THE LOOP 1 Smart. Funny. Athletic. Polite. Godly. DON’T WORRY, WE HAVE YOU COVERED *Caution. Individual results may vary, prayer may be needed. CENTRAL Elizabeth Schultz, an Ontario certified teacher, and Christine Hanes, a registered ECE, are excited to provide a Biblical-based preschool program for children to learn and grow. We aim to prepare children for JK while, also, encouraging them to reach their potential in a caring, Christian environment. CONTACT ELIZABETH SCHULTZ FOR MORE INFORMATION: [email protected] | (905) 357-0169 2 THE LOOP MAIN OFFICE Welcome to Central OPEN MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9AM - 5PM P.O. Box 20309, 240 Scott St. FIRST-TIME GUESTS St. Catharines, ON L2M 7W7 If you are a first time guest, we hope you enjoy your time with us today. Please stop by Central P: 905.937.5610 Connect with your Connection Card to receive an eco-friendly shopping bag and a DVD outlining E: [email protected] who we are as a church - a small gift from us to you! www.centralcommunitychurch.ca DO YOU HAVE CHILDREN? DOWNtoWN CAMPUS Our Nursery, for children aged 0-2, is ready to welcome your little one and is open during services. 203 Church Street, St. Catharines, ON If you are unsure of where to go, please visit Central Connect. P: 289-271-1014 KidPossible is available for children ages 3 to Grade 5 on Sunday mornings at all of our campuses. If you are a first-time guest, please visit Central Connect to register your child(ren). You can also PEN CENtrE CAMPUS receive directions on where to bring your child(ren) once they are dismissed from the service. Empire Theatre, Pen Centre, St. Catharines, ON In September, iJam (Gr 6-8) will meet in the new Youth Room on the lower level (across from the kitchen) at our Scott Street Campus after the children are dismissed. Sunday evenings, the Nursery is open, and children from 2 years - Grade 5 can join us for ‘Substance’ in the Kids Auditorium downstairs. Registration and check in are in the lobby. Service Times WONDERING ABOUT GOD, JESUS, OR THE BIBLE? SCott St: 9:30am, 11:15am & 6:00pm Starting Point runs Sundays at Scott Street Campus(10:45am). It is a 4-week, on-going course that PEN CENtrE: 10:30am explains what it means to be a follower of Christ and is designed for new believers. DOWNtoWN: 10:00am Next Step (Alpha) is a 12-week course designed to answer life’s big questions and to introduce the “basics” of Christianity. A meal is provided. For more info about either course, including when the next course starts, please contact [email protected]. Table of Contents CONFESSIONS OF A PASTOR 2 LOOKING TO GET BETTER CONNECTED? Join us for Central 101, where we will provide a short overview of our mission and strategy as well CONNECTING THROUGH LIFE GROUPS 3 as provide info on how you can partner with Central to help transform our community. Central 101 BE A PART OF SOMETHING BIG 4 is scheduled several times a year, the next class is running September 14 at 7:00PM at 240 Scott St. For more information about the next ministry Forum on September 14 please contact Karlene at COLLIDE 5 [email protected] CENTRAL YOUTH MOVEMENT 6 If you are looking for ways to get involved, try volunteering in one of Central’s ministry HECTIC IS...BEING A MOM 7 opportunities. You will need to plan to attend an upcoming Ministry Forum to help determine your next best step. SPOTLIGHT ON THE LIBRARY 8 MISSED A SUNDAY? CENTRAL KIDS 9 Watch or download our Sunday morning sermons on-line at VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT 10 www.centralcommunitychurch.ca. A SHORT HISTORY OF CENTRAL 11 Sermons are also available to order on CD & DVD at the bookstore (Scott Street) or Central Connect NEXTSTEP & MOMENTUM 12 (Downtown & Pen Centre). MONTH AT A GLANCE CALENDAR 13 F.Y.I 14 DO YOU KNOW 15 STAFF DIRECTORY 16 BILL MARKHAM Lead Pastor [email protected] Single Parent’s LifeGroup by LINDSAY MORTON twitter: @billmarkham As a young adult, I never, ever could have imagined that I God also provided what became one of the most important would one day be a single Mom. I couldn’t have imagined things in my life at that time - a church that ministered to how difficult or how rewarding this would be, either. But the single parents. We had fellowship, we had biblical advice, biggest surprise of all has been how God completely changed we had parenting classes, we had dinner and childcare I don’t always know the answer! my life through my role as a mother. and we had support and a place where we belonged. There were moms and dads of all ages, from all walks of The good news (for me anyway) is that God has the answer. There is a misconception that Christianity is a faith based on blind trust. In other words, there is no Before He put my daughter in my life, I was going nowhere life, single for various reasons, and at different places with evidence to support what we believe. Often I am challenged by people to give an answer for what I believe. Although I am honoured that they ask for my opinion and fast. I had a background of abuse and neglect, and had no their faith. We banded together and helped each other. perspective, there are times that I really don’t know the answer. Perhaps you have run into this scenario in your own life as well. Here is how I have learned to respond idea how to care for myself. I was depressed, self-destructive, Our children were ministered to by Christian role models, in those times that I am ‘stumped’. and without hope. My life was full of unhealthy behaviours, and cared for by awesome volunteers. ideas, and people. I was failing at my second attempt at college, and I was stuck far from the place I called home. These gifts from God floated me through a very difficult Pretty bleak, right? time in my life, and when I left that particular church in Houston, TX, and moved here to St. Catharines and to FIRST - I ASK God to HELP ME WIth thE ANSWER Well, maybe I didn’t know how to live a “Christian” life, but Central, I stored up those things in my heart! I know God Note: In your head, please, otherwise people will think you are talking to yourself again, OR simply state that you God knew me! He sent me a baby, and my life went from not planted a seed in me then, and my passion and vision is to will need some time to think about it and get back to them. Luke 12:11-12 says, “When you are brought before IF yoU ARE SERIOUS AboUT knowing how to keep myself afloat, to being responsible for grow that seed here at Central. synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the STUdyING WHAT thE BIblE someone else’s well-being. What better way to stop thinking Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should HAS to SAY AboUT SomE of yourself than to have to take care of someone else? I Sometimes being a single parent feels like living from crisis ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” OF thE moST DIFFICUlt jumped right in. Being a mom was everything I never knew to crisis. Sometimes becoming a single parent feels like a QUESTIONS thAT WE FACE I wanted. crisis! We often have to be both mother and father, and SECOND - IF I doN’T KNOW thE ANSWER, I AdmIT IT todAY, thERE ARE SomE some of us have very little support. Sometimes we have Pretending that you know what you are talking about just makes you look like a fool. In the Bible the book of to expend a great deal of energy undoing the damage that REAlly grEAT WEB SITES Proverbs states, “Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.” George the other parent has done, or is doing on an ongoing basis. thAT CAN HELP yoU STUdy. “Anxiety weighs down Eliot had it right when he said, “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and And even though single parenting is common place now, remove all doubt.” we are still surrounded by misunderstanding and prejudice the heart, but a kind word all too often. I am passionate about creating a place where THIRD - I DISCIPLINE mySELF to ASK toUgh QUESTIONS AND WWW.gotQUESTIONS.org A great resource for commonly asked we can feel at ease, where we can plant love in each other’s RESEARCH thE ANSWER questions cheers it up.” PROVERBS 12:25 hearts through Jesus, and where we can be lifted up by the The truth is, I am lazy by nature. It is easier to settle for ‘pat’ answers then to do the hard work of really understand- fact that our God and our church care deeply for us. ing what I believe and why. (Caution: doing this may shatter some of your faulty, inherited belief systems). WWW.CroSSWAlk.COM For a while, I had help: Financial help as well as built in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting A devotional, bible study tool babysitters named Nana and Poppy.