Plymouth Magazine-Spring26-DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 22
A (somewhat) hidden gem:
The Plymouth Library
By Shari Simmons (she/her)
“What? Plymouth has a library?”
some of you may be asking. Yes, we
do! Plymouth’s little gem of a library is
tucked away in one of the church’s coziest
spaces, inside the Center for Spiritual
Growth in the northwest corner of the
church. Enter to the left of the stainedglass wall at the end of the art gallery hall.
In the entry, a wall display features some
of our newest books. Step into the library
and you’ll see bookcases in the corners
with more new acquisitions; turn around
to see the wall of books that holds the
bulk of the collection.
Books are arranged by category, and
those categories touch on topics we
Plymouth-ites care most about as a
body of progressive Christians: Spiritual
growth and practice, prayer, Jesus,
progressive Christianity, and devotionals.
Creation care, Black history, LGBTQ+,
immigration, and other social justice
issues. Theology, Bible commentaries,
and world religions. A collection from
Plymouth Readers. There’s more, but in
short, these are all books that help us grow
in love of God, neighbor, and creation.
22
Spend some time browsing the categories
for what speaks to you. Grab your
book and stay for a bit: this serene
space provides plenty of armchairs and
strategically placed lamps for reading.
Two excellent books that I recently
checked out from the Plymouth library
had a big impact on me. The Warmth
of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
chronicles the Great Migration, using the
experiences of three individuals to make
the wider migration come alive. Their
stories poignantly illustrate the painful
struggles that Black Americans faced—
and still face—along with the remarkable
perseverance of these individuals. Their
stories will always stay with me. Being
Mortal by Atul Gawande offers a moving
and practical discussion of end-of-life
care, an essential consideration for any of
us who are helping aging loved ones—or
contemplating our own aging.
I’m grateful for this valuable resource at
Plymouth and I hope you’ll find some
meaningful reading there too!
