CU CONNECTOR. From the Desk of the Pastor

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1 CU CONNECTOR OUR MISSION AT CENTRAL UNI O N MISSIO NARY BAPTIS T C HURCH I S TO SEEK, SAVE, S U PPOR T, SHAPE, A ND SERVE TH IS P RESENT A GE. 501 Preston Street, Fort Valley, GA Phone: * Fax: VOLUME 25, ISSUE 19 NOVEMBER 2015 I N S I D E THIS I S S UE: From the Desk of the Pastor 2 Upcoming Events 3 The War Room 4-5 Fall Festival Congratulations Sis. Johnnie Green Happy Birthday Mother Lumpkin 8 Daily Devotional Seeing the Need and Doing What Needs to be Done One of the things that I am most proud of about our ministry at Central Union is what we call our Jesus Test Ministries. Jesus taught in Matthew 25:35 40 that serving others is the only true way to serve Him. Through our food bank, soup kitchen, nursing home, jail and clothes closet ministries we meet many needs of those in our community that are less fortunate. It is a wonderful feeling to see someone in need and spontaneously respond to meeting that need without hesitation. In fact, most people feel better about their own lives when they can help others. My prayer is that God will increase our territory of service and our capacity to meet the needs of our community. I believe that in order to do that we must grow to a place where our church sponsored ministries become a church wide ministry effort. Here s what I mean although we as a church do a wonderful job of meeting needs through the Jesus Test Ministries only about 10% of the membership is involved in carrying out those efforts. The truth is that in order to be most effective every member must understand and commit to doing their part to meet the needs as opportunities are presented. When there are four hundred members but only are engaged in regularly serving the needs of the least, the last and the lost, we are barely scratching the surface of what could be done. God is looking for people who understand that they have a responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission through compassionate service (seeing the need and doing what needs to be done). I realize that many people (church folk) are looking for what the church has to offer them, however, if that is ones focus, we miss the mark. Being a disciple of Christ involves learning about Jesus and doing what He did. When we get that we will discover that it s not about us as individuals but what we can offer to and through the Body of Christ called the Church. God uses His servants to accomplish His purpose and carry out His redemptive and restorative plans. We are called to move beyond the walls of our church buildings and into our community to serve because we are the Body of Christ. Whatever He did is what we need to be doing because it is Christ who lives in us (Colossians 1:27). He moved among the poor, the lepers, the hungry, the broken, and oppressed. He loved, touched, and healed them. The Christ in us calls upon us to do the same. It s not enough to just see needs, we must move with compassion to meet the needs we see. It is only through our individual and collective acts of loving kindness and tender mercies, compassion, and service that we gain the right to be heard. Loving acts of service and compassion are the bridge over which the words of the Gospel can walk (The Externally Focused Church by Eric Swanson and Rick Russaw). In His Service, Pastor Dawsey

2 STAFF Sister Rebecca Mungin Editor Printing Sister Joselyn Miller- Jackson Layout Brother Vaquan Wright Photographer Rev. Dr. K. Daniel Dawsey Pastor/Teacher us: The staff of the CU Connector would like to thank each of you who contributed to the success of the newsletter. If you are interested in becoming a member of the staff, please contact the Church Office. Submissions for your article is due the 3rd Wednesday each month. 1 Debbie Clark-Manuel 4 Denna Postell 5 John Snead Lauren Wilson Kevin B.Kennedy 6 Donald Williams Ted Scott 7 James Mack Lewis Lyons Kenan Belton 8 Otis Redding 9 Malik Statham 10 Majorie Hall 12 Michele M. Bailey 13 Jewell Golphin 15 Earl Hartsfield Henrietta Hartsfield Barbara Williams 16 Bernice Kemp 17 Cristy Statham 18 Kevin Rouse, Jr. 20 Rena Williams 23 Shavonne Stripling Lawrence Statham 24 Tiana Anderson James Jackson 26 Ebony Nottingham 29 Kristy R. Repress 30 Annie S. Hicks 11 Veterans Day: Church Office Closed 26 THANKSGIVING DAY Church Office Closed. 29 Great Commission Sunday CENTRAL UNION WEEKLY SUNDAY 9:00AM Sunday School 10:30AM Church Service MONDAY Missions TUESDAY 7pm Trustees Meeting WEDNESDAY 6:30 PM Prayer Meeting 12 Noon & 7:00PM Adult Bible Study AWANA 6:30 PM 8:00PM THURSDAY 11AM 1PM/Soup Kitchen SATURDAY 11am-2pm WACKY Saturday 10AM Usher s Meeting P A G E 2

3 War Room Article By Elaine Dawsey, CUMBC Christian Education On Saturday, September 5 th in conjunction with the Pastor s 14 th Anniversary celebration, the CUMBC church family was invited to attend an event called A Movie With The Pastor. The movie we saw was entitled WAR ROOM. The CUMBC Christian Education Counsel (CEC) researched the movie and all resources provided and recommended the movie be followed by a Bible Study. At that time, little did I know that this movie, accompanying Bible study sessions, and Sunday morning sermons would have such a profound and challenging impact on my dayto-day conversations with God (prayer) and others in our church community. The movie WAR ROOM was a family-friendly, multi-racial, multi-generational movie designed to inspire the church to united prayer and a closer relationship with God. For the CUMBC family WAR ROOM has been more than just a movie. It has helped us increase and strengthen our prayer efforts in our personal families, and our church family at large. As Christians, we know the truth is that every church (including CUMBC) needs to be humbly calling upon God to draw us back to Himself, to show up in power, to heal our families, to turn our nation to Him, and to help us address the issues in our communities. Whether you look at the current condition of the church, the morally decaying direction of our nation, the increasing persecution of believers, or the desperate issues within our communities, you will see the increasing need for united, fervent prayer. I believe that there is not a problem we are dealing with today that prayer cannot address. The overall effort of the CEC was designed to help get prayer more baked in to the culture of our church. As we engaged in a 5-week Bible study, offered along with a sermon series from Pastor built around WAR ROOM a wonderful opportunity was created to raise the banner of prayer in our congregation. I challenge you to be honest and answer some critical questions. Question #1: Am I satisfied with my own prayer life? Question #2: Is CUMBC a praying church? Question #3: Do we have a prayer plan, prayer training, and a prayer strategy in our church? Question #4: Is the fragrance of pleaded prayers and the joy of answered requests easily sensed within the hallways of our church each week? Question #5: More importantly, is the body of believers called CUMBC made up of individual Christ followers (prayer warriors) who are trained and active in fighting spiritual battles in their war rooms or closets of prayer at home? I believe the movie, Bible study, and sermons have created a chance to put wind in the sails of every individual and ministry in our church. For those who engaged in the full experience of WAR ROOM (the movie, Bible study sessions, sermons during worship, and relaunching of the CUMBC prayer line) it has been a chance to be motivated and move closer to the heart of Jesus. ARE YOU READY TO GO TO WAR CUMBC? I believe and pray the answer is an emphatic YES! WAR ROOM MOVIE GOERS WAR ROOM BIBLE STUDY P A G E 3

4 FALL FESTIVAL 2015 PAGE 4

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6 Congratulations Sis. Johnnie Green Johnnie Harrison Green was recognized at Centerville Head Start by Mayor John Harley for her outstanding service to the community of Centerville, Georgia on October 27, Ms. Green has been employed with Middle Georgia Community Action Agency Head Start as a Center Manager for the last 24 years. Each year in October Centerville Head Start has an outpouring of parents, community volunteers, and visitors to support the annual celebration of Head Start Awareness. The 2015 celebration marked the 50 th Anniversary of Head Start. Head Start is a national program that has been in existence for fifty years and gives children just what the name implies, a Head start. Head Start serves low to moderate-income families including children with special needs. We provide them with a safe, nurturing, learning environment. We offer this full day program at no cost to families who qualify. Some services provided include developmentally appropriate learning activities, health and dental screening, nutritious meals and snacks. We strongly encourage active family and parent participation. Centerville Head Start is a small center licensed by Bright from the Start, Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. There are 31 children enrolled and Ms. Green supervises eight staff members. Ms. Green is the devoted daughter of Ms. Mary Harrison of Fort Valley. She is the loving mother of two daughters, Quovadis Epps and her husband, Kevin, of Jacksonville, Florida and Carey Green of Fort Valley. She is the proud grandmother of Gabriel and Ian Epps of Jacksonville, Florida. She is happy to be a member of a working church in a growing community, the Central Union Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor K. D. Dawsey. She faithfully serves on the Usher and Missionary Ministries. She is an active volunteer of the Feed Center Outreach Ministry and she is a brave chaperone for the Peach County High School Marching Band. Ms. Green is most deserving of this auspicious award from Mayor Harley because she is dedicated, determined, and dependable to anything she is assigned. Her strong faith in God allows her to participate 100% in all that has been mentioned and much more. Ms. Green, we salute you for a job well done. P A G E 6

7 TO THE MOTHER OF CENTRAL UNION HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER LUMPKIN!!!!!! above all earthly things - above all earthly joys WE GIVE THANKS! P A G E 7

8 NOVEMBER DAILY DEVOTIONAL Nov. 2-8 Nov Nov Nov. 23- Nov. 29 Nov. 30 -Dec. 6 M Romans 1: 8-15 Thanking God Jeremiah 26:1-6 The way we Should Go Duet. 32:1-12 Our Faithful God Psalm 25:8-21 Learning from God Gen. 1:28, 2:3 God says it is good T Nehemiah 9:6-21 The Forgiving God Ephesians 3:7-12 The Boundless Riches of Christ Genesis 9:8-17 The Promises of God for all people Psalm 27:4-14 Living with God Leviticus 16:29-34 The Day of Atonement W Romans 16: Abundant Grace Ezekiel 36:22-30 The Generosity of God Gen The Blessing of God for all people Proverbs 16:9-24 Wisdom from God Psalm 62:1-8 God is my Refuge T Hebrews 4: Our Accessible God Matthew 8:18-22 The Cost of Following Psalm 8:8 The Majesty of God Matthew 28:16-20 Commissioned to Teach Hebrews 4:1-11 His promised rest F Revelation 21:1-5 God is making all things new Acts 16:1-15 From Derbe to Phillippi Psalm 33:13-22 The Goodness of God Exodus 33: Teach me Your Ways Rev. 14:12-13; 21:1-5 Eternal Rest S Galatians 3:6-14 Grace for Gentiles Acts 16:16-24 Paul and Silas In Prison Psalm 47 The Reign of God Acts 18:1-21 Teaching God s Word Exodus 16:22-26 Work, rest S Acts 15:1-12 God makes no distinction Acts 16:25-40 Paul and Silas Escapes Acts 17:1-28 Thessalonica, Berea, Athens Acts 18:24-28 Apollos grows In Ministry Exodus 28:8-11; 31:12-16 The Lord s Day 2015 MINISTRY Evangelism To carry out the Great Commission as stated in Matthew 28:19. We will evangelize our community through Personal Witnessing, Upward Sports, Sunday School, AWANA and Bible Study. Worship To create an atmosphere and to provide opportunities that welcome people and glorify God in accordance with Hebrews 10:25 and John 4:24. We welcome people of all ethnicities, ages and socio-economic backgrounds. Remembering that Jesus instructed us to receive anyone and everyone who desires to come. Discipleship To provide opportunities for personal growth and spiritual maturity leading to the development of Kingdom Citizens in accordance with 2 Tim. 2:15. We offer systematic discipleship opportunities that strengthen members relationship with God and others. Fellowship To provide opportunities for Biblical fellowship, mutual encouragement and love for one another in accordance with John 13:34-35 and Acts 2: We encourage all members to get involved in the life of the church and community by regularly planning small group and church-wide activities. Missions (Ministry) Seeing needs and doing what needs to be done according to Matthew 25: We will continue to serve the present age by offering and enhancing our: Food Bank, Soup Kitchen, Nursing Home, Prison, Visitation, Tutorial, Mentoring, Youth Development, Social Justice and Economic Development Ministries.