Announcements
Watch this week's serviceWatch the service on Facebook Live at 10:45 a.m. Central on Sunday (no login required).
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.  As we continue to worship online, we’ve learned in tangible ways that “real good church” can happen anywhere. Many have told us they kind of like worshipping in their PJs or cuddled up with family and pets on the couch! We also know that many of us miss the connection with have with our church building. It is a sacred space and something about being there opens our hearts to the movement of the Spirit in real ways.
If you are missing that connection with our church building or simply need a “set aside” place to pray, we invite you to spend some time in prayer outside our church building at 700 Poyntz. You could bring a picnic blanket and sit on the lawn or bring a lawn chair from home. You might want to gaze up at the cloud floating overhead beyond our limestone walls or watch people pass by on Juliette or Poyntz. The front steps of the church, the big limestone sign, and the space outside the Juliette entrance are all nice places to find some quiet. As you come to the property to pray, we ask that you do not congregate with other people. If you notice someone else is praying, please come back at a later time. We encourage you to snap a photo and/or write down your prayer to share via social media. You might even want to record a video of your prayer time. You can share these in the Facebook group or upload on our website at uccmanhattan.org/photo-video-portal. Please note if you do NOT want your post shared publicly via our Facebook page. Think about how neat it would be to see a prayer from one of our members every day this summer. Even though we can’t be together in the sanctuary right now, we are still united through the Spirit. Wear Orange with Moms Demand Action Wear Orange Day began when 15-Year-old Hadiya Pendleton, an innocent bystander, was shot and killed on a Chicago street in 2013. Her grieving friends wore orange in her honor, the color worn by hunters to reduce the chance of gun injury. Several national organizations involved in gun-violence reduction adopted the color and Hadiya’s memory as they commemorate National Gun Violence Awareness Day on the first Friday in June to reduce the senseless slaughter that is America’s gun-violence crisis. Wear Orange during the pandemic. Instead of gathering on June 5, 2020 to honor Hadiya and to demand gun-sense legislation to make us safer, we will place orange-painted rocks around town to raise awareness of the issue of gun violence in our community. We will also have a private Facebook event to share information about gun violence and organizations in our community who assist those at risk or affected by gun violence. This will last for two weeks, from May 23 to June 6. We know this is very short notice! It is still helpful if you share this at any time during these two weeks. How can you participate? We would love for community members to help us spread the word about this important issue by painting rocks orange and putting them in highly visible places, such as near your curb or on walking trails around town. On the rocks, you can include messages such as "end gun violence," include the name of a loved one affected by gun violence, or even wearorange.org. We encourage you to join the Wear Orange Facebook Event, where updates are being posted each day. Kansas Interfaith Action Annual EventKansas Interfaith Action invites you to join us for our 2020 Annual Event, on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at 6:30 pm. This year, we will gather virtually. Our featured speaker will the the Reverend Dr. Cassandra Gould, Executive Director of Missouri Faith Voices. We are honoring Rev. Sarah Oglesby-Dunegan, who is stepping out of the role of KIFA Board Chair after nearly 5 years. Rep. Don Hineman will receive the “Legislator of the Year” Award. The program begins at 6:30 pm. For more information and to purchase tickets please click here. If you are unable to attend, but wish to support the work of Kansas Interfaith Action with a tax-deductible donation, please click here.   The first Wednesday of the month means Lunch Bunch!
We hope you'll bring your own lunch to a comfy spot in your home and join us via Zoom for conversation and laughter. It will be fun to see each other's homes and perhaps meet each other's pets! Physical distancing is what we're after and that doesn't have to mean social distancing. It will be so good to talk with one another. Join us Wednesday, June 3rd at 11:30 a.m. Click to Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88932482375 OR Dial 1-669-900-6833 from your phone. When you hear the recorded voice say, “Welcome to Zoom. Please enter your meeting ID followed by pound” you should dial 889 3248 2375#. That’s it! Got questions? Let us know. Otherwise, we'll see you Wednesday for lunch! Announcements
Watch this week's serviceWant to share the First Congregational UCC love? Miss your church fam? We would like to give you a gift to help us all feel connected AND let other people in the community know about our congregation. Yard signs are available and we will deliver them to your house (contactless, of course). They are 18x24 corrugated plastic with a metal stand. Locally printed by Thomas Sign Company. These signs are two-sided, so you can display your favorite message or set up the sign so that both sides can be seen. We hope to have them by the end of May, so just let us know if you'd like one delivered. You can contact your Neighborhood Captain or simply e-mail the church office.
Announcements:
Watch this week's service: Guests and new attendees are invited to join us for Discovering First Congregational on Sunday, May 31st at 11:30 a.m. (immediately after worship). At this low-key gathering with our pastors, you'll have a chance to learn more about our congregation and our beliefs...plus, we'll make sure you get to meet a couple other people from our congregation.
We look forward to meeting you and learning more about you! No need to RSVP, just show up on Zoom and let us know if you have any questions ([email protected]). ***** Zoom with us by clicking this link: https://ksu.zoom.us/j/7845246295 ***** Or call in for audio only: Meeting ID: 784 524 6295 One tap mobile +16699006833,,7845246295# US (San Jose) +12532158782,,7845246295# US (Tacoma) Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 646 876 9923 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) Meeting ID: 784 524 6295 Find your local number: https://ksu.zoom.us/u/aozOkQGij Announcements:
Watch this week's service The Manhattan Public Library is a treasure trove of awesomeness. Books, magazines, movies, video games and more! During COVID-19 many folks who haven't taken the leap to learn how to access their online resources are starting to think, "Hmmmm. Maybe I should learn how to check out an e-book or audiobook!"
We are so pleased to have some of the staff of MPL join us for this Facebook Live event at Noon on Wednesday, May 13th. The video will be live on the First Congregational UCC Manhattan KS Facebook Page. Pastor Caela will be talking with them about how to check out e-books, read magazines, listen to audiobooks, watch movies and MORE without ever leaving your couch. Once you've started accessing these online resources, you'll be so glad you did. Let us know your questions ahead of time by posting them on our Facebook Event Page (or e-mailing Caela) and be sure to invite your friends. MISSED IT? PDF HANDOUTS HERE: Learn to use Sunflower eLibrary Learn to use Hoopla |
