Ministry Updates, page 1

Adult Christian Education

The Adult Christian Education ministry provided seven offerings of five classes in the spring of 2005: Called to Be God's People, Fear No Evil/Angels and Demons, God's Love for Muslims, ABC's of the Old Testament, and J. S. Bach Theology in Music. The classes at 8:45, 10:00 and 11:15 am on Sunday mornings involved 215 adults with an average attendance of 109. The ministry team provided seven offerings of five classes in the fall at the three hours: You Don't Know Jack, A Prophet in Babylon, Parental Guidance Required/Effective Parenting in a Defective World, God's Heart for the World, and Inklings. These classes involved 191 adults with an average attendance of 140.

The classes provoked thought and discussion:

• "The topics in Lewis' book opened lots of discussion that are relevant today -- moral codes, cardinal virtues and theological virtues."
• "The focus it put on parenting, clearly defined for me the reason behind discipline - obedience to parents leads to obedience to God."
• "I enter my Sunday school class with pen and notebook each week, for I know the Lord has something he wants to say to me through Charles' teaching."

The classes strengthened members faith:

• "Reading the Christian classic with adult discussion and practical application strengthened my faith as a Christian."
• "Charles, as led by the Spirit of the Lord, has encouraged us many times to trust and obey this awesome God."
• "It is wonderful comfort to realize that others struggle [in parenting] as much as we do!"

The classes promoted changes:

• "I liked the little changes I have observed in the lives of some classmates."
• "I have learned so much about God's loving desire to reveal his character, purposes and passion to all people, no matter in what age they live. As a result, my life has been changed."

The classes provided different learning styles:

• "After reading the assigned chapters, I like how the instructor clears up parts I do not understand."
• "[The teacher] comes well prepared, teaching truth from scripture, challenging and presenting with charisma, teaching from the heart."
• "I can share with other parents and support one another."
• "One reason I liked the DVD series is it was heavy on teaching."

The Diaconate

The Deacon's Ministry is a group of people selected by the congregation to care for the people of Central. In smaller churches, including Central in past years, the Deacons directly provide all or much of the needed services and care. In larger churches, including Central now and in the future, the Deacons provide some care directly, but primarily function as facilitators and coordinators in serving and caring for the congregation. We are making changes as we evaluate how we can best serve the needs of Central's growing body. The coming year will bring new structure in services such as visitation and home communion, among others.

Discovering who needs services or assistance in a large church can be a challenge. We depend on the people of Central to let us know of those in need of prayer, transportation, meals, home communion, etc. In an effort to increase visibility and accessibility of the Deacons, this year we began wearing name tags. Please feel free to stop one of us, whether to introduce yourself or to let us know of needs and concerns we can address. The Deacon's Ministry exists to serve the church, and in a large and ever-growing community like Central, we can't do it without a lot of help.