The Herald Newsletter
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Issue 5 I June 2026
Blessing of the Animals
Sunday, June 7, 11:57am worship
All well-behaved leashed or crated pets are welcome to our sanctuary service at 11:57. Following the service, our ministers will individually bless animals at stations in the courtyard. A certificate and a St. Francis of Assisi charm will be given. You and your pets are welcome again even if they have been blessed before. Photos of pets not present, as well as a child’s favorite stuffed animal, will also be blessed. A free-will offering will be collected to help various community organizations serving animals. Hosted by the First-Plymouth Animal Ministry.
FP Presents: Meet Rev. Katie Miller
First-Plymouth’s new associate minister
Sunday, June 7, 6:00-7:30pm at Screamers Restaurant (803 Q St)
Join us for a special evening to welcome and get to know Rev. Katie Miller, First-Plymouth’s new Associate Minister! Hear about her journey in ministry, the experiences that have shaped her calling, and a few fun facts that will help you get to know her beyond the pulpit. Plus, enjoy live music by Orion Walsh.
Grab dinner (Build-a-burger or Chicken sandwich and salad bar) available for purchase. Parking garage across the street.
Star City Pride Parade & Festival
First-Plymouth is sponsoring the Pride parade and festival! Support the festival festivities and parade – stop by the Plymouth Pride booth on Fri June 12, at Woods Park or walk with First-Plymouth in the Pride parade on Sat June 13, 10:00am.
Festival details at starcityprideevents.org.
Need a FP Pride t-shirt? A limited amount of shirts are still available for a donation of $5. Limited sizes, so call the office
(402-476-7565) before you stop by.
Join us in the Parade!
We invite all LGBTQ friends and allies of all ages to walk with First-Plymouth in the Pride parade. The parade route is twice around the State Capitol.
Compline
Sunday, June 14, 7:00-7:30pm, Sanctuary
Ancient Worship for the modern soul
Into the Stillness Pre-Compline series
Yoga
June 14, 6:00-7:00pm, Chapel. Led by Maggie Pleskac, Milkweed Yoga. Free.
This series combines yoga and worship, guiding participants through breath and movement to a place of stillness at the center of their being – the space that connects us with the Divine within. At 7:00pm, following the yoga session, all are invited to the sanctuary to experience Compline, a time of deep inner peace.
When Life Changes
Life’s milestones—such as your child walking across a graduation stage, a highly anticipated wedding day, or a family member excitedly accepting their dream job across the country are moments we often anticipate with joy. And yet, when they finally arrive, many of us are caught off guard by a swirl of unexpected emotions: pride mixed with sadness, excitement shadowed by a quiet sense of loss, or simply a feeling that life as we knew it has shifted beneath our feet. These feelings are real and normal, but they can leave us feeling unsteady.
That’s why Stephen Ministers are here for every season of life, listening without judgment, and offering support with complete confidentiality. If life feels different lately, even in ways that are hard to explain, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Please consider reaching out to Pastor KJ at kj@firstplymouth.org to request a Stephen Minister. We would be honored to listen.
Get to Know Rev. Katie Miller
Our new Associate Minister
We caught up with a Q and A to help us all get to know her better.
Favorite foods: Reese’s peanut butter cups and anything made out of a potato
Favorite place traveled: Switzerland
Early riser or night owl? Night owl!!!
The last thing that made her laugh:
A funny meme a minute ago (I laugh easily)
First job: Summer Tourism Aide at the Neligh Mills State Historical Site
Nickname: … Katie?
Enneagram number: 4w5
Phone app she uses the most: TikTok, unfortunately
Favorite movie: You’ve Got Mail
Favorite book: Garden Spells, by Sarah Addison Allen
Favorite way to spend a day off: Napping! Or hiking a trail somewhere
A hidden talent: slightly above average juggling skills
Donuts for Dads Sunday, June 21
Enjoy donuts in honor of all fathers after services at First-Plymouth and FP South.
Music + Message
Summer Courtyard Series
6:00pm - 7:30pm in the Courtyard
Live music & A Message from the Pastors
FREE ice cream treats | FREE balloon animals | FREE face painting
Bring your lawn chairs and picnic baskets!
FREE family Fun for all ages!
In the event of rain or high temperatures, the event will be relocated to Pilgrim Hall.
Hope House Navigator Leaders: Susie Blue, Nancy Gerard, Juan Carlos Huertas, Janet Olsen
Hope House: Navigating the ‘System’ with Our Neighbors
After decades of quiet years, the small red brick house on the north side of our church bustles with neighbors.
The Hope House opened last July as a presence of hospitality and service. A few dozen FP members trained as Navigators: they welcome neighbors, learn their stories and guide them to appropriate resources that already exist in our community. The first job of a Hope House Navigator is to SEE and HEAR the person who has taken the step to walk in the door or make a call to get help.
Navigators listen, then suggest short term steps to meet needs. Resources are named and a plan suggested with the highest potential of problem solving. For example, a neighbor may have housing problems, often concerned about meeting rent. Navigators list resources for which the neighbor may qualify and help make appointments, even an occasional conference call to a landlord to negotiate a plan. Seldom is a full need met by one resource. A finite amount of the FP Benevolence Fund may contribute to a package assembled by the neighbor from other sources. An individual/family may receive FP funds only once per year. A plan to avoid the problem is essential.
Most neighbors rely on outside support, and that help can take many forms—a call to an employment resource, a connection to disability services, or access to free food sites. The needs are wide-ranging and growing, especially as recent cuts to public aid have taken a toll. The Hope House helps people begin a path forward through these challenges.
We need your help! Get more information about becoming a navigator at FirstPlymouth.org/hopehouse
Become a Part of First-Plymouth
Have you been joining us for Sunday services and wondering what’s next? We invite you to take the next step and make First-Plymouth your church home. Come learn more about our community, our values, and what it means to become a member. Join Dr. Keck on Wed, July 22, at 5:30pm in Calvert Parlor.
Save The Date! FP South Cook out July 5!
Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday Sunday, June 28
Join us for this two-part evening at as we celebrate 250 years of the American experiment. Come for the history, stay for the music!
July 4, 1776: The Day an Idea Changed Everything
Presented by Bob Bartle in Pilgrim Hall, 6:00pm
Most nations are born out of conquered land or shifting borders. America was born out of an argument.
As we hit this historic 250-year milestone, it’s time to ask the real question: What happened on the day we call our birthday? Hint: It’s not what you think. This eye-opening talk dives into the revolutionary declaration that shook the world—the radical claim that a country could be built entirely on a creed of equality. Come find out how that 250-year-old experiment is holding up, and why the next chapter depends entirely on us.
250th Birthday Carillon Concert
Presented by Kathie Johnson, FP Carillonneur. Courtyard. 7:00pm
Following the talk, the celebration moves outside! Keep the patriotic spirit alive with a free, family-friendly concert featuring timeless favorites like Yankee Doodle and God Bless America. Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, or simply sit in your car to experience the incredible music cascading from First-Plymouth’s Singing Tower.
Bring your lawn chairs and bug spray!
Could you survive 46 days alone at sea?
Anybody, Everybody invites you to a special community event featuring history-making Nebraskan, Taryn Ann Smith. Sat July 11 (Social at 5:15pm, Talk from 5:30–6:00pm) in Mayflower Hall (lower level)
Before signing up for the “World’s Toughest Row,” Taryn had never rowed a day in her life. Three years later, she became the first American woman to solo row across the Atlantic Ocean. She’ll be sharing the raw, unfiltered reality of her 3,000-mile journey—the isolation, the wild beauty of the sea, and the sheer mental grit it took to pull through.
The program will leave you ready to tackle your own biggest dreams.
God’s Garden Returns - Sun June 7 - Oct 11
Stop by to explore a beautiful selection of fresh flowers, garden vegetables and more available throughout the summer for a small donation. If you have extra produce or flowers from your own garden to share, donations are welcome. All proceeds support the Sustainable Living Ministry at First-Plymouth Church.
Garden and Grounds Volunteers Needed
Help us keep the church grounds beautiful all summer.
Contact Candy: ccrellin@neb.rr.com. Bring your own tools.
Sat June 20, 8:30-10:30am
Sat July 18, 8:30-10:30am
Sat August 15, 8:30-10:30am
Join the FP Men’s Early Birds | Thursday mornings, 8:00-9:00am
Currently studying a National Geographic Documentary entitled “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman.” Men of all ages are invited to attend.
June Art featured in Pilgrim Hall
June’s artist is Dana Clements, owner of the Clements Noyes Art Gallery in the Haymarket. She earned her BA from UNL and enjoys using bright colors and whimsical creatures in her art.
Grape Expectations Church Social | Fri. June 26, 6:30-9:00pm
Hosted by Linda Jones. A great way to meet others who attend First-Plymouth. Bring an appetizer and drink to share. RSVP to lindajones3449@gmail.com
FP Singles Ministry
Join our email list for monthly events. Email addie@firstplymouth.org.
Love the Planet
Sustainable tips from First-Plymouth’s Climate Action Team and Sustainable Living Ministry
Watch for the return of the monarch butterflies this month! To support the declining monarch population, consider working some butterfly-friendly plants into your garden, flowerbeds, or pots.
Drop-In Summer Choir
We will gather at 9:45 a.m. on these Sundays (right) over the summer for an impromptu and fun warm-up rehearsal in preparation to lead hymn singing and to offer the anthem for the 10:30 a.m. service. Everyone is welcome, even if they have never been in one of our choirs before. We will not wear robes, and there is no official dress code. No registration or rehearsal required. Please drop in and join us whenever you can, and invite family members and friends who might enjoy singing along!
June 7- I Choose Love- Mark Miller
June 14- Walk in Light- Karen Marrolli (with oboe)
June 21- Lead Me, Lord- Wayne and Elizabeth Goodine (with Daniel Ikpeama, soloist)
June 28- Stillness- Mark Miller (with Trey Meyer, soloist)
July 5- My Shepherd Will Supply My Need- arr. Howard Helvey (with trombone)
July 26- Dereva ni mungu- Jake Runestad (with percussion)
August 2- Draw the Circle Wide- Mark Miller (Ariel Merivil, guest conductor)
August 16- The Storm is Passing Over- arr. Barbara Baker (with jazz combo)
August 23- Alabaré- arr. Ronald Nelson (with percussion)
August 30- And Jesus Said- Tony Alonso (with cello)