It’s the Most ___ Time of the Year
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s the busiest time of the year. As we sat on Sunday for the announcements I couldn’t help but think, it really is the busiest time of year. But yet, it also really is the most wonderful time of the year. Many of the things that we scheduled are fun and bring joy and wonderful moments of togetherness and community - Light It Up! Christmas Connect! Christmas Celebration Sunday! Christmas Eve! And those things are just at Central! Yet this
Awesome
You guys and gals are awesome. I mean, God is awesome, through you. But you're pretty awesome too. This past Sunday was a great Sunday. Besides the fact that a small army of folks helped decorate and beautify our building for the upcoming Christmas season, we had a handful of Central folks – along with some non-Central friends – cook Thanksgiving meals for 14 local families, totaling over 40 people. And then, on Monday, a handful more distributed and delivered those meals. Awesome. Here are
You Are a Work of God
This coming Sunday, we are wrapping up our (all too!) short series called “BeLoved”, on our identity, dignity, and destiny in Christ. On Sunday, we talked about how as God’s beloved children, we are also created to be his beloved ‘co-workers’. That is, we are made in “the image of God” to ‘be’ like God in the way we do a sort if imitation of what God has done in creation: brining order to disorder, peace to chaos, light to dark, and life to
The Gift of God Within You
In both the women’s and men’s bible studies this week, we hit on the topic of gifts. By gifts, I don’t mean gifts we give people for Christmas, or birthday gifts, or anything like that: I mean the gifts (abilities) that God has given us for…well…what for? The ‘gifts’ that God has given us: what are they for? In the men’s bible study, we’re (slowly!) studying our way through First Corinthians, which has extensive discussion on gifts. Before I answer the main
Pray For Them…
It’s Wednesday, and yesterday was election day – but I am actually writing this to you on Monday (sorry to confuse you right off the bat!). On Tuesday, our reading in our bible reading plan happened to be a passage that is very fitting for election day. Look at what Paul writes in to Timothy in chapter 2 of his first letter: 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and
More Things I Think I Think
A few months ago, one of my Wednesday blogs was written in the same spirit of a section from Peter King’s old Monday Morning Quarterback column from Sports Illustrated. He had a section called “things I think I think” – and they were quick hitting, not-fully-developed thoughts that were worth sharing. So in the spirit of that, Here’s some things I think I think… I think John’s first letter is amazing. His way of thinking, writing, reasoning, and speaking is just so unique in
Seeing Clearly
As many of you know, last week, our middle son Eli had surgery to correct something that was wrong with his eyes. Everything went well, and he’s doing great, recovering quickly, and his vision is getting better day by day. I wanted to pause and, on behalf of myself, Amanda, and Eli (and Jonah and Zeke – who just had shoulder surgery too!), thank you for your love and care throughout his recovery (as well as Zeke’s!). Your prayers, offers
Truth & Trust
Last week, I (Rebecca) was given the opportunity to attend the TenX10 Summit in Atlanta, Georgia. TenX10 is an organization whose mission is to Make Faith Matter More to 10 million young people over the next 10 years in the spirit of John 10:10. They do this through ecumenical research and resources provided free to leaders, pastors, and mentors. This year’s summit was focused on relational discipleship radically focused on Jesus.As I read over my copious notes to synthesize not only the
How Do You Smell Today?
I live right around the corner from La Rosa’s Pastry Shop – and it’s impossible to ignore. Now, I’m not much of a pastry or fancy dessert guy. But it’s impossible to ignore - not because I see it every day, and not because I shop there, and not because I crave pastry regularly. It’s impossible to ignore because of the aroma that it pumps into the air. It smells, in a word, delicious. I’d say every other day, I’ll walk out of
Imagine If…
In today’s Bible Reading plan we opened to Philippians 2, a chapter that challenges us to model Christ-like love and humility in our daily lives; our actions, attitudes, and activities “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Phil. 2:13) Imagine if we truly lived out of this belief, holding in our hearts and echoing out into the world through our actions the belief that God is at work in us according to his good