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Dear Friends,

On Sunday, we hear the parable of the persistent widow and the promise of God’s justice on earth. She refuses to take no for an answer when she is denied justice. It’s an important and hopeful message for us today. I hope that you will join us for worship in church or online for live broadcast on Sunday, October 19 at 10:30 a.m..

Grace and peace,

Chris

Sunday Worship Scripture Readings

JEREMIAH 31:27-34                        Page 642

SECOND TIMOTHY 3:14-4:5           Page 967

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 18:1-8        Page 853

SUNDAY SCHOOL & YOUTH GROUP

No Sundy School on October 12

Sunday School offers Godly Play for ages 4-12, and Youth Group for older students. Sunday School Classes resume on Rally Day! September 7. Registration is open for the Godly Play program.

Children are invited to sit with their families or to sit together in the sanctuary at the beginning of Worship Service. On Sunday School dates they proceed to their classrooms following the Children’s Sermon.

Watch for upcoming Youth Group activities and events.

For more information, please contact info@centralnewburyport.org or call the church office at 978-465-0533.

Central Happenings

CENTRAL CHURCH RETREAT

On Saturday, October 25, Central Church will hold a retreat at Adelynrood Retreat Center in Byfield. The retreat will be a time for rest, reflection and reconnection as leaders of Central Church gather to reflect on our ministry. We will also enjoy the lovely grounds of the retreat center. The retreat will run from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm including lunch, worship, discussion. The suggested donation to cover costs is $20. Many people have signed up, but several spaces are available. Speak to Rev. Ney for more information. Please consider joining us. For more information or to register contact Rev. Ney at chris@centralnewburyport.org or call 978-572-1479

SATURDAY MORNING COMMUNITY BREAKFAST is served from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Central Congregational Church, 14 Titcomb St, Newburyport MA. Join us at the table or request your meal to-go. Breakfast is always free, and your good-will donations are happily accepted to keep the program operating and providing weekend meals to those in need. All are welcome. If you are interested in helping out or volunteering to cook or serve, please contact info@centralnewburyport.org or call 978-465-0533.

October Central Congregational Church Women's Ministry Potluck!

Gathering together on Thursday, October 30^th at 6pm

All women and friends of Central are invited to a potluck at the home of Sarah Seamans at 258 High Road in Newbury, MA. We will gather on Thursday October 30th at 6pm. We look forward to connecting as we celebrate the beautiful Autumn season.

Please RSVP by October 28th to:

Betty LaBaugh  978-985-3371 betty.labaugh@gmail.com

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STEWARDSHIP HOUSE GATHERINGS

WE HAVE STARTED PLANNING FOR THE 2024 CHRISTMAS BASKET RAFFLE AND WE NEED YOUR HELP!

We welcome your theme baskets or donation. If you need help with a theme please contact a member of the Raffle Committee: past ideas include: Tourist In My Hometown (gift cards and items with city or town name) , Love the Arts baskets (tickets to local theaters), Tea & Biscuits baskets (assortment of teas and specialty biscuits), Framed artwork, For the Love of Dogs basket (everything dog related) and Cheese baskets, Sports tickets, Bird Lovers Basket...you get the idea! We are looking for new items that we can build a basket around or use as a basket fillers.

Contact Jean Copelin at copelinmoore@yahoo.com to let us know what Raffle Basket you will be donating and its theme. Provide details about the contents of the basket and the market value of the items. 

Please bring your baskets to the church office as soon as possible. The Basket Raffle team needs time to create the printed catalog and website for kickstarting raffle pre-sales orders.

We NEED Elves for the

Christmas Fair Luncheon PLEASE Respond!!!

Attention Sandwich Makers: Please consider volunteering to provide sandwiches for the luncheon at this year’s Christmas Fair. Volunteers are asked to make ten individually wrapped sandwiches and deliver them to the church before 9:30AM on December 6th. We need chicken salad, tuna salad, egg salad, and ham and cheese sandwiches.

Homemade Baked Beans are a New England tradition. They have been a tradition here at Central. We would love to have Bake Beans to sell at the Christmas Fair. If you are a bean maker and would like more information.

For more information or to sign-up, please contact Ginger Bard at 978-337-1643 or gingerbard@hotmail.com. Thank you for your help!

From the Nominating Committee

Central Church needs volunteers or nominations for people to serve as Deacons (2-3 persons) , Stewardship committee (2), Broadcast team (1-2), and the Nominating committee (2). We welcome any nominations for consideration.

Please contact Bob Gosse, Kelly Palma, Stuart Proctor or Don Little. You can contact us at Kellyp@klonelab.com. or 14robtgosse@gmail.com, or through the Church office info@centralnewburyport.org, call 978-465-0533   Thank you.

DONATE WITH VENMO

Central Church can receive donations through Venmo! Many people no longer carry much cash or use paper checks, as payment apps have become commonplace. Venmo is one of the most popular and is now available for contributions to support the ministry of Central Church. You can use the QR code to access Central’s account on Venmo. Please indicate how you would like to direct your donation with comments like “General” or “Outreach.” Special thanks to Jeff Gray for setting up this account.

Special Donations - Afghan Family Support

If you are interested in making a special donation to support the Afghan family that Central Church is assisting, we have set-up a specific fund that you can donate to using our on-line giving system. Follow these easy steps through the Central Church website:

1)   Go to: https://www.centralnewburyport.org

2)   Click the Donate to Central button at the bottom of the home page

3)   Complete the Online Donation form that appears

Your Support is important.

We continue to rely upon and appreciate your financial support!

Prayer Concerns

If you have a prayer concern this week, please send an email to Chris at chris@centralnewburyport.org by the end of the day Saturday or complete a prayer request card available in the Sanctuary and give it to a Deacon before worship service begins. Your prayer concern will be mentioned in the Sunday Worship by first name only, for privacy concerns. Thank You!

Health & Safety Information

Masks are optional during worship and other activities, but are recommended for those who are at high risk. Masks and hand sanitizers are available in the Sanctuary. We encourage anyone who chooses to wear a mask to do so at any time. We ask that anyone who has symptoms of cold or flu stay home and participate in worship remotely. We continue to monitor guidelines from the CDC, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and local public safety/public health officials to ensure the continued health and safety of all Central Congregational Church members, visitors and guests.