Reconciling Ministry Group Meeting

The Reconciling Ministry Group will meet in Room 219 today at 11:15 a.m. This group includes LGBTQ+ and allies in advocacy action and service to this congregation and beyond. 

Learn About Local Efforts to Support Immigrant Neighbors

Please mark your calendars for two events to learn about immigrant justice.

On Sunday, September 13 at 3:00 the UMC Blue Ridge District will host a one hour workshop by Zoom with Dr. Philip Wingeier-Rayo. Explore the intersections of faith, Methodist history, and migration with a premier scholar and gifted teacher (also the son of deceased Central member Doug Wingeier).

He serves as the Executive Director of the UMC Global Board of Higher Education. The Zoom link can be accessed here.

The second event is by Pisgah Legal Services, a local non-profit law firm supported by Central UMC, and many other churches, individuals, and foundations. Among Pisgah Legal’s many programs is the Justice For All Program that serves immigrants and their families.

Our Blue Ridge District is hosting a lunch and learn event at Abernethy UMC at 1418 Patton Avenue at 11:00 on September 30. Lunch will be provided after the presentation about how current immigration policies are affecting our immigrant neighbors and how PLS provides critical, free civil legal aid across 18 WNC counties with limited staff compared to the need.

If you prefer to participate by Zoom, the link is here.

Choir Season Begins:

The Wesley Singers

Tuesday, September 8th @ 1:00pm in the Choir Room

Youth Choir

Sunday, September 13th @ 11:15am in the Choir Room

Children's Choir

Sunday, September 13th @ 11:45am

 If you enjoy singing at any level, please consider joining one of our choirs for adults, youth, and children. The Chancel Choir will begin rehearsals on Wednesday, September 2 at 6:30 pm in the sanctuary. The Wesley Singers will begin rehearsals on Tuesday, September 8 at 1:00 pm in the choir room.

Youth Choir will begin rehearsals on Sunday, September 13 at 11:15 a.m. in the choir room. All youth and friends in grades 6-12 are invited.

Children's Choir will begin rehearsals on Sunday, September 13 at 11:45 a.m. All children and friends in kindergarten - 5th grade are invited. This is part of our Fall Kick-off for all youth and children's programing. Kona Ice will be here at Central for everyone!

We have a choir for every age, and all are invited! Please reach out to Linda Haggard or Corey Powell with questions and to get more information about our music ministry choirs and programs. Music is the Universal Language. Come sing with us! lhaggard@centralumc.org or cpowell@centralumc.org.

Tacos & Trivia

Saturday, September 12th @ 6:30pm Groce UMC

Bring a group from your Sunday School Class/Journey Group/or other 

small group to a fun night to help out the Asheville Wesley Foundation. 

All are invited to Tacos and Trivia on Wednesday, September 12 at 6:30 

pm at Groce UMC on Tunnel Road! The students and members of the 

AWF board will be serving up tacos for dinner followed by trivia where 

you can win prizes AND bragging rights amongst the other congregations in our district!

Sign your group up for a table and come for a great time! 

Here is the link to RSVP.

See the flyer on the insert for more info.

Central Creation Care Eco-Tip

Get rid of your junk catalogs. Over 100 million trees are cut down annually to produce junk mail. You get waste, clutter, and deforestation. Opt out of unwanted catalogs through Catalog Choice, a free service from the StoryofStuff.org. 

Tour a Landfill with Creation Care Committee

Thursday, September 10th @ 10:00am

Creation Care Committee invites you to take a tour of the Landfill on Thursday, September 10 at 10:00 a.m. The Landfill is a very interesting place to visit. It's relevant to the Committee's focus on conservation and 

recycling, among other things. If you're interested in this informative one-hour tour, please send your name, email and cell phone # to Ellen Furney at efurney08@gmail.com. There is a limited number of seats available 

Basic Biblical Literacy: Wednesdays at 5:30pm starting 9/9

Have you wanted to read the Bible but struggled to make sense of it? Join Rick Kuenning and Pastor Mary for an 11- session class designed to introduce you to major themes of the Bible on Wednesdays from 5:30 – 7:00 pm in Room 219 starting 9/9 and ending 11/18.

Participants will need a Bible; Central has plenty to share as needed.

Register online using the QR code or this link.

Try Out a Small Group This Fall!

Sundays, September 13th - November 15th @ 11:15am (except first Sundays)

Try out a Small Group! Join us for an 8-week exploration of the basic building block of the Methodist movement: John Wesley’s “class meeting.” Over the course of this experience we’ll gradually shift weight from a study to a small group experience, giving participants and understanding and a taste for why these weekly meetings are so important to our spiritual growth.

We’ll end with an opportunity for those interested to form new small groups that continue meeting. We will meet after worship (11:15am) in Room 219 from 9/13 to 11/15, skipping first Sundays of each month (for the Table2Table meal).

Participants will need a copy of Kevin Watson’s book, The Class Meeting. It can be purchased from Amazon or picked up from our church office for a $20 suggested donation.

Registration is required: https://bit.ly/2026fallstudygroup

Church & Society Committee Building Bridges Scholarships

The Church & Society Committee offers five $100 scholarships to church members for Building Bridges AVL. This 9-week educational workshop series addresses: racial justice, racial dialogue, and anti-racism in our community.

Speakers and small group discussion cover a myriad of topics including "whiteness", racial identity, personal racism, institutional and systemic racism, and more.

The goal is to understand how the Black community has been negatively impacted by tourism, gentrification, freeway development, government policy (esp. housing, education, health care, criminal legal system).

Dates are Sept 14 - Nov 9, Mondays from 6:30 - 9:00 pm.

The location will be provided to those registered. Total cost is $135. With a scholarship participant will pay remaining $35. If interested in a scholarship, email Sharon LeDuc at skleduc@prodigy.net.