FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

Dear Church Family,

As we enter this Advent season, I am reminded of the many ways God has been at work among us over the past year. It has been a season of planning, growth, and collaboration—both in our day-to-day ministry and in preparing for what’s ahead in 2026.

Over the past year, much of my work has focused on strengthening our ministries, supporting our staff and lay leaders, and creating systems to help our church thrive. We’ve refined worship planning, developed pathways for discipleship, supported local and international mission efforts, and nurtured spaces where all people can experience God’s love—online and in person. Behind the scenes, I’ve worked to ensure that the structure, communication, and logistics of our ministries allow the Holy Spirit to work freely through our congregation.

I want to take a moment to sincerely thank all of you for the many notes, texts, phone calls, and visits during Pastor Appreciation Month. Your kindness and thoughtfulness have truly touched my heart. These gestures of encouragement remind me of the deep connections we share as a church family and reinforce why I feel so blessed to serve alongside you.

As we celebrate Advent, a season of expectation and hope, I invite each of you to join in communal prayer, reflection, and engagement. Advent is the perfect time to pause and prepare our hearts as we discern how God is calling us forward. Together, we are preparing for new opportunities, both in our ministries and in the life of our church in 2026.

I encourage you to participate fully—through prayer, service, worship, and study—as we enter this holy season. Let us celebrate God’s presence in our midst and join in shaping the coming year with intentionality, faith, and love.

With gratitude and anticipation,
Rev. Dr. Chase H. Burns
Executive Pastor

UPCOMING EVENTS

NEW CENTRAL MERCH IS LIVE! 

Our new Central merch goes live TODAY! Orders can be placed now through Thursday, November 20. Check out our hoodies, crewnecks, T-shirt, and new hat! You don't want to miss out! All orders will be delivered to Central United Methodist Church and you will be notified when ready to pick up. Order here by 11/20/25.

REQUIEM CONCERT AT CENTRAL

Tonight at 7pm! Be sure to join us for a night of musical excellence as the Central, St. Paul's Episcopal, First United Presbyterian, and Grace Episcopal choirs join voices for a moving performance of John Rutter's Requiem in our historic Sanctuary. We'll see you there! 

CENTRAL MEN'S MINISTRY

Our men's ministry will hold their monthly brunch gathering on Saturday, November 8 @9am in the Student Ministries building. Join us for food, fellowship, and connection. All are welcome! 

CCA YOUNG AT ART FUNDRAISER

Our Central Children's Academy is hosting a silent auction fundraiser at the Garden Room on Dickson Street on Thursday, November 13 @5:30 pm. Proceeds will help us install artificial turf for the CCA playground, to make the fun a little safer! If you would like to help donate and/or attend the Young at Heart CCA Fall Fundraiser, please reach out to Kari Horton for more information. We would love to see you there!  

REGIONAL CHARGE CONFERENCE  

Our 2025 Regional Charge Conference will be held at First United Methodist Church in Springdale on Sunday, November 16 from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. This United Methodist Church gathering is an opportunity to review the past year of ministry, complete essential church business, and affirm our goals for the coming year. We’ll be meeting in regional groups to encourage collaboration and connection beyond our own congregations as we continue our shared mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. All UMC members are welcome to attend.

INCLUSIVE CONNECTIONS MOVIE NIGHT

Inclusive Connections will be screening "To Wong Foo: Thanks for everything! Julie Newmar" on November 13 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM in the Student Ministries Building. This is the 30th Anniversary of the film, which was an affirming comedy for LGBTQIA+ people. Join us for snacks and fellowship. All are welcome!

20/30'S GROUP

If you’re in your 20s or 30s and you’re looking for community of kind, curious, and enthusiastic folks, come check out the Central 20s / 30s group! We meet every Sunday morning @ 10 AM in room 100 and have a weekly walking group on Monday evenings. In addition to our regular weekly programming, we periodically gather for holiday celebrations, brunch, community events, and pot-lucks! Scan the QR code or click here to join the e-newsletter for weekly updates!

MISSIONS MINISTRY

HUB OF HOPE EVENT

Mark your calendars for Thursday, November 7 from 5 - 9 PM in Fayetteville to shop at Brick City and help support one of Central's mission partners, Hub of Hope! Come enjoy a fun evening of shopping local vendors, sampling tasty treats, and refreshing with a Tinseltown Sparkler—available through a donation benefiting Hub of HOPE. It’s a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness, connect with the community, and kick off the holiday season in style. find out more ways you can help Hub of Hope here.
 

TURKEY BREASTS NEEDED FOR COMMUNITY MEALS

This month's ministry spotlight focuses on our Community Meals Turkey Drive. We are in need of frozen turkey breasts for our upcoming November Thanksgiving meal. Your contribution helps feed over 100 people each Tuesday and Thursday here at Central. Please contact the church office or Jeanie Hill to coordinate drop off.  All donations are needed by November 11th.  

COMMUNITY EVENTS

FAYETTEVILLE VETERANS DAY PARADE

The city of Fayetteville just announced this week that they will be hosting a Veterans Day Parade Saturday, November 8 @11am on Dickson Street. We invite the community to bring a chair and watch on Central's lawn as we honor those who have selfishly served in the US Army, US Navy, the US Marines, the US Air Force, the US Space Force, and the US Coast Guard. All are welcome!  

ADVENT SEASON EVENTS

HANGING OF THE GREENS

Join us for our annual Hanging of the Greens on Sunday, November 23  following the classic service! We'll kick things off in the CAC with a pizza party and planning as we map out all the areas to be decorated for the Christmas season. Afterward, we'll split into teams to bring festive life to the church — all decorations will already be set out in their spaces, so we just need your help putting it all together! Childcare will be provided, though we encourage families to decorate together and make it a fun, memory-filled afternoon. Come be part of transforming our space into a beautiful celebration of Advent and Christmas! Sign up here.

PASTORS' ADVENT STUDY

Celebrate how it all began this Advent Season as we prepare to study The Christmas Letters by Magrey R. DeVega. Join us in the the Wesley Chapel in Building B on Wednesdays, Dec 3, 10, 17 @6pm. We will dive into the New Testament letters Romans, 1 John, Philippians and Colossians—our first "Christmas letters" of the season. Discover the miracle of Jesus' birth, the mystery of the Incarnation, and God's invitation to deepen your faith. Come for Communion. Stay for the conversation. Order your book here. 

GOODTIMERS CHRISTMAS LUNCH

GoodTimers Christmas Lunch is just around the corner! If you are 65 and up, join us for our annual Christmas GoodTimers Lunch. We will be singing Christmas carols and sharing in fellowship during the Advent Season. Be sure to sign up and we can't wait to see you! Sign up here.

LIGHT OF THE OZARKS HOSPITALITY TABLE

Join us Thursday, December 4th, 6-8 pm as we welcome Lighting of the Ozark parade watchers. We will be serving hot chocolate and sharing information about our Advent services this December. Sign up here to volunteer.

NEXT GEN MINISTRIES

NEXTGEN PROGRAMS 

NextGen Programs meet Sundays and Wednesday nights. Youth meets on Sundays in building D starting @ 5 PM. Dinner is provided, so bring a friend and come worship with us!  On Wednesdays, Club K6 is for Kindergarten - 6th graders, to are share in worship, bible stories, games, and crafts from 6 - 7:30 PM in building D. Youth Hang Time is for 7th-12th graders, and provides a place hang out in a safe space with games, snacks, and good times from 4 - 7:30 PM. Dinner is provided for those at Hang Time. We can't wait to share the love of Christ with each of you this semester. Contact Zack or Erika for any questions. 

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

CENTRAL'S PODCAST

IT'S NOT COMPLICATED: Ask the Pastors

In this episode of It’s Not Complicated, the pastors take on a thoughtful question from Ashley: “How reliable is the Bible as a historical record?” Together, they unpack the history of the biblical canon, how it was formed, preserved, and translated over the centuries. From ancient manuscripts to the many versions we read today, this conversation explores why understanding the Bible’s history can actually deepen our trust in its message.

New Podcast Topics: Share Your Ideas!

Email us and we would love to take your suggestions for next year's podcasts topics!