September 1, 2024 Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Green) Prayer Focus: The Working Poor Welcome to worship at Central! In the name of Jesus Christ, welcome to worship at Central where it is our mission to follow Jesus by loving God and loving our neighbors. Our clergy, Rev. Thomas Smith, Rev. Dr. Ann Kovan, and Rev. Meg Jiunnies, are grateful you’ve chosen to make Central a part of your day today. We have prayed for you and planned for you, and we hope you have a meaningful worship experience. Whether it’s your first time worshiping with us or you’re a lifelong member, we welcome any opportunity to speak with you about how to connect with God through Central. If it is your first time worshiping with us, please fill out a Connect Card and bring it to the Welcome Center where you will receive a gift from the church. Once again, welcome!
Sermon Series: The 66,000 This month we’ll use the lectionary readings to consider how Central should react to the fact that twothirds of the people within ten miles of our campus – 66,000 people – have no connection to any faith community, Christian or otherwise. These are people God loves and calls to discipleship, but they don’t know it or they choose to ignore it. Jesus calls the church to be His disciple-making instrument. In other words, we have a lot of work to do! This task starts with an honest look at ourselves and how we can better be Jesus’ witnesses.
Legacy Sunday Central will celebrate Legacy Sunday on September 15 to honor those who have been members between 25 and 49 years. New Legacy Members will receive their 25-year pins in the worship service of their choice that morning.
Music Note Our closing voluntary today was written by Brussels-born Joseph-Hector Fiocco (1703-1741), a composer and harpsichordist of the late Baroque period. He held church positions at Ducal Chapel of the Notre-Dame du Sablon and at Antwerp Cathedral. He ultimately returned to his birthplace and worked in the collegiate church of St. Michael and St. Gudula. He died in Brussels at the age of 38. Fiocco wrote many choral works, including motets and Mass settings. Some of his most significant compositions are Lamentations du Jeudi Saint, a Missa solemnis and Pièces de Clavecin. He is also known to Suzuki violin students for his Allegro, which is part of the Book Six Suzuki violin repertoire. This piece has also been arranged for string quartet, and is sometimes heard at weddings.