The Music and Faith Series continues during Chapel Class through the month of February. Each week, we will share and discuss songs that are meaningful to us in some way. Each week will focus on a different theme, which we will connect with scripture and explore how music complements our faith. While we will not be able to listen to everyone’s song on a given week, all attendees are asked to pick a song that fits with the weekly theme in advance for group conversation. The remaining themes are:

The next meeting of Plymouth’s Women's Book Study will be on Tuesday, February 15 from 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm in the Amistad Room. Any reader who self-identifies as a woman is welcome, whether you've attended before or not. We shall be discussing This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel, originally scheduled for the January meeting which had to be canceled.

"This is Claude. He’s five years old, the youngest of five brothers, and loves peanut butter sandwiches. He also loves wearing a dress, and dreams of being a princess. When he grows up, Claude says, he wants to be a girl...." One family learns and grows with a child who wants to change in a way many people don't understand.

For further information, contact Judith Beineke at [email protected].

On Wednesday nights in February, Rev. Sara will be leading a Lectio Divina practice as part of Wednesday Night Live activities. Each session will begin following Wednesday Night Live dinner at 6:45pm in the chapel. Lectio Divina is Latin for “sacred reading” and is an ancient practice of reading scripture in a meditative, contemplative way. Each session will feature a time of fellowship, a short moment of instruction, and approximately 20 minutes of lectio. We will use sources from scripture as well as other spiritual texts. All are welcome regardless of your level of experience.

On Sunday, February 20, the Environmental Action Team will kick off the Seed to Marsh project by learning about wetland restoration and the importance of using native plants. After a light lunch provided by Congregational Life, we’ll make a MESS sorting and stratifying seeds for future planting. The program will take place in the Folsom room starting at 11:15 am. Please sign up in advance in the Folsom room so that we know how much food to provide. This is part one of a multi-part series— check out the upcoming February Bell for more details. Questions? Contact Jan Gibson at [email protected]

Come join us on Tuesday, March 1 at 5:00 pm for our annual pancake and sausage supper and celebration the night before Lent begins. Please sign up in the Folsom room so that Congregational Life knows how much food to prepare. Hope to see you there!

Lent is just around the corner, and it begins with Ash Wednesday, which will be on Wednesday, March 2 with a 7:00 pm evening service in the sanctuary. Ash Wednesday worship offers a ritual for the Imposition of ashes on the foreheads or hands of individuals who wish to receive them. There will be reading of sacred story followed by a homily. The service concludes with the sacrament of Holy Communion. The season of Lent places special emphasis upon acts of charity, prayer, and fasting. Through devotion and the practices of our faith, we respond to the call of Jesus to embrace more fully the love of God and neighbor.

During Lent, the weekly Wednesday Bible Study with Rev. Murphy switches to studying a book. This year, we will be examining the 1949 classic Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman. Please purchase a copy online ahead of time. Our first meeting will be Wednesday, March 2 for an introduction, with weekly chapter discussions beginning March 9. While RSVPs are not required, feel free to contact Rev. Murphy at [email protected] for any questions.

The E&M Board invites you to participate in our supply drive this month, benefitting Fairfield Elementary. They are “in dire need” of Kleenex, Clorox/sanitizing wipes, sandwich bags, gallon zippy bags, hand sanitizer, and paper towels.

PLEASE NOTE: We will not be sitting outside on a cold February morning to collect items, so please bring donations to the bins in the Folsom Room through the end of the month, any time the church is open. How convenient is that?! Very convenient indeed!

Due to a precipitous drop in the number of COVID-19 cases in Allen County, we are resuming Sunday morning coffee hour and Wednesday Night Live dinner starting this week. Coffee and donuts will be served this Sunday at 8:30am, and Wednesday Night Live dinner is served at 6:00 pm. If you plan to attend dinner on Wednesday night, please sign up in the Folsom room so we know how much food to prepare.

The Afghan Immigrant Taskforce has been meeting with Catholic Charities, Rev. Sara and our own Terry Dougherty to determine how Plymouth Church can best assist newly arriving Afghan refugees here in Fort Wayne. There are many ways to help, and so the taskforce has put together a volunteer sign-up form for members to indicate how they would like to get involved. Please see the attached document for more information on how to sign up and get involved!

Plymouth is once again hosting the annual luncheon for the Workers for the Blind on Wednesday, March 16 from 12:00-2:00 pm. We are looking for a few volunteers to help prepare and serve the lunch, which would consist of a main dish, salad, and dessert. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals at (260) 423-9424 or [email protected].

The Safety Committee is seeking volunteers to join the group that monitors access to the church and patrols the building and grounds during Sunday services.

There are two volunteers on duty each Sunday. One is stationed in the Narthex monitoring activity in front of the church, anyone seeking entry, and the Berry Street parking area. The other would walk throughout the building and grounds alert for any unusual activities. Both have a walkie-talkie to communicate when necessary.

Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Tom Braun at [email protected] or at (260) 403-0384.

Between COVID-19 and all the other germs going around, it seems like most of our families will get stuck at home at some point this winter. If your family is quarantined and missing your Plymouth friends, we’ve got a Quarantine Kit full of goodies for your child! Contact Katie Watson to arrange a Quarantine Kit drop-off.

For a time of personal prayer, visit the sanctuary on Thursdays from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm. 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