The Central Link - 12/7/25

Following the beautiful spirit of unity we experienced during our Summer Combined Services, Central will once again gather as One Body in Christ during the Advent and Christmas season! From November 30 through December 28, we will worship together in one Combined Service at 10:00 A.M. in the Sanctuary. These services will include elements from both our Traditional and Modern Worship styles, allowing everyone to experience the richness and diversity of our worship life at Central. As we move through this meaningful season, this schedule also helps us practice good stewardship of our resources and accommodate holiday travel schedules, while giving us the gift of growing closer as a church family. We are excited to experience this time of worship, hope, peace, joy, love, and anticipation together! Don’t miss this powerful season of coming together as we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. Our regular worship schedule will resume on Sunday, January 4, 2026.

Atrium Health Memory Care Ministry is hosting a workshop: Understanding Financial, Legal, and Care Planning and Options on Saturday, December 13 from 9:00am - 12:00pm at the Women and Children's Center at Atrium Health Union (600 Hospital Drive, Monroe, 28112) which is adjacent to the Hospital Main Entrance. There is plenty of parking available.

This workshop is open to the public. All are welcome! There is no fee though they ask for registration.

Call Courtenay O'Donoghue at 828.577.7929 or email her at  Courtenay.Odonoghue@advocatehealth.org to register.

Our December Shareback is our Central's little pantry - the Chuck Wagon.  Your donations of non perishable, non expired food items, like canned soups, canned beans, canned meats, canned fruits, peanut butter, pasta, pasta sauce, rice, cereal, granola bars, and baking mixes, as well as disposable flatware are greatly appreciated!

Although poinsettia orders have now closed, you are still welcome to make a dedication in honor or in memory of a loved one this Advent season.

Donations of any amount may be given to Central’s Worship Fund. Forms for dedications are available in the narthex.

Please submit your dedication form by December 14.

Just in time for Christmas!

Show Your Support to Central – Purchase Your T-Shirt Today! We are selling our remaining inventory. You can order online or in person during a worship service. If you have questions, please speak to Erica Kirby.

Get your hands on a high-quality Comfort Colors Central UMC t-shirt. Shirts are available in two vibrant colors: Grape and Red! All shirts also feature Central’s new vision statement on the back.

Don’t miss out! Order yours today and represent Central in style!

We are getting ready for Advent and Christmas and we want YOU to be part of our choir! Lifting our voices together is more than just singing, it’s a way to lead one another into a worship experience that is closer to God! Our commitment is to vital worship and transforming hearts, and through this experience your own heart can be transformed too.

We truly have fun together and it’s a low-stress way to serve and grow in faith. Even if you’ve never sung in a choir or touched a piece of music before, you are welcome. Rehearsals are on Wednesdays 6:45–7:15 and Sundays 9:55–10:35. They begin THIS WEDNESDAY & SUNDAY! So, come join us as we share the good news of the season and make a joyful noise to the Lord! We truly need your presence!

Join today by signing up at the link below.  You can also come to our rehearsals, but the form helps us plan more effectively!

Children in Kindergarten through fifth grade are welcome to join the Celebration Singers as we learn some Christmas melodies.  Please join us starting Wednesday, November 5 from 6:15-6:45 PM in the choir room!

Central Friends will not meet in December.  The next meeting will be January 8, 2026 at 12:00 PM in the Hospitality Room.

We will celebrate Holy Baptism on Sunday, December 21, 2025, during the 10:00 AM Combined Worship Service. If you are interested or desire your child to be baptized that Sunday, please complete the registration form below.

In order to receive Holy Baptism, adult candidates and the guardians of children and youth candidates must attend a preparation class. The class will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025, from 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM in the Library. Anyone who is interested in learning more about Baptism is encouraged to attend the class, even if you will not participate on December 21.

Register for Baptism by clicking the link below or call the church office at 704-289-3186 to let us know if you would like to attend the class. Registration will close on Monday, December 8.

Come and be renewed with hope, peace, joy, and love as we celebrate the good news of the season in Worship for The Light of Life: A Festival Service of Nine Lessons and Carols on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at 10:00 A.M. in the Central UMC Sanctuary. Gathering music will begin at 9:50 A.M. Let this morning be a pause from the busyness of the season, a time to open your heart to wonder, reflection, and the radiant light of Christ.

Through scripture and song, we will encounter the light that comes into the world, the light that sustains life, the light that gives life, the light that is life itself, Jesus Christ.

The service will be filled with wonderful music from the Central Festival Choir, 801Praise!, our mighty Casavant organ, trumpet, violin, and timpani; all under the direction of Nathan Clements. These fantastic musicians will lead us in music that lifts our spirits and words that stir our souls, as the light of Christ shines brightly among us.

Come and worship deeply, sing boldly, and let your heart be filled with the hope, peace, joy, and love of the Light of Life.

Find comfort and peace this season at the Community Service of Solace on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 5:00 P.M. in the Central UMC Chapel.

This quiet, reflective service is for anyone navigating loss, struggling with grief, or finding the holidays especially difficult. Together, we will pause, remember, and lean into the peace and hope Christ brings, even in the midst of sorrow.

Through prayer, scripture, and music, we will create space to acknowledge our grief, honor our loved ones, and experience God’s comforting presence. Everyone is welcome, no matter where you are on your journey, you are invited to find solace here.

Come and allow yourself a moment of rest, reflection, and gentle renewal in the light and peace of Christ this season.

Celebrate the joy of the season with us for Christmas and Baptism Sunday on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at 10:00 A.M. in the Central UMC Sanctuary! Gathering Music will begin at 9:50 A.M.

Join us as we rejoice in the birth of Jesus Christ and celebrate the gift of baptism. If you or your child are interested in being baptized, please contact jparker@centralumcmonroe.org

Come worship, celebrate, and experience the wonder and hope of Christmas together!

Experience the glory of Christmas on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24, 2025, in the Central UMC Sanctuary. A musical prelude will begin at 4:45 P.M., followed by the Candlelight Service at 5:00 P.M.

Christmas Eve is a special time to pause, reflect, and celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The soft glow of candlelight, the familiar carols, and the gathering of God’s people create a space to encounter the Light of the World and the glory of His coming.

Join us for a worshipful service of scripture, song, and candlelight as we celebrate Christ’s presence, the hope He brings, and the peace that endures. Let the light of Christ shine in your heart this Christmas Eve at Central!

We are in need of Communion Stewards for both the modern and traditional worship services in 2026.  Stewards assist with the distribution of communion during the first Sunday service of the month.

We are still in need of Communion Stewards for the moderns service on January 4 and March 1.  We are in need of Communion Stewards for the traditional service on January 4, February 1, and March 1.

You can sign up in a variety of ways: in person during Sunday service, by speaking to Erica Kirby, calling the office at 704-289-2186, or clicking the link below:

We love seeing our church family grow, and name tags help us feel even more connected!

Please remember to wear your new name tag each Sunday. It’s a simple way to help everyone put names to faces and make newcomers feel right at home.

Do you need a name tag or would you like a change made to the one you have? Please click on the link to request a new one, or look for the name tag request forms in Central Hall and the narthex before and after Sunday worship.

We welcome those who are called to provide leadership of a music ministry team and serve with a church whose calling is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

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