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

 

Dear Central Family,

 

I hope that you are enjoying this beautiful taste of summer that God has provided for us!  I also hope that you are enjoying your daily walk with our Lord!

 

I am looking forward to our worshipping together this Sunday as we continue our study on what it means to be a leader in God’s kingdom.  We are all called to be people of influence in our circle, and some are called to roles of leadership.  This week we will examine what it means to be a leader who shepherds the people God has called us to influence by putting our eyes on the Great Shepherd, Jesus.  Lots to share and look forward to what God will do in our hearts.  I will be speaking in the 9:30 and 11:15 contemporary services and John Kennedy will be speaking in the 9:45 classic service in Allen Hall.

 

If you are a member of Central, I look forward to seeing you on Sunday evening at 6 pm in Adult 1-3 for our Quarterly Congregational Meeting. We have some officer slots to fill, some ministry updates to share, and I will be sharing an overview of the results of the congregational survey that we took a few months ago.  This is your chance to hear what our church family had to say about the health of the ministry, how the leaders have prioritized going forward, and what God is putting before us as challenges for this coming year.  There will also be a time for you to ask questions in this regard.  We are asking everyone to bring a dessert to share and look forward to a time of fellowship together.  So as a member, please plan on being present.

 

This past Sunday, I announced that the Board of Deacons have hired Jared Alcántara to help with the Sunday morning preaching ministry. We are so blessed to have him and his family on our team.  Jared will be serving as part of the preaching team on Sunday mornings with me and Pastor Gilmer.  This is going to help all of us accomplish the spiritual growth that God desires in all of us and we look forward to how this team will function together.

 

Finally, I want to ask you to join us as we meet for our LAST WEDNESDAY Prayer Gathering this Wednesday, May 26 at 7 pm in the Worship Center.  This will be a special time of worship, prayer, and fellowship as we gather to pray for the needs on our hearts and the needs of the church.  Please do not stay away because either you are concerned about praying out loud or being broken into small groups to pray.  We will do neither.  This is a time to gather to just pray and see God work.  I know you will be encouraged if you take the time to attend.  The Worship Center will be open and ready for you to come in an attitude of prayer starting at 6:30, so come early, and just sit and talk with and listen to our Lord.  We will also be praying specifically for the families of Ricardo Luna and Walt Lapp as they will both be moving away from Central in June, and we want to send them off with our blessing.  A reception will be held after the prayer gathering to say thanks and wish them God speed.

 

See you Sunday!

 

Pastor

Central's Pastoral E-Letter: May 14, 2010

 

The calendar says it is spring, but the weather has not been feeling that way!  Oh well, hopefully it will change up soon! 

 

With the beginning of spring and the beginning of a new baseball season, we are kicking off a new series this Sunday called Stepping Up to the Plate!  We are going to focus on what the Bible has to say about true leadership and how this applies to all of us, whether you are a leader or a follower.  I know you are going to be challenged! 

 

I said WE, and I did not mix up my pronouns, because I am very pleased to announce that the Board of Deacons has asked Jared Alcántara to join our Sunday morning preaching team.  What this means is that Jared will be speaking in either the contemporary services or the classic service three times each month.  I know you are going to enjoy Jared and his ministry.  He has been speaking in our different services the past few weeks and the response has been so encouraging.  God has given him the gift to communicate the Word of God powerfully.  For those who do not know Jared, he is a graduate of Gordon Conwell Seminary and is currently studying for his PhD in preaching at Princeton Seminary.  God brought him and his wife Jen here at just the right time.  We were in need of someone to help handle the different services we offer each Sunday since I cannot be in two places at once J

 

I have enjoyed working on the Stepping Up to the Plate series with Jared.  We will start the new series this week, and Jared will be speaking at 9:30 and 11:15 contemporary services, and I will be speaking at the 9:45 Classic Service in Allen Hall.  So I hope you will be with us this Sunday!

 

Can I also ask you to do a couple of things as you prepare for worship this Sunday?  Could you plan to arrive a few minutes early, so you have time to prepare your heart for what God wants to say?  Also, if you could sit toward the front of the worship center or Allen Hall and leave the seats in the back to those who come a little later, it will help us all in our worship.

 

Enjoy your week!  I am looking forward to what God will do on Sunday!

 

Pastor

 

 

Prayer Request: Tom Simcox update

Please continue to pray for Tom Simcox, one of our World Impact Associates who serves with Friends of Israel. 

 

On Friday, April 30, Tom was taken by ambulance to Capital Health Systems Mercer Campus in order to stabilize his hemoglobin.  He’ll be needing more blood transfusions and further treatment.  His wife Lorna asks for your prayers for Tom’s health, for the treatment to not have any side effects, for his hemoglobin level to rise and stabilize, and for God to give Tom all the peace and comfort he needs.