Reminders March 5-8
Friday night: You’re tired and hungry. Why make dinner when you can come to the Piecemakers Fundraiser SOUP-ER PIE SUPPER?? Homemade soups: Thai Chicken, Turkish Ezo gelin corbasi, Chili, Chicken Tortilla and more! Homemade breads: Soft sourdough rolls, butterhorn rolls, corn muffins and more! Homemade pies and cookies: Key Lime, Cherry, Pumpkin, Fresh Raspberry, Snickerdoodles and more! GF and Vegan options. JOIN US MARCH 6TH, supper from 5:30-7:30 pm. KNOTTING COMFORTERS from 4-9 pm. Children’s activities all evening! Knotting continues on Saturday morning from 9-12 noon with coffee and doughnuts. Come support the Piecemakers and the comforters they make for refugees around the world!
Reminder: Daylight Savings Time begins Sunday morning at 2:00 am. Don’t forget to move your clocks ahead one hour!
General CMC Announcements
Presentation: Mennonites and Iran – Wednesday, March 9, 7:30 in CMC Fellowship Hall. Following the 1990 Manjil–Rudbar earthquake in Iran, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) reached out to Iranian officials and offered material aid to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. This led to broader cooperation between MCC and Iranian organizations, eventually leading to student exchanges and a series of formal theological dialogues between Mennonite and Iranian scholars. CMCer Dannie Otto 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 mis-understandings of Iranian religion and culture contribute to the ongoing conflict between the U.S. government and the Iranian government. There will be a 45 minute presentation, with slides, followed by a Q &A.
Office Updates: Pastor Robin began her work as our new Pastor of Congregational Care on February 26. Her schedule is evolving as she settles into the role, but she currently plans to be in the office on Mondays (10a-3p) and Fridays (10a-2p). Pastor Joel will be off Thursday March 5 through Sunday March 8. Pastor Mark will be off Thursday March 12 through Monday March 16.
Women’s Coffee and Conversation: Thursday, March 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 fellowship.
Pastor and Congregational Review – Written Forms Due by Friday March 13. 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. 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!
Winter Dinner Groups Sign-ups are full! Thank you to all the hosts who have opened their homes and to all the participants building community in this way. -Ruth Massey (sponsored by Shepherding Commission)
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.
Save the date for Columbus Mennonite’s 1st ever GAME NIGHT! March 21, Saturday 6-9 p.m. Come for the whole time or just drop in. Bring games to share, puzzles, and snacks to share. (No nuts).
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
United Church of Granville is hosting Crossing Borders Music THIS SUNDAY, March 8 at 1pm. Crossing Borders Music shares musical stories of hope from diaspora communities in the US and around the world. Featuring string quartet music of displacement and resilience of African Americans, Cambodians, Haitians, Palestinians, and Peruvians. Venue address: United Church of Granville, 115 W Broadway, Granville, OH 43023
https://crossingbordersmusic.org/event/from-exile-stories-and-music-of-hope/
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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
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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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 8
9:30 am Worship Service
11:00 am Christian Education Classes
12:00 pm Youth Groups in the fellowship hall/kitchen
CMC Activities Next Week
Wednesday, March 11
5:30 pm Sing, Pray, Act Lent Small Group in the sanctuary/fellowship hall
7:00 pm Mennonites and Iran Presentation in the fellowship hall
Thursday, March 12
10:00 am Women’s Coffee Time in the fellowship hall
Friday, March 13
6:30 am Men’s Breakfast via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/313623317
12:00 pm Worship Commission via Zoom
Saturday, March 14
9:30 am Central District Conference Midyear Gathering via Zoom (link below)
Sunday, March 15
9:30 am Worship Service
11:00 am Christian Education Classes
Office Contacts and Schedules for March 8-15
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-Wed: 9:00a-3:00p, Mar 12-16: Off
Joel: joel@columbusmennonite.org, 614-940-7839, Mon: Sabbath, Tues-Wed: 9:00am-5:00p
Robin: robin@columbusmennonite.org, 614-406-1766, Mon: 10am-3pm, Fri: 10am-2pm
Upcoming CMC Special Events
March 6 & 7 Knotting Party and Soup-er Pie Supper
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 1
Attendance: 228
Offerings Received (last week) $3,335.00
Offerings Received (March) $3,335.00
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). Substitute facilitator for Mar 8: Robin Walton.
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!