Memorial Service for Charles Shenk: This Sunday Sept 20
The memorial service for Charles Shenk will be this Sunday September 20 in the sanctuary. Visitation with the family will begin at 2p in the foyer. Guests are encouraged to arrive by 3p, when a time of centering and quieting will begin in the sanctuary, accompanied by prelude music and photos of Charlie’s life. The service will begin at 3:30p and will be followed by an ice cream reception in the fellowship hall. All are welcome. The service in the sanctuary will also be available via Zoom beginning at 3pm. Please contact the church office for the Zoom link.
Parking note: In order to reserve space in our lot for guests, please consider parking in the North Broadway United Methodist Church lots if you are able (both are available for CMC use that afternoon and evening). Thank you!
Reminders September 17-20
Christian Education classes continue this week! Details below.
General CMC Announcements
Office Update: Kevin Condon (Building Caretaker) will be off from Friday September 18 through Sunday October 4. Please contact Jeff Delcamp (Building Manager) or Laura Steiner (Church Administrator) for building-related questions during this time.
Church Garden Maintenance: You are invited to help with the last scheduled evening of work for this season in the church gardens. September 21st, 6:30-8:00p. Tasks include, weeding, deadheading and edging. We also plan to add several new shrubs and some sedges, so would love some extra hands. There are extra tools available. Snacks and chatting in the fellowship hall will end the evening. Questions? Check with ramassey53@gmail.com
Reminder: No service in CMC Building on Sunday Sept 27. Our worship service on Sept 27 will be held at 10:30am at Kirkmont Center in the outdoor pavilion, as a part of our Annual Fall Retreat (6946 Co Rd 10, Zanesfield, OH 43360). Everyone is welcome to attend the service, even if you are not otherwise participating in Fall Retreat (note the later start time!).
Last Call for Lost and Found: Please check the lost and found table near the restrooms by the office for items you may have left behind. Take what is yours! Unclaimed items remaining after this Sunday, September 20, will be donated.
BREAD Listening Lunches: CMC’s BREAD team invites you to a listening lunch on Sundays at noon in October in the fellowship hall. Join us for a light lunch and our annual effort to gather testimonials and identify issues facing Central Ohio that BREAD, our faith-based social justice coalition partner, will address this year. Sign up during September on the flip chart in the foyer for one of the lunches so we know how many to prepare for. BREAD is one of the concrete ways that CMC practices our commitment to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God locally. For more information contact Julie Hart, Melonie Buller or Tim Conder.
Opportunities in the Wider Community
OSU Music Event Invitation: The Ohio State Center for the Study of Religion invites you to an evening of religious sound and music, including a group of Columbus Mennonite songleaders. Other performances will include Byzantine chant, Sikh kirtan, classical Indian dancing, contemporary Jewish liturgy, Tibetan Buddhist chanting, Cuban orisha dance and Persian traditional music. October 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center. The event is free, and RSVP is requested. See Music and Sounds Across Traditions: An Evening of Listening for more details.
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Flock Cameras Action Alert: Lawrence Needleman has written an action alert to help others understand and take action around the use of Flock cameras in Columbus. Please follow this link to learn more.
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You are invited to Restoration Retreat October 23-25 at Camp Friedenswald (full weekend, commuter, and Saturday only options available)
Come to the peaceful woods to connect to yourself, others, and the more-than-human world. Restoration Retreat is focused navigating the ecological and social crises of our time. Discover the unique community that comes together for this inspiring weekend of engaging speakers and conversations, delicious locally focused plant forward meals, and activities connecting you to the more-than-human creatures at Camp. City of Goshen Forester, Aaron Sawatsky-Kingsley, and Traditional Knowledge Holder, Cortney Collia, will be sharing stories and wisdom with us.
If you see the need for restoration in our world and desire connection with others interested in the same, please consider participating in this weekend retreat. You will leave feeling more connected, inspired, and empowered to work for positive change in your community and the world beyond. This retreat is open to all ages. Interested individuals, families, youth groups, green teams, repair network teams, and small groups are all welcome. More info and registration at https://friedenswald.org/retreats/#restoration-retreat
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Looking for a way to respond to the flooding in Nepal and earthquake in Colombia? Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is offering support in both locations:
- Nepal flooding: MCC is working with local partners to provide food, water purification tablets and other supplies, as well as psychosocial support, to survivors of deadly flooding and landslides. Donate to MCC’s response at mcc.org/nepal-flooding
- Colombia earthquake: MCC is also providing emergency relief in Colombia following the 7.4-magnitude earthquake. Donate to MCC’s response at mcc.org/colombia-earthquake
Waging Peace: A Militarism Summit: Registration is now open for MC USA’s “Waging Peace: A Militarism Summit,” Nov. 6-7, in Leola, Pennsylvania. Rooted in Anabaptist faith values, the two-day gathering brings Christians together to explore faithful responses to war, political polarization, nationalism and violence. Best-selling author Shane Claiborne is the opening keynote speaker. High school youth attend free with a youth sponsor/pastor. Learn more and register here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/militarism-summit/
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Calendars
Sunday, September 20
9:30am Worship Service
11:00am Christian Education classes (details below)
**The memorial service for Charles Shenk will be held at CMC in the afternoon on Sept 20. Please see details above.**
CMC Activities Next Week
Monday, September 21
6:30 Garden Group
Tuesday, September 22
1:00pm SHARE Commission Meeting via Zoom
7:00pm Christian Education Commission Meeting in Room 4
Wednesday, September 23
12:00pm Rohr group via Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86487158321
Friday, September 25
6:30am Men’s Breakfast via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/313623317
Fall Retreat at Kirkmont
Saturday, September 26
Fall Retreat at Kirkmont
Sunday, September 27
Fall Retreat at Kirkmont
10:30 am Worship Service at Kirkmont Retreat Center (no service in Columbus on September 27, and note the later start time!)
Office Contacts and Schedules for September 20-27
Laura: office@columbusmennonite.org, 216-870-0119, Mon-Fri: 9a-3:30p
Mim: mim@columbusmennonite.org, 614-745-5150, working off site this week (hours limited)
Mark: mark@columbusmennonite.org, 419-392-0610, Mon-Thurs: 9a-2:00p, Fri: Sabbath
Joel: joel@columbusmennonite.org, 614-940-7839, Mon: Sabbath, Tues-Fri: 8:00a-4:00p
Robin: robin@columbusmennonite.org, 614-406-1766, Mon:10a-1:30p, Fri: 10a-2:30p
Upcoming CMC Special Events
Sept 20 Memorial Service for Charles Shenk
Sept 25-27 CMC Fall Retreat at Kirkmont Center
**No service at 35 Oakland Park on Sunday Sept 27. Join us instead at Kirkmont Retreat Center!**
Oct 4 Cookie Sunday
Nov 1 Congregational Meeting and Harvest Potluck
Nov 29 Advent begins
Dec 6 Congregational Meeting (Budget Vote)
Last Sunday | Sept 13
Attendance: 179
Offerings Received (last week): $6,575.00
Offerings Received (September): $16,160.00
Offerings Needed (September): $44,795.00
Christian Education Classes
Christian Education classes for children, youth, and adults meet this week:
Unless otherwise noted, classes will meet on the following Sundays: Sept 13 and 20, Oct 11, 18, and 25, Nov 8, 15, and 22, Dec 13 and 20. Due to Cookie Sundays, holidays, and other special events, most classes will not meet on Sept 27, Oct 4, Nov 1, Nov 29, Dec 6, or Dec 27. 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 and K) move to Room 2, and older children (1st to 4th grade) move to Room 4.
Junior High (5th – 8th Grade): Middle grade youth meet in Room 303 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 305 for conversation around a wide variety of topics, including an exploration of the stories and scriptures used during worship.
Adult Classes
Title: Cultivating a Courageous Peace Witness
Facilitators: Julie and Phil Hart
Room 302
Meeting: Sept 13, 20; Oct 11, 18, 25; Nov 8, 15, 22; Dec 13, 20
Description: Hear a variety of local in-person and international online peacemakers share their stories of peace and justice action and how these folks were cultivated and impacted by those who came before them. We will have time for conversation with the peacemaker and sermon discussion. Sept 20 guest speaker: Imam Horsed Noah, Outreach Director of Abubakar Mosque in Columbus, will be speaking on Islam and peace.
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Title: Exploring Our Headcanons
Facilitators: Sarah Martin and Tim Jaquet
Room 304
Meeting: Sept 13, 20; Oct 11, 18, 25; Nov 8, 15, 22; Dec 13, 20
Description: Our Bible contains only a portion of humanity’s religious/spiritual/supernatural ideas and stories. Yet it is strewn throughout not just with words of beauty and wisdom, but also strange and macabre stories. How do we make sense of what has landed in/out of our holy book, especially when it comes to its most absurd tales? In this class we’ll discuss Bible stories and characters that are strange, confusing, or dissonant with typical Christian ideas/values. Our goal will be not to fully explain or reconcile these conflicts, but to explore how we think about them in relation to our overall faith frameworks, and perhaps also learn at least some new stuff about these stories from academic sources. Come if you’re intrigued by these stories and enjoy talking about the peculiar and puzzling. (Or if you don’t know what a headcanon is and can’t find anyone under 30-ish to ask.)
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Title: Transitions and Ritual (closed group)
Facilitator: Joel Miller, Pastor
Room 301
Meeting: Aug 30; Sept 6, 20; Oct 4, 11
Description: We will reflect on the many transitions we undergo throughout adulthood, select a particular personal transition past or present to give attention to, and ritually mark that transition together. This is a closed group, with a new group forming every fall.
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Title: Inquirers Class – Starts October 25
Facilitator: Joel Miller, Pastor
Room 301
Meeting: Oct 25; Nov 8, 15, 22; Dec 13, 20
Description: We 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.
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!