Rev. Glen Miles, Senior Minister

Psalm 51 records the heartfelt words of one seeking redemption and renewal,

Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me.

The Hebrew word translated as create is bara. It is the same one found in Genesis 1 in the creation story. It refers to something that is created from nothing or chaos.  

Have you ever been caught up in a chaotic mess? Have you ever felt alone, overwhelmed, empty?

If you answer yes to either of these questions, I have good news: The Spirit is ready to do something new in your life today.

This is not supernatural magic, though. There are no quick and easy fixes, no abracadabra words that can be spoken so that all is better in the long run.

Nope.

This bit of poetry demands that we take an honest and careful look at how we really are. The new creation begins when we recognize we need something new.

This is not easy. 

My buddy Mike Yaconelli wrote the book Messy Spirituality. The first sentence begins, “My life is a mess.” That short and accurate description of his life inspired his book. Mike joked a couple of pages later that when he died, the primary subject matter for the funeral sermon would be, “Mike was a mess.” 

Mike liked to talk about the myth of fixing ourselves, of trying to pretend everything is OK and we are much better than we are in actuality. When Julie and I first moved to Kansas City, we hired a housekeeper to come once a week to clean our house for us. We were both working full-time. With two very active boys, it was almost impossible to keep the house clean. After a while, I dreaded the night before the housekeeper came over. You know why don’t you? Because we had to clean so the housekeeper didn’t think we had a dirty house!  

Too often, we do the same silly thing with our lives. We hide and pretend. We clean and cover-up, hoping against hope that no one will ever see the real us or discover that we are far short of perfect.

Mike unveils the myth of flawlessness and calls on us to come out of hiding and stop pretending.

God meets us not in our perfection or spotless house but rather in our woundedness, our brokenness, our failure, and even, dare we say it out loud, in our sin.  

The very spirit of God is loving you now. Even when you are at your ugliest and least loving, God comes, maybe in the middle of the night, to caress you with the grace and mercy of heaven.

This week in K-5

First Community will offer one service this Labor Day weekend at 9 am under the tent at our North location. All children will remain in worship with their family.

Please mark your calendar for next Sunday, September 10, when we will kick off the program year and return to our full worship schedule. Sunday school will be offered at 9 and 11 am at our North location and at 10 am at South. We hope to see you soon!

We ask parents to update their child’s registration each year, so we have accurate contact and health information. You can register your child HERE for all K-12 programs.

Let’s come together and celebrate the start of the 2023-2024 program year!

TAILGATE SATURDAY on September 9 from 11 am – 2 pm will offer food, games, and game day viewing on the lawn at FC South. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the festivities! Try your hand at cornhole, win some goodies at the Cake Walk, dunk your favorite pastor in the dunk tank, or enter a raffle for your chance to win FREE OSU vs. Penn State Football Tickets! All of this and MORE is waiting for you. Come be a part of the fun!

KICKOFF SUNDAY will mark the start of our program year with the return of our regular worship schedule: 9 am in Grace Hall (FC North), 10 am in Sanctuary (FC South), and 11 am in Sanctuary (FC North). Glen Miles will preach and childcare and Sunday School will be offered at all services. Also, a continental breakfast will be provided at both locations. We can’t wait to see you there!

Rev. Glen Miles, Senior Minister

Martin Luther King once said, "We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love. And when we discover that, we will be able to make this old world a new world." This way of love calls us to the struggle of redemption, the dream of unity, and the hope of a new creation. The Apostle Paul, writing to the church in Ephesus, calls on them to bear one another in love. His letter is filled with quite a lot about how to get along in community, but he, like Dr. King, understood that love is the fuel that ignites the heart to transform the world and one's life.

As Bishop Michael Curry likes to say, the church is at its best when love is the way. In this hopeful and uplifting message, we will call on our better selves to follow the pathway named love so that we have the strength and the courage to live this way in the world.

Crossroads returns on Sunday, September 10, at 12:30 pm at First Community North.

Crossroads has moved to Sundays at 12:30 pm beginning September 10. We hope this will allow those families who worship together on Sunday mornings at the 11 am service to stay for Crossroads rather than returning to church at 6 pm. We are also hopeful that Crossroads will no longer compete with Sunday night dinner and homework time.

The location and format of Crossroads will remain the same: we will gather in the Crossroads Room at First Community North as a full group (grades 6-12 together) to hear an inspiring message from staff, volunteers, or members of the wider community. Then, we’ll split into small groups by grade for discussion and activities.

The Gathering returns on September 13 at 5:30 pm! Reconnect with friends over pizza and ice cream, enjoy a brief worship service, and break for age-related activities at 6 pm. Children in grades K-8 are invited to participate in Midweek Missions and Choir while adults are invited to Ice Cream Theology, a Bible study led by FC clergy. Rev. Mary Kate Buchanan will lead the first night. We’ve missed you this summer, and we can’t wait to see you at FC North on September 13!

Ice Cream Theology: Opening up theology

through conversation over ice cream.

Let’s have some conversation about God over ice cream! Of course, it does not mean that everyone has to love ice cream or even that they agree with every flavor. The idea is connecting and seeing God in everyday things. As much fun as it is to read ancient theologians and attempt to decipher their context and meaning, we found that we learned the most in seminary, about ourselves and about God, over ice cream with our best friend. We pray that your conversations are fruitful and your ice cream is delicious!⁽¹⁾

Join First Community Wednesdays for a Snack Supper including ICE CREAM at 5:30 pm, Gathering Worship Service at 5:45 pm, and Ice Cream Theology Bible Study at 6 pm.

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Wednesday Evening Children's Programming - Ice Cream Social

Wednesday evening programs for children and youth will begin on September 13. Moving on without our beloved Mrs. Beske will be difficult for all of us, but we will be there to support one another.  

To help with this significant change, the schedule on Wednesday evening will remain the same as last year. Families can start by eating dinner at The Gathering at 5:30 pm. After a short worship service, the children will be released to go to their activities at 6 pm. Children in K-3 will go to choir from 6 – 6:30 pm, while 4th – 8th graders will go to Midweek Missions. At 6:30 pm the groups will switch so the older kids will go to choir, and the younger group will go to Midweek Missions. All children in grades K-8 who are interested in playing bells will go to Bell Choir from 7-7:40 pm.  

I am glad to introduce Lori Walls, who will be the Youth Choir Director. Lori is an elementary music teacher in the Olentangy school district, and she has worked with youth choirs at Linworth and Bexley United Methodist churches. She will bring experience and a loving spirit to her new position.  

I am sure you will be anxious to meet Lori, so on the first night of our Wednesday evening programs (September 13), children of all grade levels will go to choir at 6 pm to be together and have time to get to know “Miss Lori.” At around 6:40 pm, children, parents, and staff will move out to the courtyard for casual fellowship and an ice cream social. Children who are interested in Bell Choir will meet with Miss Lori beginning at 7 pm. The normal Wednesday evening schedule, including Midweek Missions, will begin on September 20. 

Please plan to be here on September 13 to meet Lori Walls and enjoy some ice cream as we kickoff our Wednesday evening programs.

by Molly Hagkull, Governing Board Chair

The Governing Board met on August 16, a week earlier than our typical meeting time, to accommodate my back-to-school schedule. School is officially back in session, and our church programming year is ramping up.

As we plan for the coming months, the Governing Board is implementing the changes to the Nominating Committee that were voted forward at last January’s annual meeting. These changes, developed by a Governing Board task force and refined through church input during several community meetings, were focused on making the process less cumbersome and more aligned with our church values. The new process aims to create a Nominating Committee that better reflects the various ministry areas of our church and is based on thoughtful consideration of a potential member’s assets to the committee versus name recognition on a ballot at the annual meeting. The board will look at the current Nominating Committee members and then, at next year’s annual meeting, put forth a slate of 6 candidates that fill gaps in the Committee’s areas of church involvement and demographics. Thanks to our past chair, Alice Finley, for using her professional expertise to guide our planning.

Some might wonder, “What is the Nominating Committee, anyway?” The Nominating Committee is a group of church members who propose slates of candidates to serve on the Governing Board and the Board of Deacons. And they could use your help! Anyone can nominate themself or someone they know for the Governing Board and Board of Deacons (also called The Diaconate) using the paper form available at church or the online form found here by September 6. Please consider giving service to our church through these leadership opportunities. I have been blessed by the people I’ve met and the discussions and planning I’ve engaged in.

Gracious God, we admit that sometimes “meetings” don’t feel like church. Scheduling and to-do lists don’t always feel like holy work. Remind us, God, that our very breath, beating hearts, and thinking brains are holy. The chance to look one another in the eye, even across a boardroom table, is a gift. May we see it as such. Amen.

With joy,

Molly Hagkull

by Seth Stearns, Exec. Director of Operations

We are very close to reaching The Giving Life goal of $1,956,000. This campaign supports our robust and active ministries, facilities, and operating budget. It is not too late to make your 2023 pledge. To help us reach our goal, you can also add to your pledge. Click here to pledge or add to your pledge.

While we are making good progress on our New Horizons Campaign, the rising interest rates present challenges in achieving our goal of retiring the debt. I can’t stress enough how important this campaign is. We are so close to having the debt paid off. Please prayerfully consider a gift to this campaign. We need to put this debt behind us so we can clearly focus on our future. The continuation of this debt will be a distraction and hindrance to the future of First Community. Click here to have an impact on this vital campaign.

First Community Foundation was established in 1961 to support the future of First Community Church’s programs and ministries. The Foundation is supported by immediate and/or planned gifts from those with a focus on the future of First Community and leaving a family legacy. The Foundation encourages families, friends, and members of the church to establish a fund or to give to an existing fund with full assurance that donors' wishes for their legacy gift will be honored and benefit the impact area of their choice.

The impact areas supported by over 100 Foundation funds include:

1. Camp Akita
2. Facilities, landscape, and maintenance
3. First Community Village
4. Missions
5. Worship & Arts
6. Youth Programs

Contact Seth Stearns if you would like to explore making a gift to the First Community Foundation. He can be reached at [email protected] or (614) 488-0681 extension 287.

Everyone is welcome to receive communion at First Community at any time, but fourth grade is the time we have set aside for our young people to receive their First Communion in a special ceremony. Late elementary is an age when children are old enough to learn about and understand the significance of communion and why it is an important part of our faith tradition.

Fourth graders, and those in fifth grade who did not participate in 2022 are invited to be part of a ceremony on Sunday, October 1, World Communion Sunday, at either 10 am at First Community South or 11 am at First Community North.

Join Rev. Dr. Glen Miles, Rev. Sarah Kientz, and Director of K-5 Ministry, Julie Richards, on Tuesday, September 26, at 6 pm to learn the significance and symbolism of communion. In addition, we will practice taking communion and rehearse what will happen on Communion Sunday. Dessert will be served in the Narthex following the rehearsal. This gathering is strongly recommended.

In addition, we encourage your child to attend Sunday school on September 24 at 11 am at First Community North if possible, as the lesson will help set the foundation for understanding why communion is an important part of Christianity.

Registration is required for this free event by September 24. Register here.

Click below to read the On a Mission! monthly news. In this month’s news you can find more information about these stories:

• Members of the Mat Makers at First Community Church make and provide 3-by-6-foot grocery bag mats to clients of its Heart to Heart food pantry and the Near Northside Emergency Material Assistance Program food pantry in the Short North. Warm Welcome Knitters have donated over 800 knitted winter items to Heart to Heart at First Community, and groups such as CRIS (refugee settlement), HOPE, and various other community organizations. Read about the history, purpose, and needs of these ministries.
• All Mission Teams meetings occur on the third Tuesday of every month at 6 pm at First Community North. Everyone interested or currently volunteering with a Mission Ministry Team is invited to attend this monthly meeting.
• The Mission Finance Team’s grant in March given to Habitat for Humanity has helped produce a new home for a family in need. Photos from the recent home dedication, plus statistics on exactly what it takes to build one of these homes, are included.
• The Refugee Ministry Team continues to support the Wilondja family that arrived in central Ohio in October 2022. See pictures of their recent move into a larger home for their big family. A new family is expected this October, and the team is gearing up to welcome them. Look for information in the coming weeks about how you can participate in or donate to this effort.
• Yohan Kim provides an update on the Heart to Heart food pantry, including some recent highlights and a summary of the ongoing activities. You can participate in these efforts by donating and volunteering, as outlined in the update. Please note Heart to Heart will be closed to clients, from September 4-8. Volunteers are needed for cleaning while closed.
• The Tri-Village Trading Post provides recent photos from the store, upcoming events, and highlights, including the completion of their 2022 Annual Report. The thrift store will be open this Saturday, and their blue tag bag sale starts next week!
• Read the updates from the Share and Learn Garden at First Community North as the growing season continues well into the fall. The ministry continues to provide a bounty of produce for the Heart to Heart food pantry.
• Three of the Monday Night Meals teams are looking for additional volunteers to serve dinner at Friends of the Homeless. New team members will be trained on-the-job by experienced volunteers for their once-a-month service activity.
• Enroll in Kroger Community Rewards to benefit the Heart to Heart food pantry while you shop. The results from current donors this past quarter's donations are included.
• If you have items to donate for Mission ministries, please see the flowchart at the bottom of the email for specific needs and instructions on how to make donations.

by Rick Greene, Mission Finance Team

In March 2013, Joan Talmage helped start the Mat Makers project at First Community when she and others at the church were searching for a volunteer project. At that time, they encountered the mat ministry at Worthington United Methodist Church.

Members of the Mat Makers at First Community Church make and provide 3-by-6-foot mats to clients of its Heart to Heart food pantry and the Near Northside Emergency Material Assistance Program food pantry in the Short North. The clients who receive the mats often sleep under bridges and are grateful to have the warm, water- and bug-resistant cushions. Otherwise, clients would sleep on cardboard or old clothing.

The members of this ministry collect grocery store-type plastic bags to make plarn (plastic yarn). There are collection sites at both North and South FC. Currently, plastic bags are not accepted in home recycling bins because they jam up machines at recycling plants. According to the Oceans Campaign Director for Greenpeace, only about 9% of all plastics ever produced are actually recycled. 

Making mats is a good way to recycle plastic bags. It takes about 1,000 plastic grocery bags and up to 50 hours to make one mat with most of the time to prepare the plarn. The volunteers flatten, cut, plan, and crochet/knit bags and mats. As an added benefit, mats repel bgs, are water resistant, and insulating.

The Mat Makers create a sleeping mat that is comfortable and can also be used as a camping mat under a sleeping bag, used for catching some sun, etc. The best use for them, however, is to help a fellow human. As sleeping mats, they're more hygienic, easily transportable, and provide protection from the cold concrete. They're a welcome comfort to those living rough, while also keeping more plastic out of landfills and our marine systems. The mats have also been donated and used in orphanages in other countries.

Volunteers separate, smooth, and stack bags by color. Then they cut them into 3-inch wide strips that are looped together and rolled into balls. Volunteers take the balls home to crochet or knit the mats with large hooks or needles. They have found that they appreciate being able to help other volunteers as they bond with other church members. 

The Warm Welcome Knitters was started approximately a decade ago by Donice Wooster and Sally Wandel. Initially, this group made hats, scarves, and mittens for refugees coming from warmer climates. At that time, the government cut back the number of refugees entering the U.S. The Knitters expanded their efforts by giving warm hats and scarves to others who could benefit. This group has donated over 800 items to Heart to Heart at First Community and groups such as CRIS (refugee settlement), HOPE, and other community organizations. In addition, the Knitters have sold some of their creations to earn money for the Refugee Task Force.

If you would like more information about volunteering with these groups or additional information about First Community Church and its other Mission programs, please email us at [email protected]

Warm Welcome Knitters pictured above:

Pat Porterfield, Ann Knodt, Ruth Lantz, Debby Waddell, and Sally Wandel.

Upcoming Ministries 4 Movement March – Sunday, September 3

Several members of the Racial Equity and Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) Ministry Teams participate monthly in a march and worship/information session with members of the Family Missionary Baptist Church and Ministries 4 Movement partners in the South End of Columbus the first Sunday of each month. First Community is recognized as an official partner of Ministries 4 Movement. We continue to work with this community and other partners for sustainment and new opportunities to contribute to justice causes. 

The next march is on Sunday, September 3 at 3 pm at 996 Oakwood Ave, Columbus. The location is 996 Oakwood Ave, Columbus. We also have use of the Akita vans again! If you would like to ride in the van with us, we will meet at FC South at 2:30 pm. Please indicate if you would like to do so on your signup. If you are interested in attending this worthwhile event, please sign up here.

Pizza with a Purpose – Monday, September 18

In lieu of our traditional Community Justice, we will be taking time to break bread (in the form of pizza) together as we engage in fellowship and dream together. If you are already a part of one of our Community Justice teams or if you would like to hear more about our work, this is the meeting for you! We will discuss our mission/goals, where we have been, and where we are going. But more importantly, this will be a time to build community with one another. This meeting/dinner will take place on Monday, September 18, at 6:30 pm. 

Community Conversation on Violence Prevention – Tuesday, September 19

Our Community Justice Teams recently partnered with the City of Columbus Office of Violence Prevention. FC members are invited to attend a Community Conversation on Violence Prevention being hosted by the City of Columbus Office of Violence Prevention at Columbus Public Health (240 Parsons Ave, Columbus, OH 43215) on Tuesday, September 19 at 6-8 pm.

The purpose of this event is to provide community members with information about the City’s many violence prevention initiatives as well as an opportunity to make their voices heard and help to inform the work of the Office of Violence Prevention.

For background, Mayor Andrew J. Ginther established the Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) earlier this year and appointed Director Rena Shak to lead its work. In addition to building meaningful relationships with the many anti-violence and peace-building organizations throughout the City, OVP will align strategies, drive collaboration, and streamline data analysis among the City’s various public safety programs for the purpose of reducing violent crime throughout Columbus.

FC and Community Justice members can register to attend the event here. Registration is required to attend the event and, given space limitations, seating will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to register is Friday, September 8. 

Environmental Justice Recycling and Sustainability Education 

The Environmental Justice team recently toured the Rumpke Recycling Center as an educational tool for recycling and sustainable initiatives and general knowledge. Rumpke is one of the nation’s fore runners in recycling technology and process. It was impressive to see the magnitude, power, and transparency of their operations. The Environmental Justice group was inspired to grow capacity; and focus on efficiencies, education, and partnerships as we strive for sustainability and environmental equity in our lives and communities. If you are interested in joining the Environmental Justice team, please reach out to Tim Vansant at [email protected] 

Camp Akita, located in the Hocking Hills near Logan, OH, is the perfect getaway for both weekday and weekend rentals. Accommodations in the Lodge are available for groups up to 96, and rental cabins provide 1-4 bedroom options, sleeping 2 – 11 people. Disconnect from the hustle and bustle of city life and reconnect with nature, relax, and have fun! There are several hiking trails on-site, in addition to many nearby attractions in the Hocking Hills. First Community members receive a weekend cabin rental discount. Visit campakita.org for more information, email [email protected], or leave a message for the Columbus Akita staff at (614) 488-0681 ext 113.

Mary Ann Krauss, Member of Guild #7

Ceremony Room Renovation

There is a new look at South in the former Bride’s Room, now called the Ceremony Room. Guild #7 has underwritten the cost of labor and materials, including design and supervision for the renovation of this space. 

In 1983, Guild #7 sponsored a redecoration of the Bride’s Room. Before that time, nothing had been done to the dressing area and bathroom since the sanctuary was built in 1925. Hundreds of brides had used the rooms to prepare for their special wedding day….it was time for a more complete renovation. 

Work included new paint throughout, replacement of existing plumbing fixtures with Kohler ADA height commode, under-mount lavatory and polished chrome faucet, a granite countertop with backsplash, new lighting fixtures throughout, including accessible electrical outlets, oak custom-made Amish cabinetry with lockable drawers to secure personal items, oak crown mold and upgraded additions to existing oak trim and finally, two upholstered occasional chairs. The last accessory to complete the renovation is a series of botanical prints created by the 1850s English artist Lady Jane Loudon. 

All are invited to drop in when you visit South and enjoy the “new look.” 

Before

After

Visual Arts Advisory Committee

Judy Hoberg

The Visual Arts Advisory Committee is pleased to announce art displays are coming to FC North! Members of the committee spearheaded the effort to bring visual warmth and interest to several FC North public areas. Covid delayed the goal of exhibiting art, but their work is now on track. 

We are thankful for a generous gift from Gail Evans, an FCC member and professional artist, which allowed a system to be installed and ready to receive artists' work.  

"A hanging system offers an opportunity for providing color and various changing displays of artwork that can extend a spiritual exposure in spaces throughout the church. This also provides an opportunity for local artists to share their work with the congregation. I am very happy to contribute toward that objective."  

Our first exhibit is in place! Teda Theis, a contemporary artist of abstract landscapes, is sharing her contemplative paintings with the congregation at the entrance area to Grace Hall. She is the first of three artists exhibiting their artwork at North this Fall. Her own words describe her impressive work best,  

"Nature's isolated moments, most often, are the inspiration for my paintings. Through Abstract Landscapes, my goal is to convey that which is not observed as realism, thereby communicating the essence of the moment. My hope is to achieve a sensitivity by which the feelings of peace and harmony are reflected."  

We are grateful for Mrs. Evans's gift and the artists who will be sharing their talent with our congregation. 

Inquiries on exhibiting or purchasing pieces may be sent to Judy Hoberg at [email protected] 

JEANIE COY AUSEON

Look closely at the layers of texture and technique when you view Jeanie’s creations. Her art is process-driven and inspired by the unexpected and complex images that emerged from layering.  "I like to make Art by experimenting with techniques and media new to me. My works in this exhibit are the results of such experimentation. Often my most contented days are ones in which I’ve created Art in some form.”

RUTH ANN MITCHELL

Ruth Ann’s colorful pieces illustrate the energy of creativity bursting off the canvas. "Do you remember when you were a kid playing outside on a sunny day? Were you so absorbed you missed dinner... but were so very happy!?!  Paints, papers, brushes, palette knives, beeswax, stamps, etc., pull me back to those joyful times. And I hope my paintings touch a memory of a day you missed dinner.”

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