 This fall we'll have two oportunities for those who are new to First Congregational to gather. Sunday, Sep. 25th for lunch and Sunday, Oct. 30th for dinner. These are lovely opportunities to brea bread and get to know each other. Those who attend will be given an opportunity to ask questions about First Congregational and meet some of our long-time members. If you are new to the church and want an invitation to one of these welcoming events, please e-mail Pastor Caela.
 Fall classes kick off on August 21st!
Sunday School for Children - 9:30 a.m., in person only Kids ages 3 through 5th grade are invited to join us for Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. Each week we'll do some singing and learning together. 1st through 3rd Sundays are traditional Sunday School with Bible stories and activities. 4th and 5th Sundays are times for service learning with special guests! If your child plans to attend, please be sure and fill out a Child Information Form and reach out to Brandy with any questions. Adult and Teen Sunday School, 9:30 a.m., in-person or via Zoom The Table is at the center of Christian community. Receiving the bread and cup - also known as names like Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper, and the Eucharist - is a central practice in Christian worship, of course. And community also happens around the table as we study our holy texts together. These acts of sharing food, stories, knowledge, questions, conversation shape us as we seek to live generously, with Jesus as our guide. Join us this fall as we explore 8 central stories from the Bible that invite us to think more deeply about The Table and commit ourselves to live generously in God’s ways of love for all. If your teen plans to attend, please be sure and fill out a Youth Information Form. Questions? Reach out to Pastor Caela. Tuesday Class, 11:30 a.m., via Zoom The Tuesday Bible Book Club took a summer hiatus – but we were only partially through a book. Beginning on Tuesday, August 23rd, we will continue reading Trust Women: A Progressive Christian Argument for Reproductive Justice by Rebecca Todd Peters. It is timely reading: Trust Women is an extremely thoughtful examination of the issue of abortion. Even if you didn’t start the book with us, please know that we have only read a third of it – it will be easy to catch up! The book group has found what we have read so far to be personally and spiritually challenging, inviting us to think about the lives of women in new ways. Please consider joining our lively discussions. The Bible Book Club is led by Pastor Sue and meets via Zoom every Tuesday from 11:30 to 1:00. We hope that you will join us on August 23rd. Questions? Reach out to Pastor Sue. Join Pastor Caela and other friends from First Congregational for some fun on the town this summer. Stop by for conversation or prayer. Grab a quick blessing on your way somewhere else or stay for a spell. Upcoming opportunities to connect: 🍽 Wednesday, May 25, 5:00-6:30 p.m. at Tallgrass Taphouse (enjoy a beverage, snack, or early dinner) ☕️ Wednesday, June 15, 8:30-10:00 a.m. at Radina’s Bakehouse (enjoy a beverage, snack, or breakfast - we can also go sit by the splash pad) 🌅 Tuesday, July 19, 8:00-9:00 p.m. at Tuttle Creek Observation Point (bring a chair and enjoy the sunset together)   Wow! ECM at K-State is celebrating 101 years of ministry! Join us on Sunday, May 8th at Long's Park as we welcome guests from ECM and celebrate with them. And then on Sunday, May 15th we'll have guests from ECM with us at 9:30 a.m. (church basement or via Zoom) to share about what ECM is up to and answer our questions. We're excited to welcome these partners in campus ministry and deepen our relationship with them.
You can learn more about ECM on their website (https://www.ecmatkstate.org/) and you're encouraged to sign up for their e-mail list and/or follow them on social media. Are you ready for some in-person socializing? Join Deacons for an Outdoor Fire Pit Event on Friday, March 25th at 7:00pm. We will provide s’mores and hot cider and all you need to do is bring a chair and enjoy socializing with friends. Thank you to the Maseberg-Tomlinson family for hosting us in their yard for this event! Please RSVP at uccmanhattan.org/sign-ups (or contact the church office) and you'll receive the Maseberg-Tomlinsons' address as an auto-response when you submit your RSVP online.
Choir safety updateWe had sincerely hoped to bring the choir back to our Sunday morning worship, beginning in September, but the resurgence of the COVID pandemic, and the particular virulence of the Delta strain, has put a hold on that activity. While we seem to be doing okay with quiet congregational singing in the pews (one hymn a Sunday, alas!), the prospect of rehearsing and performing as a choral ensemble in an inside space is not yet a safe one. Our church’s COVID Task Force will re-evaluate the situation in October, and we’ll see if we can reassemble later this fall. Bells, anyone?If we can’t sing, we can play handbells! We have a beautiful 3-octave set of Malmark Handbells that have been under-utilized for the past fifteen years or so, and now seems to be a great time to try to start a handbell choir. If you are middle-school aged or older, can read music reasonably well, and know your right hand from your left, this could be the musical opportunity you have been waiting for!! Please let Gretchen Lewis know if you’re interested, or if you think you could be interested, in learning to ring handbells. It’s lots of fun, and it’s a great opportunity for fellowship and music making. See Gretchen at church or email. Tentatively, I’m planning an organizational meeting and introductory rehearsal on September 12, after church at 12:15 up in the Conference Room. How about percussion?In early July, I attended the biennial Conference of UCC Musicians, which was held virtually from Hartford, Connecticut. The event began with a music reading session on Thursday evening July 8, and ended with a concert on Saturday afternoon. The first workshop I attended featured the amazing 80-something year-old Miriam Therese Winter, poet, song-writer, and member of the Medical Mission Sisters, who shared some of her songs with us. Other workshops I found stimulating included some huge puppets by Sue Aziz, an exploration of global hymnody in North American worship led by Patrick Evans, and my personal favorite, a presentation on the use of percussion ensembles in worship, led by Michelle Horsley. She offered very practical advice on starting a basic inter-generation percussion ensemble in the local church, and I’m mulling over the possibilities of beginning one here at First Congregational later in the fall. If you’re interested, talk to me, either at church or by email.
Gretchen Lewis, music coordinator  Join us for Living Room Worship Online! LRW is an informal experience for those who desire to connect more with each other and with God through small group discussion, prayer, and singing. While we can't yet be together in person, we hope you'll join us virtually via your own living room! For more information, you can contact Kerry Priest (kerry.priest@gmail.com).
Sunday, February 28 7:00 pm Click to Zoom Or call 1-669-900-6833 and enter Meeting ID: 931 8438 5398 Passcode: 848935 (Note: long-distance charges may apply when using the call-in option.)  As we move into the new year, we invite you to join us for Living Room Worship Online! LRW is an informal experience for those who desire to connect more with each other and with God through small group discussion, prayer, and singing. While we can't yet be together in person, we hope you'll join us virtually via your own living room! For more information, you can contact Kerry Priest (kerry.priest@gmail.com).
Sunday, January 24 7:00 pm Zoom link: https://ksu.zoom.us/j/96711977572?pwd=WmlLZnllRlpVRUdYQXlEbUdDTnR5QT09 Or call 1-669-900-6833 and enter Meeting ID: 967 1197 7572 Passcode: 364255 (Note: long-distance charges may apply when using the call-in option.) Service of Prayer, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 12:15p, 821 Poyntz
On Tuesday November 3, please join an ecumenical group of Manhattan Christians for a short service of prayer and communion. This will be an opportunity to join together in prayer for peace, unity, and God’s presence among us as we go through the national election together. We will meet outside at 821 Poyntz (next to MHS East) at 12:15 pm and the service will last less than half an hour, please wear warm clothing and a face mask and observe social distancing. In the event of snow/rain, canopies will be put up. Communion is an open table; all are welcome to partake in the bread and cup. The service will be led by local clergy with Rev. Liz Kocher of First Lutheran Church presiding over communion. Online Prayer Vigil Hosted by Community UCC (Champaign, IL) Our friends at Community UCC are inviting us to join them anytime between Noon on Tuesday until Noon on Wednesday for an online vigil. They will be sharing images, music, and quiet space to be with others in prayer. Go to https://www.facebook.com/communityucc/live to access the online vigil. Interfaith Silent Prayer Vigil, Thursdays, beginning Nov. 5 from 12-1pm in City Park Beginning the Thursday immediately after the election, we will be gathering with others for a silent, interfaith prayer vigil in City Park over the noon hour. Come for one or all of these gatherings. Full details available here. Zoom Prayers & Fellowship, Thursday at 7:00 p.m. Join us for our regular Thursday evening prayer gathering on Zoom. We center ourselves with a little scripture and music and then pray together. You can stay after for conversation or head out if you need to! |
