Hello Plymouth,
It was wonderful to gather with you all this past Sunday for our 153rd Annual Meeting!
We covered a lot of ground. And, I’m aware that in many ways, we barely scratched the surface of what is happening at and through Plymouth. Some of the other stories that are Plymouth can be found in the Annual Report that Robert Turner faithfully and lovingly compiled for us all, so please be sure to take a look at it soon. In addition to the incredible feat of pulling together the Annual Report, many, many others pitched in to make the Annual Meeting happen and really, to make Plymouth continue to happen through this 153rd year of our existence. I believe we are blessed to have Clergy and Staff who are willing and able to do what it takes to keep us going week in and week out. I also believe we are fortunate to have so many who feel called to contribute through Council, Boards, Committees, Teams, and other Volunteer efforts. And, it’s wonderful that we have so many who are bringing the gift of their presence and love for this community. I hope that most days, you feel nourished and held in return.
One of the ways Council made space for folks in our community to lift up what is on their minds and hearts last year was through monthly Council Drop-in opportunities. We are re-starting that practice this month so we hope you will join us next Wednesday, February 8, at 7 pm. Please reach out to Diane Jacobsen for the ink (djacobsen@plymouthchurchseattle.org).
For those who were not able to attend the Annual Meeting, I would like to give you some information about the self-nomination process for the Developer Selection Committee (DSC). The link to the DSC Charter may be found here: DSC Charter and the link to the self-nomination survey tool may be found here: Developer Selection Committee Survey. Here is a brief overview of important things to know:
- The deadline for self-nominations is 5 pm on Sunday, February 12, 2023.
- Please be sure to review the Charter before completing the self-nomination survey if you would like to apply to be part of the DSC.
- The DSC is a Council appointed committee, meaning that Council will identify and vote on the committee slate.
- A subset of Council, supported by Revs. Brown and Bechtold, will review the self-nominations and will propose a slate for Council to consider; the four Council members are myself, Vice Moderator, Matt Durland, Secretary, Ara Lawrence, and Member, Dr. Tiffany Johnson.
- Council will vote on the slate at our February 22, 2023 Council meeting.
- The slate will be announced in the Herald and in worship shortly after the Council meeting.
I’ve heard from a few folks that there are issues with the Council email address so if it doesn’t work for you (council@plymouthchurchseattle.org), please feel free to reach out to me (tracysimpson7@gmail.com) if you have questions or comments about the DSC or anything else you would like Council to know.
In closing, I am grateful that you all have entrusted me to be your Moderator for another year. Admittedly, at times being your Moderator definitely feels like a second full-time job. And, thankfully, most days being in this role is a gift, an opportunity to learn and grow alongside you all in the messy, beautiful ways that we humans show up when we are co-creating an inclusive, nourishing, spirit-filled corner of the beloved community.
Peace and love as we head into our 154th year together,
Tracy Simpson, Plymouth Moderator