More Than Just a Picnic.
This past Sunday was our yearly church picnic…but this one was a little different, and in my mind, it was such an amazing event. Here’s why…This year, we decided to do what we normally do at the picnic - food, games, good time together - but there was one big difference: we did it in the middle of town at the harbor in Atlantic Highlands. We invited anyone who was walking by to grab some free chili or hot dogs,
No Author? No Problem.
A guest blog by Shawn Blythe. As our Bible readings take us to Hebrews, you might be somewhat surprised at the lack of the normal introductory format that most letters in the New Testament follow. These letters typically started with a clear indication as to who the letter was from. James begins his letter with “James, a servant of God”. Peter begins his two letters similarly, with I Peter stating “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ”. Jude does the same with
Take A Step With Us.
This past Sunday was a big Sunday here at Central, as we kicked off the “new church year”. During the sermon, I introduced a new and big idea for the church that I want to make sure you all know about. I’d tell you to watch the livestream to find out more (which you can do here), but we mistakenly had music playing through the livestream during the entire service (so it’s like I’m preaching with loud background music!). Kind
Looking for a Paid Nursery Caregiver!
We're excited to be growing our Sunday morning staff! Currently, we are looking for a (paid) 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
Back to Life
Last week, my friend who moved to Texas posted about how, no matter where in the world people from NJ are - even the most beautiful, awe inspiring places - they will still find a way to mention how NJ has pizza and all four seasons. Winter, though barren, brings hot cocoa and cozy evenings; it’s often a time of intentionality. Spring brings new life and fresh starts. This past Monday, we mourned the end of summer: the end of
Questions Matter
Questions have been on my mind recently. Let me clarify: it’s not that I have questions that have been plaguing my mind or anything…rather, it’s the idea and importance of questions that have been on my mind. Questions matter. I mean, take today’s bible plan reading of Matthew 21. The entire chapter is practically propelled forward by people asking questions about Jesus or directly to Jesus, or by Jesus posing questions back. When you read the Gospels, what you see is that a lot
Busy, Busy, Busy
A guest blog by Shawn Blythe. We are busy people. I know this because when somebody amicably asks me how things are going, my first instinct is to answer “Busy!” Whether it is true or not, that is the impression that I have of my life. Busy with home repairs, daily tasks, family visits, church responsibilities, hobbies, vacations, and a myriad of other activities that fill my calendar. The 19th chapter of Matthew always resonates with me because it also seems
More Than Enough To Go Around
Today’s reading in our Central Reads 2024 bible reading plan is a bit of a tough one…at first glance. There’s a story that, quite frankly, is difficult to understand – because of how out of place it seems for Jesus. It’s the one where a Canaanite woman comes to Jesus to have her daughter healed of a demon, and Jesus responds by basically saying that he’s only come for the lost sheep of Israel, and that it’s not right to give the
Act On It.
In this week’s readings from the bible reading plan, we finished the sermon on the mount on Monday (Matthew 7). It’s an amazing bit of teaching from Jesus, world-changing, personally convicting, and far reaching. But I want to highlight how it ends – because I think it’s what is so often missed:24 “Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and
A Baptism Refresher.
The upcoming baptisms on Sunday have been a catalyst for a lot of conversations in our house about baptism, and today’s bible reading in Matthew 3 only made our pancake breakfast refocus on the topic. Baptism can be a complicated thing, especially for young children. So today I thought I would share a simple breakdown I learned to explain baptism to kids, but also serves as a good reminder for us. This explanation actually focuses on John 3:16 - “For