From the Pastor's Pen:
 To embrace our artistic selves is to embrace our God who is within and around us.
Throughout the Biblical text we are constantly reminded of God the artist. In the second creation story from Genesis 2, we are told that God formed us from the dust of the ground like a great sculptor and breathed life into us. This comes after God creates whole universe from a blank canvas – a diverse and awesome artistic vision come to life. In a conversation with God, the prophet Isaiah reminds us that “we are the clay, you (God) are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Of all the adjectives we use for God, creator and artist are two of the most true.
Because we are creations of God, every single one of us has the ability to be creative ourselves. Whether it is through an impulsive moment of dance or a well thought-out oil painting, when we access and practice the creativity we are born with, I believe we are accessing the divine spark that lives within each of us. It is no coincidence that in some cultures dancing is a form of prayer and early theatre was used as a religious ceremony.
In short it could be said that to create is to worship.
That is why I am very excited to announce the launching of Central Christian Church’s 2017 Artist-in-Residency program – a program that looks to honor, nurture and foster the growth of young artists in the greater Danbury community.
This program will run from May 1st through November 30th, 2017 and offer artists several valuable resources. These include:
- $200 stipend
- free rehearsal, creative or practice space
- opportunities to perform or present their work to the public (including two arts-focused Sunday worship services)
The church will also facilitate the creation of an arts focused support group. This group will be designed largely by the needs of the artists selected but it will primarily provide them with the opportunity to create lasting relationships that will be able to live beyond the residency.
I am very excited about this new program and look forward to meeting our new artists-in-residence. We are currently accepting applications through our website so please help us spread the word.
I am wishing everyone an inspirational Lenten season.
In Peace,
Stephen
 Rev. Stephen Tickner is the Senior Pastor at Central Christian. To learn more about him click here. If you would like to schedule a meeting with him please call the church at 203.748.3020 or by email at centralchristiandanbury@gmail.com
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Read with Pastor Stephen
Every month I am sharing the different books I am reading at that particular moment. They will range from theological and Biblical studies to memoirs, novels and social critiques. I hope you will find them to be inspiring, thought provoking and challenging enough that you will be inspired to read some of them alongside me. If you would like to discuss any of them, I encourage you to let me know and let’s have a discussion between us or with a group.
This month’s books include:
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The Day the Revolution Began
By N.T. Wright
From the back cover: The renowned scholar, Anglican bishop, and bestselling author widely considered to be the heir to C. S. Lewis contemplates the central event at the heart of the Christian faith—Jesus’ crucifixion—arguing that the Protestant Reformation did not go far enough in transforming our understanding of its meaning.
In The Day the Revolution Began, N. T. Wright once again challenges commonly held Christian beliefs as he did in his acclaimed Surprised by Hope. Demonstrating the rigorous intellect and breathtaking knowledge that have long defined his work, Wright argues that Jesus’ death on the cross was not only to absolve us of our sins; it was actually the beginning of a revolution commissioning the Christian faithful to a new vocation—a royal priesthood responsible for restoring and reconciling all of God’s creation.
Wright argues that Jesus’ crucifixion must be understood within the much larger story of God’s purposes to bring heaven and earth together. The Day the Revolution Began offers a grand picture of Jesus’ sacrifice and its full significance for the Christian faith, inspiring believers with a renewed sense of mission, purpose, and hope, and reminding them of the crucial role the Christian faith must play in protecting and shaping the future of the world.
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Upcoming This Month
Sunday, March 12th - Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
Sunday, March 19th - Exodus 17:1-7
Sunday, Mach 26th - TBD; Hope Jackson preaching
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Community Lenten Prayer Practice
Join us every Thursday evening during Lent to take part in an ancient prayer practice known as Centering prayer. You don't need to prepare or study anything, all you need to do is show up. If you would like to learn about Centering Prayer ahead of time, check out this video.
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Humanity Rally
On Sunday, February 26th, Central Christian Church hosted the Association of Religious Communities’ “Humanity Rally.” According to the Danbury News-Times, nearly 300 people gathered on our front lawn and in our Fellowship Hall on a brisk but beautiful day. The rally was an opportunity to show support for the immigrant and Muslim communities of greater Danbury after several hateful incidents have occurred in recent months. But, it was also an opportunity to bring people together in order to create a more united and unified community.
Beginning in the early afternoon,  speakers from a variety of experiences and backgrounds spoke from their heart. In between speakers everyone was encouraged to introduce themselves to someone they do not know and work to create new relationships.
After the rally, everyone was invited in to the Fellowship Hall for coffee and a Mission Fair. Religious communities and community groups reserved tables in order to promote upcoming events or provide information about their community. The purpose was to keep the movement for unity moving beyond this one rally.
All in all it was a beautiful day and the church was able to be used as a place of peace and restoration. If you would like to read the Danbury News-Times coverage of the event you can see it here. For more pictures and videos, please visit our Facebook and Instagram page.
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Immigration and the City of Danbury
On Wednesday, March 1st, the Tribuna Newspaper organized a community dialogue between Mayor Mark Boughton, Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour, Deputy Superintendent of schools Dr. Bill Glass and leaders in the latino immigrant community. The dialogue was hosted by Getsêmani Community Church and the Council of Latino Pastors in Danbury with the purpose of discussing a possible cooperation with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the city of Danbury.
The Tribuna Newspaper has released a video of the dialogue which can be seen here.
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Upcoming Events Around Danbury
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Diamonds in the Rough
Treasures of the New Media
as recommended by Pastor Stephen
Lenten Lamentations
 Dominique Gilliard and Erina Kim-Eubanks of Northern California have produced a valuable devotional for this Lenten season. Arising out of conversations with local clergy, this Lenten devotional concerns the "Church’s call to pursue racial righteousness and reparations." They provide a daily liturgy that includes a reflection on scripture, a "This Day in History" feature on an historic event, and responsive prayer for Lament and repentance. Check it out here.
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March Birthday's
March 4 Keith Godfrey
March 5 Eric Fearn
March 6 Sharon Lais
March 7 Daniel Smith
March 8 Brianna Deysenroth
Nathaniel Taylor
Sue Hawkins
March 12 Alice Pepin
March 15 Melissa Coons
March 16 Yancy Irwin
March 18 Charles Wilson
March 23 Susan Bradley
March 24 Evan Fearn
March 27 William Taylor
March 28 Danielle Baker
March 31 Carol MacLenathen
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