Sustaining Activism for the Long Haul: Connecting to Your Deep Purpose
Friday, December 14;  5:30- 9 PM
 
Location: First Congregational UCC
Co-sponsors: Manhattan Mennonite Church, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
 
How do we connect to what is ours to do in this world? What can we hold on to while the world swirls around us? How do we stay engaged in advocating for justice for the long haul....without burning out? How might we find joy in the work?
 
We will engage these and other similar questions at this gathering. We begin the evening with a simple supper and use group work and individual reflection to help each participant connect to their sense of deep purpose. The evening will also include an opportunity for brief guided or silent meditation, qigong, community acupuncture, or learning about spiritual direction. 

This event is appropriate for people of all faiths and for those who do not claim a faith. If you need childcare or have any dietary restrictions, please let us know. Questions? Contact Revs. Barbara Krehbiel Gerhring, Jonalu Johnstone, or Caela Simmons Wood.

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NOTE THE REVISED CONCERT TIME: OCTOBER 7, 2:00 PM
St. Thomas More Catholic Church (2900 Kimball Ave., Manhattan)
 
Featuring David Dupree, Clinician/Director,
and David Powell, Accompanist

Did you know that a group of your friends and neighbors will be preparing a concert of Gospel music for a free public performance on October 6-7?  Come, get in the spirit, and share their joy in performing music from this cherished American tradition!   Reception follows the concert.
 
It’s not too late to register to sing!  You can sign up at https://goo.gl/FuzntX.
 
Questions?  Contact Ann at flinthillsgospel@gmail.com.
Sponsored by the First Congregational Church, St. Thomas More Catholic Church, the Kansas Oklahoma Conference of the United Church of Christ, and the Dow Center for Multicultural and Community Studies at Kansas State University

Shining Light Yoga MHK was born in the spring of 2018 while Pastor Caela was supposed to be quieting her mind during savansana (that time in yoga where you lay down quietly and rest). Instead of focusing on her breathing, she was thinking about how thankful she was for the practice of yoga and how it had helped her immensely with finding calm in the midst of a very hectic (and sometimes downright scary!) world. 

Caela knew there were a lot of people who are a part of First Congregational UCC and also practice yoga regularly. She started wondering if any of them would be interested in starting a kids' yoga program here in Manhattan. If the world is stressful and scary for adults, imagine what it must feel like to young kids! If we could find a way to help kids honor their bodies, get in touch with their spirits, and learn self-confidence and calming techniques....all while having fun? That would be AWESOME. 

So we wrote a grant and submitted it to our denomination, the United Church of Christ. We said that we would like to "Improve the overall mental, spiritual, and physical health of children in our community by helping them
learn to manage emotions, care for and connect to their bodies. We hope to help the children learn skills
for living peacefully and cultivate a commitment to non-violence in a violent world."

We received the grant and in the summer of 2018, eight of us were trained to become kids' yoga teachers (seven of us were trained through Om Slice in Chicago and one of us through YogaKids online). We worked with SEG Media Collective here in Manhattan to spread the word about our new program. 

And now....it's happening! We host a Yoga+Donuts program the first Sunday of every month at 9:30am. You can learn about our upcoming events by following us on Facebook or signing up for our e-mail list. 

Why Sunday morning? Well, that's a time when we already have a group of kids at our church who are used to participating in activities (we have Sunday School the other weeks of the month). And we know that lots of families aren't busy on Sunday morning, so it seemed like a great time to invite people to join us. 

This is in a church....are you going to be teaching the Bible to my kids? We are just doing yoga at these events. Yoga is, of course, inherently spiritual in nature and it is a goal of ours to help your child get in touch with their own spirit. But these classes are meant for people of all faiths or no faith at all. Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Baha'i, Buddhist, Wiccan, atheist....you are welcome! It's probably a good time to mention that we believe there are lots of ways to experience the Holy and be a good person. We don't think Jesus is the only way to do that. Of course, if you do happen to be looking for a Christian faith community, we'd love to have you join us....but that is totally optional. 

How much do the classes cost? We want the classes to be accessible to everyone, so they are by donation only. We do have a few ongoing, fixed costs....the website, food, supplies for class, etc. First Congregational UCC is self-supporting and we aren't a huge church. So if you can chip in a few dollars or $5 or $10, awesome. If not, no big deal. | donate online

Do you want me to stay with my child? Totally up to you. If you'd like to enjoy some quiet time you're welcome to hang out here in a different room or go grab a cup of coffee or take a quiet stroll through downtown MHK. If you want to stay and join in the fun, great! If you're interested in doing church-y stuff, we have classes for adults that meet at 9:30am every Sunday, too. We would like to have you come back by 10:20 to join us for snacks. One of our goals is to help parents get to know each other and develop a sense of community. We ask that kids be picked up no later than 10:30am. 

I have more questions. No worries. We've got you covered. Send us an e-mail and we'd love to be in touch.

We are so excited about our new children's yoga program that will launch this fall! Beginning in September, the whole MHK community will be invited to join us on the first Sunday of each month at 9:30am for Yoga + Donuts. Kids aged 3 through 6th grade will participate in a lively yoga class led by our trained volunteers and then enjoy yummy donuts and conversation. 

On Saturday, August 25 we invite kids AND their adult caregivers to join us at the Manhattan Public Library at 10:00am for a Family Yoga class led by Pastor Caela. This will be a great way to preview our new yoga program and we hope you can join us! Storytime at the library will follow at 11:00am. 

​It’s Feast and Festival time! Join us Sunday, August 19th at 6 pm in Pioneer and Blachly Halls for food and fun. Paper goods will be provided or bring your own table set-up. Menu will include vegan options and homemade ice cream.

Once again, we will have the cake walk and the Ministry of Decorative Scissors will have a crafting table set up.

​Monetary donations are requested and if you have a cake/dessert to donate, it will be appreciated! Our friends from Second Helping will join us.

Sunday, August 19 we will have a Blessing of the Backpacks and Teachers during worship at 10:45 a.m.. Children are invited to bring their backpacks and receive a blessing as they return to school. We are thrilled that the Ministry of the Decorative Scissors is again providing the custom-made backpack trinkets for our children. "Big kids" and adults are welcome to bring along their briefcases, diaper bags, work uniforms or other items that represent their daily work in the world. We will also bless those who are returning to teaching – whether that’s in a college classroom, an elementary school, or at home with young children. 

This is also the same day we return to OUR school year with Sunday School for all ages beginning at 9:30am. We hope you'll be able to join us!

Information about Sunday School....
....for adults & youth
....for children
Our nursery is also open for children aged birth to three.