Dear Siblings, 

Our hymn sing last Sunday was a wonderful time to connect with our faith through song! If you missed it, you can check it out online. In fact, you can find all of our recent services and sermons online by Monday afternoon. 

This Sunday, our first OWL class for grade 7-9 will meet. We’re excited to support five teenagers in this important aspect of their lives. And, we’re already building a list of folks who will participate in the other grades offered in the spring. It has been a long road, but OWL is taking flight!

On Sunday, we will also celebrate the Baptism of Julia Henning! Baptism is an outward and visible sign of the Grace of God. Of course, this occasion is important for Julia and her family, but it is also important for our church community. Indeed, in the church today, baptism includes commitments and covenants between the baptized and the community that they formally join.

If my math is correct, this is Central’s first baptism in several years. So, I hope to see many of you in the pews and online as witnesses to this sacramental celebration.

Part of our liturgy on Sunday will include this observation from Rachel Held Evans:

“In the ritual of baptism, our ancestors acted out the bizarre truth of the Christian identity: We are people who stand totally exposed before evil and death and declare them powerless against love.”

Yes, bizarre indeed! And yet, we practice this ritual all the same. 

Rev. Liz and Josh are both away this weekend, but they are with us in spirit and celebration! 

See you Sunday,

Thomas