Night of Praise and Worship, Mar 27, 2011

Here are some striking images of Centerpoint's latest night of praise and worship, led by Shelley Green and Centerpoint's Praise Band. Over 300 attended and we don't think a single person would deny that the Holy Spirit was there among us. What a night! Thanks to Anita Thebo and our photography team. Check out all of the pictures on our SmugMug site.

(Captions to follow when we have time to add them.)

Centerpoint Challenge 2011

Here are a few choice shots from the Centerpoint Challege half-marathon, 5K run, and Tot Trot.  Thanks to our photography team, including Anita Thebo, Karen Stolzfus, Karen Hobbs, Dawn Gaylord, Diana Bunch, Brie Smith, Rebekah Thebo, Renee Williams, and Kieth Stephenson.  Check out all the photos at our SmugMug site.

(Captions to follow when we have time to add them!)

John Henry Faulk's Christmas - The Rest of the Story

"And all of a sudden, we heared papa call out, "Merry Christmas to you, Sam Jackson." And we stopped and looked. And here comes Sam Jackson a-leading that old cripple-legged mule of his up the lane. And papa said, "Sam Jackson, did you get in town to get some Christmas this year?" Sam Jackson, you know, he sharecrops over there across the creek from our place. And he shook his head and said, "Well, no, sir, Mister. Well, I didn't go in town. I heared about that, but I didn't know it was for colored folks, too. I thought it was just for you white families." All of a sudden, none of us children were saying nothing. Papa, he looked down at mama and mama looked up at him and they didn't say nothing, like they don't a heap of times, but they know what the other one's a-thinking. They're like that, you know. And all of a sudden, papa, he broke out in a big grin again. He said, "Dad-blame-it, Sam Jackson, it's a sure a good thing you come by here. Lord have mercy, I liked to forgot. Old Santa Claus would have me in court if he heared about this. The last thing he asked me if I lived out here near you. Said he hadn't seen you around and said he wanted me to bring part of this out here to you and your family, your woman and your children."

Well, sir, Sam Jackson, he broke out in a big grin. Papa says, "I'll tell you what to do. You get your wife and children and you come down here tomorrow morning. It's going to be Christmastime all day long. Come early and stay late." Sam Jackson said, "You reckon?" And mama called out to him and said, "Yes, and you tell your wife to be sure and bring some pots and pans because we're going to have a heap of cookin' to do and I ain't sure I've got enough to take care of all of it." Well, sir, old Sam Jackson, he started off a-leading that mule up the lane in a full trot, you know, and he was a-heading home to get the word to his folks and his children, you know.

And next morning, it just — you remember how it was yesterday morning, just rosy red and looked like Christmastime. It was cold, but you didn't notice the cold, you know, when the sun just come up, just all rosy red. And us young'uns were all out of bed before daylight seemed like, just running in the kitchen and smelling and looking. And it was all there sure enough. And here come Sam Jackson and his team and his wife and his five young'uns in there. And they's all lookin' over the edge. And we run out and yelled, "Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas." And papa said, "Christmas gift to you, Sam Jackson. Ya'll come on in." And they come in and mama and Sister Jackson, they got in the kitchen and they started a-cooking things up. And us young'uns started playing Christmastime. And it's a lot of fun, you know. We'd just play Christmas Gift with one another and run around and around the house and just roll in the dirt, you know, and then we started playing Go Up To The Kitchen Door And Smell. And we'd run up and smell inside that kitchen door where mama and Sister Jackson was a-cooking at, and then we'd just die laughing and roll in the dirt, you know, and go chasing around and playing Christmas Gift.

And we played Christmastime till we just wore ourselves out. And papa and Sam Jackson—they put a table up and put some sheets over it, some boards up over some sawhorses. And everybody had a place, even the baby. And mama and Sister Jackson said, "Well, now it's ready to come on in. We're going to have Christmas dinner." And I sit right next to Willy Jackson, you know, and he just rolled his eyes at me and I'd roll mine at him. And we'd just die laughing, you know, and there was an apple and an orange and some stripety candy at everybody's place. And that was just dessert, see. That wasn't the real Christmas dinner. Mama and them had done cooked that up. And they just had it spread up and down the table.

And so papa and Sam Jackson, they'd been sitting on the front porch and they come in. Papa, he sit at one end of the table, Sam Jackson sit at the other. And it was just a beautiful table like you never had seen. And I didn't know nothing could ever look like that and smell that good, you know. And Sam Jackson, you know, he's real black and he had on that white clean shirt of his and then them overalls. Everything had been washed and was real clean. Papa, he said, "Brother Jackson, I believe you're a deacon in the church. I ain't much of a church man myself, but I believe you're a deacon. Maybe you'd be willing to give grace." Well, Sam Jackson, he stood up there and his hands is real big and he kind of held onto the side of the table, you know. But he didn't bow his head like a heap of folks do when they're saying the blessing. He just looked up and smiled. And he said, "Lord, I hope you having as nice a Christmas up there with your angels as we're having down here because it sure is Christmastime down here. And I just wanted to say Merry Christmas to you, Lord.

Like I say, Mister, I believe that was the wonderfulest Christmas in the United States of America." "

NPR's story is here.

Listen to the original here.

Centerpoint Membership - Meaning and Commitment

Of course, we want any and all who come to us to join Centerpoint, but we want prospective members to realize that membership means making a promise to our whole body of believers, as well as being called to a higher level of responsibility, service, and – yes – sacrifice. Membership is not a light matter.

Membership 101 (M-101) will explain why signing a membership covenant with Centerpoint is an important measure. Starting on May 1st, we will offer M-101 again and begin offering the follow-on classes (201, 301, and 401) on successive Sunday evenings. These classes will go deeper into what such things as service and personal evangelism mean, and will help give new members the understanding and tools they need to grow in relationship with God.

All classes will be held at Camp Grandview in Millbrook, starting at 6:30 pm.

M-101 is a basic introduction to membership at Centerpoint. It explains who we are, what we believe, and what commitments are involved in becoming a member. It will be held on the first Sunday of each month.

M-201 is a "how to"presentation on essential habits that every believer needs to develop in order to learn how to begin centering his or her life on Christ. 201 will be held on the last three Sundays in May and on the second Sunday of each month starting in August.

M-301 will help you discover your "SHAPE:" Spiritual gifts (in the Biblical sense), the Passions of your heart, your Abilities, your Personality, and the value of your Experiences. You will learn how God combines these elements so that you can serve Him effectively and joyfully in church and in the world. 301 will be held on the last three Sundays in June and the third Sunday of each month starting in August.

M-401 will help you develop your personal Christian testimony and introduce you to simple but effective methods for sharing your unique testimony. It will also explain Centerpoint's multi-site strategy and mission philosophy for reaching people deeply and widely. 401 will be held on the lasat three Sundays in July and the fourth Sunday of each month starting in August.

Only M-101, a completed membership application, and your signature on the covenant is required for you to become a member of Centerpoint. You will keep the signed covenant itself and it will be a document suitable for framing and display.

Centerpoint at CityFest

Several Connect Groups and other individuals volunteered to help at Prattville's CityFest this year.  we, of course, have pictures: [all photos courtesy of BeLinda Cooley]

Centerpoint's attendants on the "jumpy-bouncy thingies" await the onslaught of young'uns.

Children rush to the aid of Centerpoint workers who thought they'd "try out the equipment" and were heard minutes later yelling, "it's cramped in here and we can't get out!"

Even though they weren't the dirigibles we'd hoped for, the jumpy-bouncy thingies were pretty cool.  This little guy agreed.

More satisfied customers

CP's Associate Pastor Scott Schumpert supervises the action

(Okay, CP Executive Secretary Cyndi Lombardi actually supervised the action, but don't tell Scott...)

Worship Leader Shelley Green and her husband Tommy provided musical entertainment on CityFest's main stage.  Selections included Van Halen's "Jump," House of Pain's "Jump Around," and "Bounce" by Aaron Carter, among others...

Official Centerpoint Sketch Artist Rendering of Service for Missions Team in Action

Click on the image for a better view.