June 25th Updates

Posted on Jun 25, 2021 in Newsletter, Uncategorized |

Church Conversation Sunday June 27th

We are at a point where cases are as low as they have been since March of 2020 and we can once again gather freely. We have been through so much in the past 15 months. Let’s take some time to check in as we will have a church conversation about the many changes we have seen, the losses we have endured, what we have learned in this time and the hope of the years ahead. We will gather 5 minutes after the end of the worship service in the Sanctuary to take time to hear from one another.

Community in Unity – June 29th

Community in Unity is a group offering gracious space for the conversation of race in our community. The religious organizations of Richmond will gather this month on June 29th at 10am in Fellowship Hall at Central United Methodist Church. We will continue to share what we are seeing in our community, what our congregations are doing, and what is going on in the world. I have invited Pastor Davis Keya from Kenya and recent graduate from ESR to share about his perspectives of racial and tribal tensions at home, here in the US, and how we can all continue to be peacemakers in the midst of it all. Donuts and Coffee provided. For more information, please contact Pastor Joseph.

Patriotic Pipe Organ Concert (Virtual only)

Thursday, July 1st – 12:00pm-1:00pm

Tune into Central’s facebook page to listen live as Madeleine plays patriotic classics such as America the Beautiful, the Star Spangled Banner, the Battle Hymn of the Republic and more! You won’t want to miss this special program.

Real Discipleship Survey

We are told to follow Jesus, but how do I know where I stand in the journey…what to do next? The Real Discipleship Survey is an instrument designed to support the development of maturing disciples at both the personal and congregational levels. It measures the level of maturity in each of six dimensions of discipleship: Worship, Hospitality, Open to Jesus, Obeying Jesus, Service, and Generosity. The Indiana Conference has purchased a conference-wide license which makes the survey free for all INUMC churches and congregants! Once you take the survey, you will receive your results along with some suggestions on how you can continue to mature in journeying with Jesus. You can find the links to the Real Discipleship Survey and the Instructions on our website at richmondcumc.com/exploring/

Prayers for New Beginnings in Old Space

With the departure of the Boys and Girls Club from Central, we have a path ahead to form new ministries and reimagine the space. Yes, we are still in grief. God still calls us along the Journey. What ways can we proclaim Jesus there? Which new communities could we serve? How could our Central family grow into this space? What is God asking of Central in the months to come? If you feel called to serve the least and the lost in our neighborhood, if you would all people to know Je-sus, if you are willing to make disciples in news ways – please, spend time in prayer asking for God’s will to be revealed. Walk those now empty areas. Take time to sit there in prayer. God is good and he will show us the way.

Prayer Walk
Prayer connects us daily to a loving God moving in our midst. In his 3 rules for Methodists, John Wesley calls us to both private and public prayer. On July 12th at noon, we will have a prayer walk through our neighborhood. We will meet by the Welcome Center, divide into small groups at the entrance of the church, and proceed in different directions. Along the way, we will pause to pick up trash and renew our streets and sidewalks. Together we will listen for God’s will for Central for the days ahead. Please contact Pastor Joseph with any questions.

Community Food Pantry

Since the pandemic began, we have limited the number of hours we are open and used the same 6 volunteers to staff the pantry to minimize our volunteers’ exposure to the virus. We are open Wednesday and Thursday, 1:00-3:00 PM. Those volunteers are getting tired; the pandemic is receding — WE ARE READY FOR A FEW NEW VOLUNTEERS. Still we are keeping clients outside the pantry by passing pre-prepared sacks of food through the two east windows so there is no close contact or exposure to clients. We need several volunteers from 12:30-3:00 Wednesday and/or Thursday. TO VOLUNTEER OR ASK QUESTIONS — CALL BECKY SHAW 765-960-5028 Leave your name and phone number, Becky will return your call.

Grief Support Group

We are beginning a grief support group and welcome anyone who is in need of a little company walking through a loss. We hope to share and help each other. The plan is to meet for six sessions on the second and fourth Mondays at 2 PM in the memorial room here at the church, beginning July 12. Please contact Sherry Bailey at 765-277-6641, or sabailey7013@gmail.com to let us know of your plans to join us.

Peace Study with Pastor Keya Davis from Kenya

Welcome to a series of Bible study Wednesdays and Sundays starting next week at 6:30 pm-7:30 pm and 8:45 am – 9:45 am respectively in room 207. The purpose of the Bible study series is to bring an understanding of the ministry of peace and social transformation and being active agents of change by engaging in social justice in the efforts to make this world a better place to live. In this series, various aspects of the ministry of Jesus Christ as the Prince of peace will be explored with a view to achieving the following goals that will revive and inspire the ministry of social justice in Christendom.

Jesus is the Supreme example of social justice and peace
Relationship With Jesus is the Key to successful ministry of social justice and peace
Create awareness that Christianity should be up front in social justice and peace
Create awareness that every Christian is an agent of change at home or abroad.

For more information, please contact the church office

CENTRAL UMC

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