Origins:
A New Liturgical Season
at HUMC
General Overview
This fall, Hilliard United Methodist Church will be among the first congregations in the country to launch Origins, a new liturgical season of the church year. Like Advent or Lent, Origins is a time set apart for focused reflection and growth.
The heart of Origins is this: to uncover forgotten or erased stories and bring them back into our shared memory and imagination about who we are called to be. Each year, the season will take a different focus that allows us to dive deep together.
In this first year, our focus will be on the Land Story of Central Ohio — listening to the sacred stories of this land, the Indigenous peoples who lived here for centuries, and the ways colonization, development, and displacement continue to shape us today.
Through worship, storytelling, and community learning, we will:
- Invite the voices and stories too often silenced.
- Name the harms of displacement and erasure.
- Repair by taking responsibility for the ways forgetting or erasing these stories has caused harm, and committing to the work of healing.
- Imagine a new legacy of stewardship, justice, and love for future generations.
Origins at HUMC This Year
Worship Series (October 12 – November 2)
Each week in worship, we’ll focus on one theme — Invite, Name, Repair, Imagine — drawing on scripture, local history, and stories of the land to help us see with new eyes.
The Origins Art Exhibit
Alongside worship, we are honored to partner with the Great Circle Alliance to host a powerful art and history exhibit in our building:
Mounds, Moon, and Stars: The Legacy of Ohio’s Magnificent Earthworks
📍 HUMC Social Hall
📅 September 21 – October 26
This exhibit tells the incredible story of the ancient Hopewell culture — our Native siblings who built the extraordinary mounds and earthworks here in Central Ohio. Through art, sacred geometry, and story, the exhibit reveals how this land was once known as a spiritual center where sky, land, and spirit were woven together.
You can experience the exhibit on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings during open hours, or schedule a private tour with your small group, family, or ministry team.
Special Events:
- Dialogue Sermon with Dr. Belinda Gore — Sunday, September 21 (all services)
- Opening Reception & Panel Discussion — Tuesday, September 30 at 6:30pm
- Public Talk with Dr. Belinda Gore — Wednesday, October 22 at 7pm
FAQ
Why are we doing this?
Because telling the truth about our past — and the land we live on — is part of our call as followers of Jesus. It allows us to live more justly, love more deeply, and take responsibility for the ways forgetting and erasing stories has caused harm. Origins challenges us not only to remember but also to join in the ongoing reparative work of healing.
Will Origins be the same every year?
No. Each year, Origins will take on a new focus. This first year, we begin with the stories of the land in Central Ohio — a natural starting place. In future years, we’ll explore other forgotten stories that shape our faith and our world.
How can I participate?
- Come to worship each week during Origins.
- Visit the Mounds, Moon, and Stars exhibit and invite friends, family, or your small group.
- Join in the special events and panel discussions.
- Reflect and act: What story are we telling with our lives? How can we join in the work of repair? What legacy will we leave for future generations?