Central@
AN EXCITING UPDATE!
Dear Central UMC Family,
As we reflect on 2024, we celebrate the remarkable strides made in advancing our mission. Last year, we saw significant progress in community empowerment, global outreach, and the strengthening of partnerships, all of which have paved the way for even greater collaboration. From reaching underserved regions to launching sustainable programs that are already transforming lives, the collective impact has been truly inspiring.
MISSION HIGHLIGHTS
Canopy Central VBS coordinated and packed donations for our local Canopy neighbors. The Central Serves event in October helped the Canopy office organize and distribute donations. Central families have also created a Circle of Welcome Group to aid our local neighbors and their families.
Community Meals Throughout the year, this ministry served over 9,100 meals and, on two special occasions, collected and cooked meals of turkeys and hams for Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more than 25 years, we’ve been blessed to serve and love our neighbors!
Good Sam Back to School Drive Central Youth helped gather back-to-school clothes and supplies for students at Asbell Elementary School.
Good Sam Christmas Families 2024 was our biggest year yet, making Christmas special for 29 families, 89 children, and donating over 1,000 items to those in need in Fayetteville Public Schools.
Good Sam Community Outreach Collected over 4,500 sacks of food in May and September of 2024 for our local community.
Hub of Hope Central has provided toiletry kits for those in need and hosted a Valentine's Day fundraiser to highlight many of our ministry partners, with Hub of Hope as a guest organization.
Inclusive Connections / Reconciling Ministries Central provides monthly meeting space for support and programs. For the 2024 Pride Parade, Central passed out water to our community, provided bathrooms, and offered a cooling space. U of A Wesley students provided refreshments and outreach information.
Men’s Ministry Our newly formed Central Men’s Ministry supported Central Serves events in the fall, cooking and preparing meals for volunteers and the New Beginnings Community.
Magdalene Serenity House Central donated $2,400 and provides meeting space at the church for board meetings.
New Beginnings Central donated multiple household furniture items for the new Spruce Street Permanent Housing community. In October, Central painted multiple units and landscaped the new housing area for families. Central also provides meeting space for board meetings.
Ozark Mission Project (OMP) Central housed 80 students who served our NWA neighbors—painting three houses, building five ADA-accessible ramps, and cleaning yards.
United Women in Faith United Women in Faith offers several interest groups that gather at Central to serve the community, provide fellowship, and support church needs, including:
- A circle that meets monthly at Butterfield Trail Village to include elderly members.
- A group that cooks for Ronald McDonald House occupants.
- Blessings and Blooms, a team dedicated to beautifying Central’s landscape.
- A book club based on the United Women in Faith reading list.
- An advocacy group that responds to social justice concerns through letter-writing campaigns.
- Thriving Souls, a soul-care group engaging in activities such as yoga and hiking
- Stitch and Pray, a ministry creating prayer shawls for those in need. In fall 2024, this group contributed handmade items to a silent auction, raising nearly $2,000 for the Cuba mission trip. Handmade items were also donated to Canopy in fall 2024
WHAT'S NEXT?
As we step into 2025, we’re excited to share a new chapter in our ongoing commitment to serve and engage with our community. To better align with the diverse ways our church is actively reaching out to others, we’re transitioning from a one-time event: Central Serves (formerly known as “Beyond Our Walls”) to a more flexible, dynamic approach called CENTRAL@.
We’re excited to build on our partnerships and continue to serve the greater Fayetteville area. As part of this transition, we’ll be working with our community partner representatives to plan Fall and Spring service dates. These will be promoted throughout the year, so keep an eye out for upcoming opportunities to serve.
If you're already involved in something in the community or would like to develop a team for a project you’re passionate about, please reach out! We want to help amplify your efforts and support your mission. Let us know how we can help you serve more effectively, whether it’s through the CENTRAL@ initiative or another meaningful outreach.
We’re excited for what’s ahead in 2025 and the many ways we can make an impact together as a church family. Let’s be out in the community, showing the love of Christ in action, and continuing to live out our faith through CENTRAL@.
For more information or if you’re interested in being part of a new initiative or would like to explore further ways to serve, please contact the church office.
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