As members of Plymouth’s Campus Task Force, we’re excited to update you on the status of our work and invite you to make suggestions to strengthen our impact.  You may recall that we were created by the Board of Deacons in January to:

• Make recommendations for the future use of our building
• Assess our adjacent properties and their potential to further Plymouth’s mission
• Help Plymouth become more welcoming and connected to all in the community

One of the Purposes of Plymouth is foundational to our work: “God’s creation benefits from our love lived out in the world. . . to “further social, economic, racial and environmental justice”.

As Beth reminded us in her recent sermon, Recipients of Abundance, we at Plymouth have benefited from an abundance of rich traditions, relationships, and resources. Over more than 150 years of our history, we have acknowledged our material and spiritual wealth, in part, by listening to the concerns and needs of our neighbors. We have aligned ourselves with knowledgeable organizations to guide us and create partnerships to bring about positive changes in the quality of life of many of our neighbors and the broader community.

A few examples of Plymouth’s leadership in creating programs to meet critical needs may serve as reminders:

Plymouth’s Racial Justice Initiative, created in 2015 to help dismantle systemic racism, likely unintentional, from our policies and practices, and Great River Landing, launched in 2019 with Westminster Presbyterian Church to provide affordable housing and jobs to former offenders are two more recent examples.

We have been inspired by the Plymouth tradition of creating effective programs to help our neighbors meet urgent needs. We have been sobered by rising challenges among many of our neighbors. Therefore, the Campus Task Force is forging ahead to help Plymouth become an even stronger neighbor.  The following committees are exploring actions Plymouth could take: Finance, Land and Property Use, Mapping the Neighborhood, Potential Partners, and Welcoming Space. There are many exciting ideas being discussed.

We are asking you, members of our beloved church, to guide us as to how Plymouth should move forward as stewards of our beautiful building and our several parcels of land. Over the next several weeks, Plymouth boards and initiatives will be hosting Roundtable Discussions to hear and discuss your ideas. We will publicize the dates shortly. Meanwhile, will you consider the following questions:

1. How can we be even better neighbors?
2. How can we make our building more hospitable to our neighbors and visitors?
3. How should we use our building, property, and land to meet needs and create a stronger sense of community?

The possibilities seem endless. Please send your responses to these questions by email to: campus@plymouth.org OR by mail to Campus Task Force, Plymouth Congregational Church, 1900 Nicollet Av, Mpls, 55403.

We enthusiastically await your responses They will be invaluable as Plymouth explores how to share our abundance with our neighbors. Our most sincere thanks to you from each of us.

Plymouth’s Campus Task Force members: