*NOTE: Christmas Special Offering is still open if you would like to donate. It will remain open until January 24!*

Updated from January 14, 2021: Without the opportunity to pass the plate at our traditional Christmas Eve services, Plymouth’s 2020 Christmas Special Offering came in about $10,000 short of our goal. Though an understandable byproduct of the pandemic world we are living through together, we hope to honor our commitments to our community partners. So we are reopening the 2020 Christmas Special Offering. Until January 24, you can mail your check or give online. Your donation will help six worthy organizations receive the money they need to fulfill the work included in their special offering applications. Thank you for your prayerful consideration of this extended opportunity to support the missions of these important community partners: Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center, CROSS Outreach, Des Moines Public Schools, Nutrition4Young Children, Children and Family Urban Movement, and Children and Families of Iowa. Funds will also support the Plymouth Good Samaritan Fund (formerly known as the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund).

Dear Plymouth Members,

As you prepare to celebrate Christmas, please consider a Special Offering gift that supports our Just Peace covenant. This year’s Christmas offering recipients have been decided. Below are the groups that this offering will go towards and some more information about each.

Pastor’s Discretionary Fund
These funds are directed to urgent needs of community members, covering items such as rent assistance, utility cost, medicine, and bus/travel expense.

Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center
Funds from Plymouth’s Christmas Special Offering will support therapeutic supplies for children and teens who seek mental health services from the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center’s C.O.O.L. (Children Overcoming the Obstacles of Life).

CROSS Outreach
The funding from this grant will provide direct financial assistance toward the payment of rent, security deposit, mortgage, electric/gas or water bills for low- or no-income Des Moines area residents experiencing a one-time emergency. If fully funded the funds from Plymouth’s Christmas Special Offering will prevent 20 households from losing their utility service or from becoming homeless.

Des Moines Public Schools
As a district level professional, I will collaborate with our programs and needs to identify how the support can impact the most families. This year we may look at using funds for basic needs and keeping families in housing or we may just use it for holiday giving.

Nutrition4Young Children
When mothers/pregnant women attend our sessions they receive a back pack containing several items of use for babies and small children.  We serve both English and Spanish speaking clients.  One item in each pack is a bilingual book for mothers to read to their children.  We are requesting funds for this expenditure.

Children and Family Urban Movement
CFUM has incurred new cost due to Covid-19 and all the changes we have made to fit the needs of our community.  Funding from this gift would relieve some of the additional cost CFUM has accrued.  It will allow us to continue to offer all-day programming until students return to 100% in person learning. It will allow us to continue to get the extra supplies needed for each individual student.  CFUM’s added expenses due to Covid-19 include mask, thermometers, gloves, disinfectant wipes and cleaner, paper towels, and hand sanitizer.  CFUM has had extra cost for staffing now that we are limiting the classroom sizes to a 10:1 student to staff ratio.

Children and Families of Iowa
To assist with the transportation and housing needs of clients, Children & Families of Iowa respectfully requests a grant of $5,000 from Plymouth United Church of Christ. Funding would specifically be utilized for drivers’ salaries, insurance, gasoline, and vehicle maintenance for shelter’s van; bus tokens and cab vouchers for clients when the van is in use; as well as apartment application fees, rent deposits and moving assistance. Although CFI budgets for these needs, a grant from Plymouth Church would allow CFI to reach even more survivors.

To keep our Church Family safe and healthy, we will not be passing the plate at our brief in-person Christmas Eve services. You can give online or by mail. To keep our Church Family safe and healthy, there will be no in person Thanksgiving services. Please make your gifts online at plymouthchurch.com/give (see more details below).

If you would prefer to mail a check, please include the memo line “Christmas Gifts” and mail address it with the following:

Plymouth Church Attn: Nancy Bassett
4126 Ingersoll Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50312.

Thank you for your generosity,
Plymouth Board of Benevolences

Make a donation by check, electronic checking or the gift of stock. If you chose to make a donation by one of the above methods, please visit the Pledge page on our website. Select the middle Donate button. At the bottom of the form, you will see “This donation is for…” Select one of those offerings.

Make a one-time or recurring donation by credit card. If you chose to make a donation through PayPal, please visit the Pledge page on our website. Select the yellow Donate button on the right. You will be directed to PayPal. Input the total donation, and select to pay through your PayPal account or by Debit or Credit card. At the top of the form, you will see “Write a Note.” Select this and type in the “Christmas Special Offering.”

As we approach the end of 2020 and are nearly to our $20,000 goal, will you consider supporting AMOS financially this year and help us close the gap?

AMOS (A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy) is a relational grassroots approach to organizing that empowers people to take action and change communities and lives. Through this process, we cut through divisions such as race, religion, and socioeconomic status, and discover the passions and concerns that unite us all. Hundreds of people enter public life and claim responsibility for their future here in central Iowa. Click here to read more.

The budget for AMOS is raised from the dues of its member institutions, individual support, and annual fundraisers (like this one). AMOS does not accept government funding. We rely on the leadership and guidance of trained and committed community organizers – like our AMOS lead organizer, Courtney Dufford.

This year, our fundraising goal is $20,000 and we have just over $4,000 left to raise. Consider supporting the organization standing for over 20 years in Central Iowa for local democracy and local accountability. Consider a donation to help us meet our goals to develop leadership, create and host training, and fund meaningful actions.  By organizing people and organizing money, we are creating lasting and meaningful change in our communities.

If you’d like to donate to AMOS this year, you can do so online at amosiowa.org/invest or make out a check to “AMOS” and mail to:

AMOS
c/o St. Theresa Catholic Church
1230 Merle Hay Rd
Des Moines, IA 50311

Thank you for your generous support!

Financial Peace University 2021

Start the New Year right! Find peace in getting your finances in order through proven steps. Financial Peace University Classes are Sunday evenings from 6-8 p.m., beginning Jan. 3 to Feb. 28, 202. For Plymouth members, the fees are $100 (originally $129) which includes all course materials and access to e-resources. Register before December 1, and receive a 25% discount. Class size is limited to 10 registrants.

Registration includes a spouse or a significant other attendance with the registrant. Register by December 30 to reserve your place to a happier and healthier future. To enroll or ask more question, please call or email Emily Tripp at 515.255.3149 or etripp@plymouthchurch.com.

Christmas Flowers

This year, Plymouth will be ordering a variety of flowers for Christmas. Since they will not be gracing the Sanctuary, we invite you to take them home or give them as gifts to friends & family. All plants are in 6” or 6.5” pots with a gold sleeve. All plants cost $12 each or $20 for any two plants.

Selection is first come, first serve. We will have:

• Red Poinsettias (30)
• Ice Crystals Poinsettias (red with white in the center of the petal) (20)
• Winter Rose Poinsettias (red with curly leaves) (20)
• Norfolk Island Pine (20)
• Amaryllis (10)
• Christmas Cactus (10)
• Cyclamen (10)
• Rosemary tree (4” pot) (10)

Check or exact change upon pickup is preferred. We don’t yet know what color the Amaryllis, Christmas Cactus, or Cyclamen will be.

Flowers were be available for pick-up on Thursday, December 10 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, December 12 from noon to 2 p.m. Pick up will be a ONE WAY ENTRANCE from Ingersoll Ave, through the bottom level of the parking garage and towards Grand Ave. Please be sure to wear a mask!

Thanksgiving Special Offering 2020

Dear Plymouth Members,

As you prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, please consider a Special Offering gift that supports our Just Peace covenant – working toward economic and social justice for our Des Moines Metro Area neighbors.

The projects selected for this year’s gifts are:

Pastor’s Discretionary Fund: 10% of the Special Offerings will be allocated to Plymouth Pastor’s Discretionary Fund. These funds are directed to urgent needs of community members, covering items such as rent assistance, utility cost, medicine, and bus/travel expense.

Family Promise of Greater Des Moines: 60% of the remaining collection will be given to support FPGDM, which provides support to families experiencing homelessness.

Food Buddies: 40% of the remaining collection will be given for  this Plymouth’s initiative with Hubbell Elementary School that provides for weekend meals for students experiencing food insecurity.

To keep our Church Family safe and healthy, there will be no in person Thanksgiving services. Please make your gifts online at plymouthchurch.com/give (see more details below) or mail your check with memo line “Thanksgiving Gifts” to Plymouth Church Attn: Nancy Bassett, 4126 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312.

Thank you for your generosity,
Plymouth Board of Benevolences

Making an Online Donation

Make a donation by check, electronic checking or the gift of stock. If you chose to make a donation by one of the above methods, please visit the Pledge page on our website. Select the middle Donate button. At the bottom of the form, you will see “This donation is for…” Select one of those offerings.

Make a one-time or recurring donation by credit card. If you chose to make a donation through PayPal, please visit the Pledge page on our website. Select the yellow Donate button on the right. You will be directed to PayPal. Input the total donation, and select to pay through your PayPal account or by Debit or Credit card. At the top of the form, you will see “Write a Note.” Select this and type in the “Thanksgiving Special Offering.”

Election Day Prayer

Are political ads and election anxieties getting to you? On Election Day, we will be surrounding our nation, our communities, and each other in prayer—even more than usual. Join us on Facebook Live at 6 a.m., noon, 5:30 p.m., and 9 p.m. as we pray the hours. We will pray for poll workers and voters, election officials and candidates, and all of us. We will pray for a safe and smooth process for all exercising their right to vote. We will pray for the future of our communities that we are building together. We will pray with the God who holds the whole world in her hands and is bigger than any election, as momentous as it may be. Ground your spirit and join us for prayer.

Congregational Care Callers

We are working to connect with every Plymouth household and we need your help! As part of Phase I, a group of volunteer Care Callers have been calling their fellow members since March, but our hope is to expand this group and make calls to all Plymouth households in Phase II of our Congregational Care Callers program.

Volunteers who sign up will be matched with a list of 10 households to call once per month for 2 months of calls, with the option to continue after that with the same or new people! Conversation guides will be provided. Help us weave the fabric of Plymouth together by volunteering to be a Care Caller! For more information and to sign up, click here.

Service of Gratitude Videos

Plymouth Church, what are you grateful for? 2020 has been a challenging year on many fronts. And yet! There are still things that make you smile, feel safe, evoke a happy dance, challenge you to grow, and let you know you belong and are loved. We want to hear about them! Before you share around your Thanksgiving table, share with us. Whether a 3-minute testimony or a 3-second gratitude blast of “I’m grateful for _____.”

You can submit your video offerings here.

All video submissions are due by Friday, November 13. Videos will be compiled into a Thanksgiving Service of Gratitude that will premiere Thanksgiving Eve. Let your voice and face and story be something another Plymouth friend gives thanks for! Got questions or want some coaching on how to craft your story? Contact Pastor Lindsey lbraun@plymouthchurch.com.