Happy Friday, Topeka First UMC family!

This is Pastor Karissa, and I'm grateful for this opportunity to write to you all! I pray you've been able to find some peace and joy in the midst of whatever life has brought your way recently. As Pastor Brad has been pointing out in worship recently, this time of the year can be one of transition for many, as kids finish up the school year, students graduate from high school and college, and weekly routines are changed up with the beginning of summer. Our church is surely in a time of transition with my upcoming departure and Pastor Sandra's upcoming arrival. Even when change is good, it can be hard and disorienting, and it can cause us to experience a lot of different (and seemingly contradictory) emotions. When I'm facing a great deal of change like I am right now, I find it important to acknowledge and pray about all that I am feeling - grief, excitement, anxiety, stress, and gratitude. I also find it helpful and reassuring to remember that no matter what, Christ is a firm foundation in my life and God is always working for good. These things will never change. I do my best to take deep breaths in and out so that I might experience peace in the presence of God, and I also try to cherish the blessings of each fleeting moment. By no means do I always handle change well, but these things help me, and I hope they help you as well when you are experiencing transition. 

Last week in worship, we had quite a celebration for the birthday of the Church (Pentecost)! You all looked great in your red, and the balloons, great music, and yummy cookies were such a blessing! Thank you so much to everyone who contributed their time and gifts to make the Sunday special! 

This Sunday, we will continue exploring the Holy Spirit's role in the Church as we discuss spiritual gifts and the way in which we are all equipped by the Spirit to perform different functions as individual members of this great Body of Christ. This is one of the topics that I am most passionate about as a pastor. The fact that we are all chosen and called by God for a purpose much greater than ourselves excites me! I pray that God will use the message this week to help each of us discover more fully how we have been uniquely gifted by the Spirit to play an important role in the Body of Christ for the sake of transforming the world. During each service, we will have the opportunity to meet two young adults who are using their gifts to answer God's call on their lives. They are interns for Micah Corps, a Conference program for young adults who are passionate about mercy and justice, and we have the honor and privilege of hosting them this summer! This means that we will be here to support them, cheer them on, and surround them with community during their time in Topeka. I hope you can be there to warmly welcome them! 

A final thing that I want you all to be aware of is that next Wednesday night (May 29th), we are going to be hosting an event for all the people and organizations that participated in our Community Listening Process last year. We will be sharing the findings of the process with them and engaging them in discussion about opportunities for collaboration going forward. I’m excited to see what comes out of this meeting! Many leaders from various sectors in our city will be there, and I’m hoping we can show them great hospitality by providing them with snacks, appetizers, and desserts during the event. If you would like to make and/or donate one of these things, please let me know! 

We are looking for a few people to help greet this weekend at the 8:15 & 9:30 services please click this link and sign up to help or to reading liturgy 

Please remember to add your picture to your profile in your Elvanto app. You can email your photo to Shawna or you can edit your own profile in your Elvanto app.  See Shawna if you need help.

Have a wonderful start to your weekend! I'll see you Sunday!

Blessings,

Pastor Karissa

PS, the church office is closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day.

During April & May, we welcomed new members and participated in a child's baptism!  Be sure to congratulate these folks when you see them!

Tanya Scott & Rick Nelson joined FUMC on April 21 at the 8:15 service.

Lauren Birzer joined FUMC during the 10:45 service on April 28.

Lincoln Martell was baptized on May 12 during the 10:45 service (pictured with mom Marissa)

Michelle Bounour joined FUMC on May 19 at the 9:30 service (pictured with daughters Veronica & Mikaehla).

These are the links to sign up to help the Micah Corps interns and for the woman whom Sandy Vogel has been mentoring in the prison who are needing some donated furniture & household items.

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