The King Avenue Digest
Community. Ministry. Connection.
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HOT OFF THE PRESS –
*NEW* A Week to Remember at M.A.D. Camp - Another M.A.D. Camp is in the books! What an incredible week of creativity, laughter, learning, and friendship. A heartfelt thank you to all of our amazing volunteers who poured so much love, energy, patience, and care into making this week so special. Your generosity and dedication helped create an unforgettable experience for every child. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE HIGHLIGHT VIDEO.
*NEW* NNEMAP Item of the Month for July - Each month, King Avenue collects Items of the Month for NNEMAP Food Pantry to help meet the needs of neighbors experiencing food insecurity throughout Central Ohio. For July, we are collecting toilet paper and canned beans (pinto beans, black beans, etc.). These everyday essentials are always in high demand and make a meaningful difference for individuals and families served by NNEMAP. Donations may be placed in the grocery cart at church throughout the month. Thank you for helping us extend Christ's love through practical acts of care and compassion.
*NEW* New Exhibit in the Grand Hallway Gallery - 'Water Colors" Photography by Roger Blocher - Water Colors invites viewers to discover the unexpected beauty hidden in ordinary bodies of water. Featuring photography by Roger Blocher, the exhibit reflects a lifelong passion for both photography and water, capturing colorful reflections, ripples, and patterns found in rivers, lakes, ponds, puddles, and pools—most photographed in the Columbus area during walks with his dog, Huey. Rather than documenting water itself, Blocher's photographs encourage us to look beyond first impressions. With a little patience, curiosity, sunlight, and movement, familiar scenes become vibrant abstract works of art. Through this collection, he offers a gentle reminder that the same openness we bring to observing nature can also deepen the way we see one another. Water Colors celebrates the beauty that emerges when we slow down, look closer, and remain curious about the world around us.
*NEW* Interested? King Avenue Creation Care Task Force - We're forming a Creation Care Task Force to help our church become a more faithful steward of the environment. One of the goals of the West Ohio Annual Conference is for all church properties to become carbon-neutral by 2050. While this is an ambitious goal, it's also an exciting opportunity to imagine how our congregation can care for creation in meaningful and practical ways. If environmental stewardship is a passion of yours—or if you're simply interested in being part of the conversation—we'd love to have you join us. To learn more or get involved, contact karen@kingave.org. Learn more at westohioumc.org/creation-care.
*NEW* Sunday, July 26: 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. Contact Rick Gilson (rickgilson@yahoo.com) if you'd like to be added to the communication app. Download the Book Club by Book Movement App on the Apple Store. (Book Club by Book Movement is unavailable Google Play Store.) Here are the Lit Club Books coming up: July 26, Theo of Golden, by Allen Levi; August 30, The Astral Library by Kate Quinn; September 27, What We Can Know by Ian McEwan.
*NEW* Friday, 7/31 - Saturday, 8/1: CORE Youth Group Overnight - Youth in grades 6th through 12th are invited for a night of fun, fellowship, and faith. We will play Nerf Wars and watch episodes of The Owl House. Drop off your kids at 6pm on July 31st and pick them back up at 10am on Aug. 1st. Please RSVP by July 24th so we can plan for food and all of the activities. Friends are welcome, but everyone must register for the event. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
*NEW* Wednesday, August 5: NNEMAP Fair Parkers - King Avenue has adopted Wednesday, August 5th to help park cars for the NNEMAP Ohio State Fair Parking Fundraiser. Not sure what to do? No fear! There will be a NNEMAP staff person at all times with the volunteers. Here are the shifts we need to fill: 8:00-Noon (1 volunteer); Noon-4:00pm (3 volunteers); 4:00-8:00pm (2 volunteers). Use the link to add yourself to an open spot on the Google Form. Thanks in advance for your help! CLICK HERE TO ADD YOUR NAME TO A SHIFT
THIS WEEK'S HAPPENINGS WITH KING AVENUE –
Sunday, July 5: Welcome Pastor Heather Nordgren! We are delighted to welcome our new Associate Pastor, Rev. Heather Nordgren, to King Avenue! Heather begins her ministry with us on July 1 and will lead in worship on Sunday. Join us as we celebrate her arrival with cake following both services, at 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. We look forward to welcoming Heather into the King Avenue family and to the gifts and leadership she will share in the years ahead.
Sunday, July 5: First Sunday Worship - On the first Sunday of each month, we celebrate Holy Communion during worship. As you come forward, you will receive a piece of gluten-free bread and a small cup of grape juice. Whether this is your first time in church or you've received Communion for years, you are invited to participate. If you prefer not to receive Communion, that is completely okay. If you are worshipping from home, we invite you to have a piece of bread and some juice or wine ready so that you can fully participate when Communion is shared. On the first Sunday of each month, we also provide American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters during worship.
CONTINUE READING FOR MORE NEWS IN THE LIFE OF OUR CHURCH –
Friday, July 17: Nerf Wars for the Kids at Heart - Kinship Campus Ministry is teaming up with King Avenue Young Adults for pizza, Nerf Wars, and games on Friday, July 17th, from 6:00 - 9:00 pm. Pizza will be provided. You can bring your own nerf equipment or borrow the King Avenue equipment. Please RSVP by July 15th at the latest with Gwen (gwen@kingave.org).
Sunday July 19: Intergenerational D&D Game - Have you ever wanted to participate in a role-playing game with your church family? If you’re 8 yrs old and up, you can register to play a one-shot campaign at King Avenue UMC on Sunday, July 19 in Donnenwirth Lounge from noon - 4:00. The game will be a kid-friendly fantasy story with simplified game rules led by an experienced Game Master. Appropriate for beginners. We are limited to 10 players. Pizza will be provided. Contact Gwen (gwen@kingave.org) with any questions or concerns. CLICK TO REGISTER
Sunday, July 19: Retirees Visit the Early Television Museum & Lunch at Crooked Can - Hey Retirees! Did you know there is a tv museum in Hilliard?! It is only open on the weekends, so we are going to try something new. Sunday July 19th, we plan to leave after the 11:00 service and carpool to the Early Television Museum at 5396 Franklin St. in Hilliard. The museum is all on one floor, so individuals having mobility issues will be able to navigate easily and parking is comfortably close. After our tour we will head to the Crooked Can Brewing Co. for lunch together. There are several eateries in the vicinity with tables in the open for us to gather around. Cost for the museum is $8.00 for seniors, and while we will pay at the door, we would like you to register on Realm so we can get an idea of who will be attending this event. If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Tower at (614) 214-7505 or Terry Hicks at (614) 395-1582. We hope you will join us and bring a friend. CLICK TO REGISTER
Sunday, July 19: HeartSong & Friends Lawn Concert - Join us for an evening of music, community, and purpose at the 6th Annual HeartSong & Friends Summer Song Fest on Sunday, July 19 at 6:00 PM. This lawn concert will be held at 709 Garrett Drive and features HeartSong & Friends performing a fun-filled mix of music in a relaxed outdoor setting. Bring a lawn chair, invite your friends and neighbors, and enjoy a summer evening while supporting a great cause. Proceeds benefit Our Helpers, an organization dedicated to providing support and resources to those in need. Sally’s IceBox will also be on site with homemade ice cream and frozen treats available for purchase. Learn more about Our Helpers at ourhelpers.org. All are welcome!
Volunteers Needed - Our King Avenue Meals on Wheels team is seeking new volunteers to help deliver meals through the Lifecare Alliance program. With the upcoming departures of several longtime volunteers, we are looking for individuals who can commit to delivering meals one Saturday morning each month. This is a meaningful way to support neighbors in our community while making a direct impact in the lives of those who rely on this service. If you are interested in learning more or would like to volunteer, please contact Jill Geig at jillgeig@gmail.com. Thank you for considering this opportunity to serve!
FAITH FORMATION, FELLOWSHIP, & SUPPORT –
OPEN, Our Daily Devotional - Our OPEN Project, ongoing since January 2025, is a daily devotional that delivers a bite-sized reading from the Bible to your email inbox daily. The best part is many of the devotionals are written by King Avenue members because we believe Jesus has something to say 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). Our goal with this program is 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
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 on Mondays: Young Adults Small Group - King Ave Young Adults will gather weekly to be with each other, check in with each other and share how their walk with Jesus is going. Mondays at 7:00pm here at the church. If you're 18-35 years old, you're welcome to join us.
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: gwen@kingave.org.
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 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.
Recurring on 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. CLICK HERE FOR THE CURRENT BOOK LIST
OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP –
NNEMAP Item of the Month - Each month, the NNEMAP Food Pantry requests churches to donated an "Item of the Month" to help our hungry neighbors. The designated item will be announced at church, found in our announcement sheet, and shared in the weekly King Avenue E-News Digest.
Grocery Help for Immigrant Families - Our Helpers is a women-led nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of immigrant and refugee families in Central Ohio. They especially serve families who have already been impacted by losing a family member in immigration action. Many folks are afraid to leave their homes or register their names. Our Helpers is filling that gap. To support this valuable organization, we will be collecting grocery items for local immigrants. You can drop off any of these items at church on Sundays or anytime the church office is open. Look for the bin marked Our Helpers. Learn more at ourhelpers.org. For a downloadable grocery list, CLICK HERE.
Calling All Activists! The Starfish Project - Being the ""hands and feet of Christ"" in a complicated world can feel daunting. The Starfish Project is a space for those called to action but seeking direction. Together, we’ll explore how our small acts—like the boy on the beach with the starfish—can make a collective difference. Join the Starfish Project. When you join our Realm Group, you’re joining a community of support. There is no ""required"" level of activity—participate as much or as little as you feel led. As a member, you’ll have access to; Learning Opportunities: Workshops on protest safety, advocacy tools, and critical thinking in the digital age; Community Presence: Never go to a protest alone. We meet, carpool, and look out for one another; Tangible Work: Join us for ""low-stakes, high-impact"" sessions like poster making, postcard writing, or care package assembly; Civic Engagement: As midterms approach, we’ll share ways to support candidates who honor both the Gospel and the democratic process. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND REGISTER
Open Shelter Lunch Packing - King Avenue packs lunches for the Open Shelter on several Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the year. All hands on deck for packing 200-400 lunches at a time! Check the schedule, and join when you're able. All days/dates are 6:00pm in the King Avenue kitchen. Many hands make light work! For the 2026, CLICK HERE.
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.
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.
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 contact Pastor Karen at karen@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 Michael Billups at av@kingave.org.
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 –
"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.
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 2026, 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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