The Outreach & Mission Board
Who We Are & What We Do
The Outreach and Mission Board’s purpose is to reach beyond the walls of Plymouth in response to God’s call to create a new realm based on shalom – peace, justice and wholeness for all God’s people. The Board works with over a dozen ministry teams, which address a variety of issues and concerns, both locally and internationally. Each board member serves as a liaison with several of these teams, keeping the board informed about their work, their challenges, and their needs. Much of the funding that comes to the board via the Plymouth budget is used to support the work of our teams directly or to support the Mission Partners with whom they are allied. The O/M Ministry Teams, the face of Plymouth in the community, do much to raise awareness within the congregation and to work in partnership with neighbors near and far to make a difference … to realize a bit of God’s shalom. We are grateful for all we are able to do together!
Read a letter approved by Outreach and Mission on 10/12/22, to members of City Council and City Manager Kelly DiMartino, in appreciation for their support of immigrants in our community by their vote to include the Immigration Legal Fund (which was a pilot program last year) in the 2023 budget, with full funding ($250,00).
The inclusion of this item in the City’s 2023 budget is the result of significant – and very successful – advocacy by many community partners with whom Plymouth is engaged as an Immigrant Welcoming Congregation, working "to further just policies and structures." Ministry TeamS
Outreach and Mission Ministry Teams:
Find out who is in charge of these teams/contact on the Lay Leadership page. |
Outreach and Mission Donation RecipientsPlymouth’s compassion for people in need and passion for social justice continue to fuel amazingly generous donations to a large number of charitable causes, including some that would be difficult for less progressive churches to rally behind.
Causes Supported so far in 2023:
Click here to learn more about these causes, the ministry teams that support them, the sources of their funding, and who to contact to become more involved. Download Outreach & Missions full report of all we did during the pandemic!
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The Outreach and Mission Board is grateful to the many Plymouth members and friends who participate in ministry teams, donate time and money, and encourage the outreach and mission of Plymouth Congregational UCC Church in Fort Collins and the world.
Welcoming Statements
The following statements are in the Plymouth UCC Church Constitution:
Article V. Open and Affirming Declaration
The members of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, Fort Collins, Colorado, affirm their belief that all persons are created by God and are equal in worth and dignity. We recognize, celebrate and give thanks for the many diverse gifts of God among us. We declare ourselves to be an Open and Affirming congregation, welcoming into full membership and participation in the Body of Christ persons of every race, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnic origin, physical and mental ability, economic status and nationality. We joyously pledge ourselves to be an Open and Affirming congregation, providing a safe welcome for a diverse people.
Article VI. _Peace with Justice Declaration
The members of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, Fort Collins, Colorado, believe Jesus’ teachings call us to enact shalom, to live in wholeness, harmony, community well-being and with equal justice. We affirm a process of justice-making and peace-making which encourages open dialogue, reconciliation, constructive change and nonviolence. Therefore, we are called and committed to being a Peace with Justice Church in our worship, education, community life and outreach.
Article VII. Immigrant Welcoming Congregation Declaration
The members of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, Fort Collins, Colorado hear God’s Call to care for and welcome with compassion and justice the widowed, the orphaned and the alienated who are living in our community. We follow Jesus, the Christ, who lives among the “least of these” in our communities. We affirm that each and every person is a Child of God welcome in the Realm of God’s Love. Our refugee-immigrant ancestors fled persecution; upon arriving in Colorado they established the German Evangelical Congregational Church that laid the foundation for Plymouth Congregational UCC. Therefore, Plymouth Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Fort Collins, CO declares itself an “Immigrant Welcoming Congregation” to encourage the development of policies and activities within Plymouth UCC dedicated to facilitating respectful, compassionate welcome and inclusion of immigrants in our midst.
Article V. Open and Affirming Declaration
The members of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, Fort Collins, Colorado, affirm their belief that all persons are created by God and are equal in worth and dignity. We recognize, celebrate and give thanks for the many diverse gifts of God among us. We declare ourselves to be an Open and Affirming congregation, welcoming into full membership and participation in the Body of Christ persons of every race, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnic origin, physical and mental ability, economic status and nationality. We joyously pledge ourselves to be an Open and Affirming congregation, providing a safe welcome for a diverse people.
Article VI. _Peace with Justice Declaration
The members of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, Fort Collins, Colorado, believe Jesus’ teachings call us to enact shalom, to live in wholeness, harmony, community well-being and with equal justice. We affirm a process of justice-making and peace-making which encourages open dialogue, reconciliation, constructive change and nonviolence. Therefore, we are called and committed to being a Peace with Justice Church in our worship, education, community life and outreach.
Article VII. Immigrant Welcoming Congregation Declaration
The members of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, Fort Collins, Colorado hear God’s Call to care for and welcome with compassion and justice the widowed, the orphaned and the alienated who are living in our community. We follow Jesus, the Christ, who lives among the “least of these” in our communities. We affirm that each and every person is a Child of God welcome in the Realm of God’s Love. Our refugee-immigrant ancestors fled persecution; upon arriving in Colorado they established the German Evangelical Congregational Church that laid the foundation for Plymouth Congregational UCC. Therefore, Plymouth Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Fort Collins, CO declares itself an “Immigrant Welcoming Congregation” to encourage the development of policies and activities within Plymouth UCC dedicated to facilitating respectful, compassionate welcome and inclusion of immigrants in our midst.