Weekly Bulletin

Sunday, September 4, 2022

In Our Prayers 


Charlie Belch, Donna Belch, Janis Bohnstedt, Clara Bowling, Teresa Clingaman, Kris Conner, Diana Cornwell, Janelle Couture, Brad Crowder, Terry Dougherty, Lynda and Mike Eckard, Ann Filler, Ed Gomez, Joan Hartwig, Sarah Howard, Bob Huff, Nancy Jordan, Ginny Laudadio, Brian Laurenz, Carol Lewark, Joan Lipscomb, Gerald Lockwood, Sandy Lockwood, Sheldon Lockwood, Skyler Lockwood, Connie Mabe, Kelly Massey, Bev McFadden, Jane Meredith, Jack Meredith, Peter Michels, Jim Nelson, Bonnie Pennock, Noel Resor, Claire Roney, Jacqueline Sanders, Max Schilb, Rick Schilb, Jim Schmidt, Barbara Senn, John Shannon, Erin Shaw, Maureen Shea, Travis Sheets, Shirley Slater, Johanna Smith, Leslie Spitler, Beck Spitler, Terry Springer, Terri Stumpf, Marian Waltz, Dana Wichern Sandra Woodruff Cully, Stan Volz

Chancel Flowers


Chancel flowers this Sunday are in honor of Terry & Margie Dougherty's 40th wedding anniversary.

Sunday Service
Join us for our weekly worship service at 10:00 am in-person, or through our livestream on our YouTube Channel.

If you miss out on our live broadcast, the worship service will be available on our YouTube Channel and listed by date on the Sermon Archive.
Join us for online worship!
Our in-person worship services are held on Sunday mornings at 10:00 am. We continue to record and livestream our services, with the recorded video available by Sunday evening. Masks are optional but strongly encouraged.

Joys and Concerns


Sundays at 1:00 pm


Our weekly joys and concerns check-in continues Sunday. Please join this Zoom call at 1:00 pm for a time to name something we are grateful for, a concern we have, and to be in prayer together.


Those unable to join by video can call 1-253-215-8782, then enter the code 829-3823-4464#, then # when asked for the password.

Click here to join Joys & Concerns 

Order of Worship


Prelude


Welcome & Announcements


Centering Moment


Call to Worship


Hymn No. 313 “Like a Tree Beside the Waters” | SILVER CREEK


Invocation & Lord's Prayer


Passing the Peace


Response Song: "Make Us One" | Carol Cymbala


Peace Prayer


Pastoral Prayer


Anthem: “The Potter’s Hand” by Darlene Zschech, arr. Lloyd Larson


Scripture: Jeremiah 18:1-6


Sermon: “The Sculptor of the Mountains”


Communion Hymn No. 332 “As We Gather at Your Table” | BEACH SPRING


Invitation to Communion

Communion


Closing Hymn “God, the Sculptor of the Mountains” (insert)


Benediction


Postlude

This Week

Birthdays

September 4

Phillip Colglazier

Traci Hamilton

Dawn Wiley


September 6

Clyde Dively


September 7

Kennon Nicholson


September 8

Jayme Chasey 

Clark Geerlings

Karen Goss 

Bob Nance 


September 10

Mariah Western


Next Week's Birthdays


September 11

Barrett Seals


September 14

Natasha Chemey

Linda Escosa


September 15

Roger Eversole


September 17

Owen Roney

Calendar

Sunday, September 4

8:30 am Fellowship Hour

8:30 am Parish Nurses

9:00 am Worship Rehearsal

10:00 am Worship Service

1:00 pm Joys and Concerns (online)


Monday, September 5

Labor Day - Staff Holiday

Office Closed


Tuesday, September 6

1:00 pm Staff Meeting

6:30 pm Executive Council Meeting


Wednesday, September 7

5:30 pm Wednesday Night Live


Thursday, September 8

10:30 am Library Committee Meeting

1:00 pm Study Group (online)


Friday, September 9

7:00 pm Family Game Night


Sunday, September 11

Sunday School Kickoff

8:30 am Fellowship Hour

9:00 am Education Hour

9:00 am Worship Rehearsal

10:00 am Worship Service

11:15 am Plymouth Resource Faire

1:00 pm Joys and Concerns (online)

Sunday, September 4: Plymouth Parish Nurses

The Plymouth Parish Nurses will have a skin cancer awareness booth in the Folsom Room during Fellowship Hour this Sunday, September 4. 

Wednesday, September 7: Wednesday Night Live Programming Resumes

This coming Wednesday, our regular Wednesday Night Live programming resumes. At 5:15 pm there will be Bible Study, Children’s Choir and Adult Choir rehearsals. A catered dinner will be served at 6:00 pm, with Bell Choir and Acolyte Training at 6:45 pm. A sign-up sheet is located 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!

Wednesday, September 7: Bible Study

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.

Zoom Link

Friday, September 9: Family Game Night

Congregational Life (CL) Board is introducing a new event that we hope will become a monthly or more frequent event. Our first family game night will be Friday, September 9 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. CL Board will supply decaf coffee, water, some starter games like standard playing cards, a Chinese checker board, Sorry, Jenga, dice for Yahtzee and other dice games, tables set up for puzzles and brain teasers, and a space for toddlers to come and play on their own when not joining in the table games.


Please bring:

  • Your favorite family game to share and be ready to host that game to teach others how to play
  • Snacks to share
  • Your friends and family


We want to offer childcare to children 2 and under so that families can enjoy playing. We are asking for members and/ or families to become able to offer childcare under our security umbrella guidelines so that all can enjoy the evening on a rotating basis. Prepare to have a fun evening of games and fellowship!

Upcoming Events

Sunday, September 11: Chapel Class Series

Starting on Sunday, September 11 and continuing through October 9, Rev. Murphy and Rev. Ofner-Seals will be offering a six-week series on progressive Christianity, which can serve as either an introduction or a refresher. Whether you are a new Christian, new to Plymouth, or have been here a while but want to learn more, this series is for you! This Chapel Class series will have a livestream option for those who want to learn but are unable to be there in person. Topics will include orthopraxy vs orthodoxy, how we interpret the Bible, inclusivity and a preferential option for the poor, ways of understanding God including pantheism and panentheism, how we approach other religions from an interfaith perspective, and non-dualism, among other topics.

Sunday, September 11: Plymouth Resource Faire

On September 11, we will have a resource faire after worship in the Folsom Room. There will be tables set up for the different ministries and programs that occur in the life of the church. This faire gives the congregation the opportunity to see what all is going on, find where they might want to plug in, and ask volunteers from that ministry any questions. There is a sign-up sheet in the Folsom Room we are asking the various ministries, committees, etc. to fill out to indicate they will be present and need to reserve a table. We look forward to seeing you there!

Monday, September 12: Rally for Reproductive Rights

Join others at the Allen County Courthouse on Monday, September 12 at 6:00 pm for a mini-march and rally for reproductive rights in the state of Indiana. Plymouth members and friends who would like to march together are invited to meet at 5:30 pm on the courthouse green. Signs are welcome and encouraged! This event is sponsored by Women United for Progress in Allen County and Northeast Indiana NOW.

Wednesday, September 14: Safe Church Training

There will be a Safe Church training at 6:45pm on Wednesday, September 14, following Wednesday Night Live dinner. This training is required for all staff and volunteers who work with children and youth. The training should last about an hour, and childcare will be provided.

Sunday, September 18: Welcoming Group

Our next WELCOMING GROUP will meet Sunday, September 18, 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. 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. Please contact Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals at smo@plymouthfw.org or 260-423-9424 x322 to register. An accurate number is needed for the light lunch that will be provided by Congregational Life Board.

Sunday, September 18: September Litter Pick-Up

Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 18 at 1:00pm as the E&M Board is organizing another litter pickup outing, open to all ages! Our Spring Cleaning pickup resulted in a shocking number of full trash bags, and we received thanks from folks in the neighborhood where we were working. It’s a rewarding way to spend an hour or two on a Sunday afternoon, and it’s an easy way to lean into our Earthwise covenant while offering visible evidence of our care for our neighbors.


Karen, our eagle-eyed litter scout, is determining a good location for the day, so keep your eye out for updated information closer to the date. We hope you’ll join us!

Tuesday, September 20: Women's Book Study

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande will be the next Women's Book Study read at their meeting, Tuesday, September 20 at 12:00 pm. Any reader who self-identifies as a woman is welcome to drop in to the group for one or more sessions. We meet regularly in the Amistad Room on the third Tuesday of the month at noon.


Gawande's book tackles the delicate subject of how to improve care for the dying,


"Medicine has triumphed in modern times, transforming birth, injury, and infectious disease from harrowing to manageable. But in the inevitable condition of aging and death, the goals of medicine seem too frequently to run counter to the interest of the human spirit. Gawande offers examples of freer, more socially fulfilling models for assisting the infirm and dependent elderly, and he explores the varieties of hospice care to demonstrate that a person's last weeks or months may be rich and dignified."


Contact Judith Beineke at jrbeineke@yahoo.co.uk with any questions. 

Wednesday, September 21: Fall Book Study - Crisis Contemplation

For our next Wednesday evening book study, we will be reading and discussing the book Crisis Contemplation: Healing the Wounded Village, by Rev. Dr. Barbara Holmes. In this book, Dr. Holmes takes a deep dive into the contemplative practices of non-white, non-western European communities to expand our vocabulary around what constitutes spiritual practice. Published in 2021, Crisis Contemplation is a deeply relevant salve to the anxiety so many of us feel amid multiple global crises, and masterfully bridges the illusory gap between social action and contemplative spirituality.

 

We will begin our study on Wednesday, September 21 and continue for six weeks. We will meet in the Amistad room after Wednesday Night Live dinner from 6:45 pm to

7:30 pm. Crisis Contemplation: Healing the Wounded Village can be purchased on Amazon or directly through the publisher at Crisis Contemplation: Healing the Wounded Village – CAC Bookstore. If assistance with the cost of the book is needed, please speak with Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals to have the church purchase a copy for you. Please consider joining us this fall!

Sunday, September 25: Planned Giving Workshop

How is Plymouth able to offer scholarships to deserving students? How are special needs and projects funded by Plymouth outside the operating budget? What is included in an estate plan? These questions and more will be addressed in an upcoming workshop entitled, “The Power of a Planned Gift” sponsored by the Stewardship and Finance Board. Everyone is welcome to attend the workshop which will be held on Sunday, September 25 right after worship in the Folsom Room. Snacks will be served and child care will be provided. Please sign up in the Folsom Room by Sunday, September 18 so we know how much food to provide. We look forward to seeing you there!

General Announcements

New Library Books Have Arrived

New books are always exciting to receive, and the library committee is delighted to announce several new arrivals highly recommended by our pastors. In December of 2021, a library task force met and discovered that only 7% of our collection was written by authors of color. As a result, new books were purchased last January to begin a process to increase the representation of diverse voices. They were so well received that nine more have now been added. You are invited to check out the Folsom Room library display and be the first to borrow one or more of these thought provoking reads.

RIP Medical Debt: An Invitation

You may remember the wild success of last year’s RIP Medical Debt campaign, which ended up forgiving a little over $3.8 million in medical debt for folks in Ohio and Michigan. Perhaps you also remember that our friends at Peace UCC and First Congregational UCC in Angola joined us in the campaign. Well, the folks in Angola were so excited by the results of the campaign, that they’ve decided to do it again this year! Their campaign started August 1. Plymouth is not officially signing on to the campaign this year, but if you feel moved to chip in, you may do so at the link below. Every dollar donated relieves at least $100 in medical debt, which is an astonishingly good deal.

Donate Here

Standish Circle Wreath Orders

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 both Sunday, November 20 and Sunday, November 27 at the porte-cochere entrance before and after church. 


Orders and payment must be received no later than Sunday, September 18. 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 at the front office on Sunday mornings. Order forms will also be available at the Plymouth Resource Faire at the Standish Colony table. Checks should be made payable to Plymouth Church and include a notation stating "Standish Wreaths" on the memo line.

Print Order Form Here

Bibles for Students

Each year Plymouth gives a story Bible to incoming Kindergarteners and an NRSV full-text Bible to our 2nd graders. If your child will be entering either grade and would like a Bible, please contact Katie Watson.

COVID-19 Protocols: Masking Strongly Encouraged

While masks remain optional in worship, we strongly encourage wearing them whenever possible. 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 if you find yourself at risk of being around groups or otherwise unable to attend services in person.

Desk Coverage Volunteers Needed

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.
Sign Up Form

Open Prayer in the Sanctuary

For a time of personal prayer, the sanctuary will be available Tuesday through Thursday during office hours. Please enter through the Berry Street office entrance and check in with our receptionist. Contact Jake Slone at (260) 423-9424 or jss@plymouthfw.org with any questions.

Plymouth Church Linktree

The following links can be found on our Linktree:

  • Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Sign Up
  • Chancel Flower Sign Up Form
  • Study Connection Volunteer Sign Up
  • Plymouth Google Calendar
  • Plymouth's Social Medias
Linktree

Plymouth Office Hours

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Wednesday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Thursday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Friday: By appointment only 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Questions? Contact the office at 260-423-9424 or office@plymouthfw.org
Plymouth Church | plymouthfw.org
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