QJOT&TITTLETHE NEWSLETTER OF CENTRAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

VOLUME 44, NO. 9 NOVEMBER 2020“For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfi lled.” -- Matthew 5:18 (KJV)

WORSHIP SCHEDULEONLINE SUNDAY SERVICES

8:45 AM & 10:55 AM

L W :. .

Sunday Worship services are webcast live. Watch on your PC, MAC, Android, iPhone, iPod, iPad, or Roku device. The bulletin is also posted each week on the website.

CONGREGATIONAL CAREPastor Lisa Re ew

828-253-3316, ext. 1305lre ew@centralumc.org

Prayer Request link:centralumc.org/prayer

FACEBOOK.COM/CENTRALUMC

CUMCASHEVILLE

CENTRALTOLIFE

Finance Report

2020 Annual Budget:$1,681,548

Revenue Received 9/30/20:$960,489

(Revenue Received 9/30/19):$988,463

Dear Central Family,

Quo ng his mom, Rob reminds us that some mes in life the only appropriate response is “Thank You.” This stewardship season we have embraced a posture of gra -tude, recognizing that being grateful is our response to the gi and grace of God. And it is grace and gra tude that build the founda on for growth.

There is no doubt that 2020 has been a challenging year. Between a global pandemic, systemic racism, and economic unknowns we are learning to be the church in a me that is unlike any in our life mes. And yet, Central con nues to strive to share God’s love in the world. You, members of the Central community, con nue to inno-vate and try new ways to love our neighbors. From Congrega ons 4 Children to Vaca on Bible School, Stephen Ministry, Journey Groups, and youth PODS, we con nue to strive to be the best church possible. None of this is possible without all of us working together.

This all makes our stewardship theme this year very clear: Rooted and Connected through Grace, Gra tude, and Growth. It is because of God’s grace that we are able to serve in the world. God’s grace pushes us to generosity of me, talent, and treasure. Thank you for your commitment to God and to God’s work through Central.

Grace and Peace,

CUMC Stewardship Commi ee Chris Hykin Jean McGuire John G Pierce

Meg Ragland Merry Jenkins Rod Douglas

Sco P Abernethy N. Sco Pritchard Rev. Luke Lingle

Dr. Rob Blackburn

828-253-3316

www.centralumc.org

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By now you should have received a 2021 Pledge Card in the mail. We ask that all 2021 Pledges be submitted by December 11. Central will email (or mail) pledge

confirmations the week of December 18.

Please remember that an easy way to pledge is to log on to your personal REALM account. You may also enter your pledge online at centralumc.org. For questions on your pledge, please contact Alan Gibson at agibson@centralumc.org or 253-3316 ext. 1313.

Thank you for all that you do for Central!

ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD MEETING

The Administra ve Board mee ng originally sched-uled for October 4 has been rescheduled. A combined Charge Conference and Administra ve Board mee ng (Zoom) will be held on November 15 at 4:00 p.m. District Superintendent Mark Ralls will join us for the Charge Conference. The Charge Conference will include 2021 Conference Acceptances and the 2021 Haywood Street Campus Lease Agreement. We will send out mee ng materials and Zoom instruc ons in a future email.

ADULT

Hello Central Family! As we move through the fall, I love to look at all of the beautiful colors and see the changing landscape as new vistas become clearer as leaves fall away. We are moving into a new season as a church - fall and Advent in a digital world.

I know that many of you have found ways to connect virtually and for that I am grateful. If you are not connected virtually and want to be, please call or email me at pneitzey@centralumc.organd we can get something set up. If you have

ADULT MINISTRY (Cont.)

been feeling like you want to start a small group, or Bible Study, please give me a call and we can set up a time to meet either digitally, or socially distanced, outside at HighFive on Riverside Dr.

Peace and Blessings,

Patrick

Rela onships Ma er

There is a lot that we lost earlier this spring when we went into lockdown and have not go en back. For some it was a schedule, for some a loved one, and this list goes on. One of the things we didn’t lose, but was greatly interrupted, was our rela onships with one another.

As a people of God, we believe that “rela on-ship” is a key component to what it means to be a person of faith. This stems from our Trinitarian theology and the holy dance between the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of our faith. We believe in the incarna on, the act of God becoming fl esh to dwell, live, and love among the created. We read stories with the dynamic complexity of rela onships between people and others and the divine. We believe rela onships ma er.

In mes of great disrup on and distress, it’s not just our rela onship with God that ma ers, but it’s also our rela onship with one another. It’s true that it is in our rela onship with each other that God breaks in, moves, and transforms all par es. We are changed by each other, moved by each other, encouraged by each other, and made to feel loved and prized by each other. It is there that God moves back and forth, fi lling the spaces and breaking the chains of loneliness and anxiety through our rela onships with one another. Rela onships ma er, rela onships are holy.My hope is that the PODS we started with over 40 of our young people around the city, will cre-ate that space for the holy rela onships we

(Cont. on pg. 3)

Jot & TittleNovember 2020

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YOUTH MINISTRY (Cont.)

have with one another - to deepen them, to grow them, and transform them.

My prayer is that our rela onships with each other as a congrega on will do the same during this me and that we become a light of love, hope, grace, peace, and joy, for a messy and upended world.

Grace and Peace,

Andrew

November 4 Worship

Children's Sabbath is a space for the Children of Central UMC to serve their church during worship. Central Children’s Ministry and the Central Weekday School will be leading diff erent parts of worship.

PODS – Small groups of no more than 10 children mee ng at the church. This is an opportunity for children to safely see their church friends and spend me together. PODS will meet on Sundays from 1-2:30 p.m. and are off ered during children’s choir. This is for children grades Kindergarten – 5th grade. For more informa on about par cipa ng, email Ann Henderson Owens at:

aowens@centralumc.org

Home Visits from Ann – Over the summer, Ann set up a few sign-ups to visit families and had some great visits! We want to start that up again! If your child would like a home visit from Ann (socially distanced and outside) please reach out! aowens@centralumc.org

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY (Cont.)

Children’s Sunday School – As some of you may have no ced, Ann has been traveling to diff erent families homes to record Sunday School lessons. We'd love to have more kids’ help who are interested. Videos are prerecorded the week before and they go out every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Previous videos can be found on the CUMC YouTube.com web page, under the "Sunday School" Playlist.

Advent Family Boxes – This Advent and Christmas Season we will off er boxes for families to order and pick up at the church. Inside, they will contain family-centered weekly ac vi es that will follow our Advent Devo onals. Families can order a box by emailing Ann Henderson Owens at: aowens@centralumc.org

Angel Tree – This year we will again off er an opportunity to provide holiday gi s for children of Eliada Home and Black Mountain Children’s Home. To sign up for a child either email Ann Henderson Owens or call her at 253-3316, ext. 1308.

C4C - The members of the C4C team would like to extend their deep gra tude for the congrega- on’s support of the Emma Elementary school

students and their families. Thanks to our church’s eff orts, we were able to provide the teachers and students with school supplies for the en re2020/2021 school year, as well as provide coats to almost 90 children! Thanks to the support ofour church community, we are s ll able to be the hands and feet of Christ in our surroundingcommunity. - Ann H. Owens & the C4C Team

C4C Food Drive - We will s ll be collec ng pantry items for the Child First Resource Center located beside Emma Elementary School. Dona- ons can be dropped off on November 29. We

will let you know when we decide where the collec on point will be located.

Jot & TittleNovember 2020

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CHILDREN'S MINISTRY (Cont.)

Confirmation - Our 6th graders virtually began their confi rma on journey in early September. Our focus this year is building meaningful rela onships among peers, as well as mentors. So far this year’s class has been inten onal to connect with each other through laughter and community. Through a video call, the group was able to meet on October 18 and play some team-building games together. Another exci ng year of confi rma on is ahead of us!

In November Central United Methodist Women normally celebrate World Thank Offering by showing our gratitude in person at one of our circle meetings. This year will be a little different. No in person meetings, but we will still remember and support our National Mission Institutions by our giving. Not an Ubuntu Day this year, but our money offerings. For more than 135 years, Methodist women have given to the World Thank Offering through United Methodist Wom-en (UMW) and its predecessor organizations. The World Thank Offering is an opportunity for individuals to respond to God’s abundant grace. When we share our gifts and they are combined with the gifts of others, our contributions make possible the support of National Mission Institu-tions and international projects and partners to meet the physical and social needs of women, children and youth. To see where these National Mission Institutions are, go to:unitedmethodistwomen.org/maps/mission-maps.

Dear Church Family,In apprecia on of your years of par cipa on in the Peace Lights Tree, we are erec ng a Unity Tree in the Memorial Garden. Our prayer is for Unity in Asheville, NC and the United States.

Members of the Anna Circle

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN (Cont.)

Anna Circle - We have met outside the Fellowship Hall in September and October. We socialized and had a program. It was great to see everyone. A lot of our members are baby and child-si ng for parents who are working. What great Chris- an grandmothers! Blessings. Bunny and Glenda

Martha Circle - Are you looking for a fun and suppor ve group of women? A place to explore how God’s word intersects with today’s craziness? A way to help women, children, and youth? Join Martha Circle! We meet the fi rst Tuesday of each month in the evening. Our most recent mee ngs have been at a park, but as the weather grows colder and the days shorter, we’ll be moving to Zoom. You can join us from anywhere! Contact Alexandra Holland at alexandra@wncnature.com or Laura Steil at laura.steil30@gmail.com for details on our next mee ng. We’d love to see you!

Ruth Circle has not met in person or through Zoom, but we stay in touch with one another through notes and phone calls. Our contribu ons to United Methodist Women have con nued. We are looking forward to seeing one another but are trying to stay safe.

Memorial &HonorariumsMemorial

In Memory of: Dr. Wallace KirbyBy: Phil & Pat Smith

In Memory of: Dr. Mark Freeman for Green Family Fire Fund

By: Roger & Renee Alexander

Honorariums

Honorarium: Dell & Sherman DillardBy: Marvin & Mimi Cole

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CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS

Poinse as will be placed in the Sanctuary on Sunday, December 13. If you would like to order one in memory or in honor of a loved one, please complete the order form below and mail it to the church at:

Central UMCATTN: Poinse as

27 Church St.Asheville, NC 28801-3303

Please make checks payable to Central UMC with “Poinse as”wri en in the memo line. The cost of each poinse a is $6.00.

THE DEADLINE TO ORDER IS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

POINSETTIA ORDER FORM

1. Please print clearly, your name and the name of the person(s) for whom your poinse a is in memory or in honor of on the form below.

2. A ach your check ($6.00 for each poinse a you order), and drop them off at the Recep on Desk, or mail it to:

Central UMCATTN: Poinse as

27 Church St.Asheville, NC 28801-3303

Your Name: _______________________________________________________________________________

Phone #: _________________________________________________________________________________

In memory of: _____________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

In honor of: _______________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Postmaster: Send address changes to Jot & Ti le, Central United Methodist Church, 27 Church St.Asheville, NC 28801

NOVEMBER 2020Vol. 44, No. 9

Jot & Ti le (USPS 005-511) Published monthly by Central United Methodist Church

Periodical postage paid at Asheville, NC • ISSN 1052-7966 • Postmaster: Send address

changes to Jot & Ti le, Central United Methodist Church, 27 Church Street •

Asheville, NC 28801 • Phone 828-253-3316Web Site: www.centralumc.org

Kid's Page

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