CENTRAL CHRISTIAN
CHURCH
Disciples of Christ
Morning Watch
Sundays 8:30 am
(Fellowship Hall)
Christian Education
Sundays 9:15 am
Traditional Service
Sundays 10:30 am
Fellowship Hour
Sundays 11:30 am
Church Office
Monday – Friday
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Pastor
Rev. Elizabeth DeWeese
Moderator
Chuck Bentley, Jr.
Elder Chair
Terry Sigman
Office Manager
Renita Whitaker
Music Director
Susan Taylor
Organist
Lois Sutherland
Custodian
Anthony Shackleford
Nursery Care Provider
Amanda Willman
1200 Forrer Blvd
Kettering, OH 45420-1450
Phone: 937.254.2649
Email: [email protected]
Web:
www.ccc-ket.org
LIZ’S LUMINARIES…
A NEW SERMON SERIES
Kicking off this season with a bang I am preaching a
sermon series called, “Forgiveness in Covenant.” Forgiveness can
be a high demand of people of faith. To forgive means we must
have been hurt, and hurt requires time and sometimes confession
and repentance for healing to happen. There is a common phrase
in our culture “forgive and forget,” which I think Christians
sometimes believe is a faithful response to hurt. This series will
be dealing with everything from why forgiveness is an issue of
faith, to how we can genuinely offer forgiveness, to what is NOT
in the Bible about forgiveness, to how we can live together in
covenant and what role forgiveness plays in being a community in
covenant. I hope you will make an effort to attend worship the
next three weeks to continue in the sermon series on Forgiveness
in Covenant.
I would also like to extend another invitation to anyone
who would like to join our Elders’ study. Our Elders have decided
to study a book by Richard L. Hamm former General Minister and
President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), called ReCreating the Church: Leadership for the Postmodern Age. I will be
leading the monthly study and anyone who would like is welcome
to join us. The book is about the history of how the mainline
church began to decline and how we can seek to change our
culture in order to change lives in the light of Christ. Books are
$15 and can be picked up in the church office. We will have our
first study Monday, September 8 beginning promptly at 7:00pm.
We will work for 45 minutes on as much as we can get done of
everything through part I (ending at page 44). I would strongly
encourage any of our leadership and the transition team to
participate. If there is a need for child care please contact the
church office and we will make arrangements.
I am blessed to be your pastor,
Peace,
Pastor Liz
CCC News
Sunday, September 7, 2014
CENTRAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH l Disciples of Christ
Focus on Faithful Living
The Evangelism/Membership Ministry and Christian Family Life Ministry invite you to stay after
worship for the Kick-Off Carry-in Fellowship Hour Picnic! Stay and enjoy the food, fun and
fellowship as we celebrate the beginning of the 2014-2015 church year.
CALLING ALL JUNIOR HIGH & HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS!!
Have you ever felt confused about who’s who in the Bible? Well, feel
confused no more!! In Sunday school, we’re studying our ancestors in the
Christian faith. This fall we’re looking at some awesome women and men of
faith from the Old Testament. Join us on Sunday at 9:15 a.m. for some
hilarious videos, goofy activities, and thought-provoking discussion. Parents or
students, feel free to contact me with any questions you have about what
we’re doing in class. Herbie Miller: [email protected] and 423-612-0965.
Hope to see you there!!
ELDERS BOOK STUDY: Recreating the Church
In September, the Elder Board of CCC will begin a Book Study of the book:
Recreating the Church by Richard Hamm. Pastor Liz will lead this study, which will
be open to all other church ministry members, and thus will help set a foundation
for spiritual growth throughout Central’s church leadership. The Church Office
has ordered study books, and these will be available at a price of $15.00. This
study will take place during the first 45 minutes of the Monthly Elder Meeting,
held on the second Monday of each month. Due to the attendance expected the
study will be held in the Fellowship Hall. After which, the Elders will move to the Meeting Room for
conclusion of their meeting. The first meeting is scheduled for September 8, 2014, at 7:00 pm. If
you have any questions, please contact Terry Sigman.
In the Life of the
Congregation
Keith Brandt (Health)
Libby Burnett (Health)
Norma Jean Brady (Hospice)
Janeen Williams (Health)
Jim Robinson (Health)
Dr. Charles Moody (Health)
Dennis Nichols (Lymphoma)
Louise Kantner (Health)
SERVING IN SEPTEMBER
ELDERS FOR COMMUNION:
Sept 7th
Marty Robinson and Chuck Bentley, Jr.
th
Sept 14
Terry Sigman and Marty Robinson
LAY LEADERS:
Sept 7th
Don Voyls
th
Sept 14
Don Hagerty
FELLOWSHIP HOUR:
Sept 7th
Kick-Off Sunday Picnic
th
Sept 14
Finance/Stewardship
CHANCEL FLOWERS GIVEN BY… (See back of today’s bulletin)
Sept 7th
Lynn and Darlene Rogers
th
Sept 14
Sena Dixon
DEACON CAPTAIN: Lora Davidson
Deacons Serving: Calle Burnett, Larry Green, Barbara King, Jim
King, Don Wilcox and Shirley Wilcox.
Prep/Cleanup: Bob Cochoy and Jean Cochoy.
A Special Happy Birthday:
th
Esther Wilkins - 93
th
Marty Robinson
Ralph French
Jean McCall
Barbara Moody
Audrey Brockhouse
Melinda Brandt
Bob Wheeler
Ann Bates
Amanda Willman
Diana Blowers
9
4
th
8
th
11
th
20
nd
22
rd
23
th
28
th
30
Members and Friends of Central Christian Church,
Thank you for our prayers and concerns during my recent surgery
and recovery.
You are greatly appreciated. – Bob Potts
Central Christian Church Family,
Many thanks to everyone for all the support shown to our family
during the difficult time of Mom's illness and death. A special
thank you to CWF that provided the meal after the funeral, Renita
for her help, as well and to Pastor Liz for everything she did.
Blessing you all- The family of Regina Kempton
2014 OHIO DISCIPLES MEN’S RETREAT
September 12-14, 2014 at Camp Christian
Theme: Retooling for Men’s Ministry
Rev. Stephen Bentley will lead us through an exploration of ways to develop a Men’s
Ministry program for men of today’s church. This is particularly relevant because of “old
familiar” ways of developing Men’s Ministry are no longer reaching the new generation
of men. Come join us for fun, fellowship and spiritual infusion. For information is
available at www.ccinoh.org. If you are interested in attending, please contact Matt
Thomas at [email protected].
A CALL TO DETERMINATION
LESSONS FROM THE PAST
As a student of history, I have come to appreciate some of the comments made in speeches by two of
the greatest visionary leaders of the 20th century – Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt as they
apply to each of us and our church. In the spring of 1940 the Nazis had conquered most of Europe and
were poised on the coast of France preparing to invade Great Britain. With their back to the wall,
Churchill spoke to the British people and included in his remarks, “We shall fight on the landing
grounds, in the cities, in the villages, and in the fields – we shall never surrender.”
Now, another word for surrender is “give up.” We, each of us, must never give up. Payne Sigman and
his family never gave up, nor did Rollin Hanson or Jim Robinson. Our congregation is full of people who
haven’t given up. Don’t give up on yourself; don’t give up on your faith or on God, for He will assuredly
not give up on you.
Sometime later when the Nazis didn’t invade, Churchill spoke again and included these words, “Should
Britain and its empire survive for a thousand years, men will still say this was their finest hour.”
What has been your finest hour? Perhaps getting married, giving yourself to Christ, your first child, first
grandchild – or perhaps it has not yet come – but it will. Surely one of Bob Bentley’s finest hours was
his ordination. From experience I can tell you that the Elder’s participation in conducting monthly
Worship Services at Nursing Homes is right up there.
I don’t think our church’s finest hour has come yet – it’s still before us; but we must follow God’s vision
for us and be prepared to reach for it and grasp it. It will come.
On Monday December 8, 1941, Franklin Roosevelt addressed a joint session of Congress and asked for a
declaration of war against Japan. He closed with these words, “With confidence in our armed forces
and the unbounded determination of our people, we shall achieve the inevitable victory, so help us
God.”
There are four key words here: confidence, determination, victory, and God. We as individuals and as a
congregation must be confident of who and what we are and what, with God’s help, we can become.
We also must be determined; most successful people would say confidence and determination will take
you a long way. As Christians, we must be confident and determined – there is no alternative.
Now, if we as individuals, in our lives, and as a congregation, never give up, keep following God’s lead in
reaching for our finest hour, be confident and determined, then we will, in Roosevelt’s words, be
victorious, so help us God. - Bill Smith