April 2021
Alone is hard; Together is Better.
by Rev. Glen Miles, Senior Minister

Perhaps the most obvious lesson from the last year is this, “Alone is hard. Together is better.” Whether we are talking about worship, eating meals, watching sporting events, going for a walk, traveling, or just about anything, it’s true, alone is hard and together is better.

A few months ago, a friend gave me a copy of Simon Sinek’s book, Together is Better. Sinek is the author of Start with Why and Leaders Eat Last. I’ve read both of those books and happily read through this one in just a few minutes. I’m no speed reader. The book is only 140 pages long, and most of the pages are filled with illustrations or have no more than one or two sentences.

One of my favorite sayings from this collection of wise aphorisms and sound advice is, “we achieve more when we chase the dream instead of the competition.” Sinek likes to point out being number one is not a vision. When we are true to our vision, we will find we are aligned to work together toward our shared dream.

Sinek has written “a little book of inspiration,” with the intent of helping us answer the question, “What are you doing with your life right now?”

Last week I talked to my friend Max who recently celebrated his 100th birthday. Max can easily answer the question about what he is doing with his life right now. He delivers meals on wheels, volunteers at his church, is active in veterans affairs, and plays nine holes of golf every week. Max loves his friends and family, his church, and his life. He continues to chase the dream!

In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Repeatedly, in the gospels, we see Jesus bringing forgiveness and love, hope and mercy. In his ministry, he sought to call all who followed him to live their lives to the fullest, to give their lives to something that mattered. Jesus’ vision invites us to dream together of what it would take to see our communities transformed by this same love.

Sinek writes, “A vision is like a dream-it will disappear unless we do something with it. Do something big or do something small. But stop wondering and go on an adventure.”

His advice is one of the reasons (among many) I am so looking forward to being together in worship beginning on Sunday, April 11, 10 am in the First Community North sanctuary. I’ve enjoyed learning how to preach to a camera lens during the last year, but there is something special about how the spirit moves when we are together for the proclamation of the good news that captures our hearts and souls.

Together, we can and will do more than we ever imagined. I’m looking forward to the year ahead as we reconnect with each other and our shared vision.
Experience Holy Week with First Community
You are invited to experience Holy Week with First Community. Please click the link below to view all the services and events we have planned for you.
Governing Board Update
by Cydney Philbin, Governing Board Chair

What an exciting time at First Community – we will soon be greeting each other in person, and the Strategic Planning Process is in full swing.  

The Governing Board led off the information gathering with the first Appreciative Inquiry discussion. With help from the Governing Board liaisons, the Strategic Planning Team has started the process of meeting with many of the First Community groups. There will also be general meeting sessions that will be open to all members of the congregation. For those who cannot attend a meeting, an all-church survey will be live until April 11. If members are involved in several groups, it is only necessary to attend an Appreciative Inquiry meeting once. Please email additional ideas or questions to the team at strategicplanning@FCchurch.com. The Strategic Planning Team would appreciate surveys from all members who are unable to participate in the appreciative inquiry group meeting. More information about the strategic planning process is available here.

Since First Community Constitution's congregational approval, the Governing Board has been engaged in updating their Bylaws and approving the Nominating Committee Bylaws. The Governing Board also affirmed the Financial Structure Review Task Force work. The activities of the Governing Board and the church financials areThis information is available for your review on our church website here.
Spring Bible Study with Glen Miles
The Green Road Bible study will invite us to listen to the ancient words of scripture, emphasizing how they instruct us to care for all of creation. The reality of the global climate crisis is overwhelming, but our faith invites us to seek ways to sustain and heal the land. Join us live on Facebook or FCchurch.com at 7 pm on Tuesdays, beginning April 20.
Gift Bibles for Third Graders
Each year, First Community is pleased to present our third graders with their very own Bible. The gift of a Bible is a symbolic milestone in a child’s faith development. Bibles will be presented on April 25 at noon in a drive-through ceremony at First Community North.

To reserve a Bible for your third grader, please click the button below. For your child’s Bible to be personalized with his or her name, your registration must be submitted by April 9, 2021.

For further information, please contact Julie Richards.
K- 5th grade Youth Choir Zoom
Wednesday, April 28 at 6:30 

After the success of our Zoom talent show last February, K-5th grade Youth Choir members are invited to gather again, this time for a musical scavenger hunt! New members always welcome.

To receive updates, reminders, and links to our Zoom gatherings, register for Youth Choirs here. For more information about our youth choirs, contact Sally Beske or visit our website.
Missions Updates
Updates on the blog this month from:

  • Mission Council Grant Update
  • Heart to Heart Updates
  • Trading Post Update
  • Celebrate Deep Griha Society
  • Tandana Foundation Update
If you are interested in learning more about First Community or considering membership, the first step is to attend Coffee with Glen. This is an opportunity to learn more about the church, get to know Rev. Glen Miles, and explore ways to get connected to First Community programs. Email Carrie Schwab to learn more and to register.
Dustclouds from the Archives
Lowell Riley and the Cloister Choir
by Jackie Cherry

Lowell Riley was indeed like a musical pied piper, and young girls throughout the Tri-Village communities could hardly wait to join the Cloister Choir. Many who had not previously attended First Community Church wanted to participate. In fact, he had to organize the Junior Cloister Choir so that younger girls would also have the opportunity to participate in the music ministry. This was another way the church served as a magnet that attracted local teens into its many youth programs. During this era in the 1940s, an article about the church in The Saturday Evening Post by Hartzell Spence noted that 96% of the local young people participated in First Community's youth activities. As some of my friends who were also mid-year students, I was able to "sneak" into the choir in September rather than waiting until February when I actually became a freshman. This meant that I could be a part of the Cloister Choir for five years rather than four. Lucky me!

Lowell wrote the arrangements for the music that we sang. Not only did he make the arrangements, but he also cut the stencils and printed them as well, just as he did for all the music that his men's chorus sang. He was indeed a busy man. My all-time favorite was "God of All Nature." He had set words to the Andante Cantabile movement of Tschaikovsky's 5th Symphony. What a magnificent and thrilling piece of music that was when sung by a 150 voice chorus! From 1942 until 1958, the Cloisters numbered between 120 and 150 singers and was the largest choir in the city of Columbus in the late 1940s when I was a member.

We rehearsed every Wednesday evening in the sanctuary and filled all the choir pews. As the evening progressed, the sanctuary pews began filling as well. Our audience was comprised of the boys arriving early to walk their girlfriends home from choir practice! I must say that we were a well-disciplined group because there were strict rules and our choir mother, Mrs. Jones, saw that we observed them. We were not to wear earrings or white shoes, and I recently found an entry in my diary where I was lamenting that Mrs. Jones wouldn't let me sing one Sunday morning because I was wearing white shoes!

To be continued in the May issue.
New Sermon Series by Glen Miles
by Rev. Glen Miles, Senior Minister

My Triple Threat sermon series will take a look back at the year 2020. Some are calling it one of the most challenging ever faced by Americans. We dealt with a fierce and deadly pandemic, the terror of racial injustice, and confusing, misleading misinformation. It was a hard year, but there is hope in naming the pain. This series begins on April 25.
Supporting the Ministries and Missions
of First Community
by Darian Torrance and Dave Nickels

While most of us have been sequestered at home during this unusual and difficult year, the First Community Foundation has been quietly supporting the missions and ministries of the Church. During the year, the Foundation approved grants for Camp Akita, North and South buildings and grounds, missions, student education and First Community Village. These include the following:

North and South Facilities
  • North and South new coffee brewers
  • North HVAC control hardware and software
  • South Memorial Garden doors
  • South Annex HVAC units and fire door replacement
  • South media screens
  • North and South parking lot sealing
  • North modular unit painting
  • Flooring for 2nd floor South
  • South Playground equipment

Akita
  • New roof for Akita dining hall
  • Internet improvements and sound system
  • Tractor replacement
  • Furniture for Dogwood cabin
  • Covid-19 equipment and supplies

Missions
  • Support for Dominica School and Orphanage
  • Heart to Heart annual distribution
  • Emergency Covid-19 support for members affected by the pandemic
  • Hilliard Food Pantry – food boxes for seniors
  • Community Shelter Board – homeless and housing program

First Community Village
  • Support for residents living expenses
  • Security System upgrade

The Foundation Board thanks the many donors whose funds support the grants awarded. With grateful hearts, we thank those who have the wisdom and vision to support the ministries of First Community Church. To review the Foundation 2020 annual report, please click here.
Currently, we have reached capacity for our April 11 in-person worship service. The wait list can be accessed HERE . If you wish to attend the in-person worship service, please add your name to the waitlist. We will notify you if space becomes available.

Reservations for April 18 in-person worship will be available on Monday, April 12. Registration link coming soon.

Our goal is to safely accommodate all those who wish to be in-person at First Community. We are looking at ways in which we can increase our offerings while maintaining a safe and healthy environment. We will be announcing more in-person opportunities very soon. 
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Congregational Care News

Job Search Support Group

Is it time for a new job?  
Do you need help on building your resume? 
Do you know how to present yourself at the interview? 

First Community is launching a new Job Search Group . It is a tightly focused program assisting you with developing skills to find a job YOU love. Mike Collins, a retired third-party recruiter, will guide the group over three sessions. These sessions will be focused on individual progress and will build on the following: 

  • Your successes and how you improved your company or organization. 
  • Acing the interview. 
  • Finding a job you love. 

Sessions will begin Monday April 19, April 26 and May 3, from 6 - 7:30 pm via Zoom. You can register here.  For more information email Robin Hood or call (614) 488-0681 ext. 235 
Red Cross Blood Drive

Our next blood drive will be on April 8 from 12 - 5 pm at North (3777 Dublin Rd.) in Grace Hall. (Please note the change of location.) You can register several ways.

  • Register online at redcrossblood.org and enter our sponsor code: FCCSC  
  • Email or call Robin Hood at (614) 488-0681, ext. 235.  
  • Use the free Red Cross Blood Donor App by texting “BLOODAPP” to 90999 or by downloading it from the App StoreSM or the Google PlayTM store. 

Red Cross continues to test all blood donations for COVID-19 antibodies. You will receive your results within one to two weeks through your donor account on RedCrossBlood.org and through the Blood Donor App.
Older Adult Ministry

ElderWisdom
April book selection: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
by Helen Simonson
Thursday, April 29, 1 pm
Zoom Meeting

Are you looking for a book club? ElderWisdom is a group of people who enjoy reading and discussing a variety of books. This group is perfect for anyone looking to connect with others and for some fellowship. The monthly gatherings are currently meeting on Zoom. We hope you will join us for our next meeting on April 29 at 1 pm. You do not need to read the book to attend – all are welcome. Please contact Lorelei Lanier Lotozo at (614) 209-7125 or Robin Hood, Congregational Care Coordinator, with questions or to add your name to our email list to receive the Zoom meeting invite.

A sneak peek of this month’s book: “In the small village of Edgecombe St. Mary in the English countryside lives Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired), the unlikely hero of Helen Simonson’s wondrous debut... But then his brother’s death sparks an unexpected friendship with Mrs. Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper from the village. Drawn together by their shared love of literature and the loss of their spouses, the Major and Mrs. Ali soon find their friendship blossoming into something more. But village society insists on embracing him as the quintessential local and regarding her as the permanent foreigner. Can their relationship survive the risks one takes when pursuing happiness in the face of culture and tradition?” -amazon.com

To get your copy or to read more about the book click here.

Annual Burkhart Luncheon
May 1, 2021
First Community Online
Growing 
Presentation by Dr. Glen Miles

Our annual Burkhart Luncheon for our Sweethearts who are 65+ years young will be May 1 at 11 am. The program will be available to access on Facebook and on the First Community webpage, similar to how we view worship. Brunch boxes will be delivered to your home the day of the event. RSVP deadline is April 9 for a brunch box.

This year’s program theme is Growing, with a presentation by Dr. Glen Miles and music from Sally Beske. Our generous sponsors providing Brunch boxes are Brookdale Trillium Crossing, Dublin Retirement Village, First Community Village, Forum at Knightsbridge, Wesley Glen, and Westminster-Thurber. In addition, our sponsors providing roses this year include Heartland Home Health and Hospice, Clear Captions, and Capital Health.

If you would like to receive an invitation, contact Robin, (614) 488-0681 ext. 235.
Earth Day Confluence Park Clean-Up
Are you tired of plastic litter ending up in our watershed impacting fish and wildlife? This is the Earth Day Event for you! We will be cleaning up the Confluence of the Olentangy and Scioto rivers on Saturday April, 24th from 10am to 2pm.

This is the fifth year for this Earth Day event focusing on the Confluence area to keep our watershed clean. Many plastic items are picked up on the river bank during high spring flows. These items travel downstream and pollute habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife. Join us to help keep Columbus Waterways Clean!

This event will be a collaboration with Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed (Flow) and Green Columbus. The rain delay day will be Sunday April 25th from 10am -2pm.

Lets make a difference Columbus!
Burkhart Center Newsletter
The Burkhart Center has produced its own newsletter which includes:
.
  • Gregory Boyle Virtual April 23 Event Registration
  • Father Boyle "prequel" events April 8 & 15
  • The Burkhart Center Weekly/Monthly Offerings 
  • Rebirth and Renewal and Regeneration, Oh My! by Rev. David Hett
  • Outside Partner Recommended Resources
  • Easter Season Services at First Community

You can read the publication by clicking the button below.
Pastoral Care Links and Church Gifts