September is here, football starts (tomorrow!), it still feels like summer, and…school is starting up! If you have kids in school, if you’re a teacher, or if you remember having kids in school, it’s always a busy time of year. There’s a lot of energy, anticipation, anxiety, tears, and everything in-between.  So as we did last year, let’s start off this year right…with prayer.   Jesus said that we should concern ourselves with these “little ones” (Mark 9:36-37, 42) – so as

This is a tough one to write: summer is almost over (and yes, I know we have local summer still!). But seriously, before we get into it, I invite you to pray for the folks in Florida who are enduring another damaging hurricane – especially those people who are most vulnerable, unable to help themselves, sick, elderly, and so on.  Now the the Psummer of Psalms is over, I want to take a moment simply to reflect a bit on the

We're excited to be growing our Sunday morning staff! Currently, we are looking for a nursery attendant who can care for our littlest ones, as well as teach small lessons. Please check out the full role description here. If you, or someone you know is interested, contact our Next Generation Pastor, Rebecca DeLucia. VIEW THE ROLE DESCRIPTION

Throughout the summer, I’ve been reading the Psalms as part of my yearly bible reading plan. So throughout these Central Thoughts emails this summer, I’ve done a sort of Psummer Psalm Pslam – looking at a different Psalm each week. And today is the last day of the Psalms!  It’s kind of sad, as I’ve enjoyed reading and reflecting on them!  Yesterday’s Psalms were some of my favorites – especially 146 and 147. Do yourself a favor and take some time to read them today.

Hello Central Baptist Church, I hope this post finds you well. I have something exciting to share that isn’t exactly new – but that we just have not yet ‘formally’ announced: Rebecca DeLucia has joined our staff as our new Next Generation Pastor. She was officially voted into this role at the Quarterly Business Meeting on July 23, and she began in this new role on August 1. Please join me in extending to her a heartfelt and joyful welcome!  I have worked

Today, I opened up my bible app to my daily readings, and the first verse of today’s Psalm just jumped off the page at me: Unless the Lord builds the house,    those who build it labor in vain.                     Psalm 127:1a The Psalm writer speaks of building a house. Unless it’s God who is doing the real building, our ‘building’ will just be labor in vain. Labor that is real, labor that is hard, labor that is,

Good morning from warm, sunny (and humid) Florida!I hope you’re well today. We’ve enjoyed our vacation very much so far, and it’s been good to spend time with my dad and my mom (who you’ve been praying for as she goes through cancer treatments…she thanks you!). As I opened my bible app to read today’s readings, it opened to Psalm 107  – another one of my favorites. It pictures people of the world who are in all various kinds of troubles, and when

I hope you’re enjoying this BEAUTIFUL day here on the Bayshore. Get outside, walk the block, say hello to a neighbor, enjoy God’s good creation!In today’s Central Thoughts, we’re continuing our Psummer Psalm Pslam (good name, right?!?). In my daily reading for today was one of my absolute favorite Psalms, Psalm 86.  Read the whole Psalm right here, or check out this central line:8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,    nor are there any works like yours. It is true: there

A few weeks ago, I told you how I started the Psalms in my yearly bible reading plan (it's turning in to a Psalm Psummer!). As I read a few Psalms every morning, I find myself being drawn into them as they have a unique way of speaking into my life - and our life together as a church.Yesterday I opened my bible reading app, and the Psalm was one of my favorites.  Psalm 62. In fact, with those who gathered with me to pray for the

Two weeks ago, I told you how I started the Psalms in my yearly bible reading plan. As I read a few Psalms every morning, I find myself being drawn into them as they have a unique way of speaking into my life.Today I opened my bible reading app, and the first Psalm for today was one that I think we all need to hear, and to know, and to have rooted deep in our hearts - especially, as we’re talking about on Sundays,