The replacement of the Berry Street sidewalk is nearing completion and is at a point that the building is now accessible from the Berry Street parking lot. There are a few things left like the installation of lamp posts and a railing for an accessibility ramp, but the Berry Street doors are now unlocked for programming and Sunday worship. For your safety, please avoid areas where there are any orange traffic drums where work is yet to be finished.

For three weeks, starting Sunday, October 8 and continuing through Sunday, October 22, Rev. Timothy Murphy will be leading Chapel Class on his theology of church (or as he prefers to call it: churching). This will be based in part on his previous academic work, focusing in particular on the good news we are called to proclaim, the fellowship we are to live out, and the service we are to offer, in light of the vision we hold together for a transformed world. Attendees will have the opportunity to wrestle with their own understanding of church, ask questions, and be in conversation with others! Chapel class is held every Sunday at 9:00 am in person and on Zoom. The passcode to join via Zoom is 063060. The Zoom link is included below.

The wait for the Library Open House is almost over. It’s time to find answers concerning the Folsom name, why the Dewey Decimal System was deleted, and how to navigate our new system to find an abundance of good reads. Join us this Sunday, October 8, in the Folsom Room following worship for coffee, cookies, and a new kind of library experience.

There will also be a book sale with collections from Rev. Carole Green and Dr. Claire Walter. All books will be priced at $1 each, and all the proceeds from the sale will go to our friends at Just Neighbors. We look forward to helping you explore joyfully.

The Centering Prayer group at Plymouth has began meeting 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, October 9 at 5:30 pm!

DR. MICHAEL SPATH'S TUESDAY MORNING CLASS, October 10

Councilman Geoff Paddock joins Michael and his class on Tuesday, October 10, from 9:30 am to 11:00 am in the Chapel, to discuss the progress of the proposed railroad service through Fort Wayne on which he and others have been working for years.

Councilman Geoff Paddock is an active board member of the Northern Indiana Passenger Rail Association (NIPRA), which meets monthly at the Baker Street Train Station, downtown. In March, NIPRA submitted an application for a Corridor Identification Grant to the Federal Railroad Administration, under the umbrella of the United States Department of Transportation. If awarded this grant, NIPRA would work with the Indiana Department of Transportation and other state Departments of Transportation to develop a Service Development Plan to connect Chicago to Fort Wayne, Columbus, and Pittsburgh. Several other cities in Northern Indiana would be served as well. If the Service Development Plan is accepted by the Federal Railroad Administration, the cost to put the plan into operation would be covered by 80% funding from the Infrastructure and Investment Act of 2021. The 20% remaining portion of the cost would be covered by the five states and several cities covered by this passenger rail connection.

The Help Not Handcuffs Coalition invites Plymouth members to attend the next federal hearing concerning the county’s process to alleviate the constitutional violations concerning the present jail. The hearing will be on Wednesday, October 11 at 10:00 am, with a rally at 9:00 am outside the federal courthouse (1300 South Harrison Street). Folks are invited to wear red. No cell phones are permitted within the federal courthouse, so please leave them in your car or at home. There is security to enter the building, so whether or not you attend the rally, please arrive no later than 9:45 am to pass through security. There is limited seating in the courtroom. This will be an important meeting to determine the judge’s response to the County Council’s rejection of funding for a new jail facility.

Wednesday Night Live programming continues this Wednesday, October 11. 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!

The next meeting of the Plymouth's Women's Book Study will take place on October 17 at 12:00 pm in the Amistad Room. We shall be discussing Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom by John O'Donohue. This book describes the spiritual world from the viewpoint of the ancient Irish imagination. Its understandings may both enrich and challenge our personal beliefs and should make for a lively discussion. All opinions will be respected, it goes without saying.

As always, we invite anyone to join us who self-identifies as a woman. If you would prefer to attend by Zoom, please email Jan Gibson [email protected]. Other books coming up are Both/And: A Memoir by Huma Abedin and, in the new year, Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives by Siddarth Kara.

You are invited to a fun fall Harvest Celebration with one of our Growing Hope Globally partners, Pleasant Chapel Church of the Brethren, in Ashley, Indiana on Saturday, October 21, with activities beginning at 10:00 am and lunch at 12:00 pm. Plymouth people bring desserts.

There will be horse and wagon rides, a petting zoo, trunk or treating, and antique farm equipment. Pleasant Chapel Church of the Brethren is located at 1993 County Road 8, Ashley, IN 46705.

Growing Hope Globally is an organization truly committed to ideals of working in communities and allowing them to lead, while reducing food insecurity. If you would like to donate to Growing Hope Globally, click the donate button below.

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 22. The slate of nominees and a proposed bylaws amendment are linked below.

The renovation of the Folsom Room and the two adjacent hallways continues. These spaces will remain available for programming and fellowship, but they will be in transition for a few more weeks. Watch for picture updates on the Plymouth Generations Facebook page. Thank you for your understanding!

Volunteers for the 11th year of Study Connection at Plymouth Church are needed! You can be a tutor or a substitute to fill in on the few days when a tutor must be away. Contact Lucy Hess for more information on what is expected of a tutor and sub at [email protected] or (260) 484-4430. Study Connection is offered at Plymouth every Wednesday from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm starting early October to mid-May. To sign up for the background check, click here. The Study Connection sign up sheet is always linked in the Plymouth LinkTree, linked in the bulletin each week.

Plymouth’s directory is going digital! You can now sign up for account access on the Plymouth Website. This will allow you to see your own personal information, see your giving and contributions for the year, and access the new Plymouth Church Directory. By moving to a digital directory, we keep our commitment to protect the environment by being an Earthwise congregation, while also guaranteeing that we have up to date information right at your fingertips. Once the request is processed, you will receive an e-mail from the office with your unique username and password allowing you to log in via the "Member Login" button on our website.

At the same time that we are providing this fantastic service, we are also collecting emergency contact information that will be kept on file in case you were to become seriously injured or ill at a church service or event. Such information will be kept private and only used in emergency situations by staff.

To sign up for either please visit here or see Jake Slone, Church Receptionist, in the office for a paper form.

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