"You Are Worthy" - Lauren Wright Pittman

Throughout March, Licensed Pastor David Grim returns to lead our studies. All are welcome and encouraged to attend in person; attending via Zoom is available as well. Watch for the link in the Sunday online Bulletin. Each Sunday will bring an examination of mystical and holistic spirituality approaches. How did the Jesus Method of soulful healing bring comfort for hurting people? He will explore a deeper sense of self and ways inward soul work can aid and strengthen the ways we practice social justice and liberation work. David is an insightful teacher and really engages the class.

Everyone is invited to the second part of Plymouth’s Seed to Marsh project. Even if you didn’t come to the first session, we’d love to see you this month. About 45 people enjoyed stratifying seeds in February and the March session will be even more adventurous.

We’ll meet Sunday, March 20 at 12:15pm at the barn in Eagle Marsh Nature Preserve, 6801 Engle Road, on the southwest side of Fort Wayne. Come as early as 11:15am if you want to eat lunch at the Marsh. Go through the green gates and follow the gravel road about 1/4 mile. Parking is on the left, past the picnic tables and around the curve of the barn pond. We’ll learn more about Eagle Marsh, which claims to be the largest inland wetland restoration project in the country. We’ll plant native seeds in flats and bring some back to church or homes to nurture. There will be a guided hike for those who want to see more of the marsh. Waterproof boots are available in a large range of sizes or you can bring your own. Casual weather-appropriate clothing is strongly recommended.

We’ve allowed a little more than an hour after the church service, time for you to grab a quick lunch on the way, or you can bring sack lunches to eat at the marsh.

The Environmental Action Team looks forward to seeing a good group of Plymouth people, both young and older, ready to continue our service project on the Marsh.

Indiana Center for Middle East Peace invites you to a Nowruz New Year Celebration on Sunday, March 20 from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Shoaff Park (River Lodge Pavilion, 6401 St. Joe Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46825).

Come celebrate the new year with our Afghan friends, recent immigrants to our community. Although Persian in origin, Nowruz is celebrated in Afghanistan and in many other countries and peoples. Nowruz is a traditional festival of Spring; it starts on the day of the vernal equinox, and marks the beginning of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

The name ‘Nowruz’ means ‘new day’ and the festival symbolizes the rebirth of nature, new life and new beginnings.

This event is free and open to the public. Masks are encouraged.

On Monday, March 21 at 12:00 pm, ICMEP and Dr. Michael Spath will be hosting a Zoom interview with author Brian J. Brown titled, "APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA! APARTHEID ISRAEL! Ticking the Boxes of Occupation and Dispossession"

Brian Brown is a South African-born Methodist Minister, banned for 13 years by the Apartheid regime, until Nelson Mandela’s release in 1990. He considers how the policies of the State of Israel, in violently dispossessing Palestinians of their land, nationality, and human rights, replicates policies of South Africa’s era of Grand Apartheid.

Using the 2009 “Kairos Document” from Kairos Palestine and its 2020 “Cry for Hope,” and other documents from human rights organizations and international law, he analyzes the root causes of Israeli denialism and Christian denialism of Israel’s settler colonial project, and where we go from here.

Register to watch this interview by clicking the button below. After registering, you will receive the Zoom meeting link.

During this Lenten season, the weekly Wednesday Bible Study with Rev. Murphy switches to studying a book. We are currently reading and discussing the 1949 classic Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman. We will be discussing chapter 3 this Wednesday and will continue each Wednesday through April 6 at 5:15 pm. While RSVPs are not required, feel free to contact Rev. Murphy at [email protected] for any questions or if you need help with finding a hard copy version of the book.

During the season of Lent, Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals and Maestro Bob Nance will be leading a Celtic inspired evening prayer service on Wednesday nights, following Wednesday Night Live dinner. Services will be held in the chapel and will include Celtic prayers, music, and liturgy, as well as music from the Taizé tradition. Please join us for these contemplative, candlelit services as a way to deepen your Lenten experience.

Indiana Center for Middle East Peace welcomes Golbarg Bashi for "The Power of Children's Literature: P is for Palestine and More" on Tuesday, March 29 at 6:30 pm at Plymouth Church. This event is free and open to the public. Masks are required.

Born in Iran, raised in Sweden, educated in the UK and US, Golbarg Bashi is a professor, author, and activist. She was nominated in 2016 by the U.S. toy industry “Wonder Woman Award” for advancing early childhood education through play for languages. She is author of P is for Palestine; A Palestine Alphabet Book, and Counting Up the Olive Tree: A Palestine Number Book. She focuses on empowering children from underrepresented and marginalized countries.

Join the United Church of Christ Palestine Israel Network for the "The Weaponization of Antisemitism" webinar on Wednesday, March 30, 12:00 pm.

Michael Spath interviews Mark Weber, a retired university librarian and president of Cleveland Peace Action. He is an educator and youth counselor with the Jewish Secular Community of Cleveland, serves on the steering community of Jewish Voice for Peace-Cleveland, and is active in the Palestine solidarity movement in Cleveland.

In a series of two chapel class sessions on April 3 and April 10, Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals will guide the class through the poetry of Wendell Berry and his vision of Sabbath and the natural world. Over the course of two weeks, as we prepare our hearts for Easter, we will walk through the woods, keeping Sabbath as we go, with Wendell Berry and the words of scripture as our guide. Join us in person or on Zoom.

The Evangelism and Marketing Board has planned a Spring Cleaning event for Sunday, April 3, at 1:00pm. Our resident Litter Super Sleuth™ has identified several blocks that could use a dedicated team of Earthwise folks like you to spend an hour or so picking up trash and recyclables for proper disposal – many hands will make light work! So enjoy worship Sunday morning, take some time to eat lunch and change into work clothes and good shoes, and help us do some good work.

The plan:

We hope you’ll join us in this act of environmental stewardship and caring for our community!

Allen Haynes here! Many of you have asked really good questions when I talk about my “cow fetching” adventures at Superior Dairy. I shared this with my cousins and as a result, they have offered to let you come see the facility yourselves!

This state of the art facility is currently milking 240 cows, 24 hours a day, using 4 robotic milking machines. They invite you to an open house on Sunday, April 3, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm to see, listen, and learn about how this amazing technology has impacted life on the farm for both the cows and the people. The dairy barn is located at 0706 County Road 40, Garrett, IN. Guided tours are scheduled for 1:15 pm and 2:15 pm.

Please dress appropriately for the weather but note that most of the tour is under roof and on hard surface areas with very minimal chance of contact with cow manure. That said, it still smells like a dairy barn! Hope you can join us!

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 expanding the number of opportunities for Centering Prayer at Plymouth Church. Centering Prayer group will now meet on both the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, at 5:30pm in the chapel. The next meeting date will be Tuesday, March 22. All are welcome, including beginners!

The Benevolence Committee awarded 21 Benevolence Grants, one Capacity-Building Grant, and one “in-between” grant for 2022, in addition to our annual contributions to Our Church’s Wider Mission (IN/KY Conference), the “CUE” seminaries of the UCC, and the UCC Open and Affirming Coalition. In total, $100,388 in benevolence funds were distributed. This level of benevolence outreach is possible only because of your generosity with your resources, and the generosity of those from whom we inherited Plymouth’s legacy. Thank you for making these gifts possible.

Capacity-Building Grant ($14,143) recipient: This year’s Capacity Building Grant recipient is Give Hear. This local nonprofit provides comprehensive audiological services to individuals of all ages, at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level, in Allen and surrounding counties. They provide a full range of services, from hearing tests to fitting and upkeep of hearing aids and cochlear implants, as well as a hearing aid donation and refurbishing program. Recipients of their services are expected to volunteer as they are able within the community as what Give Hear calls their “Circle of Giving.” The grant money will be used to purchase a new combined otoacoustic emissions and middle ear analyzer, which allows for effective testing on individuals who otherwise would not be able to be tested due to age or cognitive and physical difficulties. If you’d like to learn more about their programs, visit givehear.org.

Because Give Hear requested an amount lower than the $20,000 limit for a Capacity Building Grant, we were able to award Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities a grant “in-between” the Capacity and Benevolence levels, partially fulfilling their Capacity Building request. The grant of $5,422 will allow them to purchase equipment required for pelvic floor biofeedback therapy. This therapy improves the ability of individuals to control their pelvic floor muscles, and thus better control their bladder and bowel function.

Benevolence Grant ($1,000 - $2,000) recipients: Amani Family Services, Associated Churches, Blue Jacket, CASS Housing, Center for Nonviolence, Crossroad Child and Family Services, Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, Growing Hope Globally, Habitat for Humanity, Indiana Center for Middle East Peace, Lisa’s Legacy, Matthew 25, Miss Virginia’s Food Pantry, My Autism Ally, Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic, Northeast Indiana Positive Resource Connection, SCAN, Thirteenth Step House, USF Jesters, Vincent Village, and Wellspring Interfaith Social Services.

Thank you again for your support of Plymouth Church, which allows for this generous support of so many incredible organizations in our community.

It’s time to order Easter flowers! This year we are offering you a choice of Easter lilies or daffodils (or feel free to order both!) Lilies are $10 each and daffodils are $9.00 each. Please have your orders into the church office no later than Friday, April 1. We encourage you to take your flowers with you following worship on Easter Sunday.

Please either print out a copy of the Easter flower order form by clicking the button below or fill out a copy in the receptionist's office on Sunday mornings.

As cases decline in Allen County and around the country, church leadership is looking at what can resume and in what ways. Executive Council met on Tuesday, March 1, and voted to approve criteria in which masks would become optional in worship. The state of Indiana has four colored risk categories, based on the number of cases per 100,000 and the positivity rate. Once Allen County reaches the lowest color risk, blue, for two consecutive weeks, masking during worship will become optional. We will send out an e-blast whenever we reach that level. If cases rise above that level into the yellow or higher categories, masks would then be required once again until we return to the blue. For the moment, masking during worship is still required.

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