December 26, 2024

Dear Central Church, 

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve service celebrating the best news the world has ever heard. Christ has come into the world and this is “good news of great joy, that shall be for all people.” Seeing our sanctuary aglow with candles and hearing everyone sing Silent Night is an annual tradition my family looks forward to every year. 

Many of you participated in our Food Pantry offering. Thank you supporting this ministry! Here’s a brief snapshot of what our pantry has been doing this year to bless our community: 
- Provide groceries for more than 100 families a month 
- Supply food for students in need at Rising Star Elementary 
- Extend hospitality to all, including first generation immigrant families and those that speak English as a second language  

As the need in our community has increased, we have a need for increased funding for this ministry. I don’t have a final total on the amount raised, but I am confident that because of your generosity, we’ll be able to continue this ministry in 2025. If you’d like to give electronically, you can click here to a giving page specifically for the Food Pantry. 

This Sunday is our last worship gathering of 2024! We will have one service only at 10:30am, and there are no Life Groups meeting. Our middle school pastor, Rev. Tyler Zehr, will be preaching. Tyler is a 2020 graduate of MidAmerica Nazarene University with a major in Youth Ministry. He grew up in Central Church, and first felt the Lord calling him to ministry through the nurture and care of this congregation. Tyler is engaged to Emma Fusselman, who also serves at Central in our Care and Connect ministries. They plan to get married this summer, and we are excited for what God is doing in their lives and their ministry together. 

As we finish out 2024, let me say again how thankful I am to be your pastor. This has been an incredible year of ministry, and I’m looking forward to all that God is going to do in 2025!

Until He’s Finished,
Pastor Mark