Greetings Topeka First UMC,

I hope that you are having a great week!

Tomorrow is the annual Blessing of the Pets! We hope you will bring your animals to the church parking lot from 9 am to 11 am when we will pray over them and have lots of treats and gifts for them.

Construction is moving right along! While it may seem like the Celebration Room is taking some time, we are moving along as scheduled. Sanding of the walls in the Celebration Room & the stairwell is mostly complete now. Painting began in the chapel on the interior concrete walls this week and the front bathrooms are continuing to receive extensive remodel involving tile, fixtures, and flooring. Over the next month or so, all the rest of the construction will be completed. Thank you for your patience as work continues.

In worship this Sunday, we have baptisms and/or receiving new members in every service! We are concluding our sermon series, "Faith Under Construction: The Story of Noah." As we conclude the series on Sunday, we will see Noah and his family continuing to follow God's lead, as God makes a promise to Noah, and all of humankind. As a reminder that God is with us, God leaves a symbol. Our theme on Sunday is "The Symbols of God's Presence." 

Next Sunday, October 5, is the annual World Communion Sunday service at Evergy plaza. On that Sunday we will have our normal 8:15 am service here at the church in the Klasse Chapel and then will celebrate World Communion Sunday with three other downtown churches at 10:30 am. I'm looking forward to preaching the service this year, Pastor Grace is leading Holy Communion, and Pastor Sandra is reading scripture in French. I hope you will make plans to join us!

Again, we are in need of folks to spend a few minutes handing out bulletins at any of the three services this Sunday. Please use this link to let us know you can help.

After service on Sunday, a new group, "Married with Children" will gather for the first time in the Hearth Room at Noon for a pot-luck and conversation! 

Young adults also meet this Sunday after church for their "Pickles & Pickle Ball Event." Pastor Grace leads this very active group. Be sure to talk to her if you'd like to support the young adult group!

Senior Adults will meet for Nickel-a-Cup at Perkins on Monday for their monthly gathering. Tiwana Whitten coordinates this group and encourages Seniors to come to Perkins for fellowship & conversation. 

The Caregiver Support Group wil meet this Monday at 6 pm with the topic "preparing for the holidays." 

Additionally, our church is responsible for greeters on Oct. 5, World Communion Sunday. Click to sign up or see Shawna to let her know you can help. She'll actively be recruting volunteers next week...

See you Sunday,

Pastor Brad