Plymouth United Church of Christ Celebrates 100 Years

Longevity is its own reward, but to celebrate it with others is … sort of divine. Plymouth United Church of Christ opened its doors on May 4, 1919 with nine former Alabama Congregationalists. Today, the membership has grown to more than 1,000.

As a run-up to the official 100th anniversary celebration, the Renaissance Choir will perform at the Charles H. Wright Museum on Friday, April 19, starting at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25.

“For more than a quarter of a century, the Renaissance Choir has performed Theodore Dubois’s ‘Seven Last Words of Christ’ on Good Friday,” says Vickie Sullen-Winn, centennial chair at the Plymouth United Church of Christ.

Two years consecutively, the choir placed first in the Brazeal Dennard Spirituals Festival in 2006 and 2007. This spring, when the Renaissance Choir performs “The Seven Last Words of Christ” at the Wright, native Detroiter Jonathan Kirkland, an American singer and actor recently in the role of George Washington in the Chicago production of Hamilton, will be the featured soloist.

The choir will also be accompanied by chamber musicians and native Detroiter Alvin Waddles, a pianist, singer and composer.

“Plymouth is proud to be among a handful of churches in the city committed to keeping the cantatas, spirituals and anthems alive,” adds Sullen-Winn, “and our 100-year anniversary is the perfect occasion to heighten awareness of this sacred music at Detroit’s premier African-American museum.”