Reminders May 7-10
Welcoming New Members! This year we are welcoming new members into the congregation over two Sundays – last Sunday May 3 and this Sunday May 10. We’re grateful for the stories and many gifts each bring into the community: Carol Richardson, Colin and Alyssa Byler, Natasha Atlas, Darren and Rita Loeffler, Ryan and Erin Suderman, Tim Jaquet, Stephen and Taylor Kellett, Hannah Troyer, Sarah Martin, Lawrence Needleman, Andrew and Bev Tran, Heidi and Joe Simones.
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We will be sharing in Communion this Sunday during worship. We practice an open Communion table and all who hunger and thirst for God are welcome to participate. Gluten free/peanut/tree nut free bread is served at the station by the organ.
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Sharing this Sunday: There will not be a time of open mic sharing this Sunday. If you have a joy or concern that you wish to have shared with the congregation during the service, please send it to Joel (joel@columbusmennonite.org) by 9:00 am on Sunday. If you wish to have something sent out in the prayers of the people email on Tuesday, please send it to Mim (mim@columbusmennonite.org) by 9:00 am on Tuesday.
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The Magpie Consort, a community choral group who rehearses at CMC, invites you to attend one of their concerts this week, Fri May 8 and Sat May 9 at 7pm in the CMC sanctuary. The concert theme is Cornucopia: a feast of American folk songs, dance tunes, hymns, and spirituals, with Phil Brown Dupont (piano), Cbus Jammers, and Yellow Rose Cloggers. Donations $0-$20 at the door (pay what you are able). Come for a wonderful evening of music! More details HERE.
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General CMC Announcements
Church garden work morning next Saturday May 16: It’s time to spread compost/mulch on the garden beds to enrich the soil and slow down the weeds. Please join the regular gardeners and the welcome help of the MYF between the hours of 9am and 12 noon (even for 30 min) on May 16th. Bring your kids, large and small. A mound of soft black stinky compost makes a delightful place to play! We have some shovels and wheelbarrows, but more would be welcome. More info: contact Ruth Massey
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Have you graduated in the past year or will you be graduating in the coming weeks? If you (or someone you love) graduated from high school or beyond in the past year (June 2025-May/June 2026) please let us know so that we can celebrate your accomplishment in the bulletin. Please send your month/year of graduation, school/program from which you graduated, degree and area of study, and if you wish to share, tell us what is next in your life. Please send to office@columbusmennonite.org by May 27.
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BREAD Nehemiah Action is next Tuesday May 12, 6:40pm at the Celeste Center 1717 E. 17th Ave. Our goal is 70 CMC members attending to advocate for 3 issues: protecting the Tree Canopy on land being developed in Columbus, supporting legislation for the new Rental Registry to protect renters, and moving forward with plans for a Livable Wage for new job seekers in Columbus. Join us for pizza and carpooling from CMC at 5:30pm on May 12, or meet us there wearing your GREEN Do Justice Tee Shirt (if you have one). Spread the Good News about Social Justice for all at this year’s Nehemiah Action. BREAD Rises when we agree to show up! For more information contact Melonie Buller or Julie Hart.
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Women’s Coffee Connection: Thursday, May 14 from 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Feel free to join us every second Thursday of the month in the fellowship hall for coffee/tea, a light snack, and conversation.
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2026 Annual Keeping CMC Safe Training is available and easily accessible on our website HERE. You will be able to read or listen to the message given by Kristin Thomas Sancken, the new Coordinator for Church Safety at Central District Conference. This training is for everyone who is involved in some way at CMC. So if you attend CMC, this is for you! Safety and well-being is a community effort! If you have volunteered to work with children, work at CMC or are in a leadership role, I will send you further training if needed. Thank you all for being part of our safe sanctuary and caring for each other in this way. Please feel free to contact me at mim@columbusmennonite.org. Mim Halterman, Administrative Assistant / KCMCS Program Coordinator
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Our church’s Plant Sale on Saturday May 30 is from 8am-12pm in our parking lot. Here’s a reminder that we need starts of your perennials, shrubs, vegetables, herbs, houseplants and even trees! Please be potting them up now so they’ll be happy on May 30th. If you need pots, there are extras in our old furnace room below the library. Please label your plants with their names. There will be plant labels/sticks in a box on the top of the mailboxes in the Fellowship Hall. I’ll be at the church Friday May 29 from 5:30p-7:30p if you want to drop off your plants that evening. Otherwise, please be sure to have them in our church parking lot by 7am Saturday May 30th. If you have questions about your plants/plant sale otherwise, please contact Becky Waybill.
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Community Peacemaker Teams Annual CMC Rummage Sale: Friday, May 29 (8:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.) and Saturday, May 30 (8:00 a.m. – noon). Volunteers and donations needed! All proceeds go to benefit Community Peacemaker Teams. Volunteers Needed:
- SET-UP CREW – Tues, Wed & Thurs 5/26, 27, 28 9am-6pm (2 volunteers per shift)
- CASHIERS & helpers – both 5/29 8-6pm & 5/30 8-12 (6 per 4 hr. shift)
- CLEAN- UP CREW – Saturday, May 30, 11:30am till 2pm (8 volunteers)
- PICKUP TRUCKS or LARGE VEHICLES – to haul unsold items to Volunteers of America on Indianola near CMC following the sale. (4 vehicles)
We also need YOUR STUFF: We sell just about every household and yard item except adult or kids’ clothing- but we do take shoes for all ages. Best sellers include: kitchen & decorative, recreational & sports, yard & garden, bedding and towels, toiletries & candles, books & office items, crafts & puzzles, appliances & electronics (except old computers and TV’s), furniture & rugs, games & toys plus luggage & purses.
If items must be dropped off early before 5/26, place them in the basement storage room next to the restroom along the back wall or upstairs in room 305 (formerly called room 25).
If the item you are donating is valuable or antique, please label it with a suggested price. If the purpose of an item may not be easily recognized, please identify it. Check to be sure electrical items are in working order, and label as such. No old TVs or computers, please. Call Julie or Phil Hart for further information or to sign up to volunteer.
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Dan Halterman is again collecting round oatmeal-type containers for the children’s craft tent at the Central Ohio Folk Festival in June. Please leave any by his mailbox and/or contact him.
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Opportunities in the Wider Community
Mark your calendars for the 2026 Central Ohio Folk Festival, June 6 & 7. Join the Columbus Folk Music Society for a two-day family friendly festival the first full weekend in June, where the magic of music comes alive across four vibrant stages. Several CMCers are involved! More details HERE and on the flyers in the foyer. Please note it will be held at a new location this year – Bank Run Metro Park.
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The latest edition of the Central District Conference Connector newsletter is HERE. In this Earth Day issue of the Connector you’ll hear from two congregations about their experiences with outdoor worship services (one of the congregations is CMC!). There are also articles about the recent discussion on Article 19 at the Mid-Year Gathering, a new book from Mennonite Action, and a yard sign campaign by a congregation in Virginia, along with the latest edition of Doug’s Mug.
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Rooting our Stories: Reveling in 50 years of Queer and Trans Anabaptist Resilience Join the Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests (BMC) for a gathering rooted in sacred story and joyful revelry, as we mark our 50th Anniversary on May 29-31 in Minneapolis! This festive weekend will include storytelling, singing, ritual/worship, workshops, artmaking, games, shared meals, and honoring this incredible 50-year legacy of LGBTQIA+ Anabaptist resistance and resilience. Find event details, safety/accessibility info, and registration on our 50th webpage.
Calendars
Sunday, May 10
9:30 am Worship Service – Membership Sunday 2
11:00 am Christian Education Classes
CMC Activities Next Week
Tuesday, May 12
5:30pm CMC BREAD Pizza Party in fellowship hall (prior to the Nehemiah Action, carpooling afterwards)
6:40pm BREAD Nehemiah Action at the Celeste Center (1717 E. 17th Ave)
Wednesday, May 13
12:00pm Rohr Zoom Group https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89881884175
Thursday, May 14
10:00am Women’s Coffee Connection in the fellowship hall
6:00pm Commission Workshop – beginning in the fellowship hall
Friday, May 15
6:30 am Men’s Breakfast via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/313623317
9:00 am Piecemakers in the fellowship hall
Saturday, May 16
9:00am Church garden work day
Sunday, May 17
9:00am Worship Service – Children/Youth Sunday
11:00am Christian Education Classes (last class before the summer recess for most classes – see details below)
Office Contacts and Schedules for May 10-17
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-Thu: 9:00a-3:00p, Fri: Sabbath
Joel: joel@columbusmennonite.org, 614-940-7839, Mon: Sabbath, Tues-Fri: 9:00a-5:00p
Robin: robin@columbusmennonite.org, 614-406-1766, Mon: 10am-3pm, Fri: 10am-2pm
Upcoming CMC Special Events
May 10 Membership Sunday 2
May 12 BREAD Nehemiah Action
May 17 Children/Youth Sunday
May 29-30 Rummage Sale (Fri-Sat) and Plant Sale (Sat)
June 7 Piecemakers Comforter Blessing during worship
June 21 Outdoor Service at Highbanks Metro Park (no service at CMC)
Sept 25-27 CMC Fall Retreat at Kirkmont Center
Last Sunday | May 3
Attendance: 195
Offerings Received (last week) $5,975.00
Offerings Received (April) $5,975.00
Offerings Needed (April) $44,795.00
Christian Education Classes
Christian Education classes for children, youth, and adults will meet this Sunday at 11am. The descriptions of the classes for this season are below. Please note that Sunday May 17 will be the last Sunday for most classes before the summer recess begins (the exception is the Aging Well class, which will continue into June).
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 303 (formerly called 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 305 (formerly called Room 25) for conversation around a wide variety of topics, including an exploration of the stories and scriptures used during worship.
Adult Classes
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 301 (formerly called Room 21).
Aging Well (April/May/June): 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 in the sanctuary. Class meets April 12, 26, May 10, 17, 31, and June 7, 14, 28.
Prophets and Kings Bible Study (April/May): This Bible study will explore various texts that speak about the centralization and uses of political power and how the kingdom of God relates to these situations, both in their original context and our own. Facilitated by Jim Fredal and Joel Miller, this class will meet in Room 304 (formerly called Room 24) on April 12, 26, May 10, 17.
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!