Growth Groups Begin Anew

Central Reminder: Growth Groups Begin anew tonight in the series “Questions Jesus Asked”. The church group, Ty Webb’s, & Russ Hale’s & Les Tubb’s meet @5pm. John Smith & Patrick Lankford’s meet at 5:30pm. Bob Young’s meets at 6pm. Have a blessed night diving deeper into Jesus!

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Happy 2022 – Online & Paper Bible Reading

Have you signed up for a Bible Reading plan yet for 2022? One of the best ways to start your new year right is with daily reading. Central has selected a yearlong Bible reading plan that is available in a single page (double-sided) print format and an online format through the YouVersion Bible App. This yearlong plan moves quicker through the Old Testament and slows down for the New Testament. It also has built-in catchup days in November and December in case you get behind! Our online Bible reading lets you view a background video devotional from “The Bible Project” and also features a comment section so you can chat with other church members about the day’s reading. Whether you like chatting with others in the online app, listening to your reading aloud in YouVersion, or just the feel of checking a box on your paper, this Bible reading plan of God’s Holy Word will be a blessing to you! Just click our link for an option to sign up online or download a paper copy. Happy 2022! https://www.christiscentral.org/links/

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New Year’s Game Night

Central Reminder: New Year’s Game Night is at 8pm tonight in the annex. Ring in the new year by bringing a snack and your favorite game. Celebrate the blessings of 2021 and look forward to God’s adventures in 2022! May you be blessed to see God’s providence in your new year!

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Stockton Family FFA in the Newspaper

Some families hand recipes down from generation to generation. Some families pass jewelry and heirlooms from grandparents to parents to children. Some families instill a love for a certain college athletic team in their children. Some families make memories visiting their favorite vacation spot year after year.

The Stocktons, however, have been passing a love for farming, making memories in the fields and the barns on their land, and instilling a love for the Future Farmers of America across three generations.

Mike Stockton, his son Paul, and Mike’s grandchildren, Mackenzie and Will, are all members of the White County Chapter of FFA, with the youngest, Will, getting his blue jacket and continuing the family tradition, this fall.

Both Paul and his father Mike have earned Greenhand Degrees, Chapter Degrees, and the coveted Tennessee FFA State Degree during their time in the organization, and, while Mike has become limited in his involvement in the local chapter recently because of his age, he still loves to teach his grandchildren and pass along all the family knowledge of agriculture. Paul, on the other hand, is still heavily involved in FFA, volunteering his time to help with any of the local chapter events and coaching the livestock judging team in judging cattle.

“Agriculture has been a big part of all our lives since we were young,” Paul explained about the family tradition. “Being involved in FFA gave us the opportunity to make connections with others who live the same way of life we do, learn and expand our knowledge within our desired fields, and also allows us to teach others and advocate for the importance of agriculture.”

While helping the local FFA chapter is a passion for the Stockton family, teaching begins at home, and both father and grandfather wanted to teach the next generation the importance of hard work and responsibility. Mackenzie and Will  grew up riding the family tractor and feeding cows with their dad, while also spending time in the garden, planting vegetables with their grandfather.

“We wanted them to know that they would get back whatever they put into their work,” Paul said about having his children working in the fields at early ages and added that the agricultural work is year-round. “Training show calves, showing our cattle, and starting a garden usually starts out our year in the winter and spring. Summer is a lot of work as we start the major shows of the circuit, maintain our garden and prepare for harvest, and cut hay to prepare for the coming winter. Fall and winter at the end of the year consists of our final harvest in the garden and feeding our calves hay through winter.”

And, as if that wasn’t enough to keep all three generations of White County FFA members busy, Paul and Mackenzie are busy throughout the entire year selling the calves they raise and working with Mackenzie’s horse.

While the work is hard and the hours are long, you won’t find the Stocktons, even the youngest generation, complaining.

“My favorite part of farming is reaping the rewards of all my hard work. Buying and raising animals with potential and seeing them improve over time as I work with them,” Mackenzie, who is a senior at White County High School, said while her brother, Will, a freshman this year, said that studying ways to improve the crop yield and quality of plants in both his flower and vegetable gardens are his favorite parts of working on the farm.

Working on the farm, whether in the fields or the barns, is a family tradition, but so is participating in the White County chapter of the Future Farmers of America, where each of the Stocktons said they have learned more about themselves and connect with like-minded individuals who will aid them in their futures.

“Getting to learn more about agriculture and applying what I’ve learned on my own farm is something I took away from all of my years involved in FFA,” Mike said, while his son, Paul, said making new friends who share your interests and values and being able to stand with them, and them with you, through the highs and lows of both farming and life itself is something he will always cherish.

“FFA has allowed me to find my place in school as well as helped me to find what my interests are,” Will, the last of the Stocktons to have been able to put on the Blue Jacket, said explaining the importance of the organization to him, while his sister said meeting new people from across the state and sharing a collective knowledge of agriculture with them is what makes being an FFA member important to her.

While each of the Stocktons got their start in FFA in the halls of White County High School, and while Mike and Paul have continued their involvement through their adult lives and have shared a love for agriculture and instilled the importance of working the land in Mackenzie and Will, the future for the youngest two is still theirs to make what they want out of it, but there is no doubt that FFA will play a part in helping them determine what that future looks like.

“I hope that my experience in farming and FFA has given me the knowledge I need to one day become a successful large animal veterinarian and to help me better run my own farm in the future,” Mackenzie, who will graduate in a few short months, said.

Then, she will start the next leg of her agriculture education as she builds on the foundation that her father, grandfather, and FFA have given her.

And Will, while he has a few more years as a student member of the White County FFA chapter, is looking toward the future as well, saying he hopes the skills he has learned on the farm and the knowledge he will gain over his next four years in FFA will help him decide what his future will include.

“Having my family involved in agriculture has made them into more responsible and well-rounded individuals,” Amanda, Paul’s wife and the mother of the youngest generation of Stockton FFA members, said. “It also makes me happy to see them engaging in things that they are passionate about that will have an impact on their communities.”

Four members. Three generations. Countless hours. Unmeasurable amounts of work. But for the Stockton family, FFA and agriculture is their heritage.
Posted from the Expositor here: https://spartalive.com/stories/ffa-lives-across-three-generations,41991?fbclid=IwAR1aolysysccBns0L0dWOOxScDEoBaazXlRcmgotEqFFARm1AdPsvYhcRQ4

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New Wed PM Class: Biblical Ecclesiology

Our Wed PM Adult Biblical Ecclesiology class votes are in from last week. Our “Build A Class” effort from last week was a success taking us through April 2022! Thank you to the 33 people who shared their topic preferences from Everett Ferguson’s book, “THE CHURCH of CHRIST: A Biblical Ecclesiology for Today”. Tonight we begin our study in “History & Eschatology: Covenant.”
Click here to buy the book in paper format or on Kindle.
Click here for the .PDF Printable.

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Sermon Notes: 12/26: New Beginnings – Lighting the Way

WELCOME: to Central Church of Christ. As we shift from a wonderful Christmas season to thinking about the new year of 2022, we want to focus on New Beginnings and Psalm 119 is the perfect place to begin!

  • This chapter is not only unique in its length but also in its symmetry, for it is laid out to coincide with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  • The Psalm is a mosaic arranged around the central theme of God’s Word being a perfect acrostic structure. Each of the 22 stanzas contain precisely 8 verses and each of the 8 verses correspond with the letter of the Hebrew alphabet (each letter being represented 8 times? for instance, the first 8 verses all begin with the Hebrew letter aleph; the next begin with the letter bet and so on.)
  • Interesting that there are 8 verses in each stanza, for the number eight is the number of NEW BEGINNINGS in the Bible? Noah was the 8th person in the Ark (Genesis 7: 7; 2 Peter 2: 5) and the one who began the human race anew. The Hebrew male child is to be circumcised on the 8th day of his new life. On the 8th day (the first day after the Sabbath), Jesus Christ came bursting forth from the grave. This Psalm is to be one of NEW BEGINNINGS. This is why this 7-part series is entitled New Beginnings in the Word.

II Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

James 1:22 “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”  (And Luke 6:46)

Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

 

Psalm 119 Excerpts

1 Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,

    who walk according to the law of the Lord.

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?

    By living according to your word.

10 I seek you with all my heart;

    do not let me stray from your commands.

11 I have hidden your word in my heart

    that I might not sin against you.

 

Matthew 15:18-20 “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’”

Hebrews 11:24-26 “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.  He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.”

Titus 2:11-14 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

Psalm 119:11 “Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

2 Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.

James 1:16-17 “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Ephesians 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” 

14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 

http://www.pecangrovechurch.com/people/robert-reid/

 

 

ILL.- The Anvil of God’s Word

Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

When looking in, I saw upon the floor,

Old hammers worn with beating years of time.

 

“How many anvils have you had,” said I,

“To wear and batter these hammers so?”

“Just one,” said he; then with a twinkling eye,

“The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.”

 

And so, I thought, the anvil of God’s Word,

For ages, skeptics blows have beat upon;

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed – the hammers gone.

 

~ John Clifford

John Clifford has poetically explained what the good Lord taught 2600 years ago:

‘Is not my word like fire,’ declares the Lord, ‘and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?’ (Jeremiah 23:29)


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New Bible Reading Plan for 2022

Click here to sign up and follow in the YouVersion Bible App. https://bible.com/p/47919547/e1d3fa1cae141d65e3f89c3737cff000
The hardest part about reading the Bible through in a year is habitually reading the Bible. Yup, you read that right. It’s not the time (it only takes 10-12 mins a day), and it’s not about the text (that’s about 1500 words or 3 pages), the hard part is the habit of reading. We choose Bible plans to read every year, but we’re not concerned with how much or how little you read per day, but that you spend time every day in God’s Word!
This year, we invite you to join us online or on paper as we read through the Bible in a year (it’s been 2 years since we’ve done it), using the Bible Project’s plan called “One Story That Leads To Jesus.” These readings also have high quality devotional videos for you to enjoy to enhance your reading if you use the YouVersion Bible App.
Click here to sign up and follow in the YouVersion Bible App. https://bible.com/p/47919547/e1d3fa1cae141d65e3f89c3737cff000

Click here to sign up and follow in the YouVersion Bible App. https://bible.com/p/47919547/e1d3fa1cae141d65e3f89c3737cff000
Printed Copies will also be made available at church services.

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Spoofed Email Scam

Good morning church family,
Three of our members have reported receiving SPOOFED emails from me asking for $1000 in gift cards. This is a SCAM from an imposter email address.
 
The good news is that none of our church email accounts have been HACKED, meaning no unauthorized individual has gained access into our emails. SPOOFing is when someone creates a fake email address, fake Facebook account, or face phone number posing to be someone one of us.
So, if you receive an email from the spoofed account “christopher.spartacoc@gmail.com”, I would like you to do two things.
1) Report the email as “Phishing” to your email service provider. 
2) Email me or text me letting me know you received one.
I’m trying to figure out just how many of our church email addresses they have and where they got them from.
 

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Sermon Notes: 12/19 – Christmas Prep #4 – “Grateful Hope”

Christmas Prep4: A Grateful Hope

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:33-38

INTRO: A Hopeful Invitation

https://jimdaly.focusonthefamily.com/a-story-of-presidential-kindness/

WELCOME: to Central: Week 4 of Christmas Prep

            Week 1: Repentence – God prepared the Christmas story with John the Baptist first.

            Week 2: Deep and Abiding Faith – God prepared for Christmas with Mary making at least 8 references to God Almighty –  instead of references to a cute baby.

            Week 3: Humility – Do you have a humble heart that makes room for Jesus?

            Week 4: Grateful Hope!

Luke 2:25-26  “there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for (anticipating) the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, that he would not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.”

Luke 2:38  “she began to give thanks to God and to speak of (Jesus) to all who were waiting for (anticipating) the redemption of Jerusalem.”

YES IMPORTANT! BUT THEY WERE! They were important to God! And do you know HOW I know they were important to God? God told us their names… and He told us what they said. Their lives mattered because God said they mattered.

God says that Simeon was “righteous and devout” (Luke 2:25). 

            https://www.shinesty.com/products/western-ugly-christmas-suit – 

            Devoted – https://www.thescore.com/news/1973115

 Anna was an 84 year old widow who “did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.” (Luke 2:37) Anna was always at the Temple, and she COMMITTED herself to fasting… and to praying night and day.

 
Newsboys – “Committed” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WubT3UCjdzo – 2016

This is my story, this is my song

I have a hope that’s stronger then the dust I’m standing on

This is my anchor, my cornerstone

This is the anthem I’ll be singing, till the Kingdom comes

I am committed, I’m not ashamed

I pledge my allegiance to Jesus, My King

I am committed, got nothing to hide

I’m not giving up, not selling out, I’m in this for life

I am committed, to Christ

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/salvation-army-bells-noise-complaint/story?id=17780903

ILLUS: CHRISTMAS WISH LIST! 10 year old girl.

 https://www.boredpanda.com/10-year-old-christmas-gift-wish-list/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
 
“The people walking in darkness have seen a GREAT LIGHT (Jesus) on those living in the land of the shadow of death a LIGHT has dawned.”  (Isaiah 9:2)

  When Anna saw Jesus “she began to give thanks to God and to speak of (Jesus) to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” Luke 2:38

 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32
 
 
I think the Poem recorded by Angie Mosteller expresses the Jesus of Christmas well.   

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the earth,

Every creature was stirring, awaiting a birth.

The time for Messiah was certainly near,

The prophets foretold it; the Bible was clear.

 

From the book of beginnings, the very first sin,

God’s word made it clear how His grace entered in.

Born of a virgin, He’d come as a man.

The Creator among us, the time was at hand.

 

The stars were arranged to show marvelous things,

Setting Wise Men to journey and find the true King.

Shepherds in Bethlehem gazed on the sky,

Longing to see him, their Lord the Most High.

 

How could they know that the very next night

An angel of God would speak words of delight?

How the Savior was born, it was news of great joy.

In a cloth and a manger they’d find the dear boy.

 

And a heavenly host would soon join to sing

Of the glory of God and of wonderful things.

He entered creation, set position aside

To show us how deeply his love did abide.

 

Sin sent us away from our almighty Lord.

He became one of us that we might be restored.

He’s the Prince of our Peace; He’s the one who makes whole.

He is Wisdom Incarnate, a Shepherd of Souls.

 

He’s the Author of Life; He’s the Ruler of All.

He can offer salvation, on His name we call.

The shepherds and Wise Men would bow to adore

Holy God among men, our greatest reward.

 

All glory and honor is due to this King.

Let all join in worship; let every tongue sing.

Jesus is Lord, all creation proclaims.

He’s the first and last, He is always the same.

 

History turned on the first Christmas day,

When God became man in a humble display.

As we think of the manger in which He was laid,

Let our hearts welcome Him to the world He made!

 
 

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Singing Service Tomorrow Night!

Central Reminder: Our 3rd Sunday singing is tomorrow night @ 5pm! We’re going to have fun singing holiday themed hymns & more. We’ll also follow service with hot chocolate & marshmallows served in the lobby for fellowship! If you have any song numbers to request, please text them to Topher by noon tomorrow. Praise Him!


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