October brings the debut of Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals as she leads a study of Sister

Joan Chittister’s book, The Time is Now – A Call to Uncommon Courage. From the book jacket, readers are told it’s “for the weary, the cranky, and the fearful, this energizing

message invites us to participate in a vision for a world greater than the one

we find ourselves in today.”

Christian Education has a limited number of copies of the book available for use in upcoming Chapel classes. The books will be available for sign-out in the church office. Rev. Sara will loosely use this text for study and conversation throughout October as together we grow in the wisdom and direction of prophetic scripture.

The Peace and Justice Committee is starting up action teams on various social justice topics for members to work together on projects of concern. The first group being formed is focused on the Environment and Climate Change. This exploratory meeting will be in the Folsom Room after worship Sunday, October 3. Those who have RSVPed are encouraged to attend. PJs are looking to form additional justice groups in the future, as well as have opportunities for Plymouth folks who are not serving on a team to participate in specific time-sensitive projects. Look for updates to come!

We will have our annual blessing of the animals this Sunday, October 3 at 3:00 pm. If you have any furry friends, creaturely critters, or scaly associates, you are welcome to bring them for a brief blessing service. We will meet at the porte cochere entrance by the Folsom Room alongside Shedd Park. All animals must be leashed or crated to ensure the safety of all attendants.

The Benevolence Committee invites you to contribute to this year’s Neighbors In Need Special Collection on Sunday, October 3. Neighbors In Need is one of five special offerings we make each year to the United Church of Christ, in order to support the mission of the church beyond what we ourselves can do. This year, the Neighbors In Need theme is “Unfailing Love,” and the donations collected will focus on supporting organizations and projects that serve our neighbors who are immigrants and/or experiencing homelessness. One-third of the fund will support the Council for American Indian Ministry, and two-thirds will be distributed by the UCC’s Justice & Witness Ministries to support congregations and other organizations leading justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects in their own communities.

Please give generously, as you are able. Special envelopes are available in the pews if you’re worshipping with us in person. Otherwise, you can mail your donation to the church or give online at plymouthfw.org/donate. When you click the “Donate” button, enter your contribution on the line for Neighbors In Need. If you use a check for your donation, whether in-person or by mail, please be sure to write Neighbors In Need on the memo line!

Wednesday Night Live has returned for its regular weekly programming. The schedule and some locations have changed slightly from previous years.

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!

During the month of October, 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, starting Wednesday, October 6. 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.

Indiana Center for Middle East Peace (ICMEP) welcomes Lucas Zoughbi (B.S., Manchester University), PhD student in Psychology at Michigan State University to Plymouth Congregational Church on Thursday, October 14 at 6:30 pm. His research focuses on the torture (physical, psychological, and sexual) of Palestinian political prisoners, as well as their resistance to the Israeli occupation from within prison. Lucas is the son of Zoughbi and Elaine Zoughbi (Wi’am Conflict Resolution and Transformation Center, Bethlehem). This event is free and open to all. Masks will be required.

The next meeting of Plymouth’s Women's Book Study will be on Tuesday, October 19, 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 American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins. A widow and her young son are forced to flee their home in Acapulco and we follow their journey. The book caused controversy in some circles, because the author was not herself Latina.

For further information, contact Judith Beineke at jrbeineke@yahoo.co.uk.

Starting this week, any submissions for the Sunday digital bulletin must be sent to Elizabeth Pruitt (edp@plymouthfw.org) by 4:00 pm on the Wednesday prior. Thank you.

The Plymouth office staff are looking for 3-6 volunteers to help stuff envelopes for a churchwide mailing on Tuesday, October 19. If you are interested in helping, please contact our receptionist Jake Slone at jss@plymouthfw.org or (260) 423-9424.

After a long process of coordinating all the moving parts with Forward Indiana and the Property Board, E&M is thrilled to announce that the parking lot at Fairfield and Berry is now home to a Community Pantry! You may have seen other brightly-painted pantries around town already, and we are delighted that one of these life-giving mutual aid projects is happening in Plymouth’s neighborhood. At this pantry, the people who share this community, including us, will have the chance to give when they are able, to take what they need when they need it, and to help maintain the cleanliness of the pantry and the area. This pantry is not “ours”, but everyone’s, and what a joy it will be to share in the giving and taking and working together for the good of all!

E&M will have a table at the second annual Pride Fair at PFW on Monday, October 4, from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. We went last year and had a great time, and we’re looking forward to representing Plymouth again this year. If you know any PFW students, encourage them to come say hello!

Sandy Moliere and Jan Younger are currently in the process of putting up the newly printed name tags. The good news is that we have lots of Plymouth people. However, the stands are crowded and the name tags are often difficult to reach. A plan is in the works to correct this issue but it will take some time to put it in place. In order to create space for new members, as well as fitting in the rest of us, those couples with different last names will both go under the name earliest in the alphabet in most cases. A few unrelated people with the same last name will be on the same hook. We look forward to making this less crowded and easier to for all to find their tags. Until then, we request patience and understanding! Please contact Jan at (260) 637-4367 or Sandy at (260) 485-9862 if you have questions.

Due to privacy standards, Parkview and Lutheran Hospitals do not provide lists of congregation members who have been hospitalized to churches. This protects your medical and religious privacy and allows their chaplain staff to better serve the needs of patients and families. However, this also means that Plymouth pastoral staff do not know if you are in the hospital unless you actively reach out to us. If you would like us to call and check in on you or a loved one while in the hospital, please call the church at (260) 423 – 9424. You will be prompted to dial the pastoral care emergency extension and record a brief message. Please leave your name, what hospital you or a loved one are in, and the room number so pastoral staff can contact you. If you don’t have a room number, let us know the hospital, and make sure that you or the patient are listed in the hospital’s directory, if possible.

Each Sunday, after we hear the scripture in worship, we “play” with the story. As adults, our play often involves using our imagination to picture Biblical times, listening to our pastor mull over the passage, and responding through our quiet thoughts or our songs and prayers.

This year in Sunday school, our kids will also have a chance to “play” with Bible stories. Unlike adults, who often play in their thoughts, kids tend to play in tactile ways. They reenact the Bible stories, they draw pictures of Bible places, they add imaginative bits of their modern life into their play.

“Godly Play” is a system of storytelling and playful response. It’s been used at Plymouth in the past, but it’s been a while, and the best way to understand the process is to see it in action. So on Wednesdays beginning Sept 8, all ages are invited to a Godly Play Sampler. While we will follow the same structure as our childrens’ sessions, these Wednesday settings are set up for all ages. We won’t ask adults to role-play that they are children -- along with the story props and play dough there will be space for adults to reflect through quiet space, journaling, and discussion.

If you could use a mid-week space to reflect playfully on scripture, or if you are curious about this year’s Sunday school program, join us for one or more of these sampler sessions.

Now that events and meetings are returning to the building, it is important that you contact Tina Puitz, Office Manager, to make sure the time, date and room for your event is available. You may also be asked to complete a building use form. By contacting the office, your event will be entered onto the calendar and your meeting space will be ready when you arrive. Even if your event is returning after the long break due to the pandemic, you must still contact Tina. Also, if you will be selling anything or money will be coming to the office, please coordinate with Tina so office preparations can be made. Contact Tina at 260-423-9424 or tmp@plymouthfw.org. Thank you.

Due to numerous requests, Plymouth has decided to open our sanctuary on Thursdays from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm for a time of personal prayer. Please enter through the Berry Street Office entrance and check in with our receptionist. Contact our receptionist Jake Slone at (260) 423-9424 or jss@plymouthfw.org with any questions.

If you have a need to visit the office, we’d love to see you! Our office is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Appointments are no longer necessary to visit the office during these days. On Fridays, our office will be open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm by appointment only. Contact the office at (260) 423-9424 or office@plymouthfw.org with any questions.