April 13, 2022

PRAYER REQUESTS

•  Binfords: “Please continue to keep Gerry’s nephew, William, and his family in prayer. It appears that his wife had a seizure this morning (Sunday, April 10^th). She is still in ICU at UAB Hospital. They are running more tests today (Sunday, April 10^th). She has not been stabilized enough to undergo surgery.”

•  Seth Bond: “Please pray for Shane Whelchel. Having troubled times.”

•  Stacey Condron: Please put out this prayer request for me.  A young lady I know has diabetes and is in the hospital. I received this text from her boyfriend's mother. Her blood sugar went up, she had a 20-minute seizure and her heart stopped. She did wake up, her pulse was a little high. She got an MRI to make sure it wasn't a stroke or anything else. They will keep me posted. On a different note: the young lady shared with me that she comes from an abusive family and is trying to move out on her own until she graduates. She is a sweet girl who is strong, smart and is having to grow up too fast to make a better life for herself. Please pray for her health and her current situation. Pray that God will watch over her and take care of her. And pray that God will give me the wisdom and the right words to help guide her and love her anyway I can. Thank you.”

•  Lisa Cooper: “Thank you for all your prayers for my family and me. Please pray for my son’s father, Steve, who has debilitating back pain and dementia.”

•  Dittos: “The Christian Chronicle has a list of Christian organizations ministering to Ukraine in different ways. They will put your donations to good use.” (Pat emailed these places to all members Monday, April 11^th.)

•  Melanie Gipson: “Pray for Latoya going through chemo for breast cancer. Pray for Gary, who has prostrate cancer, having surgery in 2 days. Pray for Angelia’s surgery for amputated right leg.”

•  Charlie Hopkins: “We miss being with you. Please pray that this will be a week of improvement and less pain for Barbara.”

•  “Jackson and Allison Ledford want to give praise for the Huntsville Inner City Learning Center getting a new building. This will allow them to accommodate more children to tutor and teach the Bible. The building was donated by Bethan Baptist Church, and this will allow for high schoolers to be a part of the program.”

•  Donna Roshell: “Please join me in praying for and encouraging my friend, Tammy. Her mother, Betty, has dementia. Yesterday (Saturday, April 9^th) she let me know Hospice informed her that she is transitioning and it’s just a matter of time. Please send cards to Tammy McWilliams (mother – Betty McWilliams), 23069 Porter Road, Elkmont, AL 35620.” (Update: Betty McWilliams passed away Tuesday, April 12^th. Please continue to keep Tammy in your prayers.)

•  Mothers-In-Waiting: Jessica Ogle (4/20), Sarah Phillips (5/5), Mishaella Ryans (7/7) and Breanna Baucum (7/13).

•  Our Shut-ins: Greta Ashburn, Amelia Biser, Jamie Cole, Barbara Hopkins, Clyde Jones, Ted Moore, Mary Etta Neiland, LaVonne Norville, and Sheril Townsley

•  Our Missionaries: Denisovs & Rahimovs (Tomsk, Russia), Kishore Etwaroo Family (Port Kaituma, Guyana), Carlos & Linda Eguizabal (Juayua & Salcoatitan, El Salvador) & YOU (Huntsville Area)

THANK YOU

Dear Sonrisers and all of our Central Family,

Please accept my heartfelt thanks for all the love and support shown to our family after Bill’s passing. Your presence at the visitation, personal visits, phone calls, sweet cards, beautiful flowers and generous donations of food show us in so many tangible ways how much we are loved and have been blessed to be a part of this community. Bill missed seeing you as much in person these past couple of years, but please know how much he loved and appreciated all of you and was thankful that we could keep in touch through the Sunday streaming service. I am and will continue to be grateful for all the support that you have shown to me through this very difficult time.   

With love,

Sheril Townsley

Central Family,

Thank you so much for all your love, the upcoming meals, and the huge fruit/snack basket to help us as we get settled with baby Vivian. We appreciate all your support and the “big” kids have really enjoyed all the fruit and yummy snacks. We love you all!

God Bless,

The Sherrill Family

YOU ARE INVITED

Couples Shower

HONORING

Jamie Kuhn and Reid McNabb

Sunday, May 1^st, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Central Church of Christ

407 Clinton Avenue, East

Huntsville, Alabama 35801

Registered at Amazon Home Depot and Target

FROM THE ELDERS

The following announcement was made by David Nance on behalf of the elders during our April 10 assembly. The elders encourage you to reflect on this and prepare your heart and schedule to support this special time together.

- Jamie on behalf of the elders

Seven Weeks Training in Prayer and Fasting 

The elders are calling the whole church to a time of prayer and fasting based in Scripture. We believe doing this together would be more likely to increase our growth and maturity than attempting it alone. Examples in the book of Acts mention the disciples praying and fasting together so we want to encourage these practices today.

We had a series on spiritual disciplines recently and we want to move from teaching to practice. Also, after two years of COVID-19, we believe that a common activity focused on the basics would strengthen the church. Our goal is that this time will be used to help young Christians establish these disciplines in their lives and older Christians to grow in them. All of us have room to grow to be more like our Savior, so this is our desire.

Each week we will share a Psalm for you to read and guide you as you pray. We’re asking the entire congregation to read the Psalm for that week and pray through it, asking God to guide us as we learn to pray like the psalmist. We are also asking you to dedicate one day each week to fasting. During the fast we are asking people to focus on three specific ideas:

1.   Recognize our need for God is greater than the need for anything else (food, cell phones, social media, or whatever else we depend on daily).

2.   Ask God to guide us in our own spiritual growth along with the growth of our family and others.

3.   Praying for the leaders at Central and for the Holy Spirit to guide us in the future direction of the church.

For those who already practice these, please encourage those who haven’t. For others who may never have tried these before, or don’t do this regularly, this is great time to begin, and general guidance will be provided.

We want to begin on April 17 and continue to June 5 (Easter to Pentecost).

We will have a meal together for the whole church on June 5 to celebrate this time we spend together and to look forward to seeing what God has in store for us.

EASTER GATHERING

The Timberland Trace LIFE Talk has celebrated Easter together for many years. This year we are celebrating here at the building and would like to invite anyone who would like to join us for an Easter Potluck. Please bring a dish to share and filled eggs if you would like for your kids to join in on an egg hunt. Our kids who are "too old" for the egg hunt usually play board games so if that is more your speed come join them. This has become a favorite annual event for us, and we would like to share it with the rest of our family.

April 17, 2022
12:00 – 5:00 pm

If you have any questions please contact: Suzie Nance, Brenda Wade or Carrie Wisehart.

PICTURE DAYS FOR DIRECTORY BOARD

It's time to update your family picture for our directory! New pictures will be taken on Sunday, April 24^th, and Sunday, May 1^st. Please make your way down to room next to the library/across from the nursery either between class and assembly or after assembly to take your family photo.

SUNDAY MORNING ASSEMBLY SERIES

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

•  April 17 – The Cross and Resurrection of Christ – Allen Wright

WEDNESDAY ADULT CLASS OPTIONS – SPRING 2022

March 9 through May 25

1.      The Power to Change the World: A Study of the Book of Acts (Library; Coordinator: Melinda Goad; Women only) – In person or Zoom

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86546256824?pwd=ZndPSUdCUm02ZVJ1THdZVG5KWEk2QT09

2.      Growing in Personal Bible Study (Family Life Center; Teacher: Gregg Rigney) – In person or Zoom

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86363371603?pwd=cjM1bmFxZ0kyTU5SR1VQUlN2QlpOZz09

3.      Praise and Worship Gathering (Room 200; Coordinators: Daniel Alavi, Gerry Binford, and Rodney Keeton)

An optional gathering began Wednesday, April 6^th, during the 7:00 pm class time. This gathering is intended to be both outreach and encouragement focused. It is designed to reach new members, “Covid” displaced members, visitors, and anyone seeking a time of praise and worship on a Wednesday evening. In an effort to be sensitive to younger families who cannot stay late on Wednesdays, this gathering will start promptly at 7:00 pm and finish at 7:30 pm. Anyone wishing to stay until 8:00 pm can do so and fellowship with one another. During this time, there will be singing, prayer and Scripture reading centered around spiritual disciplines. All are welcome to attend! If you already attend a Bible class or small group on Wednesday evenings, please continue to do so! If not, feel free to join us in Room 200. 

SENIOR SUNDAY

Central’s Senior Sunday will be April 24^th. Graduates, please fill out your form and turn it back into the office or email everything to pat(-at-)centralfamily.org along with a digital picture (jpg or img) of yourself by Wednesday, April 13^th!!!

High School:  Caleb Arnold, Nechiah Green, Jazmonique Johnson, Carlos Keeton, Jordan Palmer, Christopher Wade, and Alison Wisehart

College:          Laura Grace Ashburn, William Ashburn, Mysteree Bowen, Brandon Crittenden, Cameron Crittenden, Lucny Jean, Allison Ledford, Daniel Lewis, Deborah Romine, Brandon Smith, Kathryn Ashburn Walker, and Daniel Wisehart

THE ETWAROOS ARE COMING THIS SUMMER!

Cheryl and Kishore Etwaroo, our missionaries in Guyana, South America, plan to arrive the evening of June 13^th and depart on July 5^th. They fly into Birmingham and will be sleeping at the Ditto’s house. When they leave Huntsville, they will be driven to the Felton’s house in Greenville, NC. From Greenville, they plan to visit family in New York, then fly back to Guyana. A “Sign-Up” calendar is posted in the fellowship area. For more information, contact Ed Ditto.

KITCHEN UPDATES

As you may notice we have new countertops, sinks, and facets in our kitchen. In order to keep them nice, please use the guidelines below:

1)   To clean the new countertops, please use ONLY soap and warm water. DO NOT USE any abrasives. No Clorox.

2)   Use a hot pad or towel under all hot items.

3)   Use cutting boards.

ACTIVITIES

Apr	13	Deadline to turn in Senior Sunday form and picture (See article.)
	14-17	11th-12th graders – Spring Sing
	19	Ladies’ Class – Arrival and Fellowship 10:00 am; Bible Study 10:15 am
	24	Senior Sunday (during morning assembly)
		Picture Day (See article.)
	26	Ladies’ Class – Arrival and Fellowship 10:00 am; Bible Study 10:15 am
May	1	Picture Day (See article.)
		Couples Shower Honoring Jamie Kuhn and Reid McNabb (See invitation. 2-3:30 pm)
	12	Happy Times Program (7:00 pm)
	15	Baby Shower Honoring Adam and Breanna Baucum (2:00-3:30 pm)
	22	Make-Up Day for Picture Taking

MEN TO SERVE – APRIL

Chair Set-Up – Garrett Bell’s Team

Counting – Yocus Jones’ Team

Ushering – Ryan Bell’s Team