Reminders April 9-12
Mennonites and Iran Presentation: This Sunday April 12 from 11-12 in the sanctuary, Dannie Otto will offer his presentation about Iran once more. He will report on a 2016 trip to Iran with a delegation of U.S. and American Mennonites. He will also discuss the unique version of Shia Islam practiced in Iran and how misunderstandings of Iranian religion and culture contribute to the ongoing conflict between the U.S. government and the Iranian government. All are welcome to join, and the presentation will include a time for Q&A.
In addition to the Iran presentation, two new adult Christian Education classes begin this Sunday April 12. See details in Christian Ed list below!
Yard waste materials to use for composting, gardening or for city yard waste pickup. Help us remove the last bags of yard waste by the north side of the church building in the parking lot. Come this week and take a couple bags home with you! Thank you!
General CMC Announcements
Congregational Meeting and Annual Report: Please join us next Sunday April 19 for our Spring Congregational Meeting in the sanctuary and via Zoom, following worship. The Annual Report was sent in the Thursday 4/9/26 bulletin email and includes the agenda and meeting materials. Please note the version sent on 4/9/26 includes the SHARE Report (beginning on page 37), which was not included in the version emailed on Wednesday 4/8/26. Please contact Phil Hart (Leadership Team Chair) or any member of Leadership Team with any questions or concerns. Childcare for children in Preschool to 4th grade will be provided during the meeting in Room 2. Please join us after the meeting to support the youth at their Taco Bar Fundraiser Meal! Details below.
BREAD Nehemiah Action is Tuesday May 12, 6:40pm at the Celeste Center 1717 E. 17th Ave. Our goal is 70 CMC members attending to advocate for 3 issues: protecting the Tree Canopy on land being developed in Columbus, supporting legislation for the new Rental Registry to protect renters, and moving forward with plans for a Livable Wage for new job seekers in Columbus. Join us for pizza and carpooling from CMC at 5:30pm on May 12, or meet us there wearing your GREEN Do Justice Tee Shirt (if you have one). Spread the Good News about Social Justice for all at this year’s Nehemiah Action. BREAD Rises when we agree to show up! For more information contact Melonie Buller or Julie Hart.
Office Update: Pastor Joel is on vacation through April 13, returning to the office on Tuesday April 14.
What a joyful journey it’s been to write through Lent with CMC. I am filled with gratitude and delight for being able to connect and reconnect with this actively composting community of faith! If anyone would like to write to me with thoughts, questions, or wonders that came up, please do. Thank you Worship Commission and everyone at CMC! -Sarah Zwickle
A note about the seeds within the strips of recycled Lent prayers (handed out at the Easter service), paraphrased from Sarah Zwickle’s Monday Lent reflection by Virginia Nussbaum: “If the seed is a whisper on the palm, a carrot or flower…don’t bury it two inches deep! It needs to be near the surface to germinate. Lightly cover, if at all, and keep it moist!”
An article and artwork by some of CMC’s young people was recently featured in the latest Anabaptist World zine, A Dangerous Faith, and can be accessed online HERE.
Youth Group Taco Bar: The youth groups will be hosting a Taco Bar fundraiser on Sunday, April 19 after the Congregational Meeting (approximately noon). Stay for delicious food and fellowship! The money raised will be used to help support CMC youth who attend the MCUSA Convention, service trips, Winter Retreats, or other activities. Suggested donation is $15 per adult but any amount is welcome.
The annual Keeping CMC Safe Training will be incorporated into the April 26 Sunday worship service. Kristin Sancken, the recently hired Church Safety Coordinator for Central District Conference, will be our special guest presenting the morning message. Following the service, Kristin will be offering a one-time Sunday School class in the sanctuary. The Preventative Power of Positive Childhood Experiences will explore how the Church can be a place where positive experiences can help children and young people grow to become resilient and capable adults.
April showers bring the May 30th Plant Sale! No more snow please! We need all kinds of plants for our annual plant sale: perennials, shrubs, vegetable starts and even houseplants. We didn’t have many vegetables and herbs last year, so that would be a big request this year. Please start potting them up now so they’ll be happy on May 30th. If you need pots, they are available in the old furnace room in the basement. More details will follow. If you’re new to our community, we host a plant sale at our church every year which coincides with our Rummage Sale on Saturday May 30 from 8-12. Proceeds from the sale go to our Garden Group (for mulch and to replenish plants) and to Piecemakers for comforter supplies. If you have questions about your plants/plant sale, please contact Becky Waybill.
Membership and Baptism Information. Spring is the time when we welcome new members into Columbus Mennonite Church and together renew our Membership Commitment.. We will have a pizza lunch (provided) during the Sunday school hour, 11am start, on Sunday, April 26 that will offer more information for those considering membership. If you have not been baptized and wish to consider it, this is also a time for that. Please let Pastor Joel know of your interest, even if you can’t attend on the 26th. Membership Sunday will be May 10.
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
ALL are invited to SEEDS, a documentary and community conversation about Black farmers. Local Black Farmers will offer a panel end engage discussion. Date: Friday, April 24. Doors open at 5 PM with refreshments. The program begins at 6 with the panel and discussion. The film begins at 7 PM. It will be held at the Matesich Theater in Erskine Hall at Ohio Dominican University. Please register using the QR code on this flyer. Hope to see you all there.
The latest edition of the Central District Conference Connector newsletter is HERE. In this Earth Day issue of the Connector you’ll hear from two congregations about their experiences with outdoor worship services (one of the congregations is CMC!). There are also articles about the recent discussion on Article 19 at the Mid-Year Gathering, a new book from Mennonite Action, and a yard sign campaign by a congregation in Virginia, along with the latest edition of Doug’s Mug.
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, April 12
9:30 am Worship Service
11:00 am Christian Education classes
CMC Activities Next Week
Wednesday, April 15
9:00 am Leadership Team Meeting via Zoom
Thursday, April 16
4:00 pm Set up for Piecemakers in the fellowship hall
Friday, April 17
6:30 am Men’s Breakfast via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/313623317
9:00 am Piecemakers in the fellowship hall
Saturday, April 18
9:00 am Deep cleaning in the kitchen (Community Life Commission)
Sunday, April 19
9:30 am Worship Service
Congregational Meeting in the sanctuary following worship
Youth Group Fundraiser Meal in the fellowship hall following the meeting
Office Contacts and Schedules for April 12-19
Laura: office@columbusmennonite.org, 216-870-0119, MTuWF: 8:30a – 2:30p, Th: 10:30a – 2:30p
Mim: mim@columbusmennonite.org, 614-745-5150, Tues: 9:30a-3:30p
Mark: mark@columbusmennonite.org, 419-392-0610, Mon-Thu: 9:00a-3:00p, Fri: Sabbath
Joel: joel@columbusmennonite.org, 614-940-7839, Mon: Sabbath, Tues-Fri: 9:00a-5:00p
Robin: robin@columbusmennonite.org, 614-406-1766, Mon: 10am-3pm, Fri: 10am-2pm
Upcoming CMC Special Events
April 19 Spring Congregational Meeting and Youth Group Fundraiser Meal
April 26 Keeping CMC Safe Sunday
May 3 Fundraiser Meal for Colombia 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)
Sept 25-27 CMC Fall Retreat at Kirkmont Center
Last Sunday | April 5
Attendance: 254
Offerings Received (last week) $10,250.00
Offerings Received (April) $10,250.00
Offerings Needed (March) $44,795.00
Christian Education Classes
Christian Education classes for children, youth, and adults will 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 303 (formerly called 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 305 (formerly called Room 25) for conversation around a wide variety of topics, including an exploration of the stories and scriptures used during worship.
Adult Classes
This Sunday (April 12) only – Mennonites and Iran Presentation: Dannie Otto will offer his presentation about Iran once more. He will report on a 2016 trip to Iran with a delegation of U.S. and American Mennonites. He will also discuss the unique version of Shia Islam practiced in Iran and how misunderstandings of Iranian religion and culture contribute to the ongoing conflict between the U.S. government and the Iranian government. All are welcome to join, and the presentation will include a time for Q&A. In the sanctuary.
April 26 only – The Preventative Power of Positive Childhood Experiences: Kristin Sancken, the recently hired Church Safety Coordinator for Central District Conference, will be offering a one-time Sunday School class on April 26th in the sanctuary. This class will explore how the Church can be a place where positive experiences can help children and young people grow to become resilient and capable adults.
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 301 (formerly called Room 21).
End of Life Class (April/May/June): 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 in Room 302 (formerly called Room 22). Class will meet April 12, 26, May 10, 17, 31, and June 7, 14.
Prophets and Kings Bible Study (April/May): This Bible study will explore various texts that speak about the centralization and uses of political power and how the kingdom of God relates to these situations, both in their original context and our own. Facilitated by Jim Fredal and Joel Miller, this class will meet in Room 304 (formerly called Room 24) on April 12, 26, May 10, 17.
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!