Pastor Mark
Central is a faithful church, giving church, and a generous church. I was reminded of this at our February staff meeting when we looked ahead to the March calendar and saw that three successive Sundays of special offerings were coming up. Three! Some grumble at any special offering. Many scoff at two in a row. Here we were looking at three!
Perhaps one or more could be re-scheduled, or even cancelled? Probably so, but that would delay or block ministry, and that is not Central’s way. Central’s way is to celebrate the creative, resourceful, and imaginative faith-work in our midst; to lift it up; and to let the Spirit guide our responses to the ones that speak to our souls. How blessed we are to have servants among us who answer God’s calls in creative ways! How blessed we are to have members with the means and the passions to respond!
- On March 11 from 5p.m. to 7p.m. the Senior MYF will have a La Cucina Bella Dinner. The money they raise will help fund local missions, like the mens shelter in Binghamton. Watch and listen for announcements from the youth with details about this opportunity to support them in their mission outreach.
- March 18 will be the annual special offering for the United Methodist Committee on Relief– UMCOR. We know this offering well. UMCOR provides both immediate emergency disaster relief and on-going rehabilitative support. UMCOR is unique in that faithful payment of our annual ministry shares to the annual conference cares for all of the administrative support and oversight. This means that 100% of the offerings received are used for emergency relief work. Some Central members saw UMCOR vehicles and personnel in their neighborhoods during last year’s flooding. Whether for causes here or abroad, Central has always been a strong supporter of UMCOR.
- March 25 will be a special day recognizing 40 years of Lukens-Jackson ministry to our church and our community. In conjunction with Sky Lake, this camping program dared to cross racial boundaries in the turbulent 1970's. It did not just “talk-the-talk” of God’s love and yearning for justice for people of all races, it also “walked-the-walk.” The continued financial support of Central’s members and friends has equipped the Lukens-Jackson ministry to adapt to the changing needs of this new day and keep that witness strong and vibrant.
Watch for more information about each of these ministries as March unfolds. May the Spirit be our guide us as we lift them up and support them.
-Mark
