Last Sunday, it was our joy to welcome Buzz Wheeler into our church family when he became a member at the 8:15 service. Please join us in welcoming Buzz to his new church home and supporting him in his faith journey.

 

Topeka First UMC are capable of extraordinary things, for the good of the city, and for the transformation of the world! This Saturday, our member Steve Watkins will set off with a team of 16 dogs for the annual Iditarod race in Alaska. Steve last raced in this 1,150-mile dog sled race in 2015--the same year he climbed Mount Everest. Steve, a veteran, is taking on this race to inspire veterans and teachers (another group close to his heart) to take on challenges and believe there is much yet they can accomplish. Please join us in keeping Steve in prayer as he mushes through -60F temperatures, extreme weather conditions, and exhausting physical challenges over the next couple of weeks. 

You can watch a story about Steve from KSNT news by clicking here.

You can visit the @MusherSteve Facebook page by clicking here.

You can view Steve's Iditarod Musher Profile and learn more about the race by clicking here.

If your Sunday School class, church group, or family would be able to help prepare a meal, please contact Allison Brewer, Director of Children's Discipleship. The menu is already planned. You can choose to help cook, set up, and/or clean up. Learn more on our website.

Click the date on the menu to sign up and pay for your meal:

• February 28: Taco Bar
• March 7: Pizza and Salad Bar
• March 14: Spaghetti, Meatballs, Salad
• March 21: No Meal or Wednesday Night Activities
• March 28: March Madness Chili Cook Off

There will be a make up date for February Nickel-a-Cups that were cancelled due to bad weather. Senior Adults, we will gather this  Thursday, March 1st at 11:30 a.m.  at McFarland's Restaurant. Hope you can join us! Please contact Tiwana with any questions. 

 

With Easter coming in a few weeks, it is time to prepare for all of the guests who will worship with us on that joyful morning. This is a good time to make sure you know where your name tag is so you can wear it each Sunday--or better yet, order a new name tag featuring our new logo! Wearing a name tag helps our visitors feel more at ease, and when we all wear our logo we are identified as one church family.

Many of you have commented that you would like to wear a name tag with the church logo to represent our church as you attend community events. This is a great idea! Wear them as you volunteer, shop downtown, go to club meetings, and enjoy the many social occasions our city offers.  The new name tags will be a great way to show that our church members are out there getting involved, for the good of the city. 

You can order a new name tag this Sunday, March 4th, and next Sunday, March 11th in the Celebration Room at 9 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. The name tag costs $7 with a pin fastener, or $8.50 with a magnet fastener. You can pay for your name tag with cash, check, or card. Call the church at 785-233-8100 or email Jayna McFarland, Publications Coordinator, with any questions. Please note, if you have a pacemaker, you should not order the magnet fastener.

The church shirt store will open again very soon! Look for more info in your email within the next week.

All women are invited to lunch on  Wednesday, March 7th at 12 p.m . If you have to be back at work at 1:00, we'd still love to have you join us. Lunch is provided. This is a time of fellowship and focus. We will have the meal right at noon, followed by a short devotion at 12:25. If you have to get back to work we will make sure you are comfortable leaving at 12:40, but if you can stay for the program and business meeting we will be done by 1:30. During the business meeting you can see what the United Methodist Women are doing in the church, community, and world. The program this month provides helpful information about palliative care vs. hospice. Enedina Patch from Stormont Vail Health will be sharing her thoughts. We'd love to have you for 45 minutes or an hour and a half. Try it out! Feel free to call Dorothy Iliff  at 785-357-1854 or the church office at 785-233-8100 if you have questions. Hope to see you there!

 

Join us for a March Madness Chili cook off, Wednesday, March 28, 2018. Bring your favorite chili recipe to share or just join us for the meal at 5:30 p.m. If you can bring chili, please register on our Church Connection Portal. After dinner join us for fellowship and classes.

 

The 11th Annual, "Music, Just What the Doctor Ordered," will take place at Topeka First UMC on Sunday, April 22nd at 3 p.m.  Come share the fun as many local physicians perform their favorite songs. There is no admission charge, but a free will offering will be accepted to benefit low-income uninsured patients served by Health Access and community partners. 

 

If you'd like to receive a devotional written by Topeka First UMC members each day during Lent (from now until Easter), please email Tina Boles.

Looking for a quiet and safe space to escape from the craziness of the week? Midweek Meditation is a 30 minute time of silence, reflection, prayer, and communion. We offer this time as a chance to reconnect and recharge every Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. in the Chapel. All are welcome to this time of worship.

One Sunday each month, we hold an Equal Exchange sale in the Celebration Room. Equal Exchange is an organization supported by UMCOR (United Methodist Committee On Relief), which gives small-scale farms in developing countries the opportunity to sell their coffees, teas, chocolates, and other products for fair prices (fair trade). The farmers are then able to better support their families, educate their children, and invest in their communities. 

The foods produced by Equal Exchange are organic and high-quality, and you can tell by the taste! This month, we have a couple of new products you might like. If you like a darker roasted coffee, try the Midnight Sun blend--just $6.50 per 12 oz. bag. If you're feeling adventurous, we dare you to try the Lemon Ginger dark chocolate bar--$2.50 for a gourmet chocolate experience! Of course, your favorite classic flavors of all products will also be for sale. We so appreciate your support of this mission, but you may admit, it's not much of a sacrifice to enjoy such delicious products!

 

Save the date! On St. Patrick's Day (March 17th), we will have another opportunity to engage in the downtown community. The festivities begin with a 5K race, which will run right by our church. Our Men's Ministry group and Downtown Engagement Team are working together to offer a water stand and cheering section for the racers. We invite you to come stand outside our building along Harrison Street and cheer on the runners and walkers. The race begins at 9 a.m., so plan to gather before then. More details will come soon.

At 12 p.m., the St. Patrick's Day parade begins. We would love to have some volunteers wear their church shirts and hand out water bottles along the parade route. More details will also come about this. Watch next week's newsletter for more information.

 

Receiving a Bible in third grade is an important milestone at Topeka First United Methodist Church and in the life of a young person. The third graders of our church will receive their Bibles on  Sunday, March 25th , which is Palm Sunday.  We will have one combined worship service at 10 a.m. that day

and felt this was an ideal time for the church family to recognize and celebrate this important step in these student's faith journey.

 

• June 29th and 30th: Rolling River Rampage Vacation Bible School
• Friday, June 29, 5-7:30 p.m.: Family Friday Night
• Saturday, June 30, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.: Nursery and Programming for 3-year-olds through 6th graders

• July 28th and 29th: Summer Adventure Camp--Art, Science, Sports, and More!
• Friday July 28th. 5-7:30 p.m.: Family Friday Night
• Saturday, July 29th, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.: Nursery and Programming for 3-year-olds through 6th graders

Contact Allison Brewer, Director of Children's Discipleship, for more information and to volunteer!