Monthly Newsletter

We all had a blast at our last Fun, Food, and Fellowship event, and this time we are ready to have even more! On March 8, we will have a chili cook off — which means we need people to cook and people to taste! 

For those who want to cook, sign up at the info booth Sunday or using the QR code below. For those who want to taste — bring a side dish for chili, bring your neighbor, your friends, your family, and let’s have a great time! This is the perfect time to show everyone just how welcome they are!

Prayer creates space to slow down, listen, and discern God’s direction.  Luke 5:16 tells us that Jesus often withdrew to pray. Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus modeled a life rooted in prayer—before miracles, before major decisions, and before facing the cross, He prayed.

If Jesus needed prayer, so do we.

The Prayer Chapel is designed to help you step away from distraction and step into intentional time with God. Physically entering a space set apart for prayer allows us to slow down, tune in, and linger longer in His presence. Within the chapel, you’ll find multiple prayer stations offering different ways to engage—whether through Scripture reflection, guided prompts, written prayers, silence, or practicing each week’s breath prayer.

Each station is an invitation to experience prayer in a fresh and focused way. These tools are not meant to complicate prayer, but to help you stay attentive, engaged, and open to God.

Ultimately, it is up to us to make the time. Prayer is not just a good idea—it is the most important thing we can do.

Your donations are making a real difference in our community!

• St. Paul’s serves 45 families (about 150 people) each Monday.
• Grace Lutheran assists 34–38 households (90–110 people) weekly and provides vouchers for 25–30 clients through Community Harvest food bank.
• Impact Center supports 85–90 families (250–300 people), distributing 1,500–2,000 pounds of food each Thursday afternoon.

From December through February, $2,999.06 in meat from Kroger accompanied your donations. In early December, over $550 in canned goods and 42 pounds of beef from Wood Farms Market were also delivered.

Special thanks to Cindy Kumfer for securing the grant and initiating the Kroger partnership, and to George Coppens for working with Kroger for the meat pick-up and then working with the food pantries for distribution.

Thank you to everyone who donates, shelves, and delivers — your generosity is making a meaningful difference in the lives of many families in our community.

Why should we wear name tags?  Name tags are an effective tool for improving fellowship and hospitality. They foster a welcoming, relational, and safe community by helping people connect names with faces, reducing embarrassment, and enabling easier social engagement. They are highly valuable for welcoming guests, helping newcomers feel comfortable, and allowing members to build stronger relationships with each other.  If you don’t have a name tag, there are extras at the welcome center outside of the Worship Center.

Children ages 3–7 are invited to be part of CityKids Sunday each week! After the Generosity Moment in the worship service, kids are dismissed to Room 106 for fun, engaging, and interactive Bible lessons designed just for them. Each Sunday, our dedicated CityKids team partners together to share the message of Jesus’ love in creative and meaningful ways. Through Bible story themes, hands-on activities, and mission-focused projects, children experience a morning filled with faith and fun.

A BIG THANK YOU to our amazing CityKids Sunday team for ensuring a welcoming place where our littlest worshipers can learn, grow, and experience God’s love!

NOW LET’S GO FURTHER! 

Love planning events? Love connecting with people? Love Columbia City? Then YOU are needed!

Last year, we made wonderful connections during First Fridays on the square. This year, we want to be even more intentional — finding fun, meaningful ways to live out our Love First vision in our community.

We’re looking for one planning point person to organize the activity for our monthly First Friday booth.

Good news: You’re not expected to attend every event — just to dream, plan, and coordinate the monthly activity.

If you enjoy brainstorming ideas and creating welcoming experiences, this could be the perfect fit!

Let’s keep building connections and making a positive impact in Columbia City — one First Friday at a time.

At CityKids Preschool, we don’t just educate children — we help them grow in faith, flourish in love, and become the people God created them to be.

Do you know a 3, 4, or 5 year old child?  Please share the news:

Registration is now open for the 2026–2027 school year!

5-Day Preschool
Monday–Friday | 8:30–11:30 AM,
Children must be 4 or 5 years old by August 1.

3-Day Preschool
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday | 8:30–11:30 AM, Children must be 3 years old by August 1.

Visit www.columbiacityumc.org for registration details.

Join Us for Open House!

Come tour our classrooms and meet our wonderful teachers at CityKids Preschool on March 5, 6-7 pm. We would love to meet you and your family!

On Ash Wednesday, we reflected on God’s powerful self-revelation to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM.” In the Gospel of John, Jesus echoes this divine name seven times through His “I AM” statements, revealing His identity—and, in turn, revealing who we are in Him.

Through three interactive prayer stations—i am mortal, i am forgiven, and i am made new (hope)—participants were invited to reflect on their own identity in Christ.

Throughout Lent, we will continue exploring the “I AM” statements of Jesus, discovering how His identity shapes our own. Each Sunday, we will connect who Jesus is with who we are because of Him.

Join us this Lenten season as we grow in understanding our true identity in Jesus.

Birthdays

Lenna Burnham - 2

Kent Davison - 7

Sandy Thomas - 7

Angie Metzger - 13

Linda Sevier - 13

Marilyn Brick - 14

Dave Bilger - 15

Sue White - 15

Debby Minier - 16

Anita Hadge - 24

Ron Berry - 24

Eileen Eberhart - 30

Anniversaries 

Cheryl and Mike Copp - 13

Joyce and Dale Lawrence - 14

Karen and George Coppens - 15

Robin and John Kleiman - 21

Tam and Mark Parker - 22

Kris and Ron Richey - 30

Anita and Rick Hodge - 31

Oak Pointe Assisted Living:  Francis Bundy, Dee Green, Harrison & Natalie Harker, Barb Gillman

The Oaks Skilled Care:  Bette Reed, Elaine Beard, Joanna Sims

Byron Health Center:  April Snyder

Ossian Health & Rehabilitation:  Jill Chapman

Autumn Trace: Evelyn Stemen, Karen Bucher

Homebound:  Ron Reed, Donna Toole, Florence Linn, Louise Walter, Barb Bilger (cards only), and Betty Mosher (cards only), Joyce Lawrence, Chick Harker, Marilyn Fry, Joyce Butler

* If you know anyone that is homebound or in a care facility, PLEASE let the office know.  We want to be sure we are reaching out to all.

Revisit Committee Assignments and responsibilities — If committee members have preference on which team they might serve on, they should let Pastor Christi or John Snyder know. 

District Day

Rescheduled for April 19 at 2 p.m. Members will receive and email with more information. 

Pastor Report 

Building Use Policy — Received update plan for review. Sent back to building use for updates. Recommended calling some locations such as 4-H, St. Paul, and The Kitchen who rent commercial kitchen space for idea on cost per hour for space. 

Mission Moments — Discussion around inviting groups that align with our vision to come and share about their programs on Sunday morning. Consider highlighting in monthly newsletter.

Upcoming opportunities are Royal Family Kids Camp Tea Party on July 7.

Donations — Two large monetary gifts will be received by the church, and the Council is discerning how best to steward these gifts.

Greeting Team — Changes are being made to the Sunday greeting team. Council members asked to be part of the greeting team on the first Sunday of the month. Greeter training will happen on February 15.

Communion Sunday — Communion Sunday for March will be held February 22. 

Finance Report

January 2026.

    Total revenue: $44,530.22

    Expenses: $46,317.66

    Net revenue: -$1,787.00

Audit Plan for CCUMC reviewed with Council.

(260) 244-7671 • www.columbiacityumc.org
605 Forest Parkway Columbia City, IN 46725

Christi Murray, Pastor — christi.murray@columbiacityumc.org

Tammy Taylor, Director of Administration and Discipleship — tammy.taylor@columbiacityumc.org

Ashley Bailey, Communications Specialist — ashley.bailey@columbiacityumc.org

Gary Shanklin, Bookkeeper – Shanklin.gary@gmail.com