Dear Centenary Church Family:

On this first Sunday after the Day of Pentecost–Trinity Sunday–we will gather at 10:15 AM in our Sanctuary for the Worship of the Triune God. Playing for the last time this season, the Harris Ringers handbell choir will present a Chorale Prelude on “Come, Christians, Join to Sing” arranged by Hal Hopson. I will have a special word with the children about the Trinity before those from PreK through 12th grade youth are invited to participate in Sunday School classes. My morning Message, The Great Commission Mission, will be based on Jesus’ “Great Commission” in Matthew 28:16-20. We will also share in reading together the powerful words of Psalm 8. We will officially receive and welcome Victoria (Vicki) Roberts as a member of Centenary by Reaffirmation of Faith. Our Chancel Choir will sing John Rutter’s beautiful rendering of All Things Bright and Beautiful. Our Celebration of Found Coins offering for May is designated for United Methodist Committee on Relief Domestic Disaster Response. Our gifts will be put to immediate use in reaching out to assist many in our own country who have been affected by the recent tornadoes which swept across the South and Midwest.

Food Collection—This Sunday, May 18: 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.

Special Appeal for Diapers and Infant/Toddler Food for Amandla Crossing: Your assistance is needed to provide diapers (sizes #4, #5 & #6…not 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

ADULT CLASS STUDIES “GREAT FIGURES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT” Centenary’s Adult Class is looking at some of the great figures of the New Testament before adjourning for the summer months. Each Sunday through June 8, we are studying the lives of some of the key figures in the New Testament, including Martha, Mary and Lazarus (May 18); James, the brother of Jesus (May 25); Judas Iscariot (June 1); and, Pontius Pilate (June 8). Each class features a 30-minute in-depth video portrait of these figures by Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, Professor of New Testament Studies at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, who is an outstanding lecturer and Bible scholar. These vivid portraits are part of her DVD, Great Figures of the New Testament. Join us in the Sunshine Room, Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 10:00 AM, for these informative and entertaining presentations.

Information Requested About Our 2008 Graduates: We are seeking information about those Centenary members and friends who will be graduating from college and high school in May or June. Please call (732-548-7622) or e-mail (CentaryUMC@aol.com) the Church Office so we may share in the joy of their accomplishments in our June Lamplighter. We will also have a special time of recognition for our high school graduates during our June 15th Service of Worship.

LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD MEN: We are putting together a Men’s Chorus to sing on June 1 for Men’s Sunday. Rehearsals are being held following Worship on Sundays in May, as well as a brief run-through before the service on June 1. If you can make at least 2 rehearsals, please join us. We had a great turnout last year! See Shirley Mosteller for more information.
Male Worship Leaders & Readers are being recruited for the Worship Service on Men’s Sunday, June 1. Men interested in serving are invited to contact Pastor John Painter.

You are invited to sponsor the time of coffee and refreshments following our Sunday Worship service. Please consider sponsoring a refreshment time and signing up for one of the many available weeks on the 2008 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: We have many open Sundays beginning with next Sunday, May 25.

You are invited to sponsor flower arrangements for our Worship services. The 2008 Flower Chart is posted in the Narthex. Floral arrangements cost $25.00 each week to sponsor. (Please make your check payable to Centenary UM Church and write “Altar Flowers” in the Memo line.) 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.

MYANMAR: CYCLONE NARGIS UMCOR RESPONSE

“The United Methodist Committee on Relief is persistently pursuing all avenues to provide relief in Myanmar,” said Sam Dixon, UMCOR’s top executive. “The faith-based disaster response community is working closely together to bring relief to those suffering following Cyclone Nargis, and it’s working,” Dixon continued.

UMCOR’s primary partners in this response are part of the Action by Churches Together network of church and faith-based agencies. Partners have been able to distribute water purification tablets, food, and materials for shelter reconstruction into Myanmar.

UMCOR is providing funding support to partners who are bringing relief to the people of Myanmar. UMCOR ensures that its assistance is delivered directly to those who need it most.
Survivors face severe food shortages, and recovery from this cyclone, the worst to hit the region since 1991, will require both immediate and long-term response. UMCOR’s partners are currently focused on meeting the immediate needs of survivors while also keeping an eye towards long-term needs.

According to the World Food Program only half the rice needed to sufficiently feed 750,000 survivors for the next three months is available in the country. This, in an area in which nearly a third of the population suffered malnutrition before the cyclone. Post-cyclone inflation for basic necessities has only compounded the problem.

“Assistance is not only needed now, but will be for many months to come,” said Dixon of the current response.

Food shortages are one of many crises facing survivors. Lack of clean water, shelter and proper medical care are all serious concerns. UMCOR’s partners are doing all they can to address these needs now and in the future.

Please continue to pray for the cyclone survivors and for additional venues for assistance to be opened to help those in need. Financial gifts will allow UMCOR to respond immediately and with generosity when the appropriate structures are in place to receive further assistance.
Your gifts may be placed in the offering plates at any Worship service at Centenary. Please make your checks payable to Centenary UM Church and write “UMCOR Myanmar Emergency” on the Memo line of your check. (Or place cash offerings in an envelope labeled “UMCOR Myanmar Emergency”.) You may also mail your gifts to the Church Office (200 Hillside Avenue, Metuchen, NJ 08840) or directly to UMCOR at P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087. Write “UMCOR Advance #3019674, Myanmar Emergency” on the Memo line of the check. Credit-card donations can be made by calling (800) 554-8583 or online by clicking on any of the “Give Now” links at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor

UMCOR Responds to ChinaEarthquake
Using undesignated funds available for response to international disaster relief, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is providing initial assistance for the victims of the powerful earthquake in central China on May 12. It is estimated that over 30,000 people may have lost their lives, thousands more are missing in the rubble, and many survivors have been left homeless.
Your gifts to assist UMCOR in its response may be placed in the offering plates at any Worship service at Centenary. Please make your checks payable to Centenary UM Church and write “UMCOR China Earthquake” on the Memo line of your check. (Or place cash offerings in an envelope labeled “UMCOR China Earthquake”.) You may also mail your gifts to the Church Office (200 Hillside Avenue, Metuchen, NJ 08840) or directly to UMCOR at P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087. Write “UMCOR Advance #982450, International Disaster Response” on the Memo line of the check. Credit-card donations can be made by calling (800) 554-8583 or online by clicking on any of the “Give Now” links at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor.

ANNUAL WALK FOR HOPE TO CURE BREAST CANCER
Please support the 7th AnnualCityof Hope / Michelle Offsie Memorial Walkfor Hope to Cure Breast Cancer on June 8, 2008. Registration will begin at 9:00 AM at the Jewish Community Center/YMCA campus at 1775 Oak Tree Rd, Edison, NJ. The Walk/Run will begin at 10:00 AM. You can make a difference and support this event by:

1. Joining as a walker or runner. There will be a 2/4-mile walk and a 4-mile run.
You may contact Giselle Esquivel Cordero at (732)549-6525 for information; or register at 800-344-8160 or online at www.walk4hope.org/edison.
2. Sponsoring a walker/runner with your tax-deductible contributions. See donation forms on the Narthex bulletin board.
You may also donate on line at www.walk4hope.org/edison.
3. Checking with your employer to see if they will match your donation.

Upcoming Children’s Ministries Events:

· Kid’s Night Out—May 30 from 6:30-8:30 PM: We will be reviewing “Power Lab,” 2008’s Vacation Bible School (VBS) material, and performing some science experiments. Dinner will be hot dogs, chips, fruit and drinks. Come one, come all and have a fun night. Please register early for VBS so we can order supplies. VBS is August 4-8, from 9:00 AM to Noon. On Friday, August 8th, we will have a picnic at Roosevelt Park.
· The Last Day for Regular Children’s Sunday School will be June 8. There will be a barbecue picnic lunch on the front lawn following Worship. Hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken and cold beverages will be provided. Please bring a salad or dessert to share.

2008 Greater New Jersey Annual Conference
One in Spirit, All in Ministry: In the Spirit of Fellowship
May 29-31 at the Valley Forge Convention Center

The ninth session of our Greater New Jersey Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church will be held May 29-30-31, 2008, at the Valley Forge Hotel & Convention Center in King of Prussia, PA. Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar will preside at the business sessions of the Conference, which will officially convene with a Service of Tribute and Holy Communion at 10:00 AM on Thursday, May 29. Annual Conference is scheduled to adjourn at 4:30 PM on Saturday, May 31. Giselle Esquivel Cordero, Centenary’s Lay Member to Annual Conference, and Pastor John Painter will attend the Annual Conference sessions. They will join with about 1,500 clergy and lay members of Annual Conference for this three-day gathering, representing local congregations and other ministry settings in and beyond the geographical bounds of the Annual Conference (the entire state of NJ; portions of Rockland and Orange Counties, NY; and a portion of Pike County, PA).

One of the major items of interest during this 2008 Annual Conference session will be receiving reports from our delegates about the actions of the 2008 General Conference of The United Methodist Church, which will have met from April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, TX, under the theme A Future with Hope. We will also take several actions in preparation for the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference to be held July 14-17, 2008.

Members of Centenary who may be interested in attending any of the sessions or services of Annual Conference are welcome to do so, and may speak with Pastor Painter or Giselle Esquivel Cordero for directions to the Valley Forge Convention Center and for the schedule of events during these three days. (You may also access the information at our Greater NJ Annual Conference Web site: www.gnjumc.org) We ask you to be in prayer for the Clergy and Lay Members of the Greater NJ Annual Conference as they gather in late May for “Holy Conferencing.”

Upcoming Events:
Celebration Honoring District Superintendent Veronica P. Palmer: A celebration in honor of Raritan Valley District Superintendent Veronica P. Palmer will be held on Sunday, June 22, beginning at 5:00 PM at Christ United Methodist Church in Piscataway. All clergy and laity from the district are invited to attend as we recognize the leadership that Rev. Palmer has given to the Raritan Valley District for the past four years, and for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ which she has shared with us all. A fun time is planned with lots of laughter, a bit of serious reflection, followed by a light buffet. More information will be provided in the future…but now is the time to save the date and make plans to participate in Piscataway on June 22.

Lecture on “The Middle East”: Dennis Ross, who for years was the ambassador who played a leading role in shaping U.S. involvement in the Middle East peace process, will be speaking at Congregation Neve Shalom, 50 Grove Avenue, Metuchen, on Sunday, June 22 at 7:00 PM. His subject will be “The Middle East, Prospects for 2008 and Beyond.” Ambassador Ross is being brought to the congregation for the annual Israel Segal Memorial Lecture. After his presentation, questions and answers will be entertained. The lecture is free to the community, and refreshments will be served.

Some Thoughts for This Week:

Win as if you were used to it, lose as if you enjoyed it for a change. – Erick Golnik

Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones. – Phillips Brooks

Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right. – Henry Ford

Never talk defeat. Use words like hope, belief, faith, victory. – Norman Vincent Peale

One person with a belief is equal to a force of ninety-nine with only interests. – John Stuart Mill

Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of. – Anonymous

It is not how much you do, but how much Love you put into the doing that matters. – Mother Teresa

The fruit of Silence is Prayer.
The fruit of Prayer is Faith.
The fruit of Faith is Love.
The fruit of Love is Service. – Mother Teresa

Knowing one’s self, finding one’s self, and expending one’s self for another are intertwined activities. Love of self, love of God, and love of neighbor are interdependent. – Sidney Callahan, With All Our Heart and Mind

Joy is the simplest form of gratitude. – Karl Barth

Christian love goes the second mile, and the third, and the fourth if necessary.

If Christ were coming again tomorrow, I would plant a tree today. – Martin Luther

If there are two persons praying, there are three. If three meet to pray, there are four praying. There is always one more than you can see. – S. D. Gordon

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. – Albert Schweitzer

Next Sunday–May 25, 2008:
9:00 AM– Adult Study—Great Figures of the New Testament (Sunshine Room)
10:15 AM – Worship and Sunday School (PreK Children through 12th Grade Youth)
The Second Sunday After Pentecost / Memorial Day Sunday
Preacher: John D. Painter Theme: The Worry Bank
Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 49:8-16a 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Psalm 131 Matthew 6:24-34
11:30 AM– Fellowship Time (Room 20)
11:45 AM– Men’s Chorus Rehearsal (Music Room)

Prayer for the Week of May 18: God, we praise you for the uniqueness of our Christian tradition, that we do not know you as a generic god, but that you have revealed yourself as Trinity. We give you thanks for the writers of the Bible, for the wisdom of our ancestral teachers who opened our eyes to your nature as triune. We thankfully receive this awareness and ask you to help us grow in our appreciation for its revelation. We give you thanks that you are more than we can grasp, for if we were to feel we had mastered you, we would be guilty of undue high praise. You are above us, O God, beyond our grasp. You are beneath us as our foundation. You are within us as a spark of life. You are all around us beckoning us to know you. Receive our praise in Jesus’ name. Amen.

I look forward to sharing with many of you in study, Worship and Christian Fellowship on this Trinity Sunday at Centenary.

Shalom, John