Plymouth Magazine-Spring26-DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 2
Letter from Your Senior Pastor
By Rev. Dr. Jared Wortman (he/him)
Dear Plymouth,
There is a certain energy that comes
with spring at Plymouth. It’s more than a
change in the weather or a turning of the
calendar. We’re on the path to Easter as a
community committed to practicing our
faith and taking action in real time. This
issue of Plymouth Magazine invites you
to join an intergenerational community
rooted in faith, alive in justice, and
growing in love.
As we enter the Lenten season, we begin
with intention. Our Lenten devotional,
Action in Contemplation, calls us to
rhythms of faith and embodied spiritual
action in the world. In these pages, you’ll
also read about the invitation to pause in
Pastor Erin Marth’s profile. Pastor Erin
describes the Benedictine practice of statio:
stop, breathe, reconnect, and repeat.
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Pastor Henry, an experienced educator
before coming to Plymouth, notes in his
pastoral profile, “With all the changes
happening in theological education
today, congregations like Plymouth
will become even more important in
forming the next generation of leaders
in the UCC and in the wider church.”
Plymouth’s role in shaping theological
education for the next generation
is highlighted in the deeply moving
reflections from the Plymouth teens who
traveled to the Common Ground on the
Border Conference. I hope you don’t take
for granted how incredible it is to be part
of a congregation that has the chance to
listen and learn alongside our teens.
In this issue, you’ll also meet Plymouth
members who embody faith in action,
from Scott Stouffer sketching justice
images at 89 years old to volunteers
serving meals at the Central Iowa Shelter
and Services. You can read about the
work of our Creation Care Committee
to reduce waste at Plymouth. Swapping
paper for cloth napkins might seem like a
small thing, but small things matter over
time. Or in the words of Plymouth teen
Dinah Vance in this issue, “doing small
things is big in Jesus’ eyes.”
You can also read about the ongoing
work of our This Moment Capital
Campaign and our commitment to
stewarding Plymouth’s sacred space
for generations to come. We eagerly
anticipate the next phase of construction,
made possible by the tangible generosity
of the Plymouth community. These
pages also detail how the Plymouth
Foundation recently made new audio and
video upgrades possible, expanding our
reach far beyond our walls and reaching
hundreds of people online every week.
Finally, we hope you’ll use this issue to
mark your calendars for all the exciting
events coming to Plymouth in the
coming months. From collaborations
with the Des Moines Metro Opera to
concerts, choirs, Creative Arts Camp,
and special guest speakers, there is so
much life at Plymouth. If there is a thread
running through these pages, it is this:
Plymouth is not standing still.
Thank you for reading and for being
such a vital part of Plymouth. Thank you
for showing up to worship, to march, to
serve meals, to study, to sing, and to pray.
Our faith is playing out among us, and
Plymouth’s story is unfolding right in
front of us.
With you in faith and action,
