While traveling to Baden with the KO Conference Delegation, Pastor Caela shared two updates (and lots of photos!) with our mailing list. Click through to read all about the trip!

Update #1

Update #2
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Online photo album (be sure to click the "i" in the little circle to see all the captions)

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Many thanks to those who submitted newsletter articles for the Summer months. We really enjoyed reading your reflections on prayer. Considering spiritual questions and taking time to reflect on them is a wonderful way to deepen your own faith AND it's a fantastic way for us to build stronger bonds in our congregation as we learn from one another. Even if you didn't get in on the Summer fun, I hope you'll prayerfully consider submitting a reflection for our Fall newsletters. Here are the details: 

Each quarter, I’ll introduce a topic and share a few questions for reflections. You are invited to consider sending in your thoughts and they might be published. Submissions can be from anyone in the congregation and should be no more than 500 words. Sharing will give you a chance to put your thoughts together, help us learn more about others in our congregation, and help us learn from one another. 

Here’s the topic for the Fall months: “sharing our faith."
Yes, this is absolutely me trying to get you to reflect on "evangelism" without saying the word "evangelism." (Whoops, I just said it.) Here are some questions to get your creative juices flowing. You might choose to write in with the answer to just one question or a couple. 

• When you think back on your own faith journey, who were the people that taught you what it looks like to follow Jesus? They may have been family members, church teachers, or even thought-partners that you learned from in books or classes. What did you learn from them? What made them effective in sharing their faith with you?
• What does the Bible say about how we are supposed to share the Good News of God's love with others? How? When? Why? 
• Have you ever had a moment when you felt like you effectively shared your faith journey with someone else? What was that like? 
• "Evangelism" (which means sharing the Gospel/good news) can be a tricky concept for those of us who believe there are many pathways to connect with the Holy and live a good life. What place does evangelism have in your version of being a Christ-follower? 

If you’d like to be considered for publication in the September, October, or November newsletters, please email your submission directly to me no later than August 15th. I look forward to seeing what we can share with one another in the coming months. 

Pastor Caela

Great News! Thanks to the efforts of our Gifts, Investments, and Endowments Committee, we are pleased to announce that we are able to participate in Grow Green Match Day again this year. This year's match day is April 22nd.

On this day, eligible donations made through the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation to participating nonprofit funds will receive a 50% match. This match is eligible for donations between $25 and $1,000 per charitable fund per donor. Each organization is eligible for up to $7,500 in matching funds.

For example, if a donor gives $1,000 to organization X, that organization will receive a $500 match.

There are several ways to make your donation to support of our congregation and many other worthy causes: 

1. You can give in-person at the Colony Square Atrium (555 Poyntz Avenue) from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm on April 22nd. There is also a satellite location at Meadowlark from 11:00 am to 2:00pm. Gifts of checks, cash, and credit cards are accepted at the event. Donors who make a gift at the live event will be entered into an hourly drawing for $100 to the participating fund of their choice.
2. You can give online at GrowGreenManhattan.com on Tuesday, April 22nd from midnight through the end of the day.
3. You can also mail a check BUT the checks must be RECEIVED by the 22nd. With the unpredictable nature of the mail, this is probably not the best option. Check donations should be mailed to GMCF, P.O. Box 1127, Manhattan, KS 66505. All mailed donations must include a completed donation form (available at GrowGreenManhattan.com). Mailed donations must include the completed giving form to qualify for a match.

Visit the Grow Green website to learn about the organizations participating this year and make your giving plan!

Your Missions committee would like to thank the congregation for supporting our past local aid ventures. Our next project will start on February 22 and run through May 1st. We will be collecting items for the Manhattan Emergency Shelter and the Crisis Center. The Crisis Center said the items listed in the top box go fast, but all items are needed.   We will have a box decorated with red and white stripes in the front lobby for donations. If you have questions feel free to contact Julie Hunt.

Requested donations:

We are pleased to share TWO options for free devotionals to help guide your Lenten journey.


Devotional Booklets (hard copy or digital)

1) Our Lenten Devotional Booklets from A Sanctified Art are available for pick-up beginning Feb. 15. You can pick up in the church lobby or in the plastic box outside the office doors. If you prefer a web-based version or would like a hard copy placed in the U.S. mail, please contact the church office. (This is the devotional that the Adult Sunday School class will use to guide their conversations throughout Lent.)

About the devotional: "This devotional offers commentary, poetry, visual art, hymns, and reflection prompts for the whole season of Lent. We encourage you to walk through these weekly readings at your own pace throughout the season, following the rhythm that works best for you. The devotional features biblical commentary by our guest writers, Rev. Dr. Brian Blount and Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail, as well as art and reflections by our guest artists, Rev. Nicolette Faison, Carmelle Beaugelin Caldwell, and Rev. T. Denise Anderson." (from sanctifiedart.com)

Daily Devotional Cards (via e-mail)

2) For those who prefer a daily devotional, we are pleased to offer Daily Devotional cards via email. Receive a daily invitation to a Centering Practice, Reflection Question, and Prayer. These cards were also created by A Sanctified Art and follow the same theme. If you’d like to receive one each day in your inbox, please email [email protected] and we’ll get you added to the list. 

Luke’s Gospel begins the story of Jesus with this opening line: “In the time of Herod…” This detail may seem minor to modern readers; however, it reveals layers of information about the fearful world Jesus entered, one filled with rampant oppression, economic disparity, uncertainty, and instability. A world not so unlike our own. And yet, throughout the stories of Christ’s birth, we hear the whispers of angels delivering a surprising message: “Do not fear.” When Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the magi are each called into God’s redemptive story, they do not deny their fears—they move through them. They ask questions, hold fast to courage, trust in good news, and say, “Here I am, Lord.” When we find ourselves in fearful times, can we acknowledge our fears while also insisting on hope?
(From A Sanctified Art, LLC)

Dec. 21 - Lessons and Carols 
​Join us in-person or via Zoom for our annual Lessons & Carols service, led by members of our vocal and bell choirs.. Many thanks to our musicians for sharing their gifts in this way. 

​Dec. 24 at 7:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Worship
Christmas Eve is a time for singing carols by candlelight and  remembering the gift that came to us in a tiny town all those years ago. Join us at 7:00 p.m. on December 24th as we celebrate the birth of Christ by hearing the story once again and sharing Communion at Christ's table (open to all!). People of all ages are welcome at this service, in-person or via Zoom. Pre-service music will begin at 6:45pm.

When is Brunch Church? On July 6 and August 3 we’ll gather at 10:45 a.m. for worship AND a potluck brunch in Pioneer-Blachly Halls. Everyone is invited to bring a simple dish to share and their own tableservice (so we can reduce our need for paper/plastic plate and make cleanup easier). It doesn’t have to be anything fancy! Store- bought yogurt, muffins, and fruit are all great options!

What will happen at Brunch Church? We will hear scripture, pray, and sing together. We’ll share a meal. We’ll have time for some learning and reflection. And we’ll share Holy Communion at the tables, just as we do on Maundy Thursday.

What if I normally worship via Zoom?
On July 6th we hope you’ll join us via Zoom just as you always do. We’ll set up a camera in Pioneer-Blachly and you’ll be able to hear the worship elements, music, and share Communion with us. When we’re eating the meal, you can choose if you’d rather just enjoy your own quiet breakfast at home OR hop into a breakout room to chat with others on Zoom.

On August 3rd we are encouraging Zoomers to go on a “field trip” and try Zoom worship with one of our sister UCC congregations in Oklahoma City. Church of the Open Arms worships via Zoom at 11:00 a.m. and they’re excited to welcome our Zoomers that day. At 11:00 a.m. just go to the same place on our website you always visit (uccmanhattan.org/online) and click to Zoom. We'll update that link so you get to the right place.