King Avenue Digest 3/15/24

March 15, 2024

The Season of Lent: Ash Wednesday, February 14 – Holy Saturday, March 30

  • February 20/21 - March 26/27: Lenten Adult Faith Formation Class Filled to Be Emptied  - "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself…" (Philippians 2:5-7a) These ancient words about Jesus' self-emptying are an invitation for privileged people to view our advantages as something to be laid aside for the good of our neighbors. Join us for a class this Lent as we ponder what Jesus calls each of us to lay down. This class has a Zoom-only option (Tuesdays at 1pm) and an in-person only option (Wednesdays at 7pm). This class is underway, but you can contact Pastor Andy (andy@kingave.org) or Pastor Karen (karen@kingave.org) if you have any questions. We will be using a book by the same title for the class. Click here to find it on Amazon. 

Lent & Easter Worship Opportunities

  • Ash Wednesday - February 14 at 7pm (Fellowship Hall)

  • Palm Sunday - March 24 at 9am (Fellowship Hall) and 11am (Sanctuary)

  • Maundy Thursday - March 28 at 7pm (Sanctuary)

  • Good Friday - March 29 at 7pm (Sanctuary)

  • Easter Sunday - March 31  at 9am (Fellowship Hall) and 11am (Sanctuary)
    (No Worship Connections or Sunday School on Easter)

*NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS AND QUICKLY-APPROACHING EVENTS* 

  • THIS SATURDAY, March 16: CYFM Retreat - Parents, children, and youth deserve rest, support, and fellowship! Workshops will be available for for parents, youth and children. We will provide childcare for infants (under 4 yrs old) in the nursery. Children will have activities in the large children’s classroom downstairs. Youth will have their own retreat in Donnenwirth. There is a limit of 5 children in the nursery, 15 children in the classroom, and 12 youth in Donnenwirth. Pizza and salad will be provided at noon for everyone. The retreat runs from 9am - 2pm, and the cost is $15 per family. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ON REALM

  • *NEW* Tuesdays 4/2-5/21: Grief Recovery Group - There will be an 8-week Grief Recovery Group held on Tuesday evenings starting on April 2, 2024, and finishing on May 21, 2024. We will meet from 6:30 to 8:30 in the Infant and Parent Room on the second floor. Registration will be on Realm, but there is no cost for this group. Books will be provided. I hope to see you. CLICK TO REGISTER

  • *NEW* April 11-14: King Avenue Players Production - King Avenue Players invite you to see its spring production of Almost, Maine - a play written by John Cariani comprised of nine short plays that explore love and loss in a remote, mythical almost-town called Almost, Maine.  This series of scenes best compared to A Midwinter’s Dream, but as a romance… a really funny, but sad romance. Performances are April 11,12, 13 at 7:30 and April 14 at 3pm. All performances will be in Fellowship Hall.

KEEP READING FOR THE REST OF OUR CURRENT HAPPENINGS AND NEWS...  

  • Tuesday, March 19: Rebels and Reconnection... Healing from Purity Culture Together - This drop-in peer support group (for over 18 yrs old) is a safe, authentic environment where we process the trauma of purity culture, connect with our own amazing bodies, and formulate our own sexual ethics. We will dive into a variety of themes, including: God and gender, purity culture history, and sex education. We will meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month from 7 to 8:30 pm. READ MORE

  • Sunday, March 24: Lit Club - Join the Lit Club on Sunday, March 24 at 7pm in the Logos Lounge. All are welcome! We will be discussing The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris. Questions? Contact Rick Gilson (rickgilson@yahoo.com).

  • Sunday, March 24: CYFM Easter Egg Hunt & Lunch - Meet your King Avenue Children, Youth, and Family group in Fellowship Hall after the 11 am service (noon-ish) and get ready to have some Easter fun. All ages are invited for a light lunch, the Easter story, crafts, and Easter eggs. Please reach out to ada@kingave.org to RSVP by March 17th. 

  • Tuesdays Beginning April 2: Caring for Creation Class - During the season of Easter we will be hosting a set of 6 classes about climate change and our responsibility to respond as people of faith and part of creation. We will learn how environmental justice contexts to our identity as United Methodists and small changes we can begin to make in our everyday lives. These classes will take place on Tuesdays from 7-8 pm from April 2-May 7. All are welcome!

  • Wednesdays, Beginning April 3: The Way to Forgiveness Class - Do you need to find forgiveness, or do you need to forgive someone in your life? Led by Bret Baird, "The Way to Forgiveness,” is an eight-week class designed to help individuals learn how to live a forgiven and forgiving life. The small group meets weekly on Wednesdays from 7:00-8:30pm to learn techniques and best practices to embrace a forgiving mindset in daily life with prayer, journaling, and sharing. CLICK TO REGISTER

  • Thursdays, Beginning April 4: Wrestling with Doubt Class - Have you ever wrestled with doubt? Have you wondered why prayers go unanswered? Or why innocent people suffer? Take a six-week journey through some of these questions with Corey Perry as we use Adam Hamilton's "Wrestling with Doubt, Finding Faith" to explore the questions that nag at us and serve to deepen our faith. This Zoom class will begin Thursday April 4 from 6:30-7:30, and will continue for 6 weeks. Registrants will receive the Zoom link via email prior to the first class.  CLICK TO REGISTER.  For the Wrestling with Doubt class, we ask that people to buy their own book. CLICK HERE for the Amazon link. If this is a problem, please contact Andy (andy@kingave.org) or Corey Perry (corey.d.perry@gmail.com). There are a limited number of books available for you to use.

  • Saturday, April 6: KAYA Murder Mystery Party - King Avenue Young Adults is having a Murder Mystery Party! If you're a young adult (18-35ish) join us on April 6 at 7pm in the Parlor to help us unravel the mystery and solve the crime. 

  • Sunday, April 7: CYFM Worship Sunday - The children and youth of King Avenue are not just the future of our beloved congregation; they are the NOW of our ministry. Join us for normal Communion Worship at 9 am or 11 am and participate as the children and youth lead each part of the worship service. If your kid(s) would like to be involved, please contact Gwen at gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com by March 18th. Please note that there will be no Worship Connections or Sunday School on April 7 since the CYFM Staff, volunteers, and families will be involved in the worship services.

  • Sunday, April 14: Guest from All In Community Ministries of West Ohio - All In Community offers experienced speakers who share their own perspective of ministry with justice-involved persons. Justice-involved ministry creation, restorative justice practices, and cultural competency work is included.  All In Community offers a variety of experienced speakers for pulpit supply and events. Each speaker brings their own unique perspective for ministry with justice-involved persons. Our speakers are pastors, lay ministry leaders, and justice-impacted persons, like our Four Friends. Some speaker are available across the conference and others are district-based. Trainers are available for the Healing Communities framework, justice-involved ministry creation, restorative practices, and cultural competency. Farrin Moss lives in the Columbus area and will be joining us at 10 AM in the Chapel for Q & A, and she will be speaking in Worship at 11 AM.  LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL IN COMMUNITY

  • Saturday, April 20: Visit Seminary Hill Farm - On April 20th from noon until 4pm, we will be going to visit Seminary Hill Farm in Delaware, Ohio. This visit will help us learn more about growing our own food, producing healthy food for all people, and explore our relationship with the land and creation. This is for youth, young adults, and those in the Creation Care classes. However, all are welcome! Please register on Realm. CLICK TO REGISTER

  • Attic Art Treasures - The February/March exhibit in our gallery entitled “Attic Art Treasures” features framed pieces of art/photograph collected from our congregation that have been tucked away somewhere. See these treasures and read the story behind them.  DOWNLOAD THE FLYER

  • REVEREND GRAYSON ATHA - Our beloved Pastor Emeritus Grayson Atha died on Sunday, February 11. Grayson served as the Senior Pastor at King Avenue United Methodist Church from 1994-2006. Grayson was invited to consider the question of whether LGBT persons should be fully included in the life of the church. He taught us that families don’t all look the same, and he expanded our imagination and ministry capacity. The impact and witness of King Avenue opened us wide in ways that we continue to seek to build God’s beloved Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. Grayson, with committed lay leadership, led the way for full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ persons in our church. During Grayson’s tenure at King Avenue, we became a Reconciling Congregation and continue to serve as a beacon of love and acceptance to many. CLICK HERE FOR THE SERVICE VIDEO

  • NNEMAP Item of the Month for March - 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 trash bags, and small bottles of cleaner/disinfectant.

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.

  • First and Third Tuesdays of the Month: Rebels and Reconnection... Healing from Purity Culture Together - This drop-in peer support group (for over 18 yrs old) is a safe, authentic environment where we process the trauma of purity culture, connect with our own amazing bodies, and formulate our own sexual ethics. We will dive into a variety of themes, including: God and gender, purity culture history, and sex education. We will meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month, beginning on Feb. 20th, from 7 to 8:30 pm. READ MORE

  • First Sundays of the Month: Kinship Campus Ministry Lunch - Meet other college students for a free monthly lunch in Donnenwirth Lounge on the first Sunday of everyy month at 12:30pm. Come upstairs right after the 11:00 worship service concludes. This lunch is open to any college student, undergrad or grad. Contact Gwen with any questions, dietary restrictions, or food allergies at gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com

  • Second Wednesdays of the Month: 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.

  • Weekly on Wednesdays: Young Adult Ministry Bible Study - The Young Adult Ministry group will hold a weekly group Bible Study. We will meet from 7pm-8pm in the Fireside Room. This study will focus on the challenging questions we ask when we read scripture and develop new skills to read for liberation and love. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FLIER

  • Last Sundays of the Month: 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 month's book is listed in the King Avenue Digest congregant blast and also on the slideshow on the monitors at church. You can also contact Rick Gilson (rickgilson@yahoo.com) to find out what the month's book is or if you'd like to be added to the communication group in Realm.

  • Every Other Sunday: 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

CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILY SUNDAY FAITH FORMATION AND WORSHIP

  • Worship Connections – 9:00am and 11:00am
    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.    

  • Sunday School Hour - 10:00 am
    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.   

OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP

  • 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 2024. All hands on deck for packing 200-400 lunches at a time! CLICK HERE  for the 2024 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  - 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 - 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

  • 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 in 2024, 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.

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