Chapel classes in November promise to both provoke and enthuse. Weekly guests, each a genuine asset in this arena, will share about their work and the differences they are making.

The next meeting of Plymouth’s Women's Book Study will be on Tuesday, November 16 from 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm in the Amistad Room. Any reader who self-identifies as a woman is welcome, whether you've attended before or not.

We shall be discussing Somebody's Daughter: A Memoir

by Ashley C. Ford. Ms. Ford was born and raised in Fort Wayne. Her story describes a childhood defined by the looming absence of her incarcerated father and what happens when she hears he's being released. There may be a few local landmarks you recognize as you read.

For further information, contact Judith Beineke at [email protected].

5:15 pm: Children’s Choir (TBD)

6:00 pm: Dinner (Folsom Room and/or Shedd Park)

6:45 pm: Plymouth Bell Ensemble (Sanctuary Balcony)

Sign-up sheets are in the Folsom Room to indicate if you will be there for the weekly dinner. Please write your name, number of members of your household, and mark if you are requesting a vegetarian option. Masks will be required indoors except when eating. Plans are fluid based on local COVID cases so watch for e-blasts on any changes of plans. We look forward to seeing you there!

Continuing through November, Rev. Sara will be leading a centering prayer group in the chapel as part of Wednesday night live activities. The group will meet in the chapel from 6:45 pm to 7:30 pm. Centering prayer is a form of silent, contemplative prayer meant to open the heart to God’s presence and action within. Whether you are new to centering prayer, or practice it regularly, all are welcome to join this group. We will be working loosely with the book The Heart of Centering Prayer by Cynthia Bourgeault, though purchase of the book is not required for participation. Please note that there will be no Centering Prayer session on November 24.

The Indiana Center for Middle East Peace (ICMEP) welcomes Rev. Loren McGrail to Plymouth Church on Thursday, November 18 at 6:30 pm. A UCC minister, writer, poet and artist, Loren served as mission co-worker for UCC and Disciples of Christ in Palestine/Israel in 2018-2021. She writes about her work for Palestinians, and immigrants/refugees based on her witness at the San Diego border. Loren will also discuss her work taking oral histories of Palestinian refugee women from the 1948 Nakba. Free, open to the public. Masks required.

On Sunday, November 21, we will have our annual special collection for Thanksgiving. This year the offering will support the good work of Just Neighbors. As of this writing, they are housing and caring for four families, including seven children. The services they offer to vulnerable families in our community are vital, and they provide them with good will and respect for the dignity of the people they serve.

You may use the special collection envelopes in the pew racks if you are with us in person. Otherwise, you may mail a check to the church at 501 W. Berry St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802. When making your offering with a check, please include “Thanksgiving Offering” in the memo line.

Please give what you are able, with thanksgiving that your offering will manifest your love of neighbor.

For those who are interested in getting more involved in the effort to resettle recent Afghan refugees in the Fort Wayne area, there will be an introductory and informational meeting on Sunday, November 21 at 11:30 am in the Chapel. We will discuss various options for how to get involved and consider how Plymouth church might be part of the ongoing effort to provide hospitality and welcome to Afghan individuals and their families as they arrive in Fort Wayne and adjust to life in the United States.

On Sunday, November 21, the Same City food truck, which is operated by Just Neighbors, will be in the Plymouth Church parking lot after worship. Bring some cash and plan to purchase a snack or some lunch to help benefit the work that Just Neighbors does for those experiencing homelessness in Fort Wayne.

Our next WELCOMING GROUP will meet Sunday, December 5, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. 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. Please contact Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals at [email protected] or 260-423-9424 x322 to register. An accurate number is needed for the light lunch that will be provided by Congregational Life Board.

Yes, Virginia, Plymouth members and friends of Knit and Kibitz will have lots of handcrafted items available for their home and holiday gifting. The annual sale, which was paused because of the pandemic, is returning Sunday, December 5. Items can be purchased in the Folsom Room before and after worship that day.

All items and supplies for the sale are donated, thus 100% of the income will be given to nonprofit agencies serving families. The sales of Pepper Jelly, Wreaths, and Knit and Kibitz items are three projects of the Standish Colony Circle.

Only cash and checks are accepted for purchases.

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, November 28. Poinsettias are $10.00 each. Plants will be placed in the sanctuary the Sunday before Christmas. 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 E&M Board is thrilled to announce that the final donation from our friends at Peace UCC has been registered, so we have a campaign donation total. Together with our neighbors at First Congregational Church, UCC in Angola and Peace UCC here in Fort Wayne, we have raised an incredible $28,810.19! The folks at RIP Medical Debt will begin their purchase on November 15, and should be able to tell us the amount of debt cancelled in three weeks. Given the average rate of return, we hope to be able to eliminate roughly $2.8 million in medical debt! This is phenomenal. It is going to be life-changing for many people. One of us alone could not achieve so much - Plymouth alone would not have achieved so much - but in community with one another and our neighbors, we can move mountains. Thank you!

Plymouth will be hosting a Thanksgiving meal from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 25, and we are looking for volunteers to help provide side dishes and to help with serving and clean up. There is a sign-up sheet in the Folsom Room with a list of side dishes that are requested. Just sign up for what you would like to contribute and plan to drop it off before 12:00 pm on Thanksgiving Day. There are also spots to sign up to help with service and clean-up. This is an important ministry for those who are without family or who are unable to travel to see family on Thanksgiving Day. Please consider helping if you can!

This is a friendly reminder that beverages (coffee, soda, etc.) should not be brought into the sanctuary during worship. Please confine their use to the Folsom Room. Thank you!

To keep our church records accurate, please ensure that your full name is clearly printed in the pew pad. If you have any questions about how to fill out the pew pad, instructions can be found in the front cover. Thank you for your help and understanding!

Children ages 5-11 are now eligible to be vaccinated with the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine.

We are in need of volunteers to assist with children’s fellowship time during the 10:00 am worship service. Volunteers will lead children into the Amistad room after the lighting of the peace candle and supervise them as they engage in activities such as arts and crafts and general fellowship. We would like to have enough volunteers so that no one is required to serve more than once a month, and to have at least two adults in the room at any given time. Volunteers are required to have been attending Plymouth for at least six months and will be required to fill out a background check. To express your interest in volunteering, or to get more information, please contact Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals at [email protected].

Any submissions for the Sunday digital bulletin must be sent to Elizabeth Pruitt ([email protected]) by 4:00 pm on the Wednesday prior. We cannot guarantee announcements sent after this time will appear in that Sunday's bulletin. Thank you.

For a time of personal prayer, visit the sanctuary on Thursdays from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm. 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

Questions? Contact the office at 260-423-9424 or [email protected]