sooner or later we have to face our shadow side. How do we choose to act when something of value is taken from us, when fear and anger take over? Do we seek revenge? Do we look for ways to take vengeance on the innocent and vulnerable among our tormentors? Or do we cry out to God in lament, sharing the depth of our brokenness with the only one who can help us face it and lead us back towards wholeness?

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7411.html Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 The Focus Program at Plymouth invites children in kindergarten through grade 6 to participate in creative arts programs during the 11:00am worship service. Children are led from the service typically after the morning's gospel reading. However, parents are more than welcome to keep their children with them throughout the 11:00am worship service.

The Seasons of the Spirit curriculum offers a few ideas for being with children during worship in such a way that the service connects in a meaningful way for parents and children alike.

Ideas for helping very young children participate in worship include:
• sitting near the front of the church so your child can see clearly
• bringing books, soft toys, or drawing materials (see the tote bags at the entrance to the sanctuary)
• removing your child’s shoes so he or she can move around quietly

Ideas for helping school-aged children participate in worship include:
• arriving in time so that you can sit together as a family, and being open to where your child wants to sit
• consider giving your child a name tag just like the adults
• helping your child learn the prayer that Jesus taught or other parts of the worship service so that they can participate
• talking about the worship service afterwards and sharing experiences

Most children understand routine and enjoy ritual. Parents can help children prepare for worship services by:
• talking about your own special memories of worship services
• helping children get to know their place of worship by exploring the sanctuary when it is empty
• creating a Saturday evening ritual: choosing clothes to wear to church; gathering money for offering; packing a “Sunday bag” with a Bible, soft toys, books, drawing materials, etc.

If you want to see more, click here for the full resource. We'll be offering a one day workshop for the whole congregation on "Being with Children in Worship" scheduled for October 10 at 12:15pm in room 323.

Also, parents and/or guardians of children in kindergarten, first, and second grade class. Please remember to check your children out of the class before the 11:00am worship service. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7412.html Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 During last weekend's Fall Confirmation Retreat the group gelled together in ways that will be very helpful as they walk this confirmation path together.

This weekend the wider Plymouth Church community will surround the confirmation group with their care as the church dedicates the confirmands. The dedication of the confirmands is a significant step in their journey as it demonstrates to them the support of the wider community. The dedication of the confirmands is the church's way of committing to assist them as they walk this path that leads to their decision to confirm their baptism and join the church body.

You won't want to miss this opportunity to be a blessing this Sunday during the 11:00am worship service. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7413.html Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 This Sunday will be a tremendous celebration. On October 3rd the children of Plymouth will take a significant role in the worship service as they will lead various parts of the celebration of communion.

When I began at Plymouth last May, I heard staff, parents, and the Children and Youth Board voice a desire to see children play a more meaningful role in the worship service. For several months we have been brainstorming ways to make connections between what the children learn in Sunday school and in the Focus Program and what they see in worship on Sundays. For the past couple of weeks Linda S. and I have been preparing children during the Focus Program time to take leadership roles in the serving of communion.

This Sunday as we celebrate the unity we share as a body of Christ, we'll have even more to celebrate as the children of Plymouth guide us to the communion table. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7414.html Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7415.html Thu, 23 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 There was covenant crafting, games like "Johnny Woop" & sing me a song about..., a Hebrew Scriptures overview, archery, bolas criollas, and iron chef (battle eggplant).

I could tell you more about it.
But why not just show you the slide show.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7416.html Wed, 22 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Check out this video about Plymouth created by our Pastor Search Committee along with 3 Story Church.
Plymouth Search & Call from Brandon Duran on Vimeo.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7417.html Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Each week the Seasons of the Spirit curriculum sends tips on teaching the curriculum as well as ideas and stories that reflect on that week's theme. Click here to sign up for these weekly tips.

Enjoy this week's "Spirit Sighting" from the weekly tips message.


September 26, 2010: Surprising Investment

Rarely in human history have sufferers of one particular source of injustice taken up the cause of another oppressed peoples. William Cooper did so in 1938 when, as an indigenous Australian he led a protest march against the infamous Kristallnacht (‘night of broken glass’), a concerted Nazi sweep of terror across Jewish homes and businesses in Germany. Whilst much of the world watched on in cautious silence, the 77 year-old Cooper led a delegation to the German Consulate in Melbourne to present a letter of protest against this ‘cruel persecution.’ Cooper’s petition was refused by the German representatives in Australia, but his defiant action remains one of the only recorded private protests against the state-sponsored raids and killings of Jews under the Nazis.

No stranger to discrimination himself, Cooper was a Yorta-Yorta man who had spoken up on behalf of his people from Cumeroogunga Aboriginal Station when they had been denied government-provided aid during the drought and depression of the 1930s. Deemed ineligible for a government old-age pension whilst he resided at Cumeroogunga Cooper moved to Melbourne in his seventies, where he became a founding member of the Australian Aborigines’ League. In 1934 Cooper was the instigator of a petition to give Aboriginal Australians representation in the Australian Federal government. That petition gathered almost 2000 signatures, but the right it sought was to be another thirty-seven years in the making.

Now William Cooper has been recognised by Yad Vashem, the official museum of the Holocaust in Jerusalem, Israel. A memorial to Cooper is to be established in the Entrance Gate Garden, visited by an estimated million people annually. Albert Dadon, leading Australian businessman and founding chair of the Australian-Israel Cultural Exchange, described Cooper’s courage and initiative as a reminder that “individuals and minorities can and must speak out when the rest of the world stays silent and they can make a difference when it comes to the plight of other minorities.”

William Cooper died in 1941 and is attributed with establishing the first “National Aborigines Day.” However, his heroic stance against the horrors of Kristallnacht remains little-known, even amongst Australian indigenous leaders. It is hoped that the dedication at Yad Vashem in December 2010 will raise the profile of this great and compassionate Australian.

Explore…Jeremiah 32:1–3a, 6–15

-What does Jeremiah’s purchase of land at Anathoth express?
-Have you ever experienced a time which you knew was “the word of the Lord”? What happened? What did you do?
-In what ways does Cooper’s example speak to us of “surprising investment”?

Prayer links…
Grant me, gracious God, that vision of faith and hope which looks ever past my own hurts and injustices to seek always your purposes of compassion, truth and love. Amen.

Reflection by Phil Hoffmann http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7418.html Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 The Confirmation Fall Retreat is just about here. This weekend we'll be taking advantage of some of the activities at Sambica (like the repelling and the "flying squirrel"), delving more into the confirmation curriculum, and hanging out. There will also be time for 8th grade confirmands to meet with their mentors (from 1:30pm-3:00pm on Saturday).

If you have registered and you would like to coordinate carpooling with other confirmation families call Brandon at the Plymouth office for a roster of retreat attendees.

Here is the location of Sambica Camp & Retreat Center.

View Larger Map
Click here for a retreat packing list you can download.

For registration or any other question please contact Brandon at the Plymouth office. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7419.html Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 There are a number of ways parents (actually, all adults) can connect with resources this fall.

-Sundays in the Plymouth library check out the books and resources highlighting the fall theme of "War and Peace"

-Thursdays at 7:30am in room 322 join in the study of the Gospel of John led by Rev. Gary Southerton.

-Starting on October 3 join in the "Beginning Bible Survey - the BIG Picture Overview" led by Rev. Don Mayer.

-"Living the Questions" runs again this fall with both 101 and 201 classes. Reflect on your faith with your Plymouth friends and neighbors on Wednesday nights from October 20 - November 17. There will be a creative arts program for children and a youth class designed for teens. Registration begins on September 26th.

-Plymouth Parents are coming together to create a "Faithful Parenting Group" (OK so this one is only for parents). Learn the details of this group by contacting Jennifer Castle, Facilitator of Lay and Community Ministries, or Pastor Lauren Cannon, Interim Minister of Faith Formation.

-On several Sundays throughout the year the Children and Youth Ministries will be hosting a class for the parents of confirmands. The Parents of Confirmands Class will discuss the faith questions concurrent with the confirmation curriculum. This class is open to all. The class is offered on the days of the "Mentor Lunches." Check out the CYF calendar for class dates.

For more information or questions contact Pastor Lauren at lcannon@plymouthchurchseattle.org http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7420.html Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 The 2010-2011 Faith Formation Handbook is online and easy to download. The handbook includes: the mission of the church school at Plymouth; position descriptions for leaders in Plymouth church school; field trip guidelines; emergency and safety procedures; important dates for the fall; and a lot more.

Click here to download your copy. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7421.html Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Curious about the curriculum that Plymouth is using in the church school? Check out this one page information sheet.

Seasons of the Spirit Info Page http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7422.html Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Jeremiah 32:1–3a, 6-15

Much of the book of Jeremiah consists of the prophet chastising Israel for her sins and predicting her fall at the hands of Babylonia. No wonder, as Jesus remarks centuries later, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their home town (Mark 6:4).” Jeremiah’s doom and gloom prophecies finally got so annoying that Zedekiah, the king, locked him up in the palace to keep him from upsetting the populace.

Our reading for this week, however, is from a small section in the middle of Jeremiah known as the Book of Comfort. Presbyterian minister David Steele refers to these chapters as “four chapters of comfort tucked inside 52 chapters of affliction.” True to that description, our text relates a prophesy quite unlike Jeremiah’s usual dire predictions.

The armies of Babylon were already besieging Jerusalem. Confined within Zedekiah’s palace, Jeremiah hears God telling him to expect a visit from his cousin Hanamel. Hanamel, according to Jeremiah’s vision, will offer to sell him a field in Anathoth, just three miles from Jerusalem – pretty much ground zero in the escalating conflict. When Hanamel shows up at the palace with just such an offer, Jeremiah knows that the vision truly was from God.

And then Jeremiah does something strange and surprising for a man who has prophesied the destruction of Israel and the Babylonian exile. He buys the land. He takes a leap of faith, and he puts his money where his mouth is. He signs, seals and delivers the deed and gives instructions that it is to be placed in an earthenware jar so it may be preserved for a long time. What on earth could be his rational for such an imprudent act? – his unshakable faith that God was speaking to him and through him, bidding him to preserve the deed and promising that “houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.”

Over the centuries, each time and place has faced its own human-created crises and natural disasters. God doesn’t prevent them from happening, and our faith in God doesn’t prevent them from impacting our lives and the lives of those we love. But my hope, the hope offered in Jeremiah’s leap of faith, is that our faith affects how we weather the crises and reach out to others when they occur.

In our strong community here at Plymouth, we have experienced faith in God and in one another that has seen us through good times and hard times. Through faith journeys, grateful testimonials from the social service and justice agencies we serve, and the enthusiasm of families whose children have been a part of Plymouth from the crib room into adulthood the message is clear that our faith makes a difference in our lives, our church and our communities.

We see mainline churches shrinking. We experience the harsh realities of the economic downturn. We could be hiding our heads under the covers, feeling that God has given up on us, and that maybe we should give up on God. But instead we breathe deeply, pray, and show up for worship, board meetings, sandwich making, financial giving, house painting, church school, hospitality offering and all the other leaps of faith we take to sustain each other and act as God’s agents of hope. Jeremiah took a bold, even brazen step into the future. May we continue to live into our great future as faithful people of God and do the same.

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7423.html Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 During the summer, Plymouth's childcare providers engaged the children with numerous art projects centered around the theme, "Growing in God's Garden." You can check out some of their work in this slide show and see the fullness of their creations at Plymouth in the sanctuary this Sunday.
http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7424.html Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Want to come to the Confirmation Fall Retreat?

Click here to learn more details and register online. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7425.html Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Wondering where the Youth Forum is this weekend? The YF Fall Retreat is at Camp Huston. See the map below.


View Larger Map http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7426.html Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Just a few quick slides from a very full morning. Church school kickoff, Adult Forum, Family Singing with Rosemary, return of the Plymouth Choir, Youth Forum & Confirmation Class picnic. A morning full of blessing. Enjoy a few pictures from the children and family singing time and the YF/Confirmation Picnic.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7427.html Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Reflection on Luke 16:1-13

This week’s gospel lesson is from the Gospel according to Luke, but reading it reminds me of Jesus telling the disciples in Matthew 13:13, “The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’” That’s how I felt as I read the parable of the shrewd manager in Luke. I was relieved to see that theologians and commentators also have trouble with this passage. At least I’m in good company; and if this parable perplexes you too, welcome aboard!

The crux of the confusion appears in verse 8: “And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly...” Why on earth would the manager’s master, who is already firing him for “squandering,” commend the dishonest manager? And is Jesus, by extension, also commending him? Do cheaters get ahead? Is that what this manager has done that’s so commendable?

We do know that of the gospel writers, Luke is the master of the reversal, especially reversal of status. Before Jesus is even born, Luke depicts Mary singing the magnificat, praising God for bringing down the powerful from their thrones and lifting up the lowly; for filling the hungry with good things and sending the rich away empty. Perhaps the manager has acted shrewdly by casting his lot with the debtors rather than the masters. He doesn’t say, “Hey, no worries, my friends will take me in;” or “I’ll bet my buddies can get me another job as a financial manager.” He turns to those of lower status.

And what does he do to get in good with those folks? He forgives a substantial portion of their debt. He hopes to earn their loyalty through a very practical and concrete act of forgiveness. True, the debts are not actually his to forgive…but didn’t Jesus’ enemies among the religious elite level the same charge against him – that the sins he forgave were not his to forgive? I don’t think the author of the gospel was advocating cheating your employer, and I don’t wish to either, but maybe this parable isn’t concerned with ethics. Maybe it’s about discerning what really matters.

Jesus goes on to say you can’t make both God and wealth the focus of your life – one will invariably suffer at the expense of the other. Following this parable Jesus responds to money-loving Pharisees who ridicule him by saying, “What is prized by humans is an abomination before God.” Maybe forgiveness and the fostering of relationships matter more than money and status. Maybe our understanding of honesty and faithfulness are focused on the wrong target. Another definition of the Greek word the gospel writers used to mean “to sin” is “to miss the mark.” So, might focusing on legalistic definitions of honesty that protect wealth and status of the few at the expense of the poor and suffering be missing the mark?


Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7428.html Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 It's just around the corner. Click here to register online.

Curious about what to pack? Download the packing list below. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7429.html Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 This Sunday head on out to Judkins Park (2150 S Norman St.) after church to share lunch, discuss the program year for YF and Confirmation, and maybe throw a frisbee.

The event will go from 1-4pm. We'll begin with a discussion and Q&A regarding Confirmation, then we'll share lunch, then we hear about YF's plans for the year.

Please Bring:
A-G= Dessert H-N= Drinks M-Z= Side Dishes

Hope to see you there!


Directions from Plymouth:
• Head South on 5th Ave
• Left at S Jackson St
• Right at 23rd Ave S
• Right at S Norman St
• Park in either lot, we reserved the picnic shelter http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7430.html Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Old photos can sometimes be fun but their not particularly helpful to someone trying to put a face to a name. The new photo directory Plymouth is putting together can be a great welcome gift to the new settled senior minister as well as other new comers to the church. If we want guests to become friends then the photo directory (along with the name tags on Sunday) can go a long way in helping new comers connect with the wider community.

So if you haven't signed up for a time slot with the photographer for you or your family then please take a minute to do so. You can sign up online by clicking here.

And no, I don't have those suspenders anymore. And yes, I do miss them. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7431.html Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700
Throughout the history of the church, it has been demonstrated that the journey of faith is one best walked with others. The mentorship program offers the confirmands a relationship where they can benefit from the knowledge and experience others have gleaned on this way of Jesus.

Early in the church school year, each of the 8th graders is asked, with the help of their parents, to select a mentor who will assist them in contemplating spiritual issues throughout the church school year. The mentorship piece will serve as a vital resource for the 8th graders as they craft their statement of faith.

What is a Mentor?
The mentor will serve as a sounding board and an advisor. A mentor is a person who cares enough about the confirmand to invest the time, patience, and energy needed to walk with the confirmand as they grow in their ability and confidence to discern and articulate their faith. Mentors do not need to have their faith "figured out." Mentors need to simply help the confirmands process their own thoughts and beliefs on God, the church, and faith. Mentors can do this through active listening, asking questions, and reflecting on what they hear from the confirmands. Often this process helps the mentors more clearly articulate their own faith.

Why a Mentorship Program?
One of the goals of faith formation is discipleship, to follow in the footsteps and service of Jesus. Discipleship is a way of life, not a body of doctrine. Each confirmand is on a unique faith journey. It is important to meet them where they are as individuals. One way to further discipleship is to foster individual partnerships between mentors and confirmands.

Who May Be a Mentor?
A mentor may be any active church member willing to participate in the joys and responsibilities of the mentor program.

Meetings with Confirmands
Mentors will be asked to meet with their confirmands during a few set events throughout the church school year. The first of these events will be during a portion of the confirmation fall retreat. During the course of the church school year there will also be approximately 6 "Confirmand/Mentor Lunches" when mentors will be invited to meet with their confirmands after church on Sunday. The Confirmation Class Team will provide written materials and suggested questions that they may use to inspire and focus their discussions.

If you are asked to be a mentor and you have questions, or you are willing to be a mentor, or you're a parent looking for suggestions on possible mentors please contact Brandon at the church office. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7432.html Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 One of my roles in the wider church is to serve on the conference stewardship committee. The other day the committee was talking about OCWM. Plymouth has been a faithful contributor to OCWM. So just what do these four letters stand for?

This video explains it beautifully.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7433.html Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700 1 Timothy 1:12-17

"I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."
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This week’s reading uses some language that might sound rather old fashioned to many of us…language that might make us uncomfortable. Sin and salvation may be topics we don’t often consider when we pray, when we practice or discuss our faith. We may shy away from the idea of a prayer of confession as part of worship. After all, shame and guilt can be pretty damaging, right? How can we grow in faith and community when we feel awful about ourselves? And salvation through Jesus Christ sounds like scary, tent revival, altar call kind of talk, the kind of thing we might expect to hear when we’re buttonholed by someone demanding to know if we’ve accepted Jesus as our personal Lord and savior.

So, while we’re on the topic of redemption, is there anything we can redeem from this passage? Let’s take a closer look at the words used in these six verses. Paul describes himself as a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. He condemns himself as the foremost of sinners – the worst. And how does he describe God’s response?

Jesus strengthened Paul, judged him faithful, and appointed him to service. Paul received mercy, and the grace of God overflowed for him with Christ’s faith and love. Jesus displayed the utmost patience and made an example of him. What kind of an example can you make of such a miserable sinner as Paul professes to be? Shouldn't he be persecuted to the full extent of the law and punished to teach everyone what will happen if, or let’s admit it, when, they miss the mark?

Is that what happened to Paul? After all, he was happy to persecute others, so surely he would have deserved this fate. But instead, God made Paul an example of how God’s love and mercy abide with us no matter how often, or how egregiously, we fail. No matter how widely we miss the mark (which is another translation of the Greek verb used in the New Testament to mean “to sin).” As Paul says in another of his letters, “For all have missed the mark, and come short of the glory of God.”

So based on Paul’s example, based on the covenant that God formed with Abraham and all his descendants, based on the good news preached by Jesus Christ, what will happen if, or let’s admit it, when, we miss the mark? According to today’s reading, we can expect strength, mercy, grace, faith, patience and love. Recipients of such grace, may we also, based on Paul’s example, give to God gratitude, honor and glory.

Reflection by: Becky Withington, Plymouth In-Care Seminarian. Contact Becky by email at withington@comcast.net http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7434.html Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700
Are you a 1st through 5th grader who's always wanted to try out Plymouth's handbells? You're in luck! Plymouth is starting a bell/chime choir for elementary-aged kids. All kids are welcome, regardless of musical background. We will start learning on the chimes, since they are fun to play and nearly indestructible. Rehearsals will be on Sundays in the sanctuary after the 11:00 service, ending by 1:00. The first rehearsal, including an introductory meeting and delicious treats, will be on September 19th.

Questions? Contact Amy at amyneer@yahoo.com or Didi at shirleyurjoking@yahoo.com. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7435.html Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Schedule http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7436.html Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700 As a part of his commentary on being a Muslim in America, Seattle Times columnist, Danny Westneat interviewed a local man familiar with Plymouth. Amadou Toure shared with Westneat that he gathered with other Muslims each Friday for prayer at Plymouth.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2012648888_danny18.html http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7437.html Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700 At Plymouth we want our church school to be a safe, life giving, environment for the children in our program. In our attempt to foster such a gracious space it is important that all those working in our Sunday school program be pursuing the same goal. To that end we ask that all individuals involved complete a “Disclosure Form."

If you are a teacher in the Sunday School program and you have not submitted this form this year, please download the form, complete it, and return it to the Plymouth office attention, Rev. Brandon Duran. All forms are kept confidential.

As always if you have any questions, comments, or concerns about completing these forms, please feel free to speak to me.

Thank you teachers for sharing in this journey and walking alongside our children and youth at Plymouth.

Disclosure Form http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7438.html Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700
The Sunday School Faith Formation Handbook for 2010-2011 is here! I'm pretty excited about it. Inside it you'll find:

-Overview of the Seasons of the Spirit curriculum;
-Sunday school teacher directory;
-Outline of the Focus 2.0 program with dates & themes;
-Outline of the Sunday morning faith formation schedule;
-The lectionary texts for this fall;
-And quite a bit more...

Pick up your copy at the Plymouth front office.
(and when you do, be sure to thank Edwin for all the hard work he put into it) http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7439.html Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700
The first Friday of each month Plymouth creates space in Hildebrand Hall for the labyrinth. Walking the labyrinth is a spiritual exercise that invites participants on a path of reflection. Those who journey the labyrinth find a moment of calm to reflect life, on God, and on the twists and turns of the day. Perhaps you heard Jennifer (Plymouth's Facilitator of Lay & Community Ministries) refer to her powerful experience while walking the labyrinth during the sermon on "Thin Places."

Yet labyrinth's aren't only for adults or mystics. They are simply one more tool to help us reconnect with ourselves and God. Plymouth is sporting two resources to give a guide for children and youth to experience the labyrinth. "On My Path" and "A Young Pilgrim's Guide to Walking the Labyrinth" are designed to connect children and youth to the labyrinth by giving them language and direction as they share in the journey. If you're interested in these booklets contact me and we can talk about all of the ways the labyrinth can come alive for children and youth.

The labyrinth comes to Plymouth again this Friday, September 3rd from 10:00am-2:00pm. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7440.html Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700 This Saturday's Teacher Training Workshop was an excellent time to get excited about the coming year, to become better acquainted with the curriculum, and to plan with the teaching teams. Not to mention, we enjoyed an out of this world brunch.

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

-Opening Discussion
Why did I say yes to teaching this fall?
What am I concerned about when I envision this coming fall?
What is my hope for Sunday school this fall?
We talked about all of the changes this fall, the possible benefits and challenges and how we can work together to create a gracious environment so crucial for the faith formation of children.

-Sunday Morning Walk-Through
Each Sunday all children (K-6th Grade) gather in the Chapel at 10:00a for a time of singing with Rosemary. Rosemary led the teachers through some of the songs and there was a lot of joy.

Once children return to the classroom the Seasons of the Spirit curriculum suggests a morning gathering ritual focused on affirming the presence of God. Lauren led the teachers through this brief ritual.

-Curriculum
We talked about the rationale behind the move to Seasons of the Spirit. We discussed the added features of this curriculum and how it supports teachers. We also walked through the online content and mapped out for teachers how to find exactly what one needs for planning a lesson.

-Guest Speakers
Suzanne, the church librarian, pointed us to resources in the library that could supplement the curriculum. Becky from the Plymouth Stewardship Committee shared the dream of teaching and incorporating the gifts of children and youth in stewardship at Plymouth. Marna from Seattle Infant Development Center talked about ways we can maintain the positive relationship we have with SIDC as we share space.

-Teaching Teams
Finally we talked about how teaching teams could be organized, what is needed from the members, and included time for the teams to meet together and plan for the fall.

All in all it was a productive day. If you're a teacher for next year and you missed out on the training give me a call so we can talk about the fall. If you're a parent and you have questions let's talk and see if we can find answers. Or if you're simply interested in the Children and Youth Programs at Plymouth you can reach me here at the office, (206) 622-4865. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7441.html Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700 We are ever looking for ways to stir and develop the talent in our children. Artistic expression is one of the beautiful ways we form and develop our faith. If you are interested in connecting your child to faith based forms of artistic development please take a moment with our 10 question survey below.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7442.html Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700 We are scheduling a series of “What’s Up at Plymouth?” gatherings at homes in late August – early September based on the theme of, “Celebrating the Present!” These will be relaxed opportunities to find out about new initiatives; build excitement for the fall; chat with staff, Council members and friends; and enjoy a bite (or two or three) of delectable delights. Check the flier below for more details.
Neigborhood Gatherings Invite http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7443.html Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700 On Tuesday, September 21, people of faith from all around the earth will be praying for peace. The International Day of Prayer for Peace offers an opportunity for church communities in all places to pray and act together to nurture lasting peace in the hearts of people, their families, communities and societies. It is a worldwide event in which we can easily play a part. Through a simple prayer for peace at meal time or an act of reconciliation that seeks to heal discord, we can touch upon the gospel of peace. How could each of us seek to embody the call to peace in our homes, workplaces, and communities?

In the gospel of Matthew Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” As we seek live out of our belovedness, may this simple prayer of peace be an instrument of inspiration as we consider how we might more fully live lives marked by the peace of God.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7444.html Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Eboo Patel was one of the speakers at the UCC National Youth Event in 2008 and he will be speaking about interfaith leadership at the University of Puget Sound on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. The talk, titled "Acts of Faith: Interfaith Leadership at a Time of Global Religious Crisis," will take place in Schneebeck Concert Hall, with a book signing and reception following in Rasmussen Rotunda in Wheelock Student Center. The lecture, sponsored by the Swope Endowed Lectureship on Ethics, Religion, Faith, and Values, is free and open to the public, but tickets are required.

Patel is executive director of Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), a Chicago-based institution devoted to the global interfaith youth movement. He is also a member of President Obama's Advisory Council of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

"In a world too often convinced of the inevitable clash of civilizations, Patel asks, how do we lead our communities of faith to work with people from different religious and philosophical backgrounds and serve the common good? From Martin Luther King Jr. to Mahatma Gandhi, Dorothy Day to Abraham Joshua Heschel, the answer is clear: interfaith leadership."

Patel is the author of the award-winning book Acts of Faith:"The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation", and frequently contributes to The Washington Post, National Public Radio, and CNN. He also serves on the Religious Advisory Committee of the Council on Foreign Relations and on the board of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Complimentary tickets are available beginning Monday, Aug. 30, from the information desk in Wheelock Student Center or by calling 253-879-3419. Seating is limited and advance ordering is recommended. The doors will open at 6 p.m. Please note that at 6:20 p.m., any unclaimed seats will be allocated to those waiting to attend-so all unused tickets will be void at that time. For directions, visit www.pugetsound.edu/directions.xml. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7445.html Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700 We are excited to offer new small group opportunities this fall at Plymouth. All groups will provide opportunities for support and spiritual growth, but some will focus on a specific topic area. The type and number of groups we offer will depend on the level of interest. Please indicate your interest in participating in the types of groups listed in the survey below.



Or you can download, print, complete, and return the survey to the church office attention Jennifer Castle. Surveys need to be received by the church office by Monday, August 16th.
Small Group Survey 2010 http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7446.html Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0700
Thanks to Jessie we have some great photos from our joy filled week at N-Sid-Sen.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7447.html Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700 Check out members of the Youth Forum during the Variety Show at Plymouth Family Camp this past week. You can see the video showcasing their skills as they put on their rendition of OneRepublic's song Apologize.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7448.html Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700 The Pacific Northwest Conference wants to provide resources that facilitate churches working together to do what no one individual church can do on its own.

To this end the Conference has hired Kathleen Hosfeld of Hosfeld & Associates to conduct an assessment of how we're communicating in the Conference. The study looks at how we communicate locally and how the Conference and churches communicate with each other over distances.

One crucial aspect of this study is a survey, for both laity and clergy, which seeks to find out what resources are needed by congregations to support better communication. You can find and take this simple survey at:

http://pncucccomtech.blogspot.com/

We hope to identify the types of resources that are needed by congregations to better support Websites, social networking, email programs, newsletters (print and digital), and other forms of communication. We also hope to explore the types of communication technology that help people collaborate across distances on Conference committees and in shared ministry.

Please help out by taking this survey. It's a little thing each of us can do that will benefit us all. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7449.html Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700 The idea is that this short video will give people a feel for through conveying the openness and values of the community as well as a sense of people in the church.

The concept of this video is that of looking down at a desk where someone has been working on a Pictures of Plymouth scrapbook.

http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7450.html Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700 In the last Sunday School Newsletter we discussed two significant shifts in CYF ministries coming this fall: expanded confirmation & children led liturgy.

Another idea that has been percolating for some time is the re-imagining of the roles of teachers. Previously teachers were classified as "Head" or "Assistant" teachers. Head Teachers were responsible for the weekly preparation and teaching of the curriculum while Assistant Teachers helped with classroom management and built relationships with the children.

This year we'll be shifting from the Head/Assistant model to a Team Teaching model. The Team Teaching model places volunteers together in groups with complementary gifts. With the fall schedule and curriculum in hand each team will decide how to best share the responsibilities of preparing, teaching, and managing the class according to their talents, availability, and personal connection to the curriculum content. This model gives each teacher an opportunity to lead with their strengths and evenly distributes the work.

I'm excited to see how this test run works this fall. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7451.html Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700 N-Sid-Sen Camp July 18-24

Prayers go with our 70 members, friends, children, youth, young adults, families, and staff in northern Idaho this week, July 18-24, Plymouth All Church camp at our Pacific Northwest Camp and Conference Center, “N-Sid-Sen”, “Point of Inspiration”, on Lake Coeur d’Alene. As they enjoy biking, water olympics, bonfires, and float trips, Plymouth folk will be creating music, variety shows, and joining for vespers and worship each day, while exploring 1 Corinthians 12 theme: “Community: Many gifts, One Body”. Everyone at camp becomes a leader, as we all bring gifts and joy to contribute for each part of camp. In fact it seems we annually enact this very text. This year (and a first for a few of us) our focus each day through the week will eventually leave us looking to our year ahead. The book study at camp is An Odd and Wondrous Calling: the Public and Private Lives of Two Ministers by Rev Dr Lillian Daniel and Rev Martin Copenhaver. We look forward to reporting back at August 1st Sunday worship, and as our good thoughts surround them- mark calendars now for July 2011! Talk to Pastor Lauren or Rev. Tom for scholarship assistance- no one is ever turned away, and donations are gratefully accepted from those who can not go, but would like to enable another to be able to go. Our gratitude goes out to this year’s N-Sid-Sen planning team: Angela Deppe, Lauren Cannon, Anne Kiemle, Susan Ford, Greg Smith, Vivian Bowden, Jo Mitchell, Warren Smith, and Jessie Attri. ~Lauren Cannon lcannon@plymouthchurchseattle.org http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7452.html Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700 This August CYF ministries is looking for a few volunteers to join in the teacher resource room cleaning party. The organizing of the resource room is a very valuable way to prepare for the fall programs. If you are a teacher for the fall then this is a terrific way to learn what resources are available. If you love having a place for everything and everything in its place then this is for you. If you enjoy spending time at Plymouth with good company, good food, and a little bit of work then this is for you. If can you come lend a hand please contact Brandon at bduran@plymouthchurchseattle.org http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7453.html Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700 We remember Esther Instebo, who joined Plymouth in 1940 with husband Alfred, and was a resident at Horizon House. Esther died July 5 at the age of 99. Esther actively participated in the life of our church and in the city of Seattle, as well as her church back in Bagley, Minnesota, where a memorial service will be held. She will be dearly missed. A gathering for sharing to celebrate Esther will be July 23 at 2:30 pm at the Performance Hall at Horizon House.

You can learn more about Esther's life, her work in education, and her role as an activist in an article found here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7454.html Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0700 This is a really interesting short reflection on one church's challenges of sustaining a traditional Sunday school model in the modern world. There are some great comments posted in response to the reflection as well. Check it out for some experiences that might resonate with us here at Plymouth and maybe even some wisdom to be gleaned. You can find the article here. http://plymouthchurchseattle.org/faith/youth-and-family&id=7455.html