CPC 2000 Annual Report:
From the Associate Pastor
Rev. Jerome D. Cooper

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Everyone keeps talking about change and transition. It seems that most folk think that they are having to go through more than they wanted, and a lot more than they bargained for. I suppose I am no exception. This last year has had far more changes than I would have wanted or could have anticipated - and in almost every area of life. But as hard as some of the changes have been, I have had the privilege of seeing God's grace sustain me through every one of them (and they are not over, so I am counting on His continued grace!).

It all began in January, when I heard I was losing a good friend and close colleague in ministry. Like most of you, I grieved the loss of Ron Scates, our Senior Pastor. That grieving was complicated for me in many ways. First, by the tragic diagnosis in March that Michael Scates had brain cancer. That same week, my Grandmother was diagnosed with advanced cancer and I flew back to California to see her one last time before she died. Also during that time, as my role and responsibilities were shifting radically to be the "temporary, interim Senior Pastor," I was trying to determine how to delegate old tasks and fit into new ones. And just to keep me from becoming complacent, we began a visioning process and started the Third Service Task Force within a couple weeks of either side of Easter.

Thankfully, four months later, George Antonakos came as our interim Pastor. As welcome as that was, and as good as he is for us, it meant another major shift for me. But I could not just simply go back to "the way things were." Since the fall, I have been challenged with trying to figure out what my ministry is supposed to look like, as well as to balance my ministry at Central, my wonderful family (with patient wife and wonderful daughter), and my own need for growth, rest and renewal. To be honest, it has been a struggle with success and failure. But by the grace of God I have seen tremendous blessing in every area of life, personal, family and ministry.

I say these things not to discourage or depress, but to share that I have been as deeply affected by the changes this past year as all of you. I have been both frustrated and elated. I have felt both anxiety and excitement. But above all, I have experienced a tremendous sense of peace, hope and gratitude. I have a real peace that God is at work in all these things, and that His plan is better than mine. I have solid hope that God is in the midst of doing something great at Central, because He wants to do something great through Central in the world he loves. Finally, I have an enormous gratitude to God for the multitude of blessings all around me, and for the privilege of serving him at Central over the past 10 years.

I thank God for you. I love you. I pray for you.

Jerry