King Avenue Church

King Avenue Digest 10/21/22

October 21, 2022

UPCOMING EVENTS AND NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

• October 23 and October 30: Stewardship Sundays - Mark your calendar for some special Sundays in our church lives together. We will be Celebrating our Stewardship on Sunday, October 23. Pledge cards will be received the following Sunday, October 30. Stay tuned for more information from our King Avenue Stewardship Committee!

• October 29: New Member Class - Have you been thinking about joining King Avenue Church? Now is the time you've been waiting for! Learn more about King Avenue Church, its history, and its place in the United Methodist Church... and get to know some new friends in the process! The New Member Class is on Saturday, October 29 from 9am - 12pm. Participants will join the church on Sunday, October 30.

• October 30: Lit Club - Get in on the conversation by reading the month's book, and getting together on Sunday, October 30 at 7:00pm in the Logos Lounge with other King Avenue friends. This month's book is The Radium Girls by Kate Moore. Looking ahead, the group will discuss The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict on Sunday, November 27; People Love Dead Jews by Dora Horn on Sunday, December 18; and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid on Sunday, January 29. All are welcome to join the conversation!

• October 30: Trunk or Treat! Trunk or Treat will be Oct. 30th after the 11 am worship service. We’ll meet in the parking lot at 12:10 pm for a special guest, snacks, and a parade in the South parking lot. Please dress up or be prepared to wear a costume for the event. If you’d like to participate in the Trunk or Treat event by decorating your trunk and passing out goodies, you may park in the South lot. If you are not participating in Trunk or Treat, please park in the Pennsylvania lot. This is a safety precaution. There will be a sign-up poster at both worship services. Text Ada with any questions: 614-313-8200.

• November 11 at 7:30pm: Bill Cohen's 1960's Coffeehouse Returns to King Avenue after a 3-year COVID Hiatus - Civil rights sit-ins. Bell-bottoms. Anti-war marches. Student Power. Afros. Mini-skirts. Hippies. Riots. Space flights. The generation gap. Those hallmarks of the turbulent 1960’s will be rekindled Friday November 11 at this year’s “Spirit of the ‘60’s Coffeehouse” in the church basement, where it’s been an annual tradition for some 20 years (except when Covid made us cancel it). Bill Cohen will lead a candlelit, musical, year-by-year journey through the era, with live and familiar 1960’s folksongs, “news reports” of sixties happenings, displays of anti-war buttons and posters, and far-out sixties fashions. Plus, Bill will challenge the audience with fun sixties trivia questions. Proceeds from the suggested $15 donations (at the door) will go to the Mid-Ohio Food Collective. READ MORE

• Sunday, November 20 at noon: All-Church Thanksgiving Potluck - Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and we have so much to be thankful for! On Sunday, November 20th immediately following the 11:00 service, King Avenue church would like to gather EVERYONE around the table as a church family and break bread together. The church will provide turkey, beverages, and table service. We are asking each household to bring their favorite Thanksgiving salad, side, or dessert to share. Volunteers will be available to receive your potluck contribution anytime between 9:00 and 12:00. Desserts will be plated, casseroles will be kept warm, and salads will be kept cool until we sit down together for our meal at noon. Thanks in advance to our many small groups and individual volunteers who make all of this possible! If you're thinking you'll be joining us for this Thanksgiving feast, please sign up so that we can get a head count and a rough idea of what delicious dishes to expect! CLICK HERE to sign up.

• Opportunity to Help Hurricane Victims - As yet another hurricane ravages the Caribbean and southern United States, leaving a trail of destruction and lives destroyed, I am grateful for your compassionate response. It seems impossible that yet another natural disaster has affected so many. Because of this, I am asking for your continued prayers and your financial support of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) U.S. and International Disaster Response Advance funds. UMCOR will continue to partner with annual conferences and other organizations to bring hope and healing to lives and communities. This is a wonderful opportunity for Faith and Works to be joined together. LEARN MORE

• Are You Interested in a Leadership Role? The Nominations Committee is working to fill leadership roles in our King Avenue ministries. Do you have some skills to contribute? Do you feel led to take the next step in your involvement at King Avenue? Would you like to be considered for a leadership role within one of our church's ministries? Or would you like to learn more? Please contact Pastor Becky (becky@kingave.org) for more information.

• THANK YOU HISTORY COMMITTEE! Thanks to the Centennial Committee - especially Angela Finney - for our Centennial Contemplations! Read all of the questions and answers at the CENTENNIAL CONTEMPLATIONS PAGE.

CONTINUING NEWS

• Centennial Worship Online - Unfortunately the livestream worship didn't work last Sunday for Morning Blend, so a lot of people missed the service - including the WORLD PREMIER of a commissioned Mark Miller anthem sung by the Blenders. Fortunately we have a fantastic video team led by Michael Billups and the service was recorded! The final edited version of last week's Morning Blend service is HERE.

• Recorded Faith, Identity, and Anti-Racism Panel Discussion - There was a wonderful response to the Faith, Identity, and Anti-Racism panel on October 8. There may have been some folks who wanted to attend this event but couldn't. You're in luck! The video team to the rescue! CLICK HERE to view the recordings (Part I and Part II) of the event.

• Theme for 2022-23 - Your church staff has chosen a theme for this 2022/23 year, and it is “Home." King Avenue is that for so many, a home that is accepting, loving and empowering. Our desire it to share that sense of home with all whom we encounter, whether they are currently part of congregation or not. You will hear us refer to home in a variety of ways this year as we kick off our fall events for our adults, our children, and youth. We welcome all of you home! We are looking forward to seeing you come back to King Avenue this fall. Welcome Home, dear friends. READ MORE

• A Centennial Gift for your Home - To help celebrate the Centennial of our church building, the History and Records Committee has created a new King Avenue History Book. The Committee, with generous help from the Huggins Fund, is gifting one history book per household. Look for your copy in Fellowship Hall after Morning Blend Service and in the parlor area before and after the Traditional Service. You can pick up a copy at Sandy and Tom Trinter’s house during the week with advance notice by calling or texting: 614-329-7706. Additional copies of the book will available for sale in the near future.

• Art Gallery is a King Avenue Museum! Thanks to Kurt Reichert who has been working for weeks on a display to transform the King Avenue Art Gallery into a museum. As part of our Centennial Celebration, there will be 45 posters that will walk visitors through a timeline of our church and building(s). The gallery will officially open on Sunday, September 11 to be part of the Fall Kickoff.

• Title IX Legislation: Information and Actions - On October 12, the state's Board of Education will be voting on a "Resolution to Support Parents, Schools, and Districts in Rejecting Harmful, Coercive, and Burdensome Gender Identity Policies" (see the resolution here). This resolution attempts to invalidate Title IX protections for LGBTQ+ students, spreads harmful falsehoods about LGBTQ+ people, and threatens to make schools unsafe for students. This resolution, if passed, would harm LGBTQ+ students and their families and for this reason, King Avenue UMC stands against this resolution and urges the Board of Education to vote NO on it. For opportunities to take action on this issue, CLICK HERE.

• Statement for Newman Center LGBTQIA+ Friends - All Are Welcome. These three simple words change everything. At King Avenue Church we continue to do our very best to live by these three words. They are reminders to us of the love that Christ offers to the entire world, the love that has been offered to us. We have been dismayed as we have watched the St. Thomas More Newman Center on The OSU campus experience concerning changes. READ MORE

• Spectrum Update - Spectrum's mission statement is "Spectrum creates a safe harbor for LGBTQIA+ Christians and their allies, and witnesses to God's love for everyone." Stay tuned for upcoming events including Lynd's Fruit Farm in September, helping with Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, and Christmas movie night/WHITE ELEPHANT gift exchange in December. ALL are welcome to Spectrum events. Bring a friend!

• Documentary DeRosa: Life, Love & Art in Transition - Directed by Ohio filmmaker Angelo Thomas, this award-winning documentary chronicles the extraordinary life of artist Felicia DeRosa, who came out as transgender at the age of 41. With her life, marriage, and career potentially at risk, Felicia embarks on a journey towards authenticity and self-acceptance. Please check it out! Thanks again to the team at Revry and everyone who helped get us here! CLICK HERE TO WATCH.

• COVID and Online Worship - We remind congregants that we provide online worship each Sunday. Online worship is a meaningful option if you’ve had exposure, are experiencing symptoms, or have received a positive COVID test result. Being mindful of our risk to others is part of our inclusive nature of loving and caring for one another by temporarily stepping away from in-person worship so we may avoid exposing others. If you feel concerned or are at-risk for serious illness and want to explore a safer worship environment, we encourage you to do so. Our online worship site can be found directly at bit.ly/ka-church-online , or by clicking on the button on our main website kingave.org . Our online worship is live-streamed, and can be visited on-demand at the conclusion of the service.

• Chancel Flowers for Worship - If you are interested in signing up to donate Chancel Flowers for worship, please use this form. You can specify that your flowers be listed in the bulletin in memory or honor of a person or notable event. The arrangement is yours to take home at the end of that Sunday's service.

FAITH FORMATION, FELLOWSHIP, AND SUPPORT

• First Sundays are Communion Sundays! On the first Sunday of every month, there is no Worship Connections. Everyone is invited to fully participate in worship services and communion. For parents and kids 4 yrs to 5th grade, there is Family Godly Play in the Chapel at 10 am. No other parent or children's Sunday School class will take place on the first Sundays of the month. The CORE Youth Group will still meet in Donnenwirth for their SS class.

• September 30 - April 16: Confirmation Class of 2023 Begins! Confirmation is an important experience in the faith journey of young people in the church. When an infant is baptized in the United Methodist Church, the parents pledge to raise the child in the faith within their church family. Through Confirmation, youth (6th to 8th grades) will have the opportunity to publicly claim that faith and church family as their own, and transition into being a full member of King Avenue United Methodist Church.

• Ongoing Children, Youth, Family Opportunities - Check our website for our ongoing opportunities for Children, Youth, and Families. This includes our ongoing children and youth Christian education, faith formation, community and fellowship, and ways you can stay connected. CLICK HERE for our Children, Youth, and Family Page on the King Avenue website.

• Last Sundays of the Month at 7pm: Lit Club - Join the Lit Club on the last Sunday of each month at 7pm in the Logos Lounge. All are welcome! Simply read the book of the month, and get together to talk about it. The group will discuss The Huntress by Kate Quinn on Sunday, September 25, The Radium Girls by Kate Moore on Sunday, October 30 and The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict on Sunday, November 27.

• Home Groups - King Avenue wants to help you grow in your life with Christ. This happens in powerful ways through consistent small groups that meet outside of Sunday morning church. So we want to start Home Groups. These will be groups of 7-12 people who live in the same general area as each other. They will gather weekly or semi-weekly in someone's home to pray together and grow together. We would love to get you connected with other King Avenue folks who live around your home so y'all can grow in Christ together. If you're interested in being a part of a Home Group, let Pastor Andy know (andy@kingave.org). Days and times will vary depending on each group's schedule preferences.

• A Call to Faithfulness Adult Sunday School Class - Corey Perry is leading a six-week adult Sunday School Class beginning Sunday, September 11 during the Sunday School Hour (10-10:45) in Logos Lounge. The Social Principles are a grounding of our United Methodist home, intended to be "a prayerful and thoughtful effort on the part of the General Conference to speak to the human issues in the contemporary world." Come join Rev. Corey Perry on this six-week journey through the Social Principles as you understand their history, background, and statements. You will be challenged, excited, and - probably - frustrated, but you will also find an opportunity to grow and deepen your understanding of what it means to have a home in the United Methodist Church.

• Midweek Grief Recovery Course - Jennifer Tower is leading an eight-week class for adults on grief beginning Wednesday, September 14. The Grief Recovery Method enables people struggling in their grief to find a way forward and a way home. It gives people the tools necessary to name their difficulties and find completion in their loss. As we all grieve differently, it is important to invest in ourselves to find a way that, for us, moves us from pain to a sense of peace so that we can find home again. OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP

• September NNEMAP & Hubbard Items of the Month - Each month, we are going to focus our donations on specific items our community partners. For the month of July, NNEMAP needs canned fruits, canned vegetables, and toothpaste. Hubbard needs pants and socks suitable for elementary children. You can bring your donations with you on Sundays. There will be a place to leave them in the back of the worship space.

• Habitat for Humanity Team - Habitat for Humanity really could use your help! There are no set commitments that volunteers have to make, so you can come out and help when you are able, even if you are only able to work once on this year’s house. Trena Brown will be communicating each week’s work schedule with our Habitat team and coordinating our volunteer requests with our house lead. If you are interested in learning more about King Avenue’s mission work with Habitat for Humanity, or know that you want to volunteer your time and talents to this effort, please contact Trena at trenamo@columbus.rr.com or Larry Ziniel at larry_ziniel@yahoo.com. Working with Habitat for Humanity is fun, satisfying and a great way to learn new skills from a very experienced team of builders!

• About Habitat for Humanity - Starting with the 2015 build season, KAUMC has been part of the Hilliard Adopt-A-House (HAAH) affiliate of Habitat for Humanity Mid-Ohio. Hilliard Adopt-A-House is a non-profit 501(c)3 charity that is one of six local church partnerships that annually build or renovate houses for deserving low income Central Ohio families. Established in 1996, HAAH currently consists of Hilliard UMC, St. Brendan the Navigator Catholic Church and St. James Lutheran Church (all in Hilliard), Linworth UMC, Indian Run UMC and Amlin UMC (both in Dublin) and of course King Ave. UMC! Over the past 26 years this dedicated group has built thirteen new homes and also rehabilitated thirteen existing homes for deserving families. Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian housing ministry. Habitat affiliates work locally in communities around the world to select and support homeowners, organize volunteers, and coordinate house building. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 400,000 homes worldwide, providing shelter for more than 1 million people in nearly 90 countries. In the Central Ohio community, Habitat has built more than 400 homes since 1987. READ MORE and WATCH A VIDEO INTERVIEW

• UMCOR Global Response: Ukraine - Support the people in Ukraine by making a gift to UMCOR’s international disaster response. 100% of your donation goes to the cause. CLICK TO GIVE.

• Lunch Packing - King Avenue packs lunches for the Open Shelter on several Tuesdays and Thursdays, and occasionally on Wednesdays... 35 times in 2022. All hands on deck for packing 200-400 lunches at a time! CLICK HERE for the schedule, and join when you're able. All days/dates are 6:00pm in the King Avenue kitchen. Many hands make light work!

• Volunteering on Sundays - Hey King Avenue Families! There are still opportunities for you to volunteer in Sunday morning children’s programming by leading youth Sunday School or learning Godly Play storytelling. Contact Gwen at gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com if you are interested in learning more.

• Serve as an Acolyte - Are you interested in participating in worship as an acolyte? We have opportunities during 9am and 11am for anyone who is at least 10 years old (adults can acolyte, too!) to serve King Avenue as an acolyte. Please talk to Marlene if you'd like to take part in this ministry opportunity.

• Ushers and Greeters Needed - Be the first friendly face someone sees at church! Our ushers and greeters keep folks safe and make them feel welcome. If you would like to help with this important ministry, please email Pastor Andy - andy@kingave.org.

• Audio-Visual Volunteers Needed - We are always looking for some folks who would like to learn how to help with live streaming our 9:00 and 11:00 services. You don’t need a lot of experience; we will train you! Please email Pastor Andy - andy@kingave.org if you are interested.

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