Hello Church Family!

This is Pastor Karissa, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to write the Pastor Enote this week! Pastor Brad is on vacation for the next couple weeks, so please pray that his time away is full of rest, renewal, and joy. 

This week has been one of reflection and processing for me as I've come away from the Strategic Planning Weekend for Community Ministry that we had last weekend. All in all, I feel very proud of our church because we had such great participation in the weekend's activities. Over 65 of you came to at least one of the sessions to learn more about our community and to share your ideas and thoughts regarding how God is calling us to engage in our community going forward. Thank you, thank you, thank you! The energy in the church was palpable, and the Spirit's movement was clear! I'm excited about the new opportunities that we decided to pursue as we seek to be more relational in our interactions with our neighbors. Some of these opportunities include a new school partnership, offering training on important topics (i.e., mental health, homelessness, trauma, etc.) for people both inside and outside our church walls, and planning more community events like the Downtown Block Party that bring people together for connection and fun. Stay tuned for more news about these opportunities and about how you can be involved! 

This weekend in worship, I will be preaching about what we learn from the strange and sometimes disturbing book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible about the meaning of life. As you prepare to participate in worship, I invite you to reflect on the question, "Why do you do what you do?" I hope you have a wonderful start to your weekend and are able to enjoy this beautiful weather! See you Sunday!

Blessings, Karissa Miller, Associate Pastor

PS, I'll be leading a 4-week Advent Study beginning Wednesday, November 29 from 6:00 - 7:00 pm in the Bishop Frank room.  I'll announce the study title next week and will send you a sign-up link (or see Tiwana).

White Gift Sunday will be on December 3rd and celebrated at all 3 worship services.

The meaning of White Gift Sunday:

White Gift Sunday is all about each person giving the gift of themselves in whatever way they can. It may be a seemingly small gift, or it may seem to be a large endeavor, but the size of the job or the amount of time it takes is not what is important. It is that your gift, your time, your talent is given from the heart because of your love for God and his son Jesus Christ.

Gifts Requested

• Blankets
• Gloves, hats, socks
• Hygiene items (toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, deodorant, shampoo, etc.)
• Towels and washcloths 
• Household items (coffee pots & pans, crockpots(small and large), skillets, hot plate, toaster, small microwaves)
• Gallon size liquid laundry detergent
• Teen gifts
• Toys for ages birth – 12

If you are unable to be present on White Gift Sunday, feel free to bring your gifts to the church office, M-Th, 9-4 the week before.

Special Musical Guest during the 10:45 December 3 service

We welcome former Topekan Jeff Kready as a featured musician at the 10:45 service on December 3!  Jeff is a 2000 graduate of Washburn Rural High School and 2004 graduate of Washburn University.

An organ recital in honor of Veterans Day will be held on Sunday, November 12 at 3:00 p.m. and will be a free event. It is sponsored by the Topeka Chapter for the American Guild of Organists. Music of patriotism and thanks will be included. Please join us!

To kick off the Christmas season, you and your family and friends are invited to Carols & Cookies on Kansas on Saturday, December 2 at 5 pm at Evergy Plaza. This is our annual signature event and will occur just before the Miracle on Kansas Avenue parade.

You’ll see some familiar faces - leading Christmas carols in a “sing along” and among the crowd handing out cookies and Advent activity cards – all to spread the Joy of the Christmas season. Then plan to stay for the Miracle on Kansas Avenue parade and watch for Scott Beck and his “crew” with our church’s float! It’s so beautiful and in prior years has been the only float reminding parade goers of the reason for the season.

One more thing, we need volunteers to bake LOTS OF cookies. Our goal is to distribute 500 bags – that’s 1,000 cookies! NO peanuts or nuts please. If you can help:

• Please let the church office know via email, phone (785-233-8100), or stop by the front desk if you can donate and how many to expect from you (2-4 dozen).
• Plan to deliver your cookies to the church any time between now and November 30.

We hope you’ll agree it is exciting to be partnering with Evergy Plaza on this event “for the good of the city” – we’ll see you there! 

A very special, important service is offered December 12 at 6:30 pm in the Celebration Room. This service can help to provide comfort to those who are experiencing the holiday season without their special loved ones. Having a service also provides a sense of community, being with others in your church family who are having the same experience. There is no sign-up required!  For more information, please email the office, info@forthegoodofthecity.org or call 785-233-8100.

Walk Through Bethlehem with us at Topeka First UMC on December 9 from 5:00 - 7:30 pm as we host a Christmas experience for the whole family! We will see, smell, taste, feel, and hear what Mary and Joseph experienced on the night Jesus was born in First Century Bethlehem. There will be demonstrations, hands-on crafts, tastings, an art show, photo opportunities and a petting zoo for participants to enjoy while they read a story about our Savior's birth. Please make plans to attend this free event and invite friends and family to join. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact our children’s director, Laura Reiman or Pastor of Next-Gen Ministries, Grace Woods.

Our youth had a wonderful time learning how we can collide with Jesus at our fall retreat this past weekend with Countryside UMC and Lawrence First UMC. We enjoyed games, campfires, small groups, and worship. Thank you to all that made this weekend possible!

The December Youth Lock-In is coming up. Make your calendars for Dec. 8-9 for youth to play games, go bowling, buy Christmas gifts for families in need, and MAYBE get some sleep. Sign up to volunteer here. Stay tuned for more details! Our final youth group gathering of 2023 will be on Wednesday, December 13^th for a Christmas Party.

Pictured above is a photo of the young adults who visited Gary's Berries Pumpkin Patch for our October fellowship outing! We shot apple cannons, drank apple cider, and even participated in a pig race!

Young Adults will gather on Sunday, November 19th at noon after church for a Friendsgiving meal and Bible Study. Please bring a dish to share and RSVP to Pastor Grace to let her know you’ll be attending. We will meet at Topeka First UMC in the Hearth Room.

Family History / Geneaology

Nickle-A-Cup

Our last Nickel a Cup of 2023 will be on Wednesday, November 29th at 11:30 in the Big Room at Perkins. (There will not be a gathering in December) To make your reservation call 785-233-8100 by November 27 or sign up at the church front desk. You can contact Tiwana with any questions.  Hope to see you on the 29th!

Please be in prayer for the Hayen & Weidner families.

Kelley Hayen's father, Scott Hayen's father-in-law, and Heidi Hayen's grandfather, Willis Cramer, passed away November 4th.

Linda Weidner's husband, Bill Weidner, passed away on Thursday, October 26th.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

On October 29, we were so happy to welcome the Osborne family (Alex and Amy) as new members and we rejoiced in the baptism of their children Jesse, Jackson and Evan!

On Heritage Sunday we celebrated the 50 year membership of Bob and Rita Roeder (top left & center) and Judy Bennett (top right).  Additionaly, we celebrated Jeanne Hentzler (bottom picture standing) an 86 year member and Margaret Gowan (bottom picture seated) an 84 year member!

Now available now at the front desk is "Disciplines, A Book of Daily Devotions for 2024." The cost of the regular print is $11.50 and enlarged print is $13.00.  Based on the Revised Common Lectionary, a three-year cycle of Sunday scripture readings, Disciplines features: a focal scripture passage for each day, short daily meditations from 53 thought leaders from diverse Christian traditions, a reflection or prayer to carry with you each day, weekly scripture overviews, an index of scripture readings, and a guide to daily prayer. Please stop by the front desk to purchase your copy or see Tiwana with any questions.

Chris Hickle went to First Baptist since she was a baby and started worked in the church nursery when she was 14. She’s worked in childcare since she was 16. Chris has 3 biological children and a bonus daughter. Chris also has 4 grandchildren, all boys and is very involved in all their sport activities.

Chris started working in the Topeka First United Methodist Church nursery on Sunday mornings about 4 years ago and then started helping on Wednesday nights and VBS.

Chris is currently overseeing the nursery at TFUMC as her second job but is willing to help with the littles any way that she can.

THANK YOU, CHRIS for all that you do!

Please reference the complete church calendar for ongoing events.

Read the October Newsletter

Click here for the Evergy Plaza calendar of events.