Announcements

Hello from Melinda!

 Hello, Friends!

A year ago, I had no idea that I would be here – at Central – getting to serve God alongside you all (note I say you all, not y’all even though I hail from the South. I had no idea that my dream ministry position would ever come my way – to be an associate pastor for spiritual formation and pastoral care.

But what I did know, then and now… God calls us to new life in Christ – every day, not just in one season, but for all the seasons of our lives. The question is: will we be open and respond to that new life?

I am impressed with how God’s Spirit has shown up in my life, time and time again. The fact that I am getting to be with you, beginning in the Easter season, the season of New Life, is fitting for all of us.

Jesus has called us friends… from John 15:15, we hear, ¹⁵ I do not call you    servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is  doing, but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.

I love people, I love sharing good things with people, and I love nurturing others. And, once you are in my heart, it is for always. I hope you will consider me your friend!

                           - Rev. Melinda

Liturgists Needed

Wanted: Liturgists

Central is looking for more liturgists to serve in either Traditional or Contemporary worship. Liturgists help usher people into a worshipful mindset by leading a prepared Call to Worship during the service. They also write their own invocation prayer that is read before the Lord’s prayer. Training available! For more information, contact Pastor Michael.

Welcome Pastor Melinda

Melinda McDonald has accepted a call to serve Central Christian Church as Associate Pastor for Adult Spiritual Formation and Pastoral Care, a three-quarter time position. She comes at the unanimous recommendation of the pastoral search committee and the affirmative vote by the Church Council on behalf of the congregation.

Pastor Melinda plans to move to Decatur in April and will join the staff at Central effective April 8.  Her first Sunday in worship with us will be April 14.

Congregational ministry is a second career for Pastor Melinda.  She felt a call to ministry and enrolled in seminary in 2011 following several years as an English and creative writing teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Master of Arts in Elementary Education, and a Master of Divinity. She was ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) North Carolina region in 2015, and since then she has served small congregations in Georgia and North Carolina as interim pastor and as supply minister. Melinda and her husband Eric have one son and two grandchildren, ages 9 and 2.

Central’s Pastoral search committee was formed in early 2023 to seek and evaluate candidates for an associate minister position. Search committee members were Gregg Foltz, chair, Keith Backes, Betty Chapman, Janet Lyman, Tom Ritter, Shirley Swarthout and David Wagner.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

Do you knit, crochet or use a loom? The volunteers of the Prayer Shawl Ministry donate their time and talent to make prayer shawls, hats and pocket prayers shawls. We meet the first Wednesday of each month at 1:30pm in the Connection Cafe.

Please come and join us! We have patterns available for most skill levels and will be happy to help you get started. Contact the church office for more information.