As part of the "What is Truth" seminar, storyteller Valerie Tutson will be leading an intergenerational Sunday School class on Sunday, May 5, at 9:00 am in the children's Sunday School classroom. All adults are welcome to join the kids for a time of storytelling and learning together. 

This Sunday, May 5, we recognize and celebrate those who are graduating from high school, college and other graduate and vocational programs. Our high school graduates will be offering reflections in worship, so please be sure to come and cheer them on and then offer your congratulations to all the graduates during a reception after worship. To read more about our graduates, their studies, and their future plans, please click the button below!

High School Graduates

Nicholas Barrone

Mariah Grim

Elyse Jaurigue

Other Graduates

Theo Garcia – Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jazz Performance

Kathleen Simunek- Bachelor of Science in Music and an Outside Field

Daveana Schieler – Master of Music Therapy

Emma Walker – Master of Social Work

Wednesday Night Live programming continues Wednesday, May 8. At 5:15 pm there will be adult choir rehearsal, children’s choir rehearsal, and Bible study, followed by dinner at 6:00 pm. Bible study 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!

On Thursday, May 16 at 6:30 pm, our own ICMEP Advisory Board member, Dr. Ahmed Abdelmageed, returns to Fort Wayne to talk from the heart about what's happening in his beloved Palestine in a discussion titled, "A Palestinian American Speaks from the Heart." While living in Fort Wayne, Ahmed was the host of the popular webcast, "The 'I' in Immigrant." This event is free and open to the public. Join us in person in the Folsom Room!

The program will also be live-streamed on our IndianaCMEP YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@inCMEP/streams. A recording of the program will be shared on our YouTube channel several days after the event.

Plymouth’s Green Team has adopted a section of the River Greenway Trail. This means that we are responsible for clean-up and maintenance of this section of the trail three times each year. Our next clean up day will be Saturday, May 18 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. Parking is available at Towles Intermediate School (420 E. Paulding Rd.) or at Tillman Park Trailhead (600 E. Tillman Rd). A Green Team member will be waiting at each parking location. Trash bags, gloves, and pick-up sticks will be provided. Bring a grabber if you have one!

All ages are welcome! The distance is approximately two miles. Please join us if you can and help us live into our Earthwise covenant!

The next meeting of the Women's Book Study (anyone who self-identifies as a woman is welcome) will occur on Tuesday, May 21 at 12:00 pm in the Amistad Room. Instead of a book, we'll consider a mashup of 1) an article and 2) a podcast (with transcript!). We’ll ponder the possible intersections between these key ideas:

1) Key ideas from article: 

“…as a member of the dominant group, one is taught not to see [systemic forms of racism]…I did not see myself as a racist because I was taught to recognize racism only in individual acts of meanness by members of my group, never in invisible systems conferring unsought racial dominance on my group from birth. Disapproving of the systems won’t be enough to change them. I was taught to think that racism could end if white individuals changed their attitudes….[but]…Individual acts of racism can only palliate, but not end, racism…we need to learn to see the systems of dominance and make systemic changes together.” 

2) Key ideas from podcast/transcript: 

“The neurophysiological science of awe gives us a new way to talk about meaning…a compass for what matters, and a way to expand our views about something bigger than ourselves…This has huge relevance…to our life together, our collective state of being and possibilities. …Awe is a direct pathway to addressing the social crises of our time…” Consider these ideas: “moral beauty”; “collective effervescence”; and “superorganism”, and “default mode network."

To read transcript while listening to podcast, open another tab on your browser, go to OnBeing.org, open same link below, and scroll down to “transcript”. You can play and read simultaneously.

For further information contact jrbeineke@yahoo.co.uk. Click the buttons below to access the materials.

Join Rev. Sara and Rev. January on Saturday, June 8 for a retreat aimed at providing rest and renewal for all who are weary. The retreat will be at Plymouth from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm, with breakfast and lunch provided. There will be restorative activities for mind, body and heart-- including guided meditation, walking the labyrinth, and healing, gentle yoga. This retreat is free to members and non-members-- all are welcome. Please sign up in the Folsom Room.

From May 10 to May 12, Michael Spath will be participating in the Global Anti-Apartheid Conference on Palestine in Johannesburg, South Africa. This is a distinct honor for ICMEP as there are only 30 US invitees out of the 150 guests worldwide. South Africa and Ireland have been the two nations strongest in their support of Palestine. HE Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, will welcome and address the conference. Other guests of note are: Rifat Kassis (leader of Kairos Palestine), Rev. Munther Isaac (Christmas Lutheran Church, Bethlehem), Lucy Talgieh (Wi'am Conflict Resolution Center, Bethlehem, one of Plymouth Church's mission partners), Dr. Mustafa Barghouti (PLO Central Council, Ramallah), Rabbi Alissa Wise (Jewish Voice for Peace Rabbinical Council), and Osama Abu Irshaid (American Muslims for Palestine).

Rev. Murphy’s sabbatical runs from April 1 through June 30. During this time of rest and rejuvenation, Rev. Ofner-Seals is serving as the acting Senior Pastor. Rev. Murphy looks forward to communicating with and seeing Plymouth members and friends upon his return!

This Easter and beyond, United Church of Christ General Minister and President the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson is inviting the wider church to participate in an interactive season of prayer. The People’s Prayers for Peace initiative is an open invitation to read — and write — prayers, which will be posted daily on the UCC website. “As people of faith, I believe prayers are an important part of our discipleship and spiritual practice,” said Thompson. “The People’s Prayers for Peace is a call to the church to be intentional in praying together for the many places where we seek justice and change in our world. Our actions and advocacy follow on our commitment to pray — time set aside to be in conversation with God and to be present in the world with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.” The call for prayers comes amid ongoing war and violence globally as well as continued social issues and injustice in the United States. Click the button below to learn more.

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:

• Plymouth Directory Login
• Study Connection Volunteer Sign Up
• Chancel Flower Dedication Sign Up Form
• Donate
• Past Chapel Class Series
• Plymouth Google Calendar
• Plymouth's Social Media