September 2017 Vol. 162 No. 54 Join us for inspiring worship at 8:15 a.m., 10:50 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. every Sunday • Church School and small groups for all ages meet Sundays at 9:30 a.m. THIS SUNDAY Join us in September as we kick off a new series, “Back to Basics”, exploring the basics of the Christian experience and belief. We hope you will join us for worship Sundays at 8:15 a.m., 10:50 a.m., or live at 11:00 a.m. on KAKE TV and live on the web at firstwichita.org and at 5:00 p.m. at Mead’s Corner. Labor Day inside Worship 2 eginning September 10, we will begin a three occur. In September we will give Bibles to our Prayer Vigil part sermon series “Back to the Basics.” In children, recognize our candidates in ministry During worship on Sunday, this series we will explore the basics of the and commission a work team. October and September 3 we will have 3 Christian experience and belief in terms of our November have their own events and celebrations. a celebration of our work. Apple Core practice, our service and our identity. It is loosely There is nothing more basic in our faith than to based on a three book series called “The Basics”, share the Word, to celebrate the call to ministry Whatever we do, whether by Clayton Oliphint and Mary Brooke Casad. and to commission the work of the followers of volunteer or paid, is an 4 Confirmation During the fall, many important events in the Jesus. Come join us as we begin to engage in the opportunity to be in ministry life of First UMC and the church universal will “Basics” and grow in our faith in Jesus Christ. to the world. There will be an opportunity to be anointed for 5 n September 10 n September 17 n September 24 Missions your work in the world. We “The Book that Defines Us” “Encounters that Transform Us” “Saying Yes and Following” invite everyone to wear their Proverbs 4: 1-14 Philippians 1: 3-11 Isaiah 43: 1-7 work clothes to worship that 6 John 1: 1-5, 14-16 Luke 19: 1-10 Matthew 9: 35-10:4 Class News and Notes morning. 7 Events Calendar Agape Redeemed Church 8 Forum Theatre of All Nations Beginning September 3, you are likely The congregation previously met at Grace to see new faces in colorful East African Presbyterian Church and at Pastor Rosemary’s attire in and around the Chapel on Sunday apartment. However, most of the members of mornings as we welcome a new group of the church live in the downtown area and do Christians to our building. The Agape not have transportation, especially on Sunday. Redeemed Church of All Nations (ARC) They needed a place to worship our Lord and will be worshipping in the First Church Savior! Chapel at 11:30 a.m. each Sunday. As most September food of the church members are refugees from We welcome our fellow Christians! They collection: Tuna Africa, the service will be in both English would love to share their joyful Swahili and Swahili. worship experience with anyone who would like to participate. It is also a hope that they Many in this group have escaped war and would join at any of our weekly worship destruction in their homeland and now live venues. If you see someone looking lost and and are employed in Wichita. Their pastor, trying to find the Chapel, directions written in Pastor Rosemary Njoroge, an immigrant Rosemary Njoroge, is an immigrant from Swahili, will be available at both Information Kenya. She was in high school when she desks (A-B and D entrances). There will also from Kenya, will lead worship for the Agape came to the United States and went on be signs and greeters to assist. If you meet Redeemed Church of All Nations meeting in to receive both Bachelor’s and Master’s someone in the halls, you can smile and say the First Church Chapel on Sunday mornings degrees from Wichita State University. “JAMBO”—Swahili for “hello”! beginning September 3. 2a First Light PLEASE PRAY FOR The hospitalized, our “Just as the branch cannot members and attenders with long-term and terminal bear fruit by itself unless it illness, their caregivers, the abides in the vine, neither homebound and those who are in nursing homes. Pray can you unless you abide for our Guardian Angels and Stephen Ministers. in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I Articles for the next edition of First Light are due Sept. 15, in them bear much fruit, by 9 a.m. Material should be submitted to the appropriate because apart from me ministry director for approval. you can do nothing.” Questions can be directed to Erin Davis, 267-6244 ext. 300. —John 15:4-5 Pray for the Future of the United Methodist Prayers Church at Praying Our Way Forward Vigil Email [email protected] to ask for prayer from the The Great Plains Conference and the hour “Praying Our Way Forward” vigil in people of First United Methodist United Methodist Church are seeking your the Chapel from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday Praying Our Way Forward Vigil Church. participation in calling on the Holy Spirit for September 6. Sign up slots for 30 minute discernment for our denomination and for the prayer shifts are available at the receptionist’s Wednesday, September 6 Email pastoralcare@firstwichita. Bishops’ Commission on a Way Forward. As desk. All are welcome to stop by the Chapel 8 a.m.-8 p.m. org to ask for a visit, call, you likely are aware, the Council of Bishops and participate in the interactive prayer or private prayer from the assembled a commission to study the way stations. If you are unable to make it to the First Church Chapel congregational care team. human sexuality is addressed in our Book vigil at the church, we invite you to pray at of Discipline. The commission’s work will home for the future of the United Methodist The Congregational Care Team, be shared at a special session of General denomination. For more information Rev. Cindy Watson, Conference in 2019 in St. Louis. about what the commission is doing check Rev. Dr. Tal Tittsworth, September 3- 9, the Great Plains Conference out: http://www.umc.org/who-we-are/ Rev. Rebecca Goltry Mohr, has been urged to focus on this issue in a commission-on-a-way-forward-news-and- Leslie Coates prayer initiative titled, “Praying Our Way updates Forward.” First UMC will be hosting a 12 Our Mission Sunday Street Closure Updates Making Disciples of In the next few months, there are some Jesus Christ downtown events that will cause some streets to for the transformation be closed. Please take a moment and plan your of the world. best route on those dates! Let us know if you have any questions! Our Vision Sunday, September 24- Open Streets ICT Changing lives— Douglas from Roosevelt to Glenn will be closed transforming communities from 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Glenn, Seneca, McLean, Broadway, Washington, Hydraulic, Grove, Hillside, Roosevelt and Circle Drive Our Purpose will allow north and south bound traffic to cross To create a Christian Douglas. For more information about Open community where anyone Streets ICT visit openstreetsict.com. can become a completely Sunday, October 8- Prairie Fire Marathon committed follower Several streets in downtown will be affected of Jesus Christ. throughout the morning but the church should be accessible with a little pre planning! Maps to plan your route are available at prairiefiremarathon.com. We will also have maps available at the church to view. FIRST LIGHT SEPTEMBER 2017 3a First Light OUR GIFTS JULY 2017 OFFERING $79,228.21 Apple Core to Challenges RECEIVED YEAR-TO-DATE $665,222.81 Begin New Study of Aging BUDGET YEAR-TO-DATE $684,728.85 Workshops Coming in October Apple Core Women’s Bible and Book Study EXPENSES YEAR-TO-DATE is beginning a new study on September 6, Learn about options for estate $655,588.15 and we invite any interested ladies to join planning, elder care, and retirement us. Our new text by Lori Stanley Roeleveld residences OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS is entitled “Running from a Crazy Man and other adventures traveling with Jesus”. The Cornerstone Initiative is MISSIONS The readings are short but very thought sponsoring a series of workshops in $0 provoking, mixing scripture with daily October, with important information stories to help the reader ponder their walk RECEIVED YEAR-TO-DATE for every family. Please mark your with Christ. A quote from the cover states, calendar and plan to attend: $19,356.50 “The challenges inside (the book) are designed to unsettle you as well as provide October 3: Advance Care Planning CAPITAL FUNDS practical suggestions for thriving on the discussion, sharing life lessons, praying narrow road, even if trouble is your travel for one another, and laughing with each $5,355.00 October 10: Estate Planning companion.” other. This is a group of deep love, Essentials RECEIVED YEAR-TO-DATE support, and camaraderie and we are Apple Core meets at noon on Wednesdays $32,422.00 always open to welcome others. If you October 17: Emotional and in the church library. Some participants would like more information, contact Spiritual Aspects of Aging bring their lunches. Much time is spent in Libby Eaton at church.