This past Tuesday once again we met as Elders, and we have much to be grateful for. We typically start off the meeting with prayer from 6.15 to 7pm. We pray for our meeting as well as for anyone who comes in for prayer. It is a special time, and we are humbled to spend time thanking God for the many blessings we have as a church, as well as petitioning Him on behalf of the struggles many of our congregation face. We love to see people out for that in person and if that doesn’t work you can fill out a Prayer Request Form as well.
As we reflect on Easter Services and the Baptisms and new Ministry Partners that have joined Central, we can see how God is working and it was beautiful to see through the stories of faith that were shared. On the topic of Baptism, if you have felt the prompting of the Spirit to be baptized, or maybe you're like me and were baptized as an infant and since then became a believer, and have not been baptized, we would really encourage you to come out to our next Baptism & Ministry Partnership Class on June 8 in Chilliwack or June 10 in Harrison and see what baptism and ministry partnership at Central is all about. We believe your decision to turn from sin and trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour is the most important decision you will ever make. Following your personal commitment to submit your life to the Lordship of Christ, an important next step in your spiritual journey is to be obedient in believer’s baptism. Similarly, we want everyone to be cared for well at Central and we believe the most effective way for that to happen is to become a ministry partner. We are excited that our next baptism will be August 22 at Harrison Lake, so you can save the date now!
There are many exciting things happening in the months ahead. Our sixth and final Theology Night is happening on April 28th and Pastor Tyson will be teaching a Theology of Worship. We look forward to hosting a Mens Retreat & Womens Retreat in May with great speaker’s food and fellowship! Also, Freedom Session Grad is happening April 25th at Central and over 50 people will be witnessing to God's grace in their lives in the past twenty-eight weeks. Pastor Eldon and I were blessed to be able to host the ministry at Sardis Fellowship Baptist Church and people from 9 different churches including many from Central will be graduating.
As we come into spring, we are so grateful for all the faithful service that happens week in and week out in all areas of our church. It takes a lot of people doing a lot of serving to fulfill our mission to reach all of the eastern Fraser Valley with the Gospel. As we go about that mission our prayer for you is from Numbers 6:24-26 “The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Gary Baars
- On behalf of the Elders at Central Community
Finance Update
As part of their leadership oversight, the elders received and reviewed the finances of the church. They are encouraged by the strong commitment of the congregation to the mission of Central as evidenced in giving to our mission. Our year to date giving sits 21% ahead of the same period last year. To the end of March general giving is $560,996. Two significant events, the Marriage Retreat and the Mexico Mission, also evidenced our commitment to investing in disciples with both events being strongly supported and within budget parameters. Expenses are being managed well with maintenance costs slightly higher than anticipated due to winter conditions and the need to invest in snow clearing and parking lot safety.
The elders received and approved recommendations from the Stewardship Committee with regards to our signing authority document. These changes simply reflect our current practice but have now been placed into policy. In addition, two recommendations, one regarding e-transfers, and another regarding accounting records were approved.
The elders received a detailed quotation for the replacement of lighting in the Chilliwack sanctuary. The current lights are 40 years old and no longer function in a helpful way and finding bulbs is problematic. A lightning strike late last Fall caused several key pieces of equipment to malfunction and short-circuited other lights. Antiquated stage lighting, also effected by the lightning strike, are in need of replacement. The elders approved a fund-raising event to cover the cost of replacing the sanctuary and stage lighting, with the hopes of also replacing the aging projectors and some acoustic treatment. It is hoped that we will raise $160,000 cover the cost of a complete project, with a $125,000 being the goal for lighting alone. Watch for details of this event that will soon be finalized.
Giving to the benevolent fund continues to be strong. Funds donated to this account are used to help with practical needs, counselling, and community services. Seed money to start the Lake Errock food bank, invested from the benevolent fund, and partnership with the Salvation Army ensures that the benevolent fund is used to affect a practical difference in the lives of people in Central and the communities we serve. Thank you for your generosity to help others.
The elder encourage you to continue in your faithfulness to the Lord through investing in the Kingdom work of the church. It is our conviction that we are called to reach the Eastern Fraser Valley with the Gospel. It is our joy to witness the church as a whole embrace this call.
ELDER'S PRAYER
We believe in the power of prayer. We value prayer. And we believe that God answers prayer and uses it as a means of achieving His purposes in the church and world.
Central's Elders invite you to come and receive prayer in the Chilliwack Campus Sanctuary.
Tuesday, June 18 | 6.30PM - 7.00PM
Chilliwack Campus | 46100 Chilliwack Central Road
You can also submit prayer requests using the link below.
Got questions or words of encouragement? We'd love to hear from you!
Please contact The Elders - elders@centralcommunity.ca