​If you are reading this before Oct 13, it's not too late to register to vote! Make sure your vote counts by planning your voting experience. Share your plan and these resources with family, friends, and neighbors.
 
Please let Carol Sevin (csevin@gmail.com) know if you would like to meet with a member of the Justice and Witness Board to go through these steps, we’re here to help!

 
Justice and Witness Board election guide:

1.     Register and check your voter registration at ksvotes.org by Oct 13.

• If voting by mail: use ksvotes.org to request a mail-in/advance ballot by Oct 27

2.     Learn about the candidates and issues that will be on your ballot

• Riley County Official Election Information
• Other websites for election research: vote411.org, votesmart.org
• Riley County Commissioner Candidate forums
• 2pm-5pm 10/18 League of Women Voters Forum 
• Kansas Interfaith Action Voter Empowerment Events - Thursdays, Oct. 15, 22, and 29 at 7pm on KIFA's Facebook Live

3.     Vote

• Advance voting begins Oct 14
• Your mail in ballot can be delivered at any polling station including early voting, let us know if it needs a ride! Also let us know if you need a ride on Election Day.
• Polls open from 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. on Election Day

 
Contact Carol Sevin or 336-575-4804 if you'd like this message as an email or to volunteer to deliver ballots or drive voters.

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• For more information about Communion on the Lawn and Drive Through Communion on Oct. 4th click here. Please note ADVANCE SIGN UP is REQUIRED for Communion on the Lawn. 
• You are invited to help us "fill the breadbasket" for Second Helping on Oct. 4th. You can make a special donation (info on giving here) OR if you're coming to Communion in the afternoon you can bring items to donate. Here is more information about what items are needed. 
• Learn more about the upcoming Kansas-Oklahoma Conference Annual Meeting and register here. The event is free but pre-registration is required. 
• The CROP Walk is October 4th. To walk or support a walker you can contact Deane Lehmann or learn more on the Manhattan CROP Walk webpage. CROP Walk is an annual event to raise funds to help end hunger globally and locally. 
• If you would like to provide financial support for those facing the devastation of the wildfires on the West Coast you can do so through the United Church of Christ. Click here to learn more and make your donation. 
• We have two new resources on our website that you might find useful during the week. Visit uccmanhattan.org/devotionals to access free online devotionals anytime or uccmanhattan.org/music to access video and audio of music from our services.
• Did you know we have a team called the Ministers of Care who provide care for those in our congregation who are in need of additional connection and support or are going through a major life transition? If you or someone you know needs some additional TLC, please let the church office or pastors know. 
• A reminder that we have several opportunities to gather via Zoom each week - Tuesday book group, Wednesday youth group, and Thursday Prayers. You'll find the links on our website here. 
• Our adult Sunday School class (via Zoom) is currently studying Forgiveness. The Tuesday book group begins a new book on Sep. 8th and would love to have new participants. You'll find information about both here. 
• We will be having weeknight Zoom classes for kids this year instead of Sunday morning classes. Reach out to Brandy (kids) or Brittani (youth) to make sure you're getting updates for kids' and youth activities. 

Join us as we worship together in real time on Facebook Live at 10:45 a.m. Central on Sunday (no login required). The service will also be posted to our YouTube channel before 10:45 a.m. each Sunday. 
​
​If you are having difficulty accessing the online services, please don't be shy. Reach out to our church office so we can assist. We are also happy to send you a copy of the sermon via U.S. mail or e-mail. 

The worship video will also be posted here by 8:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. If the video below gives you an error, check back after that time and it should be ready to go. 

Communion at Home: 10:45 a.m. during our regular online worship service (bring your own elements)

Drive Through Communion: 12:15-12:30 p.m. OR 1:00-1:15 p.m.

• ​Enter parking lot from the Poyntz Entrance, but do not park.
• Turn right at the end of the parking lot onto the alley behind the church building.
• Receive prepackaged communion from your car from our pastors.
• Continue on to Juliette (turn right if you’d like to pass the small groups gathered on the lawn. Feel free to honk and wave at those gathered as you go past.)
• Those who are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, are awaiting a test result for COVID-19, have been exposed to anyone who has COVID-19 or is awaiting a COVID-19 test result, or fall into any other category that should be quarantined according to our health department may not attend.    
• Those attending Drive Through Communion may not get out of their vehicles.

Communion on the Lawn: ***advance sign up required***
Group A

• Staggered arrival between 11:45 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
• Park and wait in your car until the greeter asks you to visit the check in table
• 12:00-12:30 p.m. - Communion and Fellowship on the the Lawn

Group B

• Staggered arrival between 12:30 - 12:45 p.m.
• Park and wait in your car until the greeter asks you to visit the check in table
• 12:45 - 1:15 p.m. - Communion and Fellowship on the the Lawn​

In case of inclement weather, an announcement will be made on our website, e-mail list, and social media on Sunday morning. 

For Communion on the Lawn: please bring a face mask and lawn chairs/blanket for your family. When you arrive, please stay in or right next to your car until the parking lot greeter invites you to proceed to the sign in table. At the sign in table you will sanitize your hands, pick up prepackaged communion elements, and the usher will assist you in finding your assigned spot (marked by a cone). We will have two “seatings” - Lawn Group A  at 12:00 p.m. and Lawn Group B at 12:45 p.m. See detailed schedule above. 

As we continue to learn more about the coronavirus, we are learning more about how we can safely be together. Our congregational leadership has carefully planned traffic flow and requirements for Communion on the Lawn with community health in mind. We ask that everyone carefully read the health guidelines when you sign up. When you reserve your spot, you are agreeing to care for the health of others by following the guidelines. If you have any questions, please reach out to the church office. 
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Sign up for Communion on the Lawn at uccmanhattan.org/sign-ups OR by calling the church office. We've made a short video tutorial to help you with the online sign up process. 

1. Those who are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, are awaiting a test result for COVID-19, have been exposed to anyone who has COVID-19 or is awaiting a COVID-19 test result, or fall into any other category that should be quarantined according to our health department may not attend.    
2. Masks will be worn for the entirety of the event (except to be removed very briefly while receiving the Communion elements). If you do not have a mask, one will be provided to you at the check in table. 
3. When you arrive: please put on your mask before exiting your vehicle. We ask that you wait in or right next to your car. A greeter will let you know when it’s time to proceed to the check in table. 
4. At the check in table, sanitize hands using the provided sanitizer before you pick up your prepackaged Communion elements. 
5. The greeter at the table will assign you a designated space. An usher will show you to your assigned space. Please place your chair or blanket right next to the cone. 
6. Everyone must stay in their designated space and maintain at least 8 feet distance from those they don’t live with. We know it’s hard to see each other and not hug or shake hands. But we also know that we can do hard things! 
7. The usher will dismiss you at the end of our fellowship time and we ask that you proceed to your car and depart. Please be sure to leave at least 8 feet of space between you and other people as you get into your vehicles. If you need to leave earlier, please just catch the usher’s attention to do so. 
8. Note that the building will not be open at all during this event. 

• Cassidy is starting another book group via Zoom on September 25th. They will be studying Ibram Kendi's How to Be an Antiracist. Contact Cassidy for the Zoom link. 
• The CROP Walk is October 4th. To walk or support a walker you can contact Deane Lehmann or learn more on the Manhattan CROP Walk webpage. CROP Walk is an annual event to raise funds to help end hunger globally and locally. 
• If you would like to provide financial support for those facing the devastation of the wildfires on the West Coast you can do so through the United Church of Christ. Click here to learn more and make your donation. 
• We have two new resources on our website that you might find useful during the week. Visit uccmanhattan.org/devotionals to access free online devotionals anytime or uccmanhattan.org/music to access video and audio of music from our services.
• Did you know we have a team called the Ministers of Care who provide care for those in our congregation who are in need of additional connection and support or are going through a major life transition? If you or someone you know needs some additional TLC, please let the church office or pastors know. 
• ​There’s a new opportunity for singers in our congregation….we are partnering with other congregations in the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference of the United Church of Christ to create a virtual choir. You don’t need fancy recording equipment...just something like a computer, tablet, or smartphone. There will be rehearsals starting soon but there is also an opportunity to simply record your part without attending rehearsals. For more information about how to get involved, please contact Gretchen Lewis.
• A reminder that we have several opportunities to gather via Zoom each week - Tuesday book group, Wednesday youth group, and Thursday Prayers. You'll find the links on our website here. 
• Our adult Sunday School class (via Zoom) is currently studying Forgiveness. The Tuesday book group begins a new book on Sep. 8th and would love to have new participants. You'll find information about both here. 
• We will be having weeknight Zoom classes for kids this year instead of Sunday morning classes. Reach out to Brandy (kids) or Brittani (youth) to make sure you're getting updates for kids' and youth activities. 

​Worship with us. Join us as we worship together in real time on Facebook Live at 10:45 a.m. Central on Sunday (no login required). The service will also be posted to our YouTube channel before 10:45 a.m. each Sunday. 
​
​If you are having difficulty accessing the online services, please don't be shy. Reach out to our church office so we can assist. We are also happy to send you a copy of the sermon via U.S. mail or e-mail. 

The Kansas-Oklahoma Conference of the UCC gathers in October each year. Our congregation sends our authorized ministers and lay delegates each year. This year, the gathering is happening ONLINE which means ANYONE in our congregation who wants to attend part or all of the gathering can do so for free. Pretty  neat! 

Events will be happening throughout the week, beginning Monday, Oct. 5th and ending with a special all-conference worship service on Sunday, Oct. 11th (you don't need to register for the worship service). 

You can see the schedule and fill out a registration form on the Annual Meeting website. You will want to register as a VISITOR and there will be no cost to you. Several of the speakers are folks that Pastor Caela has known personally for a number of years and they are GREAT speakers. We will also be gathering with our German partners from Baden. We hope you'll take advantage of this unique opportunity. Please contact Pastor Caela if you have any questions. 

• Our community Conversation on Race and Reconciliation is happening this Monday, September. 14th. Pre-registration for this online event is required.  More information here. 
• We have two new resources on our website that you might find useful during the week. Visit uccmanhattan.org/devotionals to access free online devotionals anytime or uccmanhattan.org/music to access video and audio of music from our services.
• Our friends at Plymouth have invited everyone in the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference to participate in a Zoom class using the UCC's White Privilege curriculum. Classes will begin on Wednesday, Sep. 16th and you'll find more info here. 
• Did you know we have a team called the Ministers of Care who provide care for those in our congregation who are in need of additional connection and support or are going through a major life transition? If you or someone you know needs some additional TLC, please let the church office or pastors know. 
• ​There’s a new opportunity for singers in our congregation….we are partnering with other congregations in the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference of the United Church of Christ to create a virtual choir. You don’t need fancy recording equipment...just something like a computer, tablet, or smartphone. There will be rehearsals starting soon but there is also an opportunity to simply record your part without attending rehearsals. For more information about how to get involved, please contact Gretchen Lewis.
• A reminder that we have several opportunities to gather via Zoom each week - Tuesday book group, Wednesday youth group, and Thursday Prayers. You'll find the links on our website here. 
• Our adult Sunday School class (via Zoom) is currently studying Forgivness. The Tuesday book group begins a new book on Sep. 8th and would love to have new participants. You'll find information about both here. 
• We will be having weeknight Zoom classes for kids this year instead of Sunday morning classes. Reach out to Brandy (kids) or Brittani (youth) to make sure you're getting updates for kids' and youth activities. 

Worship with us. Join us as we worship together in real time on Facebook Live at 10:45 a.m. Central on Sunday (no login required). The service will also be posted to our YouTube channel before 10:45 a.m. each Sunday. 
​
​If you are having difficulty accessing the online services, please don't be shy. Reach out to our church office so we can assist. We are also happy to send you a copy of the sermon via U.S. mail or e-mail. 

We continue to be so thankful for everyone who is a part of our Second Helping meal every Sunday evening. We serve a carry out hot meal and a sack lunch to anyone who needs is every Sunday at 6:00 p.m. This effort takes many, many people working behind the scenes to plan the menus, procure the groceries, prepare the lunches, bake homemade desserts, cook the food, and serve it. Whew! There are many ways to be involved with Second Helping - from coming in to cook to cooking at home, buying supplies or making a cash donation. If you'd like to get involved, please let us know. 

Our planning team reports that numbers of meals being served has gone up a bit in the past month. In August we 
257 meals for guests, 91 meals for the Pawnee Crisis Stabilization Center, and 243 lunch bags. That’s 348 hot meals and a total of 591 meals. In August we also received a lot of food donations. Yay! We received large food donations from local partners as well as members of our congregation who regularly purchase supplies for lunches. Thank you to everyone who donated in August. 

To make a cash donation to the Second Helping, please donate via PayPal and indicate "Second Helping" in the memo OR mail your check to 700 Poyntz, Manhattan, KS 66502 with "Second Helping" in the memo. 

Here are some photos of all those wonderful food donations this past month!

Pastor Caela is on vacation this week and we are going on a road trip together for worship this Sunday. We will be worshiping with Plymouth Congregational Church (UCC) in Lawrence. Like us, Plymouth is a part of the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference of the UCC and is a progressive, Open & Affirming congregation that believes following Jesus means standing up for justice and advocating for those on the margins.

How to worship this weekend:
Plymouth's service will be livestreamed here at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning.  If you prefer to worship at our regular time of 10:45 a.m. you can visit Plymouth's website to watch the service when you're ready. Note: Plymouth will be celebrating Communion this Sunday, so please bring something to eat and something to drink.
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How to fellowship this weekend:
We will still gather for our regular Zoom Fellowship Hour at 11:45 a.m. in our regular Fellowship Zoom room. We hope you can join us for a time of conversation and connection!

Even with all of the challenges of 2020 it can be uplifting to take advantage of some of the things we can do now that we couldn't before...worshiping online with another congregation 75 miles from here is certainly one of those things.

As we head into the weekend, we hope you'll enjoy some sacred music from Mary Ellen Sutton. Click below to hear "My Soul Magnifies the Lord" by Pachelbel.