John Tracy Performing At the Next Meet the Neighbors Picnic - August 11th
Come out and meet the neighbors!

Join us for a midweek picnic and evening concert with John Tracy. Filled with insightful lyrics, his original music is for real people living real life. This is guaranteed to be a memorable evening, so make your plans to attend and bring a friend!

Dinner begins at 6:00 PM followed by the concert at 6:30. There is no charge for dinner, but a free-will offering will be taken. For more details, contact the church office.

For more information about John Tracy’s music, visit www.johntracymusic.com

Saint Roch and the Dogs to Kick-Off
August 8th Worship
Take your place in the Great Procession!

The Great Procession of Saints starts with the Old Testament heroes of Hebrews 11, leads through two millennia of Church history and includes us today. Enacting our place in The Great Procession, on Sunday, August 8 our worship will open with a processional of dogs in the spirit of 14th century St. Roch, the patron saint of pilgrims, sick, gravediggers, secondhand dealers and, of course, dogs.

As a young man, St. Roch devoted himself to caring for those who suffered from plague. Contracting the disease himself, he withdrew so he could die without troubling others. As he was dying a dog from a nearby villa brought him food. He recovered to continue his ministry to the sick with the dog at his side.

Dog sitters will be ready in the Dog Park to care for the dogs immediately after the procession, so all can feel free to enjoy the service. You are welcome to bring your leashed dog for the processional. Just meet at 10:45 AM in front of the sanctuary.

Pastor Stolpe’s messages will lead us on The Great Procession.

July 4 - Freedom to Boast
Fifth of five messages from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians: The Road to Freedom. Small people are free to boast in the cross of Jesus Christ. God works through and for small people to bring in the spiritual harvest, which takes patient perseverance.

Click here for the Media Catalog page for this message.

June 27 - Focused Freedom
Fourth of five messages from the Apostle Paul's letter to the Galatians: The Road to Freedom. When we are led by the Spirit, we can be confident that God is powerfully present with us to proclaim the Kingdom of God.

If it seems God was only present with the great people of the past, by walking in the Spirit we can have the confidence that God is with, within and among us as we pass the mantle of spiritual leadership to the next generation. The Spirit uses the raw material of our Bible reading, praying and relationships in the church.

Click here for the Media Catalog page for this message.

June 20 - Inherit Freedom
Third of five messages from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians: The Road to Freedom. Identity in Christ is so radical, so strong that it supersedes the most divisive human distinctions: race, class and gender and spiritual maturity.

For many churches, the veterans are tired, burned out and discouraged. The ones with the energy and enthusiasm for introducing people to Jesus and inviting them into the church are the young believers whose experience of deliverance is fresh. Whether you are a tired veteran or recently energized, you are an heir of God promised freedom, liberated to tell how much Jesus has done for you.

Click here for the Media Catalog page for this message.

June 13 - Dying to Be Alive
Second of five messages from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians: The Road to Freedom. The Gospel way of life is by faith in Christ and not works of the law.

The Gospel of trusting Jesus is good news for those who get what they don’t deserve, both the victims of an unfair world and the disreputable, dependent intruders. The Gospel of trusting Jesus is good news not just to escape what we don’t deserve, but because it is a whole way of life of freedom from trying to deserve what only God can give us. Our mission is to invite our neighbors to a life of faith in Jesus Christ and into our congregation for the shared pursuit of Christian spirituality. This mission does not end but only begins when one of our neighbors trusts Jesus. We ourselves continue to live the good news of trusting Jesus.

Click here for the Media Catalog page for this message.

Next Picnic For the Neighborhood - July 14th - Meet Howard Garrett, the Dirt Doctor
This July 14th, "Meet the Neighbors Picnic" has invited Howard Garrett, a.k.a. "The Dirt Doctor," author, radio show host and organic gardening expert to come and speak. He was organic before organic was cool. Many of you may own his famous "Plants for Texas" book. The outdoor grill starts serving at 6:00 PM. Howard will be speaking at 6:30pm about organic gardening and taking a few questions. Learn more about him at http://www.dirtdoctor.com/.

Hundreds of our neighbors are on our campus every week for the Central Dog Park and the Acers Community Garden. We are inviting them to join us for monthly picnics this summer. Our first one on June 9th was wonderful and we forward to the next on on July 14th.

Click here for the details.

Sunday, July 11th Guest Speaker - “Go Ye” Means “Go Me”
Rev. Dr. Larry Ross, Area Minister of the North Texas Area of the Christian Church in the Southwest will be our guest to reprise the stirring message he delivered at the North Texas Area Assembly in May. Larry’s message will affirm Central Christian Church’s vision to be the hospitable hands of Jesus to our neighbors and will inspire us to bring that mission to fullness.

The sermon text will be Matthew 13:1-9.

Cast of Bronze Handbell Concert - July 2nd
Be sure to mark your calendar for Friday evening, 7pm, July 2nd, for the Cast of Bronze Handbell Concert at Central Christian Church. We are so fortunate to have a group of this caliber here at Central. If you have never heard this group perform, you are in for a treat. Be sure to invite family, neighbors and friends to what is sure to be a wonderful evening.

Click here for the Cast of Bronze website.

Outdoor Worship
Outdoor worship in the Dog Park resumes on Easter Sunday, April 4th. Coffee starts at 9:45 am with eclectic music, service from 10-10:25 am, We have about 5 people who rotate on sharing an inspiring Biblical message:

• Barron Bell
• Todd Boddy
• Russell Church
• Brandon Boyer
• BJ Austin

Occasionally guest musicians perform/sing inspiring hymns. All people and doggies welcome.

Click here to go to Central Dog Park mini-site.

Palm Sunday of Lent, March 28th - "Going Home with Jesus?"
Message for the Palm Sunday in the series Where can you go when the world don't treat you right? The answer is home! This week: Welcome Jesus When He Comes Home. When you have seen Jesus’ deeds of power for yourself, you will not, cannot hesitate to come home with him to his kingdom of peace with uninhibited joy that transforms us, our church and our neighbors.

Click here for this media catalog page.

Compassion and Aid Received in Haiti
If you’ve been watching the news, you’ve inevitably heard about the difficulties of getting aid, supplies, and medical care to those affected by the earthquake in Haiti. While it is true that the delivery of aid has been hampered by many factors, including infrastructure-related challenges, Week of Compassion can assure you that aid is reaching many of those who need it. Martin Coria, Church World Service Regional Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, now based in the Dominican Republic and working closely with Servicio Social de Igelesias Dominicana (SSID), noted that with pre-positioned CWS kits and blankets, SSID was able to provide relief to the victims of Haiti's massive earthquake in the first twenty-four hours of the disaster. On Wednesday, January 13, SSID sent a flight with supplies to Port-au-Prince, and their staff was able to see the needs firsthand and quickly provide the most crucial supplies and assistance.

Click here for details of Central's response.
Click here for Haiti updates and a live news feeds.
Click here to make an on-line donation.
Click here to go to the WOC website.

Easter Sunday, April 4, 11:00 am
Sprint to the Tomb! Come Home! Share the improbable surprise of Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary the mother of James when they come to Jesus’ tomb expecting to embalm his body only to meet two men in dazzling clothes who tell them that he has risen. Who would have thought that a dash to a tomb would be the last sprint of coming home?

2010 Lenten Mesages
Where can you go when the world don't treat you right? The answer is home!

Come home for Lent with Central Christian Church.

The quintessential coming home story is the parable of Jesus we call “The Prodigal Son” that is recorded in the fifteenth chapter of Luke’s Gospel. During Lent this year you are invited to acknowledge that often “the world don’t treat you right.” Sometimes it will be undeserved calamity. Sometimes it will be a lack of acceptance when you know you’ve messed up. Sometimes it will be just not understanding who you are. Worship with us this Lent and hear Jesus invite you to “come on home. You’re welcome here!” As the Gospel song says, “Come home, ye who are weary, come home.”

Click here for details.

Palm Sunday Vespers, Sunday, March 28, 6:30pm
Palm Sunday Vespers at Central Christian Church will be held in The Little Church at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, March 28. This beautiful candlelight event will be in keeping with the memorable vespers tradition which was established for Christmas. The Week of the Crucification is the theme of the evening. Through music, song, scripture and testimony, the story of the last week Christ was on earth before the crucification will be told, from Christ's entry into the city on a donkey to his death on the Cross, and burial.

Click here for details.

Maundy Thursday Communion, April 1st, 7:00 pm
Our Maundy Thursday Communion will be held in the Litle Church Chapel and the Prayer Garden on April 1st at 7:00 pm

Join Jesus as he has his Last Supper with his disciples before his crucifixion. After communion, this will be a service of music and Scripture with the dramatic “stripping of the chancel” as we also join Jesus in the Garden to pray. Starting in the Chapel, we will end in the Prayer Garden, weather permitting.

Second Sunday of Lent, February 28th
Message for the Second Sunday of Lent in the series Where can you go when the world don't treat you right? The answer is home! This week: Securely on the Come Home Path. Coming home means gathering together under Jesus’ hen-like wings we find more than protection. There we become hen-like ourselves, finding our security in weakness, and protecting those who are vulnerable and hurting by sacrificing ourselves.

Click here for this media catalog page.

Concert of Prayer for the Congregations of the Dallas Community - January 31, 6 PM
Convinced of the importance of our bond in Christ and of the power of praying, we will specifically pray for other congregations in the Dallas area. We have invited many congregations to submit prayer lists. Please join us in the sanctuary at 6:00 PM for this special experience of prayer and Christian oneness.

If you are unable to be physically present, you may participate by TeleWorship. At 6:00 PM on Sunday, January 31, all you have to do is phone 1-866-844-6291 and enter this code when prompted: 6371829. 

Click here for details.
Click here to make congregational prayer requests. 

3 Million People Affected in Haiti
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated the island nation of Haiti yesterday afternoon. By all approximations, as many as 3 million people have been impacted by this devastating quake. Central is responding through our Week of Compassion international relief agency and Global Ministries to help our partner organizations in Port-au-Prince, CONASPEH and the House of Hope.

Click here for details of Central's response.
Click here for Haiti updates and a live news feeds.
Click here to make an on-line donation.
Click here to go to the WOC website.

Central Was in the News Illustrating the Problem of Frozen and Broken Pipes In the Community
We came to church Sunday to find an unpleasant surprise: broken water pipes and a flooded basement due to the cold weather. No, we didn't start building an arc. We simply called a plumber and then went on with our Sunday plans, including cooking, serving and clean up after a Fellowship Dinner for 60 people after Sunday Worship; all without running water until late in the day!

Channel 4 - Fox News made a news report using Central to illustrate this wide-spread problem during this cold snap for their Sunday evening news.

Click here to see the news video segment.

A Letter of Thanks from Austin Street Centre
The residents and staff of Austin Street Centre wish to thank you for your recent gift of homemade pumpkin pies. As you may know, Austin Street Centre neither solicits nor receives any governmental or United Way funding. Therefore, your generosity will allow us to bring hope to the hopeless and help to the helpless. Our ability to serve the homeless is credited to caring individuals and companies, such as you.

Our reasons for existing are threefold: first, to offer shelter from harm to those on the street, (this being our primary purpose); next, to stabilize those lives
suffering from chemical addiction and /or mental illness; and finally, to do all in our power through counseling and programs to prepare and transition people back into the community, reuniting them, when possible, with their families.

We marked our 25th anniversary at the end of last year...25 Years of God’s Love Changing Lives. We are honored to play a part in His work and sincerely appreciate your support of it.

May our Lord bless you for who you are for the good that you are doing for so many others.

In His Service,

Rev. ‘Bubba” Dailey
Executive Director
Austin Street Centre

Rev. Harry E. Dailey
Co-Executive Director
Austin Street Centre

Sunday Worship Message for Januray 10, Epiphany Sunday – "Follow That Star!"
How could some mysterious astronomical phenomenon have mobilize and directed the Gentile Magi to trek to what was the end of the world for them, just to see an obscure Jewish baby? Who did they think this King of the Jews was and why would they care? Why should we care about this strange chapter in the story of Jesus’ birth?

January 10– 12:15 PM in Fellowship Hall
Fellowship Dinner

Sunday Worship Message - January 17 - “My Big Fat Messianic Wedding”
Jesus first recorded miracle surprisingly comes during a wedding feast he attends under the shadow of his mother.  She fears this wedding event will die fast without a new supply of wine and turns to Jesus for help.  With a few of his new disciples watching he seems reluctant to aid his mother. To help her may mean he must reveal prematurely part of his messianic identity; that he has as a minimum the power to transform, and he has a great deal of interest in a future wedding promised for God’s people.

Laity Sunday - January 24
This annual service celebrates the importance of lay ministry in the Church. Each year a lay person brings a message that is both biblical and personal. The leadership of lay people is a major strength of our Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) tradition. Our founders clearly taught the priesthood of all believers, and we make a special point of celebrating that each year on laity Sunday. The Disciples Women take the lead in organizing this service, and they have a special treat awaiting us this year.

Sunday Worship Message - January 31 - "The Small Jesus"
Early in his ministry, Jesus has begun to generate some excitement with his itinerant preaching. When he comes to his hometown synagogue, the people want to hear what the local boy is saying that is attracting attention. But Jesus doesn’t preach a regular sermon. He reads one of the most powerful passages from Isaiah the prophet and tells them it’s just been fulfilled. Who does he think he is to talk like that?! They run him out of town. What does Jesus say that makes us either want to run right for him or run him out of town?

Sunday Worship Message - February 7 - "So You Want to See God, Do You?"
Jesus’ first disciples know about catching fish. That’s how they make a living. What can this preaching carpenter be thinking when he invites them to go fishing for people with him? They can’t preach like he does, any more than he can handle a net like they do. Still, these career fishermen abandon their boats and nets to go people fishing with this carpenter.

Sunday Worship Message - February 14 - "The Glow of God"
Jesus was an ordinary Galilean laborer. Nothing about his appearance would have made him stand out. When he gave up carpentry to become an itinerant teacher, he probably didn’t wear his woodshop apron, but he also was not the only one in the crowd with a bright blue cloak to make him stand out. Yet, underneath this ordinary appearance, hints of glory oozed out, and in one remarkable moment it flashed and frightened his three closest disciples. Though he is not here to hear or see, we want to catch a flash of his glory, even though it’s sure to frighten us too.

February 14– 12:15 PM in Fellowship Hall
Fellowship Dinner

Outdoor Worship to Go Underground Until Spring
November 29th was the last Sunday of the season for the outdoor worship service in the Central Dog Park until spring. We’d like to thank all our friends who passed through this year and joined us in worship, friendship, and prayer.

Services will start again around Easter.

CENTRAL MEDIA PANEL
Check out our featured media below. In this panel we will highlight either our special or most currrent media that is available on this site. For additional media, please go to the "Media" menu in the primary navigation above. 

SUNDAY'S SCRIPTURE & SERMON
"Living Together on the Parade Route"
August 29, 2010

Click on the "Start" arrow on the Flash player below to hear the most recent Sunday service. Or, for all of our recent Sunday sermons, click here for our 2010 Media Catalog and links to sermons from earlier years.

HOMECOMING SUNDAY
"Inadequate, Unprepared, but Ready!"
Homecoming Sunday 2009
September 20, 2009
Captain W. Kyle Fauntleroy

Click on the "Start" arrow on the Flash player below to hear our Homecoming Sunday service. For all of our recent Sunday sermons, click here for our 2009 Media Catalog and links to sermons from earlier years.