Dear Centenary Church Family:

We will gather for Worship at 9:30 AM this Sunday, September 2, 2007, for the final time this Summer. Because of the Labor Day weekend, there will be no Children’s Summer Sunday School program…however, Child Care will be available during the service. (On Sunday, September 9, we will return to our regular schedule of Worship and Sunday School of Pre-K children through 12th Grade Youth at 10:15 AM.) I will share a special word with the children this Sunday. My morning Message, Jesus, the Beggar, is based on the Scripture readings from Luke 14:1, 7-14 and Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16. We will receive and welcome Timothy and Jong Sook Nee officially as members of Centenary. Tenor Patrick Layton will share special music with us during the Offering, before we prepare to celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Our Celebration of Found Coins for September will be designated for the Volunteer-in-Mission Trip of members of Centenary to Mar del Plata, Argentina, in November.

BECOMING PASSIONATE DISCIPLES OF JESUS IS ADULT CLASS STUDY
How passionate are you about your walk with Jesus? Do you think of yourself as a church “member” or as a “disciple” of Jesus Christ? Why is it often easier to be excited about hobbies, sports, homes, and occupations than about our Christian faith?

Next Sunday, September 9, at 9:00 AM in the Sunshine Room, Centenary’s Adult Class will kick off a new year with a five-week video series called Walk As Jesus Walked: Making Disciples. The series features Ray Vander Laan, whose video tours of the Holy Land are the next best thing to being there. In this series, we will travel to archaeological sites in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey) that few people ever see, where the geographical and historical contexts of the Bible take on powerful relevance for modern believers.

A gifted historian and teacher, the Rev. Vander Laan delivers a powerful message in each episode of the Bible’s timeless call to Christians of every generation to impact the culture they live in. Join us as we follow in the footsteps of the earliest Christian disciples as they loved the Messiah with all their heart, all their soul, and all their might–every moment of every day.

Higher Education “Goodie Packs” to Be Sent Soon: Just as the ClothesLine Ministry has recently issued the appeal for school items for the various materials that students will be in need of as they return to school, so to the Higher Education Ministry Team continues to prepare to send care and welcome packages to our students of higher learning as some begin their new academic careers and others who continue to forge ahead. We are in need of the following items (24 of each) by no later than Tuesday, September 4, 2007. Packages will be prepared and sent by the end of this coming week: pens and pencils, hi-liters (various colors), erasers, white-out pens/bottles, post-it packs, oodles of noodles, sugar free bubble gum, lifesavers (gummy or rolls), snack bags (chips, etc.), pocket tissue packs, assorted boxes of band-aides and other items for make-shift first aid kits (enough to make 24), soup to go, granola bars, mini sewing kits, small note books or date books, pads of paper (writing tablets) and any other items (including assistance with mailings) that you might be willing to donate that will help demonstrate the Centenary family support and make our students’ beginning or returning to school a little more enjoyable. Please know that the ministry team will also be looking to send cards during the year to celebrate birthdays and contact local United Methodist Churches in areas where our students are so that they can have additional support and fellowship. Updated information sheets are needed concerning student’s school and home addresses, birth date and more as soon as possible. As always, we thank you for your support.

The Centenary United Methodist Youth Fellowship (CUMYF) will come back together on Sunday, September 9, 2007, following the Sunday School Picnic, for their first meeting of the 2007-2008 Fellowship Year. At this meeting the calendar that was presented to the Church Council, as well as activities, service projects, district plans and more will be decided. It is understood that the fellowship will increase with some six (6) new members this year. This will allow CUMYF to once again become two groups within one fellowship—a Jr. and Sr. High Section. This does not prevent the groups from participating in joint activities and projects but allows for the two ‘sections’ to do those things that are age-level appropriate.

Centenary Book Club: Members of the Club are reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, and we will use this as the basis of our discussion for our first session on Friday, September 14, 2007, at 7:30 PM in the Sunshine Room. If you still need a copy of the book, please contact Rev. Bauknight at (908) 419-4101 or by e-mail at REVTDB395@aol.com. The Book Club looks forward to any and all who wish to join, male or female and 18 years of age.

Assistant Pastor Bauknight Away Through Monday September 3. Our prayers are with her during her remaining time of refreshment and re-creation.

ClothesLine Ministry: New Inventory Needed!
Because it’s hard for each local church group to collect all needed items, the ClothesLine Ministry has put together a list of continuously needed items. These are items which the ClothesLine can use on a regular basis:
Blankets (we gave away over 500 last year) and Sleeping bags
Towels and sheets
Jeans/casual pants for all
t shirts for all
In season kid’s clothes
Work boots, casual shoes and sneakers for all.
All items should be in very good—gently-used condition, clean and free of rips/tears. Items may be left in the hallway across from the Storage/Counters’ Room at Centenary.
—Thank you, The Clothesline
Raritan Valley District Day with Our Bishop—Monday, September 10
On Monday, September 10, Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar will meet with the clergy of the Raritan Valley District from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM at the Montgomery United Methodist Church, 117 Sunset Road in Belle Mead, NJ. In preparation for the Bishop’s “Day on the District” all clergy are to read the books The Gospel According to Starbucks by Leonard Sweet and The Faithful Practices of Fruitful Congregations by Bishop Robert Schnase. These books will be the basis for the discussion during the morning session with the clergy.
There will also be a session with the laity of the district from 7:00-9:00 PM in the evening, and the conversation will also center around these two books. A number of copies of Bishop Schnase’s book are available through Pastor John Painter.
If you would like to attend the evening session with Bishop Devadhar, please speak with Pastor John. He will be happy to provide directions to Montgomery UMC.

ART AUCTION
Saturday, September 29, 2007
7:00 PM Preview — 8:00 PM Auction

Door Prizes – Silent Auction – Refreshments
Tickets Are Available at $10.00 per Person
Sundays following Worship
or Call the Church Office to Reserve
732-548-7622

Refreshment Sponsors Needed: Persons are invited to sponsor the time of coffee and refreshments following our upcoming Sunday Worship services. Please consider sponsoring a refreshment time and signing up for one of the available weeks on the 2007 Refreshment Chart posted in the Narthex. Thank you for providing hospitality on a Sunday morning.

Flower Arrangements: Persons are invited to sponsor flower arrangements for our Worship services on Sunday, mornings. Please sign up on 2007 Flower Chart 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.

Food Collection on September 16: 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

Centenary
Open House Sunday

Please join us for our Fall Open House Sunday

September 23,2007
@ 10:15 AM

Join us on this day for fellowship, fun & food

An opportunity to get to know your
Centenary family and its ministries.

Please invite your family and friends
to join us for this exciting event.

Bring an extra special cake, pie or other treat
to share with our new visitors during coffee hour.

United Methodist Women News: Metuchen Fair—Saturday, October 6: October will be here before we realize it. Don’t let your hands and brains go on vacation. Use them to make some items for the United Methodist Women to sell at their table at the Metuchen Fair. This is our only fund raising activity so we need all the help we can get. If you need patterns for knitting or sewing, please see Sylvia Woodfield or Millie Pleuler. Marion Banks has been keeping up with her knitting of afghans for the fair even while she has been recuperating from her recent illness. Millie is always knitting something. Gladys Lehman, who now lives in Illinois, sent us a box of knitted items which she made for us for the fair. Wendy Woodfield is crocheting some scarves. Äli Woodfield has already made some fur scarves which have already been sold. Watch the Bulletin for details of upcoming workshops we will have for the Metuchen Fair.

Some Thoughts for This Week:

I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world. – Mother Teresa

I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all. – Laura Ingalls Wilder

Faith is something given, not achieved. It is created by God’s word in Christ. – H.A. Williams

First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others. – Thomas a Kempis

God does not comfort us to make us comfortable only, but to make us comforters. – Dr. John Henry Jowett

We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it. – Abraham Lincoln

To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top. – Robert M. Pirsig

Don’t use a gallon of words to express a spoonful of thought. – Unknown

Mistakes are painful when they happen, but years later a collection of mistakes is what is called experience. – Denis Waitley

The good times we put in our pocket. The hard times we put into our heart. – Les Brown

Be yourself. Who else is better qualified? – Frank J. Giblin II

Next Sunday — September 9, 2007:
9:00 AM – Adult Study (Sunshine Room) Walk As Jesus Walked
10:15 AM – Worship The 15th Sunday After Pentecost /
Sunday School “Welcome Back Day”
Preacher: John D. Painter Theme: Clay in the Potter’s Hand
Lectionary Readings: Jeremiah 18:1-11 Philemon 1-21
Psalm 139:1-6, 12-18 Luke 14:25-33
11:30 AM – Annual Sunday School Picnic (Front Lawn)
12:00 PM – Dreaming Fellowship Church Worship, SS, Fellowship
Sanctuary, Parenting Room, Sunshine Room, Room 20
1:00 PM – CUMC Youth Fellowship (Youth Room)
5:30 PM – Junior Choir Rehearsal (Music Room)

Please Note: We return to our regular schedule of 10:15 AM Worship & Sunday School next week.
Choir rehearsals begin this week:
Music Ministries Director Shirley Mosteller says: ”
If anyone is interested in participating in one of our groups, please come to a rehearsal and try us out:”
Thursday, September 6: 6:30 PM Music Pot-Luck Supper
7:00 PM Harris Ringers Rehearsal
8:00 PM Chancel Choir Rehearsal
Sunday, September 9: 5:45 PM Junior Choir Rehearsal
All children who are able to read are welcome at Junior Choir. No music reading ability is required.

Prayer for the Week of September 2: O God, it is with gladness that we bring you thanks. Our hearts leap with gratitude as we are given so many gifts of love. We thank you for your endless patience as we travel the same failing paths, often over and over again. We thank you for your respectfulness for our stumbling efforts to do better, or to work with ambiguities and the messiness of human life. We sing your praises, O God of all the earth. Amen.

I look forward to sharing with you in Worship and Christian Fellowship this Sunday morning at Centenary.

Shalom, John