The family of Marlene Crowder offers their gratitude to the people of Plymouth UCC for being Marlene's church family and a church she was proud of. Marlene read each week's printed bulletin many times during the week, so it feels right to say thank you in the bulletin!

To be an antiracist is to eliminate any beauty standard based on skin and eye color, hair texture, facial and bodily features shared by groups. To be an antiracist is to diversify our standards of beauty like our standards of culture or intelligence, to see beauty equally in all skin colors, broad and thin noses, kinky and straight hair, light and dark eyes. To be an antiracist is to build and live in a beauty culture that accentuates instead of erases our natural beauty.

                           -Ibram X. Kendi

The Anti-Racism Action Team is hosting "Faces of the First Nations" art event on Sunday, October 18th, immediately after the service. It is being brought to us through BIPOCA Incubator and Gallery, and will feature the art of Catherine Nagy Mowry, of the Myaamia. Come prepared to learn the indigenous way, ask questions, and take in all that Catherine will have on display. Although her art will remain in the Folsom Room for a couple of weeks, you won't want to miss speaking with her. Light refreshments will be provided.

This Sunday in Chapel Class, we welcome Chris Lahr from Alive Community Outreach and the Peacemaker Academy at Southside High School. He will be given a presentation titled, Practical Kingian Nonviolence for an Unstable World. Alive Community Outreach works to build communities of nonviolence through education, relationships, survivor support, and peacemaking. Rooted in agape love and restorative practices, ACO seeks to build a Beloved Community through the courageous practice of nonviolence. Chapel class is held at 9am every Sunday, in person or on zoom. The password for zoom is 460276.

The next meeting of the Women's Book Group will be Tuesday, October 20 at 11:30 am. We will be discussing the book The Book Club for Troublesome Women, by Marie Bostwick-- a humorous, thought-provoking, and nostalgic romp through one pivotal and tumultuous year as well as an ode to self-discovery, persistence, and the power of sisterhood.

The book selected for November is The Lion Women of Tehran, by Marjan Kamali.

The Women's Book Group meets on the third Tuesday of each month in the Amistad Room. All self-identifying women are welcome to join the discussion on a drop-in basis or longer term.

Our weekly Bible study meets in person and online at 4:45 pm each Wednesday. We discuss the scripture for the coming Sunday, what resonates with us, what concerns us, and where we see good news. Whether you’ve been coming for years or just starting out in exploring scripture with others, we’d love to have you join us in the Chapel! For those joining online, use the following required passcode: 773232.

Next week’s scripture will be Jeremiah 17:7-8.

Rev. Ofner-Seals and Rev. Murphy will be co-leading a five-week series on Wednesday evenings on progressive Christianity starting Wednesday, October 21. The gatherings will meet for one hour starting at 6:30 pm in the Chapel. This educational series is designed for newcomers and anyone who would appreciate a refresher. Topics will include: 1) the authority of the Bible and experience, 2) images of Jesus, and the death and resurrection of Jesus, 3) different conceptions of God, and how we understand other religious traditions 4) the connection of social justice with our understanding of the gospel, and 5) sin and salvation. We look forward to seeing you there!

There will be a congregational meeting on Sunday, October 25, following worship. At this meeting we will be presenting the slate of nominations for board members and officers for 2027, to be approved by the congregation. We will also recognize those board members and officers whose terms end this year. All Plymouth members should plan to attend. For the full slate of nominations, please click the link below. 

The next Young Adult gathering will be on Sunday, October 25 at the Firefly Coffee house on North Anthony. This is for any Plymouth folks ages 20-29. The group will meet after worship and a hopefully brief congregational meeting. Please direct any questions to Laurel at Laurelvan14@gmail.com. Thank you!

Dreams can inspire, amuse, disturb, perplex, and guide if one allows the time to reflect on the symbols in the dream. According to the psychologist Carl Jung, the dream is the “little hidden door” that opens up the “secret recesses of the soul.” Jung viewed the dream as a picture of the unconscious and an attempt to regain balance in the life of the individual. In this four-week series, we will discuss Jung’s biography, his approach to the psyche, his theory of archetypes as they appear in dreams, the concepts of shadow, anima, and animus, and the four alchemical stages. We will conclude with an example of a Jungian dream analysis.

The Plymouth Players are excited to present a cabaret-staged production of Godspell during the Lenten season, culminating on Palm Sunday weekend, March 19–21, 2027.

We’re looking for actors and singers for featured roles as well as ensemble singers to help bring this beloved musical to life. Whether you’re a member of Plymouth or part of the greater Fort Wayne theatre community, all are welcome to audition!

Auditions: Sunday, November 1 at 2 PM

Location: Plymouth Church

Rehearsals will begin in January 2027 and are designed to be a manageable commitment, generally meeting 2-3 evenings per week from approximately 7:30–9:30 PM.

Performances:

March 19 & 20 at 7:00 PM

March 21 at 2:00 PM — Palm Sunday

“Thank you, you have my gratitude.”

We don’t always know whose day we might brighten by sharing what we have. This simple message, left on our Food Locker, is a reminder that kindness travels both ways: in the food we give and in the gratitude we receive.

Help Plymouth Church keep the Food Locker stocked for our neighbors. Donations of ready-to-eat snacks and shelf-stable foods are always welcome in the designated bin in the Folsom Room.

Here we come a Wassailing!

Who’s ready for the 50th annual Boars Head and Yule Log Festival? We are!

Casting has begun, and it’s time to start talking to your kids and families about this year’s Festival, if you plan to be involved, and what roles everyone would like.

Festival services are the same each year. December 29th and 30th. Rehearsals are December 26th, 27th and 28th, with the Dress Rehearsal on the 28th. Please take a peek at your calendars to see if the dates work for you. If you have questions or concerns please let me know.

The All Cast Meeting is scheduled for Sunday November 8th at 1pm. This meeting will include BH information, rehearsal schedules, merch ordering opportunities and costume fittings! 

There is so much going on this year! 

We will have BH Merch available for purchase. Samples will be available, and orders may be placed in November to get those in time for Christmas. Stay tuned for more details!

Interested in volunteering? Leave a reply below and we’ll get back with you! We need people to help in the Kitchen, help with our younger cast members/kids ages 2-10 years old, security coverage at multiple doors and hospitality/greeters to help show people where to go.

On behalf of the Production Team, we thank you, the fine people of Plymouth Church for helping to make Boars Head magical year after year!

-Kara Jaurigue, Director

Plymouth will be collecting blankets for Food not Bombs, which they will distribute to unhoused residents of Fort Wayne later this fall. Fleece blankets are preferred, but any blankets in good condition will be accepted. We will be collecting blankets until Halloween. Donations can be left in the labeled bin in the Folsom room.

We are seeking volunteers for our welcoming task force! Task force members are intentional about seeking out newcomers at coffee hour and in worship to help them feel welcome at Plymouth and assist them in getting connected. Task force members are on duty about once a month. If you would like to volunteer, or if you have questions, please talk with Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals or email her at smo@plymouthfw.org.