Ministries/Evangelism

United Methodist Men - UMM
Membership consists of approximately 30 men. Meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month except June, July and August. We do however continue to have activities during these summer months. We have dinner, followed by a devotion, program and a business meeting. Our purpose is Missions.

The UMM have contributed to numerous projects such as: Heart Haven, COHD/VUMAR, Church Youth Activities, Memorials, Church Food Pantry, Upper Room, Boy Scouts, Society of St. Andrews, Vacation Bible School, Life Membership to two UMM, and supported a needy family with food, clothing, and gifts at Christmas.

Some of our activities are: Nights Welcome, Leadership Day, Attend District Meetings, Camp Rainbow, Spiritual Retreat, Annual Prayer Breakfast, Monthly breakfast in fellowship hall, Parking for donations during the City's annual Bay Day's celebration, UMM Day/Church Services, Valentine Party, and Christmas Party.

United Methodist Women - UMW
Our unit has 75 members and the meetings are held during the months of January, March, June, September and December. All meetings take place on the third Thursday of each month at 10:00 AM in the Robert Raikes Classroom. The main purpose of the unit is MISSIONS, local and abroad.

We contribute to candle burning, World Thank Offering, Prayer and Self-Denial, UMCOR. Local missions include the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen, HELP Pantry, Kits for conference and many other projects and missions.

There are 5 circles in the Unit. They are the Maxine Beatty Circle, Charlotte Hudgins Circle, and the Lois Lane Circle. These circles meet on the first Monday of each month (except July and August) at 2:00 PM at various circle members homes. Circle #4 meets on the third Thursday of each month at 10:00 AM and the Irene Weston Circle meets the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM.

MUSIC: We consider our music ministry to be an integral part of worship. There are currently four choirs at Central which are listed below:

Chancel Choir
Youth Singers
Victory Handbell Ringers
Knox-Wesley Youth Handbell Ringers (in conjunction with First Presbyterian Church of Hampton)

If you would like to join any of these groups, please contact our organist and choirmaster, Russ Gentry, at 723-2067 (office) or 726-0250 (home).

The word Evangelism is derived from Greek and literally is translated as “GOOD MESSAGE” or as in later translations, “GOSPEL” and “GOOD NEWS”

Evangelism is, at its heart, sharing faith with others, particularly with those who are unchurched or disconnected, and inviting them to follow Jesus Christ as Christian disciples.

Each of the Gospel writers, in his own way, described how Jesus sent out the disciples to make other disciples for him. The best known is the Great Commission of Matthew 28:16-20.

Obeying the Great Commission is not one option among many for a congregation; it is at the very heart of the Christian enterprise. Christianity is a missionary, evangelizing faith.

As coordinator, Rick Eilenfield, I prayerfully create a list of family names. One family is to be prayed for by the congregation each week, so that four or five families are chosen for special prayer each month.

Each Circle of Love prayer list concludes with a request for people to pray daily for the family, and the prayers should let family members know by phone or mail that the church is lifting them in prayer before God.

Each person or family being covered in prayer also receives a letter at the beginning of that week. This letter explains:

"Because you are so special, we have chosen to honor you this entire week with our Circle of Love. We want you to know that you will be surrounded by prayers every day. We will be praying that God, who knows the deepest desires of your heart, will give you what is very best for you! We hope that this token of our love will serve to remind you of our prayers and affection for you.”

The greatest benefit will be observed when members know they are being prayed for through your phone calls. This provides a spiritual connection between people. Our Circle of Love ministry will prove to be a unique blessing for our church. It will further be a joy to see the Holy Spirit work in situations of which we were not even aware.

PRAYER WARRIORS

A short time back, a group of people from Central went to an Acts 29 Prayer Conference at Newtown UM Church in Williamsburg. The conference was excellent. We learned a lot about praying. How to pray and the many benefits it could provide to Central.

We formed a team called Prayer Warriors. One of our primary objectives is to pray for our pastor. Pastors are under a barrrage of attacks from every angle. Living problem free is not one of the perks of their job. They are forced out of the pulpit because they dared to do what God commands us all to do by confronting sin, resisting financial controllers, and marking moral stands. The world thrives on rumors and half truths; accusation being one of the most lethal weapons. The aim is to strike the pastor with fear and overwhelming problems, in an attempt to shake from him the light of God. "Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered". (Zechariah 13:7). When there is no life in the pulpit, there is no life in the pews.

Basically we pray from the beginning to the end of the second service. We are working on a book of prayer suggestions to aid Prayer Warriors. This is something those Prayer Warriors can read prayers from so as to not leave anything out. We pray for our police forces, fireman, areas filled with gangs and drug dealers, our city and county officials, government officials, people who are in less than good health, the men and women of all the armed forces defending our country and our freedom. Finally, we pray for the pastors of all the churches and their congregations in town, that Jesus Christ may bring light and love and grace to our country and the area in which we live.

We would love to have more people of the congregation join us as Prayer Warriors. All are qualified and we could use more help. The Prayer Warrior list is established arbitrarily. If you have an interest, please contact Rick Eilenfield at 812-4797.