King Avenue Digest 1/10/25
January 10, 2025
*NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS AND QUICKLY-APPROACHING EVENTS*
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*HEADS UP* Elevator Closed - Please be aware that the elevator is being assessed this week for an oil leak in one of its cylinders. It will not be available for use this week or weekend. We'll share more information after a full assessment. Remember that the ramp door (south entrance) will get you to the Fellowship Hall for Morning Blend, and the West Door has a chair lift to get you to the Sanctuary. Thanks for your understanding!
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THIS FRIDAY, January 10: Disney Karaoke Night - On Friday, January 10th, from 7-9 pm, the Fellowship Hall will transform into a stage for the whole church. Bring your voices and your friends. Then, let’s belt out our favorite Disney tunes! Light refreshments will be served. Appropriate for all ages!
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THIS SUNDAY, January 12: Baptism of the Lord Sunday - The celebration of the Baptism of the Lord is observed on the first Sunday after Epiphany each year. On this day, the baptized recommit themselves to live out their baptismal vows alongside seekers listening to Jesus to find out what following him may mean for them. Join us!
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THIS SUNDAY, January 12: Blessing Bags Service Project - Join us after the 11am service on Sunday, January 12th, to create Blessing Bags in the Fellowship Hall. These are bags with useful items for our houseless neighbors. All are welcome!
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THIS COMING WEDNESDAY, January 15: Retirees Soup and Games 11:00-1:00 - Start the new year with food, fellowship, and fun. Join your friends in the Retirees Ministry on Wednesday, January 15 at 11:00 AM for soup and games. We have easy-to-learn games for you to try, and you are welcome to bring playing cards if you want to get a card game going. We will serve soup, salad, relishes, coffee, and water. If you want to provide a soup or side salad, notify Carmen (614-582-5470).
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*NEW* Donations Gratefully Accepted - We are collecting hats and gloves/mittens for Hubbard Elementary School students. Also the items of the month for NNEMAP are toothpaste and toilet paper. There are collection bins/carts at church marked for your donations. Thanks in advance for your generosity!
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*NEW* 2025 Dates for Open Shelter Lunch Packing - King Avenue packs lunches for the Open Shelter on several Tuesdays and Thursdays... 24 times in 2025. All hands on deck for packing 200-400 lunches at a time! CLICK HERE for the 2025 schedule, and join when you're able. All days/dates are 6:00pm in the King Avenue kitchen. Many hands make light work! We're often finished in less an an hour. Contact Andy (andy@kingave.org) if you'd like to be added to the group on Realm, or just show up one of the Tuesdays or Thursdays and get started. The first Thursday date for 2025 is January 16, and the first Tuesday date is January 28. We'd love to add you to the team.
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*NEW* Next Sunday, January 19: Human Relations Sunday - Human Relations Day is a special Sunday across our denomination, focused on fostering better relationships and supporting community and youth outreach. On the Sunday before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, we take up a special offering to help bring his vision of a “beloved community” to life. Your gifts support important programs like Community Developers, United Methodist Voluntary Services, and Youth Offender Rehabilitation. We invite you to give through Realm to help us continue this vital work together.
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*NEW* Thursday, February 6: Panel on Transforming Trauma into Thriving - Join us for an inspirational program where you’ll have the opportunity to learn how to transform trauma into thriving. We’ll first explore the unrelenting personal, structural, and collective trauma our community has experienced, and understand the consequences personally and for our community. When trauma is addressed in a healthy way, it leads to the development of resilience and post-traumatic growth, which queer psychologists have redefined as “queer thriving.” A panel of intergenerational LGBTQAI+ folks will share their journeys, stories and dialog with each other and the audience, demonstrating new pathways to queer thriving. This program is open to all who want to learn more about how to become more resilient and thrive in their lives. All are welcome February 6, 6:30-8:30pm in the Fellowship Hall. Light, thriving refreshments will be served.
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*NEW* Friday, February 7: District Wide Youth Group Event - Join youth groups from all over our district at Stonybrook United Methodist Church for an epic night of food, games, a youth panel, worship, and small groups. Email Gwen (gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com) for more info.
KEEP READING FOR THE REST OF OUR CURRENT HAPPENINGS AND NEWS...
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Sunday, January 26: Lit Club Book for January - 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 The Women by Kristin Hannah.
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Friday/Saturday, 1/31-2/1: CORE Youth Group Overnight - Youth in grades 6th through 12th are invited to join Gwen and Pastor Andy for a night of fun, fellowship, and faith. Drop off your kids at 6pm on January 31st and pick them back up at 10am on February 1st. Please RSVP by January 12th so we can plan for food and all of the activities. Friends are welcome, but please register for the event. Contact Gwen at gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com for the registration link.
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Sunday, February 2: Communion - We will be celebrating Communion in both services this Sunday. If you're able, we encourage you to join us in-person to meet Jesus and each other at the table. If you aren't able, be sure to have some bread and grape juice or wine with you, wherever you are worshiping from.
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OPEN, Our Daily Devotional - Join your King Avenue family in reading through the Gospels and Acts in 2025! Starting in January, we will begin OPEN, a daily devotional that will deliver a bite-sized reading from the Gospels to your email inbox daily. The best part is many of the devotionals will be written by King Avenue members because we believe Jesus has something to say in the Gospels to each of us and through each of us. Our name "OPEN" reflects the King Avenue UMC theme song and positioning statement (Open minds, Open hearts, Open doors). In 2025, we want to OPEN the Gospels together day by day. If you want to join us in this journey, complete this form to sign up. CLICK TO SIGN UP FOR OPEN DAILY DEVOTIONALS
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Additional Sermon Starters Opportunity - Sermon Starters is a weekly small-group discussion of the upcoming Sunday's scripture lessons facilitated by Pastor Karen and Pastor Andy. Questions, insights, and stories help the pastors to think through their Sunday sermon ideas, as well as give participants a head start on their consideration of the week's lesson. Let Pastor Karen know (karen@kingave.org) if you'd like to be added to the Realm email group to receive the scriptures ahead of time. All are welcome in this "drop in" Bible Study. Along with our long-standing Tuesday 7am opportunity in the Parlor, we are adding a Wednesday 6pm opportunity in the Chapel starting this week.
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Letters to the Casa - Our relationship with Casa de Misericordia doesn't end with one trip per year, but continues throughout the year with our prayers, our donations, and now with letters. We want to send letters to the Casa to let them know that we love them and we're praying for them throughout the year, even when our teams aren't there. You can help us out by writing a letter! We have people to translate if you don't know Spanish. Just give them to Pastor Andy leave them in the box on the welcome desk, or email them to Andy at andy@kingave.org and we'll send them to the Casa.
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Hubbard Tutors Needed - King Avenue has been a community partner with Hubbard Elementary School for several years. One of the ways we love and serve our neighbors there is by tutoring students during the school day. This is a great way to serve your community and we’re always looking for more tutors. Tutoring takes place during the school day, usually once/week for a couple of hours. If you would like to tutor or have any questions, contact Pastor Andy at andy@kingave.org.
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NNEMAP Item of the Month for January - 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. In January, we are collecting toothpaste and toilet paper for NNEMAP Food Pantry.
FAITH FORMATION, FELLOWSHIP, AND SUPPORT
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Recurring on Mondays: Retirees Church at Home - Is your heart yearning for a spiritual connection with other Retirees? Consider joining the Retirees’ Church at Home, a weekly bible study that originated when the 2020 pandemic thrust many retirees into isolation. Today, the group remains committed and diligent in providing fellowship, meaningful discussions and connection with each other. The group meets Monday mornings from 11:00-12:00 on Zoom, where various members lead the study using the devotions from the Upper Room. If you are interested in participating with the Retirees’ Church at Home, contact Teresa Malloy at malloy29@aol.com or Dennis Chew at dennischew@me.com.
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Recurring Weekly on Tuesday mornings & Wednesday evenings: Sermon Starters - Sermon Starters is a weekly small-group discussion of the upcoming Sunday's scripture lessons facilitated by Pastor Karen and Pastor Andy. Questions, insights, and stories help the pastors to think through their Sunday sermon ideas, as well as give participants a head start on their consideration of the week's lesson. Let Pastor Karen know (karen@kingave.org) if you'd like to be added to the Realm email group to receive the scriptures ahead of time. All are welcome in this "drop in" Bible Study Tuesdays at 7am in the Parlor, and Wednesdays at 6pm in the Chapel.
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Recurring on First & Third Tuesdays of the Month: Rebels and Reconnection - Join this drop-in support group (18+) where we explore themes such as God and gender, purity culture history, and sex education. This group meets monthly on the first Tuesdays in Donnenwirth Lounge at 7pm.
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Recurring on 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.
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Recurring on Thursdays: Young Adults Small Group - King Avenue Young Adults will gather weekly to be with each other, check in with each other and share how their walk with Jesus is going. Thursdays at 6:30pm here at the church. If you're 18-35 years old, you're welcome to join us.
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Recurring on First Saturdays of the Month: King Avenue Men's Group - The King Avenue Men's Group is a monthly get-together with men of different ages and backgrounds meeting in fellowship to discuss diverse topics of living as Christians. We meet on the first Saturday of month at 10:30am. For more information, please contact Roger Blocher rblocher01@gmail.com.
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Recurring on Second and Fourth Saturdays: Young Adult Online Small Group - The Young Adult group is having an online small group for young adults who are a part of King Ave, yet unable to come to an in-person small group. We will provide the Zoom link. Please let Andy Burns or Mackalyn Figgins know if you are interested. This twice/month Zoom gathering will run from 10-11am.
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First Sundays of the Month: Kinship Campus Lunch - You are invited to our free monthly lunch at 12:30 pm in the Logos Lounge (basement, next to the kitchen). Bring friends! Email Gwen at gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com with any questions.
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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.
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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
OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP
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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.
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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.
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Lunch Packing - King Avenue packs lunches for the Open Shelter on several Tuesdays and Thursdays... 24 times in 2025. All hands on deck for packing 200-400 lunches at a time! CLICK HERE for the 2025 schedule, and join when you're able. All days/dates are 6:00pm in the King Avenue kitchen. Many hands make light work!
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Breakfast for the Homeless at Gates Fourth - Calling all cooks, servers, and hostesses! Gates Fourth UMC provides monthly community breakfasts. Gates Fourth is located at 119 E. Gates St. Columbus, OH 43206. On fourth Saturdays of each month, King Avenue assists the Gates Fourth team with greeting guests, distributing clothing/personal care donations, serving meals, assisting in the kitchen, and cleaning up. If you are interested in volunteering, simply arrive at the church at 8am and enter through the west doors along Fourth St. The only skills needed for this three-hour commitment is to smile and the desire to bring hospitality to this diverse community. We hope to see you there!
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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.
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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.
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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
ADDITIONAL ITEMS OF NOTE
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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!
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