We are planning our next round of Wednesday Night Dinners for Winter/Spring 2018. Visit our website to learn how you can help with our Wednesday Night Dinners.

On December 10th, gather with your church family to reflect on a successful year of ministry in 2017, and look forward to another exciting year ahead. Each of our ministry teams is preparing a creative way to share their accomplishments of the past year, and we can't wait to reflect on and celebrate what we've been able to do together, for the good of the city. This Church Conference will begin with a light meal at 5:15 p.m. (free will offering accepted), with presentations beginning at 6 p.m. To help us plan for enough people, please  sign up on the Church Connection Portal.

Join Phase 2 friends on  Monday, December 11th at 4:30 p.m. for caroling and pizza. We will carol at some of the local retirement communities where our members live, and then meet at Glory Days on Gage and 10th for pizza and fellowship. Cost is $5 for pizza/beverage.

 

Last Sunday, December 3rd, our congregation held a joyful day  of Advent celebrations to in preparation for Christmas. We began with a communion service in the chapel, then gathered in the Sanctuary for one combined worship service, which featured special music from Topeka Civic Theatre's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and our annual procession of White Gifts for those served by Topeka Rescue Mission. Next, we feasted on turkey and fixings at our Christmas Dinner, then ended the day with our children's presentation of "This Little Light," this year's Christmas pageant. All of these events took a lot of advance planning and work--thank you to everyone who served and participated in this exciting day.

To see more pictures of this special day, click here.

Scripture:

Message:

Carols of Christmas: Silent Night, Holy Night

Rev. Jeff Clinger, Lead Pastor

As you look forward to 2018, plan to begin it with Financial Peace. Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University will be offered again under the leadership of Mitchell Fick. Classes are Wednesdays, January 10th through March 7th, 6-7:30 p.m. Kits are $90 and include materials needed for class sessions, along with Dave's book, CDs and a financial organizer. To register, please sign up on our Church Connection Portal. Please contact Tiwana Whitten, Director of Connections, with questions.

 

Each December, Doorstep depends on Topeka First UMC to provide volunteers for their store and gifts for those they serve. Please join us in collecting household goods, new clothing, toys, and hygiene items for our neighbors in need. 

Each Christmas Eve, we offer hospitality and cheer by providing refreshments after our 5 p.m. service and before our 11 p.m. service. Would you consider providing a batch or two of Christmas cookies to serve on Christmas Eve? Email Tiwana if you can help.

 

At Christmastime, our Sanctuary and Chapel are adorned with beautiful poinsettias, which are placed in honor or in memory of a loved one. Some who donate poinsettias choose to have their plants given to members of our church family who are homebound or hospitalized. This year, we have a larger number of homebound members than we have in the past, and we need more volunteers to share the hope of Christ with them through a quick visit to deliver a poinsettia. If you are available to deliver a poinsettia or two, please contact Sandy Vogel, Pastor of Congregational Care.

 

Volunteers are needed to help kids discover their strength in God during fun and meaningful lessons each Wednesday night. Adults are invited to be Hero Guides who help support children throughout the hour, or Hero Trainers who plan a 30 minute lesson in Art, Music, Science, Games, or in learning more about the heroes from the Bible. Volunteers can commit to as little as one week to being involved every week. the winter session begins January 10th. Please contact Allison to learn more about how you can be a part of Wednesday nights.

 

Joy to the world, The Lord has come, Let earth receive her King!

The Christmas dinner is a special way to connect with our Topeka First Church family during this Advent season. It was a great joy to see so many new families join us for the Christmas dinner! We served 300 members and guests. Thank you all for taking time out of this busy season to share a meal with our Topeka First UMC family.

A special thanks goes to the turkey bakers, sweet potato bakers and servers; Y2K Sunday School Class for set up and cooking; and New Decades Class for cleanup. 

It takes many hands to make this time of fellowship come together, and for that we are thankful and blessed!

Peace and joy,
Jill Wolters and Michael Turner

 

Twenty years ago, the skillful quilters of our church organized a group to create warm, colorful quilts to give to the needy in our community at Christmastime. Having given hundreds of quilts over the years, they are now expanding their vision to not only include quilts, but also other special projects to assist Topeka Rescue Mission (TRM) in its ministry.

This year, they sewed 66 quilts and have completed two special projects for TRM, and now they are working on 200 Euro pillowcases--140 of which have already been cut! For next year, they have set a goal to make 100 quilts.

The quilters meet at 9 a.m. on Tuesday mornings, and now also offer a workshop on Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. They welcome you to drop in and help them with a project any time--no previous sewing skills required! If you'd like to get involved, email Sharron Randol.

 

On Saturday, November 25, the work of 6 0 volunteers from our congregation welcomed more than 600 members of our community into our doors to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season. Having been invited to come warm up in our Celebration Room following the Miracle on Kansas Ave. parade, our neighbors enjoyed hot drinks and festive cookies while Christmas carols and the ringing of our bell quartet filled the air with cheerful music. A greeting from Pastor Jeff warmed hearts with a "reason for the season" and door prizes added to the fun. Guests were given our Advent brochure with hopes that they will return for worship and our other offerings this season.

The Downtown Engagement Team would like to thank everyone who supported this event by providing cookies, helping with set up and clean up, walking the parade route and making our float possible, providing hospitality at the event, and inviting family and frie nds to participate. Mark your calendars--the next Cocoa, Cookies, and Carols is on November 24, 2018! It takes all of us reaching out together with God's love to make an impact, for the good of the city.

You can view more pictures of this event by clicking here.

The prophesy was fulfilled! The angels declared it, the shepherds found it, the three kings were led to it, and word has gone out to the whole world! A Savior is born! Thanks to everyone who helped to make 'This Little Light' a joyous event.

 

Each year, we encourage our children to bring new  hats, scarves, mittens and gloves of all colors and sizes to decorate the Christmas Tree in our Children's Discovery Center (the children's library on the 2nd floor). These donations can be hung on the tree on their way to or from Sunday School. It's such fun for the children to see how many items they can collect, and it teaches them about the joy of giving to others. These items will be shared with area elementary schools. Thank you for your contributions. Many children will feel your warmth this winter.

 

Calling all heroes-in-training! Children aged 3 through 6th graders are invited to join us on Wednesday nights, starting January 10th. We will Connect with a meal, Grow through exciting lessons with Cokesbury's Hero Central including stories, art, music, games, and more, and learn to be a hero who is equipped to Serve others. Dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Programming will begin at 6:15 in the Chapel and will continue upstairs for opportunities to learn and grow. Classes will be offered for adults from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m.; watch the newsletter and website for more details. Parent volunteers are also welcome. See Allison if you would be willing to help. The Nursery will be open for the youngest heroes in training.