A Little Kindness Makes a World of Difference

A couple of weeks ago I had the delightful opportunity to see the remarkable documentary film “Won't You Be My Neighbor?” about Fred Rogers (the man responsible for the PBS children's show “Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.” I knew of the show, but I'm not sure if I ever actually watched it. Which may have been part of why I found the film so compelling. Going in I didn't have any emotional investment in the subject matter, and yet I found myself absolutely enthralled and inspired. As one reviewer put it, “On paper, all that low-key positivity ought to be tricky material for a documentary filmmaker. But watching “Won't You Be My Neighbor?” was a profoundly emotional experience.” There were several things which grabbed me. First, here was this quiet, gentle, unassuming man who was absolutely driven, by his faith and by his deep concern for the well being of children, to do something to make a difference in the world. He ran against the grain of cultural trends. His show wasn't flashy, it was slow-paced and gentle. And his message was profound in it's simplicity. He wanted every child to know that they had inherent value. “I like you just the way you are.” He took children and their feelings seriously. He respected them. 

Sometimes in the church we try to get fancy. We think we need to get on board with the all of the latest cultural trends. We fall into the trap of believing that if we just do this, or that, or some other thing that we heard about, then we will be successful. We worry that our message always needs to be exciting and flashy or else people won't be interested. But the truth is that we don't need to be flashy, we just need to be real. We need to be kind and caring. We need to be open and honest. We need to practice hospitality. We already have an amazing message. “No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.” My experience at Plymouth is that these are more than just words. They speak to a reality which we embody and live out on a regular basis. In our own quiet, gentle ways, may we continue to reach out beyond ourselves and touch the world with the power of God's love and acceptance. 

- Roger Lynn

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

We Are The Church Together

There is an old Sunday School song that begins, “I am the Church. You are the Church. We are the Church together. All who follow Jesus, all around the world! Yes, we are the Church together!” We who are part of this particular corner of the Church known as Plymouth Congregational UCC do a pretty good job of exemplifying this truth. There is diversity among us, and it takes all of that diversity to truly be the Church. Some among us have lived a long time, while some are just beginning life's journey. Some have been in church their whole life, while some are very new to the experience. Some have enough money to be very comfortable, while some struggle financially. Some are gay, some are straight, some are transgender. Some are more liberal, while some are more conservative. Some were born in this country, while some were born in another part of the world. Some are loud, while others are quiet. Some are active in social and political causes, while others seek to make a difference in one-on-one encounters. Some are very clear about what they believe, while some are searching for answers. We are not all the same size, shape, color, or gender. We do not fit neatly into one category, one description, one box. And yet, together we are the Church. The message which is printed in our bulletin every week continues to be the reality we strive to embody. “No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.” Thank you for the part you play in making Plymouth the remarkable gift that it is. “Yes, we are the Church together!”

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)