Ad Hoc Re-Opening Committee

We all realize the importance of staying safe during this time of the global pandemic. As such,  Central has formed a special ad hoc committee to give direction to any plans of reopening.

A Pandemic Psalm by Larry Gray

Former member and congregational friend Larry Gray, President of Baptist Health Louisville offers this Pandemic Psalm.

Gathering and Reopening Strategies Being Studied

We miss each other and truly wish to be together as soon as it is safe and wise to do so. Our church leadership is currently in discussion on how and when we might re-open our building for in-person gatherings.   Our initial steps will be the formation of a special ad hoc committee.  These individuals will be collection of deacons, staff and a few others with special knowledge of healthcare issues.

Behind the Scenes by Aaron Austin

Moving our Sunday services completely online has been an adventure.  Even though we've been streaming our services for over a year, we never envisioned that this would be our primary means of worshipping together.  We've had to make quick adjustments and troubleshoot last-minute technical malfunctions, but we've managed to be on the air by eleven o'clock (or pretty close) every Sunday. 

My Choir Chair by Jan Fischer

A few weeks ago during our virtual Sunday service, Aaron led us through a time of meditation. As a prompt he asked us to visualize a place where we felt most comfortable and where we could be most like ourselves and where we felt loved. Pictures of family and childhood raced through my mind but the picture that kept coming back to me was the image of my choir chair. Hard as I tried to refocus my thoughts the image of that chair kept coming back to me.

An Important Notification

Our church is served by a core of capable and professional leaders.  Recently, at the initiative of Church Treasurer Bill Martin and our Finance Committee and under the supervision of members of our Deacon body and Church Council, the church took the following measures to help strengthen our financial stability during these uncertain days of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak

Our Invitation to Courage by Mark Johnson

O Lord, Grant Us Corona-Courage! Three Sermons for Eastertide.

My Prayer for You by Mark Johnson

A prayer offered by Mark Johnson on April 12, 2020.

In prayer we discover the space between our hopes and our worries. It fills up the distance between the new creation promised by the Risen Christ and this decaying creation that we must content with, even while we are am assured it is passing away.

Here is what I pray for you:
I pray for you: a faith that can sustain you through these difficult times and the shaking of the foundations,
I pray for you: a song to sing or a poem to recite that can fill with so much love and joy that you feel as if your heart will burst out of its chest,
I prayer for you: a dance to remember (with appropriate Baptist distancing ;)) to train your feet to help chase this virus away and never come back,
I pray for you: a purpose, so rewarding that it makes getting up in the morning worth it,
I pray for you: plenty of friends and family members to love and hug on, even if for a while, it must be done virtually,
I pray for you: peace and health in your home, and rest from your labors.

Not for One Instant are We Alone by Raleigh

A prayer offered by Raleigh Kincaid on April 5, 2020.

Dearest God,

The scripture says that your love endures forever, and that we can have faith that this is so. During this time of trial, though, there are moments when our fears grow strong, our hearts grow faint, and our faith grows distant. But how blessed are we that even when we are afraid, tired, and feeling alone, your love and faithfulness do not waiver. Not for one instant are we alone. Not for one instant are we left to face our trials with only the paltry strength of these mortal bones and the limited understanding of our feeble minds. We are filled with questions that have no answers, and yet there you remain, reaching tenderly out to us and gently inviting us to lay our weary souls on your eternal breast. Thank you, God, for your steadfast love.

Practical Advice for Social Distancing from Raleigh

This time, I would like to offer a little reminder and some practical advice for those of you who are isolating and staying at home all or almost all of the time. Again, this is from my perspective as a therapist, as I know that spiritual and theological words are more the skill of our other staff members.