Reminders December 4-7
This Sunday December 7 we will have a brief Congregational Meeting in the sanctuary and via Zoom, following worship. We will hear feedback from the Pastor Exploration Committee and vote on the 2026 Budget. While only members are able to vote on the budget, all are welcome to join the meeting. Please note there have been three changes to the budget that have occurred since the November 2 Congregational Meeting: 1) $500 added for Christian Education support during Pastor Mark’s 2026 sabbatical, 2) $250 added to SEMILLA to return to a total of $500, and 3) Building Caretaker’s pay adjusted upward by $1,214 to more accurately reflect his maximum allotted hours for the year (hourly rate same as previous draft). The updated agenda and revised budget (final draft) can be viewed HERE. Please contact Phil Hart (Leadership Team Chair) or any member of Leadership Team with questions.
Cookie Sunday and our special baby celebration for James Cusimano Lehman are THIS SUNDAY! Everyone is invited! The celebration will be a part of our regular Cookie Sunday and will follow the Congregational Meeting. It’s a chance to visit with each other, meet visitors and get to know baby James. We will be celebrating this 6-month-old by making cards; writing notes to James, Kat, and Sam; and decorating gingerbread boys. If you like, you may bring a children’s book for James and his parents. A QR code will be available that Sunday if you want to give more.
As always for Cookie Sunday, please bring cookies, fruit, or snacks to share. Drop them off at the kitchen window before church and fill out a card with the ingredients. NO NUTS CAN BE SERVED. Please check the ingredient list of any packaged food. Gluten-free goodies are also welcome. Contact Community Life Commission with any questions.
General CMC Announcements
Community Life Commission is seeking input about CMC’s Annual Fall Retreat in order to help with planning for next year and beyond. Please take a few minutes to respond to a brief survey HERE by Tuesday December 16. Your feedback is welcomed whether or not you have attended Fall Retreat in recent years! Please contact Chris McCarthy or Andrew Sitzmann (Community Life Commission Chairs) with any questions. Thank you!
From SHARE: It’s time for our annual December Giving Tree! This year, the two organizations that will be recipients of our church’s generosity are Riverview International Center (The women who have lived in our refuge apartment this year came through RIC) and Clintonville Resource Center. On the Giving Tree in the foyer, you will find ornaments with an item to purchase. Both organizations said that their clients could use $25 grocery gift cards from Kroger, Aldi and Walmart, so all the cards have the same item! Feel free to remove one or more ornaments and recycle them in the basket labeled ‘ornaments.’ Gift cards may be handed to Cindy or placed in the second basket under the tree by December 14th.
Want to know how to react to injustices around you? Come for a short training class with Mennonite Action’s national tour “Building Our Courage” at Columbus Mennonite Church, next Tuesday, December 9th, from 5:45 – 8:45pm. A light soup meal will be served. Info to sign up is at mennoniteaction.org. Over 30 people have already registered online! Look on the poster in the foyer to see who from CMC are coming. For questions, contact Conrad Gratz or Mary Yoder.
Women’s Coffee Hour: Thursday, December 11 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 conversation.
The annual Children’s Christmas Play is next Saturday, December 13 in the sanctuary. The play will start at 6:30pm and will be followed by a cookie reception in the fellowship hall. Come witness the children’s joy and wonder during this delightful annual tradition! All are welcome!
Winter Seminar: Join us on Saturday, January 17, from 9:45-2:00 in the fellowship hall for a seminar facilitated by Anton Flores-Maisonet. Anton is a pastor, activist, long-time community organizer for and with immigrant communities, and author of the recently published book Welcome Friends: Stories of Hope and Hospitality with Immigrants. Lunch and childcare will be provided, but please RSVP HERE by January 10.
Events and Opportunities in the Wider Community
Clintonville Tree Lighting From 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 7, the 17th annual Clintonville Tree Lighting will be held inside the Whetstone Community Center. Hosted by Clintonville Rotary, the event will feature music by the Whetstone High School choristers and instrumentalists, children’s crafts, hot chocolate, and cookies donated by Weiland’s Market and elves. Santa will visit to have his photo taken and hear kids’ favorite wish. About 7:00 p.m., festivities will move outside to the evergreen tree in front of the Whetstone Library, where Fr. Matthew Hoover of Immaculate Conception Church will give a community blessing, Dave Carty, owner of Longview Barbershop (Columbus’ oldest), will illuminate the tree, and everyone can join in singing “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” All are welcome to this free community event!
Sunday’s Events | December 7
9:30 Worship Service
Congregational Meeting following worship
Cookie Sunday and Baby Celebration following the Congregational Meeting
11:30 am Children’s Christmas Program rehearsal in the sanctuary
4:00 pm Adult Christmas Choir Rehearsal in the sanctuary
Lamplighter articles due today
CMC Activities Next Week
Tuesday, December 9
5:45pm Mennonite Action “To Build Our Courage Tour” in the fellowship hall and sanctuary
Thursday, December 11
9:00 am Bulletin deadline
10:00 am Women’s Coffee Time in the fellowship hall
*Please note staff will be out of the office after 12:45 pm on Thursday, December 11.
Friday, December 12
6:30 am Men’s Breakfast via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/313623317
5:30 pm Children’s Christmas Play Dress Rehearsal (beginning with family dinner)
Saturday, December 13
9:00 Adult Christmas Choir Rehearsal
6:30 pm Children’s Christmas Play
Sunday, December 14 | Advent 3 | Music Sunday
9:30 Worship Service (Music Sunday)
12:00 Youth Groups in the fellowship hall
Office Contacts and Schedules for December 7-14
*Please note staff will be out of the office after 12:45p on Thursday December 11.
Laura: office@columbusmennonite.org, 216-870-0119, M-Tu-W-F: 8:30a – 2:30p; Th: 8:30a-12:30p
Mim: mim@columbusmennonite.org, 614-745-5150, Tues 9:30a – 3:30p
Mark: mark@columbusmennonite.org, 419-392-0610, Mon-Thurs: 9:00a – 3:00p, Fri: Sabbath
Joel: joel@columbusmennonite.org, 614-940-7839, Mon: Sabbath; Tues-Fri 9:00a – 5:00p
Upcoming CMC Special Events
Dec 7 Congregational Meeting and Cookie Sunday with Baby Celebration for Cusimano Lehman Family
Dec 9 Mennonite Action Training “To Build Our Courage” (5:45pm)
Dec 13 Children’s Christmas Play (6:30pm)
Dec 14 Music Sunday (during worship service)
Dec 24 Christmas Eve Service (7:00pm)
Jan 17, 2026 Winter Seminar
Jan 31, 2026 HEAL Palestine Fundraiser Meal and Concert
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 30
Attendance: 178
Offerings Received (last week): $17,890.00
Offerings Received (November): $47,607.00
Offerings Needed (November): $42,236.00
Offerings Received (year to date): $458,883.61
Offerings Needed (year to date): $464,596.00
Offering Deficit (year to date): $(5,712.39)
Christian Education Classes
Christian Education classes for children, youth, and adults will NOT meet this Sunday due to the Congregational Meeting and Cookie Sunday. Classes will resume on December 14. 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!