Greetings Topeka First UMC,

I hope that you are having a great week!

We are just over a week away from our 170 year anniversary! I hope that you will be sure to join us for the celebration! We will celebrate Heritage Sunday, receive new members, participate in a Topeka First UMC history scavenger hunt, and more exciting news!

Coming up this Sunday, we will continue our lenton sermon series, "Giving Up to Create Space." This Sunday we will look at Giving Up Guilt. If you think about the word guilt, you might think of images where someone has done something wrong (or we do something wrong). On Sunday we will look at a number of examples of people experiencing guilt, and look at how God works in their lives, and how they move past guilt. 

The March Mission collection of Groceries for Doorstep continues thrrough the end of March. Groceries can be placed on the table in the Celebration Room under the stained glass windows. We've collected 821.5 # so far! Great job supporting our mission partner, Doorstep. This is a link to Doorstep's upcoming April newsletter.

Dinner Theater tickets will be available in the Celebration Room this Sunday! Stop by the youth group table to reserve your spot. There's more info in the box below.

The annual Easter Egg hunt has been scheduled for April 12.  We'll have a basket in the Celebration Room for candy donations (no empty plastic eggs needed) through April 6. If you'd like to voulunteer with the Egg Hunt, see Pastor Grace.

See you Sunday,

Pastor Brad

PS: Please take time to sign up to help greet and hand out bulletins before the service you usually attend. Additionally, the 2025 Liturgist schedule is now open!  Both links remain the same throughout the year.

This Sunday, a quiz sheet about our church history, a "SEEK and FIND" type activity, will be distributed to everyone attending. It is also included in this newsletter for you to get a head start on the answers. This is a link to the history wall photos in case you won't be in the church this Sunday. This month, FTUMC celebrates its 170th anniversary. We have a long, proud, and very interesting history, progressing from a log cabin to our beautiful complex on 6th Street. Learn, share, and be part of this birthday celebration!

In 2003 and 2004 church services were held in what building while the Sanctuary was being remodeled?

What was the name (because of the location) of our original church?

A missionary to India is pictured—what is the name?

Who was our first pastor (appointed in 1855)?

When was the mortgage on the current building burned?

Our 11 o’clock church service was broadcast on what radio station?

Which of our pastors was elected a Bishop while serving our church?

In what month was our church building destroyed by fire?

When was the Celebration Room added and what pastor is depicted standing in front of it?

There is something in the Celebration room made from original 1923 choir pews. What is it?

To whom is the stained glass surrounding the West door to the Celebration room dedicated?

BONUS QUESTION- what object from our first church building is in our current building?

Get your Youth Dinner Theatre tickets on Sunday, March 16 and 23! Youth will sell tickets in the Celebration Room from 9 am - noon the next two Sundays for $12 each. This event includes a three-course Italian dinner, youth skits, and live auction. Your support will help our 25 Mission Trip participants reach our fundraising goal to serve the Appalachia area July 12-20. Check out our growing list of auction items below and contact Pastor Grace (grace@fumctopeka.org) if you have any donations.

Auction Items (more to come!):

(4) Baby Back Ribs

(3) Gift Certificates for 2 Doz. Cookies from Dialogue Coffee House

Glinda Funko Pop

Shish Kebab Set

3 Piece Fajita Sizzler Set

Sunset Pontoon Boat Cruise

Handmade Wooden Canoe Ride

K-State Bundle

Christmas Bundle

Holiday wreath

Exercise bike

You can also purchase your tickets online using these two links: 

To reserve your spot for the Saturday, March 29, 5 pm Dinner Theater, use this link.

To reserve your spot for the Sunday, March 30, 5 pm Dinner Theater, use this link.

Last Monday, our Young Adults group had an engaging discussion on politics, science, and faith! We're looking forward to our next gathering on Sunday, March 23rd, from 12:30-2 pm at El Mezcal (511 SW Topeka Blvd) for lunch together. Mark your calendars for Sunday, April 7th, when Scott Beck will lead us in a special Upper Room experience, complete with a Passover-style meal. Don’t miss out!

Use these links to sign up for a particular date/time:

April 6, 12:15 pm , April 9, 4:30 pm, April 9, 6:30 pm, April 13, 9:15 am, April 13, 12:15 pm

Recently, our United Women in Faith were the building hosts for L.E.A.F. 2025. The legislative event held in our beautiful building,  is an ecumenical event hosted by United Women of Faith of the Great Plains Conference and Church Women United. This is a link to the great article written by David Burke of the Great Plains Conference.