Rev. Charles Watkins, Pastor of Central
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With thirty-three years of pastoral experience, Charles Watkins serves as Central's Senior Minister. As spiritual administrator of the congregation, he has oversight responsibility for the entire mission and ministry of the congregation. He preaches at both Sunday services eighty per cent of the year and schedules the pulpit for the remaining Sundays. He directs planning for Sunday worship services and seasonal celebrations.
He visits homebound members, hospital patients, nursing home residents, prospective members, and bereaved families. He officiates at weddings, conducts funerals, performs baptisms, provides pastoral counseling, and leads staff devotional services. He teaches Bible study courses, a Discipleship Class for prospective members, and one third of the Pastors' Class sessions during Lent.
Pastor Watkins supervises the ministerial staff, the musical staff, the clerical staff, and the custodial staff and presides at weekly staff meetings. He oversees the operation of the financial office. He provides staff support and attends the meetings of the Church Council, Diaconate, Board of Elders, Planning Committee, Nominating Committee, Personnel Department, Property Department and its Decor Committee, Public Relations Department, Stewardship Department, Board of Trustees, and Worship Department. He writes a weekly column for the Central Visitor along with other newsletter articles, prepares the annual Central Wish List and the annual report on special gifts distributed on All Saints Sunday.
He serves on the Board of Directors of Webster-Cantrell Hall in Decatur.
Called to
Central
After ten months of intensive evaluation of resumes, visits to applicants, and personal interviews and correspondence, the pulpit committee, headed by Mr. Al Fagin, unanimously agreed to issue a call to Rev. Charles Watkins and his family to join the Central team.
Rev. Charles Watkins came to Decatur in 1992 from his previous position as Senior Minister, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Owensboro, Kentucky, where he had successfully led the church since 1981. He had also previously served as minister at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Carbondale, Illinois, from 1970-1981.
Charles Watkins is a native Texan who received a B.A. degree from Texas Tech University in 1963, Master of Divinity from Yale University in 1969, and Master of Sacred Theology from Yale University in 1970. Jane Combs Watkins, who married Charles in 1968, holds degrees from the University of Illinois and Yale University. Their son, Benjamin, completed a bachelor's degree at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.
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Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
(217) 428-4336
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