Central's Pastoral E-Letter: December 23, 2010

 

Merry Christmas!

 

I look forward to seeing you at one of our two Christmas Eve Services at 5:30 or 7:00 pm.   Each service will be packed with music, worship, a children’s story, and a message to remind us of the hope we have in Christ.  I can’t wait, as it is without a doubt my favorite service of the year! So bring the family and celebrate with us as only Central can do!  Come early to get a good seat!

 

We will then wrap up the Christmas season with two dynamic worship services on December 26.  The 9:30 services will be combined into one blended service in the worship center and the 11:00 service will be a contemporary celebration.  Both will feature a message by Jared Alcántara that you won’t want to miss.  In both services, we will have a guest worship leader,  Phil Biega, who recently completed a master’s degree program at Liberty University and has a real passion to lead us to the King.  Full nursery and children’s programs will meet both hours, so bring the family and celebrate with us.

 

My wife Kim and our children, Jonathan, Joshua, and Lydia join me in wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

 

Pastor Gay

 

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: December 17, 2010

 

Dear Central Family,

 

Two more chances to participate in our Living Nativity: tonight and tomorrow night from 6- 8 pm. 

 

This has been an incredible experience for all of us to see how God is working through all of you to serve our community.  I received emails of stories of people who were touched in a special way this past weekend by your hospitality, love, and warmth to all of our guests.  Over 600 people came through the Living Nativity last weekend, and even though it will be cold this weekend, we are expecting great crowds.  So bundle up, bring a friend, and pray for us as we seek to show the love of Jesus to our community.

 

Sunday morning we will continue our special Christmas Carol Series as we see that Christ brings meaning to our present.  This is a great Sunday to invite a friend to come with you as the music will be awesome (as always), the worship will be dynamic, and the message will lift up Jesus who brings us the gift of meaning that everyone is looking for.  I will be speaking in the 9:30 and 11:00 contemporary services and Pastor Gilmer will be ministering in the Classic at 9:30.  So I hope you invite and bring someone along with you!

 

The Great Christmas Giveaway continues to build!  Remember as you are planning your year-end generosity, that we will give away 10% of whatever is given to our general fund through December 31 to help community organizations impact people's lives.  I can’t wait to see how God will work through your giving hearts!  God bless you for your generosity!

 

Finally, just a reminder that Christmas Eve and Christmas weekend will be very special at Central.  We will have candlelight services on Christmas eve for the whole family at 5:30 and 700 pm.  Each service will be identical and will feature all the traditional Christmas music we love, a Children's story, Christmas Choir, handbells, and candle celebration as only Central can do.  I will be bringing a message that will wrap up (no pun intended) our Christmas series showing how Christ brings hope for our future!  So bring the kids and lets pack the worship center with worshippers of the New Born King! 

 

Then Sunday Morning, December 26, we will have two worship Services.  Our 9:30 services will be combined for a blended service featuring the Christmas Choir, the majesty of the organ, and our praise team in our worship center and a special treat (again, no pun intended!).  We will all be encouraged in worship as we are led by a guest worship leader, Phil Biega.  Phil is a graduate of Liberty University and Seminary and has a real passion to lead us to the King. We will then meet for a full contemporary service at 11:00 which will once again be led by Phil.   Jared Alcántara will challenge our hearts with a special message that I am looking forward to.

 

So there you have it.  Enjoy your weekend.  I look forward to seeing all of you!  Merry Christmas!

 

Pastor Gay

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: December 10, 2010

 

Dear Central Family,

 

It starts tonight!  The work that has been done by over 150 volunteers will come to fruition starting tonight! 

 

Tonight at 6 pm, we kick off our Live Nativity and Lighting Display!  We are really excited about all that God is going to do through this ministry.  I hope that you have invited your friends and neighbors to come with you for a fun night of food, presentation of the Christmas story, crafts for the kids, special music, and so much more!  I look forward to seeing you, as I will be one of the story tellers, and I can’t wait to meet your friends and neighbors!  Make sure you dress warm, and pray, pray, pray!  Pray for good weather, pray for open hearts, pray for wisdom on the part of all of us who interact with our guests.  Pray for the enemy to be kept at bay, pray for fruit that will last!  God is on a mission, and we get the grandest of all privileges to be a part of it!  So come out and bring a van full of people with you, and let’s watch God work!

 

Then join us Sunday morning as we begin a brand new series called The Christmas Carol.  This week we will look at how the Christmas story gives us hope to find forgiveness from the ghosts of our past.  Jared will be speaking in the classic service and I will be preaching in both the contemporary services.  All of our services have special musical treats planned for all of our guests.  So call someone up and invite them to come with you.  It is going to be a Magical Christmas Sunday here at Central!

 

Just a reminder that it is not too early to tell your friends about Christmas Eve services.  We will have two services: 5:30, and 7:00 pm.  Both services are identical and will include our Central Choir, praise team, and all the traditional Christmas music that makes Christmas so special.  And of course we will have our annual Christmas story for the kids.

 

Christmas is here at Central!  See you this weekend!

 

Pastor Gay

 

P.S.  Yesterday, I saw the grand lighting of the Christmas trees for the Live Nativity, and it is beautiful!  I am excited to see what will happen the next two weeks!

 

 

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: December 3, 2010

 

Welcome to December!  And with the beginning of December there are some exciting things taking place.  Please take note!

 

This Sunday evening, December 5^th at 6 pm, we will hold a Congregational Business Meeting.  We will receive a financial report update as we go into December.  We will also be voting on the proposed New Constitution that the Deacons Council has presented during the month of November.  This is an historic time at Central as we vote to put into place a new leadership structure. There will be time for questions prior to the vote.  So if you are a member, please plan to be here at 6 pm and bring a dessert to share.  We will have dessert in the Fellowship Mall and then we will meet in the Worship Center for our Congregational Meeting.  I look forward to seeing you there!

 

We are counting down the days until our Live Nativity Community Outreach.  Lots of work has been going on inside and outside our building to get ready for our guests.  We have mailed out 7,000 invite cards to folks in a 2.5 mile radius of the church.  We will have extra invite cards for you to pick up to give out to your friends this Sunday at the Welcome Center.  I want you to know that this is going to be an unbelievable opportunity unlike anything we have ever done before.  So get our your cell phones and start to call or text your friends to tell them all about it and send them to the website for more info.  Finally, please join me in praying for good weather and a great harvest of sharing the love of Christ with our community.

 

Finally, join us for one of our three worship services this Sunday as we celebrate communion in prep for the Advent season.  It is going to be a great time worship. 

 

See you Sunday!

 

Pastor Gay

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: November 26, 2010

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

I hope that you enjoyed a special Day of Thanks with your family and friends.  As we have been learning, we have so much to be thankful for! 

 

I thank God for you as a congregation and all that you are doing as we all are learning how to be the hands and feet of Jesus to our community. 

 

I hope that you are going to be able to be with us this Sunday as we celebrate God’s goodness!  I will be bringing the message in the classic service and Jared Alcántara will be speaking in both contemporary services.  We are excited to share what God has been putting on our hearts to share with you about His goodness for all of us!

 

I am counting down the days until our Follow the Star Live Nativity Outreach on Dec 10, 11, 17, and 18!  I am excited as I see yard signs popping up all over the community.  Thanks for taking this step to promote this community outreach.  This Sunday we will have invite cards available for you to give to your friends and neighbors.  We want to get the word out!   You can also send them to our website www.worshipatcentral.org as there is information there as well!

 

We also need help in getting the church decorated for this event!  So….

 

-          After the 11 service this Sunday,  November 28^th , we need an army of elves to help with the decorating.  We will need men and women to get up on the ladders, put Christmas trees together, carry supplies, and do other things to add their special touch so that the spirit of Christmas comes alive at Central in preparation for all of our guests. 

 

Then…

 

-          All day Saturday, December 4^th, beginning at 9:00 am, come for an hour or for the whole day for the Interior and Exterior set construction and design.  We will need volunteers to assemble and decorate the interior Christmas Village, assemble the buildings for the Living Nativity set, decorate the outside of the building, create pathways for the Pageant of Peace tree display, and set up and light Christmas trees.

 

-          Immediately following the worship services on Sunday, December 5^th, we will put the final touches in place.

 

Please begin to pray about whom you can invite to come with you.  This will be a live walk through of the Christmas story and the gospel will be presented in a creative way.  There will be a beautiful Christmas tree light display to walk through with your friends, great food, live animals, music, and much more. 

 

Then on December 12, we will begin a special Christmas series called A Christmas Carol, totally designed for you to invite your friends to hear the hope of Christmas.  It is going to be a powerful December!

 

See you Sunday!

 

Pastor Gay

 

 

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: November 21, 2010

 

Dear Central Family,

 

Give thanks!  For the Lord is good! 

 

I love this time of year because it reminds us of how gracious our God is and how generous He is in loading us with His blessings! 

 

Today is going to be a powerful one as we wrap up our series Mind Your Business.  Tucker and I will be speaking in the contemporary services and Anthony will be preaching in the classic service.  We will be focusing on how Generous our God is and how we have a privilege of joining Him in His work.  What an awesome privilege that is.  I am very encouraged by the stories I am hearing about how God is working in your lives through this series. 

 

A few reminders:

 

1.       Today, a whole team of the Central Family is going to the Preservation House to serve a home cooked Thanksgiving Feast!  Thank you for your generosity in giving your time and donations for this special meal.  Remember, we chose to not have a Thanksgiving Dinner here at Church so that we could give a party for these special families.  Thanks to your generosity, we are able to take the love of Christ outside these doors! 

 

2.       Tonight at 7pm, we will all gather for our annual Thanksgiving Praise and Worship Service.  We will meet in the Worship Center to thank our God for all He has done!  Join us and bring the whole family!

 

3.       Starting today, we kick off the Great Christmas Give-Away!  10% of all of your gifts to the general fund from November 21 to December 31 will go to meet specific physical needs of people in our community.  I am excited to see what God is going to do through your generosity!

 

Be Thankful!  I am thankful for what God is doing through you!

 

Pastor Gay

 

P.S. Today, you will be able to pick up yard signs to promote our Live Nativity outreach on December 10 to 11 and 17 to 18.  Please pick one up and help us get the word out.  It is going to be an awesome display of God’s love for our community!

 

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: November 5, 2010

 

Dear Central Family,

 

What excitement flowed through the church last Sunday as we saw seven believers step out and get baptized!  To see how God is at work in people’s lives is such an encouragement.  Add to that the work that LifeGroups are doing in our Preservation House outreach is such a great example to all of us of what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  I am so thankful for all of you and what you are doing to live out the vision God has given us.  These are very exciting days at Central.

 

This Sunday we will kick off a new series we have called Mind your Business.  This promises to be an exciting series of challenge and application when we can learn about some steps of faith that we as a congregation will be taking during November and December unlike anything we have ever done before.  I hope that I have caught your interest!  Can’t say anymore, but plan to be here for one of our three services on Sunday.

 

We will also be presenting for the first time the completed work of our Constitution Committee.  A new revised Constitution and leadership structure is being presented, and you can pick up a copy of the proposed constitution this Sunday in either the Welcome Center or Allen Hall.  We are planning special town hall meetings for Sunday, November 14 at 9:30 and 11:00, and Wednesday, November 17 at 7 pm.  So pick up a copy of the proposed constitution, read it, and then come to a town hall meeting to get your questions answered.  We will then vote on this constitution at our Annual Business Meeting on December 5 at 6 pm following an All Church Dinner that evening.  More details to come, but for now just pick up a copy of the document so you are fully informed.  I am thankful for all the hard work that has gone into this by the leaders who have worked so diligently.

 

Finally, don’t forget to set you clocks back one hour before you go to bed on Saturday evening.  It is that time of year again!

 

See you Sunday morning!

 

Pastor Gay

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: October 29, 2010

 

Dear Central Family,

 

What a Day of Celebration this will be!  This Sunday, October 31, we are going to celebrate the power of NEW LIFE at our 9:30 Worship Service. 

 

Both the Contemporary and the Classic services at 9:30 will join together as we continue our series Modern Family, and Pastor Gilmer will be bringing the message.  We will also be baptizing 6 adults who are stepping forward in obedience to our Master’s command to show publically their commitment to Christ as Lord of their lives.  Scripture makes it so clear, that once you believe, the first act of obedience is to be baptized, and each of these individuals will be doing so.  I am looking forward to this time of Celebration.

 

If you cannot join us at 9:30, we will be having an awesome Contemporary Service at 11:00 and once again Pastor Gilmer will be speaking. 

 

I just returned from a very exciting field trip as I had the opportunity to see firsthand the work that so many of our committed volunteers have done at the local Dress for Success!  The kind folks who direct this community resource spoke over and over again about all the work that people from Central did to make this boutique a real eye pleaser!  I was so proud of all of you for your sacrifice, your love as expressed in all your hard work, and the hard work done by our CommunityConnections team to connect willing hands and hearts with a real need!  I know that God was pleased.  Way to go!

 

I am looking forward to a brand new series that we are starting next Sunday November 7 called Mind Your Business.  I know you are going to be ministered to through this series, and we have some very special announcements that we will be making next Sunday of ways to put this series into practice.

 

Finally, I hope that you have gotten plugged into a LifeGroup.  If not, we will be starting new LifeGroups in January.  The reason I say this is what I am observing in the LifeGroups I am leading.  I am seeing people who just attended our church, get connected in meaningful relationships, and starting to build friendships.  I am seeing firsthand what we are told of in Acts 2 of real true Biblical community.  It has been the vision of our staff for a long time to see this take hold throughout our church body.  We are seeing the beginnings of that.

 

Hope you have a good week!

 

See you Sunday!

 

Pastor Gay

 

 

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: October 22, 2010

 

Dear Central Family,

 

I hope that you are going to be with us this Sunday as we start a new two-part series in our contemporary services called Modern Family.  This is going to be an important series that is filled with truth and grace and challenge as we seek to grow in understanding and application of what God has to say about the relationships in our family.  So whether you are married or not, this is a series you will not want to miss.  Jared Alcántara will kick off the series this Sunday (I will be speaking at the 9:30 classic service) and I will wrap it up next Sunday.  So please plan to come with open hearts to what God has to say.

 

A few other things for you to remember: 

 

Men’s Retreat this Weekend.  More than 30 men from our church will be away at a retreat at Sandy Cove Bible Conference for a time of refreshing challenge and recharge.  Please pray for these men as they open their hearts to what God has to say to them regarding their relationships with their God and their families.

 

Newest Staff Member:  I want to make sure that you welcome our newest staff member Irene Knott, who is serving as our Office Administrative Assistant.  When you call our church office, she will be the friendly voice that will respond to your needs.  Stop by and welcome Irene to our team!  Also, Irene is the one to contact with any prayer requests you may have.  Just email her at iknott@cbcnj.org

 

Few Calendar Items:

 

October 31 -  Two Worship Services at 9:30 and 11:00

We will combine the 9:30 services so we can celebrate Believers Baptism and the new life that God is producing through this ministry.  This promises to be an exciting service! 

If you are interested in getting baptized, please contact pastor Gilmer at agilmer@cbcnj.org

 

November 7  New Message Series - Mind your business! 

That’s all I am going to tell you for now, but it is going to be a special series with some exciting ways for you to put the principles you will be learning into practice.

 

Thanks for your prayers and constant support.  God is at work! 

 

See you Sunday!

 

Pastor Gay

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: October 15, 2010

 

Dear Central Family,

 

Hope you will be with us this Sunday at either the 9:30 or 11:00 services!  We will continue our series SENT with a focus on what God is doing around the world!  Come be challenged and encouraged that God is at work around the world! 

 

I also hope that you will choose to attend one of our Sunday Life Groups this Sunday either at 9:30 or 11:00 am.  We will be Skype with our World Impact Associates, hear from them first hand, and connect with them to encourage them.  Just show up in Adult 1-3 and our hosts will direct you to the proper location.  This is going to be a Sunday that we will all be stretched to develop a heart for what God is doing around the world!

 

NEW SERIES coming on October 24

MODERN FAMILY

 

See you Sunday!

 

Pastor Gay

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: October 8, 2010

 

Dear Central Family,

 

For 11 years we have had a vision as a church to introduce people both locally and globally to Jesus Christ and to proactively help believers become fully devoted followers of Christ.  We have seen God do some amazing things through fulfillment of that vision.  This Sunday we will start a 2-part series we are calling SENT, and we will be examining what the Scriptures have to say about being salt and light in our community.  I am excited about what God has placed on our hearts to share with you, and once again in a way we can put into practice so that our light will be able to SHINE!  So please plan to be present for one of our three worship services.

 

As part of that series, we are holding a special event on Sunday, October 17.  We are calling it Sent: A Missions Prayer Event. During both worship hours, you will have the opportunity to attend one of our Sunday morning LifeGroups where will we have video Skype connections with our World Impact Associates from around the world.  You will have a chance to hear firsthand what God is doing through these amazing people who are being used in powerful ways.  You will also be able to pray for them and with them… LIVE!  You can sign up for a specific group this Sunday in the Fellowship Mall.  Even if you do not attend a Sunday morning LifeGroup, we want you to join in and get connected with what God is doing around the world.  I am looking forward to participating and I know you will really enjoy this. 

 

Finally, we want to welcome to our staff Irene Knott, our new Administrative Assistant.  Irene, her husband Moses, and their children Moses, Christopher, and Cassandra make Central their church home, and we are excited to have her on board.  Irene will be the one who greets you at the front desk and answers your calls when you phone the office.  She will also administratively support me, Pastor Gilmer, and Teresa Vann, our Executive Director of Operations.  Irene has a love for the Lord and heart to serve.  Stop by and welcome her to our team!

 

See you Sunday!

 

Pastor

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: October 1, 2010

 

Dear Central Family,

 

What a weekend we had last week! 

 

It was obvious to many of us that many of you are taking seriously the command of Christ that we live in biblical community, which is the topic that we have been discussing the past three weeks. 

 

It was obvious in the many people who stepped out and joined a Life Group on Sunday morning.

 

It was obvious in the energy in our worship services as those who are experiencing community join together to worship our Awesome God! 

 

It was obvious in the reports we are getting from group leaders of meaningful prayer and community beginning to grow in different group settings. 

 

As of today over 330 people have signed up to be part of a LIFE GROUP!  We praise God for that, and there is still time for you to get on board.  Don’t miss out on connecting together in authentic community. I have been saying it for three weeks: Join a Life Group!  Go to our website (worshipatcentral.org) and all the information you need is right there!

 

This Sunday we will wrap up our series on community by looking at an often forgotten blessing that is available to all of us who live in Biblical community.  Come and find out what that is; you may be surprised!

 

I also want to take this time to express my thanks and gratitude to Susan Localio who has served as our Church Receptionist, Administrative Assistant, and Office Manager, and Helper Extraordinaire for over 6 years!  Susan has decided to step down from her position on staff effective October 1, and we will miss seeing her at the front desk as I know you will.  She has been such a help and blessing to our whole church family and we want to honor her with a card shower in thanksgiving to what God has done through her ministry. So if you want to express your appreciation to Susan (she loves and treasures cards) you can do so by sending her a card at:

 

Susan Localio

178 Carter Road

Princeton, NJ 08540

 

Susan will still be a part of our ministry family, continue to lead our GriefShare program, and help me with the Celebrate Recovery ministry. Only eternity will show what God has done through her faithfulness to Him!

 

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday morning!

 

Pastor

 

 

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: September 24, 2010

 

Dear Central Family,

 

For the last couple of weeks, we have been talking about the importance of Life Groups as a means for growing in relationship with each other and with God.  You’ve been given the brochure listing 35 groups that you can choose from, including, for example, groups for women, men, and married couples, groups meeting on Sunday mornings, groups meeting at church during the week, and home based groups!  We hope that you have taken the time to think through these opportunities and get connected during this fall semester.  Although some groups have started already, most groups will begin this weekend, and the semester will end in mid December.  Registration will continue through October 3^rd.  We encourage you to commit to trying a Life Group this fall semester! 

One option for you to consider that make work for many of you is  to get connected in a Life Group is on Sunday mornings.  Quality childcare and children’s programs are available both hours for children up through fifth grade.  In addition, your teenager will want to connect in a student life group meeting at 9:30 each Sunday morning.  Sunday mornings are a great time for families to worship together during one hour, and then connect in smaller groups during the other hour to dig deeper into God’s word and learn how to apply it to their life!   Sunday morning Life Groups start this Sunday, September 26^th.

For your ease of reference, I have listed the Sunday morning Life Groups here.  To signup, just visit www.worshipatcentral.org and click on “Get Connected”, then “Life Groups” and find your group!  Or, you are welcome to sign up for the group when you come this Sunday.  So far over 230 people have signed up to be a part of a LIFE GROUP.  Do not miss out on this opportunity to connect in meaningful relationships with other believers!  We all need each other!

 

See you Sunday!

 

Pastor

Sunday Morning Life Groups

(If you have trouble viewing this table, please follow the website instructions above for a list)

 

Day	Time	Who	Topic	Leader	Location	Starting Date
Sunday	9:30	College/Young Adults	Get Uncomfortable: Serve the Poor. Stop Injustice. Change the World...In Jesus' Name	Bryan Bunagan  Luke Hensel	A4	26-Sep
		All Adults	Experiencing God:  Knowing and Doing the Will of God	Marlon Webb	A3	26-Sep
		Young Couples	Staying in Love, a study based on the book by Andy Stanley	Scott & Vanessa Applegate	A6	26-Sep
		Married Couples with elementary/college age children	Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage, based on the book by Mark Gungor	Damon & Nikema Missouri	A1	26-Sep
		Women	Stepping Up - A Journey through the Psalms of Ascent" by Beth Moore	Beth O'Brien & Lynn Buschman	206	26-Sep
Sunday	11:00	Senior Adults	The Commands of Jesus	Brad VanTruen       Walt Cottrell	A4	26-Sep
		Married Couples	The Fruit of the Spirit:  Having the "Ripe" Qualities for Everyday Living	Dean Baker	A1	26-Sep
		All Adults	Genesis:  Understanding God's Story from the Beginning	Sam Hood	A3	26-Sep

 

 

Prayer Request: Jeanne Bush

Please pray for Jeanne Bush, whose house burned down today. 

 

Praise God that Jeanne is alright.  She is staying with her daughter Linda right now.  Please pray for peace of mind, wisdom, strength, good health, patience, unshakeable faith and clarity for both Jeanne and Linda for everything that they need to do in the coming days and weeks.  Any information on practical help or items needed to help Jeanne will be shared with the church family. 

 

Prayer Request: Jeanne Bush

Please pray for Jeanne Bush, whose house burned down today. 

 

Praise God that Jeanne is alright.  She is staying with her daughter Linda right now.  Please pray for peace of mind, wisdom, strength, good health, patience, unshakeable faith and clarity for both Jeanne and Linda for everything that they need to do in the coming days and weeks.  Any information on practical help or items needed to help Jeanne will be shared with the church family. 

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: September 17, 2010

 

Dear Central Family,

 

What  a kick-off we had this past Sunday! 

 

There was a buzz around the building as we began a new series focused on all of us getting connected to one another in true Biblical Community.  After each service we had a LifeGroups Ministry Display in the Fellowship Mall of all the different options that we have to choose from to get connected.  The big idea is choose a group and get connected!  I just spoke with a woman who came in for the Thursday morning women’s LifeGroup, and she said to me “Pastor, there are so many choices I could come every day of the week!  This is awesome!”  I agree with her; the selections are very exciting, and even more exciting to me is the way that you as a family are responding. 

 

We have tried to simplify everything down to this: choose a group and get connected!  So how do you do this?

 

Well, we have made it very simple; you can even do it online right now. 

 

1.       Go to our website, www.worshipatcentral.org

2.       Click on the Get Connected button at the top

3.       Go to the LifeGroup page

4.       Click on “Click Here to Join a LifeGroup”

5.       You will then be taken to a page with a full listing of all of the LifeGroups you can choose from

6.       Choose a group and sign up on line

 

You will then be contacted by a LifeGroup Leader with more info.

 

That is it!

 

We are asking everyone to please sign up so that we can know how many to expect, have materials prepared, and have everything ready for you to have an awesome experience.  We will also be giving you an opportunity to sign up on Sunday during the worship services.   Some groups have started and many will be starting on September 26 so you don’t want to be left out.  Sign up today!

 

One more thing: if you have a junior high or senior high student, we are going to be starting LifeGroups for our students that will meet on Sunday morning as well.  These are great opportunities for your students to get in-depth discipleship with some great committed leaders.  These groups meet at 9:30 on Sunday mornings starting September 26.

 

So you can see we are all focused in one direction this fall: choose a group and get connected!  LifeGroups are the place for us all to grow as we do life together!

 

I am excited about how God is going to use all of the LifeGroups to help us connect with one another in true Biblical community!

 

See you Sunday!

 

Pastor

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: September 3, 2010

 

Great News!

 

This Fall is going to be a time of opening our doors to help all of us in need of healing!

 

Starting Wednesday, September 15

 

Grief Share

A Grief Recovery Program 

7 to 8:30 pm

                                             

Divorce Care

Divorce Recovery Program

7 to 8:30 pm

 

BRAND NEW SUPPORT GROUP starting Thursday September 16 

 

Celebrate Recovery! 

A Christian 12-step program to help all of us with hurts, habits, and hangups! 

7 to 9 pm

Check out the website www.celebraterecovery.com

 

Contact Susan Localio at slocalio@cbcnj.org  for information on any of these support groups as we all learn to do life together!

 

Spread the Word!  We care!

 

See you Sunday morning!

 

Pastor Gay

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: Friday, August 27, 2010

 

 

Hope you are enjoying the last remnants of summer!

 

The staff has been working very hard in putting together plans for the fall kickoff!  It is definitely going to be an exciting time as we emphasize the importance of everyone at Central getting connected in community with one another...more details coming in the weeks to come.

 

I hope that you will be present this Sunday for one of our worship services!

 

Speaking of worship services, I want to inform you that as a result of the feedback that we received from our All Church Survey, the Deacons have been working for the past few months on evaluating our worship service time schedule.  We have determined that the schedule on Sunday mornings needs to be simplified and shortened so that it can be more effective for those who attend and those who serve in our children’s ministries. We also believe a shortened morning schedule can open up more of an opportunity for adults to attend a Sunday Morning Life Group if they so desire.   So, effective Sunday, September 12, we will begin a new Sunday schedule. 

 

The new schedule is as follows:

 

9:30   -  Classic and Crossroads Worship Services, Children's and Student Ministries, Adult Life Groups

11:00 -  Currents Contemporary Worship Service, Children's Ministries, Adult Life Groups

 

This will enable all of us to work on a unified schedule that we believe will be more effective for everyone.  Once again, this will take place September 12, so mark it on your calendars!

 

One last item: We desire to kick off the fall with a special All Church Prayer Event on Wednesday, September 8 at 7 pm.  Childcare will be provided with reservations in advance.  This will be a special prayer walk designed to focus on the different ministries of our Church.  I hope that you will make plans to be with us for this special time of worship and prayer as we focus our dependence on God as we begin a new year of ministry.

 

See you Sunday!

 

Pastor Gay

 

 

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: August 13, 2010

 

 

This has been a very exciting summer for our family.  We just returned from a week’s vacation and this past week moved into a different home!  We are so thankful for the way that God has provided and look forward to being back with you this Sunday and worshipping with you!  So I hope that you plan to be present as we continue our SPLASH series!  I have heard great things as to how God has used this series to impact many of you! 

 

Speaking of impact, please make sure that you mark down Wednesday, September 8 as we are calling for an All Church Time of Prayer as we lay our plans before the Lord for this new fall ministry season.  God has been doing many wonderful things in our midst this summer, and we have lots to praise Him for.  We want to also show our dependence on Him as we seek to do His ministry in His way.  So please plan to be here for this special all church event.  We know that God will be here; will you?

 

See you Sunday!

 

Pastor

 

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: August 6, 2010

 

I hope you are enjoying your summer! 

 

We will continue our SPLASH! series this Sunday, you won’t be disappointed! So make plans to be present for one of our three worship services.

 

Plans are underway for an exciting fall season of ministry! Please save the date of September 8 for a Wednesday evening call to prayer as we show our dependence on our Lord to work in our midst!  Child care will be provided.  More details to come!

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: July 30, 2010

 

SPLASH!

 

So what do you do when you have a gigantic ship sitting on your stage that is an absolutely phenomenal visual effect?  You create a sermon series to go along with it for both the contemporary and classic worship services!

 

We have created a sermon series for four weeks in August called Splash!  Each Sunday, we will be looking at some “water narrative” from Scripture, and our staff preaching team will be examining some powerful lessons from the Word of God that will impact all of us!  So make plans to be present for a four-week series that everyone will be talking about for a while!   

 

Get ready to jump in!

 

Pastor Gay

 

P.S.  Also, while I have your attention, please mark Wednesday, September 8 on your calendar.  I am calling for an All Church Time of Prayer as we call upon the Lord in prayer and praise and ask Him to do supernatural things in our midst as we begin a new ministry year!  More details to come!

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: July 23, 2010

 

Ahoy there, Mateys! 

 

Sorry, High Seas Expedition is still in my blood as I sit to write this!  We had a powerful week with over 200 children exploring the Mighty Love of God!

 

I have just a moment to invite you to services this Sunday!

 

9:30 Contemporary Service

Jared will be speaking to the subject of how children lead us to God!

 

9:45 Classic Service

Guest speaker George Vann will be focusing on the love of God!

 

11:15 Contemporary Service

High Seas Expedition Fantastic Finale

This will feature worship led by the kids, a drama that will wrap up all they learned, and an exciting time to learn about all God did this past week!

 

Gotta go!  Hope you come aboard this Sunday!  It will be a fun day of exploring God’s Mighty Love!

 

Sailor Jack

aka…Pastor Gay

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: July 16, 2010

 

Dear Central Family,

 

The clock is ticking, and before you know it, this place is going to be abuzz with children, parents, and the whole Kids Camp staff as we set off on a High Seas Expedition!

 

We are looking forward to seeing what God is going to do next week through our Kids Camp as we seek to share the love of God with these precious kids!  I hope you have registered your kids and their friends.  Go to www.worshipatcentral.org to sign them up!  It is going to be an AWESOME WEEK!

 

By the way, take some time to check out our new website!  The site address has changed to www.worshipatcentral.org  Our C3 Creative team has done an outstanding job of putting this together and I know people will be impacted.  It is your one place stop for everything you need to know about Central.  While you are there, click on the “Like us on Facebook” link so you can keep up with what is happening through Facebook.

 

This Sunday we will conclude our two-week series on Worship.  Jared Alcántara will be bringing the message in the Classic Service at 9:45 and will be speaking on the Heart of Worship.  I will be preaching in the Contemporary 9:30 and 11:15 Services and my message is called the Heart of the Artist.  We are both looking forward to sharing with you.

 

Enjoy your day, and I am looking forward to seeing you this Sunday!

 

Pastor

 

P.S. By the way, if you can help us at the end of the 11:15 service to move some equipment and props for Kids Camp, that would be awesome!  Just come on down front and we will put you to work!  Let the Journey begin!

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: July 2, 2010

 

Happy Fourth!

 

I hope that you and your family are enjoying an extended weekend of fellowship and celebration for the freedom we have in Christ and the ability to express that freedom in this nation! 

 

We WILL meet on July 4 with 2 dynamic services designed to celebrate the freedom that is ours!

 

9:30 Contemporary Service

I will be speaking as we celebrate what Christ has done for us and what it means to be a citizen of the heavenly kingdom!

 

9:45 Classic Service

Pastor Gilmer will be speaking as we celebrate the freedoms that God has given us as His followers and will include a special Liberty celebration in music.

 

*NOTE: There will be NO 11:15 service this Sunday. 

 

I also want you to know that God is answering your prayers as you are praying for our teams in Romania and in North Carolina.  Pray for safe return as the Romania team comes back on Sunday and the North Carolina team on Monday.  God has worked through your sacrificial giving and prayers! His kingdom has been expanded!  Stay tuned for a special Sunday coming up in August for the teams to report on what God has done!

 

Please also pray for our team of volunteers who will be walking in the Ewing Parade on Monday, July 5.  We will be passing out flyers to advertise our upcoming Kids Camp!  If you would like to take part, please contact Terri Marshall at terri.marshall@ymail.com. 

 

Well, gotta wrap up some more details so I can go home and fire up the grill!

 

See you Sunday!

 

Pastor

 

P.S.  You’re not going to want to miss a new series we start on July 11 on Worship!  You might be surprised by what God has in store!

 

 

Come Join Us This Wednesday!

Last Wednesday

Prayer Gathering

This Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Fellowship Mall

7:00 pm

 

Come join us in worship and prayer for the ministries of outreach that God has placed before us through

World Changers, Romania Team, and Kids Camp.  

 

Childcare will be provided.

 

Hope to see you there!

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: June 25, 2010

 

God is at work!

 

I hope you are seeing God at work in your life on a daily basis!  We are certainly seeing it here at Central!  I want to praise God for the dynamic worship that we all experienced last weekend!  The Spirit of God was at work in powerful ways as we worshipped in spirit and truth.  We were also joyfully involved in seeing 9 people get baptized!

 

We also sent out 32 people to serve the Lord in short-term missions as part of teams in North Carolina and Romania.  I hope you are praying for both teams.  We are looking forward to what God is going to do through both teams and can’t wait to hear how God worked!  

 

Additionally, we had our largest SHAPE class ever on Monday night, as 18 people showed up to get equipped to use their gifts for the expansion of the kingdom. 

 

Finally, so far you have contributed $2,762.34 to the baby bottle campaign impacting men and women through the crisis pregnancy ministry of Choice One!

 

This Sunday is going to be a time for us to reflect on the gift of rest and refreshment as we focus on how God delights in refreshing our souls.  Pastor Gilmer will be ministering in the 9:30 and 11:15 contemporary services and I will be teaching in the 9:45 classic service.  You will want to make sure you are present for one of these services!

 

Finally, I want to remind all of you of our service schedule on July 4!  We will have TWO services on Sunday July 4: the contemporary service at 9:30 and the classic service at 9:45.  We will NOT have the 11:15 contemporary service.  So please get the word out so that everyone knows of this holiday schedule.  We are planning exciting services that will focus on our freedom in Christ and the blessing of our freedom as citizens of the USA!  We will have kids programs during both services, but no student ministries or Adult Bible Fellowships.

 

That does it for now!  See you Sunday!

 

Pastor

 

P.S.  On Wednesday, a woman and her son drove up to the parking lot and stopped in the church.  They were drawn in by the boat and the advertisement for Kids Camp!  They have never been here before, but are now coming to Kids Camp!  And they’re also planning to come and visit this Sunday!  What a neat God sighting!  Thought you might like to know how God is at work!

 

 

 

Prayer Request: MaryElla Wyszynski

MaryElla Wyszynski asks for prayer for her stepfather Ray and her mom Betty Jane.  Ray’s ears and lips have turned blue and his health seemed to be deteriorating quickly lately.   Please pray for God’s healing touch in this situation, that His presence would be strongly felt in their home, for peace and comfort for both Ray and Betty Jane, and for MaryElla to be an agent of God’s love, strength and grace for both parents.

 

(Gem Perkins is sending this prayer request out for Susan Localio, Central’s office manager, who is out of the office and will return on Monday, June 28.)

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: June 18, 2010

 

 

 

What an awesome day we experienced last Sunday with Voluntour!  It was exciting to see so many of you choose to get out of the stands and into the game to be part of the mission God has placed before us!

 

We as a staff team were especially encouraged by the number of you that signed up to attend our next SHAPE seminar on Monday, June 21!  Our largest class ever!  I can’t wait to see the fruit in all your lives!

 

Then to top it off, we had a powerful evening of training for our Kids Camp team on Sunday evening.  We concluded our evening of training with a special time of prayer asking God to bless in a powerful way as we seek to reach kids for Christ! It was an all out great day! 

 

This Sunday is going to be a very exciting day as well!

 

Check this out:

 

Christ-honoring Worship

at 9:30, 9:45, and 11:15

 

Pastor Gay will be speaking at the 9:30 and 11:15 contemporary services in the worship center, while Jared Alcántara will be giving the message at the 9:45 classic service. 

Encouraging Father’s Day Message in all three services!

Baptisms, Recognition of Grads, and Sending out of two Mission Teams at 11:15

 

I hope you will be with us! 

 

I also want to remind you that at the end of the 9:30 and 9:45 services, we will have a special reception in the Fellowship Mall for Pastor Ray Lombardi and Lorrie to honor them for their 18 years of ministry.  Come wish them well and thank them for their ministry.

 

I thank God for the way He is working to change lives through the ministry of Central!  I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

 

Pastor Gay

 

 

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: June 11, 2010

 

The time has come! 

 

We have been talking about leaders stepping up to the plate and being the leaders God has made them to be.  The time has come for all of us to take the next step and get out of the stands and get in the game! 

 

This is going to be an exciting Sunday at Central, and you are not going to want to miss it!  We will be wrapping up our series Stepping up to the Plate with an examination of what the Scripture has to say about all of us being called to be part of the game.  God has given all of us gifts, and experiences, and personalities that He wants to use to impact people for eternity, and the time has come to stop watching from the stands and get in the game.  I will be speaking at the 9:30 and 11:15 contemporary services and Jared Alcántara will be speaking at the 9:45 classic service in Allen Hall.  Part of our services this Sunday will be a special event called Voluntour.  What is that?  You will find out when you walk in our doors on Sunday!  We have even cut the length of our services this Sunday, so you can experience Voluntour first hand!  So let’s play ball!

 

One more thing: Last Sunday I introduced you to the leadership team for our High Seas Expedition Kids’ Camp (formerly VBS).  Well, we still need volunteers to serve as crew leaders for the week.  During High Seas Expedition Kids’ Camp, crew leaders will visit different stations with a group of four to five kids and help them enjoy the activities as they shepherd the members of their crew.   There will be a volunteer staff training this Sunday night, June 13 from 7 to 8:30 pm where everyone will sample Goodies from the Galley, learn the week’s theme song, and get a sneak preview of the week’s activities.  Volunteers will also get their staff shirts for Kids’ Camp!  Interested in serving?  Go to cbcnj.org, click on the High Seas Expedition logo, and select Volunteer Opportunities.  Everyone is welcome to come to training even if you haven't signed up so you can learn more about the opportunities to help.   This is a great opportunity to get in the game!  We are praying for God to bring us 200 children to impact for Christ. 

 

See you on Sunday!