For the next three weeks through May 22, Rev. Murphy will be leading a series during chapel class on the topic of “Socialism and Christianity.” Typically, these two terms are placed as oppositional ideas: Socialism vs. Christianity. Godless communism vs. Christian capitalism. But there’s a lot more to consider! What, if anything, do they have to say to each other? Those attending will look at competing definitions of socialism, the historic influence of socialism on Christianity, Christian influences on and expressions of socialism, notable Christian socialists, and possible implications for today.

ICMEP invites you to gather once again with our Afghan neighbors for Eid u l-Fitr, celebrating the breaking of the fast of Ramadan, on Sunday, May 8 from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm. There will be fabulous food and festive fun. Join us at Foster Park Golf Course, Pavilion #1, 3900 Old Mill Rd., Fort Wayne, IN 46807. This event is free and open to the public.

On Wednesday, May 11 at 6:45 pm, Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals continues 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 in the Amistad Room. For May 11, we will be discussing chapters 9-14.

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 next book that will be discussed in the Plymouth Women's Book Study will be Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson on Tuesday, May 17 at 12:00 pm.

"A true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to end mass incarceration in America — from one of the most inspiring lawyers of our time.

Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit law office in Montgomery, Alabama, dedicated to defending the poor, the incarcerated, and the wrongly condemned.

Just Mercy tells the story of EJI, from the early days with a small staff facing the nation’s highest death sentencing and execution rates, through a successful campaign to challenge the cruel practice of sentencing children to die in prison, to revolutionary projects designed to confront Americans with our history of racial injustice." - Goodreads

Plymouth’s Women's Book Study welcomes any reader who self-identifies as a woman to drop in to the group for one or more sessions. We meet in the Amistad Room on the third Tuesday of the month at 12:00 pm.

Contact, Judith Beineke jrbeineke@yahoo.co.uk with questions.

On Sunday, May 22, Congregational Life is sponsoring an ice cream social to celebrate another successful program year in the life of Plymouth Church. The social will be held in the Folsom Room after worship. All members and friends are invited to this family friendly gathering. Please sign up in the Folsom Room to let Congregational Life know how many people to expect. We hope you can join us!

Currently, in Allen County, there are more than 800 inmates living in deplorable conditions at the Allen County Jail. The recent lawsuit filed by the ACLU confirms that inmates are often forced to sleep on mats on the floor and kept in overcrowded quads with little-to-no access to sunlight for days at a time. More than half of those incarcerated are there due to mental illness, addiction, or simply being too poor to pay bail before trial. Many have not yet even been convicted of a crime. Despite this, the Allen County Commissioners have so far responded to the ACLU lawsuit by cementing plans to move forward towards building a new, $350 million jail.

“Help, not Handcuffs” is a growing coalition of clergy, community leaders, and concerned citizens who believe that more incarceration does not lead to safer communities. This coalition believes that to address jail over-crowding and build a culture of care not incarceration in Allen County, we need our county to invest in crisis intervention strategies, addiction services, and mental health treatment options, rather than spending taxpayer money to build a bigger jail. Please read and sign the “Help, Not Handcuffs” petition at the link below, and consider being part of this growing community movement.

The bi-annual national gathering of the United Church of Christ, called General Synod, will be in Indianapolis from June 30 to July 4, 2023. As such, the Indiana-Kentucky Conference will be its host. The Conference is inviting members of local congregations such as ours to volunteer to assist in a variety of tasks, such as ushering, staffing a help desk, hospitality, serving as pages for plenary and business sessions, and more. In total, they are seeking 300 volunteers from throughout the Conference to assist for part or for the duration of General Synod. If you would like to volunteer, please email generalsynod2023@ikcucc.org. Thank you!

Join and/or support Team Plymouth in the 2022 AIDS Walk, benefitting the Northeast Indiana Positive Resource Connection! The E&M Board is excited to offer this fun way of showing our love for the PRC and all the good work they do. Fundraising has already begun and the walk itself will happen at Parkview Field on Saturday, June 4, at 10:00 am. Of course, we ask that you wear your Plymouth t-shirt. (If you don't have one yet, we still have plenty!)

There are a few ways to participate.

1. If you have the resources and the inclination to join in the walk and contribute to our fundraiser, please visit our Team Page and click on Join Team. Your $15 registration fee goes towards our fundraiser, and you should have the option of adding a separate, tax-deductible donation as well. Registering will create a page specific to you, but linked to our team, so any contributions given on your page will automatically add into Plymouth’s total.

2. If you would like to donate, but aren’t particularly interested in joining the walk itself, visit our Team Page and click on Donate! It’s pretty simple from that point on.

3. If you aren’t able to donate but would like to show your support and join the walk, we’d love to have you there! Make sure you wear your Plymouth t-shirt!

4. If you aren’t able to donate or join the walk but want to chip in – please share the link to our Team Page on social media and invite your friends to contribute! Actually, also do this if you are doing any of the options listed above.

Questions? Ask January! And thanks in advance for participating in whatever way you are able.

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 jss@plymouthfw.org 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