King Avenue Digest 12/14/23
December 14, 2023
ADVENT – A SEASON OF PRAYER ✴ Bi-Weekly Morning Prayer Together – Join us on Facebook Live for Morning Prayer on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30am. ✴ Pray Together on Sundays at 10am – Come to pray in the Chapel during the 10am hour on Sunday mornings. If you're not joining us in-person, join us in prayer during the 10am hour wherever you are by praying Bishop Palmer's prayer, and the week's prayer focus. This week, the focus is for a just and lasting peace between Israel and Palestine; and for religious and political refugees, staying in the US and around the world. ✴ Pray Bishop Palmer's Prayer once/day – Gracious God, we humbly acknowledge that you are the source of our life. We confess we are often tempted to try being your church without your love, without your power. Forgive us. Grant to us, grace-full God to put all our hope and confidence in you. For you are Able. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. *THIS SUNDAY* December 17: A Service of Lessons and Carols - Join the King Avenue musicians and instrumentalists for a service of music at the 11am worship on Sunday, December 17. Among the pieces shared in this service will be the joyful and uplifting 'Gospel Magnificat' by Robert Ray. This is a great opportunity to bring a guest to church! *THIS SUNDAY* December 17: Lit Club - Please note that Lit Club this month has moved to December 17 because of the holidays. Our book in December is The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka. We selected this short but good read to allow you extra time to read the following book, The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese. It's a much longer book that we will be discussing on January 28. If you'd like to come to Lit Club, just read the book of the month and come to church at 7:00pm to talk about it. All are welcome! *THIS WEEK* Thursday, December 21: Blue Christmas - Blue Christmas is a service for those dealing with loss and grief this holiday season, however recent or long-past. This contemplative, candlelit service will include opportunity for persons to remember loved ones, to pray for the world, be anointed with oil, and to remember God’s love shared freely in Christ. KEEP READING FOR THE REST OF OUR CURRENT HAPPENINGS AND NEWS... 2024 Pledges - Thank you to those who have returned 2024 pledge cards or set up a 2024 pledge in Realm. These pledges inform budget decisions for the next year in our church. If you still plan to pledge, it isn't too late! We are still gratefully accepting pledge cards, or you are welcome to enter your 2024 pledge in Realm. If you have questions, please email Susan Jenkins at susan@kingave.org. ELEVATOR STATUS REPORT - Workers continue to work on the elevator. We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience, and we look forward to being back at full operating capacity as soon as possible. Sundays, November 26- December 17: The Belfries of all Christendom Adult Advent Sunday School Class - Join us this Advent Season in preparing our hearts for the coming of Jesus. This Sunday School class is based off of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s timeless classic “Christmas Bells.” We will explore the themes of fellowship, prayer, service and evangelism. No preparation needed. Drop in for one class or join us every week running Sundays from November 26 through December 17, during the 10am Sunday School hour. Any questions please contact Tim Bechtol at Bechtol97@yahoo.com. Sunday, December 24: Christmas Eve Worship Services - Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year, so we'll be recognizing the fourth Sunday of Advent in the morning and the birth of our Lord in the afternoon/evening! Join us for a combined worship service at 10:00am in the Fellowship Hall. At 4:30pm, Children, Youth, and Family Ministries (CYFM) will be celebrating Christmas Eve with a service suitable for the whole family (all ages!). If you are looking for a candlelight worship and communion, you can join us at either 7:00pm or 9:00 in the Sanctuary. There is no childcare in the nursery on Christmas Eve. There is no Worship Connections or Sunday School. Sunday, December 31: New Year's Eve Worship Services - Looking ahead, worship on New Year's Eve morning will be at the normal times... 9:00am and 11:00am. Worship Connections will be available for both services as usual (age 4 through grade 3). Childcare is available in the nursery for under 4 yrs old. No Sunday School at 10 am. NNEMAP Item of the Month for December - Each month, we are going to focus our donations on specific items our community partners. You can bring your donations with you on Sundays. There will be a place to leave them in the back of the worship space. Please donate non-perishable side items (boxes, cans, etc) during December. WORSHIP CONNECTIONS AND SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAMMING Worship Connections – 9:00am and 11:00am Sunday School Hour - 10:00 am 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. 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. Contact Rick Gilson (rickgilson@yahoo.com) if you'd like to be added to the communication group in Realm. Second Wednesdays: Caregiver Support Group - King Avenue UMC Retirees Ministry and the Alzheimer's Association of Central Ohio are partnering to bring a Caregiver Support Group to our church monthly. No registration is necessary and there is no cost. This group is designed to support families of individuals affected by any type of dementia. This group will meet the second Wednesday of each month from 6:00-7:30. Isaiah 35 Fellowship - Depression, anxiety, and many other mental health issues can challenge faith and hope and contribute to a feeling of isolation. Isaiah 35 is a confidential group providing fellowship, support, and prayer for adults with mental health struggles. We meet on every other Sunday (beginning 2/12/23) on Zoom from 7 to 8 pm. Due to the nature of this group, please contact Mary Bostian for the Zoom link and more details. (614) 371-0171 marybostian50@gmail.com Our LGBTQIA+ Ministry is called Rainbow Connections - Our Mission Statement states, We create a safe harbor for LGBTQ+ Christians and their allies, and witness to God’s love for everyone. Stay tuned for fun fellowship opportunities! OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP Capital Campaign Updates - The Shepherd’s Window restoration is COMPLETE and has been reinstalled! Check it out on Sunday! The new boiler installation is coming along well, but still bring a warm layer to wear on Sunday. The heat is not yet on. Item of the Month for NNEMAP - Each month, we are going to focus our donations on specific items our community partners. You can bring your donations with you on Sundays. There will be a place to leave them in the back of the worship space. Item of the Month for Hubbard Elementary - Periodically we are asked for items to help students at our partner school, Hubbard Elementary. You can bring your donations with you on Sundays. There will be a place to leave them in the back of the worship space. Use your Kroger Card to Give to King Avenue - Are you a Kroger Shopper? Do you have a Kroger Plus Card? If so, you can give to King Avenue every time you shop. If you have a Kroger Plus card, just log into your account, go to Community Rewards, and search for KING AVENUE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH to get this set up. LEARN MORE AND ENROLL Lunch Packing - King Avenue packs lunches for the Open Shelter on several Tuesdays and Thursdays... 24 times in 2023. 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! 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 at 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 at andy@kingave.org if you are interested. ADDITIONAL ITEMS OF NOTE Hello from SPRC! The Staff/Pastor-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) is the church's "HR department". The main task of this volunteer committee is to build and foster relationships in the church. Feel free to reach out to any of the SPRC members if you have questions or concerns, or would just like to chat! Members are (L to R): James Knight, Jerry Cooperrider, Elizabeth Scott, Kristen Collins, Jim LeVally, Philip Clark, Julie Hazelbaker, Bret Baird, and Patrick Frueh. CLICK TO SEE A PICTURE OF YOUR SPRC! Updates from the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church - An announcement was made at church on Sunday, June 4 by Bill Brownson, King Avenue Member and CFO and Director of Administration for West Ohio Conference. Bill helped to recap the recent West Ohio Annual Conference. This announcement was made on behalf of the King Avenue leadership who attended the 3-day conference. Although there were some difficult times during the conference, the overall shift towards full inclusion was apparent. At King Avenue, we emphatically state that God’s love is for ALL people. For all of us who have wondered if the United Methodist Church in West Ohio itself really welcomes all, we have our answer! We now know that in this church AND in the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church, our sentiments are that ALL ARE WELCOME. CLICK HERE FOR THE TRANSCRIPT OF HIS ANNOUNCEMENT First Sundays of each Month: ASL Interpreter - King Avenue will be providing an ASL interpreter during worship. Elisabeth Clegg will be interpreting on the first Sunday of every month during both services. Thanks, Elisabeth! 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.
This Advent will be a church-wide season of prayer. Here's how you can join in this week.
*NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS AND QUICKLY-APPROACHING EVENTS*
9:00am Worship Connections - 4 years old to Grade 3 (L4)
11:00am Worship Connections - 4 years old to Grade 3 (L4)
First Sundays (Communion) - Children attend regular worship.
Discipleship Program - Grades 4-12 opportunity to volunteer in Worship Connections once/month.
Godly Play - 4 years old to Grade 3 (room L4)
Chrysalis Club - Grades 4-5 (room L4+).
C.O.R.E. Youth - Grades 6-12 (Donnenwirth)
Real People, Real Parents - King Avenue Parents and Guardians (Fireside)
*PLEASE NOTE* First Sundays at 10:00, 4 years old to Grade 5 and their families will be welcomed to Family Godly Play in the Chapel.