9:00 AM — Adult Study – Storm Troopers of Christ
10:15 AM — Worship & Sunday School (Pre-K through 12th Grade)
Preacher: John D. Painter Theme: Fireflies and Faith
Lectionary Readings: Acts 2:1-21 Romans 8:22-27
Psalm 104:24-34 John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
Music—Chancel Choir: Cantique de Jean Racine by Gabriel Fauré
Celebration of Found Coins: Joy to the World Heifer Project
11:30 AM — Fellowship Time
11:45 AM — Men’s Chorus Rehearsal

Adult Class—9:00 AM in the Sunshine Room: On Sundays May 31 and June 7, our topic will be Storm Troopers of Christ: Baptism and the Jews in the Third Reich, as we examine the role of the Christian Church in Nazi Germany. In 1933, as Hitler assumed power in Germany, Berlin Bishop Joachim Hossenfelder proclaimed the popular, pro-Nazi German Christian movement “the storm troopers of Christ,” a movement that still echoes through the church today, even though the world has tried to forget. This 60-minute DVD uncovers a church of heroes and here-tics, of selfless good alongside unspeakable evil.

Looking for a Few Good Men for Sunday, June 7: We have put together a “Manly Men’s Chorus” to sing on June 7 for Men’s Sunday. Rehearsals will be held following Worship this Sunday, May 31, as well as a brief run-through before the service on June 7. If you can make these 2 final rehearsals, please join us. See Shirley Mosteller for more information.

Male Worship Leaders & Readers are needed for the Worship Service on Men’s Sunday, June 7. Men and youth interested in serving are invited to contact Pastor John Painter.

Information Requested About Our 2009 College and High School Graduates: We are still seeking information about those Centenary members and friends who are graduating from college and high school this year. Please call or e-mail (CentaryUMC@aol.com) the Church Office so we may share in the joy of their accomplishments in our July Lamplighter. We will also have a special time of recognition for our high school graduates during our June 14th Service of Worship.

Come to Trinity’s Friday Night Social, May 29
Caring for the “Least of These” Who are Asylum Seekers
Trinity United Methodist Church
417 Montgomery Street, Highland Park, NJ
Friday, May 29 from 7:00-9:00 PM — Refreshments will be served
Greg Sullivan will explain the work of IRATE/First Friends, a New Jersey volunteer non-profit that advocates for alternatives to detention for non-criminal asylum seekers. A donation will be requested for gift packages of stamps, envelopes, and phone cards for asylum seekers detained in the Elizabeth Detention Center, Elizabeth, NJ.

Music Ministry Talent Show—Saturday, June 6 @ 7:00 PM: This month’s entertainment will be a Talent Show on June 6 at 7:00 PM. Sponsored by the Music Ministry, this event is open to all members of the church (and friends or neighbors), regardless of age or type of talent. We want musicians, actors, dancers, poets, painters—anything you can think of to share with your church family. It is a wonderful opportunity for our young people to try new skills and for some of our older members to dust the cobwebs off of some forgotten skills. The audience has always been very receptive and a great time had by all. A sign-up sheet will be posted in the church or contact Shirley Mosteller. If you don’t have a talent to share, please come and support those who are presenting!

Summer Music Volunteers Being Sought: Again this summer, beginning at our 9:30 AM Service on June 28, we will have volunteers provide music during the Offertory. The selection needs only to be about two minutes and can be vocal, piano or instrumental of any kind (accompaniment, if needed, will be provided by Jonathan Benjamin, Jim Sabo or Steve Mosteller.) A sheet will be posted on the Choir Room door for you to choose your preferred week, or contact Shirley Mosteller.

2009 Summer Camp Programs
Aldersgate Center and Pinelands Retreat Center
Information about the 2009 Summer camping programs for children and youth (and some specialized adult and family programs) are posted on the Children’s Ministries bulletin board in the hallway alongside the Sanctuary, near the Narthex. Copies of the brochure are in the literature rack in the Narthex. Please check out the dates and programs to see if your elementary-age child or Junior/Senior high youth may want to participate in a summer camp experience at Aldersgate Center (Swartswood, NJ) or Pinelands Retreat Center at Mt. Misery (Browns Mills, NJ). You may also check out the offerings and register online at either www.aldersgatenj.com or www.mtmisery.com. Scholarship assistance is available through the Church. Please speak with Pastor John Painter to get additional information about these programs, scholarship assistance, and appropriate registration forms.

Sight and Sound Theater—Saturday, June 20, 2009: Because of the added number of people attending the Sight and Sound performance, our time has been changed to see the show at 4:15 PM. We will be eating dinner at Hershey Farms at 7:15 PM. Cost for adults (age 19+) is $65; teens (13+) is $30; and child, (3+) is $15. The price includes bus, show and dinner. Please make your checks payable to Centenary UM Church and write “Sight & Sound” in the Memo section. You may place them in an offering plate or mail/bring them to the Church Office, in care of Cathy Savoia.We may have a few extra tickets available if you contact either Michael or Cathy Savoia ASAP.
Transportation will be by Oak Tree Bus Co.

Vacation Bible School—“Rome”—July 27-31: Strap on your sandals for fun, adventure and God’s love—in Rome! The children will explore a crowded Roman market place, tiptoe past Roman guards, encourage Christians in an underground church and visit Paul for daily discoveries about Paul’s life.
Rome…where the Bible comes to life! Race a chariot, try on a toga, and experience the power of Scripture and the courage of the early church.
Rome…where the Apostle Paul is your Bible teacher. Each day you will visit Paul’s cell, soaking in Scriptures as Paul shares what he’s writing and applies it to kids’ experiences.
Vacation Bible School will cost $15.00 per child. Registration forms will be sent shortly to children who have previously attended VBS. If there are children that have not attended before and would like to do so, they may call the Church Office for a registration form at 732-548-7622.

Volunteers In Mission 2009 Trip
October 31, 2009 to November 7, 2009
Are you willing to give some of your vacation/spare time to join the Centenary VIM Team this year?
We are going to Goldsboro, North Carolina, to work in the United Methodist North Carolina Conference. Some of us will pack UMCOR, ZOE and NC Conference Kits in their warehouse, and some will go into the community to work on disaster recovery, repair and rebuilding construction projects. There will be opportunities to sew outfits for Haiti, book bags and tote bags for school kits; file; sort; answer phones; enter computer data; to list a few jobs that continue to grow.
We need to begin to plan for the Trip and must have our VIM Team identified before everyone leaves for vacation for the Summer. So—June 30th is the deadline for making an initial commitment to your Mission Committee. Our last trip to Argentina we had 14 volunteers—we are hoping a greater number will come together for this time. The cost will include $20 per night for housing and an undetermined amount for food (we will do our own shopping and cooking together so whatever menu we decide for each meal will determine what it will cost us to prepare it). We will decide together what transportation method we will use.
The first Sunday in June (June 7) we will hold an information meeting in the Sunshine Room after Worship. In the meantime if you have any questions please call me at 732-463-1431, or find me on Sundays after Service. —Glenna Gundell, Mission Co-Chairperson

Persons are invited to sponsor the time of coffee and refreshments following our Sunday Worship services. Please consider sponsoring a refreshment time and signing up for one of the many available weeks on the 2009 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.

Flower Arrangements: Persons are invited to sponsor flower arrangements for our Worship services. The 2009 Flower Chart is posted in the Narthex. There are several Sundays coming up that are available for sponsorship. 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.

2009 Greater New Jersey Annual Conference
Disciples Transforming the World: Through Prayers
May 28-30 at the Valley Forge Convention Center
The tenth session of our Greater New Jersey Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church will be held May 28-29-30, 2009, 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 28. Annual Conference is scheduled to adjourn at 4:30 PM on Saturday, May 30. Giselle Esquivel Cordero, Centenary’s Lay Member to Annual Conference, and Pastor John Painter will be attending 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).
Members of Centenary 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 that information at our Greater NJ Annual Conference Web site: www.gnjumc.org “Live streaming” of the Annual Conference sessions will also be available at this Web site.) Of particular interest may be presentations by the Conference Preacher & Teacher, the Rev. Adam Hamilton, on Thursday, May 28 at 4:00 PM and on Friday, May 29 at 1:15 PM; Bishop Devadhar’s fifth Episcopal Address to the Conference at 8:00 PM on Thursday evening, May 28; and, the Service of Ordination, at which Bishop Devadhar will preach, on Friday, May 29, at 7:30 PM. 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.”
If you need to reach Pastor John Painter during this time of Annual Conference (beginning early Wednesday evening, May 27 until early Saturday evening, May 30), please call him on his Cell Phone: 201-463-5552. You may leave a voice message if he is unable to take your call immediately. Thank you.

Some Thoughts for This Week:

If the creator had a purpose in equipping us with a neck, he surely meant us to stick it out. – Arthur Koestler

You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist. – Indira Gandhi

Charity depends on the vicissitudes of whim and personal wealth; justice depends on commitment instead of circumstance. Faith-based charity provides crumbs from the table; faith-based justice offers a place at the table. – Bill Moyers, Television journalist and social commentator

Pain nourishes courage. You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you. – Mary Tyler Moore

It is time that Christians were judged more by their likeness to Christ than their notions of Christ. – Lucretia Mott, Quaker abolitionist and women’s rights advocate (1793-1880)

You only live once—but if you work it right, once is enough. – Joe E. Lewis

There is nothing more potent than thought. Deed follows word and word follows thought. And where the thought is mighty and pure, the result is mighty and pure. – Mahatma Gandhi

To remove a mountain, begin by carrying away small stones.

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. – Franklin D. Roosevelt

When you live in the light of eternity, your values change. – Richard Warren

I live with the understanding that truth is bigger than any religion and the world is God’s and everything in it… – Rob Bell

We cannot prove our love of God except by loving our fellow humans. Jesus Christ loved God precisely by loving his fellow men and women. – Anthony Wilhelm, Christ Among Us (1967)

It is not only by the questions we have answered that progress will be measured, but also by those we are still asking. – Freda Adler

Without a sense of humor, you’re old in a hurry. – Janice Clark

I’m not happy, I’m cheerful. There’s a difference. A happy person has no cares at all. A cheerful person has cares but has learned how to deal with them. – Beverly Sills [adapted]

Surely it’s no coincidence that the word listen is an anagram of the word silent.

A Christian can do great things for God by doing small things for others.