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News From
May 24, 2017
For the good of the city
... Jeremiah 29:7
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Church Office:
785-233-8100
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Church Activity Communications Request
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Coming Up Soon:
- Wednesday, May 24
- 11:30 a.m. Phase 2 Meeting, Hearth Room
- 5:00 p.m. Praise Team Rehearsal, Chapel
- 5:15 p.m.
- Board of Trustees Meeting, Hearth Room
- Phase 2 Yoga, Fellowship Hall
- 6:30 p.m. Venture Crew Meeting, Rm L36
- Thursday, May 25
- 2:00 p.m. Shepherd's Center Line Dancing, Fellowship Hall
- 7:00 p.m. VBS Meeting, Rm 106
- Friday, May 26
- 10:00 a.m. Funeral for Tim Edwards, Sanctuary
- Sunday, May 28
- 8:15 a.m. Arise Worship Service, Chapel
- 9:00 a.m. Coffee Connection, Celebration Room
- 9:30 a.m.
- 9-3-0 Worship Service, Chapel
- *No Youth or Children's Sunday School! Nursery will be open.
- 10:30 a.m. Coffee Connection, Celebration Room
- 11:00 a.m. Sanctuary Worship Service
- 5:30 p.m. Phase 2 Pickleball Orientation, Hughes Park
- 9:00 p.m. 6th Graders Movin'-On-Up to Youth Group with Christ-N-Bowl, Gage Bowl
- Monday, May 29: Memorial Day
- Tuesday, May 30
- 9:00 a.m. Quilting Group, Rm L35
- Wednesday, May 31
- 11:00 a.m. Senior Summer Caravan, Atria
- 11:30 a.m. Community Lunch, Celebration Room
- 5:00 p.m. Praise Team Rehearsal, Chapel
- 5:15 p.m. Phase 2 Yoga, Fellowship Hall
- 7:00 p.m. Tempero Sandall Meeting, Rm 106
- Thursday, June 1
- Lifetouch Directory Photo Sessions
- 8:30 a.m. Senior Coffee & Donuts, Baker's Dozen
- Friday, June 2
- Lifetouch Directory Photo Sessions
- Saturday, June 3
- Lifetouch Directory Photo Sessions
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In Worship This Week:
Scripture:
Philippians 1:3-11 and Acts 16:11-34
Message:
Lessons From Philippi: Rejoice in all Things
Rev. Jeff Clinger, Lead Pastor
Family Worship for Memorial Day Weekend
*Because this is a holiday weekend, this Sunday will be a Family Worship Sunday. There will be
no youth or children's Sunday School so that teachers may worship with their families. Children are welcome in worship, and the nursery will be available for children kindergarten-aged and younger.*
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New Summer Office Hours
The church office will now be open Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. We will be closed on Fridays.
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Senior Summer Caravan
Arrangements have been made for our members to tour some of the local retirement communities this summer. We will take a tour, then enjoy a complimentary lunch in their dining areas. There will not be a sales pitch. This is just a time to look around and gain information. Following are the scheduled travels so far:
- Wednesday, May 31st, 11 a.m.
- Atria West (3415 SW 6th St.)
- Meet at the Atria West entryway at 11 a.m. June Windscheffel will be our hostess for lunch.
- Tuesday, June 6th, 11 a.m.
- Health Care Resort (6300 SW 6th Ave, across from Red Robin)
- If you need a ride, meet at the church at 10:30 a.m., otherwise meet at HC Resort at 10:45.
- Thursday, June 22nd, 11 a.m.
- Lexington Park~Independent Living (1011 SW Cottonwood, across from the main entrance of Gage Park off of 10th St.)
- Meet at 11 a.m. in their entry way
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A Fellowship of Boomers |
Pickleball Orientation
Phase 2 will have our first Pickleball Orientation on
Sunday, May 28th at 5:30 p.m.
(Memorial Day weekend). We'll meet at the Pickleball Courts on the south side of Hughes Park (8th & Orleans) and be led by Topeka First UMC members Dawn Wayant, Mike Morrison, and guest USA Pickleball Assn. Ambassador Eldonna Coats. You do NOT need to purchase paddles/balls, as there will be equipment available to use. Just wear comfortable athletic clothes and shoes. Don't worry if you are travelling this holiday weekend and cannot attend; we'll schedule another introduction session later. For those interested, we'll meet after the event for food and refreshments (watch for details). Please sign up on our Church Connection portal.
What is Pickleball? Click here to learn more.
Phase 2 Flint Hills Discovery Trip
Sunday, June 25th, 8:15 a.m.-4 p.m. Adventure awaits as we head to Manhattan by Arrow Bus to tour the Flint Hills Discovery Center Museum. We will worship together at our 8:15 a.m. service then load up at 9:30. We'll begin with lunch at the Little Apple Brewery. At 1:15, we will arrive at the Flint Hills Museum and you can explore at your own pace. Along with the regular displays, the featured exhibit is the Design Zone, where you can go behind the scenes and see how creative problem solvers operate. We will head back to Topeka at 2:45. Cost for travel and museum ticket is $25. Lunch cost is on your own. Invite friends! Adults of all ages are welcome. You may sign up on your bulletin tear-off or on the Church Connection Portal.
Click here to learn more about the Flint Hills Discovery Center. |
Announcing our First
Summer Sunday Symposium
This summer, there will be speakers at the
9:30 hour in Fellowship Hall on featured Sunday mornings. As most adult classes take a break for the summer, this is a time to reconnect in fellowship and learning. Come to our first symposium on
June 4th to learn about our outreach program at State Street.
Four years ago, our church received an urban ministry grant and began an outreach ministry with State Street Elementary School called WAFFLE. Sarah Sharp, principal at State Street, and Jaena Greenwood, Director of WAFFLE, will lead this Sunday School hour. They will focus on what WAFFLE is, who the program serves, what the volunteers at WAFFLE do, current needs of the program, and the impact that WAFFLE has on the staff and students at State Street.
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 Pizza with the Pastor
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 Photo Sessions are Filling Up
The final four days with available photo times for our Pictorial Directory are June 3rd, 4th, 11th, and 12th. You may go the
online sign up page or call Tiwana in the church office to schedule your time (785-233-8100). Each household will receive one 8"x10" portrait and a copy of the directory.
If you bring a canned good item, you will receive a coupon for $5 off any photos you may order. Our church directory photo background is called stone, which may help as you decide your clothing options.
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 All-Church Royals Games
It's almost summer, and that means it's time for a trip to a Royals game!
We have two Royals outings planned for this summer: Thursday, June 8th and Thursday, August 3rd. Both are 7:15 p.m. games.
We still have seats available for the Royals Game on June 8th. Let's fill up the bus! The cost is $47 per person, which includes a game ticket, Arrow bus travel, and tip to driver.
The bus will leave the church parking lot at 5 p.m., so plan to board at 4:45. Last year there was a wait-list for tickets, so reserve yours today!
You may reserve your spot by
signing up on our Church Connection portal
or checking the box on your bulletin tear-off.
Contact Tiwana with any questions.
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 Beauty and the Beast Movie Night
Be our guest on July 8th for a showing of Disney's animated classic, Beauty and the Beast
. Plan to bring your appetite for a pizza dinner and movie snacks, as well as lawn furniture or blankets for a drive-in style movie in Fellowship Hall. A pizza dinner will be served at 5 p.m. with the movie starting at 5:30 p.m. Please invite friends to join us, and plan to attend church on July 9th, 16th, and 23rd for a related message from Pastor Jeff. All ages and members of the community are welcome to join us for this fun fellowship event. R.S.V.P. for this event on our Church Connection Portal.
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 Summer Fun Save-the-Dates
This time of year, everyone is busy making their summer plans. We are, too! Circle these dates on your calendar and plan to enjoy these summer activities with your church family:
- June 8th
- 7:15 p.m. Royals Game with travel by Arrow Bus.
- June 23rd
- 6-8 p.m. Swim Night at Garfield Aquatic Park
- June 26th-30th
- 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Vacation Bible School
- July 8th
- 5 p.m. Pizza Dinner followed by Beauty and the Beast movie showing at 5:30.
- July 18th
- 6-7:30 p.m. Children's Ministry Water Fun Night at church
- August 3rd
- 7:15 p.m. Royals Game with travel by Arrow Bus
- August 13th
- Backpack and Lesson Plan blessing during all worship services
- Ice Cream Social at the Sports Center in the evening
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Click image to learn more about Forest Park. |
Volunteer Opportunity at Forest Park
Forest Park is in need of summer volunteers, age 14 years and older, to help with their three-week day camp in the heart of Topeka, June 12th-30th. Volunteers will help campers with activities like arts and crafts, reading books, and by assisting with meals. Volunteers must attend two training dates on May 26th and June 2nd. For more information, please contact Forest Park volunteer recruiter, Julie Engel, at 609-214-6300, or
send her an email. You may also contact the Park Office at 785-234-8024.
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WAFFLE Is Making A Difference
Looking for a fun opportunity to serve and give back to our community? Then, please consider becoming a volunteer for our WAFFLE program at State Street Elementary. WAFFLE stands for Wholesome, Accepting, Fun, Friday, Late-Start Experiences. It is an outreach of Topeka First United Methodist Church in partnership with Oakland United Methodist Church. Our purpose is to meet the needs of working parents by providing morning programming for children on late-start Fridays.
Our volunteers are former teachers, parents, scientists, mathematicians, lawyers, librarians, business leaders, musicians, artists, and pastors, and more. Teachers share their strengths, hobbies, and interest with the students. They complete craft activities, play games, learn music, read and listen to stories, meet and learn about different animals, conduct experiments, perform puppet shows and so much more. We need both people willing to lead a class AND people that prefer to help and provide support.
If you are interested or would like to learn more, please contact Jaena Greenwood at 785-220-8796 or
send her an email.
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May Mission Focus
The Mission Collection item for May is cans of ground coffee for Let's Help. Please bring your donations to the Celebration Room.
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 JEANS IN JUNE
Men's Blue Jeans Mission for Doorstep
Sponsored by Topeka First UMC Men
The need for men's blue jeans at Doorstep is never-ending, as they strive to supply men with this wardrobe staple for work and warmth. The Topeka First UMC men are again sponsoring the mission project, "Jeans in June." Our goal is to build a mountain of jeans in the Celebration Room to help Doorstep meet their clothing needs.
We will begin the month of June with Jeans Day on Sunday, June 4th. All men are invited and encouraged to wear jeans to church, especially that day, to call attention to the project. We will collect jeans throughout the month. All sizes, brands, and conditions are welcome. We will transport the jeans to Doorstep at the end of June. Our focus remains on men's jeans.
You might consider the following options for obtaining jeans for this project:
- Purchase new men's blue jeans
- Purchase used men's blue jeans, available at any number of used-clothing stores, such as Goodwill
- Replace a pair of personal blue jeans and donate the used ones
- Purchase any and all sizes men's blue jeans at private community garage sales
New jeans are welcome and are usually reserved for the Christmas store. Now would be a good time to start checking out the numerous garage sales sprouting up in the community for good deals on jeans.
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Click image for more about Cave Quest! |
Volunteer for VBS and Add Excitement to Your Summer!
Are you looking for a way to add some laughter, fun and excitement to your summer...all while serving your church and community? Are you able to dedicate a few hours of your time to enrich the lives and faith journey of the children of Topeka First United Methodist Church? If you answered yes to these questions, then we want to hear from you!
This summer, the week of June 26-30, Topeka First UMC will hold Vacation Bible School.
The Children's Ministry Team is currently seeking volunteers to help with all aspects of this year's VBS experience for our kids. It will take a lot of people to make this happen, and to make it exciting and memorable. We first ask that you pray....pray for our Children's Ministry Team, about how you might help, for the children, for your friends at church, and that this entire experience will be fun and uplifting for all involved. Pray that this experience will draw each participant and volunteer closer to Jesus.
Click here to view the VBS Volunteer Application. Then read through the information on the form, decide how you might be able to help, and submit your application. You may pick up a paper version of the form from the Children's Ministry check-in table at church, if you prefer.
Please e-mail
Melissa Evans and
Mickey Foster with ANY questions. There are opportunities to volunteer for part or all of the week, or in the months leading up to that week as we make plans and decorations. There are opportunities to lead activities/stations at VBS, or work more with a select group of children as you lead them to their activities/stations. There truly is something for everyone to do! We are thankful for this amazing church family, and know that with your help we can make this a fun and memorable experience for our kids. We can't wait to hear from you!
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 New Schedule for Summer Sunday School
Beginning June 4th, children and their families will have the opportunity to worship together at the 9:30 a.m. service prior to children being dismissed to their Sunday school classes. Children check-in in the Celebration Room, then sit with their families or with Sunday school volunteers for the beginning of 9:30 worship. After a children's message, children will go upstairs to Sunday School with their classmates and several adult leaders. Parents will pick up their children from the Sunday school area following the 9:30 service.
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Click image to learn more about Cave Quest VBS at Topeka First UMC! |
Coming Soon: Vacation Bible School
June 26-30, 2017, is a week that will truly make your kids summer. At Cave Quest VBS, children will spend
9 a.m. to 12 p.m. playing, creating, learning, and singing with our stellar youth and adult volunteers each day. They will be having so much fun, they won't even notice they haven't had any "screen time" in hours! Our Children's Ministry team is working hard to make VBS an engaging and meaningful experience that will help kids learn to follow Jesus, the Light of the World.
Email Melissa Evans for more information.
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UPCOMING YOUTH EVENTS:
- Sunday, May 28th
- 9:30 a.m. No Sunday School for Youth. Attend worship together.
- 9:00 p.m. CHRIST-n-BOWL for all Youth. 6th Graders going into 7th grade will move on up to Youth Group with this event. Friends are welcome! The Strike/Spare Box will be back and one large drink will be provided. It's $10 to cyber bowl until 11:15 p.m. New 7th graders are no charge. Hope to see you all there.
What a beautiful group, our High School Senior Graduating Class of 2017: Emma Francis, Errick Guzman, Faith Helvey, Daniel Hodgkinson (not pictured), Chelsea Meador, Alexis Moser, Ryan Peacocke, Arron Rak, Cherokee Reiman, Liberty Schumacher, Erica Self, Maggie Turner, Hunter Wolfe
Gifts of love were given to each of our High School Senior Graduates. Blankets
were made for each one, and in the sacks were fun items and a new yearly devotional
to help them in their daily faith journey.
Thank you to Emma, Gaige, Ethan, Xianne, and Cortlyn for serving at the g
raduation refreshment table.
Thank You!
Thank you's go out to Dori Murphy, Cindy Naeger, and Becky Downs for being the wonderful hands that cut and sewed our high school senior blankets. Most of the pictures taken of the seniors over their past six years in the youth program were taken by Dori Murphy. You saw many of them on the tables. The slide presentation was done by Mark Smith. Thank you to the congregation for your love and support of our high school senior grads last Sunday.
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