Dear Centenary Church Family:

It’s the fifth Sunday of the month, and that means we will be led in our 10:15 AM Worship service by members of our Centenary United Methodist Youth Fellowship. Our youth, under the guidance of Assistant Pastor Terrilisa Durham Bauknight and Advisor Scott Woodfield, have designed a special service of “Praise and Thanksgiving” for us to share together. We will sing many songs and hymns reflective of our praise and thanks to God. The youth have prepared a special children’s message, The Rocks Will Cry Out. We will receive the Word from Psalm 147:1-11 and Luke 11:1-4, and the morning Message will be a special dramatic (and humorous) presentation on Our Daily Prayer. Keeping with the spirit of the morning, our Chancel Choir, under the direction of guest conductor and organist Louise Chernosky, will sing Arise, Give Thanks, by Mark Patterson. Our Celebration of Found Coins will be designated for the Raritan Valley District Church Union.

Confronting the Controversies: 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 topics on the remaining Sundays: Euthanasia (January 29); Prayer in Public Schools (February 5); Abortion (February 12); and Homosexuality (February 19 and February 26). We invite you to be a part of this challenging study each Sunday at 9:00 A.M. in the Sunshine Room.

Acolyte Training—Sunday, January 29th at 11:45 AM: Young persons in the Fourth Grade and above who are interested in serving as Acolytes in Worship are invited to remain after our Worship service this Sunday for a brief time of training. Pastor Painter and others from our Worship Committee will be available to assist our Acolytes to undertake their important responsibilities.

Those who have served as Acolytes previously are also encouraged to attend.
Please remember in your prayers: Tydvil Applegate; Augusta Christensen; John Lashley; Ruth Malbon; Ruth Oliver; Shirley Rush; Philip Valentine. Extended Family: Bishop Sudarshana & Prima Devadhar (esp. Thurs. @ Noon); Nancy Brown (former CUMC member); James Chek (Mary Ellen Heim’s brother); Kevin Conte (friend of Deborah Berk); Gloria (co-worker of Doug Woodfield); Ken Hull (friend of Glenna Gundell); Hillary Crute Johnson; Andrew Kemp (Gladys Lehman’s son); Claudia Kux (friend of Mary Ellen Heim); Martha (co-worker of Doug Woodfield); Robin Metzger (Friend of Wendy Woodfield); Silvia Quirolo (friend of Christine Rose); Dave Rapp (Nancy Rapp’s brother-in-law); Elna Rose (Christine Rose’s mother); Tyler Simmons (grandson of Mary & Everett Webb); Alicia & Logan Strauss (step-grandchildren of Jane Strauss); Wendy (friend of Maria Armington); Kathy Kerns White (Kerry Abry’s sister); Detective Carlos Wormley (friend of Terrilisa Durham Bauknight).

This Holy Mystery: We are examining The United Methodist Church’s official interpretative document on Holy Communion on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 PM and also on Thursday mornings at 9:30 AM, using Gayle Felton’s study guide.

An all-in-one resource for both participants and leaders, the study guide presents commentary on the history, practice, and principles of Holy Communion in United Methodist congregations. It also points to implication of the sacrament for ministry and mission. This Holy Mystery study guides for this course are available in the Church Office and at class sessions.

TGIF Intergenerational Dinner and Lectionary Discussion and a lot of fun together will meet on Fridays, February 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.

Centenary Book Club—Friday, February 10th @ 7:30 PM in the Sunshine Room: This month’s book selection is Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. All are welcome.

CUMYF Super Bowl Bake Sale on February 5th: Our Centenary UM Youth Fellowship will hold a Super Bowl Bake Sale immediately following Worship on Sunday, February 5th. Home-baked items will be available for your purchase and enjoyment during the big game on Sunday evening. Proceeds from the sale will support the youth fellowship mission project this summer.

Ozanam Shelter Dinner on February 6th: Centenary will be serving dinner at the Ozanam Shelter on Monday, February 6th. Please check the information on the bulletin board in the Narthex and sign up to assist with food preparation or serving. For further information, please contact Glenna Gundell (732-463-1431) or Mary Ellen Heim (732-548-2587). Thanks.

2006 Summer Program at Aldersgate Center: The schedule for the Aldersgate Center Summer Program has been announced and is now posted on the Aldersgate Center Web Site at www.aldersgatenj.com. You may find information there about a number of camp programs available for lower and upper elementary children, and for junior and senior high youth, between June 25th and August 25th. All necessary forms for registering your child or youth are available at the site to download and print out. We also have copies of the schedule and registration forms available through the Church Office.

Registrations are coming in quickly and space is limited this year, so we encourage you to register your child or youth as soon as possible. Please remember that limited scholarship assistance is available for those who attend a camp program at Aldersgate through Centenary United Methodist Women and through the Church. Please speak with Pastor Painter at the time you seek his signature on the registration forms. We are delighted that Aldersgate Center will be able to hold a very active summer program this year despite the loss of Wesley Lodge to a disastrous fire in the fall.

2006 Refreshments: Please consider sponsoring a refreshment time and signing up for one of the many available weeks in 2006 on the Refreshment Chart posted on the bulletin board in the Narthex. Information on what you need to provide is available from Pastor Painter or by speaking with Millie Pleuler (732-750-4434). Thank you for providing hospitality on a Sunday morning.

Next Sunday: February 5, 2006 – The Fifth Sunday After the Epiphany /
The Sacrament of Holy Communion
Preacher: John D. Painter Theme: This Holy Mystery: Means of Grace
Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 40:21-31 1 Corinthians 9:16-23
Psalm 147:1-11, 20c Mark 1:29-39
Special Readings: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Mark 14:22-25

Some Thoughts for This Week:
The thing you fear most has no power.
Your fear of it is what has the power.
Facing the truth really will set you free – Oprah Winfrey

We need four hugs a day for survival.
We need eight hugs a day for maintenance.
We need twelve hugs a day for growth. – Virginia Satir

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you’ll know exactly what to do. – Michelle Ventor

Learn to write your hurts in sand. Learn to carve your blessings in stone! – Unknown

When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world. – George Washington Carver

The spiritual life invites a process of transformation in the life of a believer. It is a process of growing in gratitude, trust, obedience, humility, compassion, service, and joy. – Marjorie Thompson

Give us to go blithely on our business this day, bring us to our resting beds weary and content and undishonored, and grant us in the end the gift of sleep. – Robert Louis Stevenson

Joy is to feel the doors of the self fly open into a wealth that is endless because none of it is ours and yet it all belongs to us. – William Sloane Coffin

Joy is the feeling of grinning on the inside. – Dr. Melba Colgrove

To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides. – David Viscott

I look forward to sharing with you all in Sunday School, Worship and Fellowship this Sunday.

Shalom, John

John D. Painter
The Rev. John D. Painter
Centenary United Methodist Church
200 Hillside Avenue
Metuchen, NJ 08840-1900
Office: 732-548-7622
Home: 732-549-1786
Cell: 201-463-5552
Study: 732-516-9226
Fax: 732-548-6256
Visit Centenary United Methodist Church at http://www.CentenaryUMCnj.org