Reminders Jan 29-Feb 1
Parking note for Saturday and Sunday events (including Sunday worship): Please be aware that due to the large amount of snow this week, parking spots will be more limited than usual this weekend in CMC’s lot and on the nearby streets. The lot and sidewalks have been cleared, but large piles of snow remain that block some of the spots. Please consider carpooling or taking alternate forms of transportation to limit the number of cars that need to park nearby. Thank you!
THIS SATURDAY: Consider inviting interested friends and family to experience a great meal and a program put on at CMC by our friends at HEAL Palestine. A catered Middle Eastern meal, a short presentation by a man who will have just returned from the Middle East, music (CMC’s part), and a dabke dance group are the featured entertainment. Suggested donation is $20 for adults, $10 for kids, and $30 for a family of 3 to eat, drink and be merry together with neighbors from the Levant. Larger families can adjust their donation accordingly. Those who want will have a chance to try dabke, as well! The event is this Saturday, January 31 at CMC beginning at 6pm in the fellowship hall. Please register HERE. The event is a fundraiser for HEAL Palestine, which is a nonprofit that serves the people of Palestine in a variety of ways, including bringing young people in need of amputation care and various therapies to Columbus.
THIS SUNDAY, February 1, is our regular Cookie Sunday. Please bring cookies, fruit, cheese, crackers, etc to share. You can drop off food at the kitchen window and pick up containers there afterwards. Gluten-free items are always welcome. Please fill out an allergy list at the kitchen window when you drop off your food.
NO NUTS PLEASE! For the safety of folks with severe nut allergies, we cannot serve anything that contains tree nuts or peanuts. This includes packaged food that “may contain nuts.” Make sure to check the fine print on any packaged food you are planning to bring.
General CMC Announcements
Open Mic Coffeehouse cancelled, Game Night scheduled! The Open Mic Coffeehouse originally scheduled for Saturday February 7 has been cancelled. Instead, Community Life Commission will be hosting a Game Night on Saturday, March 21 in the evening. Mark your calendars for this fun, intergenerational evening – more details to come soon!
New Christian Education class begins February 22: Composting Faith for Lent. 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).
Seeking CDC delegates for Annual Meeting: Calling anyone interested in worshiping, learning, meeting with other Mennonites from our region. The Central District Conference annual meeting is June 25-27 (Thurs evening through Saturday noon) in beautiful Harrisonburg, Virginia. CMC gets nine delegates and we’d love to hear from you if you’re interested. Contact Joel Miller, joel@columbusmennonite.org
Office Update: Pastor Joel is concluding his partial medical leave and will be returning to his regular work schedule next week.
CMC Building Caretaker Kevin Condon now has a CMC email address! Please begin using kevin@columbusmennonite.org for emails related to his work at CMC. Thank you!
Are you missing a ring? We will hold it in the office until Monday. Come and claim it!
Women’s Coffee Hour: Thursday, February 12 from 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. All are welcome to join us every second Thursday of the month in the fellowship hall for coffee/tea, a light snack, and conversation.
Wild Church is a group that meets in a variety of outdoor settings for informal worship about once a month. Interested? Contact Sarah Werner sarahwern@gmail.com
Events and Opportunities in the Wider Community
Celebrating 50 years of More-with-Less! Herald Press and Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) invite you to share stories of food, joy, and resilience to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the More-with-Less cookbook. This beloved cookbook’s call to thrift, Christian compassion and abundant living is just as urgent and relevant today as it was in 1976. Go to https://bit.ly/MoreWithLess50 to learn more and to submit stories, blessings or ideas for simple approaches to sharing food and fellowship. Please share your story by Feb. 15 for a chance to be featured in the 50th anniversary edition or additional digital resources—and receive a chocolate oatmeal cake recipe as thanks! CMC note: Not sure what More-with-Less is, but curious? Email Laura at office@columbusmennonite.org, and we’ll connect you with a loaner copy of this classic Mennonite cookbook!
Calendars
Sunday, February 1
9:30 am Worship Service
Cookie Sunday following worship
CMC Activities Next Week
Thursday, February 5
4:00 pm Set up for Piecemakers in the fellowship hall
Friday, February 6
6:30 am Men’s Breakfast via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/313623317
9:00 am Piecemakers in the fellowship hall
Sunday, February 8
9:30 am Worship Service
11:00 am Christian Education Classes
Office Contacts and Schedules for February 1-8
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-Thurs: 9:00a-3:00p, Fri: Sabbath
Joel: joel@columbusmennonite.org, 614-940-7839, Mon: Sabbath, Tues-Fri: 9:00am-5:00p
Upcoming CMC Special Events
Jan 31 HEAL Palestine Fundraiser Meal and Concert
Feb 1 Cookie Sunday
Feb 18 Ash Wednesday Service, Lent begins
March 1 Cookie Sunday
March 6 & 7, 2026 Knotting Party and Soup-er Pie Supper
March 21, 2026 Game Night
Last Sunday | January 25
Attendance: 193
Offerings Received (last week): $11,421.00
Offerings Received (January): $34,106.00
Offerings Needed (January): $44,795.00
Offerings Received (year to date): $34,106.00
Offerings Needed (year to date): $44,795.00
Offering Deficit (year to date) $(10,689.00)
Christian Education Classes
Christian Education classes for children, youth, and adults will NOT meet this Sunday (February 1) due to Cookie Sunday, but they will resume on February 8. The descriptions of classes for this season is 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 – Beginning in January
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.
Four Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Jonah, and John (Jan 11-Feb 8): In this brief (four-week) Bible study, we’ll get acquainted with a sampling of 4 minor prophets, two real and two nominal: Hosea, a real 8th Century BCE prophet of Israel; Joel, a real 5th Century BCE prophet of Judah; Jonah, a 5th-4th Century anonymous story about an unknown 8th Century BCE prophet to Israel; and John, a 1st Century CE post-prophetic apocalyptic “prophet.” Facilitated by Jim Fredal in Room 22. Meets Jan 11, 18, and 25 and Feb 8.
Adult Classes – Beginning Later in the Winter/Spring
Composting Faith for Lent. 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!