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June 2018 Newsletter

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June 2018 Newsletter FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH First Church News UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST Columbus, Ohio June 2018 Volume 166 No. 6 Exciting Times in And Around First Church By Rev. Dr. Tim Ahrens You can find a way into the church! But, you must try. It isn’t easy. That is the most important message as we reach the half-year mark of 2018. Orange barrels are everywhere. One-way streets have become two-way streets. Two-way streets have become one-way streets. Gay Street between Cleveland Avenue and Washington Avenue is completely gutted and is being rebuilt. None of these projects even touch the church. On our property we have three more projects in process. There is scaffolding on the north face of the Parish House as the men work on the walls of the church. All 126 windows have been removed from the Parish House. The Women’s and Family Bathroom on the lower level is being redone. And of course, The Washington Gladden Social Justice Park on the Corner In this issue… of Cleveland and Broad is slowly going in. The Park will take off soon as all the underground work gets completed. Education News page 4 We are building at First Church. With it dust and transitional space is all at play. It is an exciting time here at the church. You must come and see it to believe it. Music News page 6 Meanwhile, ministry - beyond our ministry of space - continues to happen. Mark Justice and Mercy News page 7 Williams has headed for sabbatical. He will return August 21. Dr. Karen Mozingo is Church News page 8 filling in for the summer. We are so excited to have her on staff. Kevin Jones leaves for Europe on July 12 and won’t return from the Choir tour and his subsequent Joys and Concerns page 10 sabbatical and vacation time until November 6. Dr. Robbe Delcamp is serving Calendar of Events page 11 our congregation from September 1-November 5. During the other six weeks, Birthdays and Anniversaries page 12 we will be blessed with guest organists. We have also received word from Marty Worth that she will retire after 14 ½ years of work on our staff. We will miss Marty when she steps down from her position as Program Manager on January 27, 2019. We will also celebrate Marty at our Congregational Meeting that day! We will work to see how we re-create a position related to her work while meeting the goals of the Long-Range Plan and the needs of the church for Communications and Care in the years to come. Our Church Council is considering many projects and other new forms of ministry and mission, too! We are excited to be sending 11 mission partners from June 3-8 to work in West Franklinton through the Gladden Community House. Thanks be to God for our youth and adult leaders who will give so much of themselves in service. Rev. Emily Corzine will work with them all on this effort. Beginning July 29 and lasting through September 2, we will have a special summer sermon series entitled, “The New Social Gospel.” Guest preachers will join me through the month as we lift-up the themes of Washington Gladden’s Social Gospel for a NEW AGE! Don’t miss the six weeks of special sermons. In the first six months we have celebrated two ordinations into Christian Ministry. We ordained Rev. Rachael Gardner Purdy on January 6th and Rev. Abby Salak Prendergast on April 28. What joy! We look forward to at least two more ordinations in the coming months. We have also celebrated our largest-ever turnout at the BREAD Nehemiah Action with 146 people coming to the May 7 Action from First Church. So wonderful! Let’s keep going and growing forward in the next few months. There are ways into the building. We have lots of parking (although you must work to get to it). We have great opportunities to serve Christ in the city! I am so excited to be your Senior Minister in these great days of the church. Love and blessings to you all! Sermon Titles in June June 3 – Communion Meditation – “Which Will it Be: Do Good or Harm on the Sabbath?” The Rev. Dr. Tim Ahrens preaching Texts: I Samuel 3:1-10; Dt. 5:12-15; Psalm 81:1-10, II Corinthians 4:5-12, Mark 2:23-3:6 June 10 – Texts: I Samuel 8:4-11, 16-20, Genesis 3:8-15; Psalm 130, II Corinthians 4:13-5:1, Mark 3:30-35 June 17 – Texts: I Samuel 15:34-16:13; Ezekiel 17:22-24, Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15; II Corinthians 5:6-10, 14-17, Mark 4:26-34 June 24 – Sermon – “Calm in Stormy Times” The Rev. Dr. Tim Ahrens preaching Texts: I Samuel 17:32-49; Job 38:1-11, Psalm 17:1-3, 23-32, II Corinthians 6:1-13, Mark 4:35-41 1 Trip to Israel / Palestine and “The Passion Play” in Oberammergau, Germany By Rev. Dr. Tim Ahrens I am writing to gage interest in a trip to Israel/Palestine and “The Passion Play” in Oberammergau, Germany in June 2020. That is right – 24 months from now. The Passion Play is performed in a small village in Germany once every ten years. It is an all-day event. We would take 9 days to see the Holy Lands (the early itinerary in attached above). On Day 10 we would fly to Munich and see the city and Dachau Concentration Camp. Day 11 would be the Passion Play with Day 12 being a trip to Ettal Abbey Linderhof Castle. We return to the USA on Day 13. Because the Passion Play tickets are sold in blocks and often sold out one year in advance, we are setting aside a block of 45 tickets now and securing commitments soon. We really need to have a preliminary count by June 20, 2018. Are you interested in going? Please email me back – [email protected], or call with questions, 614-228-1741, ext. 13. I hope we can travel together. Pastor Day 6 Masada - Jerusalem Camels Beit Shemesh , Via Dolorosa Church of the Holy Knesset . Tomb of the Prophet Day 10 Fly back c it ti 2 2018 Confirmands On Sunday, May 20, First Church welcomed six youth into membership through Confirmation. During the 11a.m. service, their mentors introduced each confirmand. Their introductions are presented below. Nick Boriin, mentor Matt Myers This is Nick Boriin. This young man comes from a strong, faithful family who plays and laughs together. I have known Nick since he was a little guy, but I have really enjoyed the opportunity to better know him, over this past year during the confirmation process. He has a great sense of humor and likes to sing in the car. With his quiet confidence, this young man from Worthington is a natural leader. Nick is a musician, an academic scholar, and athlete who loves to play basketball and lacrosse. He is a good son, a caring brother, a thoughtful friend, a loving son, and an excellent confirmand! First Church, it is my honor to present to you, Nick Boriin! Hannah Brooks, mentor Nancy Loy It has been my great pleasure to get to know Hannah Brooks, a very happy and Loving young lady. Hannah is inquisitive and enthusiastic, embracing many new opportunities this year. She loves her family, friends, new school, and field hockey team. Most importantly, she now has a greater understanding and love for God and the church. I look forward to seeing her faith grow as a member of this congregation. Hannah - Thank you for including me in this journey, and welcome to the church!” Trenton Helmer, mentor Jonathan Miller At the Maundy Thursday dinner, Trent and I talked about the tradition that Jesus was scourged with thirty-nine lashes. I mentioned that in Kabbalah, numbers have certain meanings. Trent insisted we look up thirty-nine. It turns out thirty-nine represents purification from an undesirable state and the emergence of a new entity. He immediately understood the connections with Good Friday and Easter Sunday. He wanted to know: was this a coincidence? Did someone count the lashes? Did the Romans do that on purpose? Does it mean something that thirty- nine has a three and a nine, given that three is the square root of nine? That is Trenton David Helmer. He is an honors student and a science-fiction fan. Every time you talk with Trent, either you teach him something or you learn something new yourself. He is a ravenous intellect, bursting at the seams with intelligence, curiosity, and care for his family and community. Cassidy Hopcraft, mentor Valerie Conlin-Losinski I am honored and happy to introduce Cassidy Hopcraft. Although we did not initially know one another, I am thankful to Cassidy and her family for embracing our relationship.After several months of getting to know Cassidy, I have found her nature to be: caring, loving, free-spirited, faithful, and balanced. I love her fair, inclusive and awesome perspectives on life – large or small, simple or complicated. She has shown me this intrinsic nature many times. In April during our church camp weekend at Templed Hills, I would see Cassidy lovingly with a small child on her lap – many times. Also at camp, she invited me to get in her tree hammock with her as we discussed what it means to be in the fold of the church family and her decision for her membership – by the way, the upward view of the pine trees was glorious.
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