Annual Report 2023-2024-DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 5
SENIOR PASTOR
JARED WORTMAN
Dear friends and partners in ministry,
I’m writing this report on the heels of a single Plymouth weekend
that included Chris and Sohee’s wedding, the funeral of a longtime
member, a special Welcoming Migrants community event, a
RENEW English Language Learners session, Food Buddies meal
packing to help assist families who are hungry in the neighborhood,
three weekend worship services that included a baptism and
celebrating 17 eighth-grade Confirmation students, a cake reception
and fellowship time in Waveland Hall, a special Fellowship Forum
presentation, a Discover Plymouth new-member class, multiple
support groups, and a handful of committee meetings. In short, it
was “just another weekend” at Plymouth!
Although it’s impossible to fully capture 52 weeks of ministry at
Plymouth in a single report, this Annual Report is an incredible
snapshot of Plymouth’s vibrant life and ministry. I hope you’ll take
the time to review all the excellent work we’re doing together. Two
of our intentional focus areas in the past ministry year centered
on creation care and celebrating being an Open and Affirming
congregation for 30 years.
Creation Care: One of the key initiatives stemming from the
Plymouth Strategic Plan revolved around our commitment to
environmental stewardship. In the past year, we have intentionally
addressed environmental stewardship and creation care structurally,
educationally, and practically. From an all-church reads and
multi-week conversation, hosting the agrarian theologian Norman
Wirzba from Duke Divinity School, making better food and energy
choices at Plymouth large-group gatherings, to changing our bylaws
and church mission statement to read “in love of God, neighbor,
and creation,” we took substantive steps in our commitment to
environmental stewardship and laid the groundwork for more work
in the future.
30 Years of Being an Open and Affirming Congregation: When
we realized 2023 marked 30 years of being an Open and Affirming
congregation, we didn’t want to let this vital anniversary go
unnoticed. Just as a significant amount of energy, planning,
and structure went into efforts for creation care, a similar effort
went into remembering our past and imagining the next steps
as a congregation that fully affirms and values the LGBTQIA+
community. Our all-church reads conversation, multiple guest
speakers, dedicated Plymouth Pride magazine issue, a Plymouth
Pride Festival with multiple boards helping us celebrate on Ingersoll,
and the creation of the Rainbow Action Network under the Board
of Christian Social Action were all important touchstones in
Plymouth’s unwavering legacy of radical hospitality and belonging.
Beyond these two areas of focus, there are so many places where
I see health, growth, and potential. From ending the year better
than what was budgeted, to growing enrollment and involvement
in children and family programming, to launching the new Board
of Congregational Care, there are countless healthy signposts to
acknowledge and celebrate in this report. As with all of life, there
continue to be challenges that we’re rising to face regarding longterm ministry goals, stewardship and capital needs, staff transitions,
and balancing joy and hope in a world that’s hard. However, I firmly
trust that if the past year is any indication of the year ahead, we are
well-equipped to face whatever the future holds.
It’s an honor and a privilege to be your pastor, and I can’t wait
to walk with you all in another year of faithful, courageous, and
exciting ministry.
With so much gratitude and hope!
3
