On Inauguration Day, Jan. 20th, you are invited to root yourself deeply in the ancient Christian practices of prayer and community. As our nation gathers to inaugurate a new president, we center ourselves firmly in the Ways of Jesus.
The sanctuary will be open from 9am-3pm for silent prayer. The Vitality Committee will provide snacks and space to gather with others to discuss our personal and collective commitment to peace, justice, and faith-based action in our lobby. At 10:30am (the time of the actual inaugural events in D.C.) we will share in a time of communal prayer for our nation and world. In addition to sharing information about the bus traveling from Lawrence to D.C. for the Women's March in D.C. we also want to share information about the Women's March in Topeka.
Women’s March Topeka, Kansas
We will meet in the church parking lot at 11:00 am. Please email Susanne Gilmore if you need to carpool. This is an inclusive march, and everyone who supports women’s rights are welcome:
More details about the Women's March in Topeka can be found on their facebook event page. Join us immediately after worship on Sunday, Jan. 22nd as we vote on the final 2017 budget, receive the annual report, and vote to call Sue Zschoche as our Pastoral Associate. We will also bless and thank our ongoing, continuing, and new Church Leadership during worship on this day. We are delighted to welcome Sean Weston as our Ministry Intern. Sean will be completing an internship with us during the Spring 2017 semester. He is currently pursuing a Master's of Divinity degree at Central Baptist Theological Seminary and this internship is a required part of his coursework. Sean will graduate from Central in December 2017 and is pursuing ordination in the UCC. Many of you know Sean because he grew up in our congregation and we've been honored to have him preach here several times. Sean most recently served as a pastor of First Congregational UCC in Onaga, KS. He also works at Ecumenical Campus Ministry. He is excited to have an opportunity to reconnect with First Congregational and explore our shared ministry. During his internship with us Sean will be working 8-10 hours a week. You can expect to see him in worship, classes, and at meetings. He will also be asking to get together for one-on-one or small group meetings with many of you, just to learn more about you and how you experience life-in-community at First Congregational. We hope you'll be able to respond to his requests to get together, as talking with many people in our congregation will both help Sean prepare for his own future ministry AND help our own church leaders learn more about where to focus on energy and resources. As the semester progresses, Sean may also pick up a few special projects, likely in the areas of adult faith formation and administration. Sean's contact information is in the church directory and we hope you'll help us welcome him. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. We are looking forward to shared ministry with Sean this upcoming semester. Julie Hunt, Moderator Caela Simmons Wood, Pastor Did you know our church has a vital presence on social media? We currently have over 800 people following our church’s facebook page for updates about what’s happening in our community. Follow us at
facebook.com/uccmanhattanks. We are less active on other platforms, but you'll find us on Instagram @UCCManhattanKS and Twitter @UCCManhattan. You'll find recent worship videos, sermons, activities for children, music, and more on our YouTube channel. Additionally, if you are a regular attender or member, you’re invited to join our closed Facebook group - a place for dialogue and conversation with people you know. Search for “First Congregational UCC Members and Friends” or ask a friend who is in the group to add you. We also send out updates every Friday with helpful information about what’s coming up in our congregation. If you don’t already receive those updates, please click here to sign up. Did you miss a sermon? Pastor Caela’s sermon manuscripts are posted online each week by Monday on her personal sermon blog or you can watch for them on our Facebook page. They are also posted on our YouTube Channel. |
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