Dear Plymouth,

We have a lot of exciting things happening and essential updates. We pray you stay safe and cool as we battle the heat and wildfires. 

Raise the Roof Campaign for Our Home and Theirs!

This past Sunday at worship, we showed a video highlighting our exciting capital fundraising event, Raise the Roof. (Click this link if you have not seen the mini video!)

Our fantastic new roof was paid for using our capital reserves. We are grateful that this fund could cover the cost when needed, but we would be remiss if we did not do the fundraising necessary to reimburse that fund for future emergencies. Furthermore, recognizing that everything we are is a gift from God – and being grateful and generous with those gifts – as we pay for our roof, we will also raise funds to provide a roof for our neighbors in need. 

Plymouth lay leadership, with staff input, identified Rainbow Villages (a project of Foothills Unitarian Church) as the beneficiary of our fundraising tithe. Our youth group connected with Rainbow Villages earlier this year, through the Youth For Change event. In the wake of the tsunami of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and hate sweeping our nation, we want to join Foothills and our broader community in creating sanctuary and support for transgender and nonbinary people and their families seeking a haven away from states with anti-trans laws. 

We are excited to Raise the Roof for Plymouth and Rainbow Villages! Please contribute to this one-time event from August 19 to 23. To learn more or get a head start, visit the Raise the Roof page. 

Fitness Review Update
Leadership Council is still awaiting the outcome of the fitness review involving our senior minister, Rev. Hal Chorpenning. This review is being conducted by the Committee on Ministry from the Central Pacific Conference of the UCC. The committee is comprised of UCC ministers who have experience and have also undergone specific training. These ministers are committed to ethics and justice while being purposeful and strategic. The well-being of the local church is their priority. They have conducted interviews with various people since mid-May and continued through June and July. We know this is a complicated and multilayered situation, and we also understand that the committee is exploring circumstances that go back for years. Some may not see why we are in this situation, and others may feel wronged. Both of these experiences can be true. For general questions about the Fitness Review process, check out this article from the Rocky Mountain Conference.  

While we have yet to determine when the process will be complete, we understand it may be at the end of the summer. At the same time, we have been in regular contact with our Transitional Conference Minister, Rev. Erin Gilmore. We will promptly communicate the outcome of the fitness review when we learn it. We ask for your continued prayers, especially for Hal and for those who raised the concerns that initiated this process. Meanwhile, Plymouth's staff and volunteer leadership are and will continue to sustain our vibrant ministries.

Interim Ministry Transition Team
In the early spring, the Leadership Council established a subcommittee to plan for the next steps in the life of our congregation following Hal’s retirement. George Theodore, Sara Myers, Terri Schulz, and Lynne Soraci are examining the recommended models for an interim period. This team feels it would be best not to move quickly but to spend significant time envisioning the church we want to become. The team has been tasked with identifying an interim model that will best fit Plymouth’s situation, and they will send their recommendation to the entire Leadership Council for discussion and approval. One theme that has emerged from their discussion is the importance of a spirit of collaboration. We are excited to see how this theme threads throughout the lay leadership, our staff team, and the congregation as we discover together the next season of Plymouth. 

Gratitude and Good Wishes to Phil
Finally, Plymouth’s church administrator, Phil Braudaway-Bauman, informed the Leadership Council that he will leave at the end of August. Phil expressed that he will be moving on, as "the church has entered a new season" and he wishes Plymouth well. Leadership Council members and staff are identifying options to ensure a smooth transition of his financial and administrative duties. We’re grateful to Phil for his years of dedication to Plymouth; his expertise and attention to detail have been great assets to our congregation.

Again, Plymouth is well-equipped with staff and dedicated lay leadership. Please reach out if you have any questions or comments. 

Peace,
The Moderators, Adam, Terri, and Heather

Plymouth’s Leadership Council:
Adam Redavid, Moderator * Terri Schulz, Vice Moderator * Heather Siegel, Past Moderator * Megan Campain, Clerk * George Theodore, Treasurer * Assistant Treasurer, Elaine Kim * Mackenzie Wiggs-Campos, At Large * Sara Myers, At Large * Don Bundy, At Large * Lynne Soraci, At Large

It’s been almost a month now since Leadership Council made the difficult decision to place our senior minister, Hal Chorpenning, on paid administrative leave pending the result of a fitness review initiated by the Rocky Mountain Conference’s Committee on Ministry. In that time, our staff has stepped up to a challenging situation with grace and diligence. Mark continues to be our point person for music; Phil is overseeing administrative and financial needs; and Marta is taking the lead on worship and pastoral care. I’m grateful to our entire staff, and to the many Plymouth members who have stepped up, or who will step up in the coming weeks. The love we have for our congregation and each other has been apparent every day. 
 
Rev. Erin Gilmore with the Rocky Mountain Conference has informed us that the fitness review is underway, and that interviews have begun. At this point we still do not know how long the fitness review will take, or how many interviews the committee is likely to conduct. This period of waiting is difficult and potentially frustrating. I will continue to share any updates we receive with the congregation. As always, please feel free to reach out to members of Leadership Council with any questions or concerns. 
 
In this season of waiting, there are also lots of exciting things going on! As in previous years, summer worship (with one service at 10:00 a.m.) is underway, and Marta, Mark, and Brooklyn are hard at work on a wonderful range of services. Fellowship groups are meeting, including Fellowship of the Grape on 5/24 and Plymouth Social Club on 5/25. And the long-awaited roof repairs are complete! We continue to be a vibrant community filled with people doing good work together. However you contribute to the life of our congregation, thank you for continuing to be Plymouth during this season!

Adam Redavid,
Plymouth Moderator

P.S. There are a few questions that have come up often:

Why is this review occurring right as Hal was about to retire anyway? 
The Conference received the complaints before Hal announced his retirement. It is important to note that pastors don’t retire from the United Church of Christ; they always have to retain their standing. This process would be happening regardless if he was at Plymouth. 

Why didn’t these members of the congregation try to handle this internally? 
The Conference works to ensure that all internal efforts have been exhausted before moving forward. 

How can we support the staff?
Know that the changes we are making to be more efficient are very helpful and things are running smoothly. Oh, and chocolate is always welcome. :)

I’m confused, what is happening?
You may not have received our first letter on April 24th; that letter went out to covenanted members of Plymouth only. The short answer is that Rev. Hal Chorpenning is on administrative leave for a fitness review with the Rocky Mountain Conference, United Church of Christ. 

It feels like it’s been more than just five days since Leadership Council announced the difficult decision recommended by the Rocky Mountain Conference of the UCC to place our senior minister, Hal Chorpenning, on paid administrative leave. In that time we’ve had the first of what will be many challenging but necessary discussions together. Thank you to those who attended one of the two congregational conversations, and to those who reached out in person or via email to share your perspectives, ask questions, or just offer support.

Amidst these important conversations, I also want to highlight that our work of mission and ministry continues! Plymouth’s staff is hard at work, and volunteers are organizing exciting programs every day. There are too many wonderful projects happening to name them all, so here are a few from this week: We had a beautiful and moving Confirmation Sunday service. The climate action ministry team is continuing their spring series “Resurrection in a Time of Climate Change.” And, perhaps most visibly, roof repairs are ongoing and should be wrapping up later this week (weather permitting).

The roof repairs feel like an apt metaphor for where we are in this moment as a congregation. Fixing a leaky roof isn’t glamorous. It isn’t the reason anyone chooses to be involved in a church. In fact, it’s disruptive and uncomfortable. But it’s necessary work that makes worship, mission, fellowship, and Christian formation possible in this space. As a congregation we are moving through a difficult period, one that is disruptive and uncomfortable. Nonetheless, a theme that has come up again and again over the past week is how much people love Plymouth. My hope for our congregation is that we can come together, approaching differences of opinion with empathy and curiosity, united by the love we all have for our church. That way this difficult period can set the stage for vital ministry and community in the years to come.

Adam

Adam Redavid, Moderator

Change and new life seem to be everywhere this time of year, as we celebrate Easter and as the long Colorado winter finally gives way to spring. Plymouth is also entering a period of transformation!
 
Some of these changes involve our physical infrastructure. In the coming weeks, you’ll see crews at work installing a new sloped roof above the Fellowship Hall and Fireside Room. Leaks and standing water on our current flat roof have been a problem for decades, so I’m thrilled that we’re finally able to address this critical need. Your Leadership Council anticipates funding this project by drawing on our reserves, with no need to take out a loan. Over the coming weeks, a small team of members will also be working to identify other areas where our facility could better support our community—and embody our values—with the goal of launching a capital campaign later this year to fund priority improvements and replenish our reserves. Stay tuned! 
 
Accompanying these physical changes, ministry at Plymouth is also entering a period of transition, as Hal prepares to retire after 21 years as Plymouth’s senior minister. Like many others, I find myself experiencing a range of emotions, including sadness at the loss Hal’s departure will be for Plymouth, as well as hope for new beginnings in the years to come. Leadership Council’s first step in navigating this process will be to meet with acting Rocky Mountain Conference minister Erin Gilmore to learn about what other congregations in our region have been doing and what resources are available to us. I don’t yet know what this process will look like beyond that, but I do know that we are committed to being transparent and intentional, so expect to hear lots more as we move forward. 
 
I’m excited to see how Plymouth grows and changes in the months and years ahead!

Adam

One of the truest blessings of my mornings recently has been the sunrises. For anyone who hasn’t witnessed the incredible light show each day, it is actually difficult to put into words how amazing sunrises have been. Pinks, purples, reds, yellows, blues - it is almost like God is painting with the brightest oils available. Even this morning, it took my breath away as I drove to my office in Old Town. After what felt like an eternity of freezing cold weather (which was actually only a few days), the sunrises have ushered in a renewed sense of hope for me; an assurance that winter won’t last forever and spring will certainly come.

That hope has also been with me during the last few months of being Moderator. As I've sat through Leadership Council meetings, attended the Congregational Conversation, and been a fly on the wall during other budget conversations, the news for our Church has generally been full of hope and joy.

This coming weekend is our annual church meeting, where we will preview a little of what the year has in store, celebrate the volunteers who dedicated so much time and talent in 2023, and welcome those who are jumping in for 2024. We will also discuss the budget, which is probably not everyone’s favorite topic. For many, discussing money is fraught with stress and anxiety. It isn’t always comfortable to talk finances, but what I have taken away from the seemingly endless conversations that have been had, is that we are so BLESSED. We are blessed to have a congregation that is involved and cares; a congregation that asks questions and makes suggestions; a congregation that values each other. And what I ask as we approach the annual meeting is that we keep our blessings in mind.

May we continue to value those who dedicate so much to our Church, and those involved in important decisions that impact Plymouth, and those who strive to understand. Because we are in this together and 2024 is going to be an amazing year! Also, who doesn’t love a church potluck? Thank you for being part of Plymouth and part of our amazing community. I look forward to seeing everyone on Sunday!

Heather
Heather Siegel,
Plymouth's 2023 Moderator

It’s Halloween! As a parent of young children, it’s hard to ignore the fun and excitement that comes with this holiday. My kids, in particular, spend most of every day being imaginative, creating their own magical worlds, dressing up in whatever random capes and wings they can find in our costume box, and for this one, incredible day, everyone else also participates. For Halloween this year, for the first time ever, Eric and I were roped into a family costume. Honestly, I’ve loved it! Who wouldn’t want to be the Queen of Hearts?! But no matter how good my kids costumes are it's always relatively easy to see through it and know who is underneath.

Transparency is a word I’ve heard a lot in the last few weeks (shout out to Marta’s sermon a few weeks ago!) Transparency is really the opposite of costumes and dress up. It’s having an open book, with accessible information; it's about seeing who we really are, underneath the extra layers. As moderator, in my speeches, conversations, and reflections, I haven’t hidden the fact that times are changing in the church world. As a church, we’ve had a lot of conversations about stewardship and budgeting and all the difficulties we may (or hopefully may not) have to confront with our upcoming budget.

In the face of all of these things, I remain very hopeful. The stewardship campaign has been astoundingly successful – but a friendly reminder to anyone who hasn’t pledged, please do so! With the increased early participation in pledging, the Budget and Finance Committee has a much clearer picture going into the budgeting process. Their job will be more transparent, if you will. Boards and Committees are working to submit requests, meetings are being held to crunch numbers, and we will all be gearing up for the annual meeting after the New Year. During that meeting, as a congregation, we will discuss the financial situation of Plymouth for the year to come, including the good, the bad, and the ugly.

If you have not spent time on our website, you may not realize that there is an entire area dedicated to budget information (plymouthucc.org/budget). The Church financial picture is available to review at your leisure. We have wonderful volunteers and staff who have dedicated countless hours to putting this information together and making it easily accessible and transparent. Do you have more questions? As I tell my children, you can never ask too many questions! So, if you do have questions or want more information, please ask! If you want to discuss the budget or the budgeting process, we’re available. Most people abhor discussing finances and being asked for money, but as a thriving church community, it is imperative that we have these conversations. Transparency is a two-way street. It is also important we remember that we are in this together. The people volunteering their time to work on the budget, the church administrator (Phil Braudaway-Bauman) responding to emails on his nights and weekends, those serving as board chairs and on committees - these people all care enormously about this Church. We all care and together we can continue to be a shining light in our community. So when you have questions, I’m always happy to answer them or connect you with someone who can. I’ll be the person in the heart crown, so it won’t be hard to find me.

Heather
Heather Siegel, Moderator