The Builder
June 2022
Join Us for Worship In-Person or Online
Year of the People Report
It’s the Year of the People! And that means everything we do this year is rooted in loving one another. And during the month of June, we’ve got lots of reasons to love one another!
June means it’s time for the West Ohio Annual Conference, and several of you are serving as delegates to represent Broad Street and/or the Capitol Area North District. Once again, we won’t be heading to Lakeside, OH, this year. Instead, Annual Conference will be held virtually on Friday and Saturday of this week. Pastor Angie and I are both being reappointed to serve another year at Broad Street—for which we’re both very excited and grateful. And we’re busy planning for the summer months ahead.
June also means PRIDE month! We’ll participate in two different PRIDE festivals/parades: one sponsored by Central Ohio Reconciling Ministries Network, and the other by Stonewall Columbus. We’ll say goodbye to the Chancel Choir as they prepare for some summer respite from the choir loft, and we’ll welcome a summer line-up of special music and musicians in their stead.
And June marks some new starts at Broad Street. In a few weeks, we’ll welcome our new organist, Jason Mace. He’s been busy practicing in the Sanctuary, and I must say it is delightful to hear that pipe organ! We’ll also receive five people into membership at Broad Street in June. And we’re beginning to see an increase in volunteers around the church throughout the week. It sure feels like God is doing a new thing here at Broad Street and it is exciting.
Be sure to read through the rest of the newsletter to see what else is happening around the church. And stay tuned for additional updates and announcements throughout the summer in the weekly ICYMI emails on Monday mornings.
And one last thought: this Sunday, June 5, is Pentecost Sunday. Consider wearing something red to church on Sunday morning as we celebrate the Holy Spirit and the birthday of The Church.
We’ll see you in church!
Pastor John Girard
Kitchen Renovation Project Update
Since the last update to the Broad Street UMC family, the Kitchen Renovation Project Team has completed several steps required before the renovation project can begin. After the design development phase was completed, the team met again with the project architect, Craig Vander Veen, to review the preliminary construction plans. The Team considered options and made decisions about plan details. The final construction documents are being completed and will be submitted to the City of Columbus and Franklin County Health Department for building permits. Approval is usually completed in 30-45 days.
Two general contractors have been identified that are a good fit for a church project of this scope. Craig will share the construction documents with them, meet with them to answer questions, and then obtain bids. The Kitchen Renovation Project Team will meet again after the bids are received to consider next steps.
The Heart of the City Foundation has granted funds to cover the Architect’s fee and has agreed to disburse additional funds as the project progresses. It is anticipated that construction will begin late in June or early in July, with completion by early to mid-December.
The Team and church staff will work diligently to keep the project on task and to reduce impact on the use of the kitchen facilities. If you have questions about the project, you can contact the co-chairs, Keith Holten [kholten213@gmail.com; cell (740) 497-5778] or Nathan Sims [nsims55@hotmail.com; cell (240) 271-7242]. The other team members are Pastor John Girard, Nancy Taggart, and Marge Galloway (Broad Street UMC); Jim Shively (Manna Café and Downtown Kiwanis); Rebekah Mynster (HOTCF and Manna Café); and Tim Reik (Manna Café and State Auto).
Manna Service Opportunity
Beginning in late June, the Manna Café ministry team will need assistance with picking up meal items from a local GFS (Gordon Food Service). This can be done any day of the week, on a schedule that works for you, at whatever location is most convenient for you! All food orders will be placed ahead of time and paid for in advance, so any volunteers will not need to pay for or be reimbursed for the food that is picked up. This part of the meals that Broad Street sponsors is something that Pastor Angie has been doing for a number of months, but she will be unable to drive for several months after June 17th. Because this is only for meals that Broad Street is sponsoring, this is not necessarily an every-week need.
If you would be willing and able to help, even for just a week at a time, please contact Pastor Angie at angie@broadstreetumc.net.
UMCs Celebrate Pride
Broad Street UMC is joining 11 Reconciling churches to celebrate UMC Pride at the 2nd annual Central Ohio Reconciling Ministries Pride Festival. Please join us for a fun-filled day at Bethel International UMC on June 11th from 11-2 p.m. There will be live music, food trucks, vendors, children’s activities, and fellowship. Our own pastors are presenting the worship service to wrap up this wonderful event. Don’t miss it!
We also need volunteers to help out with the following:
Setting up between 9:30-11:00 a.m.
Passing out swag and meeting people at our tent between 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Engaging with children’s activities between 11:00-2:00
Tearing down and cleaning up from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Contact Nancy Taggart or Sue Hughes and we can give you more information on volunteering. We could really use some muscle to get the tent up/down and help us out throughout the day!
Thank you and looking forward to seeing Broad Street family at this event!
Nancy (614) 578-7782
Sue (614) 578-7696
Assisting a Refugee Family
Our Columbus Refugee and Immigration Services, or CRIS, Team is working to welcome a refugee family! We are forming a Welcome Team to assist a refugee family who is being resettled in Columbus. Some of the tasks we might be asked to help with include:
Helping to set up an apartment for the family (items to assist in furnishing the apartment)
Stocking the pantry – purchasing culturally appropriate groceries for the family
Airport welcome – greeting the family at the airport and welcoming them
Welcome meal – preparing a culturally appropriate meal for the family to enjoy when they arrive at their new home
Rental assistance – financial assistance to help cover a deposit and one month’s rent
Seasonal clothing – clothing and footwear for work, school, and everyday use for each family member
Transportation – driving the family to necessary appointments
Currently, Columbus is receiving families from the following countries:
Rwanda
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Myanmar
Honduras
If you are interested in joining the Welcome Team, please contact Pastor John, Pastor Angie, Deborah Gavlik, or Craig Vander Veen.
Stonewall Columbus Pride March — June 18
This year we are excited to return to an in-person celebration of our PRIDE! There will be Pride-related events all month and during Stonewall Columbus Pride weekend June 17-18, in particular. Similar to Broad Street’s The Year of the People, this year’s theme is “The People’s Pride.” Help celebrate and recognize Columbus’ 41st Pride March by walking with our contingent from Broad Street UMC. You can park at Broad Street and catch a shuttle or walk and meet us at the line-up area (between Rich St and Broad St on High St.) on Saturday morning, June 18th. Nancy’s truck and other RMN vehicles will be in the lineup by 9:00 a.m. and walkers can join anytime. Step-off is at 10:30, but expect to wait an hour or more before we roll—and be prepared rain or shine! Hopefully, we’ll be close to shade and a place to sit while waiting. Walkers that want to shuttle can arrive in the parking lot between 9-10:30 a.m. The parade will start at Broad and High and continue along a 2-mile route to Goodale Park. We will disperse at the end of the parade on High Street and Buttles. Vehicles will continue straight on High, walkers will turn left on Buttles. We will have limited shuttle opportunities at this point, and we could use more drivers to shuttle back and forth, so please let Nancy or Sue know if you need a ride back to the church as soon as you can. The Pride Festival will be at Goodale Park; we hope you plan on attending the fun! Below is the link to Stonewall Pride information and events.
Happy Pride! 🌈
Nancy Taggart
Spotlight On…
Nancy Ann Lee
Nancy Ann Neal Lee was born on December 3 in Memorial Hospital, Lima, Ohio. Her husband Jack was born on July 3, also at Memorial Hospital in Lima. She and Jack met in junior high band practice. Nancy is a widow today as Jack passed away on March 22, 2014. She is the daughter of Gertrude Sophia Schroerluke Neal and Franklin Grove Cleveland Neal (deceased).
Nancy did not attend kindergarten. She attended through mid-fourth grade at McGuffey Elementary in Columbus. Their family moved to Jersey Township onto a 100-acre farm, and she attended Jersey Township Schools in Licking Heights. She graduated from Jersey Township Schools. She chose to go to Pataskala High School where she graduated as a straight-A student and had no sick days! She was snowed in during the Ohio State/Michigan snowball—this is the only time she missed school. She was bused to her school but her husband, Jack, walked to school! Their school system was not integrated, as the county was segregated.
Nancy’s first integrated setting was at the Ohio State University where she attended business school. Her mother did not believe in infant baptism and Nancy was baptized at Pataskala Methodist Church in 1954, her senior year in High School. She attended Sunday School in several churches. While in Columbus she attended Indianola Presbyterian Church before moving to the farm.
Nancy also won blue ribbons at 4-H events in baking and had badges in music. While growing up she listened to opera on the radio with her father. She played the piano and was a high school accompanist for various ensembles. She also played at church. Nancy grew up Presbyterian and attended Jersey Presbyterian Church. Her mother was a member of this church. She attended the Methodist Episcopal Church in her high school years. During the merge of 1968, she and Jack attended the merging event. When she graduated from high school, she went to Columbus Business School for their executive secretary program. Her decision not to go to Ohio Northern was based on being shy and insecure. She learned to come out of the shell thanks to Jack.
Both Nancy and Jack served on the board of Southside Settlement House. Many times, when Jack served on a board, Nancy would follow Jack so both were serving on the same board at the same time.
Jack went to The Ohio State University. Nancy was the executive secretary for M R Dietetic Laboratories, which developed Similac. She had the responsibility to track all foreign and military contracts. She prepared, collected, and tracked all contracts. She worked there for 8 ½ years while Jack work at Battelle. Their first child, Jana, was born three years after they were married. Nancy had six weeks of paid maternity leave. She covered the insurance for their family through M and R and had full benefits as did Jack through Battelle.
They first lived in the Beverly Manor Apartments on the backside of Maryland Avenue and Broadleigh Avenues. Jana was born in Whitecross Hospital. Their daughter Amy was one of the firstborn in the new Riverside Hospital.
Nancy stopped working when Jana was four. When Amy was four, Nancy went back to work. They moved into their first home in Whitehall and in 1975 they moved into Columbus. Both she and Jack were vocal and prominent leaders for the integration of Columbus City Schools. When Amy was four, Nancy began working as an administrative assistant for Whitehall City Schools for 8 ½ years.
She has been part of board member of East Area Mental Health; Board of Hunger Taskforce; member of Woman’s Association of the Columbus Symphony; member of the Women’s Guild of Opera Columbus.
Both Nancy and Jack were part of Pataskala Methodist Church singing in their choir. When they moved to Bexley UMC, they joined on Palm Sunday in 1959. Most of their social friends were Methodist clergy and their wives. She also chaired General Welfare of the West Ohio Conference. Jack ended up being Assistant Lay Leader of the East Ohio Conference. Nancy joined the United Methodist Church because of the church’s beliefs.
They were members of Bexley UMC for 40 years before joining Broad St. United Methodist Church under David Meredith’s pastorate. Nancy still lives in the same house she has lived in for 45 years in the Olde Orchard subdivision.
At Broad St. Nancy has served as a Trustee, served as a liturgist, hosted coffee hour, participated in bible studies, and served on the environmental committee (when Jan Teague was leader).
Both of her daughters were peaches and cream babies. Jana graduated from Walnut Ridge High School and Otterbein University in physical education. Jana ran her own childcare center which their family-owned for ten years. They were the first to get accreditation of NAEYC (National Association Education for Young Children). Jana started in Whitehall Schools and entered ninth grade at Yorktown Junior High.
Amy was born while they lived in Whitehall. When Amy was in grade four their family moved to Olde Orchard Elementary School. She then went to Yorktown Junior High and graduated from Walnut Ridge High School and Capital University in elementary education. She taught first in Columbus and now in Granville, Ohio.
Their girls grew up in Bexley UMC and Jana was married there. Nancy has played golf once at Pataskala Golf Course. When Nancy got to the water hole, she was the only one who hit the green on the other side of the water. That was her last time to golf!
Her hobbies include gardening (especially indoor plants). Her daughter Amy has an outdoor garden that can feed the city of Newark. Nancy is into succulents and orchids. Presently Nancy is writing two books. One is “Growing up Together;” and the other is “The Story of a 57-year Marriage.”
Nancy’s father had a line that “Life begins at forty.” Of course, Nancy was born two weeks after his 40th birthday.
In the 1990s their family was introduced into the world of Alpacas. They first owned two, then added more by building a barn, bred them, and never had more than 20 at once. They ended this business in 2010.
Nancy loves to work on her brain with puzzles, word searches, etc. She’s on her way early in the morning playing computer brain games. She loves to work with words. The downstairs bedroom in her home is her office where she spends time working on her brain, de-cluttering, and whatever. She’s also in two book groups: Broad St. Bookies and Reynoldsburg Bookies.
At home they have family pets: two cats (Mathias and Cleo) and one black lab (Bentley). Her daughter and son-in-law have gotten two dogs: Oden and Amelia.
Her favorite scripture is “feed the hungry, clothe the naked” which has driven her church and working life. She transferred employment to the City of Columbus in 1985 from the South Side Settlement where she was working as an administrator of Southside Family Health Center.
In 1980, she earned her degree from Capital University BA with a dual major in business administration and health administration. This was part of their adult education program in its early stages. She wrote final oral papers from the books that she learned from either life work or courses in Bible studies while attending Bexley UMC. In 1990, a Master of Arts from The Ohio State University in public policy and management. It’s now the John Glenn School of Public Policy. Her favorite hymn is “Faith of our Father;” “Eternal Father Strong to Save;” “Seashore hymn” (Spanish); “Be Still and Know I am Lord (Finlandia).
When she tells people about Broad St. UMC she says it is a welcoming, inclusive church. No one is unwelcome! It’s an intergenerational family.
Nancy and her husband Jack taught Bible studies together over the years. Nancy has always been at the forefront of integration issues linking people together.
Hobbies include reading, keeping her mind active, and participating in a widow’s group at the Reynoldsburg Center to be supportive and comforting to one another. They call themselves the WOW Group (Widow and Widowers).
She is also working on a book about their family farm.
Nancy has always had two goals: to be married for fifty years (married to Jack for 57 years) and to live to be 100 (she has 15 years to go). Nancy feels we need to be more Eastern like Jesus rather than Western.
Thanks be to God!
The Chatterbox
Connie Hoelscher featured at Ohio Living Westminster Thurber Community
Marge Galloway tells us that a handful of people are selected every few months during the centennial celebration year at Ohio Living Westminster Thurber. The photos and interviews, such as Connie’s pictured above, are first displayed near the individual’s residence before moving throughout the entire facility over the course of the next two to three months. Below is the text of Connie’s feature.
Connie Hoelscher
Thurber Tower Resident since 2009
Health Care Resident since 2020
Describe your attitude toward life.
My attitude is “good.” I like making friends.
Is there anything about your past life accomplishments or experiences that you would like others to know?
I am a “numbers” person. I worked for the State of Ohio for 27 years doing payroll for the Bureau of Employment Services. For a time, I also did cost accounting for programs of the Federal Government. I went on disability retirement in 2000.
I used to crochet afghans and hats for the homeless. At Christmas, I made counted cross stitch ornaments that my sister’s church gave away.
What past experiences shaped your perspective on life today?
Traveling has given me wonderful memories. Sometimes I went with girlfriends and sometimes with my parents—to Alaska, Hawaii, Texas, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. The differences in both time and climate were always an adjustment!
What or who do you consider to be your “community?”
When I lived in Thurber Tower, I was treasurer of the Resident Association. Now the staff and residents are my community and I miss friends who used to be here, especially my roommate in Health Care.
What activities fill your life on or off-campus?
I enjoy musical programs, especially Wade Jones’ “guess the song” performances. I watch my DVDs of comedy and romance movies and attend the movies shown here. I really enjoy Buckeye football on TV. Bible study here enriches my life and I watch services from Broad Street Methodist Church online. When I lived at Thurber, I loved the various bus rides.
Being a “numbers person,” I also love doing puzzles. Sudoku is one of my favorites. In good weather, I like to take a puzzle book out on the porch.
Your continuing faithfulness in giving to the mission and ministries of Broad Street is deeply appreciated. We are especially grateful to those who have switched to online giving, as we do not have to process checks to receive those gifts. To give via check or cash, you are welcome to give in-person on Sunday mornings or mail your offerings directly to the church. To give online, we encourage you to use one of the options below.
Go to broadstreetumc.net and click on “Giving” or click on the button directly below.
Download the free Vanco Mobile app on your device and search for Broad Street.
Text the dollar amount to (614) 528-4075.
Recurring Events:
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. — Livestream & in-person Worship
Monday–Thursday: 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. — Church Office Open
Tuesday–Thursday: 1:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. — Columbus Coalition for the Homeless Drop-In Center
Monday–Saturday: 12:00 p.m. — 501 AA Group
Wednesday: 3:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. — Manna Café
Thursday: 7:00 p.m. — Heart-to-Heart NA Group
Events and Meetings:
June 3 & 4 — West Ohio Annual Conference, held via Zoom
June 7, 6:00 p.m. — Heart of the City Foundation
June 11, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. - Central Ohio RMN Pride Festival at Bethel International UMC
June 14, 1:00 p.m. — History & Archives
June 15, 7:00 p.m. — Finance Subcommittee
June 18, all day — Stonewall Columbus Pride Parade and Festival
June 20, 7:00 p.m. — Leadership Board, via Zoom
