Audio from the 2018 Pilgrim Heritage Celebration

As Thanksgiving draws to a close, you can linger on it a little longer by listening to the talks from our church's Pilgrim Heritage Celebration, which are now available online.

You can find them at this link:
2018 Pilgrim Heritage Celebration

And here they are individually:
The Pilgrims in England and Holland by Pastor John Huffman (22 min.)
The Pilgrims' Voyage and First Winter by Pastor Peter Bringe (21 min.)
The Pilgrims' Summer and First Thanksgiving by Jeff Hamann (31 min.)

We finished the evening with a poem written by William Bradford. He had been with the Pilgrims from the beginning and served many years as the governor in Plymouth. He left behind this poem when he died in 1657, calling the next generation to renewal and repentance, a call that would be heeded at various points in the history of New England over the next hundred years. May we heed its call as well.

A Word to New England

by William Bradford

"Oh New England, thou canst not boast;

Thy former glory thou hast lost.

When Hooker, Winthrop, Cotton died,

And many precious ones beside,

Thy beauty then it did decay,

And still doth languish more away.

Love, truth, goodness, mercy and grace--

Wealth and the world have took their place.

Thy open sins none can them hide:

Fraud, drunkenness, whoredom and pride.

The great oppressors slay the poor,

But whimsy errors they kill more.

Yet some thou hast which mourn and weep,

And their garments unspotted keep;

Who seek God's honor to maintain,

That true religion may remain.

These do invite, and sweetly call,

Each to other, and say to all;

Repent, amend, and turn to God,

That we may prevent his sharp rod.

Yet time thou hast; improve it well,

That God's presence may with ye dwell."