LexCentral Worship

This week we will think about courage and the courage it takes to wait. On the heels of the 50th Earth Day, we will also consider creation and our place in God's diverse and beloved community of life. Thanks to Lelia Midkiff for providing the beautiful watercolor above.

Normalcy seems to be an idea of the past. Why are we here and what are we to do? These questions are central to the biblical story as well as our current situation. This Sunday, we look back at the work of God through the people in exile. Their isolation and uncertainty are felt by us, and their hope for restoration can help us shape a promising future. Join us this week for a message from Charles Conkin.

Join us from your computers, tablets, phones, and televisions as we celebrate even in the midst of shadows. The image above is a painting by our own Charlotte Blaydes. She started painting during our watercolor workshop last fall and has already created this beautiful work. While we may be apart, we can still find little hopes and joys scattered about like a bright red cardinal or an evening stroll. This week during our prayer time, we'll invite our children to draw pictures of things they are grateful for.

The Psalm for this week is familiar and timely, Psalm 23. What better time to remember that a good shepherd leads us than days like these? Gather with us again and find rest, renewal, and comfort that you are not alone.

Join us for worship as we continue our lenten journey. This week as we continue our exploratoin of God's covenant with humanity, we'll consider repentance. God's invitation to communion is not punitive or transactional, but rather a relationship founded on unconditional love. Flowing from this love is the opportunity to change, to grow, and to find wholeness. Our Psalm for this week expresses this confidence is God's loving care: I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore. Psalm 121, NRSV

Join us for worship as we celebrate the first Sunday of Lent. As we begin our lenten journey, we'll consider God's covenant love for humanity. This quote from Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel reminds us of the opportunity we have each day to find God's love filling all of life. Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement....get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.”

Join us for worship this week as we celebrate Transfiguration Sunday. Our children will lead us in song as we contemplate the mystery of God's transforming grace. Our call to worship reminds us that we are welcomed into God's beloved community: If you are filled with joy and conviction, welcome home: here we proclaim that the world is beautiful and God is good. If you are exhausted or overwhelmed, welcome home: here we offer rest to those who are weary and a chance to catch your breath. If you are eager for another day and another chance, welcome home: here when we worship, God is among us, and everything is possible.

This week as we worship together we celebrate the grace of God that brings healing and redemption to all of creation. Though we struggle to follow in the way of Jesus, God continually invites us to join in an economy of grace where there is more than enough.

This week, we are excited to welcome Kelly Hale as our guest preacher. A student at Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, Kelly is an Addie Davis Preaching Award Nominee. She has lived in Lexington for over 30 years. Kelly met her husband, Ric, while in graduate school. They have three grown daughters and one son-in-law. Kelly has had a varied career as a dietitian, a missionary, a mom, a preschool director, and a mission coordinator at a local church. She now works for a local nonprofit, Surgery on Sunday, as the volunteer coordinator. Kelly is currently pursuing an M.Div. at Baptist Seminary of Kentucky.

This week as we worship together, we are excited to welcome Rev. Hannah Niday as our guest preacher. Hannah Niday is originally from Maynardville, TN. While attending Lincoln Memorial University she met her husband Adam. They moved to Washington, D.C. so that she could attend Wesley Theological Seminary for her Masters of Divinity. Upon graduation and the birth of their daughter Audrey, they moved to Lexington, KY for Hannah to begin her chaplain residency. While in Lexington they found Central Baptist Church and it instantly became their home church. Hannah was ordained by Central in 2016 just as she had accepted at full time job as Chaplain at Four Winds Community, a long term nursing home. She has also served Jackson Christian Church as pastor for the past two years.

This week as we celebrate communion together, we continue our exploration of spiritual practices with the practice of fasting. In a culture that thrives on consumption, it can be challenging to choose less. Whether we're fasting from media or that extra afternoon latte, we have the opportunity to create space in our lives for clarity and reflection.

This week in worship, we consider how God is always in the business of forgiving and restoring us. In this continuous renewal we find the shaping of a beloved community where all people find wholeness and acceptance in God's system of grace. As we contemplate these beautiful and challenging truths, we also continue our exploration of spiritual practices with the practice of silence.

Join us for worship as we continue our exploration of spiritual practices that enrich our lives and our communities. This week we'll practice focused breathing as we contemplate how God brings healing and justice.

This Sunday we celebrate the light of the world revealed in the birth of Christ. Spoken by the Prologue to John’s Gospel, we are invited into the wonder, mystery and power of this great incarnation to the world. As we make the turn from Christmas into Epiphany, we are called to reflect upon what we have praised in worship. Songs, poetry and story are now expressed by journey, attentiveness and discipline. We will be introducing suggestions and helps for encouraging the exercise of your spiritual practices as we walk together. The light has come. Now may we continue our task of shining this light into our hearts and to all those in need of its gentle and revealing presence.

As in years past, we will have readers take us through the biblical story of the birth of Jesus; from prophetic musings to the lovely tale of shepherds, wise men, angels, and the baby. Interspersed with these readings will be music provided by the choir and traditional hymns sung by all. This combination of spoken and sung words provides a lovely opportunity to remember and worship. We hope you will make an extra effort to be here and maybe even invite a friend or neighbor to join you.

Repentance Can't Wait—the Sunday of Advent Peace: Isaiah 11:1-10, Mt. 3:1-2.

There is no higher description of the significance of the Christ image than the one found in Colossians 1:11-20. This Sunday, we will reflect upon our practice of the liturgical calendar and how we can celebrate Christ every day in preparation for each Sunday of worship.

Every year, it seems the celebration of Christmas gets earlier and earlier. But it's never too early to prepare for Jesus' continual arrival into our lives and into our community of faith. Isaiah 65:17-25; Luke 21:5-19

The Rev. Dr. Jan Cottrell will be our special preaching guest at both services on November 11. She will be speaking about Jesus' understanding of family as those ready to hear and do God's Word using Luke 20:27-38 and Deuteronomy 25:5-6 as her primary texts. Dr. Cottrell received her Doctor of Ministry degree from the University of the South. She completed two years of Clinical Mental Health Training at the Lexington VA hospital and graduated from The Haden Institute in Hendersonville, North Carolina, which included four years of Jungian-based training and practice with Dream Work and Spiritual Direction. Dr. Cottrell’s counseling practice focuses on healing, recovery, and wholeness through a spiritual path. Her 25+ years of experience as a parish priest is augmented by mental health clinical training focusing on substance abuse, PTSD, depression, grief, loss, and anxiety. Jan is married to Dr. Ken Cottrell. Between them, they have three grown children, four grandchildren, and a Cairn Terrier, Phoebe. Jan and Ken both have an active interest in global ministry and, locally, with Prison Visitation and Support at the Lexington Federal Medical Center.

This Sunday we celebrate All Saints Day. We'll hear stories from friends about people who have helped them along their journey. We'll take time to remember the saints in our lives who have lit the way for us.