Sunday, November 19, 2023 | |
Joys and Concerns
Sunday at 1:00 pm
Our weekly joys and concerns check-in will meet at 1:00 pm this Sunday. Please join this Zoom call for a time to name something we are grateful for, a concern we have, and to be in prayer together.
Those unable to join by video can call 1-253-215-8782, then enter the code 829-3823-4464#, then # when asked for the password.
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Order of Worship
Prelude: Thee Combo | Barrett Seals, English Horn | Wagner Pastor, tenor
Welcome & Announcements
Centering Moment
Call to Worship: Psalm 100, adapted
Hymn No. 28 “For the Beauty of the Earth” | DIX
Invocation & Lord’s Prayer
Passing of the Peace
Response Song: “Give Thanks”
Peace Prayer
Mission Moment: Thanksgiving Offering
Pastoral Prayer
Anthem: "Be Thou My Vision"
Scripture: Psalm 137:1-9
Sermon: “Lament and Vengeance”
Communion Hymn No. 321 “Break Now the Bread of Life” | BREAD OF LIFE
Invitation to Communion
Communion
Hymn No. 32 “God of the Sparrow God of the Whale” | ROEDER
Benediction
Postlude: Thee Combo
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November 19
Erin Shaw
November 20
Lowell Beineke
Amber Butler
Valerie Pelz
Genny Van Amerongen
November 22
Jenna Rupp
Darlene Smith
Ross Sonday
Deb Tuttle
November 23
Mary Bir
Matt Brown
Kirstin Springer
Ruth Anne Sprunger
November 24
Kathleen Simunek
November 25
Doug Powers
Jessie Throop-Voors
Christine Week
Next Week's Birthdays
November 26
Chris Randolph
November 27
Nancy Kilduski
November 28
Eric Congdon
November 29
Ed Gomez
Marvin Paschal
November 30
Brent Blalock
Stan Holdeman
Konrad Spitler
December 1
Alexis Degitz
Jim Schmidt
Zoey Spath Pinedo
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Sunday, November 19
8:30 am Fellowship Hour
9:00 am Wreath Pick-Up
9:00 am Education Hour
9:00 am Winter Sale
9:00 am Worship Rehearsal
10:00 am Worship Service
11:15 am Environmental Action Team Meeting
1:00 pm Joys and Concerns (online)
Monday, November 20
Office Closed
5:30 pm Centering Prayer Group
Tuesday, November 21
9:30 am Michael Spath Religion and Culture Class
12:00 pm Women's Book Study
1:00 pm Staff Meeting
7:00 pm Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
Thursday, November 23
Office Closed - Staff Holiday
11:30 am Thanksgiving Service
12:00 pm Thanksgiving Dinner
Friday, November 24
Office Closed - Staff Holiday
Sunday, November 26
8:30 am Fellowship Hour
9:00 am Parish Nurses
9:00 am Education Hour (No Adult Chapel Class)
9:00 am Worship Rehearsal
10:00 am Worship Service
11:00 am Hanging of the Greens
1:00 pm Joys and Concerns (online)
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Sunday, November 19: Chapel Class - The Human Library | | |
On Sunday, November 19, Plymouth members Jan Evrard and Jane Meredith will lead the second session about the Human Library, which will include bringing in several “books” for people to read. The Human Library is an organization committed to breaking down stereotypes and challenging stigma. Chapel Class begins at 9:00 am on Sunday morning and is open to all adults in person or on Zoom. The password for Zoom is 063060. | | | |
Sunday, November 19: Thanksgiving Special Offering | | |
On Sunday, November 19, we will hold a special offering benefitting Homebound Meals to celebrate Thanksgiving. Homebound Meals has been serving our community for over 50 years, delivering freshly made, medically tailored meals to folks who aren’t able to get out and about to hunt and gather for themselves. While the price of $5.50/meal is low, many of their clients are unable to pay, and so meal costs are subsidized, or eliminated, allowing all people access to good food prepared well. Your donations will help Homebound Meals continue to serve our neighbors, regardless of their capacity to pay.
Please mark your offering envelope and the memo line of your check for Thanksgiving Offering. You may also donate online by clicking the button below and use the dropdown “Fund” menu to select “Thanksgiving.”
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Sunday, November 19: Standish Circle Wreath Pickup | | |
If you pre-ordered a wreath through the Standish Circle Wreath Sale, they will be available for pickup on Sunday, November 19 at the porte-cochere entrance before and after church. | | | |
Sunday, November 19: Winter Sale | | |
Come to the Folsom Room on Sunday, November 19 before and after the worship service for the final day of the 2023 sale of handmade items by Plymouth members and friends now known as the Makers' Group.
First-time items, silent auction items, and unique items along with a new stock of favorites, including the highly regarded sweet pepper jelly. This Sunday’s sale will also feature freshly baked bread from the youth group (made the night before at their lock-in) and items from the Third World Shoppe.
Cash and check are accepted, and all proceeds from the Makers' Group are allocated to nonprofit agencies serving families.
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Monday, November 20: Centering Prayer Meeting Weekly | | |
The Centering Prayer group at Plymouth meets every Monday evening at 5:30 pm, in the Chapel. Centering Prayer is an ancient form of Christian meditation that dates back as far as the 14th century and is practiced by Christians all over the world. The main idea behind Centering Prayer is to let go of all thoughts in order to open oneself to the healing presence of God within. Plymouth’s Centering Prayer group is open to anyone, regardless of one’s level of experience. Beginners are encouraged to drop in anytime. Whether you can come once a week or once a month, or just once in a while, we’d love to see you there! Join us Monday, November 20 at 5:30 pm! | | | |
Tuesday, November 21: Plymouth Women's Book Study | | |
Next month's selection for Plymouth's Women's Book Study is Both/And: A Memoir by Huma Abedin.
"A New York Times bestseller, this extraordinary memoir from Huma Abedin—Hillary Clinton’s famously private top aide and longtime advisor—offers “a gripping testament to the power of a woman finding her voice, owning her ambition, and sharing her truth.” - Glennon Doyle
"The daughter of Indian and Pakistani intellectuals and advocates, Abedin grew up in the United States and Saudi Arabia and traveled widely. Both/And grapples with family, legacy, identity, faith, marriage, motherhood—and work."
As always, we invite anyone to join us who self-identifies as a woman. We shall meet in the Amistad Room at 12:00 pm on Tuesday November 21. If you would like to join us by Zoom, please email Laura McCoy. Other books coming up are Cobalt Red by Siddharth Khan in January, and Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver in February. There will be no meeting in December.
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Tuesday, November 21: Interfaith Thanksgiving Service | | |
Each year Plymouth participates in the annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service held at Congregation Achduth Vesholom. This year’s event will be on Tuesday, November 21 at 7:00 pm. The theme is “Giving Thanks for One Another.” Rev. Murphy, Rev. Ofner-Seals, and Maestro Nance will all be participating. We hope to see you there. There will be an offering for Just Neighbors and a reception afterwards. | | | |
Thursday, November 23: Thanksgiving Day Service and Dinner | | |
There will be a Thanksgiving Day devotional service held in the Chapel at 11:30 am on November 23. Afterwards, all those who wish to participate are invited to come to the Thanksgiving Day dinner at 12:00 pm in the Folsom Room. Both activities are a great way to connect with Plymouth folks and be in fellowship with others. Anyone who is willing and able to provide some side food items for the dinner are welcome to sign up with the sign up sheet in the Folsom Room. | | | |
Chapel Class Schedule Through December 31 | | |
Believe it or not, we only have a handful of Chapel Class sessions left before the end of the year! Here is what you can look forward to as we close out the year:
November 26 – Sunday after Thanksgiving, no class
December 3, 10 & 17 – “O Little Town of Bethlehem” – We sing the carol every year, but how much do we really know about the little town of Bethlehem? Rev. Sara will be teaching this three-week series, delving into the history of this Palestinian city, its status as part of the occupied West Bank, and what’s happening there right now as war rages less than two hours away. We’ll also discuss ways we can be in solidarity with Palestinian Christians living in the city.
December 24 & 31 – no class due to Christmas Eve and New Years Eve holidays
Chapel Class begins at 9:00 am on Sunday mornings and is open to all adults in person or on Zoom. The password for Zoom is 063060.
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Sunday, November 26: Hanging of the Greens | | |
Advent is just around the corner! After worship on Sunday, November 26, we will have our annual “Hanging of the Greens” where we decorate the Sanctuary, Folsom Room, hallways, and the building generally as we prepare for the season. Folks are welcome to stick around after worship that day for as little or as long as they are able to help in the decorations. A sign-up sheet is in the Folsom Room. There’s something for everyone to help with, all ages and abilities are welcome! | | | |
Wednesday, November 29: Wednesday Night Live Programming | | |
Wednesday Night Live programming will resume Wednesday, November 29. At 5:15 pm there will be adult choir rehearsal, children’s choir rehearsal, and Bible Study with Rev. Timothy, followed by dinner at 6:00 pm. The Bible Study with Rev. Timothy can be attended in person or via Zoom using the link below. The passcode to join via Zoom is 648589. All activities are open to anyone in the church, regardless of membership status. Come for activities, or just come for dinner and fellowship! The suggested cost for dinner is $10 per person, though no one is ever turned away due to inability to pay. If you plan to come for dinner, please sign up in the Folsom Room in advance so our caterer knows how much food to prepare. Hope to see you there! | | | |
Sunday, December 3: Las Posadas Processional | | |
For the third year in a row, Plymouth is organizing a Las Posadas processional, inspired by the Mexican Christian tradition. The one big difference is we have heard your suggestions, and we are going to do it right after the worship service instead of the usual mid-afternoon time. Folks should plan on gathering in the Folsom Room to begin around 11:30 am on Sunday, December 3. After a quick overview of the tradition, we will begin the procession throughout the building as we re-enact the Holy Family’s search for lodging and shelter before finally being welcomed. This is a great event for families and children, though all ages are welcome. We conclude with a celebration in the Folsom Room with traditional Christmas tamales (Shh! It’s a surprise!) There’s a sign-up sheet in the Folsom Room. Capacity is limited to 50 people processing but others are encouraged to assist in the responsive singing at the different stations throughout the building or helping set up in the Folsom Room while everyone is away during the procession. | | | |
Wednesday, December 6: Luminous Night Service | | |
Our annual Luminous Night service will be held on Wednesday, December 6 at 7:00 pm. This is a quiet, contemplative service for those who are grieving, experiencing feelings of sadness, or otherwise feeling a need to lament during the holiday season. We will offer prayers and sing songs that speak of our need to grieve, but also speak of God’s promises of comfort to those who mourn. All are welcome to this service of lament and hope. | | | |
Poinsettia Order Forms Due November 30 | | |
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 Thursday, November 30. Poinsettias are $11.00 each. Plants will be placed in the sanctuary Sunday, December 24. 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. Please include "poinsettia" in the memo line of your check.
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Online Church Directory Update | | |
In order expedite a functional directory, Plymouth will be switching from an opt in system to and opt out system. What does this mean for you? What steps will you need to take to ensure your place in the directory? Nothing! We’ll do all the work. Starting December 5, all Plymouth members will be automatically included in the online directory! Now, if you do not wish to be a part of this undertaking, you may email Jake Slone no later than December 4 at jss@plymouthfw.org. After that you will be automatically added to the online directory. You may request to be removed from the directory at any time. | | | |
Online Access Emails Are Not a Scam | | |
In the coming months, Plymouth staff will be working on getting all members online access in preparation for the switch to the online directory. If you receive an email stating that your password and username has been changed, don’t worry. It is not a scam. It is an automatically generated e-mail that we can’t change when you are being assigned a randomly generated password. | | | |
Are you missing something? Our lost and found box is overflowing and it is time for a clean out. You will have until Sunday, November 19 to go through the box located in the closet next to the stairs on the first floor by the Folsom Room. After the 19th, we will be donating all gently used items, recycling what can and should be recycled, and discarding the rest. | | | |
Stewardship Campaign Pledge Forms | | |
Our Stewardship Campaign has formally concluded, but you can still submit a pledge form for 2024 if you have not already done so, either in person or via our website, with a digital link below. Thank you! | | | |
Safety Committee Looking for Security and Communication Volunteers | | |
Plymouth’s Safety Committee is looking for security and communication volunteers to assist the office Receptionist during the 10:00 am Sunday service by being on standby in the Narthex. Duties include but are not limited to:
- Greeting & welcoming late comers in the Narthex and directing them to the Sanctuary
- Communicating with the Receptionist via radio in the instance of an emergency (inclement weather, medical emergency in the sanctuary, fire, etc.)
- Retrieving medical equipment such as the wheelchairs or first aid kits
- Helping to direct first responders in case of an emergency or assisting others with evacuations.
If you have any interest, please contact the Safety Committee Chair, Patrick Vonderau at pvonderau8585@icloud.com.
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COVID-19 Protocols: Masking Optional | | |
Masks are optional in worship and church programming. If you are feeling under the weather or prefer to wear a mask around others, it is an ongoing option. 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 for anyone unable to attend services in person. | | | |
Desk Coverage Volunteers Needed During Staff Meetings | | |
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. | | | |
Open Prayer in the Sanctuary | | |
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. | | | |
The following links can be found on our Linktree:
- 2024 Stewardship Campaign Website
- Study Connection Volunteer Sign Up
- Plymouth Directory Login
- Chancel Flower Dedication Sign Up Form
- Donate
- Past Chapel Class Series
- Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Sign Up
- Plymouth Google Calendar
- Plymouth's Social Media
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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 office@plymouthfw.org
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