Reminders January 8-11
Winter Seminar Registration Due This Saturday! 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 will be provided and childcare will be available if there is enough interest, but please RSVP HERE by this Saturday January 10.
Christian Education Classes resume this Sunday! See descriptions at the end of this email for details about current classes.
General CMC Announcements
Looking for ways to volunteer, live your values, and be connected within the Columbus Mennonite community in the new year? The Opportunities to Serve Form is coming soon! Find it in your email inbox next week and plan a time to fill it out to share your gifts and interests! This is an annual questionnaire open to all CMC attenders. More details coming soon.
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Invitation to join CMC bi-monthly discussion about Richard Rohr’s daily meditations: From noon to 1PM on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month there is an online group discussion – led by Robin Walton – that focuses on one or more of the daily meditations from the Center for Action and Contemplation, which is the organization founded by the Franciscan priest Richard Rohr. These discussions began at CMC during the pandemic. You are invited to participate whenever you like. It’s not necessary to participate each time, and there’s no need to register. The link for the noon-to-1PM discussion on Wednesday, January 14 is HERE. Going forward, you will be able to find the link for the meeting in the calendar list in the CMC Thursday email.
To learn more about the meditations, which are written by Rohr and many others, go to the website of the Center for Action and Contemplation, www.cac.org. On the home page, you can click on “Learn More” under DAILY MEDITATIONS to open the current day’s meditation. To subscribe to the daily meditations, scroll down to the end of the meditation.
Questions – contact Jim Leonard, 614-309-2577.
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Wild Church is a group that meets in a variety of outdoor settings for informal worship about once a month. Interested? Contact Sarah Werner sarahwern@gmail.com
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Missing a pair of glasses? A pair of black-framed glasses was left in the sanctuary on Sunday, and they are being held in the office. Please contact Laura at office@columbusmennonite.org to claim them!
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A unique and fun cultural opportunity awaits you on Saturday, January 31, from 6 – 8 pm at CMC in the fellowship hall and sanctuary. A catered Middle Eastern meal, a short presentation by a man who will have just returned from the Middle East, music (CMC’s part), and a dabke dance group are the featured entertainment. Suggested donation is $20 for adults, $10 for kids, and $30 for a family of 3 to eat, drink and be merry together with neighbors from the Levant. Larger families can adjust their donation accordingly. Those who want will have a chance to try dabke, as well! The event is a fundraiser for HEAL Palestine, which is a nonprofit that serves the people of Palestine in a variety of ways, including bringing young people in need of amputation care and various therapies to Columbus.
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2-Liter Bottle Collection: Tricia Turley is collecting empty 2-liter bottles for a school rocket project for her students. Please bring any you have to the collection box under the mailboxes in the fellowship hall! Thank you!
Events and Opportunities in the Wider Community
From Lawrence Needleman: The ACLU of Ohio is inviting concerned citizens to attend a free speech court hearing this Monday at 9 am in downtown Columbus, where they’ll be arguing a case defending an Ohio State University student’s First Amendment and due process rights. Your support in person would show solidarity for civil liberties in action.
During this time of heightened ICE activity in Columbus, one way you can directly support impacted households is through the Fund for Immigrant Legal Assistance. This fund is sponsored by our neighbors at First UU, with every dollar providing direct assistance to immigrants in Central Ohio in need of help. If you wish to give, follow THIS LINK and find the “Donate Online” button.
Calendars
Sunday, January 11
9:30 am Worship Service
11:30 am Christian Education Classes
CMC Activities Next Week
Monday, January 12
7:15 pm Christian Education Commission meeting via Zoom
Wednesday, January 14
12:00 pm Rohr Discussion Group via Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89881884175
Thursday, January 15
4:00 pm Set up for Piecemakers in the fellowship hall
Friday, January 16
6:30 am Men’s Breakfast via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/313623317
9:00 am Piecemakers in the fellowship hall
1:00 pm Worship Commission meeting via Zoom
Saturday, January 17
9:45am – 2:00pm Winter Seminar: Welcome, Friends! (registration link above)
Sunday, January 18
9:30 am Worship Service
11:00 am Christian Education classes
Office Contacts and Schedules for January 11-18
Laura: office@columbusmennonite.org, 216-870-0119, Mon-Fri: 8:30a – 2:30p
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, schedule is TBD
Upcoming CMC Special Events
Jan 17 Winter Seminar: Welcome, Friends!
Jan 31 HEAL Palestine Fundraiser Meal and Concert
Feb 1 Cookie Sunday
Feb 7 Open Mic Coffeehouse
Feb 18 Ash Wednesday, Lent begins
March 6 & 7, 2026 Knotting Party and Soup-er Pie Supper
Last Sunday | January 4
Attendance: 209
Offerings Received (last week): $ 2,695.00
Offerings Received (January): $ 2,695.00
Offerings Needed (January): $ 44,795.00
Christian Education Classes
Christian Education classes for children, youth, and adults will meet this Sunday at 11:00am. See below for descriptions of classes for this season.
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 – Beginning in January
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.
Four Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Jonah, and John (Jan 11-Feb 8): In this brief (four-week) Bible study, we’ll get acquainted with a sampling of 4 minor prophets, two real and two nominal: Hosea, a real 8th Century BCE prophet of Israel; Joel, a real 5th Century BCE prophet of Judah; Jonah, a 5th-4th Century anonymous story about an unknown 8th Century BCE prophet to Israel; and John, a 1st Century CE post-prophetic apocalyptic “prophet.” Facilitated by Jim Fredal in Room 22. Meets Jan 11, 18, and 25 and Feb 8.
Adult Classes – Beginning Later in the Winter/Spring
Lent Devotions Class (Feb 15-Mar 29): A class that explores themes to match our Lenten series. More details to come. Facilitated by Joel Miller in Room 22. Meets Feb 15-Mar 29 (no class Mar 1).
End of Life Class (Spring): 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. Class schedule and room location TBD, likely beginning in April.
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!