THANK YOU!
Thanks to everyone who purchased items for the hygiene kits and to the Youth Groups who helped assemble 87 complete hygiene kits for MCC distribution this year. -Fred Suter
Thanks to all who came to the Soup-er Pie Supper and Knotting Party last weekend! More than 100 people attended, 35 comforters were knotted, 17 pies were wiped out, and an entire comforter’s worth of hand-drawn squares were completed by the young and young at heart. We haven’t yet calculated the total donations, so there’s still time to contribute by check, cash, or send by Zelle to treasurers@columbusmennonite.org.
Reminders March 12-16
2026 Central District Conference Mid-year Gathering via Zoom Mar 14, 2026, 9:30a – 12p, Eastern Time, 8:30-11a Central Time, Gathering music begins at 9:15a ET, 8:15 CT. Zoom Video Gathering. Zoom link is HERE. Meeting ID: 890 1528 7364, Passcode: 362375 Schedule is HERE.
At this year’s mid-year gathering we will seek input from congregations that will be used as we revisit Article 19 of the Confession of Faith from a Mennonite Perspective and consider CDC’s actual practice of Article 19. The goal is to be clear about how the Confession of Faith is used in CDC. Questions for Discussion in Breakout Rooms: *What do we still affirm in Article 19? What do we not affirm?, *What is most important to you as we revisit this statement?, *What other questions come up for you?
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Pastor and Congregational Review – Written Forms Due by Monday March 16. If you have not yet had a chance to participate in the pastor and congregational review process, please consider providing written feedback via the Google form linked here by Monday March 16. Responses will be reviewed and summarized by Leadership Team Chair. The process will conclude at our April congregational meeting. All attenders are are invited to participate!
General CMC Announcements
Office Update: Pastor Mark is off today (Thursday March 12) through Monday March 16.
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Church Garden Cleanup: Are you looking forward to the blooms of spring? Last fall, several hundred new bulbs were planted in the church garden. Now we need to clean out the excess leaves and old growth to let them emerge. You are invited to join the Garden Group and friends to do spring cleanup in the church garden. Tasks are to cut back old growth and rake the excess leaves out of the garden beds. Work is scheduled for Saturday, March 21st, 9AM -12PM. Rain date, Saturday, March 28th. Needed tools: Hand pruners and rake. We will also have extra tools. Contact Ruth Massey, ramassey53@gmail.com for questions.
Garden cleanup generates bags of leaves, if you would like some of these to compost in your garden, please let Ruth know.
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1st GAME NIGHT at CMC! March 21, Saturday 6-9 pm. Shuffle the deck! Throw the dice! Clear the table and set up your favorite board game! All ages bring your favorite games and invite your friends. March Madness fans, don’t worry. We have you covered. TV and comfy couch and chairs ready in the back of the fellowship hall. Bring snacks. No nuts, please. Punch and decaf coffee provided. – Community Life Commission, Chris McCarthy
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Young Adult Dinner Group: Katie Graber and Jon Nofziger will be hosting the next Young Adult Dinner group on Saturday, March 21st at 6:00pm at their home (14875 State Road, Ostrander, OH 43061). Anyone who identifies as a young adult is welcome. Please let Katie know if you would like to join (katiejg@hotmail.com).
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Mark your calendars for the Annual CMC Easter Egg Hunt! It will begin at 12:30 PM Sunday, March 29th, at Clinton-Como Park. Children pre-K through 4th grade should bring a basket or bag. Middle-schoolers will walk with their Sunday School group to the park to hide the eggs. All are welcome to attend. Donuts will be provided but feel free to bring any picnic lunch items you would like for your family as well. Play shoes and clothes are recommended in case the park is muddy. If there is inclement weather, the egg hunt will take place in the Fellowship Hall and/or the sanctuary. Email Andy Minard with any questions at minard.OH@gmail.com.
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Tafsout, the young lady from Northern Africa who has been living in our refuge apartment since July, is approaching the end of her expected time at CMC. She is looking for a room or studio apartment to rent. Would anyone have an extra room you’d consider renting to her, or know of an economical rental? She works near OSU and relies on COTA, so that is a consideration. -Cindy Fath, SHARE committee
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Sing, Pray, Act (Lent Small Group): Everyone is invited to join this small group that will meet on Wednesdays during Lent from 5:30 to 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary, followed by a simple soup and bread meal in the Fellowship Hall. We will use this time together to continue to reflect on the Lenten themes through singing, praying, and listening to prose or poetry. Afterwards, over a simple meal, we can share ideas and offer support to each other, working together to turn our contemplation into action. This is an open group and anyone is invited to join as many weeks as they are able. Reach out to Debra Martin if you have questions or are interested (debrakmartin77@gmail.com). Feel free to bring a poem or reading to share, a hymn to request, or information to share on actions you have taken or want to take to make a positive contribution to anything going on in the world right now.
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Dan Halterman is again collecting round oatmeal-type containers for the children’s craft tent at the Central Ohio Folk Festival in June. Please leave any by his mailbox and/or contact him.
Opportunities in the Wider Community
Penning Our Pain A writing workshop to work through grief. This is hosted by Marty Troyer and his hospice company – Luminary. Journaling supplies will be provided or bring your own. Date and time: Tuesday March 17, 6-8pm. Location: Luminary Hospice Office. 2400 Corporate Exchange Drive, Suite 110, Columbus Ohio 43231. Contact for questions and to RSVP. 832.503.4979
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Check out the latest issue of the Connector (Central District Conference newsletter) HERE. Included are articles reflecting on partnerships near and far, including a respite housing apartment in Cincinnati and a bi-national companion congregation relationship. A few print copies will be available in the foyer within the next couple weeks.
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Central District Conference has added Israel Palestine resources to their website. These include the Kairos II document and a study guide to go with it. You can find the resources at https://mcusacdc.org/resources/missional-resources/israel-palestine/
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CMC has received an invitation to a Solidarity Vigil and Community Meal hosted by Abubakar Asiddiq Islamic Center and Faith in Public Life and Ohio Interfaith Collective. Ramadan and Lent are starting close together this year which makes this a perfect opportunity for us to join with our Somali neighbors who have suffered threats and other cruelties. We can stand with them on Sunday March 29th from 3-6pm. More details will follow. A contingent from CMC would be a joyful addition to this event. Contact Robin Walton for more information.
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Rooting our Stories: Reveling in 50 years of Queer and Trans Anabaptist Resilience Join the Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests (BMC) for a gathering rooted in sacred story and joyful revelry, as we mark our 50th Anniversary on May 29-31 in Minneapolis! This festive weekend will include storytelling, singing, ritual/worship, workshops, artmaking, games, shared meals, and honoring this incredible 50-year legacy of LGBTQIA+ Anabaptist resistance and resilience. Find event details, safety/accessibility info, and registration on our 50th webpage.
Calendars
Sunday, March 15
9:30 am Worship Service
11:00 am Christian Education Classes
12:00 pm BREAD network meeting in the fellowship hall
CMC Activities Next Week
Wednesday, March 18
5:30 pm Sing, Pray, Act Lent Small Group in the sanctuary/fellowship hall
Thursday, March 19
4:00 pm Set up for Piecemakers in the fellowship hall
Friday, March 20
6:30 am Men’s Breakfast via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/313623317
9:00 am Piecemakers in the fellowship hall
Saturday, March 21
9:00 am Church Garden Cleanup outside at CMC
8:45 am Leadership Team Meeting and Retreat at CMC
6:00 pm Game Night in the fellowship hall
Sunday, March 22
9:30 am Worship Service
11:00 am Christian Education Classes
Office Contacts and Schedules for March 15-22
Laura: office@columbusmennonite.org, 216-870-0119, Mon-Fri: 8:30a – 2:30p
Mim: mim@columbusmennonite.org, 614-745-5150, Tues: 9:30a-3:30p
Mark: mark@columbusmennonite.org, 419-392-0610, Mon: off, Tues-Thu: 9:00a-3:00p
Joel: joel@columbusmennonite.org, 614-940-7839, Mon: Sabbath, Tues-Fri: 9:00am-5:00p
Robin: robin@columbusmennonite.org, 614-406-1766, Mon: 10am-3pm, Fri: 10am-2pm
Upcoming CMC Special Events
March 21 Game Night
March 29 Palm Sunday, Easter Egg Hunt following worship
April 3 Good Friday (service details TBD)
April 5 Easter Sunday (breakfast potluck before worship)
April 19 Spring Congregational Meeting and Youth Group Fundraiser Meal
April 26 Keeping CMC Safe Sunday
May 3 Fundraiser Meal for Columbia Sister Church Delegation
May 10 Membership Sunday
May 12 BREAD Nehemiah Action
May 17 Children/Youth Sunday
May 29-30 Rummage Sale (Fri-Sat) and Plant Sale (Sat)
June 7 Piecemakers Comforter Blessing during worship
June 21 Outdoor Service at Highbanks Metro Park (no service at CMC)
Last Sunday | March 8
Attendance: 192
Offerings Received (last week) $5,010.00
Offerings Received (March) $8,345.00
Offerings Needed (March) $44,795.00
Christian Education Classes
Christian Education classes for children, youth, and adults will meet meet this Sunday at 11am. The descriptions of the classes for this season are below.
Unless otherwise noted, classes will meet on the following Sundays: Jan 11, 18, 25; Feb 8, 15, 22; Mar 8, 15, 22, 29; April 12, 26; May 10, 17. Due to Cookie Sundays, holidays, and other special events, most classes will not meet on Jan 4, Feb 1, Mar 1, Apr 5, Apr 19, May 3, or May 24. Contact the class leaders for schedule updates as the season progresses.
Children/Youth Classes
Children’s Classes (Pre-K through 4th Grade): Children meet together for a snack, story time, and a self-directed creative response time. All children gather in Room 1, then younger children (Pre-K to 1st Grade) move to Room 2, and older children (2nd to 4th grade) move to Room 4.
Junior High (5th – 8th Grade): Middle grade youth meet in Room 23 for Bible study, snacks, and other activities. This class will explore stories and scriptures that connect to topics relevant to young people’s lives.
High School (9th – 12th Grade): High school youth meet in Room 25 for conversation around a wide variety of topics, including an exploration of the stories and scriptures used during worship.
Adult Classes
My Soul Cries Out (Jan-May): This informal gathering will provide space for lament, connection and creativity in the midst of political turmoil and widespread fear. Each gathering will ground itself in a particular intention such as lament, nourishment, humor. We will offer an opening ritual, followed by moments of meditative quiet, open conversation, crafting/creating/coloring options and a closing ritual. Participants are encouraged to engage in the ways that feel most personally restorative. Join every week, or drop-in as you wish. Facilitated by Cindy Fath and Adam Glass in Room 21.
Composting Faith for Lent (Feb-Mar). We will explore the weekly scriptures and daily devotions of the Lent season. What does reading these texts, and our lives, through the theme of compost have to teach us? No prior reading necessary. Facilitated by Joel Miller and Sarah Zwickle in Room 22 and over Zoom. Meets Feb 22-Mar 29 (no class Mar 1).
End of Life Class (Spring): What kinds of things do we need to be thinking of in regard to the final chapter of our lives? There’s all kinds of planning to think about: medical, financial, burial, funeral, living situations, in-home care, reliance on family vs complete autonomy. How do we prepare ourselves? Let’s start talking about these issues, learn what we can, share with each other our hopes, fears and dreams. Facilitated by Verdene Thompson and Robin Walton. Class schedule and room location TBD, likely beginning in April.
Additional classes may be added as the season progresses. More details to come!
Donations and Giving
Interested in giving financially to Columbus Mennonite? Follow THIS LINK to donate online. Donations are also accepted by cash, check or Zelle. Contact the church office or financial team if you need assistance with setting up Zelle or any of the payment options. Thank you for your gift!