PLYMOUTH UCC (FORT COLLINS, CO)
  • Welcome!
    • I'm New Here
    • I'm a CSU Student
    • LGBTQ+
    • How Do I Join?
    • More Questions
  • This Week at Plymouth
  • Worship
    • What is Worship?
    • Worship Online >
      • Streaming Worship
      • Worship Bulletins
      • Digital Pew Card
      • Memorial Services
    • Learn More >
      • Faith Statements
      • Sermons
      • Music Program >
        • Mark's Music Minute
        • Music Series
      • Worship Sign-Ups
  • News & Events
    • Special Events
    • e-News
    • Ongoing Announcements
    • Calendars >
      • Today's Schedule
      • Mobile Calendar
      • Full Calendar
      • Calendar Request Form
    • News Archive
  • Living Our Faith
    • Christian Formation >
      • Children
      • Youth
      • Nursery Care >
        • Child Care Handbook
      • OWL (Our Whole Lives)
      • Adults
      • Visiting Scholar
    • Outreach & Mission >
      • The O&M Board >
        • Grocery Card
      • Climate Action
      • End Gun Violence
      • FFH
      • Immigration
      • Student Support
      • The Missions Marketplace
      • Youth for Change
    • Labyrinth
  • Connect
    • Find Your Place at Plymouth
    • Contact >
      • Contact Us Form
      • Jobs
      • Clergy & Staff
      • Lay Leadership
      • Building Rental >
        • Church Use Payments
    • Our Community >
      • Fellowship
      • Gallery
      • Calling & Caring >
        • Faith Community Nurses
        • Stephen Ministry
      • Meal Signups
    • Online Connections >
      • Email Lists
      • Church App
      • Text Responses
  • Give
    • All About Giving
    • Pledge Online
    • Other Ways to Give >
      • Text to Give
      • Sustaining Gifts
      • Planned Giving
  • Member Info
    • Member Menu >
      • Budget & Financial Ministry
      • Forms & Resources >
        • General Forms
        • Constitution & Policies
        • Newsletter Submissions
        • Emergency Contact Form
        • Zoom Resources
        • Kitchen Videos
        • Mission Statement
        • Strategic Planning
      • F1Go
      • Weddings & Funerals
      • Library
    • New Members

6/19/2018

In the Boat

Read Now
 
Picture
A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But Jesus was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and the disciples woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. - Mark 4:37-39
 
Have you ever had that feeling that God is with you, but perhaps asleep at the wheel, or at the very least distracted? I have. It is not a comfortable feeling. I work so hard to have a good intentions for life, to steer clear of storms, to think ahead about all necessities. But then trouble comes, despite our best laid plans. 
 
At these times I am reminded of a favorite song from the 90’s written by Emily Saliers, one of the Indigo Girls.  It is titled “The Wood Song” and begins:

the thin horizon of a plan is almost clear
my friends and i have had a tough time
bruising our brains hard up against change
all the old dogs and the magician

 
It is hard to think with bruised brains. It is hard to out-think “the old dogs and the magicians” of culture, of politics. We can feel very helpless as we try to be the change we want to see in the world. Will the plan for meaningful change every become clear, every be attainable? 
 
I remember the story from Mark 4. Being in the boat with the disciples and Jesus when a sudden storm comes up. God, are you paying attention? Do you not care that we are perishing? Here is what the disciples forget for a moment. They are not in the boat alone. Jesus is with them. And Emily’s song returns to my mind:

now i see we're in the boat in two by twos
only the heart that we have for a tool we could use
and the very close quarters are hard to get used to
love weighs the hull down with its weight


Even in the close quarters of a church community we can panic, forget that we have our hearts for tools and our hearts keep us close to God. We can forget how love weights our communal ship with the right ballast to keep us from sinking. In the midst of the storms of life we might wail at one another:

but the wood is tired and the wood is old
and we'll make it fine if the weather holds

 
Yet the weather never holds, does it? Storms come. Children are separated from parents in tragic, needless suffering. Our heart-felt plans for making the world more just, more loving, more peaceful seem thwarted at every turn. We are overwhelmed. It seems the waves are beating into our boat and we will drown. Or others will drown. How can any of us be saved? God, do you not care?

but if the weather holds we'll have missed the point
that's where i need to go
, Emily sings in “The Wood Song.” God is with us in the midst of the storm even when our “Just Peace, Open and Affirming, Immigrant Welcoming” beloved body of Christ may seem old and tired, battered by too many huge waves. But God is with us in the boat. And we might not fully realize it until we are overwhelmed and forced to rely only on the voice of Jesus, "Peace! Be still!"

This coming Sunday in worship we will sit together with the story of Jesus stilling the storm from Mark 4. Before and after worship we will have the opportunity to be the Body of Christ in the midst of the storms of injustice in our world by writing letters to our government officials about the plight of hungry people and the plight of immigrant children separated from their parents on our borders. As we join in worship and in letter writing we are in the boat in two by twos using the tools of our hearts, hands and voices to help our world hear Jesus’ voice, "Peace! Be still!” God is with us always!
 
Blessings on the journey through your week,
Jane Anne

PS. If you would like to hear the Indigo Girls sing “The Wood Song” click here.  

Author

The Rev. Jane Anne Ferguson, Associate, Minister, is a writer, storyteller, and contributor to Feasting on the Word, a popular biblical commentary. She is also the writer of sermon-stories.com, a lectionary-based story-commentary series. Learn more about Jane Ann here. ​​​

Share

Details

    Archives

    March 2025
    January 2025
    November 2024
    August 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    December 2016

    Categories

    All
    2020
    9/11
    Abundance
    Adult Formation
    Advent
    All Hallows'
    Alli Stubbs
    Alternative Giving Fair
    America The Beautiful
    Ancient Future Church
    Animals
    Annual Report
    Anxiety
    Apocalypse
    April
    Art
    Ash Wednesday
    Bach
    Back To Church
    Back To School
    Bees
    Being Church
    Being The Body Of Christ
    Being The Church
    Beloved Community
    Benediction
    Beng Alive
    Better Angels
    Birthday
    Black History Month
    Black Lives Matter
    Blessings
    Book Studies
    Boulder
    Breath
    Brooklyn McBride
    Bruce Ronda
    Buffalo
    Calling & Caring
    Campus Ministry
    Candle Lighting
    Carols
    Celtic Christianity
    Chancel Choir
    Change
    Children
    Choices
    Choir
    Chrismtas
    Christian Formation
    Christian Formation For Youth
    Christian Fornation For Children
    Christmas
    Christmas Blues
    Church
    Church Buildings
    Church Governance
    Claudia DeMarco
    Climate Action
    Coffee
    Comma Faith
    Community
    Compassion Camp
    Consecration Sunday
    Covenant
    COVID 19
    COVID-19
    COVID Update
    Creation Justice
    Creed
    Cross Generational Worship
    Cross-Generational Worship
    CSU
    DACA
    Darkness & Light
    Database
    David Bowie
    Deacons
    December
    Delaney Piper
    Devotional
    Diana Butler Bass
    Discipleship
    Earth Day
    Easter
    Easter Season
    Education For All
    Egg Hunt
    Election
    Embodied
    End Of The School Year
    Environmental Justice
    Faith
    Fall
    FAQ
    Farewell
    Fear
    Fences & Bridges
    FFH
    Finance
    Fire
    Flexibility
    Flora Cash
    Flower Boxes
    Folklore & Wisdom
    Fort Collins
    Forum
    Forum Series
    Friends & Family Sunday
    Gareth Higgins
    Gender
    Generosity
    Getting Settled
    Giving
    Goals
    Go Deeper
    Godspell
    God Time
    Goodbye
    Goodbyes
    Graduation
    Gratitude
    Grief
    Guest Author
    Gun Violence
    Habitat For Humanity
    Hadestown
    Halloween
    Healthy Congregations
    Heartbreak
    Hobbies
    Holy Week
    Hope
    Housing
    Impermanence
    Inauguration
    Independence-day
    Intentionality
    Interim
    Interruptions
    Interterm
    Introduction
    Italy
    January
    Jazz
    Jesus Has Left The Building
    John Philip Newell
    Joseph
    Joy
    Jubilee Sunday
    June
    Kindred
    Known & Unknown
    Labyrinth
    La Foret
    Lament
    Laura Nelson
    Lay Ministry
    LC Moderator
    Leadership Council
    Lent
    Lessons Learned
    Letting Go
    LGBTQ
    Light
    Liminal Space
    Listening
    Liturgical Year
    Longest Night
    Love
    Magi
    March
    Mark Heiskanen
    Marta CE 2024
    Martin Luther King Jr.
    Mass
    Masterpiece Cakeshop V. Colorado Civil Rights Comm.
    Matthew Shepard
    Ministerial Transitions
    Ministry Highlights
    Ministry Match
    Mission Trip
    Moderator
    Moving
    Music
    Musical Diversity
    Music Director
    Music Ministry
    Music Program
    Myth
    Nationalism
    Negative Energy
    New Eyes Village
    Newness
    New Staff
    New Year
    November
    ONA
    Online Worship
    Optimism
    Ordinary Time
    Organ
    Outdoor Worship
    Palm Sunday
    Pandemic
    Parable Palooza
    Parables
    Parking
    Pastoral Care
    Pastors
    Peace
    Pendemic
    Pentecost
    Phil Braudaway-Bowman
    Pilgrimage
    Plastics
    Plymouth Grounds
    Plymouth Reads
    Plymouth Ringers
    Plymouth Text Connection
    Polarities
    Popular Culture
    Prayer Of Jesus
    Prayer Service
    Psalm 126
    Psalms
    Racism
    Radical Hospitality
    Rebirth
    Reformation Sunday
    Releasing
    Reopening
    Rep. Joe Neguse
    Reproductive Justice
    Retirement
    Rev. Carla Cain
    Rev. Dr. Marta Fioriti
    Rev. Dr. Pam Peterson
    Rev. Hal Chorpenning
    Rev. Jake Miles Joseph
    Rev. Jane Anne Ferguson
    Rev. J.T. Smiedendorf
    Rev. Mandy Hall
    Rev. Mark Lee
    Rev. Marta Fioriti
    Rev. Ron Patterson
    Ring Lake Ranch
    Risk
    Ritual
    Rocky Mountain Conference
    Roe V Wade
    Rooted
    Rosebud Episcopal Mission
    Sabbath
    Sabbatical
    Sabbatical Blog
    Search Process
    Seasonal Music
    Share The Plate
    Signage
    Silence
    Singing
    Sleepout
    Social Media
    Solstice
    Song
    Soul
    Spiritual Growth
    Spiritual Practices
    Stephen Ministry
    Stewardship
    Stewardshp
    Stories
    St. Patrick
    Stranger Things
    Strategic Planning
    Students
    Suicide Prevention
    Summer
    Summer Events
    Taize
    TARDIS
    Teacher Appreciation
    Thanks
    Thanksgiving
    The Church Organ
    The Magnificat
    The Sower
    Three Sisters
    Threshold
    Thrive
    Top Ten
    Touch
    Transfiguration
    Transformation
    Transparency
    Trauma
    Travel
    Tricia Medlock
    Trump
    Truth
    Tulips
    UCC
    Uncertainty
    Unexpected
    Values
    Vespers
    Video Reflection
    Virtual Balcony
    Visiting Scholar
    Voting
    Waiting
    Wanted
    We Are Plymouth
    Weird & Holy
    Wholeness
    Wilderness
    Wisdom
    Work
    Worship
    Yendra Tencza
    Youth
    Youth For Change
    Youth Retreat
    Zoom For 7

    RSS Feed

916 West Prospect Road
Fort Collins CO 80526

​Members,
log into F1Go here

Sundays

9 a.m. Education Hour
10 a.m. Worship
11 a.m. Coffee Fellowship

Contact Us

Threads
Bluesky
970-482-9212

Subscribe to our eNews

* indicates required
© 2025 Plymouth Congregational UCC Church. All rights reserved.
  • Welcome!
    • I'm New Here
    • I'm a CSU Student
    • LGBTQ+
    • How Do I Join?
    • More Questions
  • This Week at Plymouth
  • Worship
    • What is Worship?
    • Worship Online >
      • Streaming Worship
      • Worship Bulletins
      • Digital Pew Card
      • Memorial Services
    • Learn More >
      • Faith Statements
      • Sermons
      • Music Program >
        • Mark's Music Minute
        • Music Series
      • Worship Sign-Ups
  • News & Events
    • Special Events
    • e-News
    • Ongoing Announcements
    • Calendars >
      • Today's Schedule
      • Mobile Calendar
      • Full Calendar
      • Calendar Request Form
    • News Archive
  • Living Our Faith
    • Christian Formation >
      • Children
      • Youth
      • Nursery Care >
        • Child Care Handbook
      • OWL (Our Whole Lives)
      • Adults
      • Visiting Scholar
    • Outreach & Mission >
      • The O&M Board >
        • Grocery Card
      • Climate Action
      • End Gun Violence
      • FFH
      • Immigration
      • Student Support
      • The Missions Marketplace
      • Youth for Change
    • Labyrinth
  • Connect
    • Find Your Place at Plymouth
    • Contact >
      • Contact Us Form
      • Jobs
      • Clergy & Staff
      • Lay Leadership
      • Building Rental >
        • Church Use Payments
    • Our Community >
      • Fellowship
      • Gallery
      • Calling & Caring >
        • Faith Community Nurses
        • Stephen Ministry
      • Meal Signups
    • Online Connections >
      • Email Lists
      • Church App
      • Text Responses
  • Give
    • All About Giving
    • Pledge Online
    • Other Ways to Give >
      • Text to Give
      • Sustaining Gifts
      • Planned Giving
  • Member Info
    • Member Menu >
      • Budget & Financial Ministry
      • Forms & Resources >
        • General Forms
        • Constitution & Policies
        • Newsletter Submissions
        • Emergency Contact Form
        • Zoom Resources
        • Kitchen Videos
        • Mission Statement
        • Strategic Planning
      • F1Go
      • Weddings & Funerals
      • Library
    • New Members