A Note From Our Pastor

New Sermon Series: “Taking the Next Step”   “‘Bring the whole tithe to the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’” says the Lord Almighty, “‘and see if I will not throw open the flood gates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’” -Malachi 3:10 (NIV)   This Sunday, we will begin a two-part sermon series challenging each of us to “take the next step” in our generosity toward God and others in 2023. God is truly working among us, calling our hearts towards God’s purpose for our lives and for our church. It is through our faithful financial giving that many lives will continue to be touched through the ministries of our church.   I encourage you to join me in prayerfully preparing to respond to God’s continuous call to faithful financial giving. Below is a link to a Celebration of Generosity Form that includes scriptures and a tithing chart that you may use as a tool to pray, reflect, and discern what it is that God is calling you to personally give to the work of ministry through Center Grove this year. Simply put, this form is for your personal prayer time and reflection. You will NOT be asked to return this form to the church NOR publicly disclose your decision. Giving back to God is an important matter that we all should take seriously, and I believe the beginning of the year is a great time to reevaluate and recommit ourselves.   Here are a few important steps I encourage each of us to take, as we prepare for this series:   1.      Begin with prayer. Thank God for your blessings and ask for guidance and discernment. Your giving supports everything Center Grove does, including worship, missions, children/youth ministries, adult programming, and church operations. Take time to thank God for all the impact of these ministries in your life and the lives of others, and for the ways God uses your resources in our mission to change lives, strengthen our church, and transform the world.   2.     Assess your income and giving. Determine your current giving as a percentage of your income. Set your giving goal. Seek to take a step up in your level of giving. If you are not currently tithing (giving 10 percent of your income), start with a lower percentage and then plan to increase the percentage each year, growing toward the tithe. The important thing is to begin the spiritual discipline of regular, consistent giving. If you are currently tithing, consider moving a percentage beyond the tithe as a way of giving a sacrificial offering toward God.   3.     Determine your giving method. In addition to giving in the offering boxes in the sanctuary and mailing your offering to the church, we also have electronic giving options – church website, text-to-give, or the church app. There is also an option to set up recurring giving at a frequency that is comfortable for you. For more information, visit www.centergroveumc.org/give.   4.     Worship with gratitude. As a congregation, we will continue, as always, to express our gratitude to God and present our tithes and offerings as a part of worship each week; however, you are free to give at whatever time is best for you. With technology and mail, you can give your tithes and offerings to the church 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.   Thank you for the ways you continue to support the work of Center Grove. I am excited about the impact that we will have building the Kingdom of God in the North Huntsville community and beyond in 2023.   Grateful to be your pastor, Dr. Dedric A. Cowser Senior Pastor Click here for the “Celebration of Generosity Form”

Worship Celebration

January 15, 2023

Join us for our Worship Celebration on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. via In-Person, or Facebook Live on the Center Grove United Methodist Church Facebook page.

You can also join our live-streaming celebration via the following media outlets:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFfMEFeWdt294sXw_EOH7jA

Church Website: https://centergroveumc.org/

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/centergroveumc

Remember The Sick & Home-bound

Mrs. Madgie Jamar
Ms. Marjorie Ewing
Mrs. Cora King
Ms. Theresa Hope
Mr. Carl Bradley
Mrs. Barbara Baker
Mrs. Ollie Gilliam
Mr. Matthew Baker

Mrs. Patty Langford

CG Spotlight

Project B.L.A.S.T. (Bringing Literacy Alive for Students Today) Pictured are Center Grove members joining with volunteers at Dawson Elementary, our neighborhood school, to read weekly to students who need some extra help and encouragement. If you would like to join this ministry, contact Zata Threatt (ozthreatt@comcast.net).

Community Spotlight

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Words of Encouragement