9:00 AM — Adult Study – Serious Answers to Hard Questions 10:15 AM — Worship: Children’s Ministries Director Cathy Jean Savoia and the children and youth of Centenary will plan and lead the service for Children’s Sabbath 2008 Lectionary Readings: Exodus 33:12-23, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Psalm 99, Matthew 22:15-22 Junior Choir: There Was a Man Names Jonah by George Mulrain, arr. Michael White 11:30 AM — Fellowship Time 6:30 PM — Centenary Youth Fellowship (7th-12th grade) Celebration of Found Coins: 2008 CROP Walk (October 19)

Children’s Sabbath Rehearsal at 9:00 AM – Children’s Ministries Director Cathy Jean Savoia has asked that all children, youth and teachers who will be involved in the Worship Service this Sunday please be in the Sanctuary at 9:00 AM this Sunday, October 19, to prepare their parts for the service.
Food Collection—Sunday, October 19: Thank you for bringing 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 WRESTLES WITH OBSTACLE-TO-FAITH ISSUES
After completing its current study of The Parables of Jesus, Centenary’s Adult Class will begin a new five-week study of obstacle-to-faith issues, starting October 19. This will be part two of a DVD study called Serious Answers to Hard Questions. In part one of the study last year, the class discussed Evangelism and Tolerance, the God of the Old Testament, Religion and Science, the Sins of the Church, and the Gnostic Gospels. The schedule for this study is as follows:
October 19………………….The Problem of Evil in the World
October 26………………….Other Religions
November 2…………………Jesus and Christianity
November 9…………………Forgiveness
November 16……………….Resurrection
You don’t necessarily have to make a year-long commitment to be part of the Adult Class. We usually schedule our courses to run no more than five or six weeks so you can attend as your schedule permits. If you see a course that has special interest for you, please join us on Sunday mornings from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM in the Sunshine Room. If you have suggestions for courses you would like the Adult Class to offer, please contact Bob Carlson at 732-549-6296.

2008 CROP Walk ? Sunday, October 19 at 12:30 PM
The Metuchen-Edison Area 2008 CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) Walk for World Hunger will begin with sign-in and registration at 12:30 PM this Sunday, October 19, and “Step-Off” on the Walk at 1:00 PM from First Presbyterian Church, 270 Woodbridge Avenue in Metuchen (to which all walkers will return at the end of the walk).

CROP Hunger Walks help children and families worldwide—and right here in the U.S.—to have food for today, while building for a better tomorrow. Each year some two million CROP Walkers, volunteers, and sponsors put their hearts and soles in motion, raising over $16 million per year to help end hunger and poverty around the world—and in their own communities. (25% of the amount raised in the Metuchen-Edison Area Walk is returned annually to the Metuchen-Edison Area Clergy association to be used for emergency assistance for local individuals and households.) And you can part of it! Look for additional information about CROP Walks around the nation, and about the Metuchen-Edison Area CROP Walk at http://www.cropwalk.org/.

Envelopes to secure sponsors for the 2008 CROP Walk are still available through the Church Office. We need persons who are able to walk and those who can sponsor walkers, and others who can offer support as needed… Please speak with Pastor John Painter for additional information or to offer your assistance.

PIZZERIA UNO ALL-DAY FUND-RAISER — WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22

Once again we are holding a fundraiser for the Church Budget at UNO Pizzeria and Chicago Grill on 61 US Highway #1 in Edison on Wednesday, October 22. The deal is this: We and our friends for to eat at UNO Pizzeria any time during the day and/or evening, and present the special coupon at the time you pay your bill, and Centenary will receive 15-20 percent of the total cost of the food that we have eaten (alcoholic beverages are not included for the percentage award). You must bring the coupon for Centenary to get credit. Coupons will be available in this Sunday’s Worship bulletins, were included in the October edition of The Lamplighter, and can be received through the Church Office.

CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
INVITES YOU TO A

SILENT MOVIE NIGHT
Be prepared to laugh your head off!

An evening of short films accompanied by live piano music
created by Jonathan Benjamin.
Saturday, October 25
7:00 PM

Free-Will Offering

Attention Centenary Youth
October is half over, but the fun has only just begun. Youth, you still have so many ways to get involved.
Sunday evenings @ 6:30 PM. All youth are greatly wanted. Come share in a time to connect with friends and grow in Christ. It will never be dull, no never.
Wednesday, October 22 Pizza with the Pastors. Go with Keith and Pastor John to Pizzeria UNO for FREE! Yeah that’s right I said FREE! Meet us at the church @ 5:30 PM. We will go eat and afterward attend a youth forum with Metuchen area clergy at First Presbyterian Church of Metuchen. You can ask any question of them you like. Come on it’s FREE pizza.
Friday, October 31 Halloween Party/ Haunted Church. Freak me out. Come in full costume especially crazy and outrageous ones, but still decent, huh? Let’s bust up a zombie piñata and make the church haunted. Try to arrive early around 6:00 PM or as early as you can in the evening to make the church look crazy. Please, come in an attitude ready for sugar and chocolate. Keith A. Swatzel, II, student Assistant Pastor

Annual Halloween Trunk or Treating at Centenary—Friday, October 31st at 7:00 PM: Plan to come and enjoy the Halloween festivities in the rear parking lot as children in their Halloween costumes move among our vehicle trunks to receive their treats!

Centenary will next be serving dinner at the Ozanam Shelter on Monday, November 3. Please check the information on the bulletin board in the Narthex and sign up to assist with food preparation or serving in October. November Menu: sliced turkey breast w/ gravy; mashed potatoes, broccoli; cranberry sauce; vanilla ice cream; apple pie. For further information, please contact Glenna Gundell (732-463-1431) or Mary Ellen Heim (732-548-2587). Thanks.

All Saints’ Sunday, November 2, 2008
At our 10:15 AM (EST) Service of Worship on Sunday, November 2, 2008, we will name and remember those members and friends of the Centenary Church Family who have joined the Communion of Saints since last November. If you have loved ones or friends who have died since November 1, 2007, and you would like their names lifted up in memory during our All Saints’ Sunday Service, please provide that information to the Church Office by Wednesday, October 29 so that they may be included. You may leave those names with Mary Kay Dangremond by phone during regular Church Office hours (9:00 AM-1:00 PM weekdays), or provide them to the Church by E-mail (CentaryUMC@aol.com ), Fax (732-548-6256), or regular mail.

Community Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
Tuesday, November 25th @ 7:30 PM — The Reformed Church in Metuchen
The annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Eve Service, sponsored by the Metuchen-Edison Area Interfaith Clergy Association, will be held on Tuesday, November 25th at 7:30 PM. This year the service will be held at The Metuchen Reformed Church @ 150 Lake Avenue in Metuchen. The Rev. Dr. Richard Ruch of the Metuchen Reformed Church is the Chair of the event.
Numerous clergy of all faiths will participate in the service, together with choirs, liturgical dance groups and congregational singing. Refreshments will be served following the service. We trust many from Centenary Church will want to join with worshipers from the churches, synagogues and mosques of the Metuchen and Edison area to participate in this service of celebration and thanks to God.

Some Thoughts for This Week:

There are times when God asks nothing of his children except silence, patience and tears. – C. S. Robinson

An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory. – Friedrich Engels

Many of us have convictions for which we want someone else to supply the courage.

It is better to say, “This one thing I do” than to say, “These forty things I dabble in. – Washington Gladden

Why indeed must “God” be a noun? Why not a verb—the most active and dynamic of all? – Mary Daly, Beyond God the Father

Imagination was given to us to compensate for what we are not; a sense of humor was given to us to console us for what we are. – Mark McGinnis

If God is your co-pilot, it may be time to swap seats.

It’s not so important to know where you are going provided you know who you are following.

The place to improve the world is first in one’s own heart and head and hands. – Robert Pirsig

Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there. – Josh Billings

If the blind put their hand in God’s, they find their way more surely than those who see but have not faith or purpose. – Helen Keller

Next Sunday – October 26, 2008:
9:00 AM– Adult Study: Serious Answers to Hard Questions (Sunshine Room)
9:30 AM – Staff-Parish Relations Committee (Library)
10:15 AM– Worship and Sunday School (Pre-K Children through 12th Grade)
The 24th Sunday After Pentecost / Reformation Sunday
Children’s Message:Pastor John Painter
Preacher: John D. Painter Theme: The Greatest Commandment (Times Two)
Lectionary Readings: Deuteronomy 34:1-12 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
Psalm 90:1-6, 12-17 Matthew 22:34-46
Music: Chancel Choir – Rise Up, O Children of God by Mark Patterson
Celebration of Found Coins: 2008 CROP Walk (October 19)
11:30AM – Fellowship Time (Room 20/Hallways)
11:45 AM – Junior Choir Rehearsal (Music Room)
6:30 PM – Centenary Youth Fellowship (7th-12th Grades) (Youth Room)

Prayer for the Week of October 19: Gracious God, Author and Initiator of the gift of faith, we give you thanks today for all those who said yes to your invitation to trust in you above all things. We thank you for the 12 you called to be your disciples during Jesus’ life on this earth and for all those whose lives were touched by their witness. We give you thanks for the church begun on that day of Pentecost long ago when your Spirit stirred many to trust in you. Parents, grandparents, family, friends, pastors, and missionaries have invited us to trust in you through words of guidance and deeds of love and mercy. Thank you for being accessible to us, for giving us this day when we can trust in your presence, and for revealing your great love to all. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I look forward to sharing with many of you in Study, Worship and Christian Fellowship on this 2008 Children’s Sabbath at Centenary.

Shalom, John