The Centenary family will gather for worship at 10:15 AM on February 19th…The Seventh Sunday After the Epiphany. Assistant Pastor Terrilisa Durham Bauknight will share a special message with the children, as well as her morning Message, A Promise Is a Promise, based on the readings from 2 Corinthians 1:18-22 and Mark 2:1-12. The women of the Chancel Choir, under the direction of Shirley Mosteller, will present a special anthem during the Offertory. Our Celebration of Found Coins will be designated for the Greater NJ Annual Conference Media Center.

Just a final reminder of the Italian Style Sweetheart(s) Dinner postponed from last Saturday…there is still a little time left to make your reservations. This is a Fund Raiser to Support the Church Budget!!

Adult Class Confronts the Controversial Issues: The Adult Class is exploring some of the most controversial and divisive issues of our time. Using a video study program called Confronting the Controversies: Biblical Perspectives on Tough Issues, developed by United Methodist minister Adam Hamilton, the class is discussing the following topic on the remaining Sundays: Homosexuality (February 19 and February 26). We invite you to be a part of this challenging study Sunday at 9:00 A.M. in the Sunshine Room.

Food Collection This Sunday: Please bring cereals, staple food items in plastic jars or cans, and paper products to share with persons in need in our area. We are deeply grateful for your generous sharing.

The Annual Ash Wednesday Service of the Centenary, New Dover and Wesley United Methodist Church congregations will be held on March 1st at 7:30 PM. This year’s service will be held at Centenary United Methodist Church. Pastors Darryl Duer (New Dover UMC), John Jung Kwon (Wesley UMC), Terrilisa Durham Bauknight and John Painter will share in leading this annual service marking the beginning of Lent. The choirs of the three congregations are preparing special music for this service. During the service there will be an Imposition of Ashes and celebration of the Sacrament of Holy Communion. There will be a time of fellowship and refreshment in Room 20 following the service. Child Care will be available. Everyone is encouraged to come and share in this special service, as we begin our 40-day Lenten journey to Calvary’s Cross and the Garden of Resurrection.
The Art of Muriel Harris at Centenary During Lent: We will be blessed during the 2006 Lenten Season to have a number of Muriel Harris’ paintings adorning the walls of our Sanctuary. You will want to take time to pause on Sundays during Lent—or at other times you are in the building—to view these special works based on the indicated biblical passages, and reminding us of the themes of creation, liberation and justice. Muriel Harris, a long-time member of Centenary UMC, has received many awards and high recognition over the years for her artistry. Although in recent years she has endured the loss of much of her eyesight to age-related macular degeneration, Muriel Harris continues to create new art using a number of different media. Some of the paintings in our Sanctuary will represent her recent work in the more “tactile” media. We are grateful to Muriel Harris for sharing the gift of her art with us once again this year.

TGIF Intergenerational Dinner and Lectionary Discussion and a lot of fun together will meet on Fridays, March 3rd & 10th at 6:30 PM. A barrel offering is taken to defray the costs for the meal and materials. Persons of all ages are invited and encouraged to attend.

CUMC Youth Fellowship Congregational Dinner & Movie Night—Saturday, Match 4th from 5:30-8:00 PM: Everyone is invited to gather together for supper, and then enjoy the movie and some popcorn. There will also be a special movie for kids 12 and under during the evening. A Barrel Offering will be taken to help defray the costs for the meal, popcorn, and movie. Please sign up on the sheet posted in the Narthex so we can have an accurate count of those planning to attend.
Centenary Book Club—Friday, March 10th @ 7:30 PM in the Sunshine Room: This month’s book selection is The Color of Water by James McBride. All are welcome.

Next Sunday: February 26, 2006 – The Eighth Sunday After the Epiphany /
Transfiguration Sunday
Preacher: John D. Painter
Theme: It Is Good for Us to Be Here
Lectionary Readings:
2 Kings 2:1-12
2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Psalm 50:1-6
Mark 9:2-9

Mark your calendar !!
United Methodist Women Communion Breakfast
Saturday, March 25th at 9:30 a.m. at Centenary
Women from Wesley and New Dover United Methodist Churches in Edison will be joining us, as well as, we hope, some women from Jesus Followers United Methodist Congregation. Brunch items such as quiche, breakfast casseroles, muffins, fresh fruit, etc. will be served. The speaker will be the Rev. Sunghee Park, Pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in South Amboy. Babysitting will be available. Young girls (age appropriate) are welcome to attend.

Some Thoughts for This Week:

Immature love says, “I love you because I need you.”
Mature love says, “I need you because I love you.” – Erich Fromm

God is everywhere; yet we often think of God as somewhat of a recluse. – Emily Dickinson [adapted]

It is not the outlook but the uplook that counts.

I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me, seemed insufficient for the day. – Abraham Lincoln

Not everything that is faced can be changed,
But nothing can be changed until it is faced. – James Baldwin

The tragedy of life is not that it ends too soon,
But that we wait so long to begin it. – Richard L. Evans

Integrity is what we do, what we say, and what we say we do.
- Don Galer
Don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you. – Robert Fulghum

Others won’t care how much we know until they know how much we care. – Charles Swindoll

Painters Away Until February 25th: Tina and I expect to return to Metuchen from our Florida vacation on Saturday, evening, February 25th. During my absence, Assistant Pastor Terrilisa Durham Bauknight is “on-call” for pastoral care emergencies. Please contact the Centenary Church Office if you have need of pastoral care. Or when our Church Office is closed, you may contact Pastor Bauknight at 908-419-4101 (cell) or 908-245-1529 (home).
This evening (Thursday), Tina and I will be the dinner guests of Dr. Edward & Rebecca Santoian, their children, Michael, Hannah, and Mary Elizabeth, and Grandfather Ed Santoian, at their new home (“the farm”) in Ocala…about an hour up Florida’s Turnpike from our hotel in Orlando. We always look forward to sharing with these good folk and bringing them greetings from their Centenary family and friends.

Have a wonderful and blessed day, and I hope you will be present this Sunday to share in Sunday School, Worship and fellowship together.

Shalom y’all, John