We begin the season of Lent on

Wednesday February 14th. Lent origi-

nated in the fourth century of the

church and spans 40 weekdays

(Sundays are excluded). Since Sun-

days celebrate the resurrection of Je-

sus, the six Sundays that occur during

Lent are not counted as part of the 40

days of Lent. It starts with Ash Wednesday and climaxes with

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Lent was

the time of preparation for those who were to be baptized, a

time of concentrated study and prayer before their baptism on Easter. But since these new mem-

bers were to be received into a living community of Faith, the entire community was called to

preparation. Also, this was the time when those who had been separated from the Church would

prepare to rejoin the community.

Today, Lent is marked by a time of prayer and preparation to celebrate Easter. Most Christian

churches that observe Lent at all focus on it as a time of prayer, especially penance, repenting for

failures and sin to focus on the need for God’s grace. Joining with others in our Lenten Prayer Tri-

ads. It is really a preparation to celebrate God’s marvelous redemption at Easter, and the resur-

rected life that we live, and hope for, as Christians.

Often Lent is observed by the giving up of something (deserts, chocolate, ectara.) In recent years,

some have suggested an alternative approach. One is to take a box or bag and each day of lent

find some good article of clothing and place in the container and then at the end of lent give the

clothing to a charity. Another is to take a non-perishable food item from your pantry and then give

the forty items to a local food pantry such as operation blessing. Others take the challenge to visit

or call someone who is in nursing home, homebound, or lonely. I do hope you take the opportunity

to use this time as a way to draw closer to Christ. Come and let us share this journey together so we can have the joy and power of the resurrection

on Easter Sunday.

Grace and Peace, Interim Pastor Don

The VisitorThe VisitorThe VisitorThe VisitorThe VisitorThe VisitorThe VisitorThe VisitorThe VisitorThe VisitorThe VisitorThe Visitor

February 13, 2018 Vol. 82 No. 7 Phone: (580) 233-1214 Fax Number: 233-1228

Website: www.centralenid.org

Periodical

Postage Paid

In Enid, OK

Please lift up the families of the following in your prayers:

**Joyce Greenhaw—St. Mary’s 407

**Fig Newton—home after hospital stay.

**Health issues of Al Sexton, Joe

Glasgow, Lisa Boler

**Mary Ruth Cooper in Greenbrier Skilled

Rm. 113

**For the family of Colleen Freeman (Kay

Allison’s Mother) who died on Feb. 9.

**Lori Wood’s sister—breast cancer.

Serving Schedules

~ Sunday ~ February 18, 2018 ~ Preaching in 8:00 Chapel service & 10:15 Sanctuary service: Rev. Bryant

Elders: 8:00am—Jack Weston 10:15am—Forrest Ridgway-c, Linda Ridgway -o Deacons: 8:00am—Shirley West & TBA

10:15am—Team C—Chuck Waldrip (TL), Tiffany Harvey, Penny Bishop, McKei-sha Claypole, Barbara Baker, Margaret Day, Jeannine Simpson, Linda Shaw, Terri Carpenter February Communion Preparation: Sonya & Paige Waldrip

Memorials EstablishedMemorials EstablishedMemorials EstablishedMemorials Established

Peggy “Margaret” HallPeggy “Margaret” HallPeggy “Margaret” HallPeggy “Margaret” Hall January 8, 2018

Linda KroekerLinda KroekerLinda KroekerLinda Kroeker January 9, 2018

Paul DennyPaul DennyPaul DennyPaul Denny January 5, 2018

Wendy WoelkeWendy WoelkeWendy WoelkeWendy Woelke January 13, 2018

Shirley RickabaughShirley RickabaughShirley RickabaughShirley Rickabaugh January 15, 2018

Betty MunsingerBetty MunsingerBetty MunsingerBetty Munsinger January 25, 2018

Betty EltonBetty EltonBetty EltonBetty Elton January 25, 2018

Colleen FreemanColleen FreemanColleen FreemanColleen Freeman February 9, 2018

Kay Allison’s mother

CHURCH VISITOR (USPS 112-800) Published weekly except week of December 25.

By Central Christian Church 1111 W. Broadway, Enid, OK 73703-5897

Periodical Postage Paid at Enid, OK. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to

CHURCH VISITOR, 1111 W. Broadway Enid, OK 73703-5897

LENTEN PRAYER TRIADSLENTEN PRAYER TRIADSLENTEN PRAYER TRIADSLENTEN PRAYER TRIADS Sign up for the Lenten Prayer Triads

will be available next Sunday in the

Sunday School Classes and the Nar-

thex. Please list the groups of

three people you want to pray with

during Lent on the sign up. I will

have guides available at the Ash

Wednesday services and beyond.

You can meet anytime, anywhere.

We will have availability for the

prayer chapel as well.

125th Anniversary125th Anniversary125th Anniversary125th Anniversary 1912-1924

In 1912, the Rev. W. J. Wright was suc-

ceeded by the Rev. A.G. Smith, head of the

English Department of Oklahoma Christian

University (Phillips University), who served

for twelve years, during this period, so many

young people in Central were interested in

the field of missions that the church was mo-

tivated to start an organization for the Mexi-

can families who worked at the Frisco

Roundhouse, and a “Mexican Mission” was

established. Fidel Reyes, one of the Mexican

boys who attended the mission, later gradu-

ated from Phillips and had served as a minis-

ter in Kansas City. Remember to send me

your story in the life here at Central.

Kathy Eck

The Oklahoma Region is

planning two mission trips to

Caminante in the Dominican

Republic in 2018.

During July 21-30, we will work with the staff as they minister to children in their summer community fairs. We will play games, make crafts, and help with lessons and serve snacks and lunch to about 300 children each day. We will also take this fair to villages where Haitian immigrants live. We will observe the different programs at the vocational school and visit Santo Do-mingo, the capital city of the Dominican Republic.

We will spend time with Sister Denisse and visit the different ministries of Cami-nante. We will make coconut jewelry with teenagers. These trips are safe and secure. The lodging is in a nice, clean hotel and there are age appropriate activities for re-cent high school graduates as well as older adults. These trips will cost about $1750 per person. We can help participants raise money for this mission trip. Scholarships are available. Call Don Johnson (580-402-2612) for more information.

Adult Bible Study Valentines Dinner

Civitan Valentine DanceCivitan Valentine DanceCivitan Valentine DanceCivitan Valentine Dance is now St. Patrick’s Danceis now St. Patrick’s Danceis now St. Patrick’s Danceis now St. Patrick’s Dance

Postphoned to Mar. 9, 2018Postphoned to Mar. 9, 2018Postphoned to Mar. 9, 2018Postphoned to Mar. 9, 2018 Please bring cookies and soda Please bring cookies and soda Please bring cookies and soda Please bring cookies and soda

to the church by March 7.to the church by March 7.to the church by March 7.to the church by March 7. Thanks, Thanks, Thanks, Thanks,

CACS Chair, Kay Allison (No CACS Chair, Kay Allison (No CACS Chair, Kay Allison (No CACS Chair, Kay Allison (No more sugar free cookies are more sugar free cookies are more sugar free cookies are more sugar free cookies are

needed)needed)needed)needed)

Sunday, February 18

8:00—Chapel Service

9:00—Sunday School

10:15—Sanctuary Service

11:30—Special Board Meeting in Multi-

Purpose Rm.—No Elders Meeting

3:30—JYF

4:30—Enid Welcome Table

5:00—Youth Group

Monday, February 19

11:00—Tai Chi

7:00—Membership meeting—Rm. 109

Tuesday, February 20

10:00 & 1:00—Lifelong Learning

5:00—Enid Community Chorus

5:15—Emmaus Women-Conf. Rm.

6:00—”Life of Christ” Bible Study

Wednesday, February 21

11:00—Tai Chi

12:00—Single Mens & Womens Luncheon

6:30—Chancel Choir

7:00—Cabinet Meeting—Rm. 109

Thursday, February 22

10:00 & 1:00—Lifelong Learning

Sunday, February 25

8:00—Chapel Service

9:00—Sunday School

10:15—Sanctuary Service

4:30—Enid Welcome Table

5:00—Youth Group

Please pray for the following people

in the armed services:

Dalyn Lipps, Nicolas Stockwell,

Christopher Kelley, W. Phil Pear-

sall, Dustin Conrady, Jamie James,

Jonathan Hale, David Meissner,

Taylor Brown, Jeremy Druitt, Mat-

thew Lawrence, Matt Cline, Justin

Fowler, Jermaine Finks, Paul Wiles,

Jeff Kelley, James Wilson