Message:
For the Good of the City
Rev. Jeff Clinger
Scripture:
Jeremiah 29:4-7
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Did you miss last weeks service? Is there someone you've been meaning to share the message with? Do you want to rewatch one of your favorite sermons? Then visit our
Live Stream page here to catch up on anything you've missed, share our church with others or review meaningful messages.
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Join us weekly, starting on September 12, to connect, grow and serve at Wednesday Nights Downtown. We gather together starting at 5:30 p.m. to enjoy a time of fellowship and food followed by classes and activities for all age levels. Dinner is served at 5:30 p.m. and is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and free for children and youth. Classes and age appropriate activities kick of at 6:00 p.m.
Join us at Wednesday Nights Downtown and be sure to invite your friends, families and neighbors! To learn more about Wednesday Nights Downtown and our class offerings click
here.
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Topeka North Outreach (TNO) will be taking orders for bierocks through Thursday, September 7 as a fundraiser for the TNO youth programs. The bierock order forms will be available at the front desk of the church. Bierocks are $3.00 each, with a choice of beef/onion/cabbage or beef/onion/sauerkraut. The bierocks will be prepared and delivered throughout September. Please sign up for some of these delicious treats to help TNO continue to expand their outreach programs!
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New Live Stream App Now Available
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We are excited to offer a new app that will allow you to view our livestream, archived services, and podcasts all in one spot. Our new app, Topeka First United Methodist, is available in the Apple and Android app stores and will work on both phones and tablets. Simply search "Topeka First United Methodist" and download the app today!
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Looking for a quiet and safe space to escape from the craziness of the week? Midweek meditation is 30 minutes 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.
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Summer Schedules for Worship and Fun
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Join us for our last summer celebration! Gather at 10 a.m. for ONE exciting combined worship experience in the Sanctuary, followed by food and fun outside on the church grounds from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome!
Celebration Sundays:
- September 2 - Blessings for Public Servants & Labor Day Picnic
- 10 a.m. Combined Worship in Sanctuary
- 11 a.m. Picnic & Outside Activities
All other Sundays will follow our regular worship schedule:
- 8:15 a.m. Traditional in the Chapel
- 9:30 a.m. Contemporary in Chapel
- 11:00 a.m. Traditional in Sanctuary
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Phase 2 and Youth Putt Putt
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Despite wind and high temps, Phase 2 folks and youth enjoyed a time of fellowship at Goony Golf last Sunday. There were a few surprise holes in one with smiles shared and prizes won. Phase 2 and youth enjoy shared activities several times during the year.
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Keep your eyes open for more intergenerational events through out the year as we seek to connect, grow and serve for the good of the city!
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Guatemala Mission Trip Presentation
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Come and enjoy lunch, devotions, and a short program with other women in the church Wednesday, September 5th at noon. We meet in the Fellowship Hall. Beth Evans will be sharing about the missions trip to Guatemala. This is a great time for fellowship and discovering what the women are doing in our church and the world! We'd love to have you. There is no cost but if this is your first time we'd also like to know you are coming. Call the church office or contact
Dorothy Iliff with any questions.
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Join us as we kick off Sunday School on September 9 and find new ways to connect, grow and serve for the good of the city this fall. Join the Children's Discipleship team on the 2nd floor for coffee, juice and muffins, meet the teachers and tour the classrooms. If you would like more information contact
Allison Brewer. The Youth Group will be celebrating their kick off in the Youth Room at 9:30 a.m. For more details contact
Ruth Smith. Adult Sunday School classes will be offered at 9:30 and 10:45 a.m. throughout the school year. Small groups are an important part of discipleship at Topeka First UMC and we hope you can find a Sunday School Class that is a fit for you. For more information on this semester's Adult Sunday School classes
click here. If you have any questions contact
Tiwana Whitten.
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Service Opportunities in Children's Discipleship
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It takes many committed and loving volunteers to make Children's Discipleship at Topeka First UMC a safe and vital ministry. As the school year begins, consider how you can serve the church and community by volunteering. A few examples of ways to help are listed below but if you don't see the one that best fits you contact
Allison Brewer to learn how you can serve in Children's Discipleship.
- Sunday School Teacher: Work in a team of 3 to plan a lesson using a curriculum and their life experience Sunday school teachers agree to be a part of the team for at least 12 weeks with the understanding that two teachers will be there each Sunday to lead and support children. Age groups are 3-5 year olds, Kindergarteners and 1st graders, 2nd and 3rd graders, and a class for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders.
- Nursery Volunteer: Be a part of a rotation of 12-15 volunteers from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Volunteers can expect to help just one hour each for 4 weeks per year. They would be the second or third adult assigned to the nursery and their primary obligation would be to play with and enjoy our youngest members and guests.
- Wednesday Nights Downtown: Programming between 6:00 and 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday nights includes worship for children, teaching of lessons using art, music, cooking, drama, science and more and helping to lead children in special music for worship services. If you are able to volunteer for one week or every week, we have ways for you to be involved.
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Summer Sundays for Children
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Traditional Sunday school has paused for the summer. In its place, children will join their families for worship and have opportunities to help with different elements of worship. Families may pick up worship bulletins and activities at the entrances to the Chapel and Sanctuary.
During worship, children may go with volunteers to a short time of age-appropriate lessons in the Celebration Room. This Summer Worship Readiness class is available for children age 3 through those going into 2nd grade. The teacher will meet the children at the back of the Sanctuary or Chapel before the sermon and will return with the children in time for the offering.
The nursery will remain open during all worship services for children 4 and younger.
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Sunday, September 2
- 10:00 a.m. Youth will attend the combined worship service in the Sanctuary. After the service youth will go to the Labor Day Celebration for food, fun and games.
Fall Youth Sunday School starts on Sunday September 9th at 9:30 a.m. 7th and 8th graders are in the middle school room 103 and high schoolers will be in the youth room 102.
- September 9 Youth will meet in the Youth Rooms
- September 16 Youth will meet in the Youth Rooms
- September 23 Youth will meet in the Fellowship Hall kitchen
- September 30 Youth will worship together
The Youth Group will begin gathering for Wednesday Nights Downtown on September 12. Youth will meet for devotions and games following a free dinner at 5:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.
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September Men's Group Meeting
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Join our Men's Group on Saturday, September 8 at 7:30 a.m. Randall Hodgkinson will be the guest speaker and his talk will be on the issues that will be presented at the Special Session of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church in February 2019.
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Financial Peace University
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Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey will help you take control of your money, plan for your future and transform your life! Several hundred people have gone through FPU at Topeka First UMC and we are offering our Fall Session beginning September 19. This class will be facilitated by Kirk Haskins in Room L36. As part of our Wednesday Nights Downtown this class will start at 6:00 p.m. following our 5:30 p.m. community dinner.
The class uses kits which include a member workbook, class CD’s of all the lessons, budget forms, a hardback copy of Dave Ramsey’s book
A Complete Guide to Money, and the famous FPU envelope system. Kits right now are offered at a discounted price of $75. Class dates are September 19, 26, October 3, 10, 17 and November 7,14, and 28th. To register and purchase a kit,
contact Tiwana.
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Our last Senior Caravan of the summer will head to Brewster Place (1205 SW 29th) on September 26th. There will not be a sales pitch. This is a time to look around and gain information. Please call Tiwana at the church with any questions. You may sign up on our connection portal or on the bulletin tear off.
We will gather there at 10:30 a.m. in the Main Building's living room area. We will have an opportunity to tour one of the brand new Villas on the campus. Following the tour a complimentary lunch will be shared.
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Joshua - Winning the Worry Battle Book Study
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“Just pray about it.” “God’s got this.” Although these phrases are heartfelt words of encouragement, when you’re really worried and stressed they just sound like clichés. We long for something more. We want to know how to have a bold and courageous faith. In this 6- week study for women you’ll learn how to fight in faith as you internalize God’s promises, draw strength from God’s faithfulness, act in obedience to God’s commands and believe what our limitless God can do.
There is an interactive workbook that participants are asked to engage with on a daily basis as we prepare for our gathering each week. Linda Oborny and Marge Whelpley will facilitate the 6-week class. Meeting dates are Tuesday evenings, September 11, 18, 25 and October 2,9, 16 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Please sign up on the Church Connection portal or on your connection card. The book is $10.
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The Faith of a Mockingbird Book Study.
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"The Faith of a Mockingbird" is the fall study for the 10:45 a.m. small group that meets on Sunday mornings starting September 9. This is a 6 week study and open to all adults. It is based on Harper Lee's book, "To Kill a Mockingbird" and uses the main characters to explore our place in the world and what it means to live out a hopeful faith in a broken world. The study guide is $10. Sign up through the church connection portal.
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Pickleball
Anyone interested in playing Pickleball is invited to join other community members each week at Hughes Courts (725 SW Orleans) at 6:00 p.m. You don't have to register just show up!
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Guatemala Mission Trip Dessert Reception
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Members of our congregation will be traveling to Guatemala in the summer of 2019 for a mission trip with ODIM
(the Organization for the Development of Indigenous Maya). Amy Holly, the Executive Director of ODIM, will be in Topeka on Monday, September 24th and you are invited for a time of connection and story sharing. A dessert reception will be held at Shawnee Heights UMC (6020 SE 44th St. Tecumseh, KS) at 6pm.
Shawnee Heights UMC is providing drinks and dessert. All are welcome to learn about this organization, the work they do, and opportunities to provide support.
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Volunteer at Touch-a-Truck
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Touch-a-truck is an amazing family event put on in downtown Topeka. The event takes place along Kansas Ave Saturday, September 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and features hundreds of trucks, activities, and food stands.
They have a need for greeters at all of the entrances around the event. Wear a Topeka First UMC T-shirt or a VBS volunteer shirt and help families by warmly greeting them and helping with information about the event.
Let
Allison Brewer know as soon as possible if you are interested in volunteering and she will email details to those who can help. Indicate whether you would rather help at 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the 1st.
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The Topeka District of the Great Plains Conference has arranged a covenant calendar to ensure all churches in our connection are held in prayer by the others. We pray for a different church each week. Check this newsletter for our next prayer covenant church, and join us in prayer for them as another church joins in prayer for us.
Prayer Covenant Church for the week:
Valley Falls: Coal Creek
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Thursday, August 30
- 6:30 a.m. Bierocks, Fellowship Hall
- 7:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal, Rm L18 - Choir Room
Sunday, September 2
- 10:00 a.m. Combined Worship Service, Sanctuary
- 11:00 a.m. Labor Day Picnic
Monday, September 3
- All Day, Church Office Closed
Tuesday, September 4
- 7:00 a.m. Church Grounds Clean Up
- 9:00 a.m. Quilting Group, Rm L35
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Wednesday, September 5
- 10:30 a.m. UMW Board Meeting, Rm L35
- 12:00 p.m. UMW Luncheon, Fellowship Hall
- 12:15 p.m. Midweek Meditation, Klasse Chapel
- 5:00 p.m. Lay Leadership Meeting, Rm 105
- 5:00 p.m. Praise Band Rehearsal, Klasse Chapel
- 5:15 p.m. Phase 2 Yoga, Rm 212
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Topeka First United Methodist Church | 785-233-8100 | 600 SW Topeka Blvd www.forthegoodofthecity.org
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