​We are honored to have Rabbi Moti Rieber speak at our service on Sunday, March 18.  Reb Moti is the Executive Director of Kansas Interfaith Action (KIFA) and a life-long activist on peace, social justice, and environmental issues.  He is a regular presence at the state capitol and testifies at hearings and meets regularly with legislators in pursuit of KIFA goal of bringing a faith-based moral voice to public policy in Kansas. KIFA acts on the belief that everyone deserves equal opportunity and equal protection, and the right to live in peace per their principles, which includes discrimination based on religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and other variables that describe marginalized populations. Reb Moti will speak on non-violence as a faith-based action for change. The Vitality Committee will host an extended Fellowship time with a light brunch and the opportunity to meet Reb Moti and learn more about KIFA and his current work in Topeka. 

​Mark your calendars…
Monday, March 5 - Stand with Muslim Neighbors Advocacy Day. KIFA and CAIR-Kansas are once again co-sponsoring Muslim Advocacy Day. All of us - Muslims, Christians, Jews, Unitarians, agnostics, and others - will visit the state capitol to let our legislators and the people of Kansas know how important our Muslim neighbors are to the well-being of our communities, and our refusal to see them victimized or singled-out, legally or politically.  A rally will begin at 10AM in the 2nd Floor Rotunda, and there will be activities throughout the day.  For more information and to register go to the KIFA website, www.kansasinterfaithaction.org

Thursday, March 15 - WEALTH Day. WEALTH stands for Water, Environment, Air, Land, Transportation and Health. This is our chance to make our concern for Creation visible to everyone! The day will start with an interfaith climate vigil at 9 AM, followed by a legislative briefing/training, meetings throughout the day, and a lunch with legislators. For a full agenda and to register for the event check the KIFA website.

Saturday, March 24 – Turn Off Your Lights.  Annual Earth Hour, 8:30 – 9:30 PM local time. 

April 3 – 5 - Unite to End Racism. 
The National Council of Churches invites us to unite to end racism! Join faith leaders in Washington, DC April 3-5 in the clarion call to heal the soul of the nation as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination. Visit www.rally2endracism.org
 
Wednesday, May 9, 6:30pm. KIFA Annual Event, First Christian Church, Topeka 
Exciting announcement about the guest speaker is coming soon! 
 

 
Stay informed…

Want to keep up with UCC social justice actions at the national and global level?  Sign up for info-packed newsletter, Take Action, of the United Church of Christ, Justice & Peach Action Network, at www.ucc.org  They also have a FaceBook page.
 
Make a difference in 2018…
Last month, we started a short series based on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s (SPLC) Five Ways to Make a Difference in 2018.   The February newsletter discussed #1:  Start a Conversation (don’t stay silent when you hear words of hate), and suggested SPLC’s, Speak UP:  Responding to Everyday Bigotry, available free at their website, www.splcenter.org
​
#2 is Be Informed.  Martin Luther King, Jr. once wrote: "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." Make a pledge to stay informed in 2018 about your government, your community and the injustices occurring to those around you. SPLC recommends On Tyranny, The March Against Fear, and The Blood of Emmett Till. You can sign up for the UCC newsletter, Take Action, or follow the SPLC on Facebook or request their newsletter.
 
#3 is Stay Engaged.  SPLC suggests volunteering with a cause that is important to you.  We have many opportunities at First Congregational!  Many community organization request help and there will be many opportunities to work for candidates and to get out the vote this fall.

​Living Room Worship Night
Sunday, March 4
6:30 - 8:30 pm

A casual evening of acoustic guitar, singing, prayer, and fellowship.
If you are hungry to deepen your connection to God and each other,
join us in the living room! Location: 205 Cedar Drive, Manhattan 66502
​Questions? Contact Kerry Priest, Rachel Shivers, or Lisa Tatonetti. 

COURSE PACKET INFORMATION

Feb. 18, Week 1                Overview of the class
Please read: Anti-Defamation League’s Brief History of Anti-Semitism, 4 pages

• How many times does this brief overview refer to Christianity and religious institutions?

 
Feb. 25, Week 2                A Medieval turning point
Please read: “Making a Martyr: William of Norwich and the Jews” by Miri Rubin (History Today, June 2010), 6 pages 
Two options to access:
 1) If you are part of the K-State community, please download this article through K-State Libraries. Go to: http://www.lib.k-state.edu/. Type “Making a Martyr: William of Norwich” into the main “Search It” box, choose “View It” under the first item; choose one of the databases; log in. It cannot be posted to the church web site for copyright reasons.
2) If you are not a part of the K-State community, you can access via the State Library of KS databases.  1. Go to the State Library of KS databases: https://kslib.info/422/Online-Databases. Select Academic Search Premier. Type or copy and paste into the search box: Making a martyr William of Norwich. You should see one article, click on the PDF option at the bottom of the record to see the version with pictures

• Note how the story of William of Norwich’s death coincides with Passover and Holy Week.
• How do the images (mostly religious art) depict the story of William of Norwich?

March 4, Week 3              Offending passages: Jesus and the Pharisees; the Crucifixion
Please read the following short article for this week: "Holy Week and the Hatred of the Jews: How to Avoid Anti-Judaism this Easter," by Amy-Jill Levine
http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2017/04/08/4650428.htm

March 11, Week 4           Offending passages: Paul and the Jews

March 18, Week 5           Martin Luther and the Jews
 
Resources that I’ve been using to prepare for the class:
David Nirenberg, Anti-Judaism: The Western Tradition (2013)
Helmut Walser Smith, The Butcher’s Tale: Murder and Anti-Semitism in a German Town (2003)
Clark Williamson, Has God Rejected His People? Anti-Judaism in the Christian Church (1982)

Living Room Worship Night
Sunday, March 4
6:30 - 8:30 pm

A casual evening of acoustic guitar, singing, prayer, and fellowship.
If you are hungry to deepen your connection to God and each other,
join us in the living room! Location: 205 Cedar Drive, Manhattan 66502

January 28, 2018