King Avenue Digest 5/4/24

May 4, 2024

Sunday, May 5: Summary of UMC General Conference in Both Services - United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte NC wraps up on Friday after 10 days. We could not be more delighted in the results — in the words of Bill Brownson from last Sunday, "They are all going in the direction King Avenue has hoped for." And so they have. The word and sentiment of incompatibility is no more! This Sunday, we'll hear from people who were in the room where it happened. We hope you'll be with us as we sing some of our most powerful songs, hear a word from Pastor Andy Burns, and receive Holy Communion at our shared table where we'll be fed and nourished so that we can feed and nourish the world, in Christ's name. Come as we worship together, digest the Good News, and celebrate together. We hope to see you at 9am or 11am.

 

*NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS AND QUICKLY-APPROACHING EVENTS*

  • THIS SUNDAY, May 5: Blessing Bags - Join us at noon-ish after the 11am service on May 5th to create Blessing Bags. The bags are made with life essentials such as water, food, soap, etc. Families take a couple with them after filling them and hand them to houseless people they see throughout their daily lives. We also offer a list for families to take home so they can make their own blessings bags. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall, ALL are welcome.

  • *NEW* Sunday, May 12 - CYFM Volunteer Recognition - Please join us in celebrating the amazing CYFM volunteers who give of their time, energy, experience, and love to our kids throughout the year. We will honor them during both worship services. Volunteers may pick up a small gift from the CYFM table in the children’s hallway.

  • *NEW* Sunday, May 19 - Graduation Sunday - Please join us in celebrating the 2024 graduates (high school, college, and seminary students) during both worship services. Contact Gwen with any questions or concerns at gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com ."

  • *NEW* A Hilliard Adopt-A-House (Habitat for Humanity) Update - The HOAH ceremony and first work day for the new build is May 18th. The new family is delightful! Hassan (the dad) was born in Somlia, and his family moved to a refugee camp in Kenya when he was four. They moved to the US (Michigan) in 1999 when he was 12. He came to Columbus in 2010. Hassan (the mom) is a driver for Priority Dispatch of Columbus. Mulki was born in Somalia, and her mother moved them to England when Mulki was only four. Her father stayed in Somalia. Mulki came to the US in 2015. She works for 1-800-FLOWERS. Hassan and Muki have three children. Muhammad, is seven years old and their two girls, Nusaybah and Nawaal are eight and one and a half. The team is excited to build another home for families in need. Thanks to those on the team for giving of their time and talents. They are surely the Hands and Feet of God!

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

  • Attention Gardeners & Green Thumbs - Help keep King Avenue UMC in a rainbow of colors this summer by adopting a flowerbed around the church. You'll plant your flowerbed with annuals by Sunday, May 12 (Mother's Day) and care for them and the blooms all summer long. If you are interested in adopting a flowerbed of your own, or if you'd like to weed any flowerbed, please contact Amy Ashburn in the church office at (614) 424-6050 X100, or amy@kingave.org. Thanks!

  • Panelists Needed - Do you identify as Bi? Would you like to share your experience on a panel? Reach out to Gwen at gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com if you’re interested in participating in the "Bi The Way" event on May 28th at 7pm.

  • Help Needed: We urgently need volunteers in the nursery at church. We are looking for adult volunteers to help Jason Cooley and Jane Irwin with the babies and toddlers. You can volunteer for one or two hours once a month throughout the year. Please talk to Ada Wilcox at ada@kingave.org to get more information. Thanks!

  • Wednesday, May 15: Take Me Out to the Ball Game with the Retiree Ministry - Join the Retiree Ministry as we “root, root, root for the home team; if they don’t win, it’s a shame." Let’s spend the afternoon at Huntington Park as the Columbus Clippers host the Louisville Bats. Game day is Wednesday, May 15 with first pitch at 12:05PM. (TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT ARE SOLD OUT.)

  • Sunday, May 19 - Kick Cancer Concert & Silent Auction to Benefit LLS - The Kick Cancer Concert is going to be fabulous! Join us on Sunday, May 19 in the King Avenue Sanctuary for a fun-filled afternoon of wonderful up-beat music (by HeartSong and special guests). There will also be an UNBELIEVABLE silent auction! Doors open at 2:30 for the silent auction, and the concert begins at 3:00. The concert is free, but a Freewill Offering for the cause is greatly appreciated! Bring a friend and we invite you to wear your favorite tennis shoes and let’s Kick Cancer! Can’t come? LEARN MORE AND DONATE

  • Sunday, May 26: Peace With Justice - United Methodists relate to this special Sunday by seeking peaceful solutions, creating and supporting peace-related ministries in their conference and learning about peaceful, just efforts around the world. Our Social Principles call us to love our enemies, seek justice, and serve as reconcilers of conflict. We insist that the first moral duty of all nations is to work together to resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises between or among them. Look for special giving envelopes during worship, or use the drop-down menu on Realm to give online.

  • Friday, July 26: State Fair Parkers Needed - As a fundraiser, NNEMAP parks cars during the Ohio State Fair. Last year they raised $22,000! Area churches sign up to staff the lot for one full day. King Avenue's day is Friday, July 26. We need a total of 8 people... 3 parkers from 8-noon, 3 parkers from noon-4, and 2 parkers from 4-8. Also, there's always a staff person on duty who knows what's going on! Grab a friend, and sign up for a slot! CLICK HERE TO ADD YOUR NAME If you have trouble signing up, you can call Amy at the church office and she can add you. 614-424-6050. Thanks!

  • (UNDERWAY) Tuesdays, April 9 - May 14: Caring for Creation Class - During the season of Easter we will be hosting a set of 6 classes about climate change and our responsibility to respond as people of faith and part of creation. We will learn how environmental justice contexts to our identity as United Methodists and small changes we can begin to make in our everyday lives. These classes will take place on Tuesdays from 7-8 pm from April 9-May 14. This class is underway.

  • (UNDERWAY) Tuesdays, April 9 - May 28: Grief Recovery Group - There will be an 8-week Grief Recovery Group held on Tuesday evenings starting on April 9, 2024, and finishing on May 28, 2024. We will meet from 6:30 to 8:30 in the Infant and Parent Room on the second floor. This group is underway.

  • (UNDERWAY) Wednesdays, April 3 - May 22: The Way to Forgiveness Class - Do you need to find forgiveness, or do you need to forgive someone in your life? Led by Bret Baird, "The Way to Forgiveness,” is an eight-week class designed to help individuals learn how to live a forgiven and forgiving life. The small group meets weekly on Wednesdays from 7:00-8:30pm to learn techniques and best practices to embrace a forgiving mindset in daily life with prayer, journaling, and sharing. This class is underway.

  • (UNDERWAY) Thursdays, April 4 - May 9 Wrestling with Doubt Class - Have you ever wrestled with doubt? Have you wondered why prayers go unanswered? Or why innocent people suffer? Take a six-week journey through some of these questions with Corey Perry as we use Adam Hamilton's "Wrestling with Doubt, Finding Faith" to explore the questions that nag at us and serve to deepen our faith. This Zoom class will begin Thursday April 4 from 6:30-7:30, and will continue for 6 weeks. Registrants will receive the Zoom link via email prior to the first class. This class is underway.

  • NNEMAP Item of the Month for May - 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 chicken for the month of May.

FAITH FORMATION, FELLOWSHIP, AND SUPPORT

  • First Sundays are Communion Sundays! On the first Sunday of every month, there is no Worship Connections. Everyone is invited to fully participate in worship services and communion. For parents and kids 4 yrs to 5th grade, there is Family Godly Play in the Chapel at 10 am. No other parent or children's Sunday School class will take place on the first Sundays of the month. The CORE Youth Group will still meet in Donnenwirth for their SS class.

  • 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.

  • First and Third Tuesdays of the Month: Rebels and Reconnection... Healing from Purity Culture Together - 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: God and gender, purity culture history, and sex education. We will meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month, beginning on Feb. 20th, from 7 to 8:30 pm. READ MORE

  • First Sundays of the Month: Kinship Campus Ministry Lunch - Meet other college students for a free monthly lunch in Donnenwirth Lounge on the first Sunday of everyy month at 12:30pm. Come upstairs right after the 11:00 worship service concludes. This lunch is open to any college student, undergrad or grad. Contact Gwen with any questions, dietary restrictions, or food allergies at gwendolyn.derosa@gmail.com

  • 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.

  • Weekly on Wednesdays: Young Adult Ministry Bible Study - The Young Adult Ministry group will hold a weekly group Bible Study. We will meet from 7pm-8pm in the Fireside Room. This study will focus on the challenging questions we ask when we read scripture and develop new skills to read for liberation and love. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FLIER

  • 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.

  • 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

CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILY SUNDAY FAITH FORMATION AND WORSHIP

  • Worship Connections – 9:00am and 11:00am
    9:00am Worship Connections - 4 years old to Grade 3 (L4)
    11:00am Worship Connections - 4 years old to Grade 3 (L4)
    First Sundays (Communion) - Children attend regular worship.
    Discipleship Program - Grades 4-12 opportunity to volunteer in Worship Connections once/month.

  • Sunday School Hour - 10:00 am
    Godly Play - 4 years old to Grade 3 (room L4)
    Chrysalis Club - Grades 4-5 (room L4+).
    C.O.R.E. Youth - Grades 6-12 (Donnenwirth)
    Real People, Real Parents - King Avenue Parents and Guardians (Fireside)
    *PLEASE NOTE* First Sundays at 10:00, 4 years old to Grade 5 and their families will be welcomed to Family Godly Play in the Chapel.

OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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

  • Lunch Packing - King Avenue packs lunches for the Open Shelter on several Tuesdays and Thursdays... 24 times in 2024. All hands on deck for packing 200-400 lunches at a time! CLICK HERE for the 2024 schedule, and join when you're able. All days/dates are 6:00pm in the King Avenue kitchen. Many hands make light work!

  • 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.

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 2024, 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.

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