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OUR CHURCH LIFE

PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH DECEMBER 2020 GATHERED IN 1847 / EST. 1864 WWW.PLYMOUTHLANSING.ORG VOL. 106 / EDITION #12 WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/PLYMOUTHCHURCH.LANSING

“The Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth out of His holy Word.” – Minister John Robinson.

But let’s back up a bit to when Robinson entered University in 1615 to study theology. By 1617 he and his followers were seeking a more secure and permanent location. In July 1620, while he remained with the majority who were not yet ready to travel, part of his congregation boarded on the for . Before their departure from Leiden, Robinson declared to them in a celebrated sermon, “For I am very confident the Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth out of His holy Word.” The following September, 35 of them left Plymouth England aboard the The image above was shot from my Plimoth for New England. As best intentions go, John Plantation mug. It details the 102 names of men, women, Robinson traded in his earthly pilgrim village for an and children aboard the Mayflower that later went on to eternal journal all before he could leave Holland. The settle the Plimoth Plantation. Yes, the word “Plimoth” is remaining members of his were absorbed by the Dutch not a misspelling but is actually the correct spelling of the Reformed Church in 1658. His influence persisted, little settlement dating to back when when the plantation however, not only in but also in his was settled. I received this mug when I attended the many writings and publications. “Boston Seminar” some time before I was ordained. In The season of Advent is most about new addition to the 102 seperatists on board, there were also beginnings rooted in hope as we await Christ’s coming. another 25 to 30 bringing the total to 130. Of this number No doubt this band of Pilgrims set off to venture into a only half of the original Pilgrims survived. Had it not new world, a new realm, with no real minister. Just their been for the local indigenous population, it is considered faith, their centering prayers, their fellowship, and their that none would have made it. I would like for you to hope. Yes, they met with a deathly first winter but they pause now and consider their life against the backdrop of also met stranger companions who helped and assisted yours. The only running water they had access to was the them in their new beginnings. Many times we too are ocean as well as local streams and brooks that had not forced to face the uncertainty of tomorrow, of being frozen over. There were no furnaces, or warm rooms. In alone, of being in the dark, even though all while answers fact when they landed there were no structures for them. and solutions peer at us if we but open ourselves up and The Boston Seminar is recommended of all who live in the spirit of Hope. The same hope that guided seek to serve a congregation as minister in the those early pilgrims guides us today. Congregational Way. I was intrigued by the story of the This time in our own history continues to be no passengers aboard the Speedwell and later the doubt a strange time with so much uncertainty. No rapid Mayflower. I was more interested in the crew who were tests available still but news of at least three vaccines soon not Pilgrims as they numbered more than the Pilgrims. to be made available. Social distancing and wearing face While all of this captivated my attention what perhaps masks continue to be the recommendations from our caught my attention then and still does is the fact that health professionals. Making right choices guide our their minister (John Robinson) who traveled with them steps as we venture forward living in the full light of the from Leiden to Holland decided not to board the Christ. Mayflower waiting for another day and time to travel. Pastor Bob OUR CHURCH LIFE PAGE 2

REMEMBER IN PRAYER HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN DECEMBER

OUR HOME BOUND & MILITARY FAMILY:

LINDA CLEAVELAND (484-2612) Vista Springs Edgewood, Apt. 111 200 W. Edgewood Blvd., Lansing, MI 48911

MARIE DEVRIES December 1 Betty Dunn c/o Paula Hein, 1002 Eugenia Dr., Mason, MI 48854 December 2 Jan Fisher December 7 Jack Cady DARWIN DUDLEY December 9 Darwin Dudley Blossom Hill Care Cent. 12496 Princeton Rd, #48, Huntsburg, OH 44046 December 17 Archer Graebert December 17 Wendy Kushion

MARILYN HASTINGS December 18 Alma Davis Burcham Hills, 2700 Burcham Dr., Apt. 542, December 20 Tom Cornell East Lansing, MI 48823 December 23 Bruce Kushion December 28 Jack Lampman DAUN KETCHESON ______Sparrow Hospital, 1215 E. Michigan Ave, Lansing 48912

BUNNY MCCOMB HAPPY HOLIDAYS Storypoint, 11555 Silverstone Ln, Apt. 10, FROM THE MUSIC TEAM Grand Ledge, MI 48837 We are working on the music for Christmas MARY ROBISON (827-5898) Eve. If you would like to sing in our virtual choir Willows of Okemos, 4830 Central Park Dr., Rm 505, Okemos, MI 48864 and have earbuds or headphones with a microphone please email – [email protected]. I will send JOYCE SCHROEDER you the written music and the audio to sing along Timber Ridge Senior Ass’t Living, 16260 Park Lake Rd, to. We are singing Joy To The World. E.L. 48823 We are also looking for your Christmas HOME photos, both past, and present. We would like to use David Boes them for the backdrop for our December Sunday Nancy Cayo Service. You can email them to the Church or me at Norma Chamberlin Clint Dunn – [email protected]. We will not be having Margaretta Freburg Christmas displays at the building but you can still Chuck Gabler share your decorations and family with us. Roy Ketcheson Bill Mitchell

Sharon Wozencraft

MILITARY SERVICE John Chain, Jr. (Grandson of Lois Chain) Coast Guard Bryant Knott (Great-Grandson of Lois Chain) Marines Sgt. Henry D Reinewald (Son of Henry) Marine Corps

January Church Life articles are due January 5th and will be published January 8, 2021. OUR CHURCH LIFE PAGE 3

CHRISTIAN OUTREACH neighbors who not only use the Box but often refill it as well. We are so very blessed in all these areas. Greetings from Christian Outreach as we bid We continually pray that this pandemic will 2020 adios with the last newsletter article of the year. come to a resolution, and we can return to our Even though our Church may be closed for in- Church. Keep up the prayers, wear masks (and person worship, we have still been able to gloves), and be safe. Know this! We are loved! accomplish quite a bit. With our Adult Clothing Closet closed from Blessings, March 11th until October 7th, there were still several Betty Briggs Saturday outdoor events in the parking lot offering ______free clothing to those in need and sharing our time with Punks with Lunch who offered bagged lunches Book Club to those hungry. At the beginning of the pandemic the Mission Pilgrim/Plymouth called a halt to serving meals for a couple months. Book Club will meet on We are now back on track with that. Many thanks Tuesday, December 8th 11:30 to Judy, Sara, and Kaden Hackett who cover that a.m. on Zoom. once a month. During the worst of times, we still We will discuss the were able to provide our two monthly meals to the book “Keep Quiet” by Lisa Rescue Mission. Many thanks to my team mate Scottoline. Judy Hackett who has been there helping me put together the ham and scalloped potatoes meal, and ______Pastor Bob who is always on hand to do the heavy MESSAGE FROM THE FINANCE TEAM lifting! And Dr. Bob Posey and Wendy Kushion have the spaghetti and meatball meal down to an The Stewardship Drive ended on Sunday, art! My daughter Wendy and I put together the 14 November 22nd , but Stewardship continues on. It is pounds of pasta needed for the spaghetti dinner the a daily activity and every activity, whether it is day before, and I can’t be more grateful for her help! helping at the Clothing Closet , preparing Mission We were thinking our Thanksgiving Baskets Meals, purchasing food for the Neighborhood would fall by the wayside this year, but we turned Blessing Box, making a telephone call to a home that into our “Everyone Eats” event, a drive thru to- bound person or sending a “Thinking of You” card go meal to be picked up in the church parking lot on all constitute Stewardship. Thanksgiving Day. We are so thankful for all the When you completed your pledge card did volunteers who made this meal possible. Who you look at the reverse side and choose one or two would have thought we could do 100 meals during activities that you were interested in? We hope you this time of such challenges! did and will answer yes when called upon to During our Annual Meeting it was decided provide assistance. ten Christmas baskets would be provided. Ten If you have not sent in your pledge card, families stepped up to provide the food for these please do and indicate your preferred activity. We baskets. This year the baskets will be delivered. would appreciate the card being received by Thanks goes of course to Pastor Bob, Henry December 10th so that a Spending Plan for 2021 can Reinewald and Cyndy McVay. They have been be formulated. delivering the baskets for several years. Finance Team Our Blessing Box has become well managed Daun Ketcheson and many blessings have gone out of the Box to our Louise Koster Marcia Cornell OUR CHURCH LIFE PAGE 4

2020 was supposed to be a year to celebrate the Congregationalists stood tall when it came to the 400-year crossing of the Mayflower. It was to be a year of poor, the marginalized, and the “unseen” as they worked celebration commemorating our earliest beginnings here hard to create missions (work which took them outside in this new land. That was then, this is now. The into the world around them) to care for these who were pandemic has changed much in the way we remember, forgotten, ignored, mistreated, and the like. honor, and celebrate. Perhaps we are all too used to its Congregationalists worked for social justice, impact on our routine. Maybe our routine is too speaking out on women's rights and becoming important mundane that we forget. We forget the decisions our participants in the antislavery movement. In fact, the forebears made to stand in the trenches as they spoke out Congregational Church took a strong stand against against the injustices of the day. Our identity today slavery, even as early as the 1600s. The church's influence started with the landing of the Mayflower and the in the Anti-Slave Movement, as well as the Abolitionist establishment of the Plimoth Plantation. Movement, encouraged many African Americans who The governed this had been born into slavery to join the denomination. community for 71 years until this community merged Congregationalists continue to be involved in with the Massachusetts Bay Colony established in 1628. It social justice, joining the Social Gospel movement. "This too had its own governance document referred to as a was an effort to change all of society for the better — to Covenant, known as the Platform of 1648. establish the 'kingdom of God on earth' — by This document laid out standards for ordaining campaigning for workers' rights, education and health ministers, accepting new church members, and care for the poor, and clean and accessible cities," says the cooperation between local churches. Congregational Library. The population was strongly Puritan and Discipleship for these early Congregationalists governed largely by a small group of leaders strongly meant they took the meaning of “pick up your cross and influenced by Puritan teachings. Its governors were follow me” seriously and with fervent passion as they elected by an electorate limited to freemen who had been saw each and every human being equal in the eyes of the formally admitted to the local church. As a consequence, Lord. the colonial leadership showed little tolerance for other Today, discipleship may find ourselves too religious views, including Anglican, Quaker, and Baptist challenged to “pick up our own cross” as we follow just theologies. where the Good Lord leads us. Can you hear the call and For nearly two hundred years, the will you answer it? Will you pick up your cross? Will you congregationalist churches in America operated follow? The Lord is calling. independently and as free churches with no governance other than the Lord’s free people assembled under the Pastor Bob on behalf of the Discipleship Team yoke of our Lord. OUR CHURCH LIFE PAGE 5

HELLO PLYMOUTH! MIDWEEKS IN DECEMBER I hope you all had a great thanksgiving this SERMON ON THE MOUNT year! I know we all had to do our part and minimize interactions but know I was thinking of you all and how thankful I am for our church. The week of thanksgiving in the class I work in we spoke about an “attitude for gratitude”. I love that, I hope you all find some joy in that cute saying like I did. Next up is Christmas! Crazy where time has taken us. I am so excited to see how everything will work out this year. I know a lot of the teams have planned very exciting things for all of us to enjoy. Family ministries is working on the Christmas pageant. It will be virtual and be shown during the service of December 20th. At the moment we are finalizing parts and working on setting up a December 2: Session 4: Our Father rehearsal. Christmas will be very different this year “Our Father,” looks at how the Lord’s Prayer is a for our church but nonetheless it will still be Christ- quintessentially Jewish prayer, reveals the historical filled for us all. nuances of the terms in each verse, and considers These past few weeks I have really been how its recitation can function as personal spiritual trying to come up with fun things for our kids to do discipline, recognition of interpersonal virtually. I finally found an idea that I think they will really like! reconciliation, and awareness of communal political So, here I am announcing it. A virtual movie and economic concerns. night! December 9: Session 5: Finding Your Treasure We can “Finding Your Treasure,” will reflect on and log into Zoom reevaluate our attitudes toward wealth, treasure, and we can and “stuff,” and will imagine how our lives and the stream a movie while world would be different were Jesus’s teachings we all watch about these realities to prevail. from home. December 16: Session 6: Living Into the Kingdom You can grab “Living into the Kingdom,” works to help us your desired identify challenges to traveling along what Jesus snacks and cozy-up in called the “narrow road” leading to life and will talk your favorite blanket while still being with your about ways along the journey in which our faith church family. Let me know your thoughts because I family can support one another as well as those who would love to make this happen! belong to other communities.

December 23 / 30 – No Class: Holiday Break "We love because he loved us first." 1 John 4:19

All the love, To order material, please visit the following link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0859M58ZL Gretta Delaney OUR CHURCH LIFE PAGE 6

LIST OF THE MAYFLOWER PASSENGERS Members of the Leiden, Holland Congregation Note: An asterisk on a name indicates those who died in the winter of 1620–21.

Allerton, Isaac (possibly Suffolk). Priest, Degory* Mary (Norris) Allerton*, wife (Newbury, Berkshire) Rogers, Thomas* (Watford, Northamptonshire). Bartholomew Allerton, 7, son (Leiden, Holland). Joseph Rogers, 17, son (Watford, Remember Allerton, 5, daughter (Leiden). Northamptonshire). , 3, daughter (Leiden). She died in 1699, the last surviving Mayflower passenger. Samson, Henry, 16, (Henlow, Bedfordshire) child in company of his uncle and aunt Edward and Ann Bradford, William (Austerfield, Yorkshire). Tilley. Dorothy (May) Bradford*, wife (, , ). Tilley, Edward* (Henlow, Bedfordshire) Ann (Cooper) Tilley* (Henlow, Bedfordshire) wife Brewster, William (possibly Nottingham). of Edward and aunt of and Mary Brewster, wife. . Love/Truelove Brewster, 9, son (Leiden). Wrestling Brewster, 6, son (Leiden). Tilley, John* (Henlow, Bedfordshire). Joan (Hurst) (Rogers) Tilley*, wife (Henlow, Carver, John (possibly Yorkshire). Bedfordshire). Katherine (Leggett) (White) Carver, wife , 13, daughter (Henlow, (probably Sturton-le-Steeple, Nottinghamshire). Bedfordshire).

Chilton, James* (Canterbury, Kent). Tinker, Thomas* (possibly ). Mrs. (James) Chilton*, wife. Mrs. *, wife. , 13, daughter (Sandwich, Kent). boy Tinker*, son, died in the winter of 1620.

Cooke, Francis. Turner, John* (possibly Norfolk). John Cooke, 13, son (Leiden). boy Turner*, son, died in the winter of 1620. boy Turner*, younger son. died in the winter of Cooper, Humility, 1, (probably Leiden) baby 1620. daughter of Robert Cooper, in company of her aunt Ann Cooper Tilley, wife of White, William*[18] William White's sister Bridget was John Robinson's wife. John Robinson was Pastor Crackstone/Crackston, John* (possibly Colchester, of the Pilgrim Fathers leading the Separatists since his Essex). days at college at Cambridge John Crackstone, son. Susanna White, wife, widowed February 21, 1621. She subsequently married Pilgrim Edward Fletcher, Moses* (Sandwich, Kent). Winslow. , 5, son, wife was Judith Vassal. Fuller, Edward* (Redenhall, Norfolk). , son. Born on board the Mrs. (Edward) ____Fuller*, wife. Mayflower in Cape Cod Harbor in late November , 12, son. 1620. First European born to the Pilgrims in America.

Fuller, Samuel (Redenhall, Norfolk), (brother to Williams, Thomas Edward). Winslow, Edward (Droitwich, Worcestershire). Goodman, John (possibly ). Elizabeth (Barker) Winslow, wife. OUR CHURCH LIFE PAGE 7

Servants of the Leiden Congregation

Butten, William* (possibly Nottingham), "a youth", board Mayflower on December 6, 1620 and likely was indentured servant of Samuel Fuller, died during the buried ashore on Cape Cod in an unmarked voyage. He was the first passenger to die on grave.[28] November 16, three days before Cape Cod was More, Richard, (Shipton, Shropshire), age 6, sighted. indentured to William Brewster. He is buried in the ____, Dorothy, teenager, maidservant of John Carver. Charter Street Burial Ground in Salem, Hooke, John*, (probably Norwich, Norfolk) age 13, Massachusetts. He is the only Mayflower passenger apprenticed to , died during the first to have his gravestone still where it was originally winter. placed sometime in the mid-1690s. Also buried Howland, John, (Fenstanton, ), nearby in the same cemetery were his wives Christian about 21, manservant and executive assistant for Hunter More and Jane (Crumpton) More. Governor John Carver. More, Mary*, (Shipton, Shropshire), age 4, assigned Latham, William, (possibly Lancashire), age 11, as a servant of William Brewster. She died sometime servant and apprentice to the John Carver family. in the winter of 1620/1621. She and her sister Ellen Minter, Desire, (Norwich, Norfolk), a servant of John are recognized on the Pilgrim Memorial Tomb in Carver whose parents died in Leiden. Plymouth. More, Ellen (Elinor)*, (Shipton, Shropshire),age 8, Soule, George, (possibly Bedfordshire), 21–25, servant assigned as a servant of . She died or employee of Edward Winslow. from illness sometime in November 1620 soon after Story, Elias*, age under 21, in the care of Edward the arrival of Mayflower in Cape Cod harbor and Winslow. likely was buried ashore there in an unmarked grave. Wilder, Roger*, age under 21, servant in the John More, Jasper*, (Shipton, Shropshire), age 7, Carver family. indentured to John Carver. He died from illness on

Passengers recruited by Thomas Weston, of London Merchant Adventurers

Billington, John (possibly Lancashire). , born on board the Mayflower Eleanor Billington, wife. while en route to the New World. , 16, son. Margesson, Edmund* (possibly Norfolk). Francis Billington, 14, son. Martin, Christopher* (Billericay, Essex). Britteridge, Richard* (possibly Sussex). Mary (Prowe) Martin*, wife. Browne, Peter (Dorking, Surrey). Mullins, William* (Dorking, Surrey). Clarke, Richard* Alice Mullins*, wife. Eaton, Francis (Bristol, Gloucestershire/Somerset). Priscilla Mullins, 18, daughter. Sarah Eaton*, wife. Joseph Mullins*, 14, son. Samuel Eaton, 1, son. Prowe, Solomon* (Billericay, Essex). Gardiner, Richard (Harwich, Essex). Rigsdale, John* (possibly ). Hopkins, Stephen (Upper Clatford, Hampshire). Alice Rigsdale*, wife. Elizabeth (Fisher) Hopkins, wife. Standish, Myles (Standish, Wigan, Lancashire). Giles Hopkins, 12, son by first marriage (Hursley, Rose Standish*, wife. Hampshire). Warren, Richard (Hertford, England). , 14, daughter by first Winslow, Gilbert (Droitwich, Worcestershire), marriage (Hursley, Hampshire). brother to Pilgrim Edward Winslow but not known Damaris Hopkins, 1–2, daughter. (She died soon to have lived in Leiden. in Plymouth Colony and her parents later had another daughter with the same name.)

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Servants of Merchant Adventurers passengers Carter, Robert*, (possibly Surrey), teenager, servant Leister, Edward also spelled Leitster, (possibly or apprentice to William Mullins, shoemaker. vicinity of London), aged over 21, servant to Stephen Doty, Edward, (possibly Lincolnshire) age probably Hopkins. about 21, servant to Stephen Hopkins. Thompson (or Thomson), Edward*, age under 21, in Holbeck, William*, age likely under 21, servant to the care of the William White family, first passenger William White. to die after the Mayflower reached Cape Cod. Langemore, John*, age under 21, servant to Christopher Martin.

Known crew members Christopher Jones – Captain Andrew Williamson – Seaman John Clarke – First Mate and Pilot – Seaman Robert Coppin – Second Mate and Pilot Master Leaver – Seaman Giles Heale – ship's surgeon, identified with the Separatists. He is not counted as one of the 102 passengers.

Ship crewmen hired to stay one year – A 21 year-old from Harwich, Essex, the Jeremy Bangs believes that his name was either John ship's cooper; he was given the choice of remaining in or Christopher Ely, or Ellis, who are documented in the colony or returning to England and decided to Leiden records. remain. Thomas English* – A Mayflower seaman hired to be John Allerton* – A Mayflower seaman hired as master of the ship's shallop. He died sometime before colony labor for one year who was then to return to the departure of the Mayflower for England on April Leiden to assist church members with travel to 5, 1621. America. He died some time before the Mayflower William Trevore – A Mayflower seaman with prior departed for England on April 5, 1621. New World experience hired to work in the colony ____ Ely – A Mayflower seaman contracted to stay for for one year. He returned to England on the Fortune one year. He returned to England on the Fortune in in December 1621 along with Ely and others. By 1650, December 1621 along with William Trevor. Dr. he had returned to New England.

Animals on board Two dogs are known to have participated in settling explorations of Provincetown. The ship was probably Plymouth. In Mourt's Relation, Edward Winslow also carrying small domestic animals such as goats, writes that a female English Mastiff and a small pigs, and chickens. Larger domestic animals came English Springer Spaniel came ashore on the first later, such as cows and sheep.

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Worship by FB Live Worship by Zoom 100 50 40 80 30 60 20 40 10

20 0 2-Aug-20 2-Sep-20 2-Oct-20 2-Nov-20 0 2-Aug-20 2-Sep-20 2-Oct-20 2-Nov-20 Connections Attendees OUR CHURCH LIFE PAGE 10

NOVEMBER’S FINANCIAL OVERVIEW: November Income: $ 6,591.15 YTD Income: $89,417.62 November Expenses: $19,858.70 YTD Expenses: $249,623.82 October Net Income: - $13,267.55 YTD Net Income: -$160,206.20 Note: Our monthly salary expense for our staff is approximately +$10,237 per month.

PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 125 S. PENNSYLVANIA AVE., LANSING, MI 49812

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

The Rev. Robert A. Higle, Senior Minister Kathy Farnum, Licensed Minister Charles Gabler, Director of Bell Choir

Kathy Farnum, Acting Chair of Discipleship Gretta Delany, Religious Education Team Lead

Joan Chandler, Administrative Assistant Kliff Nhengu, Custodian

517-484-9495 email:[email protected] Pastoral Emergency 517-512-8018