Lenten Devotional – Day 6 – Almsgiving for Lent

Scripture:  Proverbs 19: 17 –  

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will reward them for what they have done.

When I first endeavored to take the Lenten journey, I studied the tenets of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving (giving to and helping those who are in need). I purposed in my heart to fully ensconce myself in this journey seeking opportunities to give and show mercy. I already served as a volunteer at a Women’s Shelter so I increased my hours there which required me to work more directly with the homeless women.

I arrived early eager and ready to serve, and after serving the women lunch I sat down next to a guest and began making small talk. The woman who I held conversation with expressed gratitude for the lunch and indicated that she hated being homeless, to which I replied “I’m sure not having a place to call home is what you hate the most!” She replied “No. What I hate the most is that I’m invisible to people”.

Her heartbreaking reply caught me off guard, it convicted me, causing me to wonder if I’d ever caused anyone to feel this way. I silently repented, asking the Lord for forgiveness. I also prayed for the homeless woman who’d blessed me with the immeasurable gift of a redeemed heart!

Prayer: Lord help me to acknowledge the humanity of everyone that I encounter, being kind, and loving as you command in Jesus name.  Amen!

  – Tracy Porter — Pasadena, CA

Central Church

Lenten Devotional – Day 5 – A New Ministry

Scripture:  Philippians 4:11 –  

¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

I grew up in a Christian home. As a young adult I felt God calling me into full time Christian service, but I said “Ask me later”. Asked the third time, I said “Yes, Lord, but I have no idea how you can use me now.” My finances were in shambles, and my health had begun to suffer. So I prayed for guidance and received my answer but in an unexpected way. It turned my life upside down. I had been praying Wesley’s Covenant Prayer every morning and knew I wanted to be more than a “Lip Service Christian.”

Now, God has given me a new ministry not only to congregations who worship within four walls, but also to people who are hurting and struggling. I can relate to what people are going through. I know their pain when they are hungry, hurting, or afraid of what may come next.

I have been there, and I can share with them my experiences and my faith. Because of this I can be in service with God, going when and where He leads me. Life isn’t always easy, but God always shows me His promises are new every morning. I just need to trust and obey.

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for everything I have experienced. Let me use my life to glorify you every day and in all things.  Amen.

  – Bonnie-karen Byrne — Fieldale, VA

Central Church

Central Church – Online Worship Service 148 – The First Sunday in Lent – 2-26-2023

On this cold and sunny first Sunday in Lent, when we welcome Rev. Emmett Anderson as our Guest Speaker, and when 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! Our prior online worship services are available in our online library, and can be viewed on demand, and be sure to join us in worship, either online or in person, every week!    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=3254578674794713 YouTube –   https://youtu.be/aBio5yTAX6E (If the video doesn’t come up after clicking on the link, just copy and paste the address into your browser search bar.) Central Church

Lenten Devotional – The First Sunday in Lent – A Redeemed Captive

Scripture:  Ephesians 1: 7-8 –

⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,

Sally was an African-American woman forced to live in slavery in Antebellum North Carolina.

After many grueling decades, she experienced redemption from slavery. The literal bonds of her enslavement were visceral illustrations of the spiritual bondage to sin, to which we are all ensnared.

Akin to the experience of millions of people during this tragic period, she experienced many injustices. She was separated from her husband and children; suffered physical abuse; framed and scapegoated by others; and even punished for attempting to escape her captors.

Despite being powerless to change things, Sally remained hopeful. She used limited freedom to run a small store and even accepted Christ as her Savior. Although uplifted by this newfound joy, she still struggled internally. Often praying, will I ever see my family again?

When she was 60 years old, her son surprised her by using his saved money to purchase her freedom from physical enslavement. Sally was free at last! And reunited with her family.

Although not enslaved like Sally, we are all enslaved to sin. Jesus says everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. All have sinned, and therefore, all are slaves to sin: they are without Jesus Christ and without hope. Redeem means to buy back. Jesus bought us back from sin and death and released us from bondage through his death on the cross. Let the redeemed people give thanks!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the riches of your grace!  Amen.

  – Tom Thomas — Forest, VA

Central Church

COVID-19 – Beaver County Metrics – 2-24-2023

COVID-19 Integrated County View:

Here are the weekly COVID-19 statistics for Beaver County, PA as of February 24, 2023, showing Beaver County continuing in the HIGH category.

 

• The Incidence Rate increased from 50.0 to 79.3 (an increase of 29.3 , or 58.6%), in the SUBSTANTIAL category.
• The PCR Positivity Rate increased from 13.6 to 20.0 in the SUBSTANTIAL category.

(Allegheny County’s figures continued in the HIGH category during the past week, at 78.2 and 12.6%.)

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The new “COVID-19 COMMUNITY LEVEL” index:

Starting on March 3, 2022, for hospitals and healthcare systems, the CDC is also issuing a new “COVID-19 Community Level“ index that measures the “current potential for strain on the health system” (in other words, the ability of hospitals to take in and treat additional folks with COVID-19.)  

This new index is in addition to the CDC’s “COVID-19 Integrated County View” which they continue to publish each week.

The CDC currently reports that current “COVID-19 Community Level” moved into the LOW category.  This metric was adopted on March 3, 2022, reflecting on the potential availability of hospital beds for new COVID-19 cases. 

CDC-Recommended actions when in the HIGH level:

• Wear a mask indoors in public and on public transportation.
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.
• Get tested if you have symptoms.
• If you are at high risk for severe illness, consider taking additional precautions.

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The “Triple Threat”:

Recently, health officials have begun referring to the combination of RSV, COVID-19 and flu as a “triple threat” because they are all circulating simultaneously — and could all fuel a spike in respiratory illnesses in the coming months.

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a respiratory virus that usually causes cold-like symptoms, including a runny nose, poor appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever and wheezing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. 

The virus can spread via coughs, sneezes, surfaces and direct contact, according to the CDC. Most people who get infected experience mild symptoms and recover within a week or two, but the virus can be serious, especially for infants and older adults.

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• At Central Church, in order to look out for our older folks, as well as the unvaccinated or immunocompromised, we are continuing to look to the CDC’s“COVID-19 Integrated County View” to evaluate which protective measures and protocols that we should observe to protect all of the folks who come through our doors for in-person worship or for other reasons, such as to participate in our community feeding ministry outreach.

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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 11.3 so resuming small group meetings may not be feasible for the immediate future.

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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 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. )  
  

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Active Air Filtering Measurement at Central Church

Here is some good news!

In order to continuously monitor how effectively our air filters are scrubbing the Sanctuary air for us, our Trustees have added an active air filter meter in our Sanctuary.

The actual COVID-19 virus measures about 1.5 microns in size, but it usually hitchhikes on air-borne droplets exhaled from infected humans to spread throughout a room.  The size of those droplets (classified as fine particulates) is 2.5 microns, so we are measuring for that level of particulates.

Our Sanctuary is disinfected prior to every worship service, so any particulates that are floating around are mainly routine dust and pollen.   (The Medify air filtration equipment that we have in place are rated to remove air-borne contaminants down to 1 micron.)

• During our Sunday in-person worship services, when the air filters are in full use, the Sanctuary air readings hover between zero and 1, except for when we were singing hymns, when it briefly increased a few points before resuming its steady decrease down to 1 ppm, so our air filters are definitely doing their job of effectively scrubbing our air!

• Since our objective is to reduce any air-borne COVID-19 virus (or cold or flu viruses) exhaled by an infected person during a worship service, we are protecting our folks as best we can.

Our thanks to our dedicated Trustees for tirelessly working during the COVID-19 pandemic to help protect anyone who comes through our doors.

Central Church

Lenten Devotional – Day 4 – God’s Plan

Scripture:  Jeremiah 29:11 –  

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.   

A man in our men’s Bible study group has an uncanny ability to see value in things where others see no value at all. He used this talent recently,  shopping wisely, while touring on an annual event called “The Longest Yard Sale in the World” (which runs 690 miles and passes through six states from Alabama to Michigan).

With so many tempting items on display, many people search and are distracted by the glitzy appearance of things, then base their decisions solely on what they see, with no thought about what the value might be. But God is so very different. He peers past our outer appearance and gets to the heart of the matter.

Years ago, after having drifted for a while from my Christian upbringing, God searched me out, pulled me back, peered past my sinful outer surface appearance, and went straight for my heart. He saw me and knew the purpose He had created me for. He brought me back to His loving arms.  I was saved and redeemed by His grace, and washed clean by the blood of Christ. I now work daily to walk in the plan that He has for my life.

Prayer: Loving Father, thank you for peering past my surface appearance, for seeing my value, and for blessing me with your redemptive grace. Help me to be what you created me to be. I pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

  – Denny Engle — Gautier, MS

Central Church

Lenten Devotional – Day 3 – Better Than Free Toys

Scripture:  Psalm 130: 7 –  

Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
    for with the Lord is unfailing love

My mother used to pass on to us kids green or red stamps that were given out by grocery stores after purchasing food and other items. We spent hours wetting the stamp’s backs and pasting them into books which could then be exchanged for merchandise. My brother and I were happy to “redeem” the books. It never occurred to us Mom had to spend a lot of money so we could have “free” toys.

Whenever I first think of “redemption”, I think of green or red stamps. Not good theology you might surmise, but when I consider all that God has done for me through Christ Jesus, I see a link. Out of love, our mother gave us the stamps. That she did not think of what she may have needed, reflects grace. At no cost to my brother or me, we received joy from our new toys.

Love, grace, and joy are not byproducts of God’s redemption. They are redemption. Older now, and hopefully wiser, I more clearly see the value of God’s gift of a Son who sacrificed his life on a cross to ensure forgiveness of sins and life eternal. Unlike the temporary happiness experienced when I turned in books of green or red stamps for toys, the love, grace, and joy I now know is permanent. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Gracious God, help us to see the great gift of your redemption in the ordinary experiences in life. In the holy name of your Son, we pray.  Amen.

  – Chris Suerdieck — Emmitsburg, MD

Central Church

What is Lent?

After Ash Wednesday begins the 40-day period of Lent, a word whose roots refer to the “lengthening” of days in springtime. Spiritually, however, its purpose is preparation: a time of fasting and prayer before the joy of Easter.

Fasting was common by the fourth century as a way to avoid self-indulgence during a time of repentance – even marriage was prohibited during Lent.

Some Christians follow traditional fasts today, but others give up something pleasurable for the entire 40 days, from chocolate to TV. But Lent is not just about giving up.  Its spiritual renewal is about giving, too, such as “making amends with estranged family and friends,” or doing community service.

Lenten Devotional – Day 2 – Redeeming Love

Scripture:  Exodus 6: 6 –  

⁶ “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.

I confess that I buy enough Starbucks coffee to warrant having the app on my phone. I also confess I like earning points for purchases, and I admit there is a certain pleasure or joy at redeeming those points for a “free” coffee or maybe even a pastry item. For us today, redemption means the exchanging of one item, like money or earned points, for another item.

In the worldview of the Bible, redemption is a far more serious business. The work of the God of Israel is one of redemption. In Exodus 6:6, it is written: “Therefore tell the Israelites: “I am GOD. I will bring you out from under the cruel hard labor of Egypt. I will rescue you from slavery. I will redeem you, intervening with great acts of judgment.” (The Message).

 

Today, we live in a messy and painful world, but God has acted for us, not only through sacrifice but out of his steadfast and unyielding love in Jesus Christ that we might have a kingdom life with him for eternity.  I believe life became worth living because God acted to redeem us from our alienation and bondage so He might be with us forever.

Prayer: Redeeming God, we give thanks to you for redeeming us. Grant that we might live lives of worth to your glory and to obtain life with and in Jesus Christ who reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

  – Andy Brock — Reliance, VA

Central Church

Lenten Devotional – Day 1 – Ash Wednesday – Not to Be Served but to Serve

Scripture:  Matthew 20:28 –  

²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

My parents were solid, hardworking farm people, raising four children on our small family farm in northern Minnesota. In the midst of all the work of running a farm, they also pushed us to get good educations.  All four of us graduated from college. They also made sure we all knew that “book smart” wasn’t the only way to be intelligent.

 

Knowledge for the sake of knowledge didn’t get the gardens planted, the fields harvested, or the chickens fed. What mattered was what we did with that knowledge, how we made the world a better place and cared for our families and our communities.  The great labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez said, “The end of all knowledge should be service to others.” I love that quote.

 

I believe knowledge is the key that opens up opportunities for each of us. I also know that if we don’t use that knowledge for good – to be of service to those in need – that knowledge means nothing. We are here, as Jesus told his disciples, not to be served but to serve. What we do with those gifts – knowledge, power, love – is what redeems us.

 

Prayer: Lord, let me live a life that offers my gifts to the world, making it better even in the smallest ways.  Amen.

 

– Jean Siers- Salisbury, MD

Central Church

Ash Wednesday Worship Service

Once again this year, the Beaver Falls Ministerium will hold an Ash Wednesday worship service at First Presbyterian Church (8^th Avenue & 11^th Street), tomorrow night beginning at 7 pm.

The worship service will include several pastors from downtown churches, and will offer the imposition of ashes.  Communion will be provided by intinction (dipping the bread into a common cup).

Preparation for Lent – A Mardi Gras Prayer

Today is Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday”) and Carnival (“Farewell to Meat”), which precedes Ash Wednesday and Lent around the world, even where Lent has ceased to have much religious meaning.  It was natural to develop a festival, a “last fling,” before the prayerful fasting and abstinence of Lent.

How can we give this day before Ash Wednesday some religious meaning for us?

It may be that we are going to a Mardi Gras party and there will be much feasting.  Our country may celebrate Carnival with gusto.  Perhaps we can have a special family dinner together, with meat.

What’s important is that we let our feasting anticipate our fasting.  One way to do that is to begin to focus on the meaning of the day, when we first get up. 

It can create a sense of anticipation all day, that something very new is about to begin tomorrow.

We can prepare for whatever we will do, no matter how purely “social” or simply ordinary our day will be.  Knowing why we go to a party, or enjoying the planning or preparation for a special meal, will add much meaning to this day.

Our Prayer

In these or similar words, we can pray in the spirit of this day.

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for it is from your goodness that we have this day
to celebrate on the threshold of the Season of Lent.

Tomorrow we will fast and abstain from meat.
Today we feast.
We thank you for the abundance of gifts you shower upon us.
We thank you especially for one another.
As we give you thanks,
we are mindful of those who have so much less than we do.
As we share these wonderful gifts together,
we commit ourselves to greater generosity toward those
who need our support.

Prepare us for tomorrow.
Tasting the fullness of what we have today,
let us experience some hunger tomorrow.
May our fasting make us more alert
and may it heighten our consciousness
so that we might be ready to hear your Word
and respond to your call.

As our feasting fills us with gratitude
so may our fasting and abstinence hollow out in us
a place for deeper desires
and an attentiveness to hear the cry of the poor.
May our self-denial turn our hearts to you
and give us a new freedom for
generous service to others.

We ask you these graces
with our hearts full of delight
and stirring with readiness for the journey ahead.
We ask them with confidence
in the name of Jesus the Lord. 

 

“Fat Tuesday”

In Louisiana, Mardi Gras is celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday.  Mardi Gras began as a festival to enjoy the things a person was “giving up” for Lent.  During the parades, beads are tossed from the floats to the onlookers.

Okay, let’s talk about what happens after Mardi Gras.  The day after Mardi Gras – tomorrow – is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.  Lent is a season of the church that we use to concentrate on the suffering of Christ.  People “give up” something, usually a sweet food, a bad habit, etc. for the 40 days, representing Christ “giving up” his life for us.

What is the difference between a crucifix and an empty cross?  The empty cross represents Christ’s resurrection. The crucifix represents Christ’s choosing to suffer for us.

Christ didn’t have to die on the cross, He could have saved Himself, but He chose to die for our sins.

Prayer:  Dear God, help us to remember during Lent, and always, of Christ’s suffering for us. Amen.

Central Church – Online Worship Service 147 – Transfiguration Sunday – 2-19-2023

On this warm and dry Transfiguration Sunday, the last Sunday before Lent, when we welcome Susan Keppen as our Guest Speaker, and when 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! Our prior online worship services are available in our online library, and can be viewed on demand, and be sure to join us in worship, either online or in person, every week!    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=615976230359152 YouTube –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQxvHXiphB0 (If the video doesn’t come up after clicking on the link, just copy and paste the address into your browser search bar.) Central Church

What is Lent?

Tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday, also known as Fat Tuesday, the day of Mardi Gras.  This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the day that begins the 40 days of Lent (not counting Sundays). 

Did you ever wonder what these terms mean?   Well, here’s the scoop!

Mardi Gras – is a French word pronounced: märd grä, the last day before the fasting season of Lent.  It is the French name for Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.

Literally translated, the term means “Fat Tuesday” and is so called because it represents the last opportunity for merrymaking and excessive indulgence in food and drink before the solemn season of fasting.

Ash Wednesday – is the first day of Lent.  On this day, ashes are placed onto the foreheads of the faithful to remind them of Christ’s death, of the sorrow one should feel for their sins, and of the necessity of repenting, which is turning from your sins and turning to God.

Ash Wednesday, is so called from the ceremony of placing ashes on the forehead as a sign of penitence.  The ashes are obtained from burned palm branches from the Palm Sunday of the previous year.

The ashes are placed onto the foreheads of the officiating clergy, and the congregation, while saying: “Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.”

Many believe the practice of placing ashes onto the forehead began in 1091 A.D. by the Roman Catholic Church.  However, the custom of placing ashes onto the head as a sign of repentance dates back to Old Testament times:

“So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. – Daniel 9:3-5. 

See also, Esther 4:1-3, Job 2:8; Job 4:2-6, and Isaiah 58:5.

 

Lent– from Old English ‘lencten=spring’, Latin ‘Quadragesima’.

In Christianity, Lent is a time of penance, prayer, preparation for, or recollection of baptism, and preparation for the celebration of Easter.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, the 40th weekday before Easter.  Of the Sundays in Lent the fifth is Passion Sunday and the last is Palm Sunday.

The week preceding Easter is Holy Week. Lent ends at midnight, Holy Saturday.

Lent may also have a parallel in the Jewish Omer, the interval between Passover and Shavuot that has become a time of semi-mourning and sadness.  During the weeks of the Omer period, Jews in some communities refrain from wearing new clothes and there are no marriages or other public festivities.

Although we are almost to the beginning of this special season, remember that Jesus wants all of our hearts and lives–everyday–not just during the 40 days of Lent.

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. – Titus 2:11-14.

COVID-19 – Beaver County Metrics – 2-17-2023

COVID-19 Integrated County View:

Here are the weekly COVID-19 statistics for Beaver County, PA as of February 17, 2023, showing Beaver County continuing in the HIGH category.

 

• The Incidence Rate increased from 41.4 to 50.0 (an increase of 8.6 , or 20.7%), in the SUBSTANTIAL category.
• The PCR Positivity Rate decreased from 21.4 to 13.6 in the SUBSTANTIAL category.

(Allegheny County’s figures continued in the HIGH category during the past week, at 95.1 and 14.7%.)

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The new “COVID-19 COMMUNITY LEVEL” index:

Starting on March 3, 2022, for hospitals and healthcare systems, the CDC is also issuing a new “COVID-19 Community Level“ index that measures the “current potential for strain on the health system” (in other words, the ability of hospitals to take in and treat additional folks with COVID-19.)  

This new index is in addition to the CDC’s “COVID-19 Integrated County View” which they continue to publish each week.

The CDC currently reports that current “COVID-19 Community Level” moved into the LOW category.  This metric was adopted on March 3, 2022, reflecting on the potential availability of hospital beds for new COVID-19 cases. 

CDC-Recommended actions when in the HIGH level:

• Wear a mask indoors in public and on public transportation.
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.
• Get tested if you have symptoms.
• If you are at high risk for severe illness, consider taking additional precautions.

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The “Triple Threat”:

Recently, health officials have begun referring to the combination of RSV, COVID-19 and flu as a “triple threat” because they are all circulating simultaneously — and could all fuel a spike in respiratory illnesses in the coming months.

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a respiratory virus that usually causes cold-like symptoms, including a runny nose, poor appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever and wheezing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. 

The virus can spread via coughs, sneezes, surfaces and direct contact, according to the CDC. Most people who get infected experience mild symptoms and recover within a week or two, but the virus can be serious, especially for infants and older adults.

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• At Central Church, in order to look out for our older folks, as well as the unvaccinated or immunocompromised, we are continuing to look to the CDC’s“COVID-19 Integrated County View” to evaluate which protective measures and protocols that we should observe to protect all of the folks who come through our doors for in-person worship or for other reasons, such as to participate in our community feeding ministry outreach.

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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 7.1 so resuming small group meetings may not be feasible for the immediate future.

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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 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. )  
  

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Active Air Filtering Measurement at Central Church

Here is some good news!

In order to continuously monitor how effectively our air filters are scrubbing the Sanctuary air for us, our Trustees have added an active air filter meter in our Sanctuary.

The actual COVID-19 virus measures about 1.5 microns in size, but it usually hitchhikes on air-borne droplets exhaled from infected humans to spread throughout a room.  The size of those droplets (classified as fine particulates) is 2.5 microns, so we are measuring for that level of particulates.

Our Sanctuary is disinfected prior to every worship service, so any particulates that are floating around are mainly routine dust and pollen.   (The Medify air filtration equipment that we have in place are rated to remove air-borne contaminants down to 1 micron.)

• During our Sunday in-person worship services, when the air filters are in full use, the Sanctuary air readings hover between zero and 1, except for when we were singing hymns, when it briefly increased a few points before resuming its steady decrease down to 1 ppm, so our air filters are definitely doing their job of effectively scrubbing our air!

• Since our objective is to reduce any air-borne COVID-19 virus (or cold or flu viruses) exhaled by an infected person during a worship service, we are protecting our folks as best we can.

Our thanks to our dedicated Trustees for tirelessly working during the COVID-19 pandemic to help protect anyone who comes through our doors.

Central Church

One Lord, One Faith, 31 Flavors – The Unity of the Spirit

John chapter 17 records the real Lord’s Prayer, in the sense that this ending to the upper room Passover observance isn’t a pattern prayer for His disciples, but Jesus’ own conversation with His Father.

The disciples listen in as He expresses deep longings for Himself, for the disciples gathered in that room, and for all who would join this family in the future.

Interact with God’s Word:  John 17:11; John 17:20-23

1. Can you picture a stronger union (v. 11) than that of the triune Godhead?
2. What does that say about the strength of unity that the Son desires for His disciples?
3. If Jesus prayed for the unity of His future disciples while still on earth (vv. 20-21), what may you be sure remains a primary topic of His intercession for you (Hebrews 7:25) today?
4. What actions by individual believers diminish the sense of unity in Christ’s body?
5. What actions intensify the perception of unity?
6. If you’re united with Christ, and all other believers are as well (v. 22), what does that say about your relationship to each other?
7. What (v. 23) will a demonstration of unity cause outsiders to observe? What should it lead them to understand?

Spend Time in Prayer:  Ask God to make you a willing part of the answer to Jesus’ upper room prayer for unity among His followers.

John 17:11; John 17:20-23

11Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.

20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. 22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.

Prayer for the Week: Teach us, Lord, how to create bonds of cooperation and fellowship that invite others instead of erecting walls of self-preservation and competition that repel.

 

 

Lenten Devotionals – 2023

The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which falls this year on Wednesday, February 22.

This year, Central Church will be providing daily devotionals, courtesy of the Society of St. Andrew.  Each day during the 40 days of Lent, from Ash Wednesday through Easter on April 9, you will be able to find an online devotional featuring a Scripture reading, a reflection, and a prayer on our website.

Please plan to join us each day as we journey through Lent to Easter.

Blessings for a holy Lenten season and a joyous Easter!

Central Church

One Lord, One Faith, 31 Flavors – A Match Made in Heaven

Key Bible Verse: Be … full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds.  – 1 Peter 3:8

Bonus Reading: Colossians 2:1-2a; 3:14b-15a

[continued from yesterday]  Dave swung open the side door of his van. The passenger seat was out because he’d been working on the engine, accessible only from the inside. So the pastor had to sit on the carpet amid the crushed beer cans. I laughed nervously as I helped with his luggage. As they drove off, I envisioned the two enduring the worst night of their lives.

The next morning the host families one by one dropped off the pastors at the church until all were present except—you guessed it—Dave and the conservative little pastor. Just as the meeting was to start, Dave’s van came roaring into the parking lot. Through the glare of the windshield I could see the faces of Dave and the pastor—laughing uproariously! As they got out of the van, they exchanged addresses like two kids who’d become best friends at summer camp.

I remember feeling embarrassed about my fear the night before. I’d sold both men short. Wondering at the power of the Holy Spirit to create a near-miraculous bond of love between the least likely people, I realized I’d sold God short too.

—Ben Patterson in He Has Made Me Glad

My Response: How could I interact with a believer who is unlike me?

Thought to Apply: As we draw nearer to Christ, we shall be drawn nearer to His people; and in our search for unity with the members we shall be drawn closer to the Head.—G.T. Manley (British theologian)

Adapted from He Has Made Me Glad (InterVarsity, 2005)

Prayer for the Week: Teach us, Lord, how to create bonds of cooperation and fellowship that invite others instead of erecting walls of self-preservation and competition that repel.

 

 

One Lord, One Faith, 31 Flavors – … Meets Mr. Brown Suit

Key Bible Verse: So accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified.  – Romans 15:7

Bonus Reading: Romans 15:5-6

[continued from yesterday]  One year the church hosted a two-day pastors’ conference. It required that our congregation provide beds and breakfast for the 60 pastors who would attend. I asked my people to sign up. Soon every pastor had a host family.

At the end of the first day of the conference, cars began arriving to pick up their guests. Soon every pastor was gone except one. He was a little man from a farming town in the central valley of California. He wore thick glasses and a conservative brown suit with a thin dark tie, and he carried a large Bible. Everything about him said rectitude, provinciality, control. He stood smiling and waiting patiently for his host to appear.

I checked the list to see who he had been matched with. It was Dave! Surfer Dave! Dos Equis Dave! I gasped in alarm. This was not a good match at all. For a moment I considered calling Dave to tell him we didn’t need his help after all, and checking this man into a local motel. I may have done just that if Dave had not at that moment careened into the parking lot, tires squealing. So I had no choice but to introduce them to each other.  [continued tomorrow]

—Ben Patterson in He Has Made Me Glad

My Response: Would I have shared this pastor’s apprehension about this match-up?

Thought to Apply: Paul’s vision is of a unity which is not denied by diversity, but which would be denied by uniformity—in a word, the unity of a body, the body of Christ. —James Dunn (theologian)

Adapted from He Has Made Me Glad (InterVarsity, 2005)

Prayer for the Week: Teach us, Lord, how to create bonds of cooperation and fellowship that invite others instead of erecting walls of self-preservation and competition that repel.

 

One Lord, One Faith, 31 Flavors – Mr. Flip-Flops …

Key Bible Verse: Don’t try to act important but enjoy the company of ordinary people.  – Romans 12:16

Bonus Reading: Romans 12:4-5,; 9-10, ; 15-18

As I preached, I saw Dave standing, with arms folded skeptically, in the back of our Irvine church, wearing a wetsuit, his hair matted from surfing earlier. Our parking lot was full of Mercedes and BMWs. Most of our members were professionals. They were casual southern Californians, but their attire was on the nice end of casual. Dave clearly didn’t come from Irvine.

When we met, I learned that he’d never been in a church before that day, and had grown up on the streets in a nearby beach town. His van was plastered with bumper stickers advertising Dos Equis and Corona. Its interior was green shag carpet, with surfboards stacked on one side and crushed beer cans scattered about. Dave was a total anomaly in our good, pleasant little Christian community.

But God wanted to make us better and more pleasant. In the months that followed, Dave was embraced by the church and soon became a Christian. He was with us for years, never dressed in anything more formal than sandals, gym shorts, and a T-shirt that advertised a beer, a raceway, or a surfboard manufacturer. But now he was carrying a Bible. I loved this guy.  [continued tomorrow]

—Ben Patterson in He Has Made Me Glad

My Response: How could joy coexist with sorrow for me?

Thought to Apply: There are times when we discover that God has called us to be together as a source of life for each other.—Jean Vanier (founder of Homes for Impaired Persons)

Adapted from He Has Made Me Glad (InterVarsity, 2005)

Prayer for the Week: Teach us, Lord, how to create bonds of cooperation and fellowship that invite others instead of erecting walls of self-preservation and competition that repel.

 

 

One Lord, One Faith, 31 Flavors – Soul in the City

Key Bible Verse: Then the world will know that you sent me and will understand that you love them.  – John 17:23

Bonus Reading: John 17:11,; 20-23

As double-decker buses and black taxis drove busily around Trafalgar Square, 15,000 enthusiastic British Christians of all ages stood shoulder-to-shoulder doing a “wave” for Jesus. This was the climax of “Soul in the City,” an outreach I attended in the summer of 2004. In a concentrated two-week window, 772 churches participated, selecting and performing 432 service projects in their communities.

Soul in the City caused local churches that hadn’t previously done so to network and share expertise and resources—sparking a hunger for increased cooperation.

The Metropolitan Police of London gave thousands of pounds to the churches to use on their projects. Why? Because 18 months after a similar 2000 event done by churches in Manchester, juvenile crime had dropped by 48 percent over the previous year. The police realized that when churches work together on this scale, it has a significant positive transforming impact on the entire community.

Soul in the City changed many people’s perceptions about Christianity. They saw the Church getting its sleeves rolled up with energy, enthusiasm, and commitment—on their very own streets.

—David Macfarlane in FaithToday

My Response: Can I pray for the spirit of this event to be sparked where I live?

Thought to Apply: I may worship in a different building or different style from you, but all we hold dear is God’s gift in Christ Jesus, who is our Unity.—Michael Davis

Adapted from FaithToday (1-2/05)

Prayer for the Week: Teach us, Lord, how to create bonds of cooperation and fellowship that invite others instead of erecting walls of self-preservation and competition that repel.

 

 

One Lord, One Faith, 31 Flavors – Restore the Citywide Church?

Key Bible Verse: They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship.  – Acts 2:42

Bonus Reading: Acts 2:42-47

Most of us have stopped noticing that the Book of Acts and the Epistles never mention more than one church per city. So far as we can tell, the believers in Antioch, Ephesus, Philippi, Rome, and Thessalonica were unified as a family.

Granted, the people didn’t meet under one roof; they gathered in private homes all across the city. But they were a “body” nonetheless, under unified leadership, caring for one another and supporting each other’s walk of faith. They belonged to each other.

Some contemporary pastors are working to reclaim this identity. On a citywide basis, they meet for prayer and mutual encouragement. They’re speaking among themselves and to their congregations about the idea of “the Church at Denver” or “the Church at Indianapolis,” meaning all of God’s people in that locale, regardless of which specific theology they embrace or which building they use.

Were we to work together across denominational lines for common causes in evangelism, ministry to the poor, guidance to troubled youth, or other needs, the watching world would see more of what unites us and less of what divides us.

—Dean Merrill in Damage Control

My Response: One way believers could work together in my community is ____.

Adapted from Damage Control (Baker, 2006)

Prayer for the Week: Teach us, Lord, how to create bonds of cooperation and fellowship that invite others instead of erecting walls of self-preservation and competition that repel.

 

 

Central Church – Online Worship Service 146 – The Sixth Sunday after Epiphany – 2-12-2023

On this warm and dry sixth Sunday after Epiphany. when we welcome Rev. Emmett Anderson as our Guest Speaker, and when 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! Our prior online worship services are available in our online library, and can be viewed on demand, and be sure to join us in worship, either online or in person, every week!    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=767210650993125 YouTube –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R73beinY9WY (If the video doesn’t come up after clicking on the link, just copy and paste the address into your browser search bar.) Central Church

One Lord, One Faith, 31 Flavors – Refocusing for Worship

Who Said It…George Barna

George Barna started out as a political pollster. During grad school at Rutgers University, he was introduced to Jesus Christ. He shifted to media research.

Then in 1984, George and his wife, Nancy, founded the Barna Research Group to analyze cultural trends and the Christian church.

He enjoys time with his three daughters, and playing basketball and the guitar.

What He Said…Refocusing for Worship

The rampant individualism of so much of our society clearly undermines unity. But we need to realize that this me-first-and-me-only attitude is also an obstacle to genuine worship. Paul reminds us (in Romans 15:5-6) that it is only in the context of our harmony with God and His disciples that true worship occurs.

It’s rare to find a congregation defined by true unity and accountability among all the believers. So many churches remain bastions of internal politics, gossip, judgmentalism, and relational factions. Certainly, one of the cornerstones of the life-changing worship experienced by the Early Church is revealed in Acts 2:42-47: the constant fellowship, sharing, serving, accountability, and resulting worship that distinguished the Church from the rest of the religious world.

People whose eyes are riveted on themselves can’t focus upon God. How are we helping people to see beyond themselves? What will it take for us to develop a united family of believers whose first and deepest desire is to worship God rather than get their own way?

Adapted from Inside-Out Worship (Regal, 2005)

Prayer for the Week: Teach us, Lord, how to create bonds of cooperation and fellowship that invite others instead of erecting walls of self-preservation and competition that repel.

 

 

The Righteous Warrior – Showdown

Key Bible Verse: The Son of God came to destroy these works of the Devil.  – 1 John 3:8

Bonus Reading: Ephesians 6:19-20

Five gringos approached the Chiapas, Mexico, maximum-security prison to encourage 80 wrongfully incarcerated brothers. Ten years earlier, local mob bosses, angered by the Christians’ refusal to pay for pagan rituals, had had them framed and convicted.

Guards searched us and inspected our gifts: toothbrushes, soap, and toilet paper. Steel doors were unlocked and relocked as we were escorted inside and told to wait. A half hour later, a warden’s assistant announced we could only visit ten inmates at a time. Time constraints, we realized, would prevent us from visiting half the men. This was spiritual warfare!

We fired back that we represented these prisoners’ families, demanded to visit all 80 together, and insisted on seeing her boss. She disappeared; we prayed. Ten minutes later, the warden appeared. He was new, it turned out, and unaware of these men’s histories. We filled him in. “I’m an evangelical too,” he replied. “Come to the main courtyard. All the prisoners may meet with you!”

Keys clanked, doors slammed, men in orange jumpsuits emerged, weeping and hugging us. A throng of curious prisoners hung on every word as Alan, Hector, and I spoke, reminding these Word-starved brothers that nothing can separate them from Christ’s love.

—Kenny Luck in Dream

My Response: I’ll stand up for the gospel or justice by …

Thought to Apply: When good people cease their vigilance and struggle, then evil men prevail.—Pearl Buck

Adapted from Dream (WaterBrook, 2007)

Prayer for the Week: Give me the courage, Lord, to take a bold stand for truth and justice, even when it’s risky.

 

 

The Righteous Warrior – Risk Factor

Key Bible Verse: “I will go into to see the king. If I must die, I am willing to die.”  – Esther 4:16

Bonus Reading: Esther 4:5-17

Speaking out carries a risk. But sometimes not speaking out carries the greater risk of violating one’s integrity. Bill, a division manager of a Fortune 500 company, faced such a choice. He was deeply concerned about succession plans at his company. The man who’d been groomed to be the next CEO had failed to gain the respect of several senior people in the company, including Bill.

After soul-searching and prayer, Bill decided he must take his concerns to the current CEO, a forceful, and at times volatile, leader. To his relief, the meeting went remarkably well. Bill’s years of effective service, coming up through the ranks, had earned his boss’s admiration. But the seed of caution planted was only a first step. It took more analysis, more meetings—some confrontational and most requiring Bill’s direct involvement—and ultimately a board no-confidence vote.

In the end, another leader was appointed, a person who brought the right balance of competence, knowledge of the company, and rapport with others. In the years since the decision, he’s proved to be an ideal CEO. Bill, with great courage, grace, and tact, had quietly guided his company through its most critical decision moving into the twenty-first century.

—John Beckett in Mastering Monday

My Response: How can I build credibility now that could give me a future hearing?

Thought to Apply: Moral courage is the rarest ingredient of character.—Felix Frankfurter (U.S. Supreme Court justice)

Adapted from Mastering Monday (InterVarsity, 2006)

Prayer for the Week: Give me the courage, Lord, to take a bold stand for truth and justice, even when it’s risky.

 

 

The Righteous Warrior – Risk Factor

Key Bible Verse: “I will go into to see the king. If I must die, I am willing to die.”  – Esther 4:16

Bonus Reading: Esther 4:5-17

Speaking out carries a risk. But sometimes not speaking out carries the greater risk of violating one’s integrity. Bill, a division manager of a Fortune 500 company, faced such a choice. He was deeply concerned about succession plans at his company. The man who’d been groomed to be the next CEO had failed to gain the respect of several senior people in the company, including Bill.

After soul-searching and prayer, Bill decided he must take his concerns to the current CEO, a forceful, and at times volatile, leader. To his relief, the meeting went remarkably well. Bill’s years of effective service, coming up through the ranks, had earned his boss’s admiration. But the seed of caution planted was only a first step. It took more analysis, more meetings—some confrontational and most requiring Bill’s direct involvement—and ultimately a board no-confidence vote.

In the end, another leader was appointed, a person who brought the right balance of competence, knowledge of the company, and rapport with others. In the years since the decision, he’s proved to be an ideal CEO. Bill, with great courage, grace, and tact, had quietly guided his company through its most critical decision moving into the twenty-first century.

—John Beckett in Mastering Monday

My Response: How can I build credibility now that could give me a future hearing?

Thought to Apply: Moral courage is the rarest ingredient of character.—Felix Frankfurter (U.S. Supreme Court justice)

Adapted from Mastering Monday (InterVarsity, 2006)

Prayer for the Week: Give me the courage, Lord, to take a bold stand for truth and justice, even when it’s risky.

 

 

The Righteous Warrior – …and Keeping It Up

Key Bible Verse: Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but to trust the Lord means safety.  – Proverbs 29:25

Bonus Reading: 1 Peter 3:13-17

[continued from yesterday]  The teachers lounge became a hostile place for weeks. Someone would begin a sentence, stop, look sidewise at me, and say, “I guess I shouldn’t say anything; spiritual Mr. Ingram is here.”

My colleagues seemed to turn on me. When approached alone, these teachers knew they had been way out of line. They had agreed privately. But because of the way they’d responded to me publicly—with criticism, ridicule, and rejection—I lowered my flag and fled. I stopped going to the teachers lounge.

But I began to realize that the biblical challenge to be salt and light comes with no assurances like “Be salt because the world will enjoy the way you taste,” or “Be light because people will immediately thank you for pointing out their sin.” Jesus’ words, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33), suddenly had a personal ring.

So what if they don’t like me, I thought. I can’t control that. But they do need to respect me. After ten days of avoiding the teacher’s lounge, I decided to return and live with the ridicule and criticism so that there’d be a believing teacher in that school.

I went back. I didn’t have to flap the flag of my faith in their faces, but people knew I had boundaries.

—Chip Ingram in Holy Ambition

My Response: When have I sensed profound respect behind surface ridicule?

Thought to Apply: When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.—Billy Graham

Adapted from Holy Ambition (Moody, 2002)

Prayer for the Week: Give me the courage, Lord, to take a bold stand for truth and justice, even when it’s risky.

 

The Righteous Warrior – Running My Flag Up…

Key Bible Verse: The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John.  –  Acts 4:13

Bonus Reading: Acts 4:7-22

My first teaching job also involved coaching. One day, I walked into the teachers’ lounge and overheard three or four coaches and one teacher huddled around a table after lunch was over and the women had cleared out. They were talking in a crude way about some of the more attractive female students of our school. I could not believe what I was hearing. I thought, How can they sit here and make explicit sexual comments about 16-and-17-year-old girls they teach?

Finally, as calmly as I could, I said, “Hey, gentlemen, I know that I’m the brand-new teacher here and the youngest in the room. But what you are saying is absolutely unprofessional and uncalled for. Imagine being a father of one of these girls listening to how you are talking about them! I think this needs to stop and stop right now.” It got very quiet. Before anything else could be said or done, the bell saved me and I left the room.

Later that day I went to each teacher and, trying my best not to come across as self-righteous, said, “I’m not down on you personally, but I think this was inappropriate. I have real convictions about this.” [continued tomorrow]

—Chip Ingram in Holy Ambition

My Response: Have I ever moved from privately held conviction to taking a stand publicly?

Thought to Apply: It is important that people know what you stand for. It is equally important that they know what you won’t stand for.—source unknown

Adapted from Holy Ambition (Moody, 2002)

Prayer for the Week: Give me the courage, Lord, to take a bold stand for truth and justice, even when it’s risky.

 

 

The Righteous Warrior – I Blinked

Key Bible Verse: For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ.  – Philippians 1:20

Bonus Reading: Hebrews 11:24-26

Shutting my office door behind him, my boss said, “I think Mike has a nose problem. I heard that he’s heavy into cocaine. I want you to get some dirt on the guy and fire him.”

I was taken aback. Mike had been one of my best salespeople for years. My first reaction was to do the right thing: I wanted to talk honestly to Mike. If, in fact, he did have a problem, I wanted to help him get his personal and professional life in order.

But when I mentioned this approach to my boss, he blew up, saying, “I don’t care how you do it, just get rid of him. I want him out of here now!” I was caught between a rock and a hard place: I could do what was right and risk being fired myself, or choose not to make waves by being a “team player,” as my boss would call it, and do the dirty work he had demanded I do.

Well, I copped out and made the easier decision, the wrong one. I saved my job by unjustly taking the job of another. My boss’s ego and my fear of unemployment hurt the entire staff. Not only did we lose a good employee, we also lost the trust of our sales team. The decision may have saved my job, but I lost a piece of my soul.

—Larry Julian in God Is My CEO

My Response: When has fear kept me from doing the right thing? How would I respond differently now?

Adapted from God Is My CEO (Adams Media, 2001)

Prayer for the Week: Give me the courage, Lord, to take a bold stand for truth and justice, even when it’s risky.

 

 

Central Church – Online Worship Service 145 – The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany – 2-5-2023

On this cool and dry fifth Sunday after Epiphany. when we welcome Susan Keppen as our Guest Speaker, and when 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! Our prior online worship services are available in our online library, and can be viewed on demand, and be sure to join us in worship, either online or in person, every week!    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://youtu.be/1pN3tD1VXeU YouTube –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pN3tD1VXeU (If the video doesn’t come up after clicking on the link, just copy and paste the address into your browser search bar.) Central Church

The Righteous Warrior – No Flinching

Who Said It…John Piper

John Piper was raised in South Carolina and majored in literature in college (he’s now a prolific author who still writes poems).

He proceeded with biblical studies at Fuller Seminary and the University of Munich, and taught courses at Bethel Seminary for six years.

But sensing “an irresistible call to preach,” John shifted to Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, where he’s been senior pastor since 1980.

What He Said…No Flinching

Christian courage is the willingness to say and do the right thing regardless of the earthly cost, because God promises to help you and save you on account of Christ. An act takes courage if it will likely be painful. The pain may be physical, as in war and rescue operations. Or the pain may be mental, as in confrontation and controversy.

Courage is indispensable for both spreading and preserving the truth of Christ. Running from resistance in evangelism or teaching dishonors Christ. There’s a kind of cowardice that tells only the truths that are safe to tell.

Martin Luther put it like this: “If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”

Adapted from Taste and See (Multnomah, 2005)

Prayer for the Week: Give me the courage, Lord, to take a bold stand for truth and justice, even when it’s risky.

 

 

Jumpstarting Sluggish Prayers – Effective Prayer

Along with the Lord’s Prayer in the Gospels (Matt 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4), James’ letter also offers practical instructions on how to pray effectively.

Covering hardship, healing, happiness, and confession of sins, James gives us a glimpse into what vibrant prayer within the church community looks like.

And while personal, private prayer is essential to a healthy walk with Christ, these instructions make it equally clear that a healthy church depends on believers praying together and for one another.

Interact with God’s Word:  James 5:13-18

1. What “hardships” were these Christians experiencing? (See Acts 11:19; James 1:1-3, 5:10.)
2. How does prayer help believers through hardships?
3. James encourages us to “sing praises” when we’re happy (v. 13). Why is it important to offer praise as well as prayers expressing pain?
4. Verse 15 says “prayer offered in faith will heal the sick.” But what are important “stipulations” for answers to any kind of prayer? (See James 4:2-3; Mark 14:36).
5. According to verse 16, what two qualities produce “great power” and “wonderful results”? How can we make sure we have these qualities?

Spend Time in Prayer:  Thank God for being a God who listens to the prayers of his people and ask him to help you pray more consistently and effectively.

James 5:13-18

13 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. 14 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! 18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.

Prayer for the Week: Dear Heavenly Father, help me to pray more consistently, more fervently, and more selflessly.

 

 

COVID-19 – Beaver County Metrics – 2-3-2023

COVID-19 Integrated County View:

Here are the weekly COVID-19 statistics for Beaver County, PA as of February 3, 2023, showing Beaver County continuing in the HIGH category.

 

• The Incidence Rate decreased from 49.4 to 41.4 (a decrease of 8.0 , or 16.1%), in the MODERATE category.
• The PCR Positivity Rate increased from 16.1 to 21.4 in the SUBSTANTIAL category.

(Allegheny County’s figures continued in the HIGH category during the past week, at 51.8 and 12.4%.)

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The new “COVID-19 COMMUNITY LEVEL” index:

Starting on March 3, 2022, for hospitals and healthcare systems, the CDC is also issuing a new “COVID-19 Community Level“ index that measures the “current potential for strain on the health system” (in other words, the ability of hospitals to take in and treat additional folks with COVID-19.)  

This new index is in addition to the CDC’s “COVID-19 Integrated County View” which they continue to publish each week.

The CDC currently reports that current “COVID-19 Community Level” moved into the LOW category.  This metric was adopted on March 3, 2022, reflecting on the potential availability of hospital beds for new COVID-19 cases. 

CDC-Recommended actions when in the HIGH level:

• Wear a mask indoors in public and on public transportation.
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.
• Get tested if you have symptoms.
• If you are at high risk for severe illness, consider taking additional precautions.

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The “Triple Threat”:

Recently, health officials have begun referring to the combination of RSV, COVID-19 and flu as a “triple threat” because they are all circulating simultaneously — and could all fuel a spike in respiratory illnesses in the coming months.

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a respiratory virus that usually causes cold-like symptoms, including a runny nose, poor appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever and wheezing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. 

The virus can spread via coughs, sneezes, surfaces and direct contact, according to the CDC. Most people who get infected experience mild symptoms and recover within a week or two, but the virus can be serious, especially for infants and older adults.

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• At Central Church, in order to look out for our older folks, as well as the unvaccinated or immunocompromised, we are continuing to look to the CDC’s“COVID-19 Integrated County View” to evaluate which protective measures and protocols that we should observe to protect all of the folks who come through our doors for in-person worship or for other reasons, such as to participate in our community feeding ministry outreach.

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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 5.9, so resuming small group meetings may not be feasible for the immediate future.

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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 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. )  
  

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Active Air Filtering Measurement at Central Church

Here is some good news!

In order to continuously monitor how effectively our air filters are scrubbing the Sanctuary air for us, our Trustees have added an active air filter meter in our Sanctuary.

The actual COVID-19 virus measures about 1.5 microns in size, but it usually hitchhikes on air-borne droplets exhaled from infected humans to spread throughout a room.  The size of those droplets (classified as fine particulates) is 2.5 microns, so we are measuring for that level of particulates.

Our Sanctuary is disinfected prior to every worship service, so any particulates that are floating around are mainly routine dust and pollen.   (The Medify air filtration equipment that we have in place are rated to remove air-borne contaminants down to 1 micron.)

• During our Sunday in-person worship services, when the air filters are in full use, the Sanctuary air readings hover between zero and 1, except for when we were singing hymns, when it briefly increased a few points before resuming its steady decrease down to 1 ppm, so our air filters are definitely doing their job of effectively scrubbing our air!

• Since our objective is to reduce any air-borne COVID-19 virus (or cold or flu viruses) exhaled by an infected person during a worship service, we are protecting our folks as best we can.

Our thanks to our dedicated Trustees for tirelessly working during the COVID-19 pandemic to help protect anyone who comes through our doors.

Central Church

GUEST SPEAKER SCHEDULE AT CENTRAL CHURCH: February – June, 2023

Since Conference has abruptly removed Pastor Jan Davis as Central Church continues the process of disaffiliating from the United Methodist Church and moving to the new Global Methodist Church, here is the list of Guest Speakers that will be providing the Message during our morning worship services at Central Church from February through June, 2023:

 

• Susan Keppen is a Lay Speaker (and wife of Dave Keppen, currently the pastor at Clinton and Wampum);

• Paul Sullivan is a Certified Lay Minister, living in Valencia; and

• Rev. Emmett Anderson, is a retired elder living in Beaver Falls. He retired a few years ago due to health concerns, but used to pastor Beaver UMC and also some very conservative churches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Pastor Jan is also currently beginning the process of becoming qualified to serve as a pastor in the new Global Methodist Church.

 

Central Church

Jumpstarting Sluggish Prayers – No Frills, No Flair

Key Bible Verse: O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.  – Psalm 139:1

Bonus Reading: Psalm 139:2-18

There was a time in my life when it seemed as if everyone wanted me to pray aloud at group gatherings. So I would pray, in properly respectful yet down-to-earth tones, choosing my words carefully.

I found myself mimicking my public “performances” in my private times with God. It was during one of these times, late at night, that I felt God speaking to my heart: Mike, exactly who are you praying for?

For months I had been so bent on shaping my prayers for audiences that I’d forgotten I was whispering directly into the ear of God.

I learned something that night: When we come to God in prayer, we must come as we are. No amount of flowery words will impress God. He knows our sinful thoughts and secret desires better than we do. We can’t fool him with impressive praying.

No, if we want to be people who passionately pursue intimacy with God, we must first and foremost have the courage to approach him honestly, completely revealing who we are, what we’ve done, and how we feel each time we call his name. To do less than that is an insult to God and to the miracle of prayer he’s given us.

—Mike Nappa in The Courage to Be a Christian

My Response: When I pray, am I always aware that I’m “whispering directly into the ear of God”?

Thought to Apply: In prayer, it is better to have a heart without words, than words without a heart—John Bunyan (British writer & preacher)

Adapted from The Courage to Be a Christian (Howard, 2001)

Prayer for the Week: Dear Heavenly Father, help me to pray more consistently, more fervently, and more selflessly.

 

 

 

Effective Stewardship – Theme for February 2023

Have you ever asked yourself why you should give to God? After all, if God owns everything as the Scriptures claim, surely He doesn’t need our help to pay His bills. Why, then, should the Christian faith place such a great emphasis on giving?

There are many reasons why we give, but one of the best motivators is that we should give as an act of worship, out of love and adoration for our blessed Lord who has given so much to us. Hearts that have been touched by God’s love and by His sacrifice will naturally want to respond by giving. Such giving is an integral part of worship. In fact, it is worship, just as much as praying or singing or preaching. Or as one contemporary author expressed it, “Grace and gratitude belong together like heaven and earth. Grace evokes gratitude like the voice an echo. Gratitude follows grace as thunder follows lightning.”

When we give in that spirit, out of gratitude for God’s grace shown to us, our giving takes on a whole new dimension. Like Cornelius, one who “ . . . gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God,” our prayers and gifts will ascend as a “memorial before God” (Acts 10:4). Thus, as we give to the Lord through our worship, we evidence the grace of God in our lives.

On the wall of President Lyndon Johnson’s White House office hung a framed letter written by General Sam Houston to Johnson’s great-grandfather Baines more than a hundred years earlier. Sam Houston’s signature makes the letter valuable, but the story behind it is much more significant. Baines had led Sam Houston to Christ, and Houston was a changed man.

The day came for Sam Houston to be baptized — an incredible event in the eyes of those who knew his previous life-style. After his baptism, Houston stated that he would like to pay half the salary for the minister. When someone asked why, his simple response was, “My pocketbook was baptized, too.”

Like other followers of Christ throughout the centuries, Sam Houston demonstrated the reality of God’s grace in his life by reciprocating that grace in the form of financial giving. Sam Houston worshipped God through his giving, and his gifts gave fresh evidence of the grace of God at work in his life.

As you give to the Central United Methodist Church ministry, will you do so out of love and devotion as part of your worshipful praise? Will you thereby allow your prayers and gifts — like those of Cornelius — to ascend as a “memorial before God”?

Jumpstarting Sluggish Prayers – Noteworthy Distractions

Key Bible Verse: The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.  – James 5:16

Bonus Reading: James 5:13-18

For a long time I had been disturbed about the problem of a wandering mind during my time of prayer.

I would be trying to pray and suddenly my mind would jump to a business appointment I needed to make or something else I had to do.

For years I had forced these things out of my mind to get back to “spiritual things.” But now, thanks to a suggestion from my friend, Donn Moomaw, I began to keep a notebook by my side; and when the thought came to me to call someone, to make an appointment, or to do something for the family, I would jot it down and then go back to God.

I was at last realizing that God is interested in my total life and that these things which came into my mind during my time of prayer might be significant things for me to do, or places for me to go. This also made it easier for me to get my mind immediately back to my other prayers.

Sometimes a vision of someone I resented would come floating into my prayers. Instead of trying my best to suppress it, I began to ask God to make my thoughts about this person more like his. Before I knew it, I discovered that God was touching more and more of my life through this time of prayer.

—Keith Miller in The Edge of Adventure

My Response: I will strive to include all aspects of my life in my prayers by …

Thought to Apply: I beg you to see how absolutely vital prayer is.—Charles Spurgeon (British preacher)

Adapted from The Edge of Adventure (WaterBrook, 2005)

Prayer for the Week: Dear Heavenly Father, help me to pray more consistently, more fervently, and more selflessly.

 

 

Jumpstarting Sluggish Prayers – Just Stammer Away

Key Bible Verse: We don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.  – Romans 8:26

Bonus Reading: Psalm 63:1-8

We don’t like to stand speechless or stammering before God, but that doesn’t mean God holds it against us when we do.

I remember a vacation with my parents in France when I was in high school. I had just completed two years of French, hardly enough to make me fluent.

Still, there we were, tourists wanting to make the most of our time. So when we needed a bathroom, when we wanted to find a cafe, or when I lost my eyeglasses on the steps of L’Eglise du Sacre-Coeur, I falteringly used my butchered French.

I was trying—to the politely suppressed laughter of others—to speak the language. But I remember more than the townspeople’s bemusement. I remember how they warmly received my efforts. They strained to hear past my fractured sentences. They honored me by responding.

Is God any less generous?

He hears all that arises from us—the words of our mouth, the longings of our hearts, the thoughts of our minds, the intentions of our wills. Regret, grief, thanksgiving, hope—God hears our emotions, not just our grammar. Because of his grace, not our eloquence, we can pray. Even if we stammer.

—Timothy Jones in The Art of Prayer

My Response: I know God hears my feeble words and stammered prayers because …

Thought to Apply: Prayer is weakness leaning on omnipotence.—W. S. Bowden (Methodist bishop)

Adapted from The Art of Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005)

Prayer for the Week: Dear Heavenly Father, help me to pray more consistently, more fervently, and more selflessly.