August is the time of year to prepare for harvesting—fruits from the trees and grains from the fields. It's also a time of reflection and projection for me. As I consider the recent request from the Leadership Team for a First Fruits Giving commitment for 2021, I appreciate the role that CMC plays in my life and the hope I have for our congregation in the coming years.
My personal involvement in church programs focuses on maintenance projects, occasional singing in ensembles, cutting squares for the Piecemakers, and organizing the school kits for MCC distribution. I enjoy giving my time and energy for the programs and missions of the church. But I realize that CMC relies not just on volunteers, but on the financial contributions we all make in order to support those missions, pay the staff, and keep the building functioning. Making a financial commitment through First Fruits Giving makes a personal statement about the importance of CMC and the larger Mennonite church in our lives. It says, 'we're part of this faith community, we support its work, and we acknowledge its important role in our lives.'
2020 has been a very strange year for most of us because of the pandemic. That tiny virus has thoroughly disrupted daily life around the world. Nevertheless, the harvest for most of us at CMC will be sufficient. This is the time of the year to be grateful for all we've been given, including food, shelter, good health, solid friendships, freedom of religion, and a group of believers at CMC who enrich our lives. Our First Fruits Giving will reflect our gratitude as well as our hope for CMC in 2021.
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The CMC Connector began soon after the start of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders in Ohio and will continue throughout the summer based on available content, coordinated through the Columbus Mennonite Church office. Contributors are associated with the church. For more information and to sign up, go HERE. Look for articles Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday with the pastors’ blog on Wednesday. All articles are posted on the website columbusmennonite.org/blog.
Mim Halterman
Columbus Mennonite Church
Administrative Assistant
KCMCS Program Coordinator
mim@columbusmennonite.org
