King Avenue Digest 8/5/22
August 5, 2022
This week's King Avenue Digest COVID Protocols King Avenue Church has moved from mask optional to MASKS RECOMMENDED. You will see staff, greeters, and ushers wearing masks. Please know that your decision to mask or not mask is a decision you make for you and your family. We encourage everyone to support one another and treat one another with empathy and kindness. There will be no mask-shaming either way! Online worship will continue to be an option for those not quite ready for in-person worship, those who are not feeling well, or those who have been exposed to COVID-19. You can access our online worship site by going to bit.ly/ka-church-online. CENTENNIAL CONTEMPLATIONS (Read ALL of the questions and answers on our Centennial Contemplations page.) Q22: Left to right facing the windows, what phase of Christ’s life does the second window in Swisher Chapel represent? A22: The second window represents Teaching: Jesus teaching in the temple at age 12, is represented by the IHC, which is an abbreviation of the Greek word, IHCOYC, meaning Jesus; the lamp of knowledge symbolizes wisdom; the high priests hearing Jesus and asking questions is represented by a jeweled, gold fringed breast plate; scriptures and laws are represented by the scroll on the right, while the temple is depicted in the lower left corner; the vine at the bottom (Myrtle) symbolizes youth. Q23: Left to right facing the windows, what phase of Christ’s life does the middle window represent? UPCOMING EVENTS AND NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS Be part of the game day excitement! Are you looking for a fun easy way to get involved and be a part of the King Avenue Missions Team? If so, join the King Avenue OSU Parking Crew as we cheer on the Buckeyes success in 2022. We are currently seeking volunteers to assist Buckeye fans with parking in the King Avenue parking lot during all home games on the dates below. Whether you sign up for one game or the entire season, this unique and important mission will not disappoint. Please contact Shawn Compton at comptonlaw@msn.com for more information or to join the team. 9/03 Notre Dame 7:30pm; 9/10 Arkansas State noon; 9/17 Toledo 7:00pm; 9/24 Wisconsin TBD; 10/01 Rutgers TBD; 10/22 Iowa TBD; 11/12 Indiana TBD; 11/26 *ichigan noon 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. Sign Up to be a Hubbard Volunteer! We have a wonderful partnership with Hubbard Elementary School and we are looking for volunteers willing to love and serve the students, teachers and faculty at Hubbard. This could include tutoring, helping with school events, donating items, and more. If you're interested in joining this vital partnership, let Pastor Andy know at andy@kingave.org. August 7: Calling All Singers! All are welcome to sing in the Summer Choir on JAugust 7 & 14. We'll gather in the music room on Sunday morning at 10:15 to learn a simple anthem for that day's service. It's a wonderful way to meet new folks and share your talents. For more information, contact Chris McManus, Minister of Music, at cmcmanus711@gmail.com Sunday August 7, 4-6 pm: District Wide Youth Ministry Color Party - Join Youth Groups from Capital Area North & South Churches (6th to 12th grades) at Indian Run UMC (6305 Brand Rd, Dublin) for Color Games (Color Obstacle Course, Color Slip n Slide, and Color Tag), Pizza, and Worship. All youth groups from Capital Area Churches are invited to gather for an evening of community building, a color party, food, and worship. The purpose of the event is to gather youth from across the district to build community and partnership across our ministries. Register with Gwen (gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com) by July 31. CLICK HERE to view the Facebook Event. August 18: Retirees to CMOA - Join the Retirees Ministry on Thursday, August 18th, for fellowship and fun as we explore the extraordinary works of Raphael. The Retirees Ministry will receive a special admission price of $10. If you wish to carpool, meet at the King Avenue Church parking lot at 11:00. Parking at the museum is $7. We will meet in the lobby of the museum at 11:30. A docent will be available for our group at 12:30 for the Raphael exhibit. We have a reserved space for lunch at 11:30. Bring your own lunch or purchase at the museum’s café. You are encouraged to bring your own lunch due to the limited size of the museum café. Additional information will be posted on Realm. Please RSVP to Teresa Malloy (malloy29@aol.com) or Angela Finney (angelafinney51@gmail.com). CLICK TO LEARN MORE Coming Soon! Sunday School Kick-off is September 11th. Stay tuned for volunteer opportunities to work with children and youth! CONTINUING NEWS Giving to the History and Records Committee Discretionary Fund - As you probably know, King Avenue Church has a rich history. Our volunteers at the History & Records Committee have carefully and thoughtfully worked to preserve this by creating a booklet for those who would like to learn more. To be the most inclusive, the Committee would like to offer these booklets for free to anyone who would like one. In order to do this, they need help offsetting publishing costs. Please consider making a donation on Realm or writing a check to King Avenue Church and putting “History & Records Committee Discretionary Fund” in the memo. Many thanks for considering this! Pastoral Response to Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Ruling - We sent an email blast on June 25 following the Supreme Court ruling on Roe vs Wade. We are very aware of the pain, anger, fear and anxiety that this ruling has brought about for many in our church community. Please know that your King Avenue family loves you so much and is keeping you close in our prayers. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL PASTORAL RESPONSE Reflecting on Pride 2022 - Pride 2022 was a fantastic opportunity for King Avenue Church to witness that God's Love is for ALL PEOPLE! Thanks for the fellowship, fun, and outreach with your King Avenue family. Visit the King Avenue website, and take a look at our Pride page. You can view a photo gallery, watch a "highlight" video of pictures set to music, and listen to the Pride Worship Service witnesses. CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE PRIDE PAGE. Response to Mass Shootings - We are saddened, afraid, angry, and numb after recent shootings that have occurred, specifically the Buffalo supermarket shooting, the California Church shooting, and the Robb Elementary School shooting in Texas. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STATEMENT AND LEARN HOW TO GET INVOLVED. Response to Anti-Gay & Trans Legislation - In light of the “Don’t Say Gay or Trans’ bill (HB 1557) in Florida and the directive by Texas Governor Greg Abbott that denigrates the lives of the LGBTQIA+ community and threatens the lives of transgender children and their families, the pastors, staff, and congregation of King Avenue United Methodist Church offer this response. CLICK TO READ MORE ACTS Committee April 2022 Statement - The ACTS Committee has met in 2022, reviewed and updated information related to our past recommendations, and remain steadfast about our response to the Traditionalist Plan. King Avenue Church will be actively supporting LGBTQIA+ ministries and actively supporting a future that honors, nurtures, and includes ALL. King Avenue will remain a welcoming, reconciling, and serving church which shares God's love with ALL! King Avenue Church will not change what it is and what it stands for. The ACTS Committee remains optimistic about the future and resolute in our recommendations. King Avenue Church will remain an active voice in our district, conference, and beyond on behalf of LGBTIQA+ ministries. CLICK HERE TO READ THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS 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. Here are the upcoming books and dates: 7/31/22 The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson; and 8/28/22 The Women They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore. Rent and Utility Assistance - Are you experiencing hardship as a result of COVID-19? Let us help! Go to https://columbus.applyforhope.com/home, scroll to The Stable Housing Initiative (LifeCare Alliance ERA 1), and click Apply.
To be eligible, you must be a Franklin County resident, have an income at or below 80% of the area median income, and be delinquent on rent or utilities due to hardship as a result of COVID-19.
DOWNLOAD THE FLYER FOR MORE DETAILS. OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP Sign Up to be a Hubbard Volunteer! We have a wonderful partnership with Hubbard Elementary School and we are looking for volunteers willing to love and serve the students, teachers and faculty at Hubbard. This could include tutoring, helping with school events, donating items, and more. If you're interested in joining this vital partnership, let Pastor Andy know at andy@kingave.org. 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 Getting Involved with the King Avenue Players - Would you like to be involved with the theatrical productions at KAUMC? The King Avenue Players are looking for people who love the arts, love theater, and would like to help in some way to make sure this ministry continues. YOU choose the level of involvement that is comfortable for you. Actor? PERFECT! Crew? PERFECT! Organizing? PERFECT! Ushering? PERFECT! We need all of you. Please contact Pastor Becky or Pastor Andy, or write a note with your name on the bulletin. Thank you! 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. Hiring King Avenue Childcare Staff - Childcare staff positions available in the King Avenue UMC nursery. Must be 19 years of age, provide proof of vaccination and complete a background check. Experience with babies and toddlers up to age 3 is preferred. Hours: Sundays from 8:30am-12:30pm. Starts at $13/hr. Contact Pastor Becky (becky@kingave.org) for more information and to apply. 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 Chris McManus 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.
Friday, August 5 - Friday August 12
As cases of COVID-19 continue to increase in Franklin County and across the state, Columbus and Franklin County public health agencies issued indoor mask advisories, urging residents to wear masks indoors and in crowded places. Columbus Public Health said in a news release that it enacted the advisory because Franklin County is now listed as a high level of transmission on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest COVID-19 data tracker.