Lent 2026 – Composting Faith
Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Our theme this season is “Composting Faith.” That could refer to the act of faith one undertakes through composting – trusting unseen forces to turn debris into soil. And, faith itself can be the thing we’re composting – letting worn out…
A Morning at the ICE Office
This morning nine of us from CMC joined 25 others at the ICE office in Westerville in support of M. During the years E lived in sanctuary in our building, M lived in First English Lutheran Church near downtown. She has two teenage daughters, both US citizens, one of whom…
Anabaptism at 501 -OR- Coarse Mennonites Unite
Last year we celebrated the 500-year anniversary of the Anabaptist movement. Now we’ve cycled again past that January 21st date marking those first adult baptisms. So here we are: Anabaptism at 501. I’ve been reading a bit in Anabaptists: From the Reformation to the 21st Century by German historian Astrid…
Progress, or Not
I’ve been thinking some about progress. It’s hard not to when you have a medical emergency and receive a highly technical surgery that likely sets you on a path toward full recovery. It’s not hard to imagine a different life trajectory – or rapid decline – had the same physical…
Pain as a Doorway
“Pain,” writes David Whyte, “is the doorway to the here and now.”* My doorway coincided with the opening of 2026. I woke up New Year’s Day with a sharp pain running down the top of my left side, neck to wrist. We were with Abbie’s family in Quinter, Kansas and…
Beautiful Star
“O beautiful star of Bethlehem, shining afar through shadows dim…” VT 275 A star plays a prominent role in the nativity story, guiding wise ones from the East as they travel to visit the Christ child in Bethlehem. Whatever astronomical sign that may or may not have been, it is…
Training Courage
Yesterday evening 70 of us gathered at the church for the Mennonite Action Training Tour “To Build Our Courage.” Notably, about half of the participants were from beyond the Columbus Mennonite community. We started in the fellowship hall with a soup and bread meal, then moved to the sanctuary. Our…
Anabaptism at 500 and 10 months
November has seen two frustrating (is that the right word?) developments in Anabaptist-land . On November 1, Mosaic Mennonite Conference, a regional conference centered in Eastern Pennsylvania, voted to discontinue membership in Mennonite Church USA. Although not explicitly named as the reason, Mosaic has been considering this ever since denominational delegates…
Mutual Aid
Mutual aid is the voluntary exchange of resources to support members of a community. It is based on solidarity, trust, and a belief in the dignity of all. Mennonites have a rich history of mutual aid practices, including an early form of insurance that came to be called Mennonite Mutual…
Time to Expand?
Earlier this year Leadership Team (LT) began discussing the possibility of creating a new part time pastoral position. Several intersecting factors have prompted this discussion. A primary one is a desire to be proactive. LT sees a healthy and active congregational culture and has wondered if now is the time…