Faithful Giving is Always in Season! Celebrating a wonderful year in ministry with Central Church. Looking to give before the ball drops? Give online now!  You can also stop by the office this week (mornings only), postmark your contribution by Saturday, December 30, 2023 or drop your gift in the offering plates this Sunday, December… Read More »

The first time, as Health and Wellness Advocate, I visited someone in our congregation that was not able to get to the church for services; her face lit up, as she greeted me in front of her Senior Living apartments, and she said, “let’s go for ice cream!”  That was not at all the greeting… Read More »

Be the Spark! Celebrating the Stewards of Central! Please take a moment to return your 2024 pledge card to the church office! So far we’ve heard from 158 households, who on average are increasing their annual giving by nearly $200 ($182 to be exact). Pledging never reflects our entire income, but it does help our… Read More »

The blessing of being over 70 – Your church and charitable donations can be tax free!! As I move closer to social security and Medicare age I try to focus on the glass being half-full. Seasoned citizens are often reminded of an accumulation of aches and pains and the doctor’s visits that can fill up… Read More »

Be the Spark! We’re a big congregation with multiple worship services, so you may or may not know Jay Bearup. He is often in the back of the sanctuary, his beautiful young daughter, Win, crawling around and swaying to the music. She adds so much joy wherever she is present!  Win was Baptized in the… Read More »

Kalkaska Area Interfaith Resources (KAIR) Established in 1995, Kalkaska Area Interfaith Resources (KAIR) is a non-profit, interfaith, community-based, multi-faceted volunteer organization that assists individuals and families in Kalkaska County. In May of 2023, KAIR food pantry services expanded to include families in Antrim County.  According to KAIR director, Cathy Somes, each month KAIR serves from… Read More »

As the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Interlochen Center for the Arts, I have the opportunity to teach my Necessary Conversations: A Look at Implicit Bias session every two weeks for our new hires. In each of these sessions we begin with group agreements of how we are going to communicate with each… Read More »

Our Neighbors’ Garden Sowing Seeds of Hope: A Story of Blessings from Bountiful Harvests “Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”  Galatians 6:9 Since 2011, John Ellinger and a host of tireless volunteers armed with ambition and green… Read More »

Sing A New Church into Being with Pastor Linda Stephan Every once in a while, I take a risk and I sing out a few lines in the middle of the sermon. I never really know ahead of time if I’ll have the courage to sing, or if I’ll just end up speaking the words.… Read More »

Pure Water – Luxury or Lifesaver? We take clean drinking water for granted, but many people in parts of the U.S. and some other countries struggle with waterborne diseases and related problems because of contaminated water. A major missional initiative for Central Church is Pure Water for the World – a grassroots organization with the vision of bringing an… Read More »