If you’d like to get some idea of what the early Thanksgivings were like, you can do so today at the Plymouth Congregational Church in Des Moines. Senior minister David Ruhe says the service this morning will feature authentic clothing and worship.He says they seek to replicate the style of worship that was common among the Pilgrims in colonial New England, including not only the clothing, but the music and type of worship. Ruhe says they try to be as realistic as possible. He says the sermon includes substantial portions of a document called “Mort’s Relation” in which two Edward Winslow and William Brewster wrote back to England describing their life in the new World. Ruhe says there are some differences with the historic service and the services of today. He says the biggest change is the typical Pilgrim service ran about three hours, while this service will run about 50 minutes. Ruhe says the service links the modern church to their past. He says the Pilgrims and the Puritans together from New England became the congregationalists, who eventually became the United Church of Christ. He says the tradition of the Thanksgiving service was started in the 1950’s. The service begins at 10 this morning and is open to the public.
