Regular adult chapel classes resume this Sunday, February 22. Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals will be sharing her experiences and learnings from her time in Minneapolis protesting ICE. All adults are welcome!

Chapel class is at 9am Sunday mornings, in person or on line. The password is 806935.

“Prejudice is pre-judgement about another person based on the social groups to which

that person belongs. Prejudice consists of thoughts and feelings, including stereotypes,

attitudes, and generalizations. All humans have prejudice; we cannot avoid it.”

“Discrimination is action based on prejudice. These actions include ignoring, exclusion,

threats, ridicule, slander, and violence.”

“When a racial group’s collective prejudice is backed by the power of legal authority and

institutional control, it is transformed into racism. Racism is a structure, and a structure

in which we have been socialized.”

- Robin Diangelo, White Fragility

DURING LENT, THE GREEN TEAM ASKS THAT WE LOOK AT THE LAND, WATER, AND NATURE THAT SURROUND US, AND TO LEARN NOT ONLY THE HISTORY, BUT OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN HONORING AND CARING FOR IT.

Around 1690, the settlement of Kekionga, located along the confluence of the three rivers in Fort Wayne, became the center for the Miami Nation. Their original native homeland was around the lower Great Lakes, and according to their origin story, they emerged from the waters along the St. Joseph River, grasping tree limbs to pull themselves from the river into a new way of being. They later followed the water systems south, establishing communities along the way.

The land of Kekionga was rich with gardens, cattle and dome shaped homes, and became a sacred place for the Miami people. Kekionga was also a place of Indian resistance as the United States continued to expand. However, it remained a economically and culturally successful dwelling until the Miami were forcefully removed in 1846. However, through various treaties established, about half of the tribe were granted exemptions, and many remain in Indiana today.

WE GIVE THANKS FOR THE LAND GOD HAS GIVEN TO ALL PEOPLE.

Join Plymouth members and friends for an evening of fellowship and casual discussion about themes related to faith and spirituality. Led by Rev. January Simpson, Tapping into Faith is open to members, non-members, and all friends, so, basically, it's for everyone!

Tapping into Faith meets on the last Tuesday of the month at Mad Anthony's at 7pm. Light appetizers are provided.

Wednesday Night Live programming continues this Wednesday. At 5:00 pm there will be adult choir rehearsal. At 5:15 pm there will be Lenten Book Study with Rev. Timothy, followed by dinner at 6:00 pm. Handbells will meet at 6:30 pm. All activities are open to anyone in the church, regardless of membership status. Come for activities or just come for dinner and fellowship! The suggested cost for dinner is $10 per person, though no one will be turned away due to the inability to pay. If you plan to come for dinner, please sign up in the Folsom Room in advance so our caterer knows how much food to prepare. Hope to see you there!


The passcode to join the book study on Zoom is 773232.

We continue our weekly Lenten book study with How to be an Antiracist, by Ibram X Kendi. This week we will be discussing chapters 3-5.

This study, led by Reverend Timothy, continues through April 1, meeting every Wednesday at 5:15 pm in the Chapel.

Sahar Vardi is an Israeli anti-militarist and anti-occupation activist from Jerusalem. She is a researcher and campaigner on issues of militarism in Israel and globally, including export of Israeli militarism worldwide. Previously she worked with the American Friends Service Committee and was a founder of the Database on Israeli Military and Security Export (dimse.info). In recent years she has campaigned and researched around the intersection of climate and militarism, as well as working on issues of activist safety and security. Sahar was a conscientious objector from the Israeli military and served time in prison.

Join together with us at Plymouth Congregational Church (501 W. Berry St., Fort Wayne, IN) at 6:30 pm on Thursday, February 26 as we hear from Sahar's experience, and what lessons it can teach us about the cost of militarism around the world, as well as it's resistance.

Free and open to the public. The program will also be livestreamed and a recording will be available at the ICMEP YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@inCMEP/videos

You may be able to find the Sanctuary and Folsom Room without too much trouble, but what about the staff offices? The education wing? The second fellowship hall in the basement or Youth Lounge? Have you ever seen the boiler room or where we store seasonal decorations or the digital organ speakers? It’s been a year since our last building tour, so Rev. Murphy will be offering once again after worship on Sunday, March 1. This main tour will last about 20 minutes, with an opt-in bonus tour at the end for those brave souls who want to see the antic space above the Sanctuary. For the latter, permission forms are required for anyone under the age of 18, as it requires an unforgiving climb up 24 vertical metal ladder rungs (and down again!). Sign-up isn’t required for the base tour. Just plan to gather in the Narthex that day, with the tour beginning 15 minutes after worship concludes.

Our next week to serve dinner at Just Neighbors shelter is coming up starting on Sunday, March 1. Plymouth folks are encouraged to sign up to bring either a main course, side dish, salad or desert on any night that week. If you would like to help, you can sign up online at the link below. Thanks in advance for your help in this important ministry!

Many, if not most of us, will at some point or another have a friend or loved one who is living with dementia. That reality is true for members of Plymouth Church, too. We will begin offering a weekly group on Wednesday nights after Wednesday Night Live dinner for those caring for or in relationship with someone with dementia. This group will be led by Rev. January Simpson and will meet in the Chapel starting at 6:45 pm on March 4. No sign up is required; however, if you will be bringing your loved one with dementia, we do need to know that. They will gather separately so that caregivers can speak openly with each other. Please email and indicate your interest to jls@plymouthfw.org.

Can you even believe it? Almost 50 years ago, Plymouth Church put on their first Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival. The history of our festival is rich. Over the past 49 years, it’s grown into something magical, not just because of the number of people involved, but because it continues to offer something special during the holiday season to a large following of people in the Fort Wayne area and beyond. Boar’s Head is simply a part of many families' holiday traditions. 

Planning for the 50th annual Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival has begun, and we want this year to be something truly special. We are seeking volunteers to help. Below you will find a list of committees that pertain to different areas of Boar’s Head. If you are interested in helping or if you have any ideas or maybe even some memories of past years to share, please contact the committee chair. We’d love to hear from you! 

Marketing and Social Media: Tony Ray & Beth Walker (tdr@plymouthfw.org & bethwalker.fw@gmail.com) 

Costumes: Brandy Logan (brandyklogan@gmail.com) 

Ticketing: Roger Eversole (red9pencil@gmail.com)

Props: Misha Gray-Chemey & Plymouth Carpenters (mdchemey@gmail.com)

Video: Eric Miller (emiller17@yahoo.com) 

Souvenir/Historical Program and Boar’s Head Merchandise: Bee Gray-Chemey & Karen Nesius Roeger (nutmegsmom10@hotmail.com) 

Casting & Festival Program: Kara Jaurigue (kkjaurigue@gmail.com)