Reminders March 26-29
Mennonite Action Columbus’ Witness at No Kings Demonstration: Join members of Mennonite Action Columbus and other like minded faith groups to stand against ICE terror, the war in Iran, the genocide in Gaza, and rising authoritarianism as part of the nationwide No Kings Day demonstrations this Saturday, March 28th. We will gather in the church parking lot at 11:45 a.m. and walk-sing to the demonstration together. We will have a banner and plenty of signs, but feel free to bring your own signs. The preliminary plan is to stay close to the corner of High Street and E.North Broadway from 12:00-1:00, and possibly walk along High Street. If Indivisible holds a large rally at the State House later in the afternoon, those so inclined may migrate there. Questions? Contact Jeff or Teresa at daniels.island8@gmail.com
Last Sunday to Claim Lost and Found Items before they are donated! The Lost and Found table is in the hallway by the office and bathrooms off the foyer.
The Annual CMC Easter Egg Hunt is this Sunday! It will begin at 12:30 PM on 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.
Solidarity Vigil and Community Meal also this Sunday: 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 started 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. A contingent from CMC would be a joyful addition to this event. Please RSVP HERE if you plan to attend. Contact Robin Walton for more information.
General CMC Announcements
Yard waste available for composting: The church garden cleanup generated 30+ bags of leaves and trimmings (trash free). If you are interested in taking some bags home to compost, please help yourself!!! They are on the north side of the building along the parking lot.
Join us for our Good Friday service at 7p, April 3, in the sanctuary. This will be a contemplative Tenebrae service with increasing darkness as we sing and read through the scriptures giving the final events of Jesus’ life. If you also wish to be part of a more public service that day, see the “Good Trouble” announcement below.
Flowers for Easter! Help bring the Easter service alive! In CMC tradition, we invite you to bring plants and flowers (in vases or pots) on Easter morning to be featured at the front of the sanctuary. We welcome all contributions, store-bought and right from the yard. If you do plan to bring something, please drop them off in the sanctuary a bit early (before the Breakfast Potluck is preferred!) so everything can be arranged. (And don’t forget to collect your things after the service!).
Easter Breakfast Potluck, Sunday April 5th: You are invited to the Easter Breakfast Potluck that precedes worship service, 8:15 to 9:15 am. We ask you to bring either a breakfast casserole, oatmeal, breakfast meats, fruit or something sweet (coffee cake or pastries) to share (8-10 servings). NO NUTS!! Please bring your own non disposable plate. We will furnish coffee, juice, flatware and cups. Please fill out the ingredient list at the kitchen window.
Please mark your calendar for our Spring Congregational Meeting, which will be held on Sunday April 19 in the sanctuary after worship. A Youth Group Fundraiser Meal will follow in the fellowship hall. More details on both will be coming soon!
Membership and Baptism Information. Spring is the time when we welcome new members into Columbus Mennonite Church. 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.
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
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.
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
Good Trouble Friday: Stations of Love & Justice. April 3 at Noon. Meet at Trinity Episcopal on Capitol Square | 125 E. Broad St Columbus, OH. An ecumenical Stations of the Cross procession around the Ohio Statehouse. Join with leaders from across Christian denominations as we remember those who suffer in our day, and sing and pray for justice, peace and the dignity of every human being. We will gather at the front steps of Trinity before processing around the Statehouse and returning to pray our closing station again on the steps of Trinity. Rain or shine. – Rev. Jed Dearing, Rector
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 29
9:30 am Worship Service
11:00 am Christian Education Classes
12:30 pm Easter Egg Hunt (see details above)
CMC Activities Next Week
Tuesday, March 31
7:00 Shepherding Commission
Wednesday, April 1
5:30 pm Sing, Pray, Act Lent Small Group in the sanctuary/fellowship hall
Thursday, April 2
4:00 pm Set up for Piecemakers
Friday, April 3
6:30 am Men’s Breakfast via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/313623317
9:00 am Piecemakers in the fellowship hall
7:00 pm Good Friday Service in the sanctuary
Sunday, April 5
8:15 am Easter Breakfast Potluck (see details above)
9:30 am Worship Service
No Christian Education classes
Office Contacts and Schedules for March 29-April 5
Laura: office@columbusmennonite.org, 216-870-0119, Mon: work off-site, Tues-Fri office: 8:30a – 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: 9:00am-5:00p
Robin: robin@columbusmennonite.org, 614-406-1766, Mon: 10am-3pm, Fri: 10am-2pm
Upcoming CMC Special Events
March 29 Palm Sunday Service (9:30a), Easter Egg Hunt (12:30p)
April 3 Good Friday Service at 7pm
April 5 Easter Sunday (8:15am Breakfast Potluck, 9:30am Worship Service)
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 22
Attendance: 189
Offerings Received (last week) $3,685.00
Offerings Received (March) $25,010.00
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 (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 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 24 on April 12, 26, May 10, 17.
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!