WORSHIP SERVICES
During Advent Jan has chosen the theme of Mary Had a Baby: African American Spirituals for her sermon series. This is in conjunction with the Advent Study groups which are using Cheryl A. Kirk-Duggan and Marilyn E. Thornton’s book Mary Had a Baby: An Advent Bible Study Based on African American Spirituals. She has already preached on Mary Had a Baby and Rise Up, Shepherd and Follow. Future Sundays sermons will look at, Go Where I Send Thee and Go, Tell It on the Mountain. Our worship services are posted on Facebook and YouTube at 8.00am on Sundays.
SILENT NIGHT, HOLY NIGHT CRÈCHE DISPLAY
Our yearly crèche display has delighted worshippers of all ages at Central for a number of years.
Our display will be posted on Facebook and YouTube beginning Friday, December 18 after 7pm.
This year we need the help of our faith community and others to take a picture of their crèche and write a short statement about their crèche. Email the picture and statement to Susie Wanden at [email protected] by December 14. If you know someone who has a crèche please invite them to participate. Our crèche display will help to tell the story of the first Christmas through the lens of cultures around the world.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 21 ~ 6.00PM
2020 has been a difficult year for so many, with grief, loss, and hardship. Maybe this year you are having a hard time putting up the Christmas tree or getting your decorations out. Maybe the holidays are always hard for you. If you are in search of hope and healing we invite you to find it in this service of prayer, music, reflection, and light.
It is our tradition to light candles during the service in memory of those who are no longer walking this earth. Candles have also been lit as a prayer. If you would like to be a part of the candle lighting please send Alan Cook ([email protected]) the name of the person you would like remembered, a prayer, or maybe you would like to offer up a prayer of hope. This needs to be done by December 15. Each person attending the service will be invited to light one or more candles in their home. Please have your candles ready.
We hope on the longest night of the year that you will find comfort during this quiet and reflective time. Our Blue Christmas Service will be posted on Facebook and on our YouTube page at 6.00pm on December 21.
For many of us, Christmas Eve services are among our most treasured experiences at Central. This year everything is different. Except those things that never change…like the Christmas story.
The traditional Christmas Eve Service will be a shared service with our Cambodian congregation, with familiar carols, the Christmas Scripture, prayers and a short meditation. The service will be posted Christmas Eve on Facebook and YouTube. You can watch at any time after 4.00pm.
This year, Central’s annual Christmas offering will reach beyond our campus. We will share 25% of our Christmas offering with El Concilio, a local nonprofit agency that provides food, early childhood education, parenting resources, transportation for seniors who need help getting to medical appointments, plus many programs. Three times this summer Central sent a large load of food to El Concilio for their monthly food distribution. This Fall, several Central members received rides from El Conclio’s senior ride service, traveling safely to and from medical appointments.
Give as you are able, know that your support brings hope in our “new normal.” Mail your donation to Central UMC, 3700 Pacific Ave., Stockton, CA 95204. Be sure to write Christmas Offering on the memo line. Or you may drop it in the office mail slot.
Join Alan Cook during the twelve days of Christmas at 4.00pm on Zoom for a Christmas story, a craft, and/or a baking idea. Yes, Alan has agreed to read his first story on Christmas day. If you and your family would like to be involved in this intergenerational event beginning Christmas day and ending on January 5, email him at [email protected].
At Christmas we connect with the ones we love. But what if you are a child with a parent(s) in prison – feeling lonely, abandoned, and hurt? Through Angel Tree, members and friends of our congregation are signing up to purchase gift cards for Stockton children whose parent(s) are in prison and in so doing are offering joy and hope for the family. If you would like to participate contact Alan Cook at [email protected].