To mark Heritage Sunday this year, we will name and honor the following individuals who are reaching membership milestones during this Sunday’s worship service:

50 Years

Katie Carboneau

Bev McFadden

Laura Ramsey

Roy Gilliom

Mary Gilliom

51-59 Years

Judith Beineke (1967)

Lowell Beineke (1967)

Judson Chasey (1967)

John Hoffman (1967)

Linda Escosa (1968)

Ty Ratajczak (1968)

Carol Patterson (1968)

Debra L. Compagnone (1969)

Shelley Woehnker (1969)

Ann Filler (1969)

Marty Kabisch (1970)

Joan Weber (1970)

Valerie Pelz (1971)

Robin Ames (1972)

Jeffrey Dellinger (1972)

Laura McCoy (1972)

60 Years

Sam Lipscomb (1963)

Joyce Augspurger (1963)

Kris Conner (1963)

61-69 Years

Paul Lewark (1956)

Rose Pyle (1956)

Bethany Binkley (1956)

Barbara Bugg (1956)

Bob Kabisch (1956)

William Spindler (1956)

Louise Misegades (1956)

Ross Sonday (1957)

Nelda Sonday (1957)

Karl Bandemer (1958)

Clyde Dively (1958)

Barbara Gregory (1959)

Karen Jenkins (1959)

Carol Lehman (1959)

Shirley Slater (1960)

Steve Rinehart (1960)

Carole Green (1961)

Diane Lasley (1961)

Cheryl Milligan (1961)

70 Years

Ruth Anne Sprunger (1953)

71-74 Years

Gale Cunningham (1949)

Ruth Bracht (1951)

75 Years

Lois Teders-Horn (1948)

76-79 Years

80 Years

81-84 Years 

Bob Pugh (1940)

85 Years

86-89 Years

Mary Schultz (1937)

We are grateful for the lifetime faith commitments these persons have made through their dedication to Christ’s ministry and mission lived through Plymouth Congregational Church of Fort Wayne, United Church of Christ.

The demolition and replacement of the Berry Street sidewalk has begun and will make access to the building impossible via Berry Street until it is replaced. For all events and worship this weekend, please park in the back parking lot which is off of Wayne Street and enter through the Folsom Room. You will not be able to readily reach the building from the Berry Street parking lot this Sunday.

All adults are invited to our chapel class series, "Learning to Be a Better Ally to our Transgender Neighbors." This three-part series will be held in a discussion format where all are encouraged to bring questions. Along the way, the instructors will define terms, share etiquette dos and don’ts, and dispel myths as we learn to be better allies to our trans and non-binary friends and neighbors. The class will be co-taught by Plymouth members Patty Meriwether and Trevor Harkenrider, and special guest Kris Wise from Brave Alliance. 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.

Merry Christmas! Wait! It’s only late summer, but orders need to be placed for wreaths now. St. Joe Tree Farm is graciously working with Standish Circle to keep the tradition of selling wreaths for you to order and receive in time for the Christmas holidays. The profits are used to assist those in need in our community. Wreath pickup will be at Plymouth on Sunday, November 19 at the porte-cochere entrance before and after church. 

Orders and payment must be received no later than Sunday, September 17. To complete an order form, either click the button below to print off the form and return it to the Plymouth office or pick up an order form in the Narthex on Sunday morning. Checks should be made payable to Plymouth Church and include a notation stating "Standish Wreaths" on the memo line.

A note about decorated wreaths: The décor of the decorated wreaths will be different in 2023. Each decorated wreath will have 3 single pinecones and 2 sets of berries with a choice of bow. A choice of natural pinecone or white tipped pinecone and red berries or burgundy berries are still available. Choice of bow will be dark red or burgundy.

The Centering Prayer group at Plymouth has begn 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, September 18 at 5:30 pm!

The author of thismonth's book for Plymouth's Women's Book Study needs no introduction. She's Michelle Obama, and the book is The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times.

One critic wrote: "... Michelle Obama opens a frank and honest dialogue with readers, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much?"

If you think you would enjoy discussing this book (and you self-identify as a woman), please do join us in the Amistad Room at 12:00 pm on Tuesday, September 19, or contact Laura McCoy to join us virtually. You will be most welcome.

Other books on our autumn schedule are Anam Cara by John O'Donohue, and All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

Wednesday Night Live programming continues this Wednesday, September 20. 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. 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!

Are you interested in becoming a member at Plymouth Church? Our next Welcoming Group will meet Sunday, September 24, 11:30 am to 1:00 pm in the Amistad Room. If you have been attending Plymouth for six months or longer, and your faith journey is leading you to explore becoming a member, this is a one-time required session. Whether you are confident, confused, or curious, our time together is focused on orientation, conversation, interpretation, and exploration. It is an opportunity for you to ask questions and to meet others who are considering affirming their formal relationship with Plymouth Church, UCC. A light lunch will be provided, and childcare is available upon request. Please RSVP to Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals at smo@plymouthfw.org if you would like to attend.

Members and friends of Plymouth are invited to a memorial service for Jack Meredith on Sunday, September 24 at 2:45pm. A visitation will be held before the service in the Folsom Room, starting at 1:45pm.

Have you ever wondered why Plymouth’s fellowship hall is called the Folsom Room, or why the Louise Folsom Memorial Library is located in the Amistad Room? Perhaps you feel comfortable checking out a book from the Folsom Room library display table, but have no idea how to navigate the shelves in the library. Answers to these questions and others will put you at ease by attending our open house following worship on Sunday, October 8 in the Folsom Room. There are many thought provoking, inspirational, and informative books just waiting to be explored. We look forward to helping you explore joyfully.

A renovation of the Folsom Room and the two adjacent hallways has begun. These spaces will remain available for programming and fellowship, but they will be in transition for several weeks as wallpaper has been removed, walls are being repainted, and flooring is replaced. Watch for picture updates on the Plymouth Generations Facebook page. Thank you for your understanding!

Do you know a family who would enjoy quarterly mailings from our Sunday school? These packets were a hit during quarantine, and as long as the kids keep looking forward to them we’ll keep sending them out! They are filled with crafts, stories, games and prayers–little ways for families to connect and explore their spirituality at home. They are a great way to connect with families who can’t always make it to Sunday school, or with a family that might be considering Plymouth. If you or a family you know would like to be on our packet mailing list, please let Katie Watson know.

Plymouth Member Zoe Moore is finishing their final year at Boston University and will graduate with a degree in Film and Television. As their senior project through DKA, the professional film fraternity at BU, they are producing a short film called “Ash Wednesday,” a coming-of-age comedy about acceptance, faith, and friendship. It follows a queer Catholic schoolgirl who gets her period during Ash Wednesday Mass and must embark on an odyssey with her best friend to find a tampon and make it back to Mass in time to get their ashes — or else they're suspended. At Plymouth, we believe faith and queer joy can coexist. “Ash Wednesday” uses humor to convey this theme. Zoe is fundraising for the film and would be beyond grateful for any support their home church community can provide. You can donate or share the crowdfunding link at the button below. (Click the first link on the LinkTree.)

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 lrh22@frontier.com 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:

• 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