What Is Inside RETIREMENT RECEPTION. 28 ½ years of service to Central UMC Sunday, December 20, :30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

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1 Volume XXXVII December 16, 2015 Number 51 RETIREMENT RECEPTION Honoring Joyce Tillery 28 ½ years of service to Central UMC Sunday, December 20, :30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. In the Crossing What Is Inside ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Christmas Lights at the Mason s page 2 Christmas Dinner page 2 Senior Group page 3 Mission Opportunities page 4 Contribution Reminder - page 5 African Children s Choir - page 6 [All in the Sanctuary] Invite your family and friends! Nursery will be available for these services

2 CURRENT EVENTS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AT THE MASON'S In the spirit of the season, we invite you to DRIVE by and see the beautiful Christmas lights set to music, at the home of Dr. Lawrence and Ginger Mason, which is located at th Street. The lights are turned on from 5:30-9:00 p.m. except on rainy evenings. This Week At Central Sunday, 12/20/15 8:00 a.m. - Breakfast 8:30 a.m. - Worship 8:30 a.m. - Praise Band 9:00 a.m. - NO Choir Rehearsal 9:30 a.m. - Retirement Reception 9:45 a.m. - Connect Service/SS 10:55 a.m. - Worship Service 5:00 p.m. - JR. High Christmas Party Monday, 12/21/15 10:00 a.m. - NO Easy Chair Yoga 3:00 p.m. - NO Prayer Shawl Tuesday, 12/22/15 6:00 a.m. - Ledbetter Bible Study 6:30 a.m. - Pratt Bible Study Wednesday, 12/23/15 5:30 p.m. - NO Youth Worship Thursday, 12/24/15 12:00 p.m. - Office closes early 1:00 p.m. - Christmas Eve Service 4:00 p.m. - Christmas Eve Service 6:00 p.m. - Christmas Eve Service Friday, 12/25/15 ALL CENTRAL OFFICES CLOSED MERRY CHRISTMAS Saturday, 12/26/15 No Scheduled Activities NO CENTRAL RAMP BUILD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2015 EASY CHAIR YOGA Easy Chair Yoga will not meet on December 21st, December 28th. CENTRAL'S CHILDREN CENTER The Central Children's Center will be closed from December 21st thru January 5, CENTRAL'S CHURCH OFFICES All Central Church offices will close at 12 noon on Christmas Eve, December 24th and will be closed Friday, December 25th and Monday, December 28th for the Christmas holidays. Due to the Christmas holidays, we will NOT publish the Central Call (mail) or the Call the week of Christmas. Daily updates will be sent out Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday during the week of Christmas. CHRISTMAS DINNER - DECEMBER 25, :30 A.M. - CROSSING If you have not made your reservations for the Christmas Day dinner, please call the church office at no later than Tuesday, December 22nd. Ray Durden is cooking the beef tenderloin and scalloped potatoes & long green beans will be furnished. Bring your favorite dish or two and join us in the for a wonderful meal. The cost is $6.00. You may also contact Genie Durden at or her at genie47@bellsouth.net if you have questions or would like to make reservations. CENTRAL'S PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY will not meet again until Monday, January 11, First Place 4 Health Bible Study Beginning in January, we will offer First Place Bible Study on Wednesday nights as part of our Wednesday Nite Live. Suzie Sanders will be the leader. If you are not familiar with First Place 4 Health, it is a Christ-centered weight loss and healthy living program. Bible study, prayer, and scripture memorization are a part of this study as you seek and experience choices for health, address the whole person-emotions, mind, body, and spirit and have community support and accountability through small groups. For more information, you may contact Suzie Sanders at or Sabrina Williams

3 YOUTH MINISTRY YOUTH SUNDAY SCHOOL MEETS ON THE 4TH FLOOR. We will be studying Hebrews 10:5-10. JUNIOR HIGH CHRISTMAS PARTY - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20TH Photo/video Scavenger Hunt - 5:00-6:00 p.m. beginning at the church and splitting into vans; ending at "mystery location" for the party. Pick up will be there at 7:30 p.m. Please bring a "good" [not a gag] Dirty Santa Gift [max amount $15] and make it a unisex gift. We will need help with food and the team will be in contact with you. NO YOUTH MEETINGS ON THE FOLLOWING EVENINGS: Wednesday, December 23rd - December 30th - January 6th Sunday, December 27th (PM) - January 3rd - January 10th We will resume regular evening activities on Wednesday, January 13th Our Senior Group took a trip around the Meridian area th Tuesday, December 14. Afterwards we went to the home of Genie and Ray Durden and enjoyed hot chocolate! Genie and Ray, THANK YOU for being outstanding hosts!

4 MISSIONS AND EVANGELISM CENTRAL CHRISTMAS T-SHIRTS Oops, did you forget to pick up your Christmas Shirts or FORGOT to order or MAYBE you are one of those folks who buy in bigger sizes for the next year!!! WE HAVE EXTRA SHIRTS JUST FOR YOU!!! 2016 CALENDARS - FUND-RAISER FOR HAITI TRIP There are only a limited number available but we still have a few 2016 calendars made by and photographed by David Barr. All proceeds go to the Haiti Mission Trip in May 2016! Calendars are $25 and can be purchased during the week at the church office and on Sunday's in the crossing! YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN A NEW UMW 2016 CIRCLE A new United Methodist Women's Circle will be started January 20th! The Circle will meet every 3rd Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. with Child Care and Coffee provided. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Kristina Crabtree at NEW TRUSTEE MENTOR PROGRAM We are forming a new trustee mentor program and would like anyone that is interested to participate. Two of our trustees, John White and Justin Evans have been paroled. They would appreciate letters, cards, or phone calls that will continue to encourage them on their spiritual journey. This will give anyone in the church not only a way to stay in contact but also a way to minister to these men. If you would like their address or phone number, you may contact Craig Hitt at [ craig.hitt@gmail.com] or Lee Williams at [ lee.williams82@comcast.net] HAITI TRIP DEPOSIT DUE JANUARY 3, 2016 The deposit to secure your place and the down payment for the plane ticket is due no later than January 3, The deposit is $150. Please come by the church office to make your payment. Contact Kristina at if you have any questions.

5 SENIOR ADULT MINISTRY LUNCH BUNCH WILL NOT MEET ON DECEMBER 25TH OR JANUARY 1, JANUARY XYZ DATE CHANGE FOR JANUARY, 2016!! (XTRA YEARS OF ZEST) JANUARY 12, :45 A.M. FELLOWSHIP HALL PROGRAM: "The Life of Elijah" with Bill Freeman MENU: Baked Parmesan Catfish, Southern Fried Chicken Tenders, Turnip Greens, Seasoned Steak Fries, Black-eyed Peas, Rolls, and Assorted Desserts. PRAYER CONCERNS In order to keep everyone better informed of current concerns, names will remain on the Prayer Concerns list in the "Call" for only two weeks unless there is a new concern. Rex Alman Virginia Johnson Lois Creekmore Bridget Mann Frances Emerson Charlotte Mason MILITARY PERSONNEL Rev. John Branning Blaine Crouch (nephew of Tim & Becky Sollie) Chris Lafferty (Christie Rainers's Son) All U.S. Military Personnel OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO: ~Betty Deen and family, following the death of her son-in-law, Bart Francis of Key West, FL., th who passed away Monday, December 14. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time. FINANCE AND STEWARDSHIP CONTRIBUTION REMINDER!! If you want to receive tax credit for your contribution in the year 2015, it must be received or post-marked by December 31, 2015.

6 CHILDREN S MINISTRY THANK YOU A huge thank you to everyone who helped our Children's Ministry share the news of God's Gift to the world this past Sunday! Our Elementary Choir, under the direction of Timothy Wise shared their gift of music in both the 8:30 & 10:55 Worship Services, and our Kinder-Choir, under the direction of Mrs. Charlotte Mason, helped to open 10:55 Worship. Neither could have accomplished this task without many adult hands to help make this happen! Students who participated in our six week study of "Believers Around the World" shared their knowledge of how Christ's birth is celebrated in Sudan, Ukraine, Italy, Sweden, Mexico and Lebanon in a program on Sunday evening. 25+ adults worked during this six week period, helping to create and teach about these different countries. If you have not already done so, check out our Facebook page for pictures and videos of Sunday's events! And again to the many, many adult volunteers THANK YOU! We at Central are blessed to have so many who take the vows to raise these children knowing and seeing God's love in action. AFRICAN CHILDREN'S CHOIR - WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016 We are excited to announce that the African Children's Choir will be at Central for the fourth time. More detailed information will be coming but it will be an evening you won't forget. One of the most exciting things about their coming to Central is that we house these children and their chaperones. There will be 18 children and 8 adults so we will need 7 host homes for Wednesday and Thursday nights. They will have class here at Central during the day on Thursday, so homes only provide evening meals/snacks and breakfast. The slots for host homes will fill up quickly so if you are interested in providing housing, or have questions, please contact Sabrina at sabrina@cumcmdn.org or FOOD FOR THE JOURNEY [suggested Bible readings for December 21 - December 27, 2015] Morning Noon Evening Mon. Dec. 21 Ezekiel 12 Psalm 39 1 Corinthians 10 Tue. Dec. 22 Ezekiel 13 Psalm 40 1 Corinthians 11 Wed. Dec. 23 Ezekiel 14 Psalm 41 1 Corinthians 12 Thu. Dec. 24 Ezekiel 15 Psalm 42 1 Corinthians 13 Fri. Dec. 25 Ezekiel 16 Psalm 43 1 Corinthians 14 Sat. Dec. 26 Ezekiel 17 Psalm 44 1 Corinthians 15 Sun. Dec. 27 Ezekiel 18 Psalm 45 1 Corinthians 16

7 WORSHIP Special Thanks from Central To the Sanctuary Choir, "extra singers," orchestra, Joyce Tillery, Austin Crabtree, Jonathan Crabtree, Tom Stuckman and especially to Tim W ise for the beautiful Cantata, "The Christmas Light" on December 6th. To Jonathan Quigley and My Savior Story for the great concert Sunday evening, December 6th. 8: Attendance December 13, 2015 Live Streaming : SS 97 10: To the Praise Band, The CONNECT Band, Richard Hollingsworth, narrator, Tom Stuckman, John Thomas Goldman, Amanda Butler, Ryan Butler, Jim Gonzalez and James Matthews for the worship experience, "Quest for the Light" December 13th. On Call Pastor December 18 - December 20, 2015 KRISTINA CRABTREE CELL: The CHOIR WILL NOT REHEARSE Sunday, December 20th. View service live at 8:30 and 10:55 Sunday morning here: View previous services here: