Please join us after worship on Sunday, July 17 in the Folsom Room to sign postcards to our Indiana state legislators, advocating for the right to safe and legal abortion in the state of Indiana. As you may know, there has been a special session of the General Assembly called for later this month, during which the GA will likely pass a bill restricting abortion rights in our state. We want to let our legislators know that this action is not supported by a majority of Hoosiers, and that access to abortion is essential healthcare for all with reproductive capabilities. We will have pre-written postcards available that you can simply sign and address to your legislators, and we will even mail the postcards for you! Even if you have already contacted your legislators personally, we invite you to show up and be part of this effort—the more mail our legislators receive, the better!

The next meeting of Plymouth Women's Book Study (open to any reader who self-identifies as a woman) will be on Tuesday July 19 at 12:00 pm in the Amistad Room. We shall be talking about the books we'd like to discuss over the coming few months. Feel free to bring a favorite book or two you'd like to share. We'll select the top choices during the following week with on line voting. As always, there will be a warm welcome at the table. For further information contact Judith at [email protected]

DEFUND RACISM WEBINAR: Wednesday, July 20, 12:00 pm – 1:30pm. A Nationwide Webinar hosted by the United Church of Christ Palestine-Israel Network (UCC-PIN) and moderated by ICMEP Executive Director Dr. Michael Spath

UCC-PIN is one of the Christian denominations leading the way with its 2021 “Declaration for a Just Peace Between Palestine and Israel,” which declared Israel as an "apartheid state."

This DEFUND RACISM webinar discusses those US pro-Israel organizations disguised as 501(c)3 charities that fund Israeli settlements using tax-deductible donations. These organizations are complicit in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Sheik Jarrah, Silwan, South Hebron Hills, and many other areas in Palestine (the West Bank). Groups in New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania are working on the Defund Racism Campaign, exposing the racist funding of Israeli settlements.

Webinar panelists include activists from on the ground in the South Hebron Hills and in the US.

On Saturday, July 23, E&M will have our Plymouth booth set up at Fort Wayne Pride 2022, and we will need volunteers to be the friendly face of Plymouth to our neighbors. If you are interested, we will do this signup the old-fashioned way, with a signup sheet on the board in the Folsom Room. Pick a time slot or two and join us for a great day sharing the love!

For those who wish to march with Plymouth in the Pride parade, we will be meeting downtown on Saturday, July 23 at 11:00 am on Clinton St, at the steps leading up to the Headwaters Park Pavilion. All are welcome to march with us!

On Saturday, July 30, E&M will have a supply drive to support the backpack program at the Wayne Township Trustee Office. Any family can request a backpack for their student(s), fully stocked with the required supplies for their grade level.

Based on their current stocks, the program coordinator provided the following list of needs:

We suggest focusing on most-needed items and then throwing in some crayons or what have you as a fun bonus if you just can’t resist fresh school supplies – but follow your bliss, because every little bit helps!

We will collect donations on Saturday, July 30, 9:00 am – 11:00 am, outside the Folsom Room. If you’d like to leave donations in the Supply Drive bin in the Folsom Room before that date, that’s fine too!

The Plymouth Library Committee will meet in the Folsom room on the second Thursday of the month from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm.

COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have now risen from low (green) to medium (yellow) in Allen County. Therefore, we are updating our mask policy to say that while masks remain optional in worship, we strongly encourage wearing them whenever possible. 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 if you find yourself at risk of being around groups or otherwise unable to attend services in person.

We are seeking a few volunteers to assist with teaching OWL classes this fall. OWL stands for ‘Our Whole Lives,’ and is a sexuality education program for children and youth. Our Whole Lives helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, Our Whole Lives not only provides facts about anatomy and human development, but also helps participants clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality. OWL was developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ.

If interested in volunteering, please contact Katie Watson at [email protected].

Volunteers for the Study Connection are needed. You can be a tutor or a substitute to fill in on the few days when a tutor must be away. Contact Lucy Hess for more information on what is expected of a tutor and sub at [email protected] or (260) 484-4430. Study Connection is offered at Plymouth every Wednesday from 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm starting early October to mid-May. To sign up for the background check, click here. The Study Connection sign up sheet is always linked in the Plymouth LinkTree, linked in the bulletin each week.

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.

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