What are Central's values?

As with individuals, a church's values guide its actions. Since 1897, Central's values have provided the standard by which its activities are judged.

At Central Baptist Church, we value . . .

. . . worship that is both reverent and dynamic. Our worship is guided by the ecumenical Christian seasons and lectionary. It is a time when the intergenerational family of faith at Central gathers together to praise God, confess and ask for forgiveness of our sins, offer back our resources to God, proclaim the Word, and dedicate our lives to service in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

. . . spiritual formation that helps the Christian of every age live out his or her call to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. We offer Bible study classes for all ages during our Sunday School hour and at various times throughout the week. We participate in weekly prayer services on Wednesday nights. We offer periodic "Central Seminars" on various topics and yearly spiritual formation retreats.

. . . music that inspires us to praise the Creator of the universe. There are age appropriate choirs for preschoolers and children; also, youth choir for special worship occasions. The Chancel Choir leads weekly in the 10:55 worship hour on Sunday mornings. The Handbell Choir rehearses weekly and performs in worship several times each year. The choirs and ensembles are a place of fellowship and commitment to this special ministry.

. . . fellowship that fosters friendly and caring relationships between church members. Wednesday nights the whole church gathers to share a meal. On Sundays between Sunday School and worship we have Fellowship & Coffee in the Fellowship Hall. We also offer periodic activities such as a yearly church picnic and church league recreation teams.

. . . children. Ongoing Sunday School, service-learning groups (R.A.s, G.A.s, and Mission Friends), children's choirs, and fellowship outings are offered for children from preschool through fifth grade. A nursery program staffed by both paid and volunteer caregivers is offered to infants and toddlers. Our summer children's ministry includes a Vacation Bible School week for preschool through fifth grade and "New Horizons Camp" for children third through fifth grade.

. . . youth and understand their need for a ministry that allows them to grow in their faith in the context of a supportive peer group with adult mentorship. To that end, the youth ministry at Central is planned and carried out by a Youth Council, made up of student leaders, a Youth Committee, made up of parents, and our Youth Minister and Youth Intern. Bible studies, mission projects, music, and fellowship are offered throughout the year for students from 6th grade to 12th grade. Each season of the year brings unique opportunities with a Fall Spiritual Leadership Retreat at Awanita, SC, March Mission Madness in the Spring, a ski retreat in the Winter, and Passport, a youth mission camp, in the Summer.

. . . women and men and believe they have an equal privilege and responsibility to participate in and lead our church's ministries. Central provides all members the opportunity to serve in the ministries of the church as teachers, Deacons, and committee members. Additionally we offer various women's ministry Bible studies and retreats, and a men's fellowship and service ministry called "Keepers of the House."

. . . our community and world. Central has been an active participant in missions endeavors in our community and our world for over 100 years. We partner with benevolence agencies and support local, national, and overseas Christian ministry through ongoing mission projects, trips, collection drives, and offerings. We share our Preschool facilities with a Montessori School and have a history of opening our facility to many community groups, including the Red Cross, the Newnan Junior Service League, and Boy Scouts.

    Additionally, Central has strong ecumenical partnerships. We host an annual preaching series with the Newnan Presbyterian Church. With the Newnan Presbyterian and the First United Methodist Chuches we host a joint singles ministry. And with nearly ten churches, Catholic and Protestant, we join in an annual Lenten Luncheon worship and fellowship each of the weeks of Lent.

. . . our roots. The congregation of Central Baptist Church was founded by 144 men and women, on July 25, 1897 with the mission to "keep house for God." The church has been a strong, faithful witness to its community and the world for over 100 years. Many of the members of Central Baptist Church today are descendants of those original 144 members.

. . . our future. Rooted in the strengths of its past. Central is a congregation not afraid to let the Spirit of God lead it into new endeavors. With each new person who becomes a part of the life of Central, our congregation is led into a future that has yet to be written, except in the mind of God.