What a joy it was to welcome the Boudreaux family into our church family last Sunday at the  11:00 service! The Boudreauxs have attended our church since they moved to town last summer, and you might recognize them from our Christmas Pageant this year--Ben and Barbara played Joseph and Mary, one of the baby boys played Jesus, and Lucy and Ellerie were in the children's cast. Ben and Barbara officially joined the church this week, while their sons John Robert and Thomas Gibson were baptized. Please join us in surrounding the Boudreaux family with love and support as they grow in their Christian faith and continue their involvement in the life of our church.

 

Ben and Barbara Boudreaux with their children Lucy, Ellerie, John, and Thomas

You may now order a shirt with our new church logo! Reliant Apparel, a downtown Topeka business, has designed T-shirts, polo shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, and jackets for our members to wear when we are out in the community. You may visit our Web Store at ReliantApparel.com to view the products and place your order, or visit the T-Shirt table in the Celebration Room on March 12, 19, & 26th. You must place your online order by March 31st. After that day, our web store will be taken down. All orders (web and in person) will be delivered to the church, and will be available for pick up on April 9th.

Many of our members have inquired about ordering new name tags with our logo, so they can wear them to "advertise" our church when they go to events out in the community and on Sunday mornings. Stay tuned for more information!

Men are invited to a Tech Session with the FUMC Men's Group on Saturday, March 11th at 7:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall . Craig Selley and Tina Boles will be there to help you load the Church Life app onto your smartphone, tablet, and/or laptop. Coffee and donuts will be provided.

Following the Tech Session, the Men's Group will host a water station near 6th & Harrison for the IrishFest 5k run and walk at 9 a.m. to reinforce our church's commitment to downtown Topeka. Please consider coming to the Tech Session then helping with the Run afterwards.

If you would like to dedicate an Easter lily in honor or in memory of a loved one, fill out the form you will find in your bulletin this Sunday. Lilies are $10 each, and will be placed in the Chapel and Sanctuary on Easter, with the dedications listed in the bulletin insert. After this Sunday, you may pick up a form from the front desk. Order forms must be turned in by Sunday, April 2nd.

 

We have had so many new faces join the First Church Family in recent months, and we want to give you the opportunity to put names with these faces! Lifetouch will be taking photos for our new church pictorial directory on several dates in early May and in early June. Each family will receive a complimentary 8x10 portrait and free directory for participating. We hope you will choose to be a part of our family album and make it complete. Sunday morning and online sign-ups will begin in early April.

 

  Ross Miller

The Lenten Study, Restored: Finding Redemption in our Mess, will be facilitated by Rev. Sandy Vogel for six Tuesday mornings beginning March 7th at 10 a.m. in Room 101.  We all have "messes" of one kind or another in our lives. This study will help us focus on how we can be restored and transformed even in the midst of our mess. Study book is $11. You may sign up online on our Member Access page or on your registration tear-off in the bulletin on Sunday.

 

Stephen Ministry has purchased this helpful new book and put it in our church library. It is written in a warm, conversational style that covers the wide range of issues a cancer diagnosis brings. Check it out!

 

MARY LOU AUER 

As a little girl I was taught to love and serve others. I have fond memories of going with my mother to help bathe and care for my bedridden grandmother. The caring and compassion I learned then has continued as I age. As a Stephen Minister I receive much more than I give and am blessed with much joy.

 

The Missions Team food collection focus for the month of March will be grocery bags of needed items for Doorstep. The collection will kick off this Sunday, March 5th when grocery bags with an attached list of needed items will be distributed at each service by members from the Faith Connections Sunday School Class.

Thank you to everyone who bought Equal Exchange last month! We were nearly sold out of every item, but not to worry--we will have all of our old favorites and more for sale this Sunday! Breakfast Blend, French Roast, whole bean, ground, flavored brews, and K-Cups are just a few of the items we now have in stock, not to mention our popular teas, chocolate bars, and olive oil! We also have a limited supply of chocolate Easter eggs to stuff your baskets! Visit our table in the Celebration Room this Sunday at 9:00 or 10:30.

A total of $ 338,984.17 in gifts were received for Worship Enhancements and celebrated at the joyful Miracle Sunday luncheon on Sunday, February 19. Thank you to all who participated. This blessing enables the Board of Trustees to move forward with developing plans to upgrade technology, lighting, sound, and video and provide repairs to the hand bells and the Sanctuary organ. Blessings to all for all.

 

Third graders will receive their bibles on Sunday, March 12th, during the 9:30 service in the chapel. Families of third graders should have received a letter via post. If you haven't received a mailing, or have questions, please contact Sue Blackman. Please R.S.V.P. so we can plan for your child. Email Sue Blackman or call her at 785-213-6745.