Rev. Murphy concludes this Sunday, January 28, the Chapel Class series on the resolutions discussed at last summer’s UCC General Synod. They cover a range of topics and issues, from electrifying church buildings and reparations for African Americans, to ending solitary confinement and advocating for plant-based diets. We will talk about the content of the resolutions, what they call for, and the role of resolutions in our denomination. Fun fact: Not every resolution was approved; come to learn which one! You can review all the resolutions here.

Chapel Class begins at 9:00 am on Sunday mornings and is open to all adults in person or on Zoom. The password for Zoom is 063060.

Our Annual Business Meeting will be Sunday, January 28 after worship. This congregational meeting is where we will vote on the 2024 annual budget, approve the October meeting minutes and Annual Report, and hear some updates and brief presentations. All members are eligible to vote and are encouraged to attend. Non-member participants are invited to attend as well but are not able to vote. A lunch will be provided by the Youth Group after worship, and we will have the meeting in the Folsom Room.

Friendly reminder that E&M will host Tapping Into Faith at Mad Anthony’s on Monday, January 29 at 7:00 pm. It’s a wonderful chance to get to know fellow Plymouth folks a little better and sometimes welcome folks from the community into fellowship. Loosely guided conversation and story-sharing, good food & drink, and good people – what more could you want?!

We will provide appetizers for all to share, and you are welcome to buy whatever meal or beverage you’d like. Come on over!

Wednesday Night Live programming continues Wednesday, January 31. At 5:15 pm there will be adult choir rehearsal, children’s choir rehearsal, and Bible Study with Rev. Timothy, followed by dinner at 6:00 pm. The Bible Study with Rev. Timothy can be attended in person or via Zoom using the link below. The passcode to join via Zoom is 648589. 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 is ever turned away due to 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!

Calling all euchre players and chili makers! Congregational Life is hosting it’s second annual euchre tournament and chili cook-off on Saturday, February 3 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Come to play, to show off your best chili recipe, or just to eat and enjoy a time of fellowship with your Plymouth friends. There will be prizes given for the best chefs of the day. Hope to see you there!

Beginning Sunday, Feburary 4 Rev. January Simpson will facilitate a contemplative reading of John 8:1-11, looking ahead to the beginning of Lent. Together we will enter and explore this sacred story of restoration and mercy in the wilderness, and open ourselves, with our minds in our hearts, to the truth it offers.

Chapel Class begins at 9:00 am on Sunday mornings and is open to all adults in person or on Zoom. The password for Zoom is 063060.

Lent begins early this year on February 14, but the Lenten book study will begin one week earlier on February 7. This year, we will be looking at Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan’s 2007 book The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus’s Final Days in Jerusalem. Borg and Crossan are major popular progressive Christian scholars and should have much to offer for reflection and discussion. This study will replace Rev. Timothy’s weekly Bible study for its duration, which will last through the end of March. Folks are invited to order the book ahead of time and have the first chapter read when we gather on Wednesday, February 7.

Are you interested in becoming a member at Plymouth Church? Our next Welcoming Group will meet Sunday, February 11, 11:30 am to 1:00 pm in the Amistad Room. If you have been attending Plymouth for six months or longer, and your faith journey is leading you to explore becoming a member, this is a one-time required session. Whether you are confident, confused, or curious, our time together is focused on orientation, conversation, interpretation, and exploration. It is an opportunity for you to ask questions and to meet others who are considering affirming their formal relationship with Plymouth Church, UCC. A light lunch will be provided, and childcare is available upon request. Please RSVP to Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals at [email protected] if you would like to attend.

The Women's Book Study's next meeting will be held Tuesday, February 20 at 12:00 pm in the Amistad Room, where we'll discuss Barbara Kingsolver's latest book, Demon Copperhead.

"Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, this is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father's good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. He braves foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses, dealing all the way with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities."

As always, we invite anyone to join us who self-identifies as a woman. If you would like to join us by Zoom, please email Laura McCoy. In March, our book will be All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

Completed applications for the following scholarships are due in the church office by February 15:

• The Richard Nelson Kent Memorial Fund provides educational grants for tuition and fees for academic credit for members of the United Church of Christ in the Northeast [Indiana] Association and other qualified applicants who are at least 16 years of age and entering into or continuing ecological studies, conservation biology, or other environmentally related studies.

• The Van Gorder Scholarship is awarded annually for tuition and fees for post-secondary education leading to a degree, certificate, or license for a graduating senior who is a member of Plymouth Church.

Completed applications for the Richard C. Hess Peace Studies Scholarship are due in the church office by April 15:

• The Richard C. Hess Peace Studies Scholarship provides a $1,000 tuition and fees scholarship for a college student majoring in peace studies or a related program.

Contact Linda Balthaser at [email protected] with your name, email address, 

and the name of the college/university in which will be enrolled in the 2024 fall semester.

Masks are optional in worship and church programming. If you are feeling under the weather or prefer to wear a mask around others, it is an ongoing option. A high-quality mask provides good protection against infection even if others around you are not wearing one. We will continue to offer livestreamed and recorded worship services for anyone unable to attend services in person.

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.

The following links can be found on our Linktree:

• 2024 Stewardship Campaign Website
• Study Connection Volunteer Sign Up
• Plymouth Directory Login
• Chancel Flower Dedication Sign Up Form
• Donate
• Past Chapel Class Series
• Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Sign Up
• Plymouth Google Calendar
• Plymouth's Social Media