Mayflower 400

2020 is the 400th anniversary of the voyage of the Mayflower and the establishment of Plymouth Colony.  A key moment in our history as Congregationalists.  First Central will explore this topic this year in a variety of settings.  Among the planned activities will be First Forums on the theology, history, and impacts of the event, the Book Club will read a rousing and provocative version of the story, and our Advent worship will center around the anniversary.

First up will be a forum series in February led by Scott Jones on the theological context that gave rise to the Pilgrims.

In the time of the Mayflower Pilgrims your religious beliefs could get you imprisoned, exiled, or killed.  And particularly when your beliefs challenged the established order of the monarchy.  The Pilgrims courageously defied church and state for their beliefs, leaving us a radical heritage.  But what was the context that gave rise to the Pilgrims?  How were their ideas shaped by their world?  What was distinct in their theology?  For three forums in February, Senior Minister Scott Jones will lead an examination of these questions as we explore the history of religious dissent.

On February 9 we’ll set the stage with how the Reformation had shaped English church life by the dawn of the 17th century.  On February 16th, our attention will turn to the Continent, particularly Holland, and the thinkers, groups, and ideas that influenced the Pilgrims.  On February 23, we’ll explore the complex relationships between the Pilgrims and other dissenting groups in the Atlantic world as they pioneered new forms of church and society with lasting impacts on the world.

We’ll meet each week at 9:15 a.m. in the Third Floor Parlor.  Join us.