The Gospel of the Thunderbolts*
A (spoiler free!) blog by Next Gen Pastor, Rebecca DeLucia On Sunday, I (Rebecca) was reminded of the powerful role that film and television can play in our conversations around important issues and the way our faith ought to impact them. Thanks to the dreariness on Sunday afternoon, we were faced with an empty day ahead of us - a rare occurrence in our household. We decided to uphold the classic rainy-day activity and go see the new Thunderbolts* movie. Without giving
Make Yourself Available
This past Sunday, we kicked off our spring series in our Central Steps year-long series of series. We’ve taken a “Step Up” in the fall and a “Step In” in the winter – and now we’re taking a “Step Down” as we learn to become like Christ.That’s what our spring season of Step Groups is going to be focusing on: becoming like Christ. Becoming like Christ is a life-long journey. It's a key part of the process called "discipleship". There are a million books about and philosophies
A Post-Easter World
Isn’t it the most beautiful day today? After our men’s bible study, we walked to and from the bagel shop, and I just couldn’t get over it. Get outside today, if you’re able! Today’s beauty reminded me that, more than the weather,we live in the beauty of a post-Easter world. We live in a world where resurrection – life, with and from God – is our future. We live in a world where, in Christ, it can be our present too. That was the
Revealing Easter
This is a big week for Christians across the globe, as it is Holy Week: the week remembering and celebrating Jesus’ death and resurrection. I hope you’re able to come to our Good Friday service on Friday night, 7PM. It should be special. I also hope to see you on Sunday for Easter – both at sunrise at the harbor (6:00AM!) and for our own Easter service at 9:30AM. Details below.It’s also a big week, because this week is the
Eggciting Things at Central!
Another year, another Glow in the Dark Egg Hunt completed. And it was a great one. If you were there – you know and could feel the excitement in the building. If you missed it, what you missed was a building packed with kids and families - excited to hunt eggs and do crafts and play games and have fun together – and a building packed with volunteers from Central – both young and old – excited to see other
The Egg Hunt is On!
A guest blog by Rebecca DeLucia, Next Generation Pastor. This coming Sunday is our third annual GLOW Easter Egg Hunt and Party!! While this event may get the most foot-traffic through the church and be among the most fun, it does something even greater: advances God’s Kingdom. Events like this are a direct invitation to those who may never set foot in the church to do so in a non-threatening way. Games, crafts, and egg hunts also break down barriers. Church is an
Your Labor is Not in Vain
Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58b I find this to be one of the most comforting verses in all of scripture. I imagine that for most of us, we are familiar with the experience of working for some purpose, pouring out our energy and sweat and tears – laboring, as Paul puts it – and just not seeing the results. We think, “what’s
God’s Future Shapes the Present
“To be a Christian, … is precisely to live as a person for whom God’s future shapes the present.” Last night, I was sitting on my couch reading a book and came across the quote above (from Hope Against Hope: Christian Eschatology at the Turn of the Millenium, by Richard Bauckham and Trevor Hart). It struck me as the perfect quote to share with you as it intersects precisely with our Sunday series on resurrection and what we’re starting tonight on
Raising the Dead Raises Eyebrows
This Sunday, we kicked off our new series that will lead us through Easter called “Because I Live”. It’s a series that is exploring the resurrection of Jesus and what it means for us. As it turns out, it means everything for us. As Jesus himself puts it, “Because I live, you also will live.” See what I mean? It means everything. This week, we’re also wrapping up the book of Acts in our 2025 bible reading plan (I hope you are reading along with us!). Over
Salt, Light, & Youth
A guest blog from our Next Generation Pastor, Rebecca DeLucia On the last Saturday of February, Central Youth had our 2nd annual One Day Youth Retreat. Over the course of the day we spent time playing games like cereal relay, Wario-Ware, life sized Candy Land, and the youth group classic, sardines. We also spent time with one another having lunch at the Atlantic Diner in town and having a blast at the Monmouth Squash and Swim Club in Sea Bright. These