It has become a wonderful tradition at Central: “MARDI GRAS SUNDAY!”, the last Sunday before LENT.  We celebrate with New Orleans Style accompaniment to our worship, and an ALL-CHURCH LUNCH in the Fellowship Hall.

This year JOHN HUNTOON and “THE DOCTORS OF DIXIELAND” take the platform and lead us in a great day of music and celebration.

Invite a friend, come along, and bring some good food to share with all!

“MARDI GRAS SUNDAY”
February 23, 2020 at 10am

We welcome Deborah Miller-Fox to the pulpit for the First Sunday of LENT (March 1st) at Central. 
Professor Deborah Miller-Fox teaches creative writing, composition, cross-cultural American literature, two courses in the First Year Experience sequence and the Senior Seminar course required for all English and writing majors. Since 1997 when she began teaching in the English department, her course load has included a variety of other courses such as argument, literary non-fiction and advanced grammar.

Though her primary calling is classroom instruction, Miller-Fox is an accomplished writer as well. She has contributed essays to several anthologies, and in 2010 she released A Star for Robbins Chapel, a young adult novel about a migrant family living in Lee County, Virginia in 1905. Though fiction and literary non-fiction are her preferred forms of prose, Miller-Fox writes scholarly and professional pieces as well. Since 2011, she has contributed multiple articles to Faculty Focus, an online professional journal on teaching methodology and best practices. Miller-Fox’s current writing project is a novel for adult readers. Tentatively titled Gravity, this work of fiction witnesses the crisis of faith, the consequences of rebellion and the power of redemption when the main character faces profound loss.

Professor Miller-Fox serves on the Board of Elders in her local congregation and leads a small group with her husband, Jerry, a member of AU’s Falls School of Business. When she’s not cooking for family or friends, she can usually be found tending the flowerbeds around her home or reading a book on the front porch.

It seems like an overstatement, but it truly is “the trip of a lifetime”.  This is your invitation to join me on another HOLY LAND ADVENTURE.  Some things to know:  this is Spring 2021 (not 2020) and will include some of the most beautiful sights, four-star accommodations and restaurants, a luxury air-conditioned bus, historic sights, meaningful moments, good friends, and so much more.

There will be walking, on uneven stone sometimes, but not an undo amount – however, you will “get your steps in” 🙂  During my last trip there wasn’t a moment we didn’t feel safe, and the people are warm and gracious.  Our hosts on the trip are knowledgeable and able to get us through even the most complex “red-tape”.

The weather will be warm and mild this time of year, the folliage will be colorful, and the land won’t be too crowded (it’s after PASSOVER and before HIGH HOLY DAYS).

The scripture comes to life on every corner, and each day brings sights, sounds, and the taste of this wonderful country.

I hope you can join me – if interested, just let me know and I’ll make sure you’re on the list and that you have your questions answered.

RICK

ASH WEDNESDAY 2020 is February 26th – and we will have a traditional service of Communion, Candlelight & Ashes that evening at 7:00pm.  Beginning that day and running 40 days through Saturday, April 11th (not counting Sundays) is the Season of  LENT, 2020.  This year we celebrate in a unique way (don’t we always?), but with the always-present charge to know Jesus better.  

This years theme, along that line, celebrates not only Jesus the Rabbi and his “attendance” at the Festivals, but also how each festival and observance shows the Messiah “hiding in plain sight”.

Each Sunday will be a journey into a specific festival, and each Wednesday will see a different Elder from Central give a personal and thoughtful message regarding their journey getting to know Jesus.

Toward the end of this 40-Day Journey, on Thursday April 9th (Maundy Thursday) you are invited to an “immersive” celebration, all-church, meal of  THE PASSOVER: with the music of “INDYKLEZ” (the Indiana Klezmer Band which includes Pastor Rick as their vocalist), some wonderful food, some games, and the traditional Haggadah (script) of the Passover, almost unchanged since the time of Jesus.

Please join us MAUNDY THURSDAY (there will be no TENEBRAE or GOOD FRIDAY evening service this year)

Thursday April 9, 2020 | MAUNDY THURSDAY
ALL-CHURCH PASSOVER SEDER/CELEBRATION MEAL
with Pastor Rick and “IndyKlez” | DINNER BY RESERVATION

DATES TO KNOW

Sunday February 23, 2020
“MARDI GRAS” Sunday at 10:00am
with the “Doctors of Dixieland” in worship
& an all-church luncheon

Wednesday February 26, 2020
ASH WEDNESDAY WORSHIP at 7:00pm

Sunday March 1, 2020
FIRST SUNDAY of LENT

Sunday April 5, 2020
PALM SUNDAY

Thursday April 9, 2020
MAUNDY THURSDAY
ALL-CHURCH PASSOVER SEDER/CELEBRATION MEAL
with Pastor Rick and “IndyKlez”

Friday April 10, 2020
GOOD FRIDAY

Sunday April 12, 2020
EASTER SUNDAY
Easter Sunrise Service at 7:30am | Schuster Chapel
Easter Breakfast at 8:15am | The Fellowship Hall
Easter Worship at 10:00am | The Sanctuary

Sunday May 3, 2020
GRADUATION SUNDAY
Honoring our 2020 Grads during worship & after

Sunday May 31, 2020
PENTECOST
Congregation & Sanctuary in RED
All-Church Lunch following morning worship at 10am