News

First and foremost, Deacons play an integral role in supporting the worship life of our church, including the celebration of the sacraments, greeting members and guests, and ushering. Deacons may also work to sustain the music and arts programs at the church.

Deacons strive to support and care for members of the congregation.

Deacons recommend “in care” status for members of Central pursuing ordination in the United Church of Christ including the examination of those candidates as part of the process.

Deacons facilitate receptions for special events.

Meetings are typically held via Zoom on the 4th Thursday of the month, 7 p.m.

Contact Fred Childers ([email protected]) or Karen Torghele ([email protected]) with questions about the Deacon Board or any of the other opportunities to love, to grow, and to serve at Central.

Called To Do This Work

Mary Ellen Myers, now in her 65th year as a member at Central, will offer reflections this Sunday as we consider the ways we – the Central community – are called to use our time, our talents and our treasure in service to and support of one another, the local community and the world.  She has served Central in many capacities, and we honored her at the 2023 annual meeting by naming her a Life Deacon. 

The Green Team is seeking volunteers to help with these events: 

1) Set-up and clean-up for the GIPL clean energy workshop at Central following service on Sunday, May 17;

and 

2) Get-Out-The-Vote virtual phone-banks with GIPL and Fair Count on 5/12, 5/18, or 5/19. 

For more information about either opportunity, please contact Mary White at [email protected].  

Central will welcome Hannah Shultz, M.Div., Program Director at Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL), as our guest preacher for worship. 

She will also offer a workshop after worship, beginning at 12:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall, on Advancing Clean Energy in Georgia. The workshop will describe practical and affordable actions we can take, as individuals and as a congregation, to mitigate climate change, reduce fossil fuel consumption, and save money, including current options for energy efficiency and solar energy. Bring your questions and ideas! 

The Green Team will host Coffee Hour after worship and provide lunch for workshop participants. 

This past Sunday, in the called Congregational Meeting, we said “YES!” to being a part of a “radically collaborative” ministry and called Rev. Thomas to serve as Co-Senior Minister beginning July 1st. 

Our Pastoral Search Team is wrapping up the last round of edits for our church profile, and we’ll begin the search for the other Co-Senior Minister soon!

We have two more weeks to enjoy “My Life’s Journey”, Theresa Firster’s beautiful art exhibit presented in the Commons.

Check it out and choose the paintings that you like the most! For these last two weeks the artist is offering a 15% discount on all her paintings left in the show. 

Great news! Central’s Endowment Funds make funds available for charitable giving again!

If you volunteer with or know of any nonprofit organization that may be interested, please let them know to get ready. We particularly welcome and appreciate your interest in those groups with whom you have connections.

They may submit their application online, starting Monday April 20 through Friday, May 22. They should look for the application form on our website: https://central-ucc.org/grants/.  

For more information, contact Jasmine Chang ([email protected]) or Mary Ellen Myers ([email protected]). 

We are happy to let you know that this Sunday we are welcoming new members!

Come meet them!

You can connect more after service, during the Coffee Hour hosted in their honor.

Easter Lilies order by Wednesday, April 1st

Easter Mission Project by Wednesday, April 15th

It’s time to order Easter Lilies or offer a gift to our Easter Mission Project. Both of these are beautiful ways to honor or memorialize a loved one. 

• You can offer a lily to decorate the Sanctuary on Easter morning. Lily orders will close on Wednesday, April 1st at 10AM. Please do not wait until the last minute to submit your order. In fact, you can submit it right now! Use this link!
• You can also offer a gift to our Easter Mission Project, which benefits  Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (GFADP).  To maximize our support of our Easter Mission Project, we will accept donations to this fund by April 15th. 

For both of them you can use the online form or the printed form that you can find at the entrance to the Sanctuary.

We are excited to present to you “The Monthly” for April 2026.

Check out this month‘s newsletter for:

• A Note from Rev. Liz
• Holy Week
• Planned Giving Program
• Speaking of God in an Age of Artificial Intelligence
• Social justice documentary screening at the UU Congregation of Atlanta
• Sacred Seasons – Considering Death and End of Life Planning
• Faith Formation opportunities
• A Story from Central’s History: Dr. Robert C. McMath.

Click here to download “The Monthly”! There are also paper copies in The Commons, in The Sanctuary, and in the Church office. Be sure to add events and gatherings that you‘re interested in to your calendar.

Enjoy “The Monthly” and all the events and gatherings you are going to attend!