Well it is always exciting to begin a New Year! If you made any resolutions, studies would suggest the majority of us have already failed to fulfill them.
Thankfully, God is far more trustworthy and reliable than we are.
Our first monthly meeting of the year began with the Deacons joining for a time of prayer and sharing an update in each of their ministry areas. We are so blessed to have faithful Christians leading teams of people ensuring the work of the church gets done.
Setting up our Promontory and Agassiz campuses each Sunday happens because deacons like Jacob Deacon, lead early morning teams to transition stage, sound equipment, chairs, etc from trailers and storage rooms to transform mundane space into effective ministry areas.
I loved hearing the joyful update from Willetta, our deacon of food services who loves people more than food.
Our sound tech Deacons, Mike, Shane and Andy are excited to ensure the sound and tech requirements at each Campus are reliable and professional.
Laura, our Deacon overseeing weekly financial giving and Martha, leading people in the discipline of prayer and providing care, also shared the joy they find in leading people in these respective ministries.
There are so many more ministries across our campuses. Each of these are essential to effectively communicate the Gospel and the mission God has called Central to.
If you are looking for an area to serve please apply on the serve page of our website, reach out to one of our ministry leaders, or contact the office for information.
Huge thank you in supporting our Vision financially!
The 2023 fiscal year finished strong.
We praise God for the record number of people who were baptized, attended equipping seminars, Bible studies or even the growing number who attend our regular weekly services.
One evidence of God working in our hearts, freeing us to worship Him more fully, is through the financial support of His people to the local church.
If you aren’t yet giving consistently and sacrificially, I ask you to prayerfully consider if this should change.
Our marriage retreat happening in a week still has some opportunity to participate, so don’t delay if you wish to attend.
Alpha Courses, Theology Nights, Baptism & Ministry Partnership classes as well as a Worship Night are just a few of the opportunities to engage your faith in the life of the local church coming up. All the information you need can be found on our website and on social media.
Mark your calendar on March 3, 2024 for our Annual General Meeting. This will be a great evening of celebration for this past year and looking expectantly at what God has for our future.
We, the Elders of Central, are blown away with the healthy dialogue and unity within Central. This is absolutely a gift from God because we have differences of opinion as all of you do as well. We aren’t perfect, you aren’t perfect, Central isn’t perfect. Let us retain humility with one another and humility before our perfect God.
By God’s grace 2024 is going to be an amazing year!
Ernie Chartlon
- On behalf of the Elders at Central Community
Finance Update
Finance Update from the Elders - The Elders reviewed the finances, both giving and expenses, for the year end 2023. They are encouraged to report that donations towards our collective mission of reaching the Eastern Fraser Valley with the Gospel were at an all time high. In the month of December alone $477,176 was received. The elders celebrate that our total income, including donations, exceeded our expenses by $14,832. For the 2023 calendar year we received $2,477,065 in donations, up almost 15% over the previous year. While we did not meet our budgeted giving target of $2,619,643, expenses as a whole are below projections. The Elders noted that support from Northview and the BC Conference to cover the start up costs of the Harrison campus were concluded at the end of the year. This means that the additional support of $65,000 will now be Central’s sole responsibility.
It was noted that the Benevolent fund continues to receive strong support. In 2023 Central was able to help people from the church and community with $39,969 to cover practical needs, backpacks of hope, and relational support. We are grateful for your continued investment into the lives of those who require assistance.
The Elders are grateful to the Lord for his faithfulness through you. Your giving to the Kingdom allows Central to serve Jesus faithfully. As we launch into another calendar and budget year please consider your part in supporting the ministries and mission of Central through your giving, time, and engagement.
ELDER'S PRAYER
We believe in the power of prayer. We value prayer. And we believe that God answers prayer and uses it as a means of achieving His purposes in the church and world.
Central's Elders invite you to come and receive prayer in the Chilliwack Campus Sanctuary.
Tuesday, February 20 | 6.30PM - 7.00PM
Chilliwack Campus | 46100 Chilliwack Central Road
You can also submit prayer requests using the link below.
Got questions or words of encouragement? We'd love to hear from you!
Please contact The Elders - elders@centralcommunity.ca