King Avenue Church

King Avenue Digest 1/16/26

January 16, 2026

 

*NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS AND QUICKLY-APPROACHING EVENTS*

• SUNDAY, January 18: Human Relations Day Special Offering - Human Relations Day is one of six churchwide Sunday offerings designated to support ministries and causes important to the entire United Methodist Church. This day invites congregations to strengthen communities, especially those facing poverty, injustice, or lack of opportunity. Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of the “beloved community.” Human Relations Day calls us to build relationships rooted in dignity, equity, and love. If you would like to give to this special offering, CLICK HERE and designate Human Relations Day in the fund pull-down menu. There will also be offering envelopes available during worship if you prefer to give cash/check. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

• SUNDAY, January 18: Food Security Workshop during the Sunday School Hour - On Sunday, Jan. 18th, we are excited to welcome community organizer and food activist, Brynette Turner, to speak about food security. We’ll learn about food supply chain concerns, gardening options, growing food from scraps, and practical food preservation options. This event will take place during the 10 am Sunday School hour (10 to 10:45 am). No RSVP necessary, just come ready to learn!

• SUNDAY, January 18: A Community Dialogue w/ PFLAG & Church for All People (offsite) - Join in an engaging chat where voices come together to share, listen, and build understanding around the LGBTQ+ Community and ongoing challenges. This relaxed event is a great chance to connect with folks from PFLAG Columbus and the UMC Church for All People, exploring the intersections of community, identity, and faith. Bring your questions, stories, and open heart - let's create a space where everyone feels welcome and heard! This event takes place from 12:30-1:30 offsite (The Church for All People). CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

• BEGINNING THURSDAY, running January 22 - March 12: Queer as Bible, Examining the Bible and Christianity Through a Queer Lens (offsite campus event) - College students are invited to join faith leaders and seekers for an interactive discussion in the Ohio Firsts Room, in the Ohio Union. Our meetings will be Thursdays, 12/22 -3/12 from 7 to 8:30 pm. We’ll be discussing Intersectional Topics within Queer Theology, History of Church and Queer Concepts, and Queer Saints and Theologians. Email Gwen at gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com with any questions.

• *NEW* Saturday, February 7: New Member Class - We all have a basic human need to belong. Many of us have found that belonging with King Avenue UMC. When we find that we belong somewhere, sometimes we feel the need to claim it and make it official. If you've found that belonging at King Avenue but haven't taken that next step, you have the opportunity to do just that at our next New Members' Class. We'll gather at the church building for class on Saturday, February 7 from 9am-12pm, then we'll welcome you into membership in worship Sunday,February 8. If you're interested and/or have any questions, contact Pastor Andy at andy@kingave.org. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

• *NEW* Monday, February 23 - March 23: Sighs Too Deep for Words, A Study of Lamentations - In this study, we will explore the book of Lamentations to learn how faithful Christians can, both individually and collectively, express feelings of grief, sadness, questioning, anger, and loss while staying true to their faith in God. We will also look at events in modern history and responses to personal and communal tragedies in various forms of artistic expression. This online (Zoom) class led by Beth Aiello will be held on Mondays from 7:00-8:30 weekly for five weeks (2/23, 3/2, 3/9, 3/16, 3/23). CLICK TO SIGN UP

• *NEW* Friday, February 27: Family Potluck & Open Mic - On Friday, Feb. 27th, from 6-9 pm, join your King Avenue family for a potluck and open mic night. We’ll eat around 6:20 pm, giving everyone a chance to arrive with food (no desserts please). And then, 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 or family appropriate tunes! Appropriate for all ages! No RSVP required.

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

• Sunday, January 28: January Lit Club Book - The King Avenue Lit Club meets on the last Sunday of the month at 7:00pm to discuss the month's book. The selection to be discussed on Sunday, January 28 is Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab.

• Fri/Sat, January 30-31: 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. We will play Nerf Wars and watch Thunderbolts: The New Avengers. Drop off your kids at 6pm on January 30th and pick them back up at 10am on January 31st. Please RSVP by January 16th so we can plan for food and all of the activities. Friends are welcome, but please register for the event. CLICK TO REGISTER

• (THIS CLASS IS UNDERWAY) January 12: Genesis for Normal People - Join Rev. Corey Perry as he takes a 6-week journey to the beginning of it all - Genesis - with Peter Enns and Jared Byas, authors of the book Genesis for Normal People. In this study, you will be able to make sense of a book that set the stage for the rest of the Bible and, in the process, understand what it is and what it isn't. This class runs Mondays for 6 weeks on Zoom, 7:00-8:15pm. Participants will be responsible for purchasing their own copy of the book.

• (THIS CLASS IS UNDERWAY) January 13/14 - February 10/11: Hearts Strangely Lukewarm... Methodism's Struggle with White Supremacy - For all the blessings of our faith tradition, we also have an ugly past. If we want to transform the world to a better future for all people, we must come to terms with that ugly past. Join us for a 5-week study of the book Our Hearts Were Strangely Lukewarm by John Elford to learn together about Methodism's struggle with white supremacy, the enduring impacts of racism in the church today, and how we can continue ridding ourselves of this disease. Two options: Tuesdays at noon on Zoom, or Wednesdays at 7pm at the church. Participants are responsible for obtaining a copy of the book. Sign up on Realm or by contacting Pastor Andy at andy@kingave.org.

• January: Item of the Month for NNEMAP - The NNEMAP Cereal Challenge is ON! NNEMAP is aiming to gather 1,000 boxes of cereal this January to support our community. We’re prioritizing wholesome, unsweetened options—think oatmeal, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, Cheerios, Wheaties, and other classics. Every box counts—how many can we collect together?

• Little Free Pantry - Helping Our Neighbors - Knowing that many in our community are facing difficult times, King Avenue is excited to introduce our very own ""Little Free Pantry."" Our goal is simple: to offer immediate, on-the-fly assistance to both our church family and neighbors in need. You can find the pantry on the lower level in the Children’s Hallway (outside the large children’s classroom). We invite everyone to be a part of this vital community service! When you notice items have run out, please help restock the pantry. This is a hands-on project for all families and kids of all ages. Kindly stock the pantry directly—do not drop off donations with Gwen.

• November - mid January: "Happy Little Trees" in the Grand Hall Gallery - The King Avenue Art Gallery will be featuring the paintings of Adam Burke in November through mid-January.

• 2026 Casa Trip Deadlines - We will be sending our next team to Casa de Misericordia on February 12-16, 2026. It costs $1,000/person. To be on the team, you must complete and submit a trip application, a copy of your passport, and payment by October 1, 2025. Financial assistance is available. Fill out and submit an application by August 18, 2025. An information session will be held Sunday, June 29 at 10am. For more information, attend the informational meeting Sunday, June 29 at 10:00 in the Chapel. CLICK HERE FOR APPLICATION • CLICK HERE FOR FINANCIAL AID REQUEST

• 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

FAITH FORMATION, FELLOWSHIP, AND SUPPORT

• 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.

• 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.

• Recurring on Second Mondays of the Month: Rebels and Reconnection - 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: faith and gender, purity culture history, and sex education. We’ll meet on the 2nd Monday of each month from 7 to 8:30 pm at King Avenue UMC. Contact Gwen with any questions: gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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. 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 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

• 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!

• Fourth and Fifth Saturdays: Gates Fourth UMC Community Breakfast - Calling all cooks, servers, and hostesses! Gates Fourth UMC serves a monthly community breakfast at 119 E. Gates St. King Avenue assists the Gates Fourth team with greeting guests, distributing clothing/personal care donations, serving meals, assisting in the kitchen, and cleaning up. For more information on getting involved, please contact Shawn Compton at comptonlaw@msn.com or (614)378-6758 or simply show up to Gates Fourth on the fourth and/or fifth Saturday of each month to enjoy a meal with your neighbors. The dress code for this food service environment is casual but please wear closed toes shoes for safety. The only skills needed for this three-hour commitment are to smile and bring hospitality to this diverse community. We hope to see you there! Gates Fourth United Methodist Church, 119 E. Gates St., Columbus, OH 43206 from 8:00-11:00am.

• 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.

• 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.

• UMCOR Disaster Relief - UMCOR is the global humanitarian organization of the United Methodist Church that provides aid to people affected by crises and disasters around the world. You can contribute to UMCOR through Realm. CLICK HERE TO GIVE.

• 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

• 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 2025, 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.

• "Safe, Secure. Together." Radical hospitality at King Avenue includes ensuring that people within our walls are safe. The objectives of Safe. Secure. Together. are to establish, communicate, and practice emergency procedures related to active aggressor, severe weather, fire, bomb threat, and other critical incidents. If you would like to learn more about the specific initiatives included in this program, access resources, or find out how to get involved, visit our "Safe. Secure. Together." webpage at kingave.org.

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