An Invitation for Drawing Near
On September 7, we will be starting a worship series centered on “Anabaptism at 500,” marking that anniversary by exploring stories of those within the Anabaptist streams both historical and modern. You will hear more about that series and what all to expect from it soon. But for now I…
Preparing for Peace
A few weeks ago a number of us gathered at the church on a Saturday to participate in an Active Bystander Intervention and De-Escalation training. The Leadership Team at CMC had coordinated this training through the organization DC Peace Team in response to questions about how we as a congregation…
Summer Gratitude
Written by: Robin Walton It is July 30, but my summer interim pastor of pastoral care stint is about to come to an end. (If only the cool, less humid winds of September were here to mark the end of this “summer.”) Today, as I consider the things that were…
On Purpose
By: Bethany Davey During our most recent Worship Commission meeting, someone* reflected on the ways our community is connected in purpose. Their reflection led me to consider what we do and how we are connected on purpose, in service to a shared sense of community and call. So much of what we do…
Wisdom for the Church
Last weekend myself and a handful of others from CMC attended the yearly gathering of the Central District Conference (CDC). This year was at Bluffton University (Go Beavers!) and carried on the theme “Listen! Wisdom is Calling.” The three worship services for the gathering were themed around wisdom from the…
More About Joy
[Written by Robin Walton] Let’s talk a bit more about Joy The fruit of the spirit is the focus of our summer worship. We focused on Joy on Sunday but before we move on, a few more thoughts. It has been a busy few weeks at CMC. Rummage and Plant…
It Takes a Village
A couple Sundays ago we held our annual Keeping CMC Safe themed worship service, which served as the yearly (re)training for the congregation. If you missed it, you will have the opportunity to complete the training on our website. It is our goal to have 100% of the congregation trained…
Easter Tide Reflections
[By Sabbatical Interim Pastor Robin Walton] I read Diana Butler Bass in my inbox. She is a Christian historian and author. I was introduced to her in seminary, but she is very accessible to the average reader. She follows the standard lectionary and comments on it. This past Sunday was…
Room to Grow
Some of the most formative moments of my faith journey happened in the back of crowded church vans, around late-night campfires, or in the midst of a packed worship hall filled with hundreds of other young people. I grew up in the Disciples of Christ denomination, and the Ohio Region…
Ash Wednesday, Thrown Alongside
Our Lent theme for this year is Thrown Alongside, which is a sort of literal translation of the word “parable.” In many ways, parables are stories, metaphors, images, and ideas that are placed (or thrown) alongside the stories, metaphors, and images of our own life. They are an invitation to…