
King Avenue Digest 1/31/25
January 31, 2025
*NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS AND QUICKLY-APPROACHING EVENTS*
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THIS WEEKEND, 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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THIS 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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THIS COMING THURSDAY, February 6: Pathways to Queer Thriving Panel - 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, 6:30-8:00pm in the Fellowship Hall. Light, thriving refreshments will be served.
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NEXT 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.
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NEXT SATURDAY, February 8: 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 8 from 9am-12pm, then we'll welcome you into membership in worship the next day on February 9. If you're interested and/or have any questions, contact Pastor Andy at andy@kingave.org. CLICK TO REGISTER
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*NEW* NNEMAP Item of the Month for February - 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 oatmeal and cereal for NNEMAP Food Pantry.
KEEP READING FOR THE REST OF OUR CURRENT HAPPENINGS AND NEWS...
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Thursday, February 20: Retirees Realm Refresh - It’s been a year since our Realm Basic Training, and you may still have some questions. Let’s meet again to renew and improve our Realm skills. Rhonda Luetje and Susan Jenkins will lead our class. The Retirees Ministry will provide lunch. Thursday February 20 at 11AM in the Chapel. Please register on Realm so can reserve a box lunch for you. Questions? Contact Rhonda Luetje (rhonda@kingave.org) or Susan Jenkins (susan@ kingave.org ). CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
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Friday, February 28: All Church PJ Movie Night - Join us for pizza, popcorn, and pj’s as we watch Inside Out 2. Pizza will be available at 6 pm on Friday, Feb. 23rd, in the Fellowship Hall. Movie will start at 6:45 pm. Please RSVP with Gwen (gwen@kingave.org) by Feb. 20th so we can order enough pizza. Donation request: $5 per person or $10 per family, if possible (not required). Everyone is welcome, so bring your friends!
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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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UMCOR Wildfire Relief for Southern California - On January 7, strong Santa Ana winds in Los Angeles caused wildfires to spread rapidly in multiple communities. Thousands of homes and businesses have been destroyed, as well as multiple local United Methodist Churches. Preliminary assessments of the damage is underway. UMCOR has awarded two solidarity grants to the California-Pacific Annual Conference to undergird their immediate relief efforts. This includes evacuee support like food and essential supplies as well as support for volunteer efforts and other relief activities. If you want to offer financial support, you can give to UMCOR through Realm. CLICK TO GIVE
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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.
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Donations Gratefully Accepted - We are collecting hats and gloves/mittens for Hubbard Elementary School students. Also the items of the month for NNEMAP are ceral and toilet paper. There are collection bins/carts at church marked for your donations. Thanks in advance for your generosity!
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Save the Date! Let your creative side run wild as you explore music, art, drama, and creative writing at M.A.D. Camp June 2-6, 2025 from 5:30-9:00 pm! This fantastic experience is the first offering of its kind from King Avenue Players and King Avenue UMC. If you are a child currently in Grades K-8, then you are eligible to sign up! The cost per child is $22.50 and it includes dinner each evening at 5:30 pm. There will also be a family dinner on Friday night before our final Showcase and Art Show to celebrate our campers and their talents. CLICK TO LEARN MORE AND REGISTER.
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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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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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!
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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.
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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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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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Hubbard Tutoring in Underway! 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. Our tutoring takes place during the school day, usually once/week for a couple of hours. If you have any questions, contact Pastor Andy at andy@kingave.org.
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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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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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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.