Linworth United

Methodist Church

7070 Bent Tree Blvd. Columbus, OH 43235

Phone: 614-336-8485

Fax: 614-336-8486

www.linworthumc.org

The Linworth Link Volume 22, Issue 11 November 2015

From the Desk of Pastor Gene

November Schedule November 1 Holy Communion— All Saints Sunday Rev. Dr. Gene Folden 9am —Traditional 10:30am—Contemporary November 8 24th Sunday after Pentecost—Baptism Sunday Rev. Curnell Graham 9am —Traditional 10:30am—Contemporary November 15 25th Sunday of Pentecost Rev. Curnell Graham 9am —Traditional 10:30am—Contemporary November 22 Last Sunday after Pentecost—New Member Sunday Rev. Curnell Graham 9am —Traditional 10:30am—Contemporary November 29 1st Sunday of Advent - Holy Communion Rev. Matt Yoder 9am—Traditional 10:30am—Contemporary

The date on my desk calendar informs me it’s October 29th but I can hardly believe it. What happened to the summer? Maybe I’m the only one who feels this way but I think the distance between Memorial Day and Labor Day is getting shorter. We hardly celebrate the Fourth of July before the card stores are filling their shelves with Halloween greetings. And the day after Halloween, the Thanksgiving cards are pushing up from the card rack like mushrooms in the forest, competing for a few weeks with the encroaching Christmas cards and tree ornaments and wrapping paper. My first Christmas catalogue arrived in the mail sometime before the end of September.

Clearly, the rush is on. Before we lose the marking of these holidays altogether, I would like to pause in this season of Thanksgiving and underscore the fact that giving thanks is inherent to our faith. The Greek word for thanksgiving is “Eucharisto,” the modern equivalent of the ancient word for the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist. Today in modern Greece it is not

uncommon to hear the familiar word “eucharisto” spoken whenever a transaction takes place between two people. You buy a newspaper at a kiosk in Athens and the seller says to you, “Eucharisto.” Someone holds the door open for you and you are supposed to say, “Eucharisto,” to express your thanks for this simple gesture of kindness. Everything that is appreciated is marked in Greece with the word that is the same as we use to describe the presence of Christ at the table of community, Eucharist.

For Christians the act of giving thanks is intertwined with the understated and yet inescapable acknowledgment that God is present in every act of kindness, every deed of mercy, every healing encounter, every time that bread is broken and wine is poured and life and our eyes open to see that our lives are truly blessed. We take a lot of the gifts of our life for granted because we are relatively well-off, well-fed, well-protected North Americans. In less-well-off, less-well-fed, and less-protected societies in Africa and Latin America, and even in the poorer

communities of Ohio, we know that people cannot take life for granted. Where children and adults die of starvation, and food is hard to find or prepare, where even feasting on a chicken or a catch of wild game is a rare and special meal, people know because of their poverty, both what true abundance is and what sincere thanksgiving means.

And there’s the rub. Most of us have such relative abundance in comparison to the poverty that so many in the world know that we respond to God and God’s many gifts to us as our entitlement, our due, as if all that we receive is something that we are owed. It is only when we become aware of our poverty that we can give thanks for that which is a gift to us. The child who has everything is thankful for almost nothing. But the child who has nothing is thankful for everything.

So it is with us. It is only when we become aware that without God’s generous giving we would have nothing that we can begin to give thanks for everything that really counts in our lives; health,

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Children’s News

Alisha Artis, Director of Children's Ministries (aartis@linworthumc.org)

Third Grade Bible Recognition… The third graders of LUMC received their Bibles on Sunday, September 27. Congratulations third graders!

Keaton Clark Brady Del Regno

Lane Elliott Nate Hamilton Belle Hebert

Lauren Humphrey Isaac Meister Hope Smith Callie Smoot Olivia Smoot Noah Thorley

Amalia Thornton Sarah Yeater

Club 56 (fellowship group for 5th & 6th graders) The Club 56 group is having a lot of fun this fall! Our next meeting will be Sunday, November 15 from 4:30-6:30pm (please note ending time) at the church. Don’t forget to bring a friend! We are doing a Thanksgiving Mission Project for Cherrington Elementary. For more details and to be included on the Club 56 email list contact Alisha Artis (aartis@linworthumc.org or 336-8485, ext. 202).

Family Advent Festival Mark your calendars for the Family Advent Festival on Saturday, December 5 from 9:30-11am. Fun activities, UMW Cookie Sale, and more! The LUMC children’s musical performance will follow the event. Tickets for the Advent Festival are $10 per family (you may purchase in the Linworth Children’s Center or Church offices.)

Donations and helping hands appreciated!

Youth News Jessica Cavinee, Director of

Youth Ministries (jcavinee@linworthumc.org)

Adult Volunteers Can you spare one or two hours one Sunday per month to hang out with some awesome teens? If you can, please contact Jessica Cavinee. We are looking for Safe Sanctuary trained church members to help make our youth ministry the best it can be. Join Us for a Campfire The Youth will have a campfire at Terry & Jenifer Wynne’s home on Sunday, November 8 from 12-2pm. Join us for food, games, etc. RSVP by November 4 to jcavinee@linworthumc.org. Fall Retreat—Save the Date! The Youth Fall Retreat will be at Camp Akita, November 13-15! Be sure to complete all forms and return to Jessica ASAP! We will head down to Camp Akita for a great weekend. Be sure to invite your friends. Remember, if it’s your first retreat, you come for FREE! Watch for more details. Youth Newsletter If you would like to receive the Youth Newsletter, please send an email with your request to jcavinee@linworthumc.org.

Linworth Children’s Center An Educational Ministry of

Linworth United Methodist Church www.linworthcc.org

Everyone Welcome! Linworth Children’s Center

Linworth United Methodist Church

13th Holiday Gift & Craft Fest Friday, Nov 13—3-8pm

Saturday, Nov 14—9am-1pm

60+ vendors, Bake Sale, and Lunch/Dinner Sale.

Free Face Painting: Friday, 5-7pm Meet Olaf: Saturday, 10am-12pm!

Discover Linworth Want to learn more about all the ministry opportunities at Linworth? Interested in joining the church and becoming a member? Then you’re invited to join us for our Discover Linworth session on Sunday, November 8 at 12pm. Lunch will be provided! If you are interested in attending, please contact Pastor Matt (myoder@linworthumc.org). New Young Adult (YA) Group Linworth UMC will be starting up a new Young Adult Group in the coming months. The group is designed for folks between 25ish and 35ish and welcomes singles, couples, and everyone in between. We’ll be having a get to know you lunch after church on Sunday, November 15 at 12pm so the YAs that come to Linworth can begin to connect with one another. If you’re interested, please contact Pastor Matt (myoder@linworthumc.org).

Adult Small Groups (Call the church office for contact numbers.)

Adult Sunday School This group meets at 11:30am in room 210 on Sundays. The group is currently looking for a leader. If you feel called to lead, contact Pastor Matt Yoder.

Closer Walk The Closer Walk Class regularly meets from 9:15-10:15am each Sunday morning to discuss topics of relevance in their faith journey. In November, Jeff Dunn will lead the class through a study on the Parables, meeting in room 225. Call Ken Galloway with any questions.

IMPACT Group: Claremont Ministry (Building relationships one visit at a time.) The IMPACT Small Group meets several times a month at Claremont. For more detailed information on this active group contact Becki Hollenbaugh.

Keen Adult Sunday School Meets each Sunday at 10am in room 136 of the Fellowship Hall. Class is led by Ed Pollock.

Linworth Campers For more information and a 2016 schedule, please contact Ian & Jean Davidson.

Nesters (for Couples with Preschool/Elementary Aged Children) Sunday, November 1—Lesson 2 of Christianity and World Religions (11:45am-1pm, childcare is provided); Sunday, November 15—Lesson 3 of Christianity and World Religions (11:45am—1pm, childcare is provided); Friday, November 20—Pool Party at the Worthington Rec Center (6-8pm). Please contact Alicia Manning for more information about these events or the group.

Peace in the House Peace in the House is a small group for women. They use a 12-step Bible based study for their Spiritual journey. They meet twice a month on the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays from 6-7:30pm in the Library. All women are welcome to join this group. Contact is Cathy Lowry.

Searchers Sunday School Class meets in room 138 of the Fellowship Hall at 10am each Sunday. Doug Stahle is the coordinator for this group of adults.

Women’s Bible Study Come join this group on Sunday mornings at 10am in room 210. They will begin the study, The Journey, by Adam Hamilton. Contact Jeanne Byers (leader) for details. Get Involved with Social Concerns

Open Shelter

Lunches/ Choices

Dinner will be prepared at

8am/11am on

Tuesday,

November 10 in the kitchen.

Contact Roy or Arlean Sudhoff for

details. If you can help deliver the

Choices meal contact Gene or Donna

Hughes.

Community Thanksgiving Dinner The Community Thanksgiving Dinner

will be on Thanksgiving Day,

November 26, from 1-3pm. Please come, bring a covered dish, salad or

dessert and join us for good food,

fellowship and fun. The church will

furnish the turkey, gravy and drinks.

For further information contact Esther

Hunter (ehunter37@yahoo.com). The

preparation for the Community

Thanksgiving Dinner will begin on

Wednesday, November 25 from

10am-3pm. Give Esther (336-8485, ext. 231) a call if you can help.

Contacts: Doug Stahle & Chuck Kemp

November Meeting Join this group of 55+ year olds for

a Holiday luncheon on Tuesday,

November 17 at 11:30am in the Fellowship Hall. For details call

Doug Stahle.

Food Pantry Please continue to support our food pantry. Bring any donations to our luncheons or to the church office. Our pantry has helped hundreds of hungry families this year. Thank you for your continued generosity! The following notes were received by the church office: “Dear Friends at Linworth, Thank you so much for all you have done for Bob and me! The calls, the cards, the visits, bringing communion,… There are so many wonderful things to list. The service was very meaningful for me and the family. Special thanks are due to those who donated, prepared and served the refreshments. Linworth is such a special church. I’m so blessed by this community. - Priscilla & Matthew Ware” “We would like to thank everyone for their prayers, concerns, visits, cards, food and phone calls during the last month. We would also like to thank the pastors for their visits, phone calls and texts. The prayers and cards were especially heartfelt by me and the food and visits were especially heartfelt by Donna. Thank you also for all the prayers for my father-in-law, LaMar Zwingler, who is now doing well. We truly are blessed with such a wonderful and caring church family. - Gene & Donna Hughes” “Thank you for the prayers, cards and food during my recent recovery from hip replacement. Your outpouring was most appreciated. - Madelyn Seiter”

Social Concerns

Contact: Esther Hunter

Mission Board Meeting Contact: Jane Pierce Next Board meeting on Tuesday, November 10 at 7pm in room 210.

Fellowship Circle Contact: Debby Steele The UMW Fellowship Day Circle will meet on Tuesday, November 10 at 9:30am in the Fellowship Hall. This will be the Thank Offering and Pledge Service for 2016.

Evening Circle Meeting – Contacts: Linda Higgins/Pam Boh This group of women will meet on Monday, November 16 at 7pm. This will be the Thank Offering and Pledge Service for 2016.

MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) Contact: Sarah Henderson This group will meet on Mondays, November 9 & 23 beginning at 9:30am. This is a time to rejuvenate and reconnect with other moms. Childcare is provided.

Service Circle Contact: Lea Elshoff Join them on November 20 at 9am in the kitchen to make sandwiches for Faith Mission. (Please note this date is a week earlier than usual due to the Thanksgiving holiday.)

Mission Project Help This month UMW is collecting caps, hats, gloves and mittens to help those in need. Toilet paper and diapers are always welcome. These items go to the New Life UMC Clothing Room. Our collection of Campbell’s soup can bar codes, used eye glasses, and pop can tabs is continuous! Please place all of these items in the UMW-Club 56 cupboard opposite the elevator, or they may be brought to any Circle or Board meeting. Thanks for your support.

Thanksgiving Offering This year, as last year, our Thanksgiving Offering will be used to assist “In Our Own Backyard”

ministries. These ministries include the food pantries at NNEMAP and Smokey Row Brethren Church, the activities at Brookside Elementary School, and IMPACT (the Claremont Retirement Home Outreach). Thank you for your generous help in serving these ministries. In Our Own Backyard: A Community Partnership with Sawmill Interfaith Community Care Group Through the Sawmill Interfaith Community Care Group (SICC), LUMC partners with representatives of local churches, schools, neighborhoods, businesses and social agencies that are committed to the health and welfare of those needy families and children living, working and worshipping in the Sawmill Corridor and Northwest Columbus. SICC supports and strengthens the mission of In Our Own Backyard ministry. Through this partnership, members of Linworth have many opportunities to serve In Our Own Backyard by volunteering and supporting the needs of the following programs: • Smokey Row Food Pantry

(serving 90 families weekly at Smokey Row Brethren Church)

• Pet Food/Supplies Drives at Lord of Life Lutheran

• English as a Second Language (LUMC at Brookside Elementary School (BES), Smokey Row Brethren Church and Vineyard Church)

• Free Weekly Medical Clinics at BES

• Pediatric Dental Clinic at KIDSMILES

• Free Oil Change for single parents at Smokey Row Brethren

• Reading Tutoring Program—Project MORE (LUMC at BES)

• Kid’s Bike Rodeo (LUMC at BES)

• Haiti Teacher Training at BES • Holiday Meal for needy families

at BES • Family food boxes for 3 day

school Holiday at St. Andrews • Friendship Dinners at LUMC

and others • Family Counseling Program at

BES • LUMC Food Pantry at LUMC • Trunk-or-Treat at LUMC • Adopt-A-Family (BES) • School Supply Drive (BES and

others) • IMPACT at Claremont

Retirement Community • Summer Meal Program (Site

TBD) • Summer Produce Distribution

(Site TBD) SICC has identified many other resources for people in need such as LUMC Garage Sales, free Furniture Bank, Health and Wellness Programs at Mt. Carmel and Catholic Services, and Sentero Counseling Services in Dublin. If anyone is interested in learning more about volunteering for any of the above ministries, please contact Doug Lance. Thank you for your interest in service. NNEMAP News • Open House: Sunday,

November 8 from 1-3pm at 677 E 11th Avenue (just across from the Ohio State Fairgrounds). Come see the new facility with an amazing Phillip Martin mural, meet the director and enjoy light refreshments.

• Harmony for Hunger Concert: Friday, November 13 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (2151 Dorcet Road). Featuring The Ohio State Glee Club and performers from some of the 32 contributing churches. Meteorologist Chris Bradley will

UMW Women’s Ministries

Missions

be the emcee. Event begins at 7:30pm and tickets are $15. Silent Auction will be held at the event. See Bob Wead,

Jim Brown, Andy Ahijevych or purchase tickets at the door.

• Christmas Trees, Wreaths and Garland: LUMC, along with 32 other churches, is dedicated to support NNEMAP, a food pantry located on 11th Avenue. As one of its annual fundraising initiatives, each year NNEMAP orders Christmas trees, wreaths and garland from a Virginia farm which are cut just prior to sale (sometime after November 17) to ensure a healthy, fresh decoration for the Christmas season. Trees range from 4ft-12ft ($30-$130); wreaths (22 inches) range from $22-$32; and Garland, 30ft-75ft ($20-$100). Cash, checks (preferred) and credit cards accepted and need to be available at time of order. A portion of the purchase price can be deducted as a charitable contribution (documentation provided by NNEMAP). Trees, wreaths and garland can be picked up on Sunday, November 29 between 1-3pm at Meadow Park Church of God (2425 Bethel Road). Stop by and order your holiday greenery at the table outside the worship center on Sundays, November 1, 8 & 15. It’s not too early to commit to a Christmas tree, wreath and/or garland to be picked up after Thanksgiving. You are assured of fresh greenery with his purchase.

Linking Linworth & Laos: $1,000 was raised for the Pastor in Laos Thanks to the generosity of the Linworth congregation, contributions to the Johanson fund in October were over $2,000. This is twice the usual amount. Half of the fund will go to

the family of the Lao pastor murdered last month. The funds have been forwarded. Become a Member of the Laos Missionary Team in January We will have an organizational meeting for the January Laos Trip on November 5 at 7pm in the church office. If you are participating or thinking about participating in this trip please attend the meeting. The itinerary, cost and preparation information will be shared. If you have questions call Pastor Matt or Joel Rabb. October Trip to Laos As this Link is published, Cathy Kupsky and Joel Rabb will be returning from Laos from their October trip. While there they participated in the ten year anniversary of the Lao Sampan Methodist Church and the Annual Meeting. They met with the US Ambassador, and congregations around Vientiane and the Plain of Jars. Hilltop Update The Hilltop Team is excited to announce that our produce distribution will be continuing through the winter months at Highland Elementary. This is a great blessing because most produce distributions stop when the weather turns cold. The upcoming dates are November 18 and December 16 at Highlands and we’ll have our regularly scheduled distribution at the Hilltop House on November 19. Adopt-A-Family Many families in our community struggle financially, especially at Christmastime. The Linworth United Methodist Church Adopt-A-Family Christmas outreach provides an opportunity for caring individuals and families to “adopt” a local family member in need for Christmas. The families we will serve this year (about 25) will be from our church’s missions focus areas. Generous donors provide

gifts of toys and/or clothing for the children, and groceries for the family who would receive very little or nothing at all at Christmas.

Envelopes for gift and food donations will be available on the Adopt-A-Family bulletin board the weeks of November 29, December 6 and December 13. All gifts should be returned to church by Sunday, December 20. Volunteers are needed to shop for any last minute presents and wrap the donated gifts on Sunday, December 20 at 1pm. Delivery volunteers to deliver the gifts and food are needed on December 23. Please contact Lynne Parrott with any questions.

Through our Adopt-A-Family outreach, together we can share the love of Christ at Christmas with those in need. Alternative Gifts Available this Advent Season Christmas is fast approaching and that means you’ll be busy shopping for special gifts for family and friends. Our LUMC Missions Committee will again be offering “alternative gifts” to help you celebrate the “true spirit” of helping others this Advent Season. This year for our friends in Laos, we will provide you with the opportunity to help with children’s school supplies, books, and tuition costs to provide for their education. Gifts will range from $10 to $30 for these various items. We will again have gift items for the homeless and low income families here in the Columbus area donated through New Life UMC Community Outreach Program. These items will range from $10-$50 for hats & gloves, sheets, pillows and blankets. Please consider giving an alternative gift this Christmas. Watch for our table in the hall before and after worship services on the following Sundays, December 6, 13 & 20.

Missions continued

friends, food, our five senses, our family, the gifts that we often mistake as our entitlement or the result of our earning. It is only when we remember that all that we have that counts is a gift from the generous One who delights in giving us every good gift, that we see how full and blessed our lives are. Then in the midst of our rushing, speeding days we can discover God as present and respond with a heartfelt Eucharisto.

Eucharisto Linworth family, I thank God that you are a blessing to me, to each other, and to the world.

Pastor Gene

Daylight Savings Time Ends!

November 1— Fall back one hour!

Holiday Office Hours November 25—

Office closes at noon November 26-27—

Office closed December 24—

Office closes at noon December 25—Office closed December 28—Office closed

December 31— Office closes at noon

January 1—Office closed

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Linworth United Methodist Church 7070 Bent Tree Blvd. Columbus, Ohio 43235

Connect—Grow—Serve

If you need to reach a leader of

any group, contact the church office

(336-8485).