At the Edge of the Orchard by Tracy Chevalier is the next choice for the Women's Book Study on Tuesday, April 19 at 12:00 pm in the Amistad Room.

Set in the mid-1800s, this novel follows the fortunes of the youngest member of the Goodenough family who, when we meet them, are struggling to make a living in the Black Swamp.This was an area which stretched from Fort Wayne all the way to Lake Erie in those days. Johnnie Appleseed appears as a character. The setting complements Plymouth's environmental project at Eagle Marsh and the fate of wetlands. The book moves on to California where tree cultivation and the export of seeds provide the background of the main character's lively journey.

Plymouth’s Women's Book Study welcomes any reader who self-identifies as a woman to join the group for one or more sessions. We meet in the Amistad Room on the third Tuesday of the month at noon.

WE ARE THE EARTH: Earth Day Conference: Sponsored by Indiana Center for Middle East Peace, with a gift from HAPPY WAY FOUNDATION.

Doors open 8:00 am, conference begins promptly at 8:45 am.

Licensed Minister, David Grim continues the introduction to ways of entering into, and finding comfort in our individual mystical experience. He provides the quiet time for renewing our communal spaces through shared mystical experience as well. Join us Sunday, April 24 at 9:00 am.

Starting on Wednesday, April 27, Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals will be leading a book study on Native: Identity, Belonging and Rediscovering God, by Kaitlin B. Curtis. Native is about identity, soul-searching, and the never-ending journey of finding ourselves and finding God. As both a citizen of the Potawatomi Nation and a Christian, Kaitlin Curtice shares what it means to experience her faith through the lens of her own Indigenous heritage and encourages us to embrace our own origins. This book study will take place after Wednesday Night Live dinner at 6:45 pm, in the Amistad Room. Native can be purchased online, wherever you buy books. If you cannot afford the cost of the book, please let us know, and a book can be purchased for you. For our first session on April 27, we will read the Introduction and Part 1: Beginnings. Hope to see you there!

Part three of our Seed-to-Marsh Project is scheduled for Sunday, May 1 at 12:15 pm. All Plymouth people are invited. We’ll transplant seedlings into pots, and if there are some larger plants available, we’ll put some in the ground near the gravel road to the Eagle Marsh barn. We also hope to do some pond dipping for macro invertebrates and tadpoles. Of course, another hike will be offered. For those interested, we can take part in the city nature challenge by recording our nature observations on iNaturalist. You’ll want to load the iNaturalist app and create an account ahead of time. Or, just kick back and enjoy the marsh experience with Plymouth friends. Questions? Contact Jan Gibson at [email protected].

On Saturday, May 7, Rev. Timothy, Rev. Sara, and Licensed Minister January Simpson will be offering a free workshop on how to practice evangelism from a progressive perspective. We will dismantle destructive approaches to evangelism and reconstruct a more positive framework for how we share our faith with others. The workshop will be from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Beverages and snacks will be provided. Please sign up in the Folsom Room if you would like to attend.

Please join Plymouth Church, members of the Northeast Association, local clergy, and staff from the Indiana Kentucky conference of the UCC for the installation service of Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals, on Sunday, May 15 at 3:00 pm. This is an important service in which Plymouth Church formalizes its covenantal relationship with its new associate pastor. A light reception will follow the service.

The Bell has changed format and we are looking for writers to contribute! The Bell is now a quarterly, article-based publication focusing on the Plymouth family and its impact in the community. Are you involved in an organization that you'd like to share more about? Was there a Plymouth event that really spoke to you? Whatever it may be, contact Elizabeth Pruitt at [email protected] to find out how you can submit an article to the Bell.

Beginning this month, the Parish Nurse Program will be starting at Plymouth Church. Supported by Marion Health, the Parish Nurse Program "provides registered nurses who are committed and called to help the congregation stay well and improve the overall health and healing ministry of individual faith communities." One Sunday a month in the Folsom room, the Plymouth Parish Nurses will be available for a variety of healthcare resources and support. Please note the Parish Nurse Program does not provide prescriptions or diagnostics. Sunday, April 24 will mark the first of many Parish Nurse Sundays. Additionally, a new informational health flyer will be placed in the stall of every restroom each month at Plymouth.

If you would like to learn more about this program, including finding out how to volunteer (non-medical volunteer opportunities are available), please contact Erin Shaw at [email protected] or 260-224-0860. Click the button below to learn more about the Marion Health Parish Nurse Program.

Plymouth Church is looking for volunteers to cover the 1:00 pm Staff Meetings on Tuesdays. If you would like to assist, please sign up with Jake in the office or sign up by clicking the button below.

Masks are currently optional during worship. This is not a prohibition on masks but only an announcement that they are now optional for individuals. A high-quality mask provides good protection against infection even if others around you are not wearing one, so please continue to wear a mask if you find it necessary or beneficial. We will continue to offer livestreamed and recorded worship services if you find yourself at risk of being around groups or otherwise unable to attend services in-person.

For a time of personal prayer, the sanctuary will be available Tuesday through Thursday during office hours. Please enter through the Berry Street office entrance and check in with our receptionist. Contact Jake Slone at (260) 423-9424 or [email protected] with any questions.

Monday: Closed

Tuesday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Wednesday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Thursday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Friday: By appointment only 9:00 am to 4:00 pm