Happy Friday Church Family!

This is Pastor Karissa! I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the absolutely beautiful weather this week! My morning and evening walks with Teddy have definitely been more pleasant these last few days than they have been throughout the past month! While the weather outside has been great, I am unfortunately feeling a little under the weather today and have almost completely lost my voice... Since I am supposed to preach on Sunday, I hope and pray that it is better by then. Otherwise, we may have to play a lively game of Charades at each service (or, more likely, Pastor Brad will have to preach at the last minute). Thankfully, I have tested negative for COVID-19, but I know that both COVID and other illnesses are going around quite a bit right now. Thus, I invite you to be in prayer with me for anyone who is experiencing health struggles. If I am able to preach on Sunday, I am looking forward to talking about John Wesley's second General Rule: Do good. As you prepare for worship, I encourage you to reflect on instances when the good/right thing to do has not been clear and on how you have tried to discern the best next step.

I am very proud of all the good that our church has been doing recently, and I want to take a moment to celebrate it with you and to thank you for being a part of it! There is a palpable atmosphere of energy and excitement in our congregation currently, and it continues to grow as we seek to do God's will and connect more with each other and the community around us. Our VBS/Summer Experience, Downtown Block Party, Community Meal, Tailgate Party, participation with the Mobile Access Partnership (ministry for our neighbors experiencing homelessness), and first Wednesday night of programming for the fall are just some of the events and activities that have filled our church with life! On Wednesday night alone, we had about 80 people of all ages and from all walks of life (both church members and new friends) join together for food, fellowship, and discipleship. This is amazing! We have new faces amongst us, people bringing their friends to church, a confirmation coming up this Sunday, and a couple baptisms coming up next month! I see you all going out of your comfort zones to show the love of God to others each week, and it fills my heart! As a part of our Community Listening Process, we have interviewed over 30 people who live, work, and/or are involved in the downtown community, and we are hosting several focus groups next week to hear from downtown pastors, employees of local businesses, organizations that address mental health in our community, and organizations that address homelessness and housing in our community. I really could go on and on! Are there ways that we can grow and do better? Always! Have there been bumps in the road? Of course! This doesn't mean that we can't affirm and celebrate the good that we are doing though! 

It's important to recognize that none of this would be possible without the Holy Spirit working in us and through us. My prayer is that each of us would continue paying attention to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and that we would not lose heart when things get hard. May the fire that the Spirit has lit within us be unquenchable and continue to spread and ignite the hearts of those around us who do not yet know God so that our church can shine the light of Christ ever more brightly in Topeka and in the world. I'm grateful to be a part of what God is doing here, and I am grateful that you are a part of it as well! 

I hope you have a wonderful start to your weekend, friends! I will see you Sunday at 8:15, 9:30, or 10:45 (or online at 9:30 & 10:45 through our website)

Blessings,

Pastor Karissa