August at Central is a month that invites us to focus on Children.

 The Back To School Jubilee Offering will be received on Sunday, August 8.  This special offering allows Central to partner with several low-income families from nearby Miller Elementary School and  provide much needed shoes, clothing, backpacks, etc for a number of children as they return to school. Details about the offering and the need for volunteer shoppers can also be found elsewhere in this newsletter.

Central’s annual Blessing of the Backpacks will take place during both services of worship on Sunday, August 15 as the school year and Sunday School year begins. This blessing is for students of all ages, and teachers, and administrators, and professors, and support staff, and anyone else who helps make education happen at any level in our community. Presbyterians have long been strong supporters of education, believing that God gives us minds to build up God’s Kingdom and offer God praise.

The Message paraphrase of Mark 10.10-13 says:

“The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch

them.  The disciples shooed them off.  But Jesus was irate and

let them know it: ‘Don’t push these children away.  Don’t ever

get between them and me.  These children are at the very center

of life in the kingdom. Mark this: unless you accept God’s kingdom

in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.’  Then, gathering

the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.”

 I am particularly drawn to the phrase, ‘children are at the very center of life in the   kingdom’. Only through children, Jesus tells us, do we understand life as it is suppose to be! Let us take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities August offers us to enjoy, love and celebrate children...  ours and others!

See you in Church this Sunday!

Pastor Bill