Baruch Spinoza was one of the most important thinkers in the 17th ​‌century. In this four-part chapel class series continuing this Sunday, November 13, Joel Givens will provide a brief biographical description of Spinoza, discuss the context in which he was writing, offer a brief overview of key philosophical concepts from the Ethics, and address implications for Christianity, politics, and day to day living. Joel will include experiential learning exercises to enrich the lecture points, and he will facilitate discussions to promote understanding of the concepts. This won't be a boring philosophy class; Joel will present a fun, engaging, and applicable approach to Spinoza's ideas. This class will be available in-person or on Zoom.

Standish Circle Knit & Kibitz group will hold their annual fundraising sale following

worship Sunday, November 13. Donated items for the sale include apparel for all ages and home décor. Pepper jelly will also be available for purchase. Purchases can be made by cash or check. All proceeds go to family support agencies.

Newcomers to Fort Wayne, this husband and wife duo from Ecuador will present

a varied program from classical art song to indigenous music from South America on Sunday, November 13 at 4:00 pm.

Our Centering Prayer group is moving to a new night! Please consider joining us for this time of silent prayer and fellowship on the 2nd and 4th Monday nights of each month. Our first meeting will be Monday, November 14 at 5:30 pm. We will gather for a time of informal fellowship, then transition into 20 minutes of silent, centering prayer, followed by a time of reflection. No experience is needed, so come check us out any time!

The November book choice for Plymouth's Women's Book Study is Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving. We will meet Tuesday, November 15 at 12:00 pm in the Amistad Room. 

"This is the book Irving wishes someone had handed her decades ago. By sharing her struggle to understand racism and racial tensions, she offers a fresh perspective on bias, stereotypes, manners, and tolerance. As Irving unpacks her own long-held beliefs, she reveals how her well-intentioned mindsets actually perpetuated ill-conceived ideas about race. She also explains why and how she's changed the way she talks about racism, works in racially mixed groups, and understands the antiracism movement as a whole. Exercises at the end of each chapter prompt readers to explore their own racialized ideas. "

Anyone who self-identifies as a woman is welcome to drop in for one or more of our sessions if the book interests them. We meet on the third Tuesday of most months from 12:00 pm until 1:15 pm in the Amistad Room.

Wednesday Night Live programming starts each week at 5:15 pm with Bible Study, Children’s Choir and Adult Choir rehearsals. A catered dinner is served at 6:00 pm, with Bell Choir at 6:45 pm. A sign-up sheet is in the Folsom Room for those who wish to attend dinner. Recommended donation is $8 but is pay as you are able. Wednesday Night Live is a great way to get more involved in the life of the church and get to know other church members. Join us for one or more of the scheduled programs, or just join us for dinner and fellowship! We hope to see you there!

Join Rev. Murphy and others in Plymouth’s weekly Bible study, which is offered during Wednesday Night Live from 5:15 pm to 6:00 pm. We are now offering a hybrid model: in-person in the Chapel with an online Zoom option as well. For those who intend to join online, please click the link below and enter the following password when prompted: 805552.

The Help Not Handcuffs Coalition is offering another teach-in opportunity on Saturday, November 19 focused on mass incarceration, racial justice, and the new jail proposal in Allen County. Rev. Murphy will be co-facilitating the teach-in, which begins at 3:00 pm and will be located at The Impact Center, 3420 E Paulding Road, Fort Wayne, 46816. If you are interested in attending or what to learn more, please see Rev. Murphy or email him at tcm@plymouthfw.org.

Please join in this interfaith service with the Fort Wayne community on Tuesday, November 22 at 7:00 pm. The theme is “From Mourning to Dancing.” After a three-year hiatus, it’s back! This event will take place at Congregation Achduth Vesholom, 5200 Old Mill Road, Fort Wayne. Refreshments and information tables will be available after the service. Plymouth is a co-sponsor of this event.

Plymouth will once again host a Thanksgiving Day service and meal. The service will be held in the Chapel at 11:30 am on Thanksgiving Day, followed by a traditional Thanksgiving meal (with all the fixings) in the Folsom Room at 12:00 pm. For those who would like to contribute a dish to the meal, or for those who would like to help with set up, cooking, service, or clean up, there is a sign-up sheet in the Folsom room. Please sign up by Sunday, November 20 if you would like to participate.

Rev. Murphy will be reading and presenting his first illustrated children’s book after worship on Sunday, November 27 in the Folsom Room. It’s entitled Jesus Learns to Glow. Books will be available for sale and signing.

STOP! Is your 2022 stewardship pledge set up with your bank account or credit card? If yes, you must set up a new pledge for 2023 on the new giving platform. Your pledge for 2022 will not automatically roll over to the new year and will end on December 31, 2022. Please follow this link plymouthfw.org/stewardship to set up your 2023 pledge. If you have questions or need assistance, please call the office at (260) 423-9424 and ask for Tina Puitz, Office Manager or Stephen Cook, Financial Administrator.

A new online giving platform is now available to simplify the donation process! Make one-time or recurring gifts, access your donation history, or make changes to your giving plan through this easy-to-use portal, which can be accessed at this link. Assistance is available over the phone or in person to those desiring help in setting up their online giving account with Tina Puitz (Office Manager) or Stephen Cook (Financial Administrator) on Wednesday, November 9 and 16 from 2:30 – 4:30 pm and Friday, November 11 and 18 from 9:00 – 11:00 am.

This Sunday, we welcome a new group of members to Plymouth Church. Click the button below to read each of their bios.

The Grants and Scholarships Committee has the pleasant responsibility of awarding scholarship grants for tuition and fees for academic credit from the earnings generated by several endowed funds.

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.

Applications for the following scholarship is 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.

Completed applications for grants/scholarships for tuition and fees for academic credit with all supporting materials must be received in the church office by the respective due dates. Incomplete applications are ineligible for consideration.

To request application packets for these funds or to receive additional information, call the church office (260) 423-9424 and leave your name, phone number, and email address so a member of the Grants and Scholarships Committee can respond to your request.

It’s time to order your Christmas poinsettias! Ordering poinsettias is an easy way to remember, honor, and celebrate loved ones and friends, while helping to decorate our church home for Christmas. To order, please fill out the order form and return it with your check to the church office by Sunday, December 4. Poinsettias are $11.00 each. Please take your plant home with you following the 10:00 pm worship service on Christmas Eve.

To place an order, please either click the button below to print off a copy of the order form to fill out and return to the church office, or pick up an order form in the church office on Sunday morning.

The Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival is December 29 and 30, 2022. Between the 5:30 pm and 8:00 pm services, the kitchen crew serves food to the cast, orchestra, and crew. The kitchen crew is always looking for additional volunteers to spend a few hours or the entire afternoon/evening in the kitchen preparing food. A big thanks to those kitchen crew members who return year after year. We also gladly welcome new crew members. Between making sandwiches and cutting fruits and vegetables, there is a lot of lively banter and conversation. We usually get started early in the afternoon each day. If you would like to be part of the kitchen crew on one or both days, please send an email to Diana Bauer at dcb1120@gmail.com. Boar's Head is a huge part of Plymouth and the kitchen crew makes an important contribution to the overall production!

The Indiana Kentucky conference of the UCC is hosting General Synod in June 2023, and it has been a tradition for the hosting conference to provide prayer shawls for delegates and others in attendance. Would you be willing to help by knitting or crocheting one or two shawls? Let Rev. Sara (smo@plymouthfw.org) know if you would like to commit to making one (or three!).

The E&M Board has several opportunities in the coming holiday season for Plymouth to express our love of neighbor. Mindful of rising costs, we have decided on some budget-friendly collection efforts. It is our hope that providing information on all of them at once will allow folks to make choices ahead of time and plan accordingly, without feeling overwhelmed or pressured as projects are promoted separately. Thank you in advance for being the church!

November 8 – December 4 (FW Pride Christmas)

This was meant to be a December collection, but wrapped gifts are due by Dec. 9, so November it is! We know that plenty of Plymouth folks already participate in FW Pride’s Christmas for families in need, and we had fun ourselves playing Santa with FW Pride last year. We also know that sponsoring a family – or even one kid – by yourself can be a real expense. So, if you’d like to participate in FW Pride’s Christmas this year, but aren’t sure about sponsoring a family solo, E&M is organizing an “Angel Tree” for a larger family. Beginning November 8, you can choose one gift item to purchase (usually $25-$30), and help a family have a happy Christmas.

November 8 – January 1

During this season, we will be collecting unopened canned/boxed food items. From what is collected, we will work to help keep the community pantry in the parking lot stocked during the winter. Please ensure cans have “pop tops” so they can be opened without a can opener if necessary. Canned meats and beans, hearty soups and pastas, and potatoes are treasures! Peanut butter, shelf-stable microwave meals, and instant oatmeal are easy for kids to prepare! Canned fruit, canned veggies, and condiments really complete a meal! Shelf-stable milk is a miracle!

The following links can be found on our Linktree:

• Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Sign Up
• Chancel Flower Dedication Sign Up Form
• Study Connection Volunteer Sign Up
• Plymouth Google Calendar
• Plymouth's Social Medias