Missions
Celebration Weekend
2023 Missions
Sunday, April 30
Keynote Speaker - 8:45 & 11am Services
Missions Guests - 10:00-10:45am
Keynote Speaker
Micah Nicolaus, Lead Pastor at Broad Street UMC
We are pleased to welcome Pastor Micah back to Central to be the keynote speaker for our 2023 Mission Celebration! Micah was pastor of Central for six years from 2011-2017. A gifted speaker and storyteller, Micah is currently senior pastor of Broad Street UMC in Cleveland Tennessee. We look forward to hearing God’s message for us this year!
MISSION GUEST SPEAKERS
During Sunday School Hour
SESSION 1 10:00-10:20am | SESSION 2 10:25-10:45am
Will Boggs, Co-Founders & Directors of Raising a Voice
Based in Knoxville with partnerships is Kenya, Rwanda and Argentina, Raising a Voice exists to end human trafficking through gospel-centered, community transformation and global outreach. They'll update us on their ministry in Knoxville and their new drop-in center.
Fred Curry, Rice and Beans Ministry
Rice and Beans Ministry meets people where they are, shares the love of Christ and gives hope that does not disappoint. Central has engaged in yearly mission trips since 2013. Fred will give us an update on the ministry as we prepare to send a mission team to Costa Rica th hope that
Sandi Byrd, Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes for communities. This is one of our long-standing mission partners at Central. Tony and Sandi will give us updates on our Habitat build beginning this summer.
Whitney Winston, Camp in the Community
Camp in the Community is a ministry of the Holston Conference. It exists to bring the camp message and experience to kids who couldn’t afford to go. We'll be hosting Camp in the Community June 12-16, enabling up to 50 local kids to participate. More details will be available about how to get involved.
.png)
Mike Walker, Project Crossroads
Project Crossroads is a United Methodist Church mission in Southwest Virginia serving the needs of God’s children through home repair, new home construction, firewood delivery, emergency assistance, medical care and an opportunity for faithful witness of Christ’s presence through love in action. Project Crossroads is another one of our long-standing mission partners.
Mike Sluder, UMC & Holston Conference Missions
Ever wondered about the missions and ministry the United Methodist Church does locally and around the world? Rev. Mike Sluder, Director of Connectional Ministry of Holston Conference, will share how your money is making a difference in people’s lives.
.jpg)
Tammy Johnson & Tim Wade, Celebrate Recovery in Loudon County
Celebrate Recovery is a Biblically-balanced approach to help bring sustainable recovery and healing. It guides people toward new healthy truths and life-giving habits to repair broken relationships. They meet each Thursday nights at 7:00pm at Highland Park Baptist Church. Tammy and Tim will share how this ministry is impacting people’s lives.
Faith Promise Giving For Missions
At Central UMC, we recognize and accept our role in spreading the gospel and love of Jesus Christ across the street and around the world. Over the last 30 years, many congregations have moved to Faith Promise Giving for Missions. In other words, they have taken their giving for missions out of their operating budgets. Why? Three reasons:
-
Often when times were tough financially in the life of the church, often mission line items were reduced.
-
Churches wanted their mission efforts to be more relational than simply a line item in the budget.
-
Many attendees wanted to give to missions above their current level of giving.
The Faith Promise Missions Budget is funded by money given through the Faith Promise gifts made each year during our annual Missions Celebration. Many congregations have found that more laity have enjoyed increased excitement and involvement in missions through Faith Promise Giving.
What is Faith Promise Giving?
-
A Faith Promise is simply a covenant between God and you. “I promise to trust God to give me ‘extra money’ that I can direct to missionary causes.” In a sense, you are simply making yourself a channel through which God can send money to missions. You dare to let God use your faith and your life to bless others on the mission field.
-
Faith Promises do not tie to the church budget. This is entirely “extra” giving. “I have made a pledge to our church which I intend to keep, but this is over and above that. I am not taking money away from the church budget to give to missions. I am trusting God for extra money for missions.
-
Faith Promise is very personal. It is not a pledge. There will be no names on either sections of the card. You will never be asked for your Faith Promise gift. If you make a gift by check or offering envelope and mark it Faith Promise of course you will see that amount show up on your giving statement as Faith Promise for Missions.
-
Faith Promise is a means of growing in faith. When you see how God works in this venture of faith, you learn to trust Him even more in ALL areas of your life.
“...and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth” - Acts 1.8
.png)