Sunday, January 3, 2010 – Epiphany Sunday / Sacrament of Holy Communion
Dear Centenary Church Family:
Happy New Year!
As you will note from the information below, there has been a change in the Worship service for this Sunday, January 3, 2010. I will not be preaching, as originally planned, but the Chancel Choir and supporting musicians/instrumentalists, will present the “Candles and Carols” Cantata which had been scheduled for Sunday, December 20…when our service was cancelled because of the significant snowfall. We will also change the order within the service. The Sacrament of Holy Communion will be offered earlier in the service, and the children will be encouraged to remain in Worship until after Communion is served. They may then participate in a special activity for this first Sunday in the New Year…or they may remain for the Cantata, which will compose the final part of the Worship service. We look forward to sharing in this special musical experience which will offer you the opportunity to hear once again the Christmas story and to sing many of your favorite carols with the Chancel Choir.
This Sunday at Centenary: January 3, 2010
Epiphany Sunday / Sacrament of Holy Communion
9:00 AM – Adult Study – Core Beliefs of Christianity (Sunshine Room)
10:15 AM – Worship & Sunday School
A Christmas Cantata: Candles & Carols: A Service of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love
by Mark Hayes & Pamela Martin
with Chancel Choir, Instrumental Ensemble, and Congregational Singing
Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6 Ephesians 3:1-12
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 Matthew 2:1-12
Celebration of Found Coins: Raritan Valley District Church Union
Children’s Time: Assistant Pastor Terrilisa Durham Bauknight
11:45 AM – Fellowship Time (Room 20)
6:30 PM – Centenary Youth Fellowship (Grades 7-12) (Youth Room)
ADULT CLASS LOOKS AT THE CORE BELIEFS OF CHRISTIANITY
First Adult Class Study of the New Year
What is the core of Christian faith? What have most Christians in most places and times believed? Is the Christian faith reasonable for modern people? These are some of the questions that will be addressed by well-known biblical scholar and Anglican bishop N. T. Wright in the first Adult Class study of the New Year. In this five-week course, beginning this Sunday, January 3, 2010, Bishop Wright offers a fresh presentation of the timeless truths of Christianity, making the case that faith is reasonable and rewarding for us today. This DVD study is based on Bishop Wright’s acclaimed book, Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense. Join us, starting Sunday, January 3, 20l0, for this “faith refresher,” as we explore together the common beliefs we share as Christians. The class meets every Sunday morning from 9:00 to 10:00 AM in the Sunshine Room. All are welcome.
Celebration of Found Coins for January 2010
Raritan Valley District Church Union
Our January 2010 Celebration of Found Coins (Barrel Offering) will be designated for the Raritan Valley District Church Union. The Church Union provides some financial support to congregations in the Raritan Valley District that are facing unusual and unanticipated expenses. These funds are primarily used to help with emergency repairs to facilities (e.g. roof repair) or equipment (e.g. furnace repair/replacement). A number of our smaller churches, especially, do not have extra funds available when such expenses arise, and the combined efforts of the churches of our Raritan Valley District can provide these congregations with some limited assistance. Your generous support is gratefully appreciated.
Refreshments for 2010
Persons are invited to sponsor the time of coffee and refreshments following our Sunday Worship services in 2010. Please consider sponsoring a refreshment time and signing up for one of the many available weeks on the new 2010 Refreshment Chart in the Narthex. Information on what you need to provide is available on the information sheet attached to the Refreshment Chart. Thank you for providing hospitality on a Sunday morning.
Please Note: No one has signed up to sponsor refreshments for this Sunday, or for any of the Sundays in January 2010. If you are able to bring some cookies or other finger food to share with others this Sunday, please leave them in the serving table in Room 20 before Worship. Thank you.
Centenary Book Club—Friday, January 8, 2010 @ 6:00 PM at Menlo Park Diner: The book for reading and discussion will be Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. We remind those who are considering joining the Centenary Book Club that our selections have been wide in variety and proven to be the right ones for interesting, enjoyable, challenging reading and more. The Club remains open to interested persons, male or female ages 18 years and older. For further information contact Assistant Pastor Terrilisa Durham Bauknight.
Flower Arrangements for 2010
Persons are invited to sponsor flower arrangements for our Worship services. A new 2010 Flower Chart has been posted in the Narthex. Floral arrangements cost $25.00 each week to sponsor. Information is available from our Flower Chairperson, Linda Serentino (732-940-2135) or by calling the Church Office. Thank you for providing these beautiful tributes for our Sunday services.
2010 Offering Envelopes Are Available
Weekly offering envelopes for 2010 are available on a table in the Hallway below the Mission/UMW Bulletin Board. Please check the boxes and take your packet of envelopes (arranged alphabetically) home with you…and please take a packet for a neighbor or friend, if you see it still there. Mailing out these offering envelopes costs quite a bit per set, so by taking them with you, you assist us greatly in reducing mailing costs ($2.00 per box set!). If you do not find a packet of envelopes with your name on them and wish to have a set, please notify the Church Office, and Sue Brownlow, our Financial Secretary, will prepare a set for your use. We encourage everyone to use these envelopes to share their gifts with the church as it makes it much easier for our financial teams to maintain accurate giving records throughout the year. Thank you.
Have You Returned Your 2010 Financial Commitment Card?
The financial support of everyone at Centenary is imperative if we are to meet our ministry and mission goals for 2010. If you have returned your Financial Commitment Card indicating your pledge for the coming year, thank you. If you have yet to return your Commitment Card indicating your intention to share from your resources, we request that you do so as soon as possible. Additional Commitment Cards are available from the ushers during Worship each Sunday, and from the Church Office. Thank you for your faithful support of our shared ministry.
Special Church Conference—Sunday, January 10, 2010
Immediately Following Worship (Approximately 11:30 AM)
In accordance with Paragraphs 248 and 246.8 of The Book of Discipline (2008) of The United Methodist Church, Raritan Valley District Superintendent Robert W. Scott, Jr., has authorized a Special Church Conference for Centenary United Methodist Church on Sunday, January 10, 2010, at approximately 11:30 AM (immediately following the 10:15 AM Worship service).
The sole topic for consideration at this Special Church Conference will be to receive and act on the joint recommendation from the Church Council, Staff-Parish Relations Committee, and Finance Committee to reduce the annual Pastoral Compensation of Centenary United Methodist Church to $45,165, effective July 1, 2010. No other business that is not related to this matter may be brought before this Special Church Conference.
All members of Centenary United Methodist Church are eligible to attend and to vote on this recommendation at the Special Church Conference.
[Interpretive Note: Some persons are concerned that this recommendation will reduce the salary for the present Pastor, which is not the case. Pastor John Painter will be retiring from the active ministry on June 30, 2010, and a new Pastor will be appointed by the bishop to serve at Centenary United Methodist Church, effective July 1, 2010. The joint recommendation to reduce the Pastoral Compensation from $55,165.00 to $45,165.00 would not be effective until July 1, 2010. The recommendation will not affect the present Pastoral Compensation, which was established by vote of the regular Church Conference in November 2009, and will remain at $55,165.00 until Pastor Painter’s retirement on June 30. If approved, the new compensation of $45,165.00 would go into effect on July 1, 2010. At present, all other Pastoral Support items (housing & utilities, health insurance, Comprehensive Protection Plan, pension, continuing education and professional expenses) will remain the same.]
Food Collection—Sunday, January 17
Please bring cereals, staple food items in plastic jars or cans, and paper products to share with senior residents in Perth Amboy. We and they are deeply grateful for your generous sharing.
Special Appeal for Diapers and Infant/Toddler Food for Amandla Crossing: Your assistance is needed to provide diapers (sizes #4, #5 (especially) & #6…and pull-ups) and infant & toddler food for children at Amandla Crossing. Please bring the items to Centenary and leave them in the boxes provided in the Narthex. Thank you. —Your Mission Committee
Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebratory Service
Sunday, January 17th @ 3:00 PM at New Hope Baptist Church
Members of the Centenary Church Family are encouraged to attend, as we gather to remember and celebrate Dr. King’s faith and commitment to civil rights, human justice, non-violence, and international peace. The theme for 2010 is “Dream of a Community United.” A number of local laypersons, youth and clergy will share “Reflections” during the service. New Hope Baptist Church is located at 45 Hampton Street in Metuchen.
“Clean Food” Cooking
Saturday, January 23: 1:00—3:00 PM
Our Children’s Ministries program will be conducting a cooking class for adults and kids together. Everybody is welcome to attend. Please sign up ahead of time so we have enough food for everyone. We will be using the book “Clean Food” by Terry Walters. Basic cooking methods, reading recipes and what “clean food” means will be discussed. The book is divided into seasons and we will be selecting foods from the Winter section. Participants will prepare and make cranberry applesauce, winter green salad w/ sugared walnuts, crispy pears, and pomegranate vinaigrette, winter vegetable soup, and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Save the date and have some fun!
Some Thoughts for This Week:
An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the year leaves. – Bill Vaughn
We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day. – Edith Lovejoy Pierce
Resolved: Never to do anything which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life. – Jonathan Edwards, Resolution for the New Year
The New Year is a time to learn to rely more heavily on the grace of God. – Unknown
If this is to be a Happy New Year, a year of usefulness, a year in which we shall live to make this earth better, it is because God will direct our pathway. How important then, to feel our dependence upon Him! – Matthew Simpson
The New Year gives one a chance to look backward and forward, to reset oneself by an inner compass. – May Sarton [adapted]
People are always wanting to change and improve themselves. New Year’s has a sense of a fresh start, and most people who want to break their habits are always thinking of a fresh start. – Barry Lieberman
Resolve to be tender with the young,
compassionate with the aged,
sympathetic with the striving,
and tolerant with the weak and the wrong.
Sometime in life you will have been all of these. – Bob Goddard
The naked truth is always better than the best dressed lie. – Ann Landers
To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it. – Confucius
The Christmas star shines still
in hearts filled with God’s peace and goodwill.
A hundred times a day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depends on the labors of other persons, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the measure as I have received and am still receiving. – Albert Einstein [adapted]
We are called to use our gifts to leave this world better than we found it: with more love, more forgiveness, more hope. – Nicole Johnson [adapted]
There are times when we must sink to the bottom of our misery to understand truth, just as we must descend to the bottom of a well to see the stars in broad daylight. – Vaclav Havel
Never allow yourself to become one of those people who, when they are old, tell you how they missed their chances. – Claire Ortega
Behold the turtle. He only makes progress when he sticks his neck out. – James Bryant Conant
Next Sunday at Centenary: January 10, 2010
The First Sunday After the Epiphany / Baptism of Christ
9:00 AM – Adult Study – Core Beliefs of Christianity (Sunshine Room)
10:15 AM – Worship & Sunday School (Pre-K Children through 12th Grade Youth)
A Service of Baptismal Covenant Renewal
Preacher: John D Painter Theme: I Have Called You by Name
Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 43:1-7 Acts 8:14-17
Psalm 29 Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
11:30 AM – Special Church Conference (Sanctuary)
11:45 AM – Fellowship Time (Room 20)
12:00 PM – Confirmation Class (Youth Room)
11:45 AM – Fellowship Time (Room 20)
6:30 PM – Centenary Youth Fellowship (Grades 7-12) (Youth Room)
Bring Water for A Service of Reaffirmation of Baptismal Covenant
On Sunday, January 10th, we will observe the Baptism of Christ in the liturgical calendar, and we will have the opportunity to share together in a Reaffirmation of the Baptismal Covenant during our service of Worship. We invite everyone who comes to the service that Sunday to bring with them a small container of water. It can be water straight from the tap; a portion of bottled spring water; or water from a different source. For example, if you will be traveling to a different part of the state, nation or world between now and January 10th, you might consider bringing a small amount of water back from your travels. We will all be invited to pour our gifts of water into a single container that morning, and from this mixture of many different waters will be drawn forth the basin of water which will be used during the Baptismal Reaffirmation Service. This promises to be a special time at the beginning of the year for us to remember our baptism and be thankful.
Prayer for the Week of January 3: God of star and sign, lead me in this New Year along the paths of peace. Guide me in the way of truth. Place in me the words of kindness. Kindle in me an ever-flowing joy. God of the journey and God of home, walk with me in times of trouble and dwell with me in the stillness of each night. May your love surround my resting and my hurrying, my laughing and my worrying. God of star and sign, place your light on my path. Amen.
I look forward to sharing with many of you in Study, Worship & Christian Fellowship on this Epiphany Sunday at Centenary.
Tina joins with me in wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year!
In Christ’s Love, Pastor John