P l y m o u t h C o n g r e g a t i oMarch n a l 2013 United Church of Christ Message from the Minister Rev. Cathy Barker What a delightful experience it has been to participate in the United Church of Christ "Mission 4/1 Earth"! Each Sunday we have celebrated God's gift of Creation, and pondered ways that we can be good stewards of it. Sermons on the Garden of Eden, and manure, and being good shepherds have prompted us to open our spiritual lives to more earth-care. As we brought the campaign to a close on May 19, Molly McKinley and I asked the congregation what you've been doing during this emphasis. Many people spoke about recycling, which is great! Dave Donaldson trumped us by recycling two used cars from his property. Gus Byrom, out of a concern for the plastic waste in the ocean, wrote letters to companies suggesting biodegradable toothbrushes. Rosanna Skelton and Cathy Campbell shared their concerted weed-reduction efforts (Cathy's utilized sheep, of course!). Jan Clinard got gold stars, though, for raising two kids who are both engaged in careers caring for the earth! We filled out and collected our timecards faithfully throughout the 50 days, and our efforts have added to the audacious national goals: Trees Planted: Goal 100,000 Plymouth 37 National 91,023 Advocacy Letters: Goal 100,000 Plymouth 37 National 42,300 Earth Care Hours: Goal 1,000,000 Plymouth 420 National 487,220 Thank you all for your avid participation in this effort. Let's commit ourselves to continuing our Earthcare into the future, for the next generations, "for God's sake!" Save the Date-Breakfast on the Pass ! Summer is coming and one of our favorite events is now scheduled! Breakfast on the Pass will be held this year on August 11, 2013. Watch your Bulletin for future announcements about food, campground sites and other important info! Capital Campaign Update: Following worship on Sunday, May 19th, the congregation met to vote on two issues: 1) whether or not to proceed with a capital campaign to raise up to $340,000 for building repairs and remodeling; 2) if the first issue is affirmed, whether or not to hire Rev. Priscilla Bizer. Capital Fundraising Executive, United Church of Christ, to advise us in conducting the campaign. Of the 55 votes cast, 100% were in favor of going forward with the campaign, and 84% were in favor of hiring Rev. Bizer. Six individuals present at the meeting did not vote on either issue. Congratulations, Plymouth, for supporting this important investment in our church’s future. In the coming weeks, efforts will be made to appoint Campaign Captains, to notify architects and consultants, and to make tentative plans to move forward on this new adventure. If all goes well in organizing the leadership team, the pledging portion of the campaign will begin in mid-June and conclude in midSeptember. If pledges do not meet the expected goal of $340,000 by the end of that time but something less, campaign organizers will begin construction with the items receiving the highest priority. Those priorities were determined by the congregation beginning May 5th and concluding May 12th by responses to the bulletin inserts and by dot notations on the architectural boards. Based on those returns the top three priorities are: to repair the north-facing buttresses; to renovate and update the bathrooms; and to repair the heating system primarily in the Education Wing. Those who pledge to the campaign will have three years to make payments. Developments will be reported in Waymarks, via email, and in church bulletins. If you have questions about the voting procedure or results, please call or write to Jennifer Thompson, Church Moderator, 459-9691, or email: [email protected] Plymouth Youth News This year’s 3rd Annual "Honor Your Elders" event will be Sunday June 2nd, when we honor the Elders of Plymouth church during the Children’s Time. After church the children and youth will serve brunch and perform a Maypole Dance. The remainder of the afternoon, until 3pm, will be filled with craft activities and outdoor fun. We hope everyone will join us for this great opportunity to thank our elders for laying a foundation that has nurtured our ability to thrive spiritually. Let’s Talk About Gratitude! Heartfelt thanks to Plymouth people who came forward in so many ways to make possible our "Let's Talk About It" event on April 25th. Our committee of Marcia Warner, Rosana Skelton, Ann Byrd, Lynn Bolin, Sunny Ray Mandeville, Joy Bruck, Susan Maki & Susan Butler began meeting in early December. We were pleased with the conversation leaders we were able to arrange. Chefs Rosanna and Dewey Skelton prepared a delicious dinner topped off with elegant hand-made desserts by Susan Maki. We had the sharpest looking wait staff: Dave Donaldson, Jennifer Thompson, Dick Burns, Ed Canty, Linda Burns, J.J. Coggeshall, Marcia Lauer, Gus Byrom, Amy Demaree, Donna Hathy, Al Hathy, Michelle Gray, Sonny Frickel, Patsy Tompkins, Kate McGlumphy, Alex Gibbons, and Chad Gibbons. Thanks to greatest kitchen help you can imagine: Colleen Anderson, Brenda Byrom, Margy Kohl, Pat Buell, Sunny Ray Madeville, and Clara Gilreath. Annette Baird produced the beautiful information fliers; Dana Baird is our elevator guru AND did you see the excellent photos of the event taken by Ed Field? We all look GOOD! Retired sinners worked on many projects but we must mention the Youth room now looks clean , fresh and more inviting thanks to its new coat of paint. What fun the women's group had as we enjoyed lunch together and then set tables and prepared everything for our giant dinner party! Carol Ann Jacobsen made calligraphy name tags for all and it was delightful to have Carolyn Miller back at the reception table for the evening. "Let’s Talk About It" is noted for our social hour and delicious horsd’oeuvres, provided by Sunny Ray Mandeville, Marcia Warner, Doris Powell, Clara Gilreath, Margy Kohl, Cathy Barker, and Colleen Anderson, Leslie Dunkle, Anna Segali, Julia Demaree, Lynn Bolin and Connie Erickson made this year no exception. Our table for this hour was done by Marcia Warner and Ann Byrd. It had a beautiful southwestern flair! Thanks so much to all who bought tickets for others or made monetary donations. And a special thanks to those who led the conversations. This seems to be a good and gracious fit for Plymouth. We can be welcoming hosts to the community. We can be creative and our topics can be current each year. This year we grossed $3480! Thank you dear Plymouth people! Carol McKerrow Let’s Talk About It! Notes from the Board: The May Board meeting was jam packed with various items to be discussed! Pete McKinley gave the Conference Annual Meeting update. He, Dave Donaldson, and Jay Shelden attended. One Outcome was the Convention voted to combine the three Associations into one in order to increase cost efficiency. The Board also continued its discussion of room use both in the Christian Education wing and the Stockade room downstairs. No conclusions were reached and the discussion will continue next month. If you have thoughts on this, please talk to one of the Board members. After some discussion, it was determined that the secretarial hours would need to be increased by 4 hours a week. Pat Buell will look for money in the budget that can be allocated to cover this need. The new hours would begin on July 1st. Joy Bruck, from Pastoral Relations, attended the meeting to discuss changes to the Pastors’ Terms of Call now that they are full time. She will take the suggestions of the Board to the committee and return a final version to the Board for the June meeting. The Board also voted to accept the sale of Chico Bags as a small fund raiser. The next meeting of the Board will be June 20th at 4:15 PM. There will be no meeting in July, but we will meet again on August 15th. Alternative Opportunities for Camp Mimanagish: Unfortunately we had no registrations for Plymouth week at Camp Mimanagish this year. However, just because this scheduling didn’t work out for you, it may not be your only option to enjoy the beauty and joy that is Camp Mimanagish! (Also featuring amazing food produced by our own Marcia Warner.) Here are some alternative activities that may work better . Check out www.campmimanagish.org/2013 for information on these camps and others they have available! July 8-10 : ”Grandparents and Me-All Things New” This is traditionally an amazing Intergenerational event full of fun, fellowship, family, and nature. This group has kids age 2-18 come with Grandparents. What a chance to make some very special memories! August 16-19 Women’s Retreat : Women of all ages come together to “be”, relax, talk, laugh, hike, wonder, share, sing , play and enjoy wonderful food cooked FOR you. August 16-19 Fishing Camp: Have you ever wished you could fish as long as you wanted; no phones, no nagging chores to do, no interruptions, no responsibilities. Our Fishing Camp on the Boulder River is just what you've been wishing for! When you've caught your limit head back to camp, we can cook up your trout or stick them in the freezer. Summer Session Cathy Barker will lead this transformative experience for adults to access their inner teacher and support each other in reflection and discernment in a Circle of Trust©. The 12-session series on Monday evenings begins June 10, 6:309:00. Because of the learning curve, it is essential to participate in the first three sessions, June 10, 17, and 24; beyond that absences are allowed. One or more retreats may be planned, and the schedule will be finalized once the group is formed. The natural world desperately needs people who value it, see it, listen to it, preserve, and restore it. With the same urgency, so does the soul need this kind of attention. Cut off from the land, we lose our sense of place, grounding, our sense of home on this earth; when we are cut off from our souls our lives become barren, starved at the roots of what deeply animates us. The Celts call nature "the first Bible." The metaphors from the geography offer the images and archetypes of the inner life. The Circle of Trust© approach offers a container and process where we can rediscover the soul in its native landscape, and where we can begin to recover our natural resources, our wholeness. This series of 12 small group circles of trust meetings offers a map and compass for a landscape that opens the journey to vistas of the inner life. Geography of Grace is recommended for Plymouth members and open to the community. Please register by contacting Cathy at [email protected] or 422-3346. Social Justice Thanks to all who have so generously responded so far! However , Mission Money Jars are still needed at this time. These are the funds that provide our Safeway Food Cards for seriously needy families. Update! Our Cafe Justo - fair trade coffee has been increased in cost from $10.00 to $12.00 per pound. All funds go directly for coffee purchases to support the Mexican families that raise the beans. It is our fervent hope that Plymouth members will continue to support this important mission ! Don’t Forget your Pledges this summer! Summer is such a busy time for most of us! Vacations, camping, company -so many opportunities to enjoy and explore God’s beautiful creation! Summer has been known to cause our church attendance to flux a little. This is just an F.Y.I. that if you miss the collection on Sunday, you don’t have to get behind! You can mail your pledges to the office if you would like. Hopefully this will keep us steady and less stressed in fall when all settles down! Symphony Under the Stars-Volunteers needed! Rose Miller is the 2013 Volunteer Coordinator for Symphony under the stars and she is looking for volunteers! There are positions for Security, Program distributors, cleanup, Bucket Brigade and Golf Cart Chauffeurs. The event itself takes place this year on July 20 and the theme is “FIESTA!” There will be an orientation on July 16. Times will be announced closer to the event. If you would like to participate or need more information, please contact Rose for more details. She can be reached at 406-438-0037 or [email protected] Chico Bags! Did you know that the average citizen in the United States uses 300 to 700 single-use plastic bags per year? Many of these single-use bags will end up littering our earth’s fragile eco-systems when they are mistaken for food by land and marine wildlife. We can make a difference by utilizing reusable bags! Plymouth has teamed up with The ChicoBag Company to sell reusable bags that are designed to be unforgettable. Some ChicoBags fit in a pocket or purse when stuffed into the integrated pouch. The hope is to get each person in our church and community using reusable bags in efforts to help humanity kick the single-use bag habit. Not only can you purchase shopping bags from The ChicoBag Company - they also have daypacks, duffels, snack bags, bottle slings, messenger bags, totes, and more, all at very reasonable prices. Their RePETe (tm) line is made from recycled materials, mainly plastic bottles. (Recycling bottles is only step 1; step 2 is to buy products made from them!) And here's the sweet part: When you purchase a ChicoBag between now and August 31, 50% comes back to Plymouth Church! We'll use it wherever it's needed most. Go to www.chicobag.com and when you order, enter our fundraiser coupon code: Plym2013. That's all there is to it! "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16b). Plymouth Family Concerns Please also pray for peace in this troubled world, for more wisdom and charity in the hearts and minds of the world's leaders. Our hearts and prayers go out to the people in and around Moore, Oklahoma, and all those living in Tornado Alley or in other places where weather or climate sometimes makes it dangerous. Please Keep in your prayers: At Touchmark: Dick Brodowy Peg Rule Dora Howard Betty Purvis At Big Sky: Ida Holmquist Betty Sando Stan Howard Bob Scow at home Morris and Bertha Pietz Sharon Henderson in Colorado Pete McKinley with Double Pneumonia Carol Dunkle recovering at Cooney 2 4 10:00 am Worship and Communion 16 11:00 am Elders Brunch & activities-FH 18 10:00 am Adult Ed-The Faith Club-Fireside 10:00 am Adult Ed-The Faith Club-Fireside 5 6:30 pm Adult Ed-The Faith Club-Rm7 9 10:00 am Worship Service 10 6:00 pm Geography of Grace-Fireside 11 10:oo am Adult Ed-The Faith Club-Fireside 5:30 pm Staggering Faith at Staggering Ox 12 10:00 am Women’s Gathering-Fireside 6:30 pm Adult Ed-The Faith Club-Rm7 16 10:00 am Worship –Alternative Ser vice JULY EVENTS 1 6:00pm 4 Happy Fourth of July! 7 10:00 am Worship and Communion 8 Grandparents Camp at Mimanagish 19 10:00 am Women’s Gathering -Mayer's House E V E N T S 23 10:00 am Worship Service 6:30 pm Adult Ed-The Faith Club-Rm7 20 2:00 pm Worship Committee-Fireside 4:15 pm Board of Deacons-Fireside 24 6:00pm Geography of Grace-Fireside 25 5:30 pm Staggering Faith at Staggering Ox 30 10:00 am Worship Service On Going Projects to keep in Mind through the summer! We are still collecting your used shoes. You can Drop them off in the Narthex collection boxes . 8:30 am Retired Sinners-Fireside 21 10: am Worship-Alternative Ser vice 22 6:00 pm Geography of Grace-Fireside 23 5:30 pm Staggering Faith at Staggering Ox 24 11:30 am Women’s Luncheon-TBA 28 10:00 am Worship Service 29 J U N E Geography of Grace-Fireside 14 10:00 am Worship Service 16 6:00 pm Geography of Grace-Fireside 6:00 pm Geography of Grace-Fireside F.Y.I. Pastors Vacation and Continuing Education Dates are set! They will be gone from July 8 through July 20th. A very special “Thank you” to Chad Gibbons who has been working hard and keeping our grass mowed. Do you have time to do some weeding or clean up? We have lots of opportunities for busy hands! Check in with Jay Sheldon or Terry Tatchell if you want to help! Plymouth Congregational Church 400 S. Oakes Helena, MT 59601 www.plymouthmontana.org Return Service Requested Check here___and return if you no longer wish to receive this mailing. Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Permit No 151 Helena, MT 59624 Plymouth’s Mission is to nurture our congregation and the wider community with acts of love and a vision of God’s image in all things. Plymouth Church Office Hours: Monday-Thursday Pastors: 10 am to 12 pm Secretary 12pm-3pm Co-Pastors Rev Cathy Barker Rev Dick Weaver Secretary Julia Demaree (P) 406. 442. 9883 400 S. Oakes St. Helena Mt. 59601 On the web: www.plymouthmontana.org Email: [email protected] Facebook: www.facebook.com/plymouthcongregational C.E. Director Peggy Coggeshall Pianist Ann Moody Youth Director Michelle Mariacher Custodian Tim Syness