by Rev. Glen Miles, Senior Minister

A few weeks ago, I met a former First Community Governing Board Chair for a glass of wine at the end of the day. I was seeking his insights on our congregation's not-too-distant past. The conversation was open and insightful. After thirty minutes or so, he said, in a clear and strong voice, "It's time for First Community to go to where the people are. It's time for us to get out of our comfort zone and go to the community, to do whatever it takes to bring hope and grace to the world."

By the end of his brief, impromptu homily on First Community's calling, I was ready to take an offering and sing a hymn! I left feeling inspired and motivated.

His words reminded me of a sermon I heard here in Columbus during the 2015 General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The preacher was Adam Hamilton, the Sr. Pastor of the 25,000-member Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City. Near the end of his powerful message he asked us, "Are you willing to take the church to the world?"

Many, including Julie and me, resonated strongly with that idea. He was challenging the 4,000 representatives, lay church leaders, and ordained clergy to stand up and take on the responsibility of caring for our world. Adam's sermon left Julie and me shedding tears at the end as he invited us to pray together, asking Jesus to help us serve our neighbors.

Maybe our tears were spurred on by the fact Julie and I have a deep friendship with Adam and his wife LaVon, and we know firsthand how passionate they are about getting this work done. Or, just as powerfully, perhaps our emotional response came because of the conviction to do this work, knowing that we have sometimes found it easy to forget the simple call of Jesus to love God and love neighbor.

He helped us remember that the church can sometimes get so self-involved that it quickly forgets that we are called to love God and neighbor, serve the world, and set the oppressed free. He challenged us to open our churches, to accept all, and to proclaim an all-inclusive love. This world is desperate for good news, hope, healing, and in some places for nothing more than a cup of clean water, a bit of food, and a safe place to call home.

During that 2015 General Assembly here in Columbus, I had a conversation with a young pastor named Sara. She noted that older pastors like me (yes, she called me old!) spend a lot of time lamenting that the church is no longer what it used to be, that the church we loved so much is gone and will never return. She said, "That is true, but please know, those of us in our early 30s have ONLY known of this church, and we love it!" She reminded me that she had experienced church, not as a congregation committed to traditionalism but one that is genuinely seeking to help people encounter the Divine.

She went on, "And because of that, I experienced a group who is better poised than any group of Christians I know to meet the challenges of this and future generations. I'm committed to serving the people in the church so that those people can go be the church in the world." Her words continue to ring in my ears even today.

We are called to reach out beyond our walls, go into our communities, bridge the gaps in our neighborhoods, and invite all to experience the presence of the Sacred in their lives. The plan is in place, my friends. The time to go into the world with God's extravagant love is now.

Simple online-only service designed for online viewing featuring contemporary music and a message. It will be available on FCchurch.com and the FC Facebook page.

Casual outdoor service with Janelle Rogers and her band leading the music. A play area for children will be available under the tent. August 8 will be the last Sunday in the outdoor tent. August 22 and 29 will be in the Sanctuary, North.

A traditional service featuring musicians from the Cambridge Choir. It will be live streamed on FCchurch.com and the FC Facebook page. Childcare/Sunday School provided. Register below.

A traditional service featuring musicians from the Chancel Choir. It will be live streamed on FCchurch.com and the FC Facebook page. Childcare/Sunday School provided. Register below.

by Cydney Philbin, Governing Board Chair

The Governing Board had a much-needed rest in July after many extra Strategic Planning meetings. We will next meet as a board on August 25, after all board members have met in their Strategic Planning Task Force groups.

While the Program Staff and Rev. Miles have already been hard at work on plans to address the Mission Imperatives, the Governing Board members, congregational members, and staff representatives will soon begin work on the Operational Imperatives. If you haven’t had a chance to read the Strategic Plan, please click here to access it.

The Operational Imperatives each require a Task Force to explore, discuss, create, and recommend a resolution. The areas of focus for each Task Force are as follows:

Each Task Force will be led by a lay leader as chair and begin meeting the first half of August. The work of the Task Forces will then be shared with all the Governing Board members for their input and ratification.

With the return to in-person worship, the Program Staff has planned many exciting events: Akita Sunday, Kickoff Sunday, the Sanctuary Dedication, and musical concerts. You won’t want to miss any of them. Invite a friend or family to return to church with you and enjoy the reunion!

Join us for Akita Sunday, a day of worship and celebration of Camp Akita 2021!

10 am at First Community North.

Rev. Sarah Kientz, Minister to Youth & Camp Akita, will deliver a sermon on the 2021 camp theme, “Making a Comeback.” Worship will include stories from the summer, camp songs, and messages from counselors and campers. Make sure to wear your Akita t-shirt to worship!

Stay after worship for some Akita-style fun! View photos from the Akita archive, make a friendship bracelet, play games in the parking lot, and enjoy lunch from food trucks. Best of all, catch up with former and current Camp Akita Counselors!

Camp Akita is always special, but this summer was particularly meaningful after a challenging year. As campers and staff “made a comeback” to Camp Akita, they also returned to a place of compassion, acceptance, and love. Let us celebrate an exceptional summer with this special day in the life of our church!

Back to school is a great time to get back in the groove of coming to Sunday school.

We would love to see your family for a casual kick-off of Sunday school on August 22. We’ll gather for fun and celebrate everyone moving up to their new grade level.

Email Julie Richards for questions.

You are invited to join First Community this fall as we begin our program year on September 12. More detailed information about fall programming will be coming soon, but in the meantime, please mark your calendar and plan to join us for these upcoming special services!

September 12

9 am North, 10 am South, 11 am North, and 5:30 pm North

Join in the celebration! We are excited to begin the fall worship schedule, and what better way to celebrate than with FREE donuts, cookies, and coffee? Whichever service you choose, there will be sweet treat for you to enjoy. Donna's Delicious Dozen will be at North for the 9 and 11 am services, donuts and coffee will be provided at South for the 10 am service, and yummy cookies will be waiting for you at the 5:30 pm service. We will also have balloons and other festive activities. Join us as we celebrate the beginning of a new program year!

10 am South

September 11, 2021

Join the clergy and musicians for this special service of remembrance on the 20^th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Join Glen Miles beginning September 12 for a special 2-part sermon series The Well Lived Life. Dr. Miles will explore the qualities that contribute to a well lived life.

Revelation Road Bible Study

Tuesdays, beginning September 28

7 pm Grace Hall

How do you explain the book of Revelation? Senior Minister Glen Miles will offer a 4-week bible study exploring some of the complicated themes found in this book. Join in-person or online Tuesday, September 28, as this series begins.

Sunday, October 10

1-2 pm South

Be sure to bring your pet, October 10, 1-2 pm, to the front lawn of First Community South (1320 Cambridge Blvd.) for The Blessing of the Animals. Glen Miles, along with other FC pastors, will be there to share in a brief service of worship and offer blessings for all the pets who join us in this joy-filled event.

You are invited to celebrate the dedication of the North Sanctuary. There will be one service at 11 am with a reception to follow.

Rev. Dick Wing, along with other special guests, combined choirs, and a brass quartet will be part of this sacred dedication service. The reception will include music, fellowship, and cake for all! Don’t miss this historical moment in the life of the church. We hope to see you there!

by Amy Blosser, Associate Director of Music

My earliest memories of church revolve around music. I have a musical family, so I was constantly surrounded by singing and came to appreciate the community that can be created when musicians come together. Choir has always provided me with a place to worship and fellowship through music.

“Choral singing calms the heart and boosts endorphin levels. It improves lung function. It increases pain thresholds and reduces the need for pain medication,” Daniel H. Pink claims in his new book, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. It also seems to improve your outlook, boosting mood and self-esteem while alleviating feelings of stress and depression.

These aren’t simply effects of singing. “People who sing in a group report far higher well-being than those who sing solo,” he notes. It’s about synchronizing with others. What can explain this? According to Pink, it’s due to the sense of belonging that synchronizing with others brings.

Belonging shapes your outlook writes Pink: “Its absence leads to ill effects, its presence to health and satisfaction.” Singing with others provides that. It involves being in perfect time with your voice and your heart, too.

When Pink asks David Simmons, the Artistic Director of the Congressional Chorus in Washington D.C., why he believes people sing in groups, Simmons responds, “It makes people feel like they’re not alone in the world.”

The music program will start our new season in September with the Youth Choirs, White Chapel Ringers, and Chancel and Cambridge Choirs. Chancel and Cambridge will kickoff with our welcome back dinner & first rehearsal on Thursday, September 2 at 6 pm (FC North). We have missed singing together every week and sharing in worship with everyone! Our choir community is open to all singers - new and old, amateur and professional - so if you love to raise your voice in song, please consider joining us this season.

For those interested in being part of the music program, contact us for questions:

White Chapel Ringers - Carol Neff, Director

Contemporary Band - Janelle Rogers, Contemporary Music Coordinator

Youth Choirs - Sally Beske, Director of Youth Choirs

Cambridge Choir - Amy Blosser, Associate Director of Music

Chancel Choir - Andy Blosser, Director of Music

See you in choir!

by Andy Blosser, Director of Music

How wonderful it is to reconnect with folks at our in-person worship services and other opportunities for fellowship after the long pause that we have all encountered. One question that seems to be on the minds of many is when will the organ at North be completed? So here is an update on the project.

As you are probably aware, there continue to be travel restrictions for non-essential workers to enter the United States. Orgelbau Klais was hoping to resume work in July but has had to delay any travel plans until the policies change here. To add to the challenges, Germany and Eastern Europe have experienced devastating flooding, which has impacted several of the employees at Klais who live in outlying areas.

It isn't easy to pinpoint exactly when the team will return, but the Klais team is hoping to begin work around Labor Day. The Klais team and First Community will closely follow the situation, and we hope to have good news to share very soon.

Register at: FCchurch.com/youthchoirs/ 

Contact sbeske@FCchurch.com for more information.

by Julie Richards, Director of K-5

We are preparing to kick-off K-5 and Early Childhood activities this fall with safety precautions in place to protect our un-vaccinated children. It takes many hands to cover the full spectrum of our offerings, and we need your help!

The K-5 and Early Childhood ministries are looking for caring adults of all ages to be part of our Sunday school and childcare teams, helping nurture the faith of our youngest members. You do not have to have a child in K-5 or Early Childhood to volunteer. By working as a congregation to support the early childhood and K-5 ministries, we show young families that they and their children are a valued part of our church community.

The goal is to build a large volunteer group, so participants only volunteer once every 4-6 weeks. All lessons and materials are prepared by staff, and volunteers are placed in a classroom with another adult. Plus, volunteering is a wonderful way to meet new people and become an important adult in our kids' lives. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity and think of the impact you can have on our children, young families, and the future of our church.

To ensure the safety of our children, volunteers, and staff, everyone who works with children or youth must be background checked, fill out a volunteer packet, and go through abuse prevention training.

If you are interested in volunteering with our Early Childhood or K-5 ministries, please contact Julie Richards.

The Worship & Arts Council is seeking individuals interested in assisting with the mission of the Worship & Arts Council.

Its mission is focused on the congregation’s central activity of worship – and all that relates to worship – including, but not limited to the music, the visual arts, drama, ushering, bulletins, special services, sanctuary decoration, and the enhancement of the congregation’s participation in the arts. This includes concert series, art displays, and interior design of the public areas of the church.

Meetings of the Council are held in the evenings on the second or third Monday in January, March, May, September, and November and are hosted by council members.

If you are interested in being a part of this group, please contact Andy Blosser, Director of Music.

The Congregational Care Council evolved from the Service Board, which initially began as the Women's Board. The group has continued the tradition of the Burkhart Luncheon, writing sympathy notes to members, preparing cookies for various church events, and helping prepare communion.

We are seeking a few new members to be a part of our group. Term length is one program year (September - May), with the option of staying on for an additional year at the end of the term. (So far, all our members opt to stay on. THAT is how much we enjoy the Council!) We would love to have you join us! Please get in touch with Robin Hood if this sounds like the group for you.

Mary Evans successfully held in-person classes the entire

2020-2021 school year.

Email Director of Mary Evans Early Childhood Development Center

Leigh Anne Easterling with questions.

Updates on the blog this month from:

by Nancy Rummel, Foundation Board Member

Since it was founded in 1954, the First Community Foundation has opened its checkbook to support the ministries of First Community Church. It has granted more than $6.8 million on life-changing programs and ministries throughout our community and the world in the last ten years.

Families, members, and friends support our Foundation, a separate non-profit, for two important reasons: as a tax-deductible way to support church mission projects and ministry education beyond what the church operating fund can provide; and establish your lasting philanthropic legacy. People who have made First Community a vital part of their lives have this way to be remembered into the future.

Vital grants are provided by the Foundation in several focus areas, including local and international missions, fighting inequity; youth and adult education; minister training; the music program; social justice, nonviolence, peace efforts; facility upgrades; and Camp Akita. Paul Anderson, Executive Director of the Foundation, works carefully with donors to ensure that donations fund their passion.

“Even the smallest gifts can be donated to a specific fund,” Anderson says. Also, gifts can be unrestricted, so the Foundation Board has the flexibility to use the money where it is needed most.

Philanthropy through our Foundation is a way to strengthen the church and change the world. Giving back through the church makes it a team effort – we achieve more together. In 2020 the Foundation provided 28 grants totaling more than $628,658. These are investments in the future that we invite all to explore because the need is real. For more information, contact Paul Anderson.

Click here to securely give online.

Join the Women’s Guild of First Community as we gather in-person on Wednesday September 1, for the first time since March of 2020! All women are welcome to help us celebrate the beginning of a new Women’s Guild program year with a Dinner and Officer Installation Service. It is an excellent opportunity for old friends to see one another and for new friendships to begin!

Because of continuing COVID precautions, we will not have our traditional potluck. As an alternative, we are buying box meals from Freedom A La Cart, a catering company that works with women recovering from human trafficking and are in the process of putting their lives back together. It is an incredible program that provides training and support to participants at a critical point in their recovery.

We are asking attendees to cover the cost of their box meal (options below) since we will not be giving our time, effort, and money to prepare our potluck dishes. We are also supporting our All-Guild “Women Supporting Women” Outreach Project by paying for our meals.

Please register by August 27. You can register and pay online here or by calling Robin Hood at (614) 488-0681 ext. 235.

Meal Lunch Boxes are as follows:

Please purchase the new Guild cookbook, a fundraiser for First Community Women’s Guild Missions fund. This project replaces the popular Frozen Soup & Casserole Sale, which was canceled for our health and safety during the pandemic. You have through August 31, 2021, to order one.

You can purchase your copy by registering here OR email your “order” to April Howe and send payment to Women’s Guild of First Community with ”cookbook” in the memo line to April Howe, 4115 Ashmore Rd, Columbus, OH 43220. Once purchased, you will receive your copy as a PDF document sent in an email. One PDF document is a $10 donation. A sharable PDF document is a $20 donation.

More Questions? Email April Howe

by Robin Hood, Congregational Care Coordinator

It’s back! A day trip to Akita for our older adults! We would love to have you join us on September 14, 2021 for a day with fellowship, nature, lunch, and a special message on Vesper Hill. We will meet 9 am at North. From there you can either take the bus or drive separately. The bus will leave North by 9:30 am and return by 5 pm. We hope to see you there!

Register here by September 7.

For more information contact Robin Hood at 614-843-3262.

by Jackie Cherry, Church Historian

The initial presentation of the Seven Keys Cantata was given in place of the regular worship services on Sunday, December 8, 1968, in celebration of the Advent Season. Lowell’s great hope was that the congregation would hear the message of the Seven Keys through his music. The cantata consisted of ten separate pieces. Jesus‘ words to Peter were the basis for the prologue. Then there was a composition for each key as well as the keyring to eternal life within. The conclusion of the cantata was the beloved Burkhart Benediction set to music.

In an interview, Lowell noted that he tried to get as much variety as possible into the various sections through his choice of accompaniment or use of soloists. In “Prayer,” a solo quartet chanted an ancient Latin prayer throughout to convey the idea of “praying without ceasing.” In “Faith,” he used three separate choirs to represent three different age groups: grandparents, parents, and youth, with each group using its style of music to convey its faith. For example, the youth sang with guitar accompaniment.

“Forgiveness” was a dialogue between the tenor soloist and the choir. In the first part of the dialogue, the soloist was flippant, asking forgiveness for himself. However, his mood changed as the words sung by the choir pointed out that there would be no forgiveness until he had forgiven his neighbor. In “Healing,” the soprano soloist was given the freedom to improvise the melody.

In the last section, “Life Eternal,” which refers to the ring holding the keys, the high school double bell choir joined the organ accompaniment to add to the feeling of joy conveyed so effectively by the sound of ringing bells.

The most unusual effect was created when he recorded a score that he had written that was played by the Women’s Bell Choir. During the performance of the cantata, this music was then played backward. Lowell explained that there there are two elements peculiar to the sound of bells, the percussive and the gradual fading away of the tones. When the sound is reversed by playing the tape backward, the bell tone gradually comes into being rather than fading away. He used this effect in the section on “Acceptance.”

Lowell was most pleased with the final number, his musical setting of Dr. Roy Burkhart’s benediction, which was familiar and beloved by the entire congregation. Sadly, the cantata as a whole has never been performed again, though the church’s centennial celebration planning committee discussed doing so. However, we were unable to locate a complete score. The beautiful Burkhart Benediction was frequently part of the worship services on Heritage Sunday. It was sung on Lowell Riley Day in 1981 when the congregation honored Lowell’s 40 years on the church staff, the first person to achieve that record.

The Burkhart Center produces its own newsletter which includes:

You can read the publication by clicking the button below.