Church guide

Cinco de Mayo at Plymouth * 10am - worship with communion and music, including pieces performed by the Plymouth Bell Choir * 11:15 - 43rd annual Heifer Festival to benefit Heifer International *1:00pm - Steinway Piano Dedication with Steinway Artist Steven Heyman

Music is an integral part of worship at Plymouth Church and this Sunday we celebrate with the dedication of our new Steinway piano. We also welcome new members during the worship service. We look forward to seeing you at 10am on Sunday.

Despite the death and darkness of the week before, we celebrate the life and light of Jesus Christ and his Resurrection on Easter morning! All are invited to bring fresh flowers to adorn the cross as you come to worship this Easter Sunday.

http://www.ucc.org/news_resurrecting_hope_an_easter_message_04162019?utm_campaign=kyp_apr16_19&utm_medium=email&utm_source=unitedchurchofchrist

“Maundy” is the English form of the Latin word meaning “commandment.” On Maundy Thursday (April 18) we remember Jesus’ commandment to “love one another as I have loved you.” As the shadows lengthen and betrayal overshadows all, we gather around the Table at 6pm for an intergenerational service to remember the Last Supper and hold each other tight as we wait for the coming of the light.

The flowers are being collected, the chalk is ready, the Hosanna banner is unfurled, and all are anticipating the beautiful flower “carpets” our children will create on the sidewalk outside our doors on Palm Sunday. For well over 30 years Plymouth has adopted this Central American tradition of Las Alfombras. The beauty is short-lived, a parallel to Jesus’ life, as the congregation will process across the carpet on its pilgrimage to six locations in the blocks surrounding our church, and, through singing special verses to the tune “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” relate what happens in those places to Jesus’ journey during Holy Week.

Are there parallels to Jesus' Holy Week journey in our own downtown neighborhood? We think so and will go on our second annual Palm Sunday pilgrimage following worship, processing to six locations in the blocks surrounding our church and, through singing special verses to the tune “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” relate what happens in those places to Jesus’ journey.

Break a leg, Syracuse Opera! We have enjoyed listening to you rehearse down in Kirtland Hall and look forward to the performance of "Three Penny Opera" next weekend. Plymouth is pleased to rent space in our building for rehearsals, concerts, meetings and more. Check out our facility rental options at https://www.plymouthsyr.org/about/facility-rental/

Plymouth truly believes in WELCOMING ALL: This week, on the fifth Sunday of Lent, we celebrate the sacrament of communion. Our communion table is open to everyone. All you have to be to feast at this table is hungry. You will be invited to come forward by the center aisle, take a piece of bread, dip it in the cup, and eat before returning to your seat via the side aisles. The cups contain non-alcoholic grape juice; an egg and gluten-free option is available instead of bread. If you cannot come forward but would like to partake, simply raise your hand and servers will come to you. ALL are truly welcome! Worship at 10am

“[Jesus] grew up to be a traveler and a teacher. Before he died he rode a donkey across a carpet of flowers into the city of Jerusalem, where he was welcomed. Many people hoped to be like him. Many still do. Me, I want to be like that donkey.” (Excerpted from “Ernie’s Journal.”) For well over three decades (that 30+ years!) Plymouth has been adopting the Central American tradition of creating flower carpets (las alfombras) on the sidewalk outside the church on Palm Sunday morning and has processed through downtown Syracuse in celebration of Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem. For many of those years, Ernie the Donkey accompanied the congregation. His story has just been published. https://books.google.com/books?id=w8SNDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA41&lpg=PA41&dq=Palm+Sunday+at+Plymouth+Church+syracuse&source=bl&ots=mzHYd8qqLa&sig=ACfU3U2k0re5jhRI_2dJL6jhsL405vionQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjs4vnGirfhAhWKPN8KHUBFDwEQ6AEwB3oECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=Palm%20Sunday%20at%20Plymouth%20Church%20syracuse&f=false

On Monday, April 1 we welcomed our new Steinway Model B piano, which was given to Plymouth by a generous congregant in memory of his wife. The crew from Artist Pianos - Syracuse braved the April Fool's snow and limited parking on East Onondaga Street to roll in and set up this beautiful instrument. And Joseph Downing tickled the ivories for the first time - just a hint of the beautiful music to come.

Welcoming All, Growing in Faith, Working for Justice and Peace You are welcome this Sunday as we grow in faith through worship at 10am followed by Bible Study - Psalm 46, with special focus on verse 10, “Be still and know that I am God.” This week we pray the Lord's Prayer adapted from the New Zealand Prayer Book which uses contemporary, inclusive language. It is a paraphrase – not a translation – of the original Greek in the New Testament.

There is no place better to spend a reflective Sunday morning than at Plymouth. Join us at 10am for worship on this 3rd Sunday of Lent. Following worship, join Rev. David Pasinski for Bible Study and explore Exodus Chapter 12 with an emphasis on Passover story.

Rev. David Gaewski, Conference Minister of the New York Conference of the United Church of Christ, asks us to try this simple, yet powerful Lenten practice: Try this. Watch a half hour of news with the sound turned completely off. I don’t recommend MSNBC, CNN, or FOX. I do recommend David Muir on ABC (Why? Because he’s from Syracuse? No, because there are more images on that broadcast.) Don’t yield to the temptation to turn on the sound for a second or two. Just watch. Let this be a Lenten experiment. As you watch ask yourself these questions: What do I see? Is there any glimpse of what I believe is sacred? How do I want to live in this world? Over the past few days I’ve watched the images of Christchurch. Kneeling by flowers. People embracing. Tears mostly, some anger. The image that I will keep forever is the Prime Minister, with her head covered, embracing a Muslim woman. Sacred. That is how I want to live. Christ’s church. If you take me up on this, when you are finished, write down your responses to these questions. Sit with your writing. What do the words you have written say about yourself? If you’re willing, send me what you have written. I may share these in some future writing, so by sending these to me, unless you state otherwise, I will assume I have your permission to share your thoughts (with no names attached to any comments). Rev. David R Gaewski Conference Minister [email protected] Twitter: @DavidGaewski1

The Plymouth Bells are playing this Second Sunday of Lent, March 17! Worship is at 10am. Lenten Bible study continues with the Rev. John Terry leading discussion of facing down the enemies of God, from Philippians 3:17-4:1 and Luke 13:31-35, following worship. (Photo by Mike Greenlar, syracuse.com)

March 10 - First Sunday of Lent Worship at 10am Kim Looney will lead us in worship. She is the Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries at Plymouth and a Member in Discernment, seeking ordination in the United Church of Christ.

March 3 - Mardi Gras Sunday at Plymouth * We "bury the alleluias" in preparation for Lent * We celebrate the sacrament of communion * We welcome new members * The Samba Laranja, The S.U. Brazilian Ensemble adds Latino exuberance to our celebration * we feast and prepare for Lent following worship DON'T MISS IT!

Last Sunday, Plymouth's Youth went to Cazenovia to volunteer with The Haven at Skanda, an organization that takes care of animals who have been abused. Nothing could be better than bonding with mini-donkeys and mucking stalls!

February 24, 2019 - a Sunday of celebration, service and discernment! * Sacrament of baptism during worship (10am) * Serving lunch at Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse * Discernment listening session - "Who is God Calling Us to Be?" following worship See you there!

Just in case you're wondering whether there's a place for you at Plymouth...

Happy Easter. Hallelujah!