On Sunday, November 5, we will be welcoming Justin Calloway from Road 2 Recovery in Fort Wayne to talk about addiction recovery services in the city, as well as to discuss their most recent efforts to start a recovery house specifically for transgender women. This house would be the first of its kind in Fort Wayne and the entire state of Indiana and is a huge need in our community. Learn more about the work Justin is doing and support a great cause! 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.

On Sunday, November 5 at 4:00 pm, the Plymouth Music Series presents "Virtuosic Vocals," a concert of opera and musical theatre featuring the vocal artists of Heartland Sings. This concert is in memory of Rick Schilb, long time member of the choir and lover of singing! The concert is free and open to the public. A reception follows in the Folsom Room. You’ll hear some amazing vocal performances - this concert is a must for the music lover!  

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 6 at 5:30 pm!

Wednesday Night Live programming continues this Wednesday, November 8. 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!

Experience performances by world renowned Vienna Light Orchestra as they play cinema's most iconic music surrounded by over 2,000 LED candles on Saturday, November 11 at 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm in the sanctuary. An immersive tribute to Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Andrew Lloyd Weber and many more. The most iconic movie music performed by a live chamber orchestra in an enchanting candle-lit setting under a glowing moon. Immerse yourself in the captivating melodies of the Vienna Light Orchestra, where timeless classics blend seamlessly with contemporary arrangements. Join us for an enchanting evening of symphonic brilliance that transcends time. Vienna Light Orchestra is privileged to perform at the historic Plymouth Church - a venue that boasts purpose and elegance. Step into the awe-inspiring Sanctuary, where every whispered note reverberates with ethereal grace, as the divine acoustics transform each instrument into a symphony of "celestial harmony."

The concert will take place in the Plymouth Church Sanctuary, with performances at 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm. The runtime is approximately 70 minutes, making it an easy addition to your evening plans. Plymouth Church Members can receive a 10% discount on all tickets when using promo code MEMBERS10 at the checkout. Click the button below to purchase tickets.

Our next week to provide dinner at the Just Neighbors family shelter is coming up Sunday, November 12 through Friday, November 17. Each night, we are responsible for providing a main dish, a side dish/vegetable, fruit, and dessert. You can sign up to provide one part of the meal, or the whole meal. If you are interested in helping, please use the link below to sign up.

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 12 & 19 – The Human Library – Plymouth members Jan Evrard and Jane Meredith will lead two sessions 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.

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.

The Reproductive Rights Action Team invites you to a training on ‘moral messaging’ on Sunday, November 12 at 2:00 pm. The training will be led by Rev. Terry Williams from Faith Choice Ohio. This one-hour, interactive training will equip you to use abortion-positive language rooted in religious values to help lift up abortion as a moral good. Come prepared to dive deep into the words, frameworks, and stories that we use to talk about abortion justice and reproductive freedom. This training is free and open to anyone in the community, so please feel free to invite friends!

Do you have questions about the current war between Israel and Hamas? Would you like to know more about the historical context of the conflict? Are you confused by competing narratives in the media and wondering where the truth lies? Join us on Wednesday, November 15 at 6:45 pm for an informal discussion with Michael Spath, Rev. Timothy, and Rev. Sara to learn more. This is a safe space to ask your questions and share honestly with one another. The discussion will take place in the Chapel immediately following Wednesday Night Live dinner. RSVPs are appreciated but not required—please email Rev. Sara at [email protected] to let us know if you plan to come. All are welcome.

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.

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.

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 [email protected]. After that you will be automatically added to the online directory. You may request to be removed from the directory at any time.

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.

Sunday, November 5, is the final Sunday of our Stewardship Campaign, called “Commitment Sunday.” If you have not already submitted a pledge form for 2024, either in person or via our website, please do so no later than then. Thank you!

On behalf of the Plymouth Afghan Refugee Task Force, the E&M Board has organized a winter clothing and diaper drive for our Afghan neighbors. We don’t have to tell you how cold the winters are here, and these families have zero winter coats, no boots, and so forth. Let’s help keep them warm and dry!

Donations should be left in the Folsom Room by Sunday, November 5!

Because the drive is for specific families, there are specific sizes needed. We have created a SignUp Genius to help ensure that the needs of each person are met, and that we don’t end up with an avalanche of only size 2 boots. The SignUp Genius is accessible by clicking the button below.

If all of the items on the SignUp are already claimed when you visit, these families also have constant need for diapers! Diapers needed in sizes 4-6, as well as adult diapers in sizes small and medium for two older children with disabilities.

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 [email protected].

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.

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.

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