CPC 1999 Annual Report:
College, Young Adult & Small Group Ministries
Greg Meadows, Interim Director

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College & Careers

A new era has dawned at Central Presbyterian Church! Over the course of the year, you have decided to get involved in College & Career ministries in a deliberate, intentional way; I am excited to have been chosen to head up this effort. I borrow from one of Job's friends to find words that best sum up the vast potential of this ministry: Elihu proclaimed that "God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding." How exhilarating it is to contemplate together the possibilities arrayed before us in this area of God's kingdom work.

It is incumbent upon us to lay the proper foundation in this ministry while it is in its infancy. It is our desire to participate with God as He conforms His people to the image and likeness of His dear Son. In order to accomplish this we seek to build a ministry within the community of faith at Central that loves, equips, encourages, and sends out disciples who are ready to glorify God and proclaim the gospel of Christ. This has begun in earnest with the Sunday school class in particular. The format we have adopted allows us to share together in fellowship, to learn from the Scriptures, and to use our gifts as we minister to others.

God's hand has been evident in the formative stages of the ministry and we hope and pray for Him to continue to work according to His great purpose. We realized that there were a variety of needs within the ministry-teachers, food, those who could provide transportation to church, Bible study leaders, etc.-and God has seen fit to provide for these needs according to His purpose. There have been a number of people within the congregation who have come forward and expressed a desire to be involved in these various aspects of the College & Careers ministry: for their willingness I give all praise and thanks to God. With such a high level of direct involvement from the church, the College & Careers group has had the opportunity to: listen to a number of different instructors; develop relationships and interact with members of the congregation; and get involved in the life of the church.

As we look ahead, we are excited about the various possibilities open to us. We have begun to explore the myriad of options available for short-term mission trips; we continue to plumb the depths of God's word in our meetings; relationships continue to be established both within the Central community and within the group itself; and there is an air of expectancy and anticipation about the group as we seek God in prayer and study. God desires for us to bring glory to Him and He seeks to redeem a people for Himself: as long as He allows us to participate, that is our primary goal in the College & Career ministry. By seeking Him in prayer and through faithful, fervent study of the Scriptures, He will help us to become a people who are able to worship, disciple, fellowship, minister, and evangelize together. When He has accomplished this, then we can help move others toward Christ. We desire your prayers as we take aim at these lofty goals in 2000.

Small Groups

This ministry is very well developed at Central. God has provided for the multitude of needs within Small Groups in accord with His faithfulness. From a 'numerical' perspective, we rejoice, as there are approximately 35-40 small groups in existence. It is our prayer that as we continue to seek His face in this ministry, He will continue to give the increase in this sense. These figures give us an indication of how the church desires to grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord by studying Scripture, gathering together with other believers, and engaging in prayer and worship.

Administratively, this ministry is in excellent hands. The Small Group Task Force has seen growth in a number of areas and, as a group, the Task Force continues to exhibit a servant's heart in their desire to facilitate discussion and provide the resources necessary for a well-balanced small group ministry. Norm Burkey, Al Finch, Jill Marbach, and John Sackett continue to devote their efforts to the Lord, perpetuating a tradition of excellence. It is with heartfelt thanks that they express their gratitude to those who have been a part of the Task Force in recent years: God is bringing fruit to all of the seed that you have sown in faithfulness!

Spiritually, we are well able to take the next step. Small groups are designed to be smaller family units within the larger family to develop accordingly. It is with eager anticipation that we look ahead to the prospects of growth in 2000, as we seek to assist and serve you in this endeavor. We want to help you to continue to move toward Christ and to cultivate a relationship with Him as He prepares His church for this millennium. We desire to provide you with the resources you require to mature spiritually and to provide a forum appropriate for the realization of this goal.