King Avenue Church

King Avenue Digest 8/19/22

August 19, 2022

CENTENNIAL CONTEMPLATIONS (Read ALL of the questions and answers on our Centennial Contemplations page.)

• Q24: Left to right facing the windows, what phase of Christ’s life does the fourth window in Swisher Chapel represent?

• A24: Left to right facing the windows, the fourth window in Swisher Chapel represents Preaching: It emphasizes the Sermon on the Mount and the calling of the disciples as well as the call on us to be Christians. The XP (Chi Rho) symbol for Christ is set on a mountain top; the Maltese cross represents the Beatitude part of the Sermon on the Mount: the net and two shields represent the calling of Peter and Andrew as they were fishermen; St. Peter’s shield shows the inverted cross on which he was crucified and St Andrew’s shield shows the “Cross Saltere” which has been said to be the type of cross on which he died.

• Q25: Left to right, what does the last window in Swisher chapel represent in the life of Jesus?

UPCOMING EVENTS AND NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

• We're Hiring a Part-Time Family Outreach and Events Coordinator - King Avenue UMC is a reconciling church where we invite, welcome and honor all people and nurture them to grow in service with Christ, and we are seeking a part-time Family Outreach and Events Coordinator. This dynamic person will be responsible for welcoming and connecting with children, youth families; support new families and new additions to the family; support pastors with integrating new families into the congregation; prepare materials as needed to aid children’s participation in worship, develop and lead children’s programs in seasonal worship opportunities; organize, promote and lead youth and family events; develop relationships with community organization; lead the children, youth and family mission and camping ministries. CLICK TO READ MORE

• We're Hiring a Part-Time Stewardship Secretary - Currently we are seeking a part-time Stewardship Secretary. This team member would be responsible for handling general accounts receivable duties and tasks for the church. Areas of responsibility include but not limited to posting weekly contributions; balance reports; manage electronic giving; manage on-line accounts; work with volunteer counting teams, maintain various spreadsheets and prepare quarterly reports. CLICK TO READ MORE

• 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.

• Did you know ...? King Avenue has been partnering with the Mid-Ohio Workers Association to host a monthly medical clinic for their members. MWA is a free and voluntary association of temporary, service, domestic, and other low-paid workers in central Ohio. They have joined together to build solutions to the poverty conditions of their members.

• Retiree Ministry Greeters Needed for September - The Retiree Ministry has volunteered to serve as Sunday Morning “Greeters” for the month of September. Your presence at the KA door will make someone’s day! We are in need of 2 people for both the 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. service. If you have a Sunday in September available to serve as a Retiree Ministry Greeter, contact Teresa Malloy at malloy29@aol.com or 614-266-9107.

• August 25: Coming Out with God - The Coming Out With God small group resumes Monday, August 25 at 7pm. COWG is a peer-to-peer support group for LGBTQIA+ Christians. Many of us struggle with aligning our faith and our identity, especially after experiencing religious trauma. Or some of us may have anxiety when we think about coming out to other Christians in our lives. God loves and celebrates the authentic and unique you! This confidential, drop-in group will discuss a variety of topics related to the challenges of coming out to ourselves and others. COWG will meet twice a month (first and third Mondays) in the Logos Lounge. Questions? Contact Pastor Andy.

• August 28: Blessing of the Backpacks, Bags and Briefcases - As students, teachers, and other school leaders return to school, we would like to offer a blessing for a positive, peaceful, and invigorating year of learning. Bring your backpack, bag or briefcase to church on Sunday, August 28th, so that we may share a blessing together.

• August 28: Lit Club - Get in on the conversation by reading this month's book, and getting together on Sunday, August 28, 2022 at 7:00pm in the Logos Lounge with other King Avenue friends. This month's book is The Women They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore.

• September 8: Hubbard Volunteers Community Event - Hubbard is having a community event on September 8 to connect their students and families with community resources. As one of Hubbard's community partners, King Avenue will have a booth there to show our support for Hubbard Elementary School, their students, and their teachers. Thanks to our volunteers and their continued partnership with Hubbard!

• Thursdays Beginning September 8: King Avenue Music Ministry - New Singers Welcome! Our Music Ministry is always welcoming new members to join our ensembles. Chancel Choir meets on Thursday evenings at 7:30 and sings 3-4 times each month in the 11 AM service. We also prepare for special seasonal services during Advent and in the spring. Some choral experience is helpful, but not required. Bell Choir meets on Thursday evenings at 6:15 PM and typically rings once a month during the 11 AM service. Smaller ensembles occasionally ring for the 9 AM service as well. Some ringing experience is necessary, as we generally ring at a medium to high difficulty level. Blenders vocal ensemble meets on Wednesdays at 5:30 PM and sings each week during the 9 AM service. We would also welcome bass and guitar to our group. Instrumentalists are also welcome to share special music throughout the year. For information about any of our music ensembles, please contact Chris McManus, Minister of Music, at cmcmanus711@gmail.com.

• Beginning September 11: A Call to Faithfulness Adult Sunday School Class - Corey Perry will be leading a six-week adult Sunday School Class beginning Sunday, September 11. 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.

• Beginning September 11: Sundays for Kids and Families - It's time! Sunday Morning programs for children, youth, and parents begin on September 11. We look forward to seeing everyone at Sunday School. There's something for everyone! READ ALL ABOUT IT

• September 11, noon-2pm: Fall Kickoff Party - Join us for our Fall Kick-off Party as we come home and celebrate our church life together. We'll have pizza, play games, and explore all the ways we can grow in our faith together. Contact Gwen at gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com for ways to get involved with children, youth, family, and college-age ministries. Since games, activities, and inflatable will be set up in the South (ramp) Parking lot, please park in the West (King Avenue) lot or the Pennsylvania Lot on Sunday, September 11.

• Announcing a Triple-Header of Ministers Coming Home! To celebrate the Centennial Celebration year of our beautiful church, we are hosting several former pastors. Following Linda Middelberg's message from the pulpit last month, we will be hosting three consecutive weeks of very special guest preachers to come home and preach. John Keeny is preaching September 18; Don Wallick is preaching September 25; and Grayson Atha will be preaching October 2. Let's fill the pews and enjoy these homecomings together!

• Home Groups Coming Early Fall! 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.

• Wednesdays beginning September 14: Midweek Grief Recovery Course - Jennifer Tower will be leading an eight-week class for adults on grief beginning Wednesday, Septembrer 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.

• Sign up by September 19: Casa de Misericordia Mexico Mission Trip 2023 - We are thrilled to announce the dates for our annual trip to support the orphanage in Mexico. We will leave Columbus on Thursday, March 2nd, and return Monday, March 6th. You need a passport. The deadline to sign up is September 19th and the cost is $900, which includes airfare, lodging, and most meals. You are required to have a passport by September 30th. Please contact Gwen at gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com. Gracias!

• September 25: Lit Club - Get in on the conversation by reading the month's book, and getting together on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at 7:00pm in the Logos Lounge with other King Avenue friends. This month's book is he Huntress by Kate Quinn.

• 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.

• 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!

• October 9: Centennial Celebration - Don't miss worship on Sunday, October 9. We will be celebrating 299 King Avenue's Centennial with a very special service (both 9am and 11am) to celebrate this magnificent building we call home.

• October 9: Centennial Celebration Lunch at J Lui - To celebrate King Avenue's Centennial, we will be holding a luncheon at J Liu in Worthington (6880 High Street) on Sunday, October 9. The doors open at 1:00, and the buffet will begin at 1:30. The cost for this luncheon is $35. There will also be a cash bar at the event. The buffet includes: Garden Salad, Potato and Herb Crusted Tilapia, Sesame Chicken, Vegetarian Pasta Primavera, White Rice, Smashed Redskin Potatoes, Green Beans, Warm Rosemary Rolls, Coffee, and Iced Tea or Hot Tea, and Gourmet Miniature Desserts. You will be able to register and purchase tickets in Realm. Space is somewhat limited.

• A Few More Parkers Needed - The OSU Parking Mission for King Avenue schedules volunteers to park cars in the King Avenue parking lot for home Buckeye games. The money collected goes towards the missions of our church. We still have room for additional volunteers. Volunteers can commit for as few as one game, and is 2-3 hours of volunteering. The games we need assistance on are as follows: September 3, September 17, September 24, October 1, and October 22. If you have some availability, please contact Shawn Compton at comptonlaw@msn.com.

CONTINUING NEWS

• 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

• Coming Out with God - Coming Out With God (COWG) is a peer-to-peer support group for LGBTQIA+ Christians. Many of us struggle with aligning our faith and our identity, especially after experiencing religious trauma. We may have anxiety when we think about coming out to other Christians in our lives. This confidential, drop-in group will discuss a variety of topics related to the challenges of coming out to ourselves and others. God loves and celebrates the authentic and unique you! COWG will meet twice a month (first and third Mondays) in the Logos lounge at 7pm. COWG is designed with adults in mind. LGBTQIA+ support is available for children, youth and families at King Avenue. Please contact Gwen DeRosa (gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com).

• 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.

OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP

• August 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 tomato products, up to 15 oz and razor blades. Hubbard needs "less common school supplies - deodorant, toothbrushes & toothpaste, and socks.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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