Archive for September, 2009

9:00 AM — Adult Study – The Prayers of Jesus
10:15 AM — Worship & Sunday School (Pre-K through 12th Grade)
Preacher: John D. Painter Theme: The World at Our Table
Lectionary Readings: Job 1:1; 2:1-10 Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12
Psalm 26 Mark 10:2-16
Music—Chancel Choir: Blessed Be the Name, arr. Benjamin Harlan;
Come to the Table by Joseph M. Martin
Celebration of Found Coins: 2009 CROP Walk (October 18)
11:45 AM — Fellowship Time
11:45 AM — Junior Choir Rehearsal
6:30 PM — United Methodist Youth Fellowship (Grades 7-12)

World Communion Sunday
October 4, 2009

This Sunday, October 4—World Communion Sunday—more Christians will gather around the Table of Christ in 24 hours to receive the gifts of bread and wine than on any other day of the year!
We are asking each household (individual and/or family) to bring a special loaf of bread to our service on Sunday, October 4. It may be a loaf you or another member of your family prepares and bakes at home; it may be a special loaf you select to purchase from a bakery. During the Celebration of Found Coins Pastor Painter will invite you to come forward with your offerings and also place your loaves in two large baskets at the foot of the Altar. We will be using four different loaves of bread for our Communion serving at four different locations in the Sanctuary—representing “the four corners of the world.” We will bless all of the loaves and then distribute them back out to the congregation at the conclusion of the service. In this simple way you may enjoy the gifts of one another symbolized through these many different kinds bread. If there are loaves remaining when the service is concluded, we will arrange for them to be shared with people in our area who may be blessed by the gifts of our bread.

Flags: There will be a colorful display of flags from nations around the world in our Sanctuary that morning, thanks to a special gift made in 2007 by our Children’s Ministries program.
Fellowship & Food: Everyone is invited to share together in an International Fellowship Time following Worship. We invite you to bring a simple “goodie” to share with others during Fellowship Time that is reflective of your heritage. In a congregation like Centenary, composed of persons from a variety of different cultures we anticipate a delicious opportunity to sample simple foods from a wide variety of international cuisines. Come at Christ’s invitation to share in the Sacrament of Holy Communion and “International Fellowship Time” at Centenary on Sunday, October 4th.

A Sermon Delivered by The Rev. John D. Painter at Centenary United Methodist Church Metuchen, New Jersey September 27, 2009 (Music Recognition Sunday)

Text: Ephesians 1:3-14
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.
—Ephesians 1:3-14, NRSV (more…)