Message:
Why Now?
Rev. Jeff Clinger
Scripture:
Matthew 22:34-40 and Matthew 28:16-20
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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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Animal Blessing at Iliff Commons
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The 1st-6th graders lesson during Wednesday Night Downtown last week was about the creation story and our responsibility to care for God’s creation. That fits well with the animal blessing at Iliff Commons on Saturday, October 6th at 10:00 a.m. Bring your (leashed) dog, cat (in a carrier), turtle (in a box)…or any other pet, and experience the beauty of God’s creation. Pastor Jeff has the gift of making any occasion meaningful so ask some friends to come, too. This will also be an opportunity to invite friends to our church the following day. Even if you have no animal companion come enjoy a walk on the trails of Iliff Commons and a special moment of fellowship.
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New Prayer Request Policy
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Due to increasing concerns over privacy, especially in the context of sharing medical information, we have decided to remove the listing of hospitalizations and prayer requests in the Sunday morning bulletins. All such prayer requests will be shared in the prayer chain and if you would like to continue to focus your prayers on these people please sign up for the prayer chain by contacting
Nadine Shaw. The bulletins will continue to list weddings, births and deaths. As always, we will continue to be a community of faith that prays for and supports its members while respecting and honoring the privacy needs of our congregation.
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Join us tonight as week seek 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. Tonights dinner is lasagna. 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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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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Join us on Sunday September 30 for a golf social hosted by Phase 2. We will gather at GreatLife North (350 NE Highway 24) with the first group teeing of at 1:15 p.m. You can sign up in a team of four or register as a single and be placed on a team. Guests are welcomed to join in the event. The deadline to sign up is Sunday, September 23. The event cost will be paid at the course during check in.
- Green Fees
- GreatLife Members, no charge
- Non-Members, $10/9 holes or $15/18 hols
- Cart Fees (Optional)
- $8/9 holes or $15/18 holes
After the rounds awards will be presented at Wellers Sports Bar (Independence Ave and North Topeka Blvd.) Anyone is welcome to join us for a meal at Wellers at 4:30 p.m. If you have questions contact
Mike Morris. You can sign up for the event in the Celebration Room on the Phase 2 Bulletin Board.
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Help with the Family Halloween Party
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Help provide a safe and fun Halloween party for families in Topeka scheduled for October 31st, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. We need donations of Halloween stickers and small Halloween toys and we are collecting nut-free candies like Skittles and starburst and healthier treats like individually packaged Annie's bunnies, goldfish, cheerios or pretzels. Please, drop off donations to Allison Brewer by October 17th.
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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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Fall Youth Sunday School is 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 19
- 5:30 p.m. Dinner in Fellowship Hall
- 6:00 p.m. Activities in the Youth Room
- September 23
- 9:00 a.m. Youth Bell Practice in the Bell Room
- 9:30 a.m. Youth meet in Fellowship Hall Kitchen for Sunday School
A special thank you to our youth who helped serve coke and root beer floats and played the piano at Brewster Place last week.
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Adulting Fellowship Night
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If you know what it means to #adult or are just looking for ways to connect to others through fellowship this group is for you. Everyone from young independent types to newlyweds to families of 6 are welcome and have a great time at these events. Join us as Lindsay and Ryan Kufahl host dinner and fellowship this Sunday, September 23rd starting at 5:00 p.m.
They will provide burgers and hotdogs. Make a reservation if you plan to attend so they have enough food and plan to bring a snack or side to share and the makings of s'mores. Children are welcome to be a part of the fun.Their address is 310 NW West Union Topeka, KS 66615.
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Adulting Potluck Dinner and Concert
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On Sunday, October 7 at 5 p.m. Jayna and Justin McFarland would like to invite the #Adulting group (roughly, adults in their 20s through 40s) for a potluck dinner and back yard concert (or inside, if weather does not permit outdoor fellowship). Smoked pulled pork and brisket will be provided; please bring a side dish or dessert to share. We will gather at the McFarland home (3247 SW Briarwood Dr. in Topeka) at 5:00 p.m. to eat by 5:30 p.m. At 6:00 p.m., we will circle the lawn chairs to enjoy our musical guest, Fox and Wills.
Greg Fox and Ryan Wills are local singer/songwriters who will share some of their favorite original numbers. Learn more about them and sample their music at foxandwills.com. They will have CDs available for purchase.
We should have ample seating, but throw a lawn chair in the car just in case. This is an adults-only event, so please plan your own childcare as needed. Please
register on the Church Connection Portal so we can make the best preparations for our guests.
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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 Wednesday, 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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Phase 2 Treks to Washburn Tech
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Join fellow Phase 2 friends on September 25th at the Washburn Institute of Technology (5724 SW Huntoon) for lunch and a tour. Since Washburn’s acquisition of the technical school exciting things have developed including new career training programs. We will get the opportunity to see some of these changes as we visit classrooms. Come and enjoy touring this extension of the Washburn Campus.
We will gather at the main entrance of Washburn Tech at noon and enjoy a boxed lunch from Panera then tour the campus. Cost of lunch is $10. This is a great opportunity to invite a friend!
Sign up on the church portal or on the Sunday bulletin tear off.
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Join us for "After Hours" at the Pennant at 5:15 p.m. on October the 22. Also mark you calendar for a Cookout and Hayrack Ride at the Barkers on October 28 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
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Gifts and Talents Surveys
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The gifts and talents survey is to be available for completion the last four Sundays of September. All members of the Topeka First UMC congregation are encouraged to complete a form and place it in the plastic box in the Celebration Room. This information is essential in helping to plan and staff for our various goals as a congregation. Whether missional or central to the core functions of the congregation involving all church activities from help with worship service to service within the congregation, service related to downtown engagement, or service in the wider community we have ways for you to share your gifts and talents and want to help you use them. Please give prayerful consideration to completion of the survey. The survey is also available to fill out
online here.
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The missions collection focus for September is for the Doorstep Christmas Store. This has historically been Christmas in July for Doorstep but logistically it has been moved to September for Topeka First UMC. This move makes it easier and more practical for Doorstep to serve the community. Please see information about their needs and recommendations on the missions bulletin board and the bulletin insert.
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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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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:
Winchester-New Covenant
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Thursday, September 20
- 11:30 a.m. Nickle-A-Cup
- 6:00 p.m. Rhapsody Ringers Rehearsal, Room L17
- 7:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal, Room L18
Sunday, September 23
- 8:15 a.m. Arise Worship Service
- 9:30 a.m. 9-3-0 Worship Service
- 11:00 a.m. Sanctuary Worship Service
- 4:30 p.m. #Adulting Dinner at Kufahl's
Monday, September 24
- 12:00 p.m. Alanon Group, Hearth Room
- 6:00 p.m. Phase 2 Pickleball
Tuesday, September 25
- 9:00 a.m. Quilting Group, Room L35
- 12:00 p.m. Phase 2 Treks to Washburn Tech
- 1:00 Staff Meeting, Hearth Room
- 6:00 p.m. Joshua Book Study, Hearth Room
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Wednesday, September 19
- 10:30 a.m. Phase 2 Meeting
- 12:15 p.m. Mid-Week Meditation, Klasse Chapel
- 5:00 p.m. Praise Team Practice, Klasse Chapel
- 5:15 p.m. Phase 2 Yoga, Room 212
- 5:15 Board of Trustees, Hearth Room
- 5:30 p.m. Wednesday Nights Downtown Dinner, Fellowship Hall
- 6:00 p.m. Wednesday nights Downtown Classes
- 7:00 p.m. Venture Crew, Room L37
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Topeka First United Methodist Church | 785-233-8100 | 600 SW Topeka Blvd www.forthegoodofthecity.org
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