God Wants Us To Hrow Closer to Him and To Each Other...

It's so easy for us to be so caught up in the day to day urgencies that we can neglect what is important in our lives. Our work and home responsibilities can be awesome. But, the truth of the matter is that we need to make time for focusing on asking ourselves a foundational question that has everything to do with our faith and why God created each one of us. The question is, "What drives our lives?" Is it fear, guilt, trying to gain the approval of others, material security, comfort or something else? We can ask, "What is God's purpose for our lives?"

There are number of small groups led by our Small Group Leaders at various times and locations beginning in the Fall. Check the Bulletin Board in the Assembly Room.

Normally, small group leaders gather twice a month. Some groups meet from September through Christmas, while others meet from September through May. See the listing of our Small Groups.

 

At Center Church, all members are part of the ministerial team. It's part of the heritage of our Protestant Reformation faith. By virtue of our Christian baptism and vow to be a member of the Body of Christ, we take seriously our commitment to identify the gifts that God has given us to care for and to minister to His people. We are asked not only to identify but to develop these gifts by study, discipline, and accountability to embody the spirit of Christ in ministry.

One of the ways that many serve is by being a member of the Visitation Ministry. Under the guidance of our Directors of Visitation, Dr. Fung and his wife, Faith, our team of Visitation Ministers call on those who are homebound, in nursing homes, in the hospital. They bring to our members and friends, through prayer and kindness, the support, love and encouragement of Christ.

They are the incarnation of the words of Christ who said, "Come all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

 

Our Bible Study has two convenient times to participate, Tuesday night at 7 p.m. or Friday night at 7 p.m.  Getting out at the end of the week might be a difficult thing to do but the group would never think of missing their Friday night bible study.  All are welcome to join this study group! And if Friday is too difficult to make, we hope to see you on Tuesday!

At Center Church, we have a group of about 20 people who have committed themselves to regular daily prayer on behalf of those with special concerns. They are committed on a daily basis to pray for those who desire intensive prayer because of a critical need, deep loss, sudden tragedy or ongoing challenge.

Members receive a letter early each week listing special prayer requests, as well as meditation to help deepin the spiritual life. The Intensive Prayer Ministry is open to all.

If anyone in the congregation has a deep prayer need and wishes to be on the Intensive Prayer list, please email us at centerchurch@snet.net to let us know.

If it is an especially delicate matter, know that those on the prayer team are committed to confidentiality. In many cases, the Pastor may know the details, but the team members would only know the name of the person being prayed for.

Hello there, Men! What are you doing on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m.? How about doing something more fun? Those chores will still be waiting for you when you return home at 9:00 a.m.

Our prayer breakfast, with good home cooking by our skilled chefs, meets on the first and third Saturdays of the month. Come and join us, bring a friend. You need to contact the office (489-8301) for reservations.

 

Weaving prayer into shawls...

For centuries, women have been creating mantles of caring through their knitting, sewing and weaving. They have gathered together while working to care and learn from each other all the while producing practical and beautiful items.

The idea of prayer/healing shawls began with the first class of the Women's Leadership Institute at the Hartford Seminary.

The purpose of the shawls is to create a mantle of caring for the person who is going to receive it. A candle is lit when each shawl is begun and a prayer is said for the recipient asking God to bless the hands making the shawl and be with the one who will be comforted by it. Many women like to pray as they are knitting as well in order to weave prayers into the stitches, adding additional warmth to the shawl. The recipient also receives a sheet on the meaning of the shawls and a card letting the recipient know that they are being prayed for and that the group hopes the shawl will offer a sense of God's presence, comfort and love.

Our prayer shawls have provided comfort in times of sorrow along with being a gift of love for many types of celebrations such as birth and marriages. There is also a need to reach children who are often forgotten during times of family crisis, so we have decided to provide Prayer Shawl Teddy Bears to them.

The Knitting Healing Shawl Ministry of Center Church meets on the first Thursday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Please consider assisting this ministry by funding the cost of the yarn for a shawl. A donation of $20 will defray the cost of the yarn. Check should be made out to Center Church with a note in the memo section "knitting." Bless you for your assistance with this important ministry.