By any definition, Glen Lundin is a hard worker. Twenty-four years ago, Glen retired from a career in the paper manufacturing business, and soon after moved from Minnesota to Traverse City where he and his wife, Diane, acquired and operate a thriving antique shop.  Glen works at the shop nearly 60 hours each week and… Read More »

When Quinn Lucey takes a walk in the woods with her kids, she loves pointing out all the beauty around them. “Isn’t that deer beautiful?” she might ask. “God created that.” It may be a small thing, but the Rev. Kathy Pittenger says this kind of faith formation is really important for young kids. As… Read More »

With nearly 40 years of experience in all aspects of commercial banking, and several years of involvement with Central’s financial management, Bob is well suited to serve as the 2023 chairperson of the church finance committee. The Finance Committee monitors Central’s overall financial health, including oversight of balance sheets, expense, and income reports.  The committee… Read More »

Luana exemplifies the definition of a lifelong church member. She was baptized at Central as an infant in 1951 and has since been a faithful attendee and willing participant. She calls Central, “a community of lifelong friends.” When asked about her motivation to serve through the years she said, “Central makes people feel loved, wanted,… Read More »

Chances are, Wes has welcomed you at Central’s door many Sunday mornings while serving as a greeter. Wes has been actively involved at Central for the past five years after moving to the Grand Traverse area from Lansing, where he retired from a career in medical practices and administration. Wes and his wife, Sue, raised… Read More »

As you recall, Pastor Chris Lane will be retiring in June of 2023. The Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committee (SPPRC) has been working with our District Superintendent, Jodie Flessner, to provide a description of our church, the Traverse City community, and an overview of the traits and characteristics that Central Church needs in a Lead… Read More »

Rebecca and I lived in bigger cities prior to moving to Traverse City in 2017. Part of the allure [of Central Church] was the opportunity to connect more deeply with our community.  One aspect of that connection is sensing the community’s needs – in a smaller town, those needs are laid bare. We see our… Read More »

We never spent much time thinking about where our church giving made an impact. Giving to church has always been something our family prioritized. We give out of a sense of gratitude and responsibility. Marinating on this topic made us look back at the history of our church membership and our participation. Before joining Central we were members at a… Read More »

What does the Bible say about sexuality? A member of our church community, and an internationally known biblical scholar, Walter Brueggemann reflects on conflicting messages in the Bible and what he sees as the unambiguous gospel message of welcome. This blog is reprinted with permission from the author. See the original post and Brueggemann’s other recent… Read More »

This is an important moment for Central Church as many of our families are thinking about the financial impact we are making and will make. Last Sunday in my sermon, I tried to make the point that the ancient Stoics from Greco-Roman times were on to something. For they believed that the really good life… Read More »