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The Dome The Dome Under Under

UPCOMING EVENTS & COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Maundy Thursday Service

April 2, 2026 | 7:00 PM

Sanctuary

Good Friday Service

April 3, 2026 | 12:00 PM

Sanctuary

Church Office Closed

April 3, 2026

Easter Sunrise Service

April 5, 2026 | 7:30 AM

Sanctuary

Easter Worship in The Well

April 5, 2026 | 9:00 AM

Davis Christian Life Center

Easter Worship in the Sanctuary

April 5, 2026 | 11:00 AM

Sanctuary

Church Office Closed

April 6, 2026

Congregational Care Visitation & Ministries Team

April 7, 2026 | 2:30 PM

Christian Family Conf. Room

Preschool Board Meeting

April 7, 2026 | 4:00 PM

Moody Parlor

Children’s Committee Meeting

April 12, 2026 | 10:00 AM

Malambri Center Classroom

Stephen Ministry Meeting

April 13, 2026 | 6:00 PM

Christian Family Conf. Room

The Well Team Meeting

April 13, 2026 | 6:00 PM

Sunshine Classroom

Board of Trustees

April 14, 2026 | 5:15 PM

Christian Family Conf Room

Confirmation Sunday

April 19, 2026 | 11:00 AM

Sanctuary

Scrapbooking Group

April 19, 2026 | 12:30 PM

Sunshine Classroom

Outreach & Advocacy Team

April 21, 2026 | 6:00 PM

Moody Parlor

Church Council

April 21, 2026 | 7:00 PM

Spears Fellowship Hall

Family Skate Day

April 25, 2026 | 10:30 AM

Skateland USA

Heritage Sunday

April 26, 2026

Faith-Sharing Meeting

April 28, 2026 | 6:00 PM

Sunshine Classroom

icons convey a message. The Harrowing of Hades depicts Jesus pulling Adam and Eve from coffins, breaking chains around their ankles that held them in bondage to death. The Harrowing of Hades gives us the message that the resurrected Jesus has broken the power of sin and death. We have been saved from the power of sin and death.

That’s what we are saved from, but we are also saved for something. We are saved to become followers of Jesus who join Him in mission to the world. In response to the resurrection, God empowers us to proclaim love in the face of hate, peace in the face of war, and liberation in the face of oppression. We are followers of the risen Christ, and people need to know that the world no longer has to let death reign supreme. We are Easter people, so let’s go out into the world and act like it.

Yours in Christ,

Greetings, friends!

Associate Pastor

Friendship language is littered throughout the New Testament I didn’t notice it until a professor of mine, Dr Hume, wrote a book called Virtuous Friendship, in which he looked at the friendship language of the New Testament, and it opened my eyes to the ways in which Jesus and his followers approached the gospel Rather than approaching the gospel as something to advertise, they approached it as something to invite people to participate in, like a friendship

Dr Hume’s book inspired me, and so I wrote a Bible study called “Luke: The Gospel of Friendship,” in which I looked at four familiar passages from Luke’s gospel where the word “friend” is explicitly used and asked what the role of friendship was in each passage. I’m happy to offer this 4-week study beginning Wednesday, April 15 at 6:00 p.m. in Spears Fellowship Hall as a joint Bible study with our friends at Cumberland United Methodist Church.

It is not often that the pastors of churches of the same denomination can see one another from their office windows, and we have a wonderful opportunity to simultaneously deepen our connectional relationship with fellow United Methodists, and our friendship with community members in such a tangible way. I hope you’ll consider attending this study by signing up at www.centralmethodist.net/studies as we seek to become better friends with God and with one another.

Rusty Rev. Rusty Crimm

Pastor of Faith Formation & Discipleship

Rev. Meg Bryce Jiunnies

Dear Central Family,

I hope and pray each of you is well, and that this spring weather makes you want to praise God all day! We often say “pray” – “thoughts and prayers,” “I’m praying for you,” “including you in my prayers.” It is a way of letting people know how much you think of them, and that you are entrusting their care into God’s loving hands. But have you ever considered the way that prayer changes you? When we pray for our loved ones, we are clarifying our thoughts – our hopes and dreams – and doing the very best thing we know to do.

When we pray for strangers who have moved our hearts, we enter into their world for a bit and our empathy and compassion grows.

When we pray for our leaders, our country, our world, we are confronting the things that we want changed for the next generation. We are facing up to reality, to the way things are, rather than the idealized vision of what we envision things to be.

When we pray for our enemies, whether we do so enthusiastically or begrudgingly or with rage in our hearts, we acknowledge that they too are God’s children, that they were created to be better, to do better, that Jesus also died for those who do reprehensible things. It is the most challenging thing we do, and we cannot help but be changed by doing this. Maybe we grow just a little, trust God a little more, gain some insight. We remember the promise that God will reconcile God’s world and that this has already begun.

Prayer is a gift – not just to others, but to ourselves. Join us in prayer, Central family: in worship, in small groups, in the Prayer and Holy Communion Service on Wednesdays at 12:15 pm, and especially in the National Day of Prayer in the Chapel on Thursday, May 7 – mark your calendars now!

Blessings, Meg

SUNDAYS @ CENTRAL

Sunday Worship Times

9:00 AM 9:00 AM 11:00 AM Chapel Service - Sanctuary The Well - Davis Christian Life Center Sanctuary Service

Sunday School

All Sunday School classes meet from 10:00 to 10:45 AM on Sunday mornings If you need help finding a classroom, please visit our Welcome Center in The Commons or ask a greeter at any entrance and they will be more than happy to show you the way

Children’s Sunday School

PRESCHOOL

3K/4K – Malambri Room 145

ELEMENTARY

5K/1st Grade – Malambri Room 231

2nd/3rd Grade – Malambri Room 221

4th/5th Grades – Malambri Room 219

Youth Sunday School

6th-12th Grades – Youth Room 206

Special Worship Services

Easter Sunday Sunday, April 5

Confirmation Sunday Sunday, April 19

Heritage Sunday Sunday, April 26

Adult Sunday School

Christian Discussion – Room 277

Koinonia for Young Adults - Room 172

New Beginnings – Room 272

New Horizons – Room 279

Sarah Blanton-Philathea – Room 174

Searching Disciples – Room 275

Spiritual Journeys – Room 276

Sunshine Class – Room 164/165

Wesley Fellowship – Room 170

HOLY WEEK

PALM SUNDAY

Sunday, March 29

9:00 AM • Chapel 9:00 AM • The Well 11:00 AM • Sanctuary

Palm Sunday begins Holy Week, commemorating Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. He was greeted as the Messiah, entering the holy city.

MAUNDY THURSDAY

Thursday, April 2

7:00 PM • Sanctuary

On the evening of Maundy Thursday, we commemorate the night before Jesus was crucified On this night, Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Holy Communion at the Passover meal with His disciples. After the meal, Jesus was arrested, tried before the Sanhedrin and Pontius Pilate, and was sentenced to death by crucifixion.

GOOD FRIDAY

Friday, April 3

Good Friday is the day on which Jesus died for our sins. He was nailed to the cross and died on Friday afternoon. After His death, His body was laid in a tomb 12:00 PM • Sanctuary

EASTER SUNDAY

Sunday, April 5

7:30 AM • Sanctuary Steps 9:00 AM • The Well 11:00 AM • Sanctuary

Easter is a celebration of new life, hope, and the incredible love of Jesus Christ! Just as the disciples discovered the empty tomb at sunrise, we worship, rejoice, and proclaim together: Christ is risen! Come and be part of this life-changing moment we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

Upcoming Dates & Details

Easter Sunday

April 5

During the Sunday School hour, we will have a special celebration of Jesus’ resurrection in the Children’s Assembly Room.

Family Skate Day

April 25 • 10:30 AM–12:30 PM

A fun way to wrap up the school year! Friends are welcome just include them when you register.

Help 4 Kids

May 17 • 2:00–3:00 PM

Limited to 20 participants. Children 10 and under must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.

Vacation Bible School

June 14–17 • 5:15-8:00 PM

Code to be taken to the Children’s section of our website where you can register for all these upcoming events!

Members of Central’s Children’s Choir singing at The

Manor

The kids had a great time at the Johnsons’ house for Jr. UMYF! If your child is in 5 grade and you are interested in getting them involved, contact Catherine Lucius.

YOUTH MINISTRY

Upcoming Dates & Details

April 19

Confirmation Sunday

May 3

UMYF Year-end Gathering

May 10

Graduation Sunday

What an amazing night at the progressive dinner! The youth had a blast enjoying each stop along the way. Huge thanks to the Lucius, Jones, and Davis families for their generous hospitality!

Adult & Family Ministries

HAPPY TRAVELERS

Join the Happy Travelers on Thursday, April 23, for a trip to the Revolutionary War Park in Camden, SC This outing offers a unique blend of education and exploration as we visit one of the most significant sites of the American Revolution’s Southern Campaign. After our guided tour, we’ll enjoy lunch together and browse for treasures at the Camden Antiques Market. Don’t miss it register on Realm or contact Adriane for more information

SCOUTS

Central’s Cub Scouts enjoyed a Shark Tunnel sleepover at Ripley’s Aquarium in Myrtle Beach on March 13. The final meeting of the school year was held on March 28, where scouts received the rank badges they have worked toward all year Meetings will resume in August after the new school year begins Special thanks to all our den leaders and Cubmaster William Hardaway for their leadership and dedication to our Cub Scout ministry.

HERITAGE SUNDAY

Celebrate Heritage Sunday with us on Sunday, April 26, as we honor all members of Central who have been part of our church family for 50+ years!

All Heritage Members are invited to join us for a special brunch at 10:00 a m in Spears Fellowship Hall, followed by the 11:00 a m worship service in the sanctuary, where our newest Heritage Members will be presented with a commemorative pin Come share in this meaningful celebration of faith, fellowship, and lasting dedication!

Celebrations

Eloise Ann Shumpert

Born March 9, 2026

Eloise is the daughter of Mary Amanda & Stokes Shumpert and the baby sister of her big brother, Hutch

Proud grandparents are Elizabeth & Jay Campbell

Service of Prayer & Holy Communion

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:26

We are very blessed at Central to have a weekly service of Prayer and Holy Communion each Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. Open to church and community members alike (some even from surrounding areas!), we come in, lighting a prayer candle and greeting one another before the service, which continues with the singing of a hymn, scripture readings, and a homily offered by one of our three clergy. The homily is followed by a time of offering prayer requests and joys before entering our time of communal prayer. The service then ends with a celebration of Holy Communion as we head back into the world.

This is a quiet, peaceful, blessed time in the middle of the week. Our souls are renewed and our spirits are calmed. It resets us to putting God first, and we leave in the peace of Christ, renewed, blessed, spirits refreshed, able to go out and live in the world again to do God’s will.

When you are tired of this stressful world, come to our Service of Prayer and Holy Communion and receive Christ’s peace, in order to pass that peace on.