King Avenue Digest 2/17/2023

February 17, 2023

UPCOMING EVENTS AND NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Friday, February 17: CORE Youth Valentine-Themed Game Night - It's game time! Join us for a Valentine's Day themed game night. Grades 6 to 12 and adult volunteers are welcome on February 17 at 6:30 PM in Donnenwirth. Feel free to deck yourself out in Valentine's gear!

  • Saturday, February 18: 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 belonging at King Avenue but haven't taken the 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 18, 9am-12pm, then we'll welcome you into membership in worship the next day on February 19. If you're interested and/or have any questions, contact Pastor Andy at andy@kingave.org.

  • Tuesday, February 21: Art with Angela - Join the Retirees Ministry and our own Angela Finney for “Art with Angela” Tuesday, February 21 at 11:30 in the Chapel. Have fun folding and cutting paper to create dazzling snowflakes and cute birds. These dazzling cutouts can be added to blank greeting cards to form your own artistic greeting cards.  All supplies will be provided.  Bring an extra pair of scissors and a sack lunch to be enjoyed after the artwork!  

  • The Season of Lent is Upon Us! Keep an eye on the online worship site's announcements page, the website - especially the Lent & Easter page - and the pew insert this Lenten Season. Prepare your heart for Easter by taking advantage of the opportunities to learn and worship.  READ MORE

  • Wednesday, February 22 at 7pm: Ash Wednesday Taizé Worship Service - Join your King Avenue worship community for a service of prayer, song and contemplation by candlelight. We will be receiving Holy Communion and the Imposition of Ashes. The service will take begin at 7pm in the Sanctuary's Milling Area (back of the sanctuary).

  • Download Lenten Devotions: Prepare your hearts this Lenten season with a devotion journey using John Wesley's Means of Grace. Download a Lenten Devotional that offers a reading and challenge for each special day such as Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and for each Sunday of Lent. Thank you Pastor Linda for preparing this guide for us!

  • Thursdays, February 23-March 30 from 6:30-7:30: John Wesley's Means of Grace Zoom Lenten Study - Pastor Linda Middelberg will host an online class that will follow themes for each week. The themes for the class will be related to John Wesley's Means of Grace, also the theme for the Lenten devotions. Each week's reading will be available on a Facebook Group on Wednesdays, and the Zoom discussion will take place on Thursdays at 6:30pm. Members are welcome to use the comments in this private Facebook Group to share ideas.  CLICK HERE TO REQUEST MEMBERSHIP IN THE FACEBOOK GROUP.  All are welcome to participate in the Thursday Zoom class even if you're not in the Facebook Group. 

  • Sundays, February 26-April 2: Lent Worship Series, Living Our Baptismal Calling - Lent is the season in which we prepare for Easter, the highest and holiest day of the year for us. We usually think of it as a season in which we give up something (eg. sweets, social media, etc.) Historically speaking, the season of Lent was a time of intense preparation in the early church for those who would be baptized on Easter Sunday. This year, we will be emulating that tradition by examining the vows we made or our parents made for us at our baptism. Each Sunday in Lent (starting February 26) we will examine a different baptismal vow - what it means and how we can live it out in our daily lives as a community of baptized, beloved followers of Jesus. CLICK TO LEARN MORE AND DOWNLOAD RESOURCES

  • Sundays, February 26-April 2: Looking Back/Moving Forward Adult Sunday School - The time of Lent can feel like we are treading on the edge of darkness as we wait for the joyous light of Easter Morning which means it can be a time for introspection. Please join us for a six week drop-in workshop, structured through a church context and designed to help us process what the Covid-19 pandemic took from us.  We will then move forward into our new understanding of what the world brings to us now. Not designed to be a rehashing of Covid grievances, but instead a time to genuinely connect while processing how Covid has changed our lives and our church. We will then transition to discussion about the good that has come out of this cataclysmic event, envision how the changes wrought by Covid in our church can be used for defining who we are as a congregation, and where we would like to see our church and ourselves in the future. While this may trigger deep feelings, we will support one another in understanding and love. This series will be at 10am on Sundays in the Fireside room, starting February 26.

  • Wednesdays, March 1-29 from 7:00-8:30pm: Stories of Authenticity and Resilience Lenten Storytelling Series - Lent is a journey through the wilderness. As a people of faith, we are not alone, but we often feel alone. We are longing for connection and community, especially during hard times. You are invited to participate in a unique, intergenerational storytelling series this Lent. Each evening, King Avenue siblings will tell personal stories of authenticity and resilience. Then we will open it up for anyone to share a 3-5 minute story in response to the speakers. Each evening will begin with a Lenten scripture reading and end with a meditative reflection. Come. Walk with us. Questions? Contact Gwen.

  • Friday, March 24 at 7:00pm - Rainbow Sorbet & Gayme Night - Your favorite LGBTQ+ ministry is back! We have decided to change our name from Spectrum to Rainbow Connections to avoid confusion with the cable company. Our first event will be on March 24 from 7-9:30. We will be hosting a game night in the Parlor. Everyone is welcome to have a sorbet, meet a gay, and make that Rainbow Connection!  We will have games for all ages. 

  • UMCOR Disaster Relief to Earthquake Victims - By now, we have all seen the horrible news out of Syria and Turkey about the devastating earthquake they experienced earlier this week. At the time of this writing, the death toll has surpassed a shocking 23,000 people - children, parents, grandparents, spouses, aunts and uncles. Upon hearing of a natural disaster, one of our first feelings is a desire to help. However, with a natural disaster of this magnitude, our second feeling is often overwhelm. But as United Methodists, we do have an opportunity to contribute to the relief effort in meaningful ways. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is the disaster response agency sponsored by our denomination. 100% of donations will be spent on the ground with the people in need. If you have the ability and feel so led, you can easily donate by clicking ON THIS LINK.

  • February is Black History Month - Look at the slideshow on Black History Month Page to learn more about black leaders not only in our country's history, but also in the United Methodist Church. Each slide contains an image. Click on the image to go to a website and learn more. You can also view a list of these topics and links on our website, kingave.org. You can also check out the Religion and Race website. R-Squared — a resource hub by The General Commission on Religion & Race (GCORR) — challenges and equips leaders in the church and beyond to dismantle racism in all its forms. They do this by championing diversity, equity, and inclusion; developing interculturally competent leaders; and catalyzing authentic community.

  • 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

  • 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. Please donate canned toothbrushes and canned vegetables for NNEMAP during the month of February. 

  • Our Spectrum Ministry is now Rainbow Connections - Our Mission Statement now states, We create a safe harbor for LGBTQ+ Christians and their allies, and witness to God’s love for everyone. Stay tuned for many fun fellowship opportunities to come!

  • Habitat for Humanity Dedication - On January 21st, the Hilliard Adopt-A-House (HAAH) affiliate of Habitat for Humanity of Mid-Ohio (HfHMO) dedicated the 27th project that it has done since the group formed in 1996.  The construction of this house on Hosack Avenue in South Columbus was paid for and staffed by the six member churches of HAAH: Amlin United Methodist Church, Indian Run United Methodist Church, Linworth United Methodist church,  St. Brendan Catholic Church, St. James Lutheran Church and of course our own King Ave. United Methodist Church! Anyone who has any questions on this ministry or is interested in joining us are encouraged to contact Trena Brown at trenabrown.31@gmail.com or Larry Ziniel at larry_ziniel@yahoo.com. We hope in the future to see a lot of new faces from KAUMC come out and pitch in as we provide more people in our Central Ohio community “a hand up, not a hand out!" READ MORE

  • POSTPONED All Church Lunch - Due to the Fellowship Hall remodel, our February All Church Lunch has been postponed tentatively to Sunday, April 16. The Kitchen Cabinet met, and is "cookin' up" some good ideas to make our next meal special! Stay tuned for details. 

 

CONTINUING NEWS

  • 2022 Giving Statements – Your 2022 Giving Statements are currently available for self-generation via Realm.  In addition, email and/or US Mail copies will be provided to all by January, 31st.  If you have any questions please contact our Stewardship Secretary, Susan Jenkins, at susan@kingave.org.

  • 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.

  • Lit Club Update - 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.  Get ready for the January conversation on Sunday, January 29 to talk about The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.  Looking ahead, February 26 will discuss Four Winds by Kristin Hannah and March 26 will discuss Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.

  • Lunch Packing Update for 2023 - King Avenue packs lunches for the Open Shelter on several Tuesdays and Thursdays... 24 times in 2023. 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!

Back