Compassion © Mary Southard, www.ministryofthearts.org. Used with permission.

"Repairers of the Breach" 

2023 Stewardship Campaign 

“You shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in” 

- Isaiah 58:12b

Baruch Spinoza was one of the most important thinkers in the 17th ​‌century. In this four-part chapel class series beginning Sunday, October 23, 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.

Each year, we elect our slate of officers and board members who will serve for the upcoming year. We will have a congregational meeting after worship on Sunday, October 23. All members are encouraged to be present and vote on these important decisions. A link to the roster can be found at the button below as well as the minutes from the last Annual Business Meeting.

Please mark your calendars for Sunday, October 23 at 2:00 pm, for an educational forum sponsored by the Plymouth Reproductive Rights Action Team. This forum, focused on SB1 – the new Indiana Abortion Ban—will feature expert speakers from the fields of law, medicine, and sexual violence advocacy. We will learn about the practical implications of the new law as it applies to what is and is not currently legal in Indiana, the future of medical care for pregnant people, the effect this will have on people who are victims of sexual violence, and how we can get involved in future advocacy efforts. There will be a period of open Q&A at the end of the forum. This event is free and open to the public and will be livestreamed and recorded. Please plan to attend and invite friends!

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 and book discussion with Rev. Ofner-Seals 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.

Mark your calendars for Friday, October 28 at 6:30 pm for another family game night, this time with a chili-cook-off! Bring your favorite game and a pot of chili to share. Winners will be decided by popular vote, categories will include best red, best white, and best vegetarian. Pots and crockpots should arrive by 6:30pm to be considered for judging. Beverages and toppings will be provided. Don’t miss this opportunity for games, food and fellowship—all are welcome!

The memorial service for Roberta Braunlin will be Saturday, October 29 with a visitation at 10:00 am in the Folsom Room, service at 11:00 am, and reception following.

Indiana Center for Middle East Peace is delighted to welcome Rev. Edwin Arrison as our 2022 Annual Gala speaker: “My Life with ‘Arch’ (Desmond Tutu), Kairos South Africa & Kairos Palestine

The 2022 Annual Gala will be Saturday, October 29, 5:30pm, at Orchard Ridge Country Club (4531 Lower Huntington Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46809). Heavy Middle Eastern appetizers, silent auction, music, and more!

Edwin was a close friend and colleague of Archbishop Desmond Tutu in the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, as well as in support of the Palestinian struggle for justice and full political, civil, and human rights. Edwin serves as the Development Director for the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation. See our website for Edwin’s full bio.

As you know, this is our only fundraiser of the year, and we are able to offer all our programs, free and open to the public, only because of your (and others’) generosity.

Please join us! Registration and Benefactor details on our website at the button below. 

E&M will be hosting our monthly Tapping Into Faith get together at 7:30pm on Monday, October 31, at Mad Anthony Brewing. It’s a great opportunity to get to know your Plymouth family a little better, and sometimes neighbors from the community as well. This will be an All Saints' themed gathering. 

Feel free to bring a friend if you like – the more the merrier! E&M will provide appetizers to share, and you are welcome to order food and drink for yourself. Open to the public.

Join us and our friends at Trinity English Lutheran Church for the first annual Compost Festival in Fort Wayne on Friday, November 4 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Bring your old, carved pumpkins to compost, enjoy live music, games, and food trucks, and learn more about composting and other green efforts in the city of Fort Wayne. Participants include Bravas, The Sassy Vegan, ACDEM, Earth Charter Indiana, Dirt Wain, Ecofest FW, US Compost Council, Trinity English Lutheran Church, and Plymouth Congregational Church.

On Sunday, November 6 at 2:00 pm, join us here at Plymouth for the Blessing and Consecration of Crossroad Child & Family Services CEO David Mullins and Crossroad Chaplain Rev. Christian Perkins.

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.

The office wants to thank Roger Eversole, Jan Younger, Judy Springer, and Margie Dougherty for helping with this year’s Stewardship Campaign mailing. Your contribution made a monumental task so much easier and is much appreciated!

The November Bell submission deadline is Wednesday, November 9, at 11:59 pm. This is the final Bell of 2022. All those who have articles they'd like to submit must submit them by the deadline or their appearance cannot be guaranteed in the Bell. 

If you have a passion project or idea you'd like to share in the Bell that aligns with Plymouth's covenants and mission, please submit your idea/article to our Communications Specialist Elizabeth Pruitt at edp@plymouthfw.org or call the office at (260) 423-9424. 

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!

October 16 – November 8

For three weeks we will be collecting old shoes—all types in any condition—as well as old, usable, eyeglasses for donation to Lions Club and Changing Footprints.

Lions Club is well-known for their program that collects, cleans, and redistributes eyeglasses to people in need around the world. If you happen to have glasses with old prescriptions or with frames you don’t like anymore or whatever, bring them our way! Please include a glasses pouch/case if you have one, and use the box provided in the Folsom Room for collecting them.

Changing Footprints is an incredible program that collects used shoes of any variety and in any condition. Shoes that are still serviceable are distributed to families in need, shelters, and to disaster areas following hurricanes, floods, or fires. Shoes that are in bad condition and no longer wearable are sent to be recycled – ground up and remade into playground surfaces and running tracks. Earthwise high-five! Please put your shoes in the “Shoes” bin in the Folsom Room.

Finally, we also will be collecting intact/wearable used winter coats you no longer need, so we can donate them to the various organizations around town trying to keep people warm this winter. All sizes are welcome, and we promise to find good homes for them. Please put your coats in the “Coats” bin in the Folsom Room.

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