Welcome to Central's online service. Once again, I miss all of you and wish that we were meeting face-to face this morning, but I'm excited that we get to worship with each other nonetheless.
I want to start by thanking all who participated in yesterday's drive by show of support for Marvin and Karen Riley. Karen's son, Michael, died last week and this was one of our ways of letting them know how deeply we love them. I can't imagine Central without Marvin and Karen. Even this week, while they were grieving, they came in and tended the flower beds around the church. Karen's ReFit ministry touches many lives each week. Together she and Marvin are living testimonies of God's grace. Today I will be departing from our series on the parables to address a topic that I think is critical right now. Each week someone will ask me "When are we going to reopen the church?" This question reveals a misconception about what the church is. The church isn't a building or a service. The church is the people of God doing the work of his kingdom. And it won't ever close. It's open every time we love our neighbors or praise our Lord. Today's message was inspired by an article that I read this week that was written last summer by John Pavlovitz called Remember, the Bible never mentions a building called church. Pause right now to read it or come back to after watching this morning's service. I've also added a Resource for the Week that includes a great video from Francis Chan on this topic. |
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Rembrandt's The Apostle Peter
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1 Peter 2:1-10 |
One of Central's traditions is to serve communion each time we gather. The church provided prepackaged communion servings for you to use. If you didn't stop by the church to get one you may want to get a small glass of juice or wine, and a small piece of bread or a cracker, so you can participate.
The Lord's Table is for anyone who has trusted Christ. If you haven't given your life to Christ, now would be a great time to do so. Click here to learn more about how you can do that. |
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. |
Thank you for your generous support for our ministry. Even though we are not meeting, most of our church expenses continue. If you would like to contribute to Central using our Church Center app just click here, text ccspringfield to 84321, or mail your contribution to the church.
We've added two categories to our giving app for your consideration. You can use the pull down menu to designate a contribution to the Springfield Soup Kitchen, or to a new category called Support/Health Care Workers which we will use exclusively to support a ministry to front-line health workers who attend Central, or who work at Springfield Regional Hospital or the Rocking Horse Center. |
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. |
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