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Associate Minister

 

CHILDREN'S SUNDAY SCHOOL

AND CHILDCARE 

 Sunday school for 3 & 4 year olds and for Kindergarten to 2nd Grade will be during the 11:00 AM worship.  Childcare for infants to 2nd Grade will be available through the morning from 8:30 am to 12:15 pm.  3rd to 5th Grade Music & Sunday School and Youth Worship will remain at 9:30 AM.  If you would like to volunteer to help teach the 3 & 4 year old children, please contact Rev. Ginnie.

 

8:30 - 12:15 PM               Infant and Childcare

 available (Rms 201, 202)

 

9:30 - 11:00 AM              Infants to 2nd Grade -

 Childcare (Rms 201, 202)

 

9:30 - 9:55 AM                3rd to 5th Grades - 

Music (Rm 209)

10:00 - 10:50 AM            3rd to 5th Grades - 

Godly Play (Rm 208)

 

11:00 - 12:10 PM             3 & 4 year olds - 

Sunday school (Rm 205)

11:00 - 12:00 PM             K to 2nd Grade - 

Godly Play (Rm 207)

12:00 - 12:15 PM             K to 2nd Grade -

Childcare (Rms 201, 202)

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY  

A Just Peace Covenant Community

(Sundays, 9:30 to 10:45 AM 

Room 206, Education Wing )

(Sundays, 9:30 to 10:50 AM

Fellowship Hall, Steinhaus Library)

 

GREAT DECISIONS (Sundays, Feb 9 - Apr 13, 9:30 to 10:45 AM - Fellowship Hall, WR2)

On Sunday mornings, this eight week series begins on February 9. We will be in recess on March 9 due to a congregational Church Chat. The class provides a forum for challenging conversations on world issues. The topics this year are: Future of the euro, Egypt, NATO, Myanmar and Southeast Asia, Iran, China in Africa, and Threat assessment. Great Decisions provides background information, current data, and policy options for each of the eight issues and serves as the focal text for discussion groups. The book cost is $25. It includes a class video which is shown at each meeting as a discussion starter.  For more information or to sign up, contact Mary Ellen Myers 

Joining March 9

Rev. Michael will host a three-session Inquirers' Series from 9:45 to 10:30 AM in his conference room (office suite).  The sessions are designed for visitors to get to know him and each other a little better and explore both Central and the United Church of Christ. Attendees, of course, are not required to join following the sessions, but may if they feel ready to do so. 

The Spring series will be April 6, 13 & 27 -joining May 4.  To register or for more information:Rev. Michael

 

At 8:00 PM, Jeff Bernstein, Singer/Songwriter will share his music. Jeff Bernstein plays guitar, mandolin, Russian balalaika, Persian Saz, harmonica, and Cajun accordion.

 

At 9:00 PM, The Tour on Poverty 2014 featuring Leo Liebeskind combines music with a message and a purpose to better the world around him. Leo continues the tradition of songwriters like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan.

 

Doors open at 7:30 PM. Donations ($5 is suggested) are accepted to benefit Central's "Lena Werking Fund" for local charities. All proceeds this month go to Decatur Cooperative Ministry.

Central's FOG will be hosted by Gwen Gable Saturday, March 1st at 7pm at her condo clubhouse.  To celebrate St Patrick's Day she suggested we honor the Irish with Irish Brews and Ales and Irish Whiskeys, and, of course, Irish wines of your choice.  Gwen will prepare smoked salmon (with dill of course...something green). Any and all Irish-style appetizers or dishes, desserts or snacks to share that will pair with the beverage you bring will be appreciated.  For those not familiar with FOG, attending is of the best ways to meet Central's members and visitors of all ages and stages of life in a casual setting.  The tastings are not formal, just informative.  You don't have to be a church member to attend and all are welcome!  Event Details: March 1st, 2014 at 7:00pm.  RSVP to host Gwen Gable  for her address. If you would like to be added to the mailing list for FOG, contact coordinator  Robin Lee Fitch.  We look forward to seeing you at FOG!

 

Women's Daytime Book Group

The next gathering is Thursday, March 6 at 1:30 in the Fireplace Room.  We are reading a selection of books:  Still Christian After All These Years by Barbara Allen (out of print, but available from Amazon) and/or any book by Barbara Brown Taylor.  Her best known and best selling are Leaving Church (2006) and An Altar in the World (2009).  All are welcome.  Send an e-mail to Geneva Benoit if you would like to be on the group's email list.

 

We're creating a native wildflower habitat in "Cindy's Garden".  The wildflowers will attract colorful butterflies and other pollinators including bees, hummingbirds, and beetles.

 

Approximately 25 different wildflower species will habitat here, flowering at various intervals from March into November.  They will provide nectar for pollinators and food for their larvae (caterpillars).  For instance, Butterfly Milkweed will provide nectar for the Monarch Butterfly, and food for its larvae as well.

 

Educational signage will inform curious folks about the plants in bloom, and the pollinators and larvae associated with these wildflowers.  We'll learn about flora and fauna Native Americans may have discovered here generations ago.  Our European ancestors changed the wild landscape they found.  Did you know that our property was once a cotton farm?

 

So we plan to reintroduce a small "wild place" at central that will benefit many pollinators and other insects.  Certainly, we look forward to enjoying the experiment.  But most importantly, we will be helping to sustain our insect populations, which are in serious decline because of loss of habitat and use of pesticides. If you have questions or want to help, please contact Ron Smith. 

There is a sign up sheet for Sanctuary flowers in the Commons area on the black bulletin board.  The black bulletin board is located by the double doors that lead out to the reflecting pond.  Please feel free to choose your date and sign your name on the Sunday that you would like to give flowers, you will be contacted the week before to confirm that you will be giving flowers.  If you do not think the church has your contact information please include it with your signature.  If you would like the office manager to order the flowers for you, please submit a check to the office for your order and let the office manager know what you would like (color, size, etc) when you are contacted.  Any questions please contact Charlotte.

FOR PLYMOUTH HARBOR:

 

Plymouth Harbor needs volunteers to sit by the entrance doors and welcome the participants and their families on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.  Most people arrive between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM, making this very appreciated contribution an easy morning. Please contact Kay  if you are interested.

Plymouth Harbor, the adult day care program held here on Central's campus, is looking for substitute dish washers on an 'as needed' basis.  If you are interested in being put on the call list please email Kay Coppage.

Left over brownies?  Sale at the bakery?  Plymouth Harbor would happily accept dessert donations on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.  Please feel free to drop them off ahead off time or on the day of, place them in the fridge and label them 'For Plymouth Harbor' with the date.  Donations greatly appreciated.

 

 

An Opportunity to 

Serve and Be in Community Back Bay Mission Trip

September 21-27, 2014

 

Now is the time to consider signing up for an unforgettable experience. On our mission trip to the UCC Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Mississippi, we will be participating in the Housing Recovery/Work Camping. If you think that working on houses is too much, there is also work inside at the food pantry. We will also need a cook or two to prepare all the meals during our week in Biloxi. And there are other ways to support this mission trip. Whatever your gifts for service are, we look forward to you being part of the Back Bay Mission Team.

 

If you have questions, interest, or wish to be a work camper in September, please contact Jean Haller or Bill O'Steen 

Treasurer's Report

January 26, 2014

 

The balance sheet shows a total bank balance of $194,011.20 with an additional $633,022.09 in Endowment accounts.  A few additional fund highlights:

• The Minister for Children and Youth fund has $17,297.34
• The Music fund has $15,488.92.  
• The Preschool 2012/2013 fund has $28,714 and the Preschool 2013/2014 fund has $24,000.  
• Our church mortgage is now down to $121,306!

For the operating budget in December, we received $64,743 in pledge giving so that our total pledge giving is now $214,161 for the first six months of our fiscal year, 53.5% of the yearly budgeted amount.  Plymouth Harbor income is $50,206 for the first six months, 49.2% of the yearly budgeted amount.  Total income for the first six months is $305,190, 51.7% of the yearly budgeted amount. 

 

Staff expenses for the first six months were $161,648, 53.15% of the yearly budgeted amount.  Maintenance and repairs remain higher than budgeted, with $19,943 spent in the first six months, 99.7% of the yearly budgeted total. Plymouth Harbor expenses were $52,6451 for the first six months, 56.26% of the yearly budgeted total. Total expenses for the first six months were $317,005, 53.75% of the yearly budgeted amount.

 

We thus have a net deficit of $11,815 for the first six months, even though December was a very good month and reduced the deficit by about $20,000.  The graph here compares end-of-December 2013 to the previous year (end-of-December 2012), when we had a $8,765 surplus at this time last year.