Reminders November 13-16
The memorial service for Howard E. Baumgartner (father of Barbra Gant, grandfather of Nathan Miller, great grandfather of Luka and Emerson Miller) will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 15 at Swiss Village in Berne, IN. Barb shares that a professional video of the service will be available in the next few weeks, but the service will also be streamed on Facebook Live by the funeral home. To access the livestream, whether or not you have a Facebook account, go to the Facebook page for Zwick & Jahn Funeral Homes at THIS LINK where they will start the live-stream at 1:00 p.m. or slightly before. For those without a Facebook account, there will be an alert to login or create an account, but this can be bypassed by clicking the x in the box that comes up. The funeral home Facebook page is public, so can be viewed without a Facebook account. If another alert comes up requiring a login, try a different browser or try again close to the funeral time so that the livestream pops up right away. Barbra and family thank all at CMC for your prayers and support.
Canned food collection continues this Sunday. We began our annual Thanksgiving food collection early this year, and any food items are appreciated. Most needed are sources of protein such as canned chicken or tuna and peanut butter along with traditional holiday items such as sweet potatoes, stuffing and pumpkin pie fixings. Please place items in the collection area in the foyer. Turkeys will also be accepted but due to storage space, please only bring those on November 23rd and place them in the fridge in the Fellowship Hall before the Worship service. All food donations will go to the Clintonville Community Resource Center Food Pantry. Contact Debra Martin with any questions.
The updated October CMC Directory was emailed last week and there will be paper copies of the directory in the foyer on Sunday. Please limit 1 per family.
General CMC Announcements
Last evening (11/12/2025) HEAL Palestine was featured on the PBS NewsHour. Learn more about their powerful work by watching the story HERE. The news story begins at minute 18:40 and runs until 29:12. And don’t forget to mark January 31 (4-6 pm) on your calendar for a chance to gather right in our church to support HEAL Palestine’s work.
Office update: Please note pastoral and administrative staff will be participating in the annual staff retreat off-site on Wednesday, November 19. Staff hours in the office will be limited that day.
CMC pledges and planned giving for 2025. If you are wondering about how you are doing with your pledge and planned giving as we approach the end of fiscal year 2025, please contact Treasurer Joel Copeland or Accountant Ellen Kreider at treasurers@columbusmennonite.org. We will provide you with your current giving status.
Learn new ways to stand up for justice. Mennonite Action is coming to Columbus Mennonite with their “To Build our Courage” training tour on Tuesday, December 9th, from 5:45 pm – 8:45 pm. The evening will include a meal, along with worship, and instruction on noncooperation, grassroots organizing, and mutual aid. To sign up go to mennoniteaction.org. Also check out the poster in the foyer for more information or to let other CMCers know you’ve registered. For questions, contact Conrad Gratz or Mary Yoder.
Events and Opportunities in the Wider Community
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) immigration training sessions. Join MCC’s Immigration Network for a special two-hour virtual training designed to help churches understand immigration enforcement, know their legal rights as a faith community, and develop a plan of action in case immigration agents show up at or near their congregation. The training sessions will be led by Abraham Díaz Alonso, Immigration Program Coordinator with MCC Central States. Through this training, participants will:
- Learn what “sensitive locations” are and how immigration enforcement policies have changed.
- Explore how to create a church response plan and understand their rights under the law.
- Learn how community-led Rapid Response Networks operate to support families and document ICE activity.
- Reflect on how our faith calls us to respond with courage, hospitality, and solidarity.
Three sessions will be in English and two in Spanish. Each session will provide the same content.
English – November 17 & 25, December 2
Spanish – November 11 & 18
Time: 6:00–8:00 PM (Central Time)
Location: Online via Zoom
Register here: mcc.org/protecting-our-communities
Sunday’s Events | November 16
9:30 Worship Service
11:00 Christian Education Classes
12:00 Children’s Christmas Program costume fitting in Room 1
4:00 pm Adult Christmas Choir Rehearsal in the sanctuary
CMC Activities Next Week
Monday, November 17
7:00pm BREAD Annual Assembly at St. Joseph Bakhita Catholic Church
Wednesday, November 19
CMC Staff Retreat – office hours limited
Thursday, November 20
9:00 am Bulletin deadline
4:00 pm Set up for Piecemakers in the fellowship hall
7:30 pm Community Life Commission via Zoom
Friday, November 21
6:30 am Men’s Breakfast via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/313623317
9:00 am Piecemakers in the fellowship hall
Sunday, November 23
9:30 Worship Service with Bountiful Table Offering
11:00 Christian Education Classes
12:00 Children’s Christmas Program Brown Bag Lunch and Rehearsal 12-2pm
4:00 pm Adult Christmas Choir Rehearsal in the sanctuary
Office Contacts and Schedules for November 16-23
*Note that the annual office staff retreat will be on Wednesday November 19 so staff in-office hours will be limited that day.
Laura: office@columbusmennonite.org, 216-870-0119, Mon-Fri: 8:30am – 2:30pm
Mim: mim@columbusmennonite.org, 614-745-5150, Tues: 9:30am – 3:30pm
Mark: mark@columbusmennonite.org, 419-392-0610, Mon-Thurs: 9:00am – 3:00 pm, Fri: Sabbath
Joel: joel@columbusmennonite.org, 614-940-7839, Mon: Sabbath; Tues-Fri: 9:00 – 5:00pm
Upcoming CMC Special Events
Nov 23 Thanksgiving Service, Bountiful Table Offering
Nov 30 Advent begins
Dec 7 Congregational Meeting and Cookie Sunday with Baby Shower for Cusimano Lehman Family
Dec 9 Mennonite Action Training “To Build Our Courage”
Dec 13 Children’s Christmas Play
Dec 14 Music Sunday
Dec 24 Christmas Eve Service
Jan 17, 2026 Winter Seminar
Feb 7, 2026 Open Mic Coffeehouse
Feb 18, 2026 Ash Wednesday, Lent begins
March 6 & 7, 2026 Knotting Party and Soup-er Pie Supper
Last Sunday | November 9
Attendance: 190
Offerings Received (last week): $7,005.00
Offerings Received (November): $13,812.00
Offerings Needed (November): $42,236.00
Christian Education Classes
Christian Education classes for children, youth, and adults will meet this Sunday. Please note the class “My Soul Cries Out” will meet in the Upper Room this week. See below for all class descriptions.
Unless otherwise noted, classes will meet on the following Sundays: Sept 14, 21; Oct 12, 19, 26; Nov 9, 16, 23; Dec 14, 21. Due to Cookie Sundays, holidays, and other special events, most classes will not meet on Sept 28, Oct 5, Nov 2, Nov 30, Dec 7, or Dec 28. 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 will meet in Room 1 for a gathering time, then younger children (Pre-K to 1st Grade) will move to Room 2, and older children (2nd to 4th grade) will 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
How to Have an Enemy: In How to Have an Enemy: Righteous Anger and the Work of Peace, Melissa Florer-Bixler looks closely at what the Bible says about enemies — who they are, what they do, and how Jesus and his followers responded to them. Join us as we read this provocative book together, learning to name and confront our enemies as an essential part to loving them. Some book copies will be provided, but participants are encouraged to purchase their own when possible. Facilitated by Adam Glass in Room 21.
Anabaptist History: This Anabaptist history course will explore the origins of the Anabaptist movement in the midst of the Protestant Reformation. We will also look at the different forms the movement took into Mennonites, Amish, and Hutterites. We will be using the book Remembering Anabaptist Reformers by Ed Bontrager. Some book copies will be provided, but participants are encouraged to purchase their own when possible. Facilitated by Kerry Strayer in Room 24.
My Soul Cries Out: 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 Bethany Davey in the Upper Room.
Inquirers Class (meets Nov-Dec): This six-week Christian Education class will explore the basics of Christian faith in an Anabaptist/Mennonite perspective, as well as provide an overview of the story and life of Columbus Mennonite Church. The class is open to anyone, with a special invitation to new attenders and those considering membership at CMC. Led by Pastor Joel Miller in Room 22. Class dates: Nov 9, 16, 23, Dec 14, 21.
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!