Centrally Speaking

Central Schwenkfelder Church has been a noted edifice in the Lansdale/Worcester, Pennsylvania community since 1951. It was originally formed by merging two smaller meeting houses in the area - Towamencin and Worcester. The building in 1951 presented a particular expression of the Christian faith and was attractive to many in the community. Now for over a year, the building has been renovated, presenting a fresh means for the church to present its vision of the Christian faith and to interact with the surrounding community. The dedication weekend for the renovated building is on Friday, May 3- Sunday, May 5, 2024. All who are able to join the church for this celebration are welcome.In this podcast, we discuss with Senior Minister, Rev. Dr. David McKinley, about Central Schwenkfelder's past and also its future. More information about the church's renovation project can be found here: https://www.centralschwenkfelderr4renovation.org/ #centralschwenkfelderchurch  #centralschwenkfelderchurchrenovations  #schwenkfelderchurches   #schwenkfeldermeetinghouses  #Towamencinmeetinghouse  #Worcestermeetinghouse  #churchbuildingsoceityCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Christian communities frequently produce art that represent their common life and values. The Schwenkfelders as well as other German based Christian groups created a distinct piece of artwork called fraktur. These paintings reveal valuable themes that  were important. In this podcast we speak with Candace Perry, the curator of collections at the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center about this important artwork. She has served at the Library and Heritage Center for over 25 years, has written a catalog of fraktur for the Pennsylvania German Society, and has made many presentations about this subject.#fraktur  #colonialGermanart  #Christianfraktur  #Schwenkfelderart #colonialPennsylvaniaart  #GermanfolkartCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

In the 21st-century in the West, identity is everything. It seems that it has never been more important to know who you are and be true to yourself.  In this podcast, author and scholar Dr. Brian Rosner shares why looking inside is not the right answer. Instead, he suggests that looking outside of oneself to relationships, life stories, and upward to God is much more profitable. He shares from his own personal experience and his studies. Dr. Brian Rosner is the Principal of Ridley College in Melbourne, Australia, a scholar of international reputation, and a family man.#howtofindyourself  #lookinginside  #findidentity  #findyourself  #findidentityCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Antisemitism has risen to a top news story following the October 7, 2024 Hamas-led attack on Israel which killed 1200 people and led to 240 hostages. Since then, accusations of antisemitism have been circulating in the media, demonstrations in support of Hamas have taken place in cities and on university campuses, and hearings with university presidents have taken place before Congress. In this podcast, we ask H Randall Morgan, Jr. who has lived in Afghan villages, visited Israel and is the current Chairman for the Maryland-Israel Sister State Committee to speak to this situation. We ask him to define what antisemitism is, explain its origins, and clarify why it is so dangerous. We also ask him how one can show genuine sympathy to innocent Palestinians who are caught in this current conflict and not be seen as antisemitic. The interview concludes with his guidance on how to prevent antisemitism at the workplace, school, or in the community .#antisemitism  #dangerantisemitism  #antisemitismuniversity  #preventantisemitismCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Christmas is a greatly anticipated holiday in America each year, but now some cannot think about it unless there are extravagant gifts.  In this podcast, we interview Rev. Dr. David McKinley, Senior Minister of Central Schwenkfelder Church, about the origins of the Christmas holiday, the excesses of the holiday, how some wanted to ban it, and then some of its best aspects. We then ask him how we might be able to have a more family and Christ centered Christmas this year. #familyChristmas  #ChristcenteredChristmas  #originsofChristmas  #historyChristmasCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

What is taking place in Ukraine from the perspective of Christian workers who are working in the region? Much of the world's attention has been on the conflict between Israel and Hamas on the Gaza strip. With much of mainstream news focused on the Middle East and elsewhere, we interviewed Dirk Smith, the Vice-President of Eastern European Mission. He provides some of the latest testimonies of what is taking place in Ukraine in this podcast.#ukraineconflict  #ukrainemission  #russiaukraineconflict  #missiontestimonyukraineCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

On October 7, 2023, Hamas initiated a deadly surprise attack on Israel. Thousands of armed Hamas men tore down the fence at the border between Gaza and the Israeli border and then killed and captured many. Simultaneously, Hamas fired thousands of rockets at Israel. While Israel has received small scale attacks, this one was like no other. Now, the world is watching what will happen next. In this podcast, we interview Roger Wambold, Director of Hebrew Christian Fellowship and someone who has traveled regularly to this region of the world. We ask him to make sense of this current conflict between Israel and Hamas.#guideIsraelHamas  #basicinformationIsraelHamas  #guideHamasIsrael  #basicinformationHamasIsraelCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Does God send angels to protect us and guide us? What might they look like? Does the Bible say anything about this? Should someone pray to a guardian angel? These are all popular questions in society but there are many opinions. In this podcast, we interview Rev. Roger Wambold, who is the Director of Hebrew Christian Fellowship and has been a pastor for 17 years.  He has been thinking about this issue for much of his life. He is currently one of the teachers of the Potpourri Sunday School at Central Schwenkfelder Church.#guardianangels  #prayertoangels  #angelsJesus  Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The historic Peter Wentz Farmstead is known to represent colonial life from the 18th century in the Philadelphia area. While first settled by Peter and Rosanna Wentz in 1744, the farm was purchased by Melchior Schultz, a Schwenkfelder Minister, in 1794. Generations of the Schultz family continued to live and farm here until 1969, when Montgomery County purchased the property.  While the Farmstead represents early Pennsylvania German practices that were typical to this region, aspects of the Christian faith can be seen, too. In this podcast, we interview LeAnne Sykes, a historian and guide,  to discuss some of the history at the Farmstead and also to consider the faith that is on display.The Peter Wentz Farmstead is located next to the Central Schwenkfelder Church in Montgomery County, PA (https://www.montgomerycountypa.gov/929/Peter-Wentz-Farmstead). It is famous for a visit from George Washington before and after the Battle of Germantown in October of 1777.#PeterWentz  #PeterWentzSchwenkfelder  #Schwenkfelderheritage  #faithearlyAmericanhistory  #earlyamericanchristianity #MelchiorSchultzCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Until recently, Christianity has been associated with peace. In the wake of the January 6 riot at the Capitol and past incidents like the Crusades, some are wondering if the connection between Christianity and peace is accurate. In this podcast we interviewDr. Rob Arner. He has been most recently Associate Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid and Assistant Professor of Theology and Culture at Reformed Episcopal Seminary. He is the author of Consistently Pro-Life: The Ethics of Bloodshed in Ancient Christianity (Pickwick Press, 2010), and served on the board of directors for the Consistent Life Network (https://www.consistentlifenetwork.org/) for a decade. #Christianitypeace  #peaceChristianity  #consistentlyprolife  #rebuildingpeaceCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The pictures coming out of East Ukraine have been horrific. What is the perspective of a Christian leader who is living  just over 25 miles (40 km) from the front lines? In this podcast, Volodya Degtyaryov tells recent stories of the war, refugees, and the church's humanitarian work from February 2023. Volodya and his late wife Irina became Christians during the Soviet era.  He has been the President of the Zaporizhzhya Bible Seminary and a minister among the Ukrainian Baptists.Volodya will be telling more stories about the war in Ukraine on Sunday March 19 when he will be bringing the message at Central Schwenkfelder Church's 9:00 service. He will be making a presentation and taking questions at a dessert evening on Friday March 17 at 7:00 pm at the church.  #zaporizhzhya   #ukrainewar  #fightingukraine  #zaporozhye  #refugeesukraine  #internallydisplacedpeopleukraineCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

How are the youth of today seeing our world? Generation Z (born from 1996-2012) has values that are distinct from other age groups. In this podcast, we interview Jonny Radcliff, a youth worker working to share the Christian message with this generation. Jonny is the National Coordinator of Resource Development  National Network of Youth Ministries. He grew up in Souderton and lives in Harleysville. He has been involved with youth ministry for 15 years. He has also started work at Central Schwenkfelder Church in the middle of January. The group meets at 6:30 on Monday evenings.#generationZ #youthministrygenerationZ  #youthcentralschwenkfelderchurch  #strengthsgenZ  #strengthsgenerationZ  #weaknessgenZ  #weaknessgenerationZCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The Contemporary Worship Service will be presenting a Christmas Concert on Friday, December 30 at 7:00 pm.  The Christmas program involves contemporary songs, carols, and readings. There is also a dessert afterwards. In this podcast, we discuss with Wayne Wurtz, our Worship Team Coordinator what will be taking place during this program.#CentralSchwenkfelderChurch  #contemporaryChristmas  #contemporaryChristmasmusicCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

How do you find some joy at Christmas after you have lost someone very special in your life? You are not alone if you are feeling this way. In this podcast, Rev. Dr. David McKinley, Senior Minister at Central Schwenkfelder Church, shares from his extensive experience with grief. He speaks about loss when our society is so focused on romance and gift giving during the holiday season. The discussion includes the poinsettia tradition at Central Schwenkfelder Church which for decades has helped honor the memory of a loved one. Finally, he speaks about the importance of Jesus for finding true joy even in the midst of loss.#blueChristmas  #sadChristmas  #lonelyChristmas  #lossChristmas  #centralschwenkfelderchurch Centrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Christmas Carols are some of the favorite aspects of the Christmas season for many.  In this podcast, Sally House, the director of the United Choir, shares about the upcoming United Choir Concert, a Christmas and Advent Carol Concert. This concert will take place on December 4 at 2:30 pm at the Central Schwenkfelder Church on Valley Forge Road in Lansdale. The choir is in its 95th year of existence. (website: https://www.unitedchoir.org/)#unitedchoirconcert2022  #schwenkfelderchoir #adventcarol #christmascarolCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

"While I breathe, I hope" is a famous expression from the time of the Greeks and Romans. In modern societies that are weary, hope is especially valuable.  Our guest for this podcast is someone who has studied hope for years as part of a multi-disciplinary project called The Hope Project (https://www.thehopeproject.nl/en/the-hope-project/ ). Dr. Steven van den Heuvel is the Director of the Institute of Leadership and Social Ethics (https://www.etf-ilse.org/) and Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Evangelische Theologische Faculteit in Leuven, Belgium (www.etf.edu/en). He has been leading the investigation on hope which is funded by the Goldschmeding Foundation for People, Work, and and the Economy based in the Netherlands. Dr. van den Heuvel is also the editor of two books that concern hope, one of which is Historical and Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Hope (2020)#hope  #thehopeproject #ILSE #hopeweary  #secularhope #ChristianhopeCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

Why do people not understand the Bible as well anymore? Recent surveys show a decline of biblical literacy in the west. How can this happen when there are so many copies of the Bible available in English? Also, how can the trend be reversed? In this podcast, we ask Dr. Scott Hafemann about these trends and the ramifications for church and society. Dr. Hafemann is Honorary Reader in New Testament at St. Andrews University (Scotland) and former professor at Wheaton College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. #biblicalliteracy  #decreasingbiblicalliteracy  #increasingunderstandingbible  #bibleandsociety  #bibleandchurchCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The Schwenkfelders have the longest standing continuous thanksgiving service in the United States. It started first in September of 1734 and still continues to this day. How did this come about? Why is it special? What happens at this service? We asked two Schwenkfelder pastors Rev. Leslie Mamas from Olivet Schwenkfelder United Church of Christ and Rev. Nick Pence from Palm Schwenkfelder Church to answer this question and give their impressions about thanksgiving, remembrance, and this important service.#Thanksgivingservices #DayofRemembrance #SchwenkfelderservicesCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The world’s attention has been drawn to refugees this year. The withdrawal from Afghanistan in August of 2021 and the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 have put refugees in the focus of world news. As of this recording the number is well over 84 million.In this podcast, Rev. Dr. David McKinley, Senior Minister at Central Schwenkfelder Church speaks about the world's refugee crisis, his own experience working with refugees, how Jesus was a refugee, and how the Easter story shows how Jesus understands refugees and those who are lost. #refugees  #Jesusrefugee #Schwenkfelderrefugee  #MyGodwhyhaveyouforsakenme  #eloieloilamasabachthaniCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org

The invasion of Ukraine has now taken place for over a month. In just over a month,  over 3.3 million people are refugees and 6.5 million are internally displaced people, making this one of the worst refugee crises in recent history. What does this mean for the country of Ukraine? How are the humanitarian needs being addressed? What does this mean for the church? In this interview, we speak with Ken Sears, an American who has lived in the Eastern Ukraine city of Zaporizhzhia for 27 years. This interview was taped on Monday March 21, 2022. Ken is part of European Christian Mission NA, Inc.; P.O. Box 1006, Pt Roberts, WA 98281;  Website: https://www.ecmna.org/ #zaporozhyeukraine  #zaporizhzhiaukraine   #ukraineconflict  #humanitariancrisisUkraine #helpingUkraineCentrally Speaking is a ministry of Central Schwenkfelder Church in Lansdale, PA USA. Website: www.cscfamily.org