FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
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Potluck and Hymn Sing - Oct. 1, 2021

9/20/2021

 
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Many of us have missed our joyful singing of hymns together on Sunday morning, so we're having a real hymn-sing, outside, on Friday evening, October 1st. We have reserved Longs Park Shelter from 5:30-7:30 pm, so we'll have time for a fellowship potluck together, followed by singing as many of our favorite hymns together as we can before it gets too dark to see, or before we wear ourselves out with the songful efforts. Bring your own table service, plus food you'd like to share, plus a lawn chair if you'd like. Please DO bring a mask, since we will need those for the singing portion of the evening. Keyboard and hymnals will be provided. Come and join us for food, fellowship, and song together!

Music Updates September 2021

8/31/2021

 

Choir safety update

We 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

Living Room Worship - Feb. 28, 2021

2/1/2021

 
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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 ([email protected]). 

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.)

Living Room Worship - Jan. 24th, 2021

12/30/2020

 
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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 ([email protected]). 

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.)

Election Week Prayer Options

10/26/2020

 
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!

Communion Options for October 4th, 2020

9/23/2020

 
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We invite you to join us for Holy Communion on Sunday, October 4th. We will have three opportunities for receiving the elements that day. 
  1. Communion at Home: we will offer Communion during our Sunday morning online worship service and you can bring your own elements to eat and drink.
  2. Drive Through Communion: drive through the alley behind the church building to receive prepackaged Communion elements (no sign up needed)
  3. Communion on the Lawn: we will gather on the lawn of the church building for a physically-distanced Communion using prepackaged elements (NOTE: advance sign up required)


Schedule for Communion on Oct. 4th

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. 

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We invite you to Fill the Breadbasket by dropping off donations for the Second Helping when you arrive for Drive Through or Communion on the Lawn.

Important Information for Communion on the Lawn

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. 
​

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. 

Health Requirements for Our Gathering

  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. 
Sign Up for Communion on the Lawn

Video Tutorial for Using Online Sign Up

Video Walk-Through for Communion on the Lawn 

Video Walk-Through for Drive Through Communion

How to Be an Antiracist Discussion Group

9/15/2020

 
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Cassidy Moreau is leading another anti-racism discussion group via Zoom and you're invited to participate. The group will begin September 25th at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. They will be reading How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram Kendi. For more details, contact Cassidy.

Children's Sunday School - Fall 2020

8/20/2020

 
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Children's Sunday School is back... on Monday evenings starting September 7th!

First and third Mondays Cassidy and Tracey will be utilizing a special Beatitudes curriculum to take our kids through these important bible lessons (groups will be divided age 3-3rd grade and 4th-6th grade). On the other Mondays, we will join for a laid back time of games, fellowship, and catching up. Zoom meeting details will go out with the weekly children's ministry emails. If you aren't receiving these and would like to be, or have any other questions, please email Brandy at [email protected].

The New Jim Crow: Gather and Study via Zoom

6/23/2020

 
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You are invited to join a conversation to inform action around race and mass incarceration in America. A new book study of The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander is beginning July 1st via Zoom.

This group will meet every other week on Wednesdays at 7 pm. The study will be facilitated by Cassidy Moreau and will be open to the community.

​The group will involve reading the book, discussing questions, and action steps to help us all--together--chip away at the systematic racism in our country. The book can be found digitally through Kindle, and similar apps. It is also available via Hoopla through the public library. If you have any questions, please contact Cassidy directly or email the church office to get in touch with her. 


Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/71411719856?pwd=QWRTZTEwbE16MldwTElORGVoM1NzQT09
Meeting ID: 714 1171 9856 / Password: 66502

​



Lunch Bunch for June

5/24/2020

 
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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!

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First Congregational United Church of Christ 
700 Poyntz Ave., Manhattan, KS  66502
785-537-7006

© 2025 First Congregational United Church of Christ. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Open and Affirming
    • Our Leadership
    • Our Mission & History
    • Our Denomination
    • Building Use & Weddings
  • Worship
    • Online
    • Sunday Worship >
      • Sermons
    • Taizé Worship
    • Music
    • Special Worship Services >
      • Lent
      • Holy Week
  • Serve
    • Sign Ups
    • Act Locally >
      • Common Table
      • Blessing Box
      • Center of Hope
    • Work for Justice >
      • LGBTQ+
      • Anti-Racism
      • Immigration
      • Interfaith Connections
    • Global Connections
  • Learn
    • Children
    • Youth >
      • Tusla Overnight
    • University
    • Adults
    • Devotionals
  • Connect
    • News and Updates
    • Calendar
    • Small Groups
    • Become a Member
    • Members' Area >
      • Church Directory
      • Online Forms
      • Upload Portal
  • Give
    • Donate Now
    • Pledge