Plymouth Magazine-Fall26-DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 46
The Plymouth Church Story
Explosion of Social Justice Work
The Rev. Matt Mardis-LeCroy stepped into
the role of Senior Minister in 2014 after
serving several years as Minister of Spiritual
Growth. He shepherded two major fundraising campaigns in his tenure. In 2018,
“Fruitful Change” raised more than $2
million to sustain Plymouth’s Transition
Into Ministry program.
Meanwhile, the 1931 Henry Martyn
Rollins Memorial Tower was crumbling
due to water damage and in need
of major repairs. In 2019, a capital
campaign raised $1.1 million to restore
and preserve the historic tower. As part
of the project, a National Registry report
on the Greewnood Park Neighborhood
was issued and highlighted the unique
nature of the matching bell towers of
Plymouth and St. Augustin’s Catholic
Church. It read: “This is likely the only
Des Moines example of matching church
towers and the form itself seems to be
unusual in the city.”
Social justice issues, including gender
equality, racial justice, marriage equality,
and LGBTQ+ rights were at the forefront
of Mardis-LeCroy’s ministry.
In 2017, Plymouth became a United
Church of Christ Just Peace Church,
affirming, “our intention to seek justice
and peace in every sphere of life, and
recognize there can be no true peace
without justice for all.”
In alignment with that affirmation,
several justice committees under the
Board of Christian Social Action were
activated. In 2018, the Church Council
approved displaying a Black Lives Matter
banner outside the church and creating
an Anti-Racism Committee to promote
education, advocacy, and communitybuilding with the Black Community.
The new committee prepared and
distributed 450 copies of a bibliography
of anti-racism readings, hosted forums on
juvenile justice, and mounted art exhibits
featuring Black artists.
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Programs that notably attracted
community-wide attendance were two
six-week studies of the “1619 Project,” a
series of essays by Nikole Hannah-Jones
that were published in the New York
Times Magazine and later in book form.
Sessions were led by Mardis-LeCroy,
church members, and leaders from the
Black community.
The committee revived Plymouth’s
relationship with the Black Congregation
at Corinthian Baptist Church. Members
from both churches gather for Women’s
Fellowship, Men’s Fellowship, lively
Jazz Happy Hours, and powerful
collaborative choir performances.
The Creation Care and Justice
Committee evolved from the Green
Team and organized plant sales, allchurch book studies, and programs
on climate change, water quality,
and sustainable agriculture, as well as
promoting eco-friendly practices in
church operations and the installation of
solar panels on the building roof.
Plymouth volunteers operated the
Plymouth Career Closet for Women, an
outgrowth of Women’s Fellowship, for
more than 10 years, closing in 2020 due
to the COVID pandemic. Donations of
gently used, work-appropriate clothes,
shoes, jewelry, handbags and other
accessories for women were sorted and
displayed in a boutique setting at the
Women’s Resource Center and later the
downtown Y. Volunteers staffed the shop,
allowing women to try on items before
selecting clothing for job interviews and
their workplaces. All items were free and
customers were able to return to the shop
once a month.
In 2014, Plymouth established the Cuba
Partnership, sending a delegation to Cuba
and building relationships with Ebenezer
Baptist Church in Havana, Cuba. Those
pilgrimages continue with Plymouth
members traveling to Cuba regularly.
The Rev. Matt Mardis-LeCroy blessing
Confirmands during worship in 2019.
The Rainbow Action Network formed
in 2025, offering speakers and special
events and reactivating Plymouth’s longstanding commitment to LGBTQ+
rights while expanding to support the
transgender community.
The Board of Benevolences sponsors
many outreach efforts, including Food
Buddies, which provides shelf-stable,
easy-to-prepare meals for Hubbell
Elementary School students who might
not have food available at home when
school is not in session. A Little Food
Pantry was erected outside on Ingersoll
Avenue and is regularly stocked with
shelf-stable foods for those in need. The
Welcoming Migrants Committee assists
immigrants getting established in the
city, and the ReNew program provides
one-on-one English language tutoring.
Each fall, Plymouth donates school
supplies that are distributed to students
at Hubbell Elementary, Callanan Middle
School, and Roosevelt High School.
Other church volunteers regularly meet
as part of the Prayer Shawl Ministry,
making comforting shawls for those
dealing with grief and loss. The Quilting
Ministry crafts dozens of colorful quilts
each year that are distributed to shelters
and other programs serving those seeking
housing, warmth, and comfort.
