COVID-19 – Beaver County Metrics – 12-30-2021

Here are the weekly COVID-19 statistics for Beaver County, PA as of December 30, 2021, with both indexes remaining at high levels.

 

The Incidence Rate decreased from 413.5 to 370.2 (a decrease of 43.3, or 10.4%) in the HIGH category.

• The PCR Positivity Rate has decreased from 13.7 to 13.6 in the HIGH category.

(Allegheny County’s figures literally skyrocketed during the past week from 339.9 to 633.2 and from 12.7% to 22.0%!)

• • Beaver County is now classified as SUBSTANTIAL on the original PA DOH scale and HIGH on the CDC scale.
    

(If both metrics are Moderate, the PA Dept. of Health’s recommended school instructional model is Hybrid Learning.)

On April 5, the CDC issued a “Science Brief” outlining that, in addition to people becoming infected through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects,  the principal mode by which people are infected with COVID-19 is through exposure to respiratory droplets carrying infectious virus.

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• Small Group Meetings (Sunday School, AA, other meetings):

The current guidance on when and how gatherings can take place is based upon the threshold of infection rate.

For Indoor meetings/Sunday School to resume, the 7-day average of daily cases for gatherings that include unvaccinated folks should be:

• • 1.5-2.0 – for everyone except those at high risk; and
  • Less than 1.0 for those at high risk.
  • Our current level is 52.8, so resuming small group meetings will not be feasible until we can provide sufficient active air filtration in light of the latest CDC guidance and the deadlier variants now in the USA.

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As the pandemic continues, we are continuing our efforts to:

• Disinfect Central Church prior to every worship service and feeding ministry event using EPA-registered products in compliance with CDC standards to kill germs and reduce the risk of spreading infection, and in compliance with EPA criteria for use against SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19; and

• As our community COVID-19 levels continue to deteriorate, we have significantly expanded our new medical-grade HEPA-13 air filtration equipment in our Sanctuary, which is rated to remove COVID-19 from the air, which now provides 10.7 complete air changes every hour in our Sanctuary (every 6 minutes)!

• In addition, our Parlor, Church Office, Pastor’s Office, UMYF Meeting Room, Fellowship Hall, and Nursery all offer even higher levels of air changes per hour using HEPA-13 or HEPA-14 filtration.

• (5 air changes per hour is the EPA’s general recommended standard, and the EPA now recommends 8-15 air changes per hour in Churches. )  
  

 

Central Church

Tired of Vax Talk?

It should come as no surprise that the Oxford English Dictionary’s word of the year is vax.

But since we’ve all been consumed in 2021 with vax talk, as we approach the end of this year, you might  want to pause and look back on your life to be sure that it lacks nothing essential.

During the course of this difficult year, you have probably performed many acts of kindness, and have had the backs of all kinds of people.

Hopefully, you’re one who cares deeply for those folks who’ve fallen through the cracks and who rarely, if ever, get to enjoy life to the max.  Furthermore, you probably have no tolerance for quacks who push disinformation, cheats who skirt tax obligations, disrupters who make pacts with conspiracy theorists, and angry people whose speech smacks of incivility.

Gazing ahead into 2022, it’s not much of a stretch to predict that all of these qualities, and more, will be required of each of us as we continue to navigate the uncharted waters of a New Year, made especially turbulent by a pandemic that continues to rage, killing too many, and damaging and disrupting the lives of so many more.

Thank you for what you do for Central Church and its ministries.

We couldn’t provide those in continuing need in our community with hot, nutritious meals all year long without your thoughtful giving. Our pockets are certainly not deep, and the challenging financial facts facing all Churches and outreach ministries are ever-present.  But we hope the tracks we’ve made in your heart and mind this year have made you thankful for Central Church’s presence in your life.

Happy New Year!

Forgiveness: Feelings and Fact – Scrub Nurse

Who Said It…Tom Eisenman

Tom Eisenman dropped out of high school at 15, went on the road with a rock-and-roll band, and never lived at home again. He became a high school teacher and then a pastor.

A self-described NFL nut, Tom and his wife, Judie, have led Bible studies for the San Francisco 49ers.   Tom’s books include Temptations Men Face, and The Accountable Man.  He pastors the College Center Church in San Diego, California.  And to relax, he builds fine furniture.

What He Said…Scrub Nurse

A car ran a stop sign and hit me nearly head-on while I was on my motorcycle.  My injuries were extensive.

I remember the nurse who was working on my torn-up right leg, trying to clean it with a sponge.  The leg was opened up with a number of large lacerations, and sand, dirt, and small bits of blacktop were embedded in the wounds.  The sponge wasn’t getting it all out, so the nurse warned me she would have to use the stiff brush.  She said simply, “It has to be clean for it to heal.”

Getting clean can be a painful experience.  It was for me that day.  But I’ve always remembered the nurse’s little phrase and have thought how true it is in the spiritual realm.

All healing requires cleansing.  Confession is painful.  But when we confess our sin, we open the door for God’s love to rush in.  The open wound is cleaned up through forgiveness and treated with the love and grace of God.

Adapted from The Accountable Man (InterVarsity, 2004)

Prayer for the Week: Thank you, Lord, that my standing with You has nothing to do with deserving, and everything to do with receiving the forgiveness You’ve offered.

Forgiveness: Feelings and Fact – The Joy of Forgiveness

David had committed adultery with Bathsheba and had engineered her husband’s murder.

And until the prophet Nathan confronted him about it, he had tried to cover it up.

2 Samuel chapters 11 and 12 recount this story.  This Psalm and Psalm 32 are David’s first-person accounts of the misery of unconfessed sin and the release that follows confessing and being forgiven.

Interact with God’s Word

Psalm 51:1-17

1. Why did David tell God (v. 4) that the sin he had committed was against Him?
2. What effects of his sin did David fear (vv. 9, 11)?
3. What toll had his sin already taken (v. 12)?
4. What is the essential nature of confession (v. 4)?
5. What attitude is God looking for from the offender (v. 17)?
6. What qualities of God’s nature (v. 1) assure the repenting sinner that he will be taken back?
7. What is the result of being forgiven (vv. 2, 7, 9)?
8. What are the effects on the person forgiven (vv. 12-15)?

Spend Time in Prayer:  Thank God that there is always hope and a fresh start for the man who knows his sin and is willing to repent of it.

Psalm 51:1-17

1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3 For I recognize my shameful deeds—they haunt me day and night.

4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. 5 For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. 6 But you desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being.

7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—now let me rejoice. 9 Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.

13 Then I will teach your ways to sinners, and they will return to you. 14 Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. 15 Unseal my lips, O Lord, that I may praise you.

16 You would not be pleased with sacrifices, or I would bring them. If I brought you a burnt offering, you would not accept it. 17 The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise.

Prayer for the Week: Thank you, Lord, that my standing with You has nothing to do with deserving, and everything to do with receiving the forgiveness You’ve offered.

Forgiveness: Feelings and Fact – Burden Lifting

Key Bible Verse: Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.  – Galatians 6:1

Bonus Reading: James 5:19-20

The priestly system, a human mediator between sinners and God, was done away with when Jesus gave his life once and for all on the cross. But there’s something beautiful about how God designed the body of Christ so that meaningful life sharing takes place in important areas like confession and absolution.

When a friend is weighed down under a burden of sin, we can lovingly invite him to speak about what’s troubling him. Confession is painful to do, but when you give permission for your friend to bring his sin into the light and you hear his confession, you help lift the burden from him. Help your brother name the sin. Then be ready to speak a loving absolution.

You may even want to rise and lay hands on your brother. In an attitude of prayer, say: “What you have just told me is a confession. The Bible says we are to confess our sins to one another so that we may receive God’s forgiveness and healing. I am convinced that you’re truly sorry for this. Therefore, in the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven.”

With continued prayer support and accountability, your friend will experience complete healing and restoration.

—Tom Eisenman in The Accountable Man

My Response: Am I willing to hear another man’s confession and offer him the forgiveness that is promised in Christ?

Thought to Apply: We have a free, full, final, forever forgiveness in the atoning work of Christ.—J. Sidlow Baxter (preacher)

Adapted from The Accountable Man (InterVarsity, 2004)

Prayer for the Week: Thank you, Lord, that my standing with You has nothing to do with deserving, and everything to do with receiving the forgiveness You’ve offered.

Forgiveness: Feelings and Fact – Self-Blame Blaster

Key Bible Verse: “Come now, let us argue this out,” says the Lord. “No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it.”  – Isaiah 1:18

Bonus Reading:  Psalm 103:12

Rich came to my office to talk about his struggle to accept God’s forgiveness. He had fought in the Vietnam War and had done things he didn’t want to remember, much less tell others about. These things were done in the line of duty, but he still felt guilt and shame. He knew God forgave him, but he had times when he struggled to forgive himself.

As Rich shared his story, I longed for this brother to walk in the freedom and joy of forgiveness. I had no idea what to say. There is no easy answer or quick fix for a man struggling with such deep guilt. During our conversation, the Holy Spirit put a thought in my mind and words on my lips that helped this struggling man.

I asked Rich if he was certain God had forgiven him. He gave an emphatic, “Yes!” I asked him again, if he was confident, in the core of his heart that forgiveness of Jesus Christ on the cross was enough to wash his sins away. He looked at me as if I were a bit dense and said, “I have no problem understanding God’s forgiveness; my problem is I can’t forgive myself.”

What I said in response to his assertion could have angered or offended him, but it didn’t. I said, “You have to forgive yourself; you are placing yourself above God.”

He stared at me in stunned amazement. “I never looked at it that way. That’s true. I do have to forgive myself.”

—Kevin Harney in Seismic Shifts

My Response: Have I accepted God’s “Not guilty!” verdict for my confessed sin?

Thought to Apply: There can be no sin on all the earth, which the Lord will not forgive to the truly repentant!—Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Russian novelist)

Adapted from Seismic Shifts (Zondervan, 2005).

Prayer for the Week: Thank you, Lord, that my standing with You has nothing to do with deserving, and everything to do with receiving the forgiveness You’ve offered.

Forgiveness: Feelings and Fact – Chill Factors

Key Bible Verse: If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from every wrong.  – 1 John 1:9

Bonus Reading:  Psalm 103:1-14

“I can’t understand how you put up with those cold winters!” The comment was directed to me by a Florida friend as I was visiting him in February a couple of years ago. He was speaking of my home in Montana, where winter temperatures often drop below zero.

Actually, I was thinking something similar about his winter climate. The outside temperature was 42 degrees, but because of the damp Florida climate, I felt colder than I do in Montana with the temperature in the teens.

But my feelings were deceiving me. They can do that in many areas of life. Today’s Key Bible Verse tells us that God forgives us as we confess our sins. This isn’t hard to believe—except for those times when we really blow it or, worse, keeping blowing it over and over. Then we may feel like God can’t or won’t forgive us.

But like a thermometer that tells the true temperature regardless of how we feel, God’s Word tells us the truth about Him irrespective of our feelings. When we confess, He forgives. Every time. No exceptions. When we accept the truth about God’s complete and unconditional forgiveness, we’re released from feelings of doubt and guilt, and begin to feel forgiven.

—Mike Raether

My Response: If I don’t feel forgiven, I’ll read today’s Bonus Reading out loud until I do.

Thought to Apply: If his conditions are met, God is bound by His Word to forgive any man or any woman of any sin because of Christ.—Billy Graham (evangelist)

Prayer for the Week: Thank you, Lord, that my standing with You has nothing to do with deserving, and everything to do with receiving the forgiveness You’ve offered.

Forgiveness: Feelings and Fact – Prime Suspect

Key Bible Verse: Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!  – Psalm 32:1

Bonus Reading:  Psalm 32:1-7

My 10-inch miter saw was broken. I was steamed. Apparently one of my heavier children held onto the handle like a chin-up bar and lifted his feet off the floor. Three of my kids were immediately ruled out because of their light weight. That left two.

I had an idea who the guilty culprit was, but I wanted to be fair before I hung anyone. I went to my oldest son first. “Did you break my saw?” I questioned. From the surprised look on his face, I knew he was innocent—this time. That left Sam.

Sam is about the happiest kid you’ll ever meet, but he breaks things. He doesn’t mean to, but he does. I approached Sam and asked sternly, “Sam, did you break my saw?”

A shadow of guilt covered his face, and then I ranted and raved about foolishness and the cost of my saw, and warned that it had better not happen again. He promised and left.

Within an hour, Sam came back and nuzzled up to me. “Dad, I’m sorry about the saw,” he said softly. “Will you forgive me?” My heart melted, and we were restored.

That’s what repentance does: it restores hearts and relationships—especially with God.

—Todd Wilson in Indiana

My Response: Do I picture God more as a judge or as a father?

Thought to Apply: The man who is truly forgiven and knows it, is a man who forgives.—Martyn Lloyd-Jones (British preacher)

Prayer for the Week: Thank you, Lord, that my standing with You has nothing to do with deserving, and everything to do with receiving the forgiveness You’ve offered.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve Luminaries at Central Church

Merry Christmas to everyone from the kind folks of Central Church!

May knowing JESUS bring you

PEACE to bless each day,

HOPE for each tomorrow,

and JOY for every season.

Central Church’s doors decorated for Christmas

Our doors are open for you. 

Why not make a New Year’s Resolution to join us each Sunday for worship? 

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”  – Luke 2:14

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Central Church!

 

Merry Christmas from Central Church!

Advent Devotional – Saturday, December 25, 2021 – Boxing Day

Scripture:  Mark 8:36 –

What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

Quaker author Philip Gulley was asked the difference between a Quaker
and an Episcopalian. He replied, “If a Quaker gets a new sweater, and there is not room in his wardrobe, he gives a sweater away. An Episcopalian buys a larger wardrobe.”  While I’m not sure his generalization applies to all
Episcopalians or Quakers, his point was made. Most of us are in pursuit of more.

In some countries, the day after Christmas is another holiday, Boxing Day.
People take their excess food, gifts, money, possessions, box them up and give them to those in need.

Here, the day after Christmas is the day to buy more stuff, hopefully at better prices than before. Because the business of the American kingdom is….business. But the business of God’s kingdom is people, according to Jesus.

Nothing wrong with business. It provides a means for people to live, but people should be the priority. Jesus did not die so the stock market could go up.

He died so people could be saved. I look around at all my stuff and ask “What do I really need? What is important to me?”

Prayer: Dear God, help me to be honest about my priority, by your Spirit, make it the same as yours. Amen.

  – Michael B. Henderson – Florence, SC

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Central Church – Online Worship Service – Christmas Eve – 12-24-2021

On this unseasonably warm Christmas Eve, when the Delta and Omicron variants of the coronavirus prevents many of us from gathering in Central Church’s Sanctuary to worship in body, let us join together in spirit with our online worship service. Today’s online worship service includes a favorite HYMN with lyrics so you can sing along! AND… Both the video on Facebook and the video on YouTube now have closed captions (if you turn them on) so you can read along with the spoken words during the service!  To activate captions in Facebook, click on the Settings “gear” symbol in the bottom right corner of the image, and then click on the “Off” button to change it to “On” for “Auto-Generated Captions”. To activate captions in YouTube, click on the “CC” icon in the lower right corner of the image to toggle captions On and Off. A brief comment on our new closed caption capability – The closed captions on our videos use voice-recognition software similar to that used on Television broadcasts, and with similar accuracy!  Sometimes, the captions are not entirely accurate, so if you read something incongruous, back up the video a few seconds and listen carefully for what is actually being said.  Also, it takes a while to generate the captions after the videos are published, so if the captions are not available immediately after the video is published, just check back a little later. To begin, simply click on one of the links below to join with the folks who have already made their way into our digital Sanctuary.  You can find this week’s online worship service on both Facebook and YouTube at the following coordinates: Facebook –  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3158592531094559&t=0 YouTube –    https://youtu.be/5BFza5X7aFQ (If the video doesn’t come up after clicking on the link, just copy and paste the address into your browser search bar.)

COVID-19 – Beaver County Metrics – 12-23-2021

Here are the weekly COVID-19 statistics for Beaver County, PA as of December 23, 2021, with both indexes remaining at high levels.

 

The Incidence Rate decreased from 598.4 to 413.5 (a decrease of 184.9, or 30.9%) in the HIGH category.

• The PCR Positivity Rate has decreased from 14.3 to 13.7 in the HIGH category.

(Allegheny County’s figures fluctuated somewhat during the past week from 274.4 to 339.9 and from 12.3% to 12.7%.)

• • Beaver County is now classified as SUBSTANTIAL on the original PA DOH scale and HIGH on the CDC scale.
    

(If both metrics are Moderate, the PA Dept. of Health’s recommended school instructional model is Hybrid Learning.)

On April 5, the CDC issued a “Science Brief” outlining that, in addition to people becoming infected through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects,  the principal mode by which people are infected with COVID-19 is through exposure to respiratory droplets carrying infectious virus.

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• Small Group Meetings (Sunday School, AA, other meetings):

The current guidance on when and how gatherings can take place is based upon the threshold of infection rate.

For Indoor meetings/Sunday School to resume, the 7-day average of daily cases for gatherings that include unvaccinated folks should be:

• • 1.5-2.0 – for everyone except those at high risk; and
  • Less than 1.0 for those at high risk.
  • Our current level is 59.0, so resuming small group meetings will not be feasible until we can provide sufficient active air filtration in light of the latest CDC guidance and the deadlier variants now in the USA.

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As the pandemic continues, we are continuing our efforts to:

• Disinfect Central Church prior to every worship service and feeding ministry event using EPA-registered products in compliance with CDC standards to kill germs and reduce the risk of spreading infection, and in compliance with EPA criteria for use against SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19; and

• As our community COVID-19 levels continue to deteriorate, we have significantly expanded our new medical-grade HEPA-13 air filtration equipment in our Sanctuary, which is rated to remove COVID-19 from the air, which now provides 10.7 complete air changes every hour in our Sanctuary (every 6 minutes)!

• In addition, our Parlor, Church Office, Pastor’s Office, UMYF Meeting Room, Fellowship Hall, and Nursery all offer even higher levels of air changes per hour using HEPA-13 or HEPA-14 filtration.

• (5 air changes per hour is the EPA’s general recommended standard, and the EPA now recommends 8-15 air changes per hour in Churches. )  
  

 

Central Church

Advent Devotional – Friday, December 24, 2021 – Signs of Wonder

Scripture:  Mark 1:9-11 –

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus

⁹ At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

I am all but completely bed-bound. I look at the same walls every day. So
when I have an occasion to get out of the house, it’s special. It had rained for days. On my way home from the doctor, the clouds opened up showing blue sky.  It was a wonder.

Watching cloud formations can be a grace-filled time. Moments like these are signs pointing to the marvels of creation; an icon pointing to the blessings of God. Icons come in a number of shapes, images and actions reminding us of the love of God, and His plans for us. However, we need to pay attention to change, to the unexpected, to the unexplained.

Just as Jesus stopped to listen for God’s expression of love, so must we stop and be still. We must pay attention to the people around us to see signs of the sacred in front of us; to experience the blessings God has set aside for us.

Prayer: Lord, take us out of the routines which fill our days. Open our eyes and hearts, so we can see signs pointing to the sacred reminders of your love for us. Amen.

  – Susan Keith – Rutherfordton, NC

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Central Church

Advent Devotional – Thursday, December 23, 2021 – God Emerges from Our Chaos

Scripture:  Mark 12:30-31 –

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

I was serving a church in Hampton, VA when Hurricane Isabel devastated
the area. Powerful winds tore down power lines and put us in darkness for days.  Storm surge from the bay sent floodwaters into folks’ homes.

At one home, the water carried away a prized nativity set, scattering the
figurines and pieces. After the storm, I noticed in the newspaper an item in
the Lost and Found section: Found – After Isabel – Olive Wood Joseph – hand carving. Since there was a phone number and I wrote a religious column for the newspaper, I decided to call and see if there was a story.

The person who’d found Joseph told me that after the ad ran, someone reported she found Mary in her yard. Another person in Hampton had found a Wise Man. The entire set wasn’t put back together but there was hope— just as we have when putting the pieces of our lives back together after a storm in our
lives. Here was a sign that God’s good news endures the worst of storms. Joseph and Mary emerged from a wrecked world, the first two actors in the drama that was the birth of Jesus.

Prayer:  God who emerged from the darkness of this world to save us, make us whole this Advent season. Amen.

  – Norman Tippens – Selma, VA

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

In Memorium – David Conner

With very heavy hearts, we announce the death of David Conner, of North Sewickley Township,who passed away at his home on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 with his family by his side.

Dave, 88, was born in Beaver Falls, PA to Bernard and Margaret (Davis) Conner on May 4, 1933.  Always a hard-worker, he started working on a farm when he was just 7 years old.  Dave only completed school through the 8th grade, continuing to work on the farm, at a local brickyard, and driving truck for a local express company.  He enlisted in the Navy at age 18 and served for a short time before receiving an honorable discharge for a medical condition.  After his release, he worked for Armstrong Cork Works, and then for 28 years at Babcock & Wilcox.

After B&W closed, he went back to school at age 54 to earn his GED. He then held various part-time jobs before retiring.  Unsurprisingly, Dave missed interacting with people and went back to work for several years at Butler Auto Auction.  After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, he retired for good and continued to enjoy time with his wife Shirley Jean (Mohrbacher) who he married on July 21, 1956.  Dave was so proud to be able to celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary this past summer.

Dave loved his family, friends and helping others.  He was an active and faithful member of the Central United Methodist Church for 66 years, serving as a Trustee for many of those years.  Everyone who knew Dave could attest to his ornery sense of humor.  Throughout his life, Dave loved to hunt, fish and camp, spend time with family and friends, and listen to country music.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents, brother Bernard Conner II and sisters Nancy Knight and Virginia Mellon Johnson.  He is survived by his wife; three children: Brian (Linda) Conner, Scott (Lori) Conner, and Jill (Bill) Krieger; eight grandchildren: Bradley (Leah) Conner, Katie Conner, Steven Conner, Christopher Conner, Kiersten Conner, Lauren Conner, Shanna Krieger, and Alisa Jones; two great grandchildren Aria Krieger and Ollie Jones; four sisters: Nettie Boehmer, Dorothy Conner, Margaret Sweitzer, and Marie Brumit; brother Elmer Conner; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Central United Methodist Church in Beaver Falls or Parkinson’s Foundation of Western Pennsylvania.

Friends are invited to call on:

• Monday, December 27 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at J. & J. Spratt Funeral Home (1612 3rd Avenue, New Brighton PA 15066); and

• A celebration of life ceremony will be held at Central United Methodist Church, 1227 Sixth Avenue, Beaver Falls on Tuesday, December 28 viewing at 10:00 a.m. and funeral service at 11:00 a.m.

Private interment will follow in Sylvania Hills Memorial Park, Rochester.

For everyone’s safety, everyone attending the visitation and celebration of life service must wear a face covering.

Please remember Shirley and the entire Conner family in your thoughts and prayers as they move through this difficult time.

Central Church

Advent Devotional – Wednesday, December 22, 2021 – Noticing When Jesus Smiles

Scripture:  Mark 12:30-31 –

³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^{[a] 31} The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b] There is no commandment greater than these.”

Living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast brings big rain totals. So not even 15”
of rain in 36 hours, could keep the trash guys from being out and doing their job. When seeing them, I always enjoy telling them THANK YOU, and on this rainy day, following that with a fist bump for the guy riding on the back of the truck. Seeing his smile made my day…

A soaking wet glove releases a big spurt of water during a fist bump. Many would not fist bump a trash handler’s “dry” gloves let alone his soaking wet gloves. This was a small gesture for me, but it seemed to be a refreshing treat for the trash handler.

So an old white guy interacting with a young black guy whose smile lit up the world at that moment felt like seeing Jesus smiling down on us. This moment between two brothers in Christ was free from racial tension. God smiles when we take advantage of the opportunities He offers.

Prayer: Father God, thank you for bringing people into our lives and allowing us to experience your love with them. I pray this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

  – Denny Engle – Gautier, MS

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Advent Devotional – Tuesday, December 21, 2021 – Unexpected Sacred Signs

Scripture:  Isaiah 40:5 –

⁵ And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

What would we do without signs? They tell us which way, how far, names of streets, buildings, parks, etc. They warn of danger, point to attractions, and advertise coming events.

As Christmas approaches, we hear, once more, what the angel said to the shepherds, “This shall be a sign unto you”. The shepherds were given directions and promised a sign, so they would recognize the Holy Family. It was a personal, sacred sign.

I’ve never heard God tell me to watch for a specific sign. However, I am often surprised by a sight or sound that becomes an awesome moment. These moments remind me God created, and is in charge of, the world in which we live and the universe around us. These unexpected moments are my personal sacred signs.

Prayer: Thank you, God, for sharing signs of your sacredness with us. Teach us to become more attuned to your wavelength.  Amen.

  – Carolyn P. Maness – Lynchburg, VA

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Advent Devotional – Monday, December 20, 2021 – This Will be a Sign for You

Scripture:  Luke2:8-14 –

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Ms Mary, our Boston Terrier, looked up at me, and in her eyes, I saw a sign of God’s presence and love. Love declares that God is here. 

Ms Mary jumped for the door handle, asking to go outside into the sunshine, the breeze, the sounds and presence of life. She reminded me that God created all things to be cherished and enjoyed. Ms Mary leaped up and down, her excited bark announcing she was ready for her supper.

She was a sign of the God who made all living beings and called us to the miracle of life. Ms Mary played with us, chasing her ball and tagging a laser beam as it danced across the floor. She showed us how God made us to delight in all things.

Prayer: God of life and light, come to us this Advent. Touch us in love with the wonder of all creation. Let nothing pass that is not a sign of your care for us all, in the name of the child who lay in the manger. Amen.

  – Bill Olewiler – Fleming Island, FL (In memory of Ms Mary, 2010-2021)

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Advent Devotional – Sunday, December 19, 2021 – Getting Still, Finding Peace

Scripture:  Psalm 46:10 –

¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

I was feeling “caretaker overload” and needed time away. A friend told me
about a Franciscan prayer center. There, I could have a private room and three meals a day. It sounded like heaven. And it was, but it didn’t appear so at first.

Located in a rural area without much scenic allure, the center felt isolated.
The interiors were dimly lit and too quiet. Inside my room, a small lantern
glowed next to a placard that read: Be still and know that I am God. I admit, I felt a little trapped and at loose ends.

I looked for things “to do.” I walked the labyrinth, explored the library and browsed the book store.  At  dinner, I had a friendly conversation with another guest. Afterward, I scrolled the internet to find a good local hike for the next day.

It took twenty-four hours, but I finally got still. I sat without a book, wandered outside with no destination, and took a nap. The quiet and absence of demands on me worked their holy touch. Peace replaced anxiety.

Prayer: Loving God, we are busy and distracted. Grant us stillness in the midst of our comings and goings so that we may know your peace. Amen.

  – Katherine Roberts – Chapel Hill, NC

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Central Church – Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, 7 pm, 12-24-2021

Our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service is this Friday at 7 pm.   Special invitations to forward and share can be found online at: Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=365195105367655&t=1 and YouTube:   https://youtu.be/hxxbmfnGAZA   Please mark your calendars and bring a friend.  See you then!

Advent Devotional – Saturday, December 18, 2021 – Such a Blessed Sign

Scripture:  Daniel 4:3 –

³ How great are his signs,
    how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
    his dominion endures from generation to generation.

My dad was sleeping, exhausted from moving to a hospice house the night before. The doctor estimated he had four days left. My so-called wisdom told me to let him sleep that afternoon. I decided not to wake him.

The following day, I would wake him up, regardless, to talk. So, I busied myself with work on my laptop while I sat by his bed, thinking about things I wanted to tell him. Less than eight hours later, however, my dad was gone. My regret from not waking and relaying my message to him became agonizing.

Weeks later, God gave me a sign: a vision on a sanctuary wall during a worship service. My dad appeared with his arm around my mother (who passed the year before). They looked healthy and peaceful. He smiled, waved, and disappeared. I knew then my dad was telling me everything was fine. He knew what was in my heart, and they were with the Lord.

Until today, I’d only shared this event with close friends and family. This opportunity to tell about a time God gave me a sign is another sign– it’s time to declare more of God’s abundant goodness.

Prayer: Lord, we’re grateful for your mercies this Advent season and always, especially those which give us peace.  Amen.

  – Julie Erickson – Olathe, KS

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

COVID-19 – Beaver County Metrics – 12-16-2021

Here are the weekly COVID-19 statistics for Beaver County, PA as of December 16, 2021, with both indexes remaining at high levels, heading at the current rate of increase to surpass the all-time surge highs in December 2020.

 

The Incidence Rate increased from 561.2 to 598.4 (an increase of 37.2, or 6.6%) in the HIGH category.

• The PCR Positivity Rate has decreased from 17.9 to 14.3 in the HIGH category.

(Allegheny County’s figures fluctuated somewhat during the past week from 290.3 to 274.4 and from 12.4% to 12.3%.)

• • Beaver County is now classified as SUBSTANTIAL on the original PA DOH scale and HIGH on the CDC scale.
    

(If both metrics are Moderate, the PA Dept. of Health’s recommended school instructional model is Hybrid Learning.)

On April 5, the CDC issued a “Science Brief” outlining that, in addition to people becoming infected through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects,  the principal mode by which people are infected with COVID-19 is through exposure to respiratory droplets carrying infectious virus.

---

• Small Group Meetings (Sunday School, AA, other meetings):

The current guidance on when and how gatherings can take place is based upon the threshold of infection rate.

For Indoor meetings/Sunday School to resume, the 7-day average of daily cases for gatherings that include unvaccinated folks should be:

• • 1.5-2.0 – for everyone except those at high risk; and
  • Less than 1.0 for those at high risk.
  • Our current level is 85.4, so resuming small group meetings will not be feasible until we can provide sufficient active air filtration in light of the latest CDC guidance and the deadlier variants now in the USA.

---

As the pandemic continues, we are continuing our efforts to:

• Disinfect Central Church prior to every worship service and feeding ministry event using EPA-registered products in compliance with CDC standards to kill germs and reduce the risk of spreading infection, and in compliance with EPA criteria for use against SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19; and

• As our community COVID-19 levels continue to deteriorate, this week, we have significantly expanded our new medical-grade HEPA-13 air filtration equipment in our Sanctuary, which is rated to remove COVID-19 from the air, which now provides 10.7 complete air changes every hour in our Sanctuary (every 6 minutes)!

• (5 air changes per hour is the EPA’s general recommended standard, and the EPA now recommends 8-15 air changes per hour in Churches. )  
  

 

Central Church

Advent Devotional – Friday, December 17, 2021 – Meant Just for You

Scripture:  Luke 2:12 –

¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

It takes practice. How many years were those shepherds keeping watch over their flock? It takes awareness. In the dark of night and the silence of the hills, they were vulnerable. It takes trust to not be afraid! Surely an angel, standing before them in all God’s glory, would be sign enough! It takes listening. They stayed, leaned in, and heard every word spoken to them.

They were told there would be a sign for them…not more angelic messengers of astonishing brilliance, but an ordinary sign— A baby, born in the recesses of a rough stable. This is the sign of a Messiah? Yes, it was a sign meant just for them, in their trusting, ordinary lives.

It takes being open. It takes being opened. It’s like seeking, stepping into a world with as few distractions as possible, then, being distracted with something that catches your eye. A sign meant just for you. Like looking at a bare tree in the dead of winter, one that you’ve seen hundreds of times, and seeing in the twisted branches the rough shape of a heart. That was a sign for me, that after hundreds of ardent prayers, I knew my daughter and her family would be alright.

Prayer: Lord God, bid us to see with the eyes of our hearts, the wondrous signs of love meant to captivate us completely.  Amen.

  – Nancy Severin – Fort Morgan, CO

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Christmas Day Free Community Meal at Central Church

Central United Methodist Church is partnering with Christian Assembly Church and volunteer help from other local churches and community members to offer the homemade turkey and ham takeout dinners between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Christmas Day.

Based at Central Church (1227 Sixth Avenue in Beaver Falls), meal recipients will also be provided with “blessing bags” containing gloves, hats, scarves, hygiene products, COVID masks, gift certificates to the Save-A-Lot store in Beaver Falls, and certificates for free bikes for every family member from Communicycle in New Brighton.

Central also partnered with Christian Assembly Church for a free Thanksgiving Day meal program this year that served 202 people.  Between 200 and 250 meals will be prepared for Christmas Day.  The hope is to return to sit-down dinners at some point in the future when the severity of the coronavirus abates somewhat in our area.

Central Church – In-Person Worship in the Age of Covid

Even though Central Church now offers on-demand, online worship services every week and Pastor Jan’s sermons can be heard on local radio station WBVP at 10:30 am on Sundays, our In-person worship is a priority at Central Church.

Making that possible in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic has been, and continues to be, quite a challenge, and our Trustees have been hard at work since the pandemic emerged in March 2020 to make our in-person worship and other ministry offerings as safe as reasonably possible amid the ebb and flows of Covid outbreaks.

Of particular concern now is that Beaver County continues at near record levels of Delta variant infection and is anticipated to exceed those levels over Christmas and into January 2023.  On top of that, the Omicron variant is now exploding across the United States, and we can only wait to see how that variant will affect our area and what adjustments we will need to make to our worship and outreach in the coming weeks.

• Our Trustees announced this morning that we have finally reached the levels of HEPA-13 air filtering in our major spaces that the EPA is recommending for Churches!

The EPA has provided guidance about how often the air in a room should be changed (or cleaned with HEPA filters) every hour in order to provide a reasonable level of safety to those in attendance.

(Air changes per hour is simply the amount of times all of the air in a room is replaced with completely new air or completely filtered air using HEPA filters, in one hour. A value of ‘5’ air changes per hour means a room’s entire volume of air is replaced with new or effectively-filtered air 5 times in one hour.)

The general EPA guideline is for 5 air changes per hour.  However, given the more dynamic environment in Churches (e.g., singing), the suggested EPA guideline is 8-15 air changes per hour, and their guideline for classrooms is 12-16 air changes per hour.

• As of today, each of our major locations around our Church is now equipped with medical-grade HEPA-13 air filtering units that meet and exceed the EPA’s general “5” guideline, and fall comfortably within the more stringent EPA “8-15” ranges for air changes per hour in specialized rooms! 

Here are our current “air changes per hour” values for our principal rooms:

EPA Guideline	8.0-15.0
Sanctuary	10.7
Parlor	11.2
Fellowship Hall	11.4
Church & Pastor’s Offices	13.7
UMYF Meeting Room	15.4
Nursery	20.1

Our standard in all of these spaces is to use medical-grade, HEPA-13 filters.  Our smaller rooms (like our UMYF meeting room and our Nursery) use a higher standard of even more efficient, medical grade, HEPA-14 filters and ultraviolet germicidal UV-C treatments for added levels of protection.

Other less-used areas of the building (e.g., Choir Room, Prayer Room, restrooms) are not currently being filtered since folks in those areas are usually present less than the “within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes” threshold exposure time for Covid.

Going forward, unless the CDC or EPA recommends more stringent standards, our efforts will continue to focus on active cleaning and disinfecting during the week, and the combination of our protective practices and procedures in conjunction with our new air filtering capability to provide us a minimally intrusive, and reasonably safe, environment, while hopefully keeping that process in the background as much as possible so our folks coming on Sunday can focus on worship.

Our deep thanks to our dedicated Trustees for their continual efforts to protect everyone who comes through Central Church’s doors!

Advent Devotional – Thursday, December 16, 2021 – A Tiny Messenger with a Big Message

Scripture:  Isaiah 40:28-31 –

²⁸ Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

A couple of years ago, I had a “routine” operation that led to two more hospitalizations and illnesses of all kinds. My operation was in February. By May, I was underweight and exhausted. I barely had the energy to make it through the day. I wondered if I would get well or if life would now be like this.

Every morning, I sat on our deck, watched the birds, and prayed. One day, while holding my prayer beads, my head bowed in prayer, I suddenly heard the fast beat of tiny wings. I looked up at a Ruby Throated Hummingbird hovering inches from my face.

The bird darted from side to side but centered itself before me again. Clear as the sight of the little bird, these words came into my mind: “You are small, but just like this tiny hummingbird, you are strong.”

God knew I’d been reading about hummingbirds. They fly 500 miles nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico to return from their migration. I wondered how something that small could make such an arduous journey. Now, because God gave me this sign, I knew I could make my trip back to health.

Prayer: Father, thank you for listening to our prayers and meeting us in our everyday lives.  Amen.

  – Regina K. Carson – Chesterfield, VA

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Advent Devotional – Wednesday, December 15, 2021 – Signs of Love

Scripture:  Acts 5:12-14 –

The Apostles Heal Many

¹² The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹³ No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.

This Advent season invites us to look in awe at God’s ultimate sign of love, gifted to humanity— the baby Jesus. There are many signs in the Bible, and I find myself searching for new signs today. In my prayers, I often ask God to “show me a sign!”

In Acts we’re told, “The early Apostles did signs and wonders among the people, so that more believers were added to their numbers daily. This challenges my thinking. Rather than looking for signs from God, how can I be a sign of love to others?

During this busy season, I will look for opportunities to put love into action.  It may mean giving a word of encouragement to a tired store clerk, or visiting a shut-in neighbor, or giving a welcoming smile to the strangers I meet.  Are you prepared to be a sign? What gift can we bring?

“Love came down at Christmas.”  A wondrous, miraculous gift was brought to Earth! During this sacred season, I pray we stay alert to everyday encounters, where we can be a loving sign to all who come into our path.

Prayer: Lord, teach us to be signs of love so we may help new believers come to you.  Amen.

  – Bob Brooks – Fredericksburg, VA

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Advent Devotional – Tuesday, December 14, 2021 – The Parking Lot Cries Out

Scripture:  Luke 19:40 –

⁴⁰ “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

I was appointed to a new church in July 2020. I found myself isolated from the people I was called to serve. My people were isolated from each other. The church was isolated from the community, all due to the COVID pandemic. Our church leadership wanted to remind people about the joy of Christmas, despite COVID, but how? A drive-through nativity.

Stations were established and families were recruited. Then the CDC rules tightened, and fewer people were allowed outside. Concerns grew. Could Jesus’ birth be communicated with a skeleton crew? Would it be sacred if it happened outside of the church? Nevertheless, we made plans, built sets, prepared costumes, and made scripture recordings to play through car stereos.

The weekend before Christmas, the church hosted the drive-through nativity. For two nights, a steady stream of cars drove through. There were smiling children, grateful parents, and occasional tears. We invited those in each car to worship with us that Christmas. By the time the event was over, two thousand people had driven through and heard the good news.

Prayer: Holy God, remind us of creative ways to share the gospel boldly and give us signs to show us how You move in spite of us. In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

  – Jacob Sahms – Chesterfield, VA

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Advent Devotional – Monday, December 13, 2021 – Signs of God’s Love

Scripture:  Psalms 37:7 –

⁷ Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.

During this stressful time in my life, a time of waiting for solutions and answers, God sends signs in varied forms. One of these signs is a new scripture; Psalms 37:7- Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.

Rushing before the predicted thunderstorm, my eyeglasses dangling from a cord around my neck, I struggled to move the 40lb. bag of dog food from the grocery cart to my truck. I heard a little ‘ping’, like an object falling and hitting something. Not seeing anything, I drove home. Later, putting on my glasses, I noticed the left lens was missing from my glasses!

I searched everywhere, to no avail, and then remembered the ‘ping’ I heard in the parking lot earlier. Rushing back to beat the storm, I located my previous parking spot. There, leaning vertically on its edge, standing safely against the curb, was my missing lens!

Not smashed by a car tire nor scratched at all! What are the odds? God’s help in this situation was a sign of His love, compassion, and care for me, as well as a reminder that He is always with me.

Prayer: God, I thank you for this and the many other signs of your constant care that I receive daily.  Amen.

  – Carolyn Stone Purdy – Harrisonburg, VA

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Central Church – Online Worship Service – 3rd Sunday in Advent – 12-12-2021

On this cold third Sunday in Advent, when the Delta variant of the coronavirus again prevents many of us from gathering in Central Church’s Sanctuary to worship in body, let us join together in spirit with our online worship service. Today’s online worship service includes a favorite HYMN with lyrics so you can sing along! AND… Both the video on Facebook and the video on YouTube now have closed captions (if you turn them on) so you can read along with the spoken words during the service!  To activate captions in Facebook, click on the Settings “gear” symbol in the bottom right corner of the image, and then click on the “Off” button to change it to “On” for “Auto-Generated Captions”. To activate captions in YouTube, click on the “CC” icon in the lower right corner of the image to toggle captions On and Off. A brief comment on our new closed caption capability – The closed captions on our videos use voice-recognition software similar to that used on Television broadcasts, and with similar accuracy!  Sometimes, the captions are not entirely accurate, so if you read something incongruous, back up the video a few seconds and listen carefully for what is actually being said.  Also, it takes a while to generate the captions after the videos are published, so if the captions are not available immediately after the video is published, just check back a little later. To begin, simply click on one of the links below to join with the folks who have already made their way into our digital Sanctuary.  You can find this week’s online worship service on both Facebook and YouTube at the following coordinates: Facebook –  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2394023164066912&t=0 YouTube –    https://youtu.be/Ha0cIRGfaC8 (If the video doesn’t come up after clicking on the link, just copy and paste the address into your browser search bar.)

Advent Devotional – Sunday, December 12, 2021 – Listening for a Still, Small Voice – or Mighty Thunder!

Scripture:  2 Peter 3:9 –

⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

I constantly watch for signs from God – telling me what to do – what not to do. Some days begin badly at dawn. The car won’t start, and when it does I get stuck in a massive traffic jam, or a surprise storm finds me without an umbrella!  Sometimes, I think God is saying, “Don’t go to work today!”

Occasionally, I’m on unfamiliar roads. While I have GPS programs, I’ve learned these are not 100% reliable. You’d think following road signs would help— not so much. If my sense is to turn right, the correct way is usually left! I just need another kind of sign.

Years ago, I pondered going into pastoral ministry. I thought about going to seminary and following in my father’s footsteps. I tried to hear a call from God– Is this what I should do? I listened hard for a word, – a call to ministry.

Finally, I heard Him say “Are you kidding me? I did call you – you are right where I need you.” I realized God doesn’t always answer the way we anticipate.

Prayer: God in heaven, open our hearts and minds to hear and understand your plan for us may not be what we expect or think we want, but it is Your will.  Amen.

  – Kathi Wise – McLean, VA

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service will be held on

Friday, December 24 at 7 pm.

See and share our invitation videos at:

    Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=406652924481326&t=0

    YouTube:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz_kmoMmDWE

The Greatest Gift is meant to be shared. 

Come and bring a friend!

Advent Devotional – Saturday, December 11, 2021 – Signs

Scripture:  Philippians 4:8 –

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

“Sign, sign, everywhere a sign… blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind.
Do this, don’t do that. Can’t you read the sign?”

That is the chorus to Five Man Electrical Band’s 1971 song Sign. Whenever the topic of signs comes up, that song plays in my mind. The song is about not judging a book by its cover.

We, humans, aren’t that great at reading signs. We often see the signs that confirm our desired outcome and ignore the signs leading us away from our will toward God’s will.

The Bible is full of references to signs, but many of those are warnings we can misinterpret. You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. False messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce signs and omen, to lead astray. (Mat. 24:24)

So, how can we tell which signs to pay attention to? There is guidance in Philippians – measure it according to what is true, honorable, just and commendable. If you find that the sign is leading you away from these things, it is leading you astray.

Prayer: Lord, help us to read the signs and stay on the path to a closer relationship with you.  Amen.

  – Chris Howell – Madison Heights, VA

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

COVID-19 – Beaver County Metrics – 12-9-2021

Here are the weekly COVID-19 statistics for Beaver County, PA as of December 9, 2021, with both indexes remaining at high levels, heading at the current rate of increase to surpass the all-time surge highs in December 2020.

The Incidence Rate increased from 572.2 to 561.2 (an increase of 11.0, or 1.9%) in the HIGH category.

• The PCR Positivity Rate has increased from 17.2 to 17.9 in the HIGH category.

(Allegheny County’s figures fluctuated somewhat during the past week from 276.8 to 290.3 and from 13.3% to 12.4%.)

• • Beaver County is now classified as SUBSTANTIAL on the original PA DOH scale and HIGH on the CDC scale.
    

(If both metrics are Moderate, the PA Dept. of Health’s recommended school instructional model is Hybrid Learning.)

On April 5, the CDC issued a “Science Brief” outlining that, in addition to people becoming infected through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects,  the principal mode by which people are infected with COVID-19 is through exposure to respiratory droplets carrying infectious virus.

---

• Small Group Meetings (Sunday School, AA, other meetings):

The current guidance on when and how gatherings can take place is based upon the threshold of infection rate.

For Indoor meetings/Sunday School to resume, the 7-day average of daily cases for gatherings that include unvaccinated folks should be:

• • 1.5-2.0 – for everyone except those at high risk; and
  • Less than 1.0 for those at high risk.
  • Our current level is 80.1, so resuming small group meetings will not be feasible until we can provide sufficient active air filtration in light of the latest CDC guidance and the deadlier variants now in the USA.

---

As the pandemic continues, we are continuing our efforts to:

• Disinfect Central Church prior to every worship service and feeding ministry event using EPA-registered products in compliance with CDC standards to kill germs and reduce the risk of spreading infection, and in compliance with EPA criteria for use against SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19; and

• As our community COVID-19 levels continue to deteriorate, this week, we have significantly expanded our new medical-grade HEPA-13 air filtration equipment in our Sanctuary, which is rated to remove COVID-19 from the air, which now provides 10.7 complete air changes every hour in our Sanctuary (every 6 minutes)!

• (5 air changes per hour is the EPA’s general recommended standard, and the EPA now recommends 8-15 air changes per hour in Churches. )  
  

 

Central Church

Advent Devotional – Friday, December 10, 2021 – I Believe in Guardian Angels

Scripture:  Psalm 91:11-12 –

¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

The image of a guardian angel shepherding two children across a bridge remained with me for 70 years as God’s messengers and protectors. My belief in angels began in childhood with that picture, and I attribute my escape from death to divine intervention on two occasions.

After World War II, my birth country, Hungary, became communist. As a result, my family was in danger and needed to escape in the night. At the Austrian border, two men from the families fleeing with us went ahead to defuse mines in our path. The border guards became aware of our escape attempt.

Everyone panicked. I was almost pushed through a nearby hole in the fence.  At the last second, my mother pulled me back. I later learned there were mines through that hole in the fence. Despite the chaos, God watched over me!

The second incident occurred decades later when I was in an accident. Our vehicle slid out of control, hit a guard rail, and rolled down an embankment.  Once again, my guardian angel protected me. Angels are all around, if only we open our eyes and heart.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for sending your angels to protect us. Thank you for all sacred signs of your presence in our lives, making our journey possible and bearable.  Amen.

  – Eva C. Kalke – Maricopa, AZ

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Advent Devotional – Thursday, December 9, 2021 – It All Started With a Puppy

Scripture:  Job 12:7-10 –

⁷ “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
    or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
⁸ or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
    or let the fish in the sea inform you.
⁹ Which of all these does not know
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?
¹⁰ In his hand is the life of every creature
    and the breath of all mankind.

We planned to pick out a puppy. That day’s devotional said: “Wonders will unfold!” We saw a puppy that looked different with mismatched markings. We were intrigued. When we picked her up, she nibbled my husband’s ear and curled around his neck in the same unique way as the pet we recently lost. It was incredible. It felt like God whispered “pick this one.” So, we did!

Later, my husband met a friend who taught a therapy dog class. They invited us to certify our dogs. The next week, our pet-friendly minister wondered aloud if members should have their dogs trained as therapy dogs to visit people in local nursing homes. I said, “I can make that happen!”

That was the “accidental” beginning of our pet ministry. Over the years, our dogs have brought comfort to many. The most significant time was a Blue Christmas service during Advent for those who have experienced a loss. The therapy dogs were gathered in the hall after the service, and people who were hurting hugged the dogs to let out their pain.

Prayer: God, thank you for showing us signs of new ways to use our pets in ministry.  Amen.

  – Gayle Fiser – Little Rock, AR

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Advent Devotional – Wednesday, December 8, 2021 – Detour

Scripture:  Luke 2:15-16 –

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

My wife and I came across a detour sign blocking the road coming home from a doctor’s visit. Driving less than half a mile, another detour sign loomed before us, but it headed back toward the town.

I ignored that one since it was not going the direction I thought it should. I promptly got lost in a maze of off-roads before finally stumbling across a regular street several miles away, where I found yet another detour sign with an arrow.

This time I followed the signs… even if I thought they weren’t taking me in the direction I wanted to go. Eventually, by following the signs, we reached the main road and arrived safely home. Typical male, you may say. The problem was my attitude– not the abundance of signs along the way.

Sometimes, we miss the signs and get lost. And sometimes, we see them but want to go our own way. Are you facing a roadblock in your life? Am I the only one who has ignored a sign and gone my own way when God tried to bring me home? The shepherds followed the signs that led to Jesus. Will you?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, be patient and guide all of us willful, wayward children home.  Amen.

  – William Nash Wade – Strasburg, VA

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Advent Devotional – Tuesday, December 7, 2021 – A Sign: God’s Confirmation

Scripture:  Luke 2:10-12 –

¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

My front yard grass is straw and the flowers brown. The August heat feels like an oven. I ask, “Will summer ever end?” The store clerk says, “Don’t worry, winter is around the corner!” I soon see “signs” the clerk is right: night is closing in, the maple leaves fall, and a fleece vest feels good.

The angel reveals the news to terrified shepherds: a Savior, Christ the Lord, is born. This is a sign for you: a babe wrapped and lying in a manger. A sign confirms the truth of the angel’s word; a sign proves God is revealing himself in the world. The shepherds verify it: this child is the Messiah.

Signs confirm faith and validate God’s grace in one’s life. In 1982, God kindled a desire within me to study John Wesley’s theology in England. Many challenges arose. If I went, how would my wife and I support ourselves? Pieces, not money, fell into place. The sign we needed would be to have enough money by Easter. On Palm Sunday, friends Bob and Karen Schiller pledged $1500!  Their pledge gave us enough and confirmed my longing!

Prayer: Father in heaven, thank you for your word and sign confirming that for us a Savior is born who is Christ the Lord! Amen.

  – Tom Thomas – Forest, VA

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Advent Devotional – Monday, December 6, 2021 – A Sign in a Dream

Scripture:  Matthew 1: 20-24 –

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[a] because he will save his people from their sins.”

²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[b] (which means “God with us”).

²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

I walk with purpose down a long, carpeted hallway. The walls are lined with art and photographs. At the end of the hallway, I either turn the corner or fling a closed-door wide open.

I am struck with wonder by an expansive room with high-ceilings and another hallway lined with doors to more rooms. Inevitably, I exclaim, “I didn’t even know this wing/room/space was here!”…and then I wake up.

One of my recurring dreams for decades has been discovering the places I live and work, whether childhood home, dorm, parsonage, or church building, has a whole wing of rooms I did not even know existed.

I tend to dream this at cross-road moments in life and have realized, with hope, that God is aware of my trepidation. As I step in a new directions He promises me unexpected opportunities, challenges, and blessings await. It is a comfort to know there is more at hand than I can see and that God will meet me around the corner or on the other side of the door.

Prayer: O holy God, prepare us in heart and mind for your Advent in the world. Give us dreams filled with hope. Come, Lord Jesus, come!  Amen.

  – Kathleen Overby Webster – McGaheysville, VA

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Central Church – Online Worship Service – 2nd Sunday in Advent – 12-5-2021

On this cold second Sunday in Advent, when the Delta variant of the coronavirus again prevents many of us from gathering in Central Church’s Sanctuary to worship in body, let us join together in spirit with our online worship service. Today’s online worship service includes a favorite HYMN with lyrics so you can sing along! AND… Both the video on Facebook and the video on YouTube now have closed captions (if you turn them on) so you can read along with the spoken words during the service!  To activate captions in Facebook, click on the Settings “gear” symbol in the bottom right corner of the image, and then click on the “Off” button to change it to “On” for “Auto-Generated Captions”. To activate captions in YouTube, click on the “CC” icon in the lower right corner of the image to toggle captions On and Off. A brief comment on our new closed caption capability – The closed captions on our videos use voice-recognition software similar to that used on Television broadcasts, and with similar accuracy!  Sometimes, the captions are not entirely accurate, so if you read something incongruous, back up the video a few seconds and listen carefully for what is actually being said.  Also, it takes a while to generate the captions after the videos are published, so if the captions are not available immediately after the video is published, just check back a little later. To begin, simply click on one of the links below to join with the folks who have already made their way into our digital Sanctuary.  You can find this week’s online worship service on both Facebook and YouTube at the following coordinates: Facebook –  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=888187561840510&t=1 YouTube –    https://youtu.be/PwfPT7Kp5N4 (If the video doesn’t come up after clicking on the link, just copy and paste the address into your browser search bar.)

Advent

2 Corinthians 9:15:  “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.”

As we are now in the season of Advent, we give thanks to God for the indescribable gift he gave us in Jesus.  And, we know that during this time of year, Advent sometimes “gets lost”.

Many refer to this as the Christmas season, but in actuality, Advent is the season before Christmas, a season of anticipation for the celebration of Christ’s birth and a spiritual time of preparation for Christ’s coming.

The frenzy of the weeks leading to Christmas can distract us from having an Advent season that prepares us for the celebration of Christmas; it’s meaning to us and the world.  Take time to enjoy this season.  We hope you delight in the rituals of preparation and the traditions of the Advent season.

And, so, our message to you this week is simple – may the Advent season be for all of us a time of Peace, Joy, Hope, and Love, preparing our hearts and minds to behold the miracle of Christmas!

Advent Devotional – Sunday, December 5, 2021 – Angels in Disguise

Scripture:  Isaiah 12:2 –

Surely God is my salvation;
    I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.”

Somehow, I stumbled and fell on my face in our driveway. The result: abrasions, blood, and bruises wherever I hit! My husband’s call to 911 brought paramedics who took my vital signs and pronounced them good. Angels in disguise?

As word spread about my fall, more “angels” appeared in the form of people who prayed for my recovery, sent cards, and one who showed up with a meal! I took each as a sign of God’s care and presence.

In scripture, we often read, “Do not be afraid.” Like the shepherds in the field keeping watch over their flocks by night, we need assurance that angelic visits are no cause for fear. They are from the Lord, who always has our salvation at heart.

Through this, I learned God is my strength and might. If I ignored the signs of God’s care, I would not be as far along in my recovery as I am. Indeed, God’s healing presence is available to all. And may we each recognize God’s angels when they visit!

Prayer: Thank you most gracious God for your presence to us, especially in Christ, who saves and heals us through the power of your Holy Spirit.  Amen.

  – Chris Suerdieck – Emmitsburg, MD

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

What Is Advent?

What Is Advent?

For many Christians unfamiliar with the liturgical year, there may be some confusion surrounding the meaning of the Advent season. Some people may know that the Advent season focuses on expectation and think that it serves as an anticipation of Christ’s birth in the season leading up to Christmas.  This is part of the story, but there’s more to Advent.

The History of Advent                                 

The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming,” which is a translation of the Greek word parousia. Scholars believe that during the 4^th and 5^th centuries in Spain and Gaul, Advent was a season of preparation for the baptism of new Christians at the January feast of Epiphany, the celebration of God’s incarnation represented by the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus (Matthew 2:1), his baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist (John 1:29), and his first miracle at Cana (John 2:1). During this season of preparation, Christians would spend 40 days in penance, prayer, and fasting to prepare for this celebration; originally, there was little connection between Advent and Christmas.

By the 6^th century, however, Roman Christians had tied Advent to the coming of Christ. But the “coming” they had in mind was not Christ’s first coming in the manger in Bethlehem, but his second coming in the clouds as the judge of the world. It was not until the Middle Ages that the Advent season was explicitly linked to Christ’s first coming at Christmas.

Advent Today  

Central Church’s Advent Wreath

Today, the Advent season lasts for four Sundays leading up to Christmas. At that time, the new Christian year begins with the twelve-day celebration of Christmastide, which lasts from Christmas Eve until Epiphany on January 6. (Advent begins on the Sunday that falls between November 27th and December 3rd each year.)

Advent symbolizes the present situation of the church in these “last days” (Acts 2:17, Hebrews 1:2), as God’s people wait for the return of Christ in glory to consummate his eternal kingdom. The church is in a similar situation to Israel at the end of the Old Testament: in exile, waiting and hoping in prayerful expectation for the coming of the Messiah. Israel looked back to God’s past gracious actions on their behalf in leading them out of Egypt in the Exodus, and on this basis they called for God once again to act for them.

In the same way, the church, during Advent, looks back upon Christ’s coming in celebration while at the same time looking forward in eager anticipation to the coming of Christ’s kingdom when he returns for his people. In this light, the Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” perfectly represents the church’s cry during the Advent season:

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

 That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appears.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

While Israel would have sung the song in expectation of Christ’s first coming, the church now sings the song in commemoration of that first coming and in expectation of the second coming in the future.

Advent Devotional – Saturday, December 4, 2021 – And He Shall Be Called

Scripture:  Numbers 14:11b –

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?

My husband, Dan, and I waited in the car for Mom.  My father would not be joining us for the Living Nativity at church— he died eighteen months earlier.  I watched the snow fall and swiped at tears.  I was eight months pregnant with my dad’s grandson, and I couldn’t settle on a name I thought he would like.  After weeks of indecision, we needed a sign.

As my mother scrambled into the car, her words fell on me like a blow.   “Have you finally picked out a name for our baby boy?”  I felt frozen, but Dan spoke up.  “I like James Russell Lehman.”  It was one of the names we considered.

“Oh, Dad would love that”, Mom said.  “His best friend and co-pilot was Russ Fredericks.  Jim called him Rusty.” I remembered hearing stories about Rusty but hadn’t realized his name was Russell.  Dan squeezed my hand while Mom told us about the adventures of Dad and Rusty.

We received our sign, delivered through my mother.  As we drove to see the reenactment of our Savior’s birth, Dan and I knew what to call our son.  Like another young couple long ago, we rejoiced in wonder.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the small signs that remind us to believe.  Amen.

  – Andi Lehman – Hernando, MS

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Effective Stewardship – December 2021 Theme

Our December 2021 Stewardship Theme:

Our theme this month is that Christian stewardship is an expression of the fruit of the Christian life by the power of the Holy Spirit within us. Through the use of our money, God wants us to demonstrate the “grace of giving.”

“Now as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you — so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking” (2 Cor. 8:7).

It’s one thing to excel in something we do or in our service for Christ, but how do we do excel in the “grace of giving”?

• How do you define grace?
• How does grace fits in with our giving.
• What part of God’s grace has to do with our demonstration of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and with the grace of giving?
• What would be practical, tangible ways that we can excel in the “grace of giving?”

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Central Church

COVID-19 – Beaver County Metrics – 12-2-2021

Here are the weekly COVID-19 statistics for Beaver County, PA as of December 2, 2021, with both indexes surging significantly over last week, heading at the current rate of increase to surpass the all-time surge highs in December 2020.

The Incidence Rate increased from 537.4 to 572.2 (an increase of 34.8, or 6.4%) in the HIGH category.

• The PCR Positivity Rate has increased from 17.1 to 17.2 in the HIGH category.

(Allegheny County’s figures fluctuated somewhat during the past week from 287.9 to 276.8 and from 11.7% to 13.3%.)

• • Beaver County is now classified as SUBSTANTIAL on the original PA DOH scale and HIGH on the CDC scale.
    

(If both metrics are Moderate, the PA Dept. of Health’s recommended school instructional model is Hybrid Learning.)

On April 5, the CDC issued a “Science Brief” outlining that, in addition to people becoming infected through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects,  the principal mode by which people are infected with COVID-19 is through exposure to respiratory droplets carrying infectious virus.

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• Small Group Meetings (Sunday School, AA, other meetings):

The current guidance on when and how gatherings can take place is based upon the threshold of infection rate.

For Indoor meetings/Sunday School to resume, the 7-day average of daily cases for gatherings that include unvaccinated folks should be:

• • 1.5-2.0 – for everyone except those at high risk; and
  • Less than 1.0 for those at high risk.
  • Our current level is 81.7, so resuming small group meetings will not be feasible until we can provide sufficient active air filtration in light of the latest CDC guidance and the deadlier variants now in the USA.

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As the pandemic continues, we are continuing our efforts to:

• Disinfect Central Church prior to every worship service and feeding ministry event using EPA-registered products in compliance with CDC standards to kill germs and reduce the risk of spreading infection, and in compliance with EPA criteria for use against SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19; and

• We are also employing HEPA-13 air filtration equipment to help reduce any airborne coronavirus in our Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall. 

• As our community COVID-19 levels continue to deteriorate, this week, we have significantly expanded our new HEPA-13 air filtration equipment in our Sanctuary, which is rated to remove COVID-19 from the air, which now provides 10.7 complete air changes every hour in our Sanctuary (every 6 minutes)!

• (5 air changes per hour is the EPA’s general recommended standard, and the EPA now recommends 8-15 air changes per hour in Churches. )  
  

 

Central Church

Advent Devotional – Friday, December 3, 2021 – A Sign in the Silence

Scripture:  1 Kings 19:11-13 –

¹¹ The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ¹³ When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Signs are important. Stop signs, danger signs, directional signs… Moses found God in a burning bush. It was a sign. Jesus’ miracles are called signs. Angels announced the Messiah’s arrival, saying the baby in the manger was the sign.

Sacred signs I have experienced weren’t burning bushes or angels singing.  Sometimes, they were ordinary folks speaking a word that influenced me.  Usually, it was God speaking quietly, as in 1 Kings 19. There, we read of wind, earthquake, and fire, but it was in the silence afterward that God spoke.

When I was 23 and a student pastor, finances were tight. So, I decided to quit preparing for ministry. I went to inform my superintendent of my decision.

I parked at his office and sat a while. An inner voice told me not to do this. I started my car, drove home, and never looked back. After 70 years in ministry, I still remember that quiet encounter with the Divine. No angels, no voice from the clouds; yet, it was a clear sign, for what I should do… Stay the course.

Prayer: God, thank you for the gift of Christ. It’s a sign of your love. We pray hearts will open to the signs you provide to us. Amen.

  – Hasbrouck Hughes – Williamsburg, VA

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!

Advent Devotional – Thursday, December 2, 2021 – God Answers Unexpectedly

Scripture:  Philippians 4:11-13 –

¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

I wasn’t ready to retire, but needed more time with family.  So, I decided to go part-time with both churches I served.  It was a compromise for my churches and me.  I would work from home, making the two-hour drive each weekend for services.  The churches would save money, and I would have time with family.

Lately, I’ve asked God to reveal barriers to deepening our relationship, within me.  One thing came to mind – financial worry.  Would I have enough to do the things I needed and wanted?  Would I have enough to keep up the house and car?  Could I continue giving to charities I loved or continue to tithe?  I hadn’t realized the level of my anxiety.

The next day in my devotional time, there was my sacred sign.  Paul told the Philippians that he had “learned the secret to being content in every circumstance… I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength”.  I laughed in amazement!  God’s sign was clear.  Follow Him and all will be well.

Prayer:  Holy One, we are amazed at the signs you give us when we ask.  Thank you for these sure signs of your love and sacredness.  Amen.

  – Sybil Perrell – Lilesville, NC

Central Church’s Sanctuary decorated for Christmas!