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INFOCentral Central Presbyterian Church

Some of What’s Inside

Free Movie Night Tonight

CCS Open House

Calling All Actors

EquipCentral Menu for Oct. 23 Cheesy Ravioli with Meat Sauce Green Beans Italian Salad French Bread with Butter Zebra Brownies

October 20, 2013

A Worshiping Community Finding Purpose for Life Between Sundays

The Rest Of The Story… As Eric Stiller shared last Sunday, Central Presbyterian Church has survived and thrived for 168 years and counting. God has been faithful. We can celebrate and take hope in that! But what is the rest of the story behind the young man, Alexander Van Court, who was called to be Central’s first pastor? In May of 1845 the congregation met to elect one of two men. Alexander Van Court won in a vote that was 17 to 1. His compensation package at the time was $1,000 per year to be paid quarterly along with a “comfortable” dwelling. Van Court was born in Virginia in 1817 and was educated at Princeton Theological Seminary. He came to St. Louis from Florence, Alabama.

Under Van Court’s leadership plans for a permanent church building began, and in 1846 the name we now have became synonymous with a construction project at the corner of 8th and Locust. Recorded history said there were many “hindrances and discouragements” during this

time in the life of the church, but by 1849 the church was completed.

Revival was an integral part of the life of the new Central Presbyterian Church. Many people came to faith during this period and joined the fledgling church as well. This was also a time of exponential growth for the city of St. Louis. Many coming to the city were immigrants migrating from New Orleans. The immigrants brought disease with them, and thus cholera was introduced in St. Louis and Central. Central limited its meeting times to reduce the chance of the disease spreading among the congregation.

Unfortunately, Alexander Van Court died just a short time later at the age of 32. Unwilling to abandon a needy and hurting congregation, he paid with his earthly life. His grandson described him as a “martyr to duty." Alexander Van Court is buried here in St. Louis at Bellefontaine Cemetery. What else can we learn from this story? In the words of the Session of the day, “…be faithful as well as ready-while those who remain feel their increased responsibilities and that of themselves, they can do nothing, yet looking to the great head of the church for aid, they hope to be able to meet their increased duties…” Central Presbyterian Church has been “Stepping Up to Step Out” since 1844. We hope each of you will step out with us in great faithfulness and reliance on Jesus! Special Thanks: Excerpts for this article came from Stones of Remembrance, A History of Central Presbyterian Church, Copyright 1994 by Marilyn A. McCarthy, in celebration of Central's 150-year celebration.

Helping Children Without Families: Free Luncheon God's call to care for orphans can take many forms, from praying for those without a family to opening your home and taking in a child as a full member of your family. On Sunday November 3 at 12:30 p.m. Central's Life Team is hosting a free luncheon to help you better understand all the various forms of adoption. Representatives from Bethany Christian Services and One Heart Family Ministries will provide details about domestic and international adoption as well as fostering, sponsoring, and temporary hosting opportunities. You will also have the chance to learn about the many opportunities to volunteer in the lives of these children, as even a small commitment of your time or money can dramatically change the life of a child without a family. The Life Team has provided a variety of materials to help you learn more about the many faces of adoption. Informational bookmarks are available in the narthex, and DVDs are available through the church office by contacting Tina (314-727-2777). Please continue to pray for children around the world—especially those without a family—and pray the Central community will open our hearts to them. Dare to pray that God will open your own heart to respond to his love for you by joyfully accepting his call to love others.

Free Pizza and Movie Night Tonight The Life Team invites you to a free pizza and movie night in Fellowship Hall this evening after Trio (around 6:15). Whether you're a child, a parent, someone who wants to be a parent, or even a grandparent, you're likely to be touched and inspired by "The Odd Life of Timothy Green," a magical, heartwarming story from Disney about loving and being loved in a family and a community. Doug Merkey will lead a discussion of the movie.

Academic Rigor & Christian Worldview? What if you could have both? Yes, at Central Christian School you can. You are invited to discover how Central is preparing children ages 3 through 6th grade for secondary school through the lens of truth. Join them for Admissions Open House Friday October 25 from 9-11 a.m. Register at [email protected] or 314-727-4535.

A Testimony of God's Faithfulness

The following is an excerpt from the Laudel family’s testimony regarding their experience in the adoption process. The Laudels have adopted two children, one domestic and one international. Videos of their testimony and others are available online (http://www.centralpres.com/lifeteam). In September 2004 we submitted our paperwork to adopt a daughter from China and were told that we would be assigned a The Laudel Family (L to R): child in about Brooke, Albert, Donna, Anthony eight months. Fifteen months later, in December 2006, we received a picture of our daughter. It was love at first sight! We traveled to China with a group of others who would be adopting girls and arrived there on Sunday January 28. We all received our daughters on Monday January 29. What an amazing day! Several caregivers (who did not speak any English) brought fifteen baby girls on a five-hour train ride to their waiting parents. The women were so kind and obviously loved the children. I was momentarily concerned that I would not recognize our daughter—what if we got the wrong baby?! But there was no doubt. She looked exactly like her picture, and I loved her even more when I got to hold her and see her in person. It was another sweet and emotional placement day. We saw God’s faithfulness in so many people and situations along the way to completing our family. It took faith for us to open ourselves to scrutiny and to the unknown. Bethany endured with us for eight years. And certainly our birth mothers showed great faith in placing their children with us. Still today, we are striving to remain faithful in the daily struggles and joys of raising our family. We are so thankful for God’s “big picture.” And we can’t wait to see what else he’ll do along our way. —Donna Laudel

Used Toy Drive

Missions Update:

You can put smiles on the faces of children across the St. Louis area! Central’s Missions and Outreach team, in response to the expressed need from several urban ministries, will be collecting new or gently used toys, games, puzzles, books, blocks, dolls, etc. for boys and girls ages birth to 10 years. This is an opportunity to clean out your "stuff" and pass it on for others to enjoy. Place your items under the coat rack in the hallway on the north side of the Biltmore (nursery) church entrance. We will gather your "goodies" from October 15 to 30. For more information, call Julie Kuhlman (314-965-0214).

Paul and Elizabeth Branch Evangelical Presbyterian Church World Outreach – Guatemala

The Crucible of Joy: Suffering In last week’s sermon pastor Eric Stiller talked about the inevitable suffering that we endure in a fallen and broken world. Chances are right now you or someone close to you is enduring one of life’s many challenges. We want you to know about some of the many resources Central offers to help people through such times.

• Praise God for our adjustment of the entire family to life in Guatemala and our ministry there. • Pray for grace and wisdom for Paul as he teaches and serves as Academic Dean of the Central American Theological Seminary.

• Pray for God’s grace and guidance for Elizabeth as she ministers to at-risk children with learning difficulties and their families.

• Pray for God’s grace for Linda as she attends college in the U. S. and for Joseph as he finishes high school and prepares for transition to college.

• Thank you, Central, for your prayers and support of our ministry in Guatemala.

“The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:5-6

Prayer Requests: Central’s pastors, elders, and prayer teams long to pray for you. We invite you to use the pink prayer cards located in the pews or call the church office (314-727-2777). All requests remain confidential, and you can indicate whether or not you would like to be contacted about your request.

Prayer Ministry: Members of Central – both men and women – are available after each of our Sunday morning services in Clayton to pray with you. Leaving the sanctuary through the doors nearest the pulpit, simply turn left at the bottom of the short flight of stairs and you will find the Prayer Room. Here, trained members of our prayer team will be ready to sit and pray with you. Congregational Care: While each person’s experience will be different, the journey towards health cannot be taken alone. God has put us in a community where we can experience the love and grace of Christ through others who share in our pain. If you want to connect with someone, please contact Central’s pastor of Congregational Care, Todd Denholm ([email protected] or 314-727-2777).

Mark Hutton Leaving Central Mark Hutton has resigned from his role as an assistant pastor at Central Presbyterian Church. We wish Mark well in his future endeavors.

Actors Needed! Actors and actresses of all ages are needed for Central’s annual Christmas concert on Friday December 13. If you are interested in sharing your gifts with us or need more information, email Ron Klemm ([email protected]) or Ila Klemm ([email protected]) or call the Klemms (314725-3869).

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Pizza and Movie Night

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Sunday, 6:30 p.m. // Fellowship Hall // Central’s Life Team is sponsoring a pizza and the movie 18 12 13 14 15 16 movie night featuring 17 “The Odd Life of Timothy Green,” an inspiring, magical story about loving and being loved. // We hope you will join us for this free event. 19 Women in Ministry20

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Tuesday, beginning at 9 a.m. // Join us for coffee and fellowship followed by a time of worship, teaching, and discussion. // At 10:30 we will have our monthly missional outreach project, then make plans to stay for lunch at 11:30; 26is $5. 27 28 29 30 31 Cost

Men’s Fellowship Luncheon

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Wednesday, 12 noon // Meet in the Parlor. // Gentlemen, don't miss this great lunch, fellowship, and inspiration! // Jack Miller will be our guest speaker this week. Jack has been a Central member since the 1980s and is active in our Thursday morning prayer breakfast and Friday morning Bible study. // Cost for lunch is $5.

EquipCentral

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Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. // Dinner is served in the Fellowship Hall beginning at 5:30 p.m., followed by classes and activities for the whole family starting at 6:30. // Cost for dinner is $5 per person or $2.50 for children under 12, with a maximum cost of $15 per family. // Reservations are required for dinner. Please contact Carol (314-727-2777) or visit us online at www.centralpres.com/equipcentral.

Senior High Fall Retreat

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Friday, October 25 - Sunday, October 27 // YMCA Trout Lodge, Potosi, MO // Depart at 5 p.m. on Friday, return Sunday at 5 p.m. // Cost is $140 and covers food, lodging, transportation, and t-shirt. // To register, visit studentcentralstl.com/ senior-high-fall-retreat-2

November Highlights Helping Children Without Families: Luncheon

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Sunday, 12:30 p.m. // Representatives from Bethany Christian Services and One Heart Family Ministries will provide details about domestic and international adoption as well as fostering, sponsoring, and temporary hosting opportunities. // Free luncheon // Reservations are required for lunch. Please contact Carol (314-727-2777) or visit us online at www.centralpres.com.

Central Presbyterian Church

An Evangelical Presbyterian Church congregation

7700 Davis Drive, Clayton, Missouri 63105 314-727-2777 | fax 314-854-0168 | www.centralpres.com

Sunday Mornings Central Presbyterian Church

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8:30, 9:45, and 11:15 a.m. Radio broadcast: KSIV 91.5 FM | 11 a.m. Live streaming: 9:45 a.m. @ www.centralpres.com/live/

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West County Fellowship

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West County Family YMCA | 16464 Burkhardt Place, Chesterfield Sunday morning worship | 10 a.m. Children’s worship | 10 a.m. Live streaming: 10 a.m. @ www.westcountyfellowship.org/live/

Sunday Evenings Trio Worship

Central Presbyterian Sanctuary - 5 p.m. Live streaming: 5 p.m. @ www.centralpres.com/live/

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