July 18, 2026

Dear Central Church,

We’ve had an amazing week at Vacation Bible School!

Did you know that 43% of people who come to Christ do so before the age of 12? That number rises to 66% by age 18. These statistics remind us of something the church has long known: some of the most fruitful investments we can make are in children and students.

When we invest in age-level ministries, we are not simply providing childcare or creating programs to keep kids busy. We are helping young people encounter Jesus at a time when hearts are especially open to the Gospel. We are planting seeds of faith, teaching God’s Word, building relationships, and creating opportunities for children and teens to hear and respond to God’s call on their lives.

Many of us can trace our own faith journey back to a Sunday School teacher, youth sponsor, camp counselor, pastor, or volunteer who took the time to invest in us. Their influence helped shape who we are today. Now it is our turn to make those same investments in the next generation. Every hour served, every snack prepared, every game led, every Bible lesson taught, and every conversation shared is an act of faith that God can use to transform a life.

I want to offer a special word of thanks to the many volunteers who served this week at VBS. More than 100 children participated, and your willingness to serve helped create an environment where they could experience the love of Christ. The impact of your investment may not be fully known this side of eternity, but it matters deeply.

We were also blessed this week by the presence of Scott and Emily Armstrong, our special missionary guests. Scott and Emily are global missionaries serving in South America through the Church of the Nazarene. Based in Pilar, Argentina, they work alongside regional leadership to strengthen the development of new ministers and missionaries, support missionary personnel, and help expand the church’s mission throughout the region.

This Sunday, Scott and Emily will be sharing in both worship services as we celebrate what God is doing through their ministry. During the 10:30 service, our Kids Ministry, under the direction of Pastor Bethany Tibbs, will join them in leading several songs and sharing some of the lessons they learned during VBS.

I hope you will join us as we worship together, celebrate a wonderful week of ministry, and give thanks for the ways God continues to work through Central Church to reach the next generation and the nations.

With Resurrection Hope,
Pastor Mark