September 22 Colonial Church News

"Hansel and Gretel/Psalm 1" Worship on September 26

Illustration by Arthur Rackham

Fairy Tale Mashup Early Fall Sermon Series

Hansel and Gretel's Dad...nice guy...who goes along with a plan to kill his kids. Twice. It's not clear how they get to "happily ever after."

In our mashup of Hansel and Gretel and Psalm 1, we're going to take a good look at wood-cutter. God may have a lesson for us there.

So, be ready to have some fun with fairy tales!

Come to Colonial Church to worship at 8:30 or 10:15 a.m.
Connect to online worship at 8:30 or 10:15 a.m. at https://colonialucc.online.church/
Or, you can worship anytime via YouTube at https://bit.ly/CCYouTubeVid

Online Children's Sunday School. This week's Sunday School Bible story will go live on Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. https://bit.ly/CCYouTubeVid

The Week That Was

We're bringing back our weekly time to discuss and reflect on the news in our world. At 9:15 a.m., join us either in the Library at Colonial Church or connect online at meet.google.com/kgo-cuqt-hkx. We'll be meeting in hybrid fashion together.

Masks Required

Due to the spike in COVID infections in our area we are following the recommendation to wear masks during worship until levels drop back into the green. Please wear a mask when you come on Sunday and keep it on during worship.

We're moving to a Sunday School model with volunteer teachers, rather than a solo Superintendent, using the Sparkhouse curriculum. Childrens Conversations will share the story each week. Until COVID levels drop, we will continue to do recorded Childrens Conversations. This Fall, our Sunday School class will meet outside in the playground on the east side. For households that aren't ready to have their kids in person for Sunday School, our Confirmation Class will be taking lessons directly to those kids, meeting them in a park and making sure those kids don't feel left out.

Colonial Tween Squad will begin fall activities soon with adult leadership. CTS meets on some Sundays during worship and has service and social events periodically for kids in 4th-6th grade.

The Nursery, for infants and toddlers is staffed and open on Sunday mornings from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Confirmation Class

September 19 was our first session of the youth Confirmation Class. We have 11 young people registered (8 were there). This is a spirited and engaged group that will meet roughly twice/month. We'll be having a couple retreats and lock-ins along the way, as we explore deep questions about God.

Special Offering October 3

We will receive the special offering for Neighbors in Need (NIN), a special mission offering of the United Church of Christ, on Sunday, October 3. NIN supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds of this offering is used by the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries (JWM) to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects through grants. Neighbors in Need grants are awarded to UCC churches and organizations doing justice work in their communities. These grants fund projects whose work ranges from direct service to community organizing and advocacy to address systemic injustice. This year, special consideration will be given to projects focusing on serving our immigrant neighbors and communities. Please be generous.

Colonial Friends October Get Together

Colonial Friends will lunch together and then take a guided tour of the John Wornall House near Loose Park on Wednesday, October 20. The pre-Civil War home was used as a temporary hospital during the Battle of Westport. Meet at the church parking lot by 11:15 if you would like to carpool. Lunch is scheduled for 11:30 at the Summit Grill, 520 W. 75 Street in Waldo. Our tour starts at 1:00 at the home located at 6115 Wornall Road, about 10 minutes away. Tickets will be $5 apiece and masks will be required. To RSVP, contact Bob Starcke (913-406-3572, rstarcke@gmail.com).

Colonial Friends enjoyed lunch in September.

Rummage Sale Countdown

The Colonial Rummage Sale is rapidly approaching (Oct. 15-17) so get your donations ready. Start collecting your items and remember hangers – we find that clothing is much more profitable if it is clean, wrinkle-free and on hangers.

We also need volunteers of all ages – men, women, youth. For an hour or a day. Sign up at https://tinyurl.com/colonial-rummage21.

Cross-Lines Gala

This year, Hope for the Future will be on Thursday, September 30, at the historic Boulevard Drive-In Theater (1051 Merriam Lane, Kansas City, KS 66103). Guests will fully immerse in the drive-in experience while maintaining safe social distance with other attendees. The event includes live and silent auctions, all to raise crucial funding for Cross-Lines. Guests and supporters at home will be able to bid via app, from a smart phone, tablet or computer.

Cross-Lines is a major part of Colonial's outreach program and the Board of Outreach is encouraging your participation. Purchase tickets here. Tickets include a delicious meal from our three gourmet food trucks, wine and local craft beers on tap, and a scoop from Betty Rae's ice cream truck! Take your picture in a real Delorean. Contact kelley@cross-lines.org or call 913-281-3388.

Volunteer for SEARCH KC

Search KC works to raise awareness about the issue of missing persons, resulting in locating missing persons and connecting them with services to help them. Volunteers canvas the community and share online the public posters of missing persons and gather leads on their whereabouts with support from a team of experienced individuals.

Volunteers will work in small groups for a four-hour shift. All volunteers must sign a waiver and be at least 18 years old. Sign up at veronicasvoice.org/searchkc.

Colonial Women Activities

Colonial Women Book Group - 7:00 p.m. Friday, September 24, Stacey Algren's home. We will discuss “Still Life” by Louise Penny.
Colonial Women Breakfast - 9:30 a.m. on Monday, October 4, First Watch.
Colonial Women Blue Moose Tuesday - 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 12. Blue Moose Prairie Village.

Meals for Artists Helping the Homeless

We support the work that Woo and Artists Helping the Homeless offers by preparing and serving a meal on the fourth Sunday of each month. But we need your help to make this successful. We need volunteers to come to the church to prepare the food, bakers to fill our freezer with cookies and folks to serve at Mill Creek Park near the Plaza. Your next opportunity is September 26. Let us know if you can help by signing up at https://tinyurl.com/AHH-Colonial21. Thanks for your help with this important outreach.

Special Eden Seminary Coffee

Hattie's on Friday, October 1 at 2pm

A lot has happened at Eden Seminary (our closest UCC seminary) this past year. David Greenhaw, who grew up in Colonial Church, retired and Deb Krause (Pastor Aaron's former New Testament Professor) became the new President. To hear about what's been happening from Mary Schaller Blaufass from Eden, or to consider taking classes, you are welcome to come (Hattie's Fine Coffee, 4195 Somerset Dr, Prairie Village, KS 66208)

Call for Colonial Church Delegates to the KO Conference Annual Meeting - October 5-8

This is a critical time in the life of the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference of the United Church of Christ, in our local churches, our communities and our world. Nothing is as it has always been. Bold, courageous leadership is needed to speak on behalf of the most vulnerable; to look to the future with hope, and to step outside the lines of the what others might deem acceptable.

What does it mean to live our lives faithfully and unafraid?

Unafraid to speak and to listen.

Unafraid to be different.

Unafraid to talk about the hard questions and to hear different opinions in our own congregations.

What does being unafraid look like in our different settings?

Let’s explore these questions together, UNAFRAID.

You can register for the online meeting at https://www.kocucc.org/annualmeeting

If you would like to participate as a Colonial Church delegate, let Heather in the church office know to have your registration reimbursed.

Help Fill the Red Wagon and Feed the Hungry!

Thanks to everyone who is bringing food for the red wagon in the narthex. Cereal, peanut butter, tuna fish, anything thing you might place in your grocery cart is welcome. Food pantries have even higher demand in the summer when kids are receiving meals at school. We also deliver perishable items and fresh produce you might have left over from your garden or a farmers’ market. Just place the donation in the refrigerator in the Heritage Room kitchen and leave a note in the red wagon to let us know. Board of Outreach members will deliver donations to Village Church Food Pantry, Catholic Charities, Cross-Lines Community Services, and Shawnee Food Pantry.

Your Support Matters

Our work together matters - to each other and to the community. Your pledges help Colonial do its work. You may mail in your pledge checks, as well as any other payments. An easier alternative is to make contributions online. You just fill in your banking information or provide a credit card and your name and email and what fund you are paying (Stewardship, food pantry, etc.) and the amount. Click the donate button below.

If you have any questions, you may email or call Heather in the office or Jayne Quimby, Financial Recorder.

Donate

Calling All Colonial Creative Souls!

Do you have an artistic hobby or are you a Maker? The wheels of Colonial’s 10th Annual Holiday Bazaar are starting to roll! November 13 and 14. If you are new to Colonial, every 2nd weekend in November we have a fun 2-day event with about 10 vendors selling their creative wares. 10% of the profits go to the Board of Outreach. If you are interested call or email Kim or Lisarae with a description of your craft and a photo attached. We also need volunteers to help with set-up and collecting money. Please let us know asap so we can save you a table!

Kim Mann - 913-302-0500 kim@mannmadedesign.com

Lisarae Turnbull - 913-634-7260 lisaraephoto@me.com

Masks Required at Colonial

Masks or other face coverings must be worn in all indoor spaces that are open to the public in Prairie Village per the Prairie Village City Council. The mask requirement will remain in place until at least September 30 and could be extended based on the state of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While an exception is made for religious services, the Colonial Council already has returned to a requirement for masks during worship.

Thursday Morning Bible Study

Thursday Morning Bible Study meets in the multipurpose room at The Forum (3501 W 95th St, Overland Park, KS 66206) at 9:30 a.m. (note time change). We are studying the book of Job. Job cuts straight to the heart of what it means to be human. It wrestles with some of life's most perplexing questions. We are keeping these studies as hybrid in-person and online. If you'd prefer to connect online, you can through Google Meet Video call link: https://meet.google.com/xft-qzry-giy

Greeters & Ushers Needed!

Sunday morning is a great time to volunteer. We need ushers and greeters for the 10:15 service.

Ushers greet people and help close down the sanctuary.
Hospitality Table helpers greet everyone and make visitors feel welcome and ask them to fill out the information sheet. Hospitality table helpers stay at the table for the first 15 minutes of the service.

Contact Heather with questions or to learn more. Sign up at:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4faeae28a20-worship5

Directory Update

We are updating the Colonial Church directory and need your help. Please check that your information is up to date. It helps to have a photo so people can associate your face with your name. You can also send the photo to Heather or upload it yourself through your personal account. Click here and then click on “Access Personal Account” to see your information and to upload a photo. If you have not created an account, click "Create a Member Account." If you need assistance, contact Heather in the office.

Celebrations!

Please remember these folks who are celebrating milestones.

Happy Birthday!

23 Kathy Flentie, Ben Lewis, Ella Lewis

25 George Tormohlen

26 Erin Bender, Lisa Gilmer, Mary Penrose

Happy Anniversary!

24 George & Cindy Lafferty

25 Rich & Sabrina Korentager

Colonial Family

We want to thank the Colonial Church family for all the thoughts and prayers sent out to us at the passing of Lori’s mom, Ruth Wollenberg, earlier this month. We so appreciate your kindness during this time.

~ All the Jacksons

Coffee with the Pastor

Coffee with the Pastor is moving to Panera at 8300 Mission Road. Meet at 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays for coffee with Pastor Aaron.