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OUR CHURCH LIFE PAGE 1 OUR CHURCH LIFE PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH JANUARY 2021 GATHERED IN 1847 / EST. 1864 WWW.PLYMOUTHLANSING.ORG VOL. 107 / EDITION #1 WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/PLYMOUTHCHURCH.LANSING ALL … SHALL BOW DOWN BEFORE HIM. (PS. 72:11) It’s the New Year – are you feeling it? I’m not. Don’t stores, then rebrands its stores to carry the Farmer Jack name. get me wrong. I felt 2020 was a terribly difficult year but we 1990 Kroger purchases most of the remaining Great Scott stores. made it through and I’m glad to close the books on 2020. Much Those not purchased by Kroger, are either closed or sold to local of our life was put on the back burner while we wait. Waiting merchants. 2007 A&P closes all remaining Farmer Jack stores for rapid testing, vaccines, and correct information based on leaving only Meijer & Kroger. science. In a few short weeks we will have completed ten full What first started out as providing customers with months “coexisting” with this virus. I’m not sure coexisting is good product, fair prices, and competent services quickly the right word. I don’t really feel this virus is coexisting with us. turned into large companies chasing the “almighty dollar” or If anything, this virus has forced us all to reinvent our way of the labored workforce forcing management to provide more in life, our way of interacting with one another, the way we pay and benefits. In each case, the consumer was lost in the worship, study, and celebrate, as well as the way we remember decision making. Only two of these grocers emerged but not and celebrate birthdays, holidays, anniversaries and the like. until they did a long-term study which resulted in the stopping This reinvention is more than adjusting with some of us doing of the “mergers and acquisition,” the labor disputes, the hiring reinvention better than others. Regardless, the reality is the of an age-wise diversified work force along with hiring from the holidays may have been terribly difficult for some, many, or respective neighborhoods which allowed them both to bring the even all of us. Let’s put a pin here for a few paragraphs, shall customer back in focus. Additionally, having a young we? workforce was also critical in connecting to its customer base What do the following names mean to you: A&P, allowing for new ideas and thoughts to support their core Chatham, Farmer Jack, Great Scott, Kroger, Meijer, and reason why they are in business. Wrigley? These were the names of the supermarkets in and “Customer first through energetic and enthusiastic service, around the metro Detroit area throughout much of the reasonable prices, and quality product” twentieth century. Each of these grocers worked hard for customer loyalty through various loyalty program incentives. In Every year many faith families come to the end of the some places of the city, it would not have been uncommon for calendar / fiscal year only to get lost in the numbers and details three of these grocers to appear on one set of street corners. instead of focusing on their core mission “caring for the least of They battled, they struggled, and then one by one they ended these.” While many lose sight of this simple mission statement, up making alliances to keep their doors open. Hindsight is 2020 others get all wrapped up in handwringing and still others as the end was inevitable as many of them ended up closing up forget the importance of having a community of faith that is (1) shop altogether. All of them went down this path so that by inter-generational and (2) multi-cultural spending their time 2007 all closed except for two – Kroger and Meijer. Fourteen and energy looking inward instead of (3) ministering with the years later, both grocers continue to provide service, quality neighborhoods they serve. Without all three working together, goods, and helpful employees. What was their secret to communities of faith (slowly) die if something “different” (but surviving? Before we look at their survival methods, let’s take a the same) is not embraced and lived out. This new year offers look at them over time. the people of Plymouth time to pause and reflect on the 1903 the first A&P store opens. 1917 Kroger enters the previous year, so we can set reasonable and appropriate goals Detroit market through the purchase of local stores. 1922 the for the upcoming year – centered in Christ. first Wrigley market opens. 1953 local grocer Great Scott What details do we get lost in? What should we be acquires the Wrigley name and reopens as Great Scott. In 1976, paying attention to? What should/could our next steps be? Allied Supermarkets acquired the Great Scott family business. Throughout the next few months, we will be spending In 1984, 70 Detroit area Kroger stores closed due to labor intentional discernment time to explore possible answers. disputes, 25 of these in the City of Detroit never reopened. From Please stay tuned. Our first next steps gathering will be on 1985 – 1987 Chatham supermarkets sells or closes all of its Saturday, January 16 at 12 Noon. stores. Farmer Jack, A&P, and Great Scott buy some of the closed Chatham stores. 1989 A&P purchases local Farmer Jack Pastor Bob OUR CHURCH LIFE PAGE 2 REMEMBER IN PRAYER HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN JANUARY OUR HOME BOUND & MILITARY FAMILY: LINDA CLEAVELAND (484-2612) Vista Springs Edgewood, Apt. 111 200 W. Edgewood Blvd., Lansing, MI 48911 MARIE DEVRIES January 4 Amanda Steibel c/o Paula Hein, 1002 Eugenia Dr., Mason, MI 48854 January 4 Courtney Meister January 10 Clint Dunn DARWIN DUDLEY January 10 Judy Posey Blossom Hill Care Cent. 12496 Princeton Rd, #48, Huntsburg, OH 44046 January 19 Arleen Lampman January 21 Ed Crouse MARILYN HASTINGS _____________________________________________ Burcham Hills, 2700 Burcham Dr., Apt. 542, East Lansing, MI 48823 MIDWEEKS IN JANUARY BUNNY MCCOMB Storypoint, 11555 Silverstone Ln, Apt. 10, Beginning on January 13 and continuing Grand Ledge, MI 48837 through to Ash Wednesday (February 17) we will be MARY ROBISON (827-5898) studying the 613 Mitzvot (God’s commandment to Willows of Okemos, 4830 Central Park Dr., Rm 505, be performed as a religious duty). Here is an Okemos, MI 48864 overview of January’s studies. JOYCE SCHROEDER Timber Ridge Senior Ass’t Living, 16260 Park Lake Rd, Introduction to the 613 Mitzvot E.L. 48823 HOME January 13 - Seven Noachide Laws and Covenant David Boes January 20 - Laws about G-d Jack Cady January 27 - Laws about Torah Nancy Cayo Norma Chamberlin Midweeks will occur twice on Wednesday at Clint Dunn 12 noon and 7 PM by Zoom. Only study Margaretta Freburg Bill Mitchell requirement will be a Bible you are comfortable Sharon Wozencraft with. _____________________________________________ MILITARY SERVICE John Chain, Jr. (Grandson of Lois Chain) Coast Guard Bryant Knott (Great-Grandson of Lois Chain) Marines WORSHIP LEADERS FOR JANUARY Sgt. Henry D Reinewald (Son of Henry) Marine Corps January 3 – Betty Briggs January 10 – Wendy Kushion February Church Life articles are due January January 17 – Henry Reinewald (lessons only) 26th and will be published January 29, 2021. January 24 – Jen Joy Yocum January 31 – Kathy Farnum OUR CHURCH LIFE PAGE 3 January 3, 2020 On behalf of our Finance Team, thank you to each of you who have maintained or increased your giving for 2020. According to our accountant, our Pledged Giving for: - Quarter 1 was up 17.2%. - Quarter 2 was up 21.8%. - Quarter 3 giving was up 3.5%. Overall pledged giving was up 4.3% 2020 to 2019. On behalf of our Finance Team, thank you to each of you who responded to our Food Drive for Thanksgiving & Christmas. We were able to provide food for each holiday for a total of 12 families. Thank you for your contributions, your shopping, your deliveries, and your prayers. On behalf of our Christian Outreach Team, thank you to each of you who responded to our request to continue our support for our twice monthly meal prep and bake of meals for the City Rescue Mission. On behalf of our Staff, thank each of you who have helped provide a thank offering for the work and service they provide. Signed, your grateful pastor. Rev. Robert A. Higle OUR CHURCH LIFE PAGE 4 TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AT PLYMOUTH, Many thank yous for the prayers, the wonderful cards, the calls of encouragement and food you have given to us during my recent bout with the Coronavirus. We are so grateful for the love and care expressed by our Plymouth family. Words cannot adequately express how blessed we all are to be a part of such a loving family. Blessings, Daun and Roy Ketcheson ______________________________________________ Book Club Pilgrim/Plymouth Book Club will meet on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 11:30 a.m. on Zoom. We will discuss the book “Becoming” by Michelle Obama OUR CHURCH LIFE PAGE 5 LAY MINISTERS continue to mask up, wash our hands and keep our distance for all to be safe. Well, thankfully 2020 is behind us. It was a Thinking of that someone who may have sat year unlike any other that we’ve ever experienced. next to you in worship? Perhaps a phone call, or a We were confronted with a global pandemic, card letting them know they are in your prayers. economic crises, more hurricanes on the books than They would love to hear from you. And no matter ever before, an election that has divided our what kind of challenges we may have been dealing country, and most important, separation from loved with this past year, we must remember that we ARE ones.