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03. THE VIEW FROM HERE 04. ANNUAL APPEAL BRUNCH 06. NEW CHURCH HOURS 07. OFFICE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED 08. OPEN & AFFIRMING 2.0 09. RACIAL JUSTICE EVENT 10. MUSIC & FINE ARTS NEWS 12. YOUTH & FAMILY EVENTS 13. SEEKER SESSION & PUB THEOLOGY

14. GRIEF SUPPORT SESSIONS 15. BOARD NOMINATIONS 16. WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS! 20. THANK YOU, LOURDES! 21. PLYMOUTH SERVICE CORPS

22. TAIZÉ SERVICE 23. ORDER YOUR BELL CHOIR WREATHS

going to practice doing together as a congregation over the next several weeks. The very first line of our Plymouth Covenant says, “In the love of truth and the Spirit of Jesus, we unite for the worship of God and the service of all.” We commit to keeping God at the center of our shared life. That’s not an easy thing to do. If it were, we probably wouldn’t need to keep recommitting ourselves to it in worship every week. Our covenant is ambitious, and it’s a little daunting. Living into it takes practice. Giving is one of the most powerful ways I know to practice. When we bring God into the center of our monthly budget, something changes. My stuff becomes God’s stuff. The ministries of Plymouth Church become my way of serving the world. Our covenant begins to change me. The more I’m invested in it, the more it strengthens me. I need that strength. I need to feel the strength of our shared commitment to one another and God: making promises and keeping promises, planning for a strong future, and doing the work to get there together. Our annual appeal begins this month. We are in a strong, debt-free financial position. This is a season of growth. We’re making plans to strengthen the foundation of our shared life with a renewed commitment to Plymouth’s core ministries: soul-stirring music and worship; excellent faith formation for families with children, adults, and youth; small groups that knit our lives together; bold witness for human rights and dignity. I want you to be part of what God is doing in and through Plymouth Church in a more profound, more powerful way this year. Spend some time talking with God and with the people you love about how giving shapes your life. I would love to be part of that conversation. Let me know if our finance team or I can help you in your discernment. This is sacred work we’re doing together. If we do it faithfully, it might just change our lives.

t lunchtime, I head over to the community rec center up on 11th Street for a strength training class twice a week. I like to tell people I’m going to pump iron. It makes me sound tough. But the truth is, strength training makes me feel like a complete idiot. It’s a great mercy that the fitness studio has no mirrors. I’m in there rolling around on the ground, flinging my arms and legs all over the place, and generally making a fool of myself. The day after class, I can barely stand up. It’s kind of pathetic. But I keep going back. Fitness class is good for me. I want to be healthy. I walk over to the rec center and subject myself to all kinds of indignities twice a week. Real athletes are different kinds of people from me. But even they have to start somewhere. They train for things. And they set goals. It’s like that with our faith too. We become faithful people by practicing acts of fidelity over time. It’s like weight training, but for your soul.

In gratitude,

Between now and Thanksgiving, we’re going to focus on giving as a spiritual practice. Giving is really important to me. It’s one of the best ways I know to build some soul muscles where they tend to get kind of flabby. It takes practice to become a generous person. I know that’s true because I’m not naturally a generous person. But because it’s important to Ben and me, we’ve worked hard at it and made progress. We practice by setting goals and training ourselves to follow through over time. So that’s what we’re

he Annual Appeal committee invites you to participate in its annual brunch following the combined 9:30 am service on October 17 (Gathering of Grace service will resume on Oct. 26). This year, brunch will be served “To Go” so that we all remain safely masked while inside the building. As in prior years, we’ll meet briefly in small groups to talk about Plymouth’s mission and programs where we’re at and where we’d like to be. Finally, we’ll send you off with a fun “brunch box” to enjoy at your leisure. You can attend virtually via Zoom or in-person (masks required) in the Mayflower Room. Brunch will be delivered to those participating virtually. If you prefer to participate virtually, please let Doni Mooberry-Slough or Larissa Long know by October 10 so that sufficient break-out rooms can be scheduled and brunch delivery can be arranged.

ould you like to be a part of radical hospitality? Do you like talking to people and answering questions? If you do, we have an opportunity for you! We are seeking Volunteer Receptionists to help cover the Front Desk. If you are interested in hearing more about this awesome opportunity, call Lori Herpich at 785-8433220 Monday - Friday, 9 am – Noon.

n Plymouth’s website for Open and Affirming, we say we “extend our extravagant welcome,” and the bonds of love, to all. The objective of Open and Affirming 2.0 is to build upon the work that Plymouth started in 2004 – to create a community in which all people feel welcomed and safe. Each week we wear our nametags so we can get to know each other. Now the current Plymouth Academy Course on preferred pronouns examines the UCC position on gender identity, “one’s own sense of self,” and recognizes that our expression of gender affects every aspect of our daily lives. In October, we will provide stickers to add to our name tags with preferred pronouns for those who wish to use them. These stickers provide transgender and gendernonconforming people to be known here without having to explain themselves. Young people in our community need to know they will not be excluded or judged. We encourage everyone to display their own pronouns in support of inclusivity. It matters. Open and Affirming 2.0 has organized educational workshops for those who wish to know more about gender identity and preferred pronouns. We will also

have a table in the Narthex for several Sundays, beginning October 10. The preferred pronoun stickers will be available at the workshops and the table in the Narthex. In August 2021, Plymouth Church celebrated the life of Dr. Alan Sanders, who died in January 2021, just a few days before his 92nd birthday. Alan’s obituary stated that one of his proudest accomplishments was his early involvement in Plymouth’s adoption and implementation of our Open and Affirming policy. He asked hard questions as we spent two years presenting programs to the congregation, taking the time to be transparent and deliberative. In the end, it was Alan who volunteered to write the first draft of what became Plymouth’s Open an Affirming statement, welcoming all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. We are recognizing and continuing to strive for now that community of deep hospitality and kindness, traits Alan was known for, as we move toward demonstrating that “all are welcome here” indeed..

lymouth's Racial Justice Ministry Team invites you to gather for this important event. The Lawrence/ Douglas County Community Remembrance Project Coalition (CRP) will conduct a special Soil Collection Ceremony on Saturday, October 9, 2021, at 10 am under the Kansas River bridge on the river's south bank near City Hall. The public is invited to witness this solemn occasion of filling memorial jars with the soil from where three Black men - Isaac King, George Robinson, and Pete Vinegar - were lynched from the Kansas River Bridge on June 10, 1882. This soil was collected by the Coalition earlier in September. It had been drying to prepare it for placement in jars that will become a permanent memorial at The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, a national lynching memorial in Montgomery, Alabama, a project of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). Speakers will include Rev. Verdell Taylor Jr (St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal pastor), Ursula Minor (NAACP and CRP Co-Chair), and Kerry Altenbernd (CRP CoChair). In addition, the Lawrence Black community representatives will fill the jars for permanent placement in the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and Watkins Museum of History. The ceremony can be accessed by driving along the gravel road on the north side of 6th and Kentucky Streets or parking in nearby Constant Park and walking to the site. Signs will be posted, and limited parking is available. Social distancing and masking guidelines will be followed.

he Plymouth’s Chancel Choir presents the next major choral work, “Magnificat” by Taylor Scott Davis, on Su n day, Decem ber 12. “Magnificat” was premiered in Albuquerque in 2016 and received its UK premiere and recording by the acclaimed Voces8. Taylor Scott Davis’s music has been called “lush and artful” in the Choral Journal. The five movements aim to capture the sound of Mary going from a typical teenage child to God’s chosen one, complete with all of the emotions the story elicits. Rehearsals will start in mid-September. If you do not regularly sing in the choir but would enjoy singing in the major work, join us. Contact Minister of Music and Fine Arts Kim Manz for a rehearsal schedule.

he Music & Fine Arts Board at Plymouth will host the art show to be held on October 24 -31. This non-juried show is open to all members and people who attend Plymouth. All submitted artwork must be original (no kits, please) and may be of any medium. The art show is a wonderful opportunity for all Plymouth artists, both amateurs and professionals, to exhibit their work. If you have taken a Plymouth art class this summer or fall, please consider submitting your creations.

Submissions are to be delivered to the church by noon on Friday, October 22. Please contact Kim Manz, Minister of Music and Fine if you have any questions.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12 & 13

oin the Plymouth Players for a fun-filled interactive evening of theater. Bingo is a splashy, zippy musical about a group of die-hard bingo players who stop at nothing to miss their weekly game. But, in between the number calling, strange rituals, fierce competitions, love blossoms, and long-lost friends reunite. These loveable characters spring to life in the Plymouth Bingo Hall, where the audience joins the cast in playing the game. No food will be served, and masks will be required. Stay tuned for information on reserving tickets.

lymouth's fellowship group for dads with littles (ages 0-6) gathers on the second Saturday of each month at playgrounds around Lawrence. Our next playdate is this Saturday, October 9, at 9 am at Burroughs Creek Park (900 E. 15th St). We will provide coffee and donuts. So come and join the fun! Older siblings are, of course, welcome to tag along. Contact Ben MillerColeman if you have any questions or would like to know more about this fellowship group.

alling all Plymouth children! Wear your Halloween costumes to church and join a friend for a Halloween treat parade in the church between services! 3rd and 4th-grade students, bring a costume to change into after receiving your 3rd and 4th grade Bibles at the 9:30 am worship service.

lymouth’s Intern Seminarian Phillip Kroh invites you to a space for intentionally seeking the Spirit and the Divine by exploring different spiritual disciplines. Phillip’s role is to be a resource and a sidekick to your personal relationship with the Divine as someone who offers tools, conversation, and someone to practice with in your own seeking. Phillip will host these Seeker Sessions Wednesdays in the chapel at Plymouth from 12 – 1 pm and the ECM on Thursdays from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. On Thursdays, stay for Pub Theology immediately following!

rief and loss happen in all parts of our lives. Grief can arise following the death of a loved person or pet, a move, the loss of health or onset of dementia in you or someone you love, and other difficult life experiences. Anniversaries of a loss and holidays can also re-ignite grief. For those who are experiencing or have experienced grief and loss, Plymouth will offer a sixsession support group through the end of the year. This group will be led by Marc Giedinghagen. He has been attending Plymouth Church for almost 20 years and recently retired from the

position of chaplain and Director of Pastoral Education (CPE) at St. Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City. He will lead these interactive sessions on grief and mindfulness, resilience, reaching out, and other healthy coping skills. If you have questions, please contact Marc via email or (785) 640-8637.

ALL SESSIONS HELD IN PLYMOUTH’S ALTHAUS CHAPEL @ 4 PM ON THE FOLLOWING DATES:

Sundays October 17 October 31 November 7 November 21 December 5 January 9, 2022

lymouth is a Congregational church, meaning that without your leadership, the important work of our covenanted community would not get done. If you believe that you or someone you know could do good work on one of these boards, fill out this nomination form! Unless otherwise noted, each board member serves a 3-year term.

the orientation and new member process.

Our Christian Education Board oversees all educational opportunities at Plymouth Church. This includes Sunday School, Bible study, Plymouth Academy, and other faith-formation programs.

Our Music and Fine Arts Board is responsible for overseeing all of the music and fine arts programming at Plymouth Church. In addition, the board seeks ways to use Plymouth members' many talents and encourage and nurture developing artists and performers within our congregation.

Our Mission and Service Board activates the congregation on local social justice issues, distributes funds to Plymouth's Mission Partners, and provides educational opportunities to the congregation on important justice issues.

Our Board of Deacons is charged with "nurturing the Spiritual life of the church." They are primarily responsible for worship, congregational care, and spiritual growth opportunities like the prayer team.

Our Personnel Committee oversees the Plymouth personnel policies, assessing the human resources needs of our church and advising the church council in these areas.

Our Endowment Committee is responsible for ensuring Plymouth's financial future by supporting planned giving and long-term investments in our endowed funds. People on this committee serve a 4-year term.

Our Stewardship Board is responsible for advising the church council on church financial matters and all maintenance and upkeep for the three church buildings.

Our Fellowship Board is responsible for weaving the social fabric of our church. They host large church events such as Thanksgiving and the AllChurch Picnic and are in charge of various ongoing social groups.

KS/OK Conference Delegates are designated each year to represent Plymouth within the wider UCC community.

Our Membership Board helps new people become part of the Plymouth congregation, guiding them through

MAKE YOUR NOMINATIONS HERE

Chris Chancy & Erin Keith-Chancy Erin and Chris met in the emergency room in Florida. Fortunately, it was because they worked together there, Erin as RN and Chris as a paramedic. From there, Erin, a Kansas native, talked her Florida man Chris into an adventure in building a life in the Midwest. Over the years of living chaos, they were blessed with three amazing children: Beau, Evie, and Rhett. Last year, Erin and Chris decided to move their family to Lawrence to find a like-minded community that believed in the values of justice, equality, and creativity. That is how they came to Plymouth.

Dana Dole Dana grew up in Valley Center, KS, a small town between Wichita and Newton. She attended Washburn University in Topeka, where she was a student-athlete and graduated with a degree in Sociology. She began her career with American Family Insurance in 1992, became a Physical Damage Field Claims Senior Adjuster (that's a mouthful!), and retired after 26 years in 2018. Currently, she is pursuing her true passion, which is photography. She and her partner, Megan (a member of Plymouth), have been together for 23 years. They have a 17-year-old basset/beagle mix named Candy that they love to take camping and road trips. She decided to join the Plymouth community because of the diverse congregation, magnificent organ, and welcoming staff!

Kay Harrison Kay Harrison was born and raised in St. Joseph, MO, and lived in Kansas for 35 years, most recently in Wichita. She has eight grandchildren. Raised Lutheran, she has been a Methodist for over 45 years. She chose Plymouth Congregational because of its worldly view of humanity, not just in words but also in actions and witness.

Keith & Wanda Herron Keith and Wanda moved to Lawrence this spring in retirement to be closer to their kids, loves, and two granddaughters. Wanda teaches yoga, and Keith has been involved the last three years serving as UCC interim pastor. Most recently, he has accepted the Intentional Interim Pastor position at a Baptist church in Jefferson City, MO. He is the author of Living a Narrative Life (Smyth & Helwys 2019). Wanda is a voice teacher and an avid gardener.

James Jordan James lives in Lawrence with his wife Sonia and their three children Leo, George, and Kate. Along with his wife, he was born and raised in Salina, Kansas. He moved to Lawrence in 2006 to attend law school at the University of Kansas. He works in Topeka as a staff attorney with the Disability Rights Center of Kansas. James has attended Plymouth with his family for a number of years but is now transferring his membership from the First United Methodist Church in Salina.

Phillip Kroh Phillip has lived in Lawrence for ten years, coming first as a KU student that stayed for nine years before swapping to seminary. While staying in Lawrence till something makes them leave, Phillip is one year into his seminary program at St. Paul's School of Theology in Leewood, KS. He lives with three roommates who enjoy playing board games together, and he works part-time at Chipotle.

John & Keela Meiers John and Keela moved to Lawrence 5 years ago to be close to their son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren. They have enjoyed their time in Lawrence after moving from central Kansas. John retired from Menards after working various jobs in the construction industry. He currently works part-time for McGrew Real Estate. He seeks a deeper grounding in his Christian faith. Keela graduated from Kansas State University and worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist in the Salina Public Schools for 34 years before retiring. They have been involved in LINK, Family Promise, and Justice matters since moving to Lawrence. Keela believes that being part of a community of faith means being actively involved in justice and welcoming to all.

Robin Wood

Caroline Rothnie Caroline lives in Lawrence with her husband and two dogs (Dash and Tenney). She grew up in Massachusetts and spent some time in California and Colorado before arriving here in the middle of the country. She works as a writer and user experience researcher and loves reading, getting out in nature, and snuggling under a blanket with her dogs. Plymouth is the first time since early childhood that she's been involved with a church, and she has loved getting to know everyone in the Plymouth community.

For nine years, Robin Wood has lived in Lawrence and enjoys knitting, quilting, making music, bicycling, and kayaking. She is married and has two adult children and three grandchildren. She works as a nurse at Cottonwood, Inc. in Lawrence and first visited Plymouth while accompanying a Cottonwood resident to worship several years ago. Robin is finding lots of interesting ways to get involved at Plymouth.

Esther Yeakly Esther has lived in Lawrence for several years but had not found a church home. Then, she started watching services at Plymouth during quarantine and started thinking it was the place for her. She liked that Plymouth is an inclusive church and felt like she had come home when she was able to attend in person in June. Esther is retired and enjoys doing jigsaw puzzles, reading history, and volunteering with the Friends of the Library.

Tom Sellen Tom grew up in Hubbard, Iowa, and moved to the area (Olathe) in 2004. He has two grown children, Paige and Patrick, and spent nearly 20 years in agricultural journalism. He now prefers a more hands-on approach and works for Ottawa Cooperative Elevators here in Lawrence. He enjoys exercising, writing and photography and loves playing and listening to all kinds of music.

Nancy Magnuson Nancy was born in Ohio lived there until she married her husband, Leo. She graduated from The University of Akron with a teaching degree. Leo was in the Air Force for 20 years, so they moved a lot. Nancy has two children, David and Diane, and six grandchildren: four boys and two girls. She lost her husband in 2012 and moved to Lawrence in 2014 to be closer to her daughter. She enjoys living in Lawrence and has met many new friends here. She is looking forward to being part of the Plymouth community.

By Jeremy Winfrey, Plymouth Director of Communications

e all know what played out. It's forever burned into our hearts and minds. In the spring of 2020, in the face of rapidly spreading COVID-19, the nation shut down, people stayed home, and the church moved online. Suddenly, video content and live video broadcasts became the very thread by which our community stayed connected and gathered in worship. In a very true sense, with Sunday services, Vespers, and expanded digital communications and programming my hours at the church spilled into a six and seven-day schedule. I needed help. With approval from Council, I moved to hire a Video Production Assistant. However, it was important to me to find the right person, a qualified and talented person for the job. To me, the ability to create a completely immersive worship experience that made our viewers feel like they were sitting in the front row of our Sanctuary and not just viewing from the corner of an empty room was key to our success and growth. This person was not to be someone simply pointing a camcorder at the action. Lourdes Kalusha-Aguirre applied for the role after seeing the ad I placed on Instagram. I have known Lourdes since she was a teenager. Lourdes went through Confirmation at Plymouth, and she and her family have been members of our community since 2009. In addition, I worked with Lourdes on Youth Service Trips to the Reservation in La Plant, South Dakota, and Simply Smiles both when she was a member of Plymouth Youth and again when she returned as a Youth Chaperone once she'd moved on to college. So I already knew of her talents in taking photos and film from all the great media she helped us acquire on those trips. Aside from that, Lourdes graduated last December with a degree in Film Studies from the University of Kansas. So not only was she qualified in a professional sense behind a camera, her connection, love, and commitment to our Plymouth community made her the strongest candidate for the job. Over the past year, with Lourdes behind the camera, the quality of our streaming services has been beyond comparison. Her eye, vision, and skill help our viewers become fully immersed in our services. This past Christmas Eve 2020 broadcast was a major triumph as we had over 8,000 viewers on YouTube. When Plymouth installed the new Sanctuary camera system and online broadcast streaming software, Lourdes worked tirelessly to learn the ins and outs of the system and map out its operations to a professional degree. In the church's success, health, and growth during this trying year, Lourdes' contributions and impacts that helped us weather this storm cannot be understated. This fall, Lourdes will move on to bigger and better things, pursuing her dreams in New York City. She is a rising star as a young filmmaker. On October 2, 2021, a short film documentary made by Lourdes and Marlo Angell, "La Yarda," about the housing unit built for Mexican American railroad workers from 1920-51 in East Lawrence, debuted at the Lawrence Arts Center to rave reviews. It's just the start of what we hope will be a long and exciting career in film production for Lourdes. To Lourdes, I think I speak for the entire Plymouth community when I say thank you for sharing your gifts in such an important way with us over this past year. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

he Plymouth Church Service Corps Teams will meet once a month in Lawrence, Kansas, to perform direct service in our wider community. These groups will engage in various service projects such as gardening, trash pick-up, painting, small construction projects. In addition, we will work with mission partners throughout our community, including Family Promise and Just Food. Anywhere we can make an impact, that's where we want to be! Sign up today, and invite a friend to check out this transformative opportunity.

Join us as we build a small group community and put our faith into action in our Lawrence community!

his simple service of song, scripture, prayer and reflection is open to all. During Covid, the Traveling Taize Community continued to meet every Friday, at 6 p.m., via Zoom and will continue on-line services when in-person Taize is not available. For more information or to be put on the Taizé email list, contact Judith Galas. Judith will notify you of upcoming in-person services and send the Zoom link for other services.