Dear Centenary Church Family:

We will gather for Worship for the final time this Summer at 9:30 AM on Sunday, September 3rd . (Please see New Sunday Morning Schedule information below.) I will share a special word with the children. (Because of the Labor Day weekend, there will be no Children’s Worship/Sunday School program following Children’s Time this Sunday.) My morning Message, A Passionate God, will be based on the reading from Song of Solomon 2:8-13. Bass soloist Armando Sasso will sing O Rest in the Lord from Felix Mendelssohn’s “Elijah.” We will share together in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Our Celebration of Found Coins will be designated for the Metuchen-Edison Interfaith Clergy Association to assist with meeting short-term emergency needs in area households.

New Sunday Morning Schedule at Centenary on September 10th
Approved by our Church Council in the spring, on the recommendation of our Children’s Ministries program, our new schedule will change the time for Sunday School classes for pre-K children through 8th grade youth. These classes will be held during Worship: Dismissal to classes will come following the Children’s Time in the Worship service (approximately 10:45 AM). Classes will conclude between 11:30 and 11:45 AM. We hope this will make it more convenient for families of children and Middle School youth to participate in Worship and Sunday School. At the same time, our Sunday Morning Adult Class and Senior High Youth Class (grades 9-12) will continue to meet at 9:00 AM. Infant and Child Care will be available beginning at 9:00 AM so that persons with young children may continue to participate in the Adult Class.
Please note the changes in our Sunday morning schedule, effective Sept. 10th:
9:00 AM – Adult Class and Senior High Youth Class
10:15 AM – Worship and Sunday School Classes
for Pre-K through 8th Grade
(Sunday School classes begin following Children’s Time in Worship)
Our Children’s Ministries Director, Cathy Savoia, will provide additional details and support to the Sunday School during the opening weeks of September. Because of the commitment required of those who will be teaching, Cathy is also seeking additional volunteers to assist as they are available to provide for a rotation of teaching teams for the Sunday School. Please speak with her and offer your services as you are able.

“Toddler Food” Appeal for Amandla Crossing: The number of young children at Amandla Crossing, a transitional residential center operated by Middlesex Interfaith Partners with the Homeless (MIPH) is presently higher than normal and the need is great…and you are encouraged to bring toddler-age food items with you this Sunday or drop them off in the basket in the Narthex during the week and next Sunday. Thank you.
Because of the Labor Day holiday, Centenary will not be serving a meal at the Ozanam Shelter on Monday, September 4th. Centenary will next be serving dinner at the Ozanam Shelter on Monday, October 2nd. For further information, please contact Glenna Gundell (732-463-1431) or Mary Ellen Heim (732-548-2587). Thanks.

Please Note: Because of the Labor Day Holiday,
the Church Office will be closed on Monday, September 4th.

DOWN EAST FEAST — Saturday, September 9 @ 6:00 P.M.
Our Annual Lobster or Steak Dinner — Salads, Corn, Desserts and Drinks
Lobsters — $17.00 Steak (Filet Mignon) — $13.00
Children — Hot Dog or Hamburger — $3.00
See the insert in this Sunday’s Church Bulletin for opportunities to help with this fun event!
For more information about the Down East Feast, please call either
Sue Brownlow (732) 494-9217 or Sylvia Woodfield (732) 549-9042.

Centenary Book Club: The reviews are in! Those who have read The Master Butchers Singing Club (A Novel) by Louise Erdrich for our September meeting have noted that it is a great book to read. The Club will meet on Friday, September 8, 2006, at 7:30 PM in the Sunshine Room. This meeting will begin our 2006-2007 Club season. Not only will we discuss the book but we will also choose books for the reading season. Please continue to send your suggestions and reading ideas. Again, we have book titles that we could not read from last year, but that does not mean that we will not consider new titles. The Centenary Book Club remains open to men and women ages 18 years of age and older. We continue to recognize tight and full schedules and therefore continue to welcome ‘outside’ readers. As always, interested persons can leave a note for Rev. Bauknight at the Church Office or drop a message via her RevTDB395@aol.com or AssistantPastor@CentenaryUMCnj.org e-mail addresses.

Centenary United Methodist Youth Fellowship: August has rolled into September and the CUMYF has entered a new fellowship year. The Fellowship begins officially on Sunday, September 10, 2006, at 6:00 PM, instead of the usual 6:30 PM. At this time we will welcome new members (those in 6th grade and any other eligible youth who would like to join) as well as welcoming back all CUMYF youth members. We will enjoy a time of fellowship with food, games and light business with family members joining us as well. On Saturday, September 9, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM the youth will be responsible for repairs to the Meditation Garden as well as the cross and picnic table in the courtyard. Other activities before the end of the month include the youth adding new color to the Youth Lounge.

MUSIC MINISTRIES:

CHANCEL CHOIR AND HARRIS RINGERS: We will be kicking off the fall with a party for the Chancel Choir and Harris Ringers. The Chancel Choir sings almost every Sunday from September to mid June and rehearses Thursday evenings at 8:00 PM. Anthems are rehearsed several weeks in advance, so there is plenty of time to learn the pieces, even if you can’t read music. The Harris Ringers is our handbell choir and rehearses Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM. Again, reading music is not a necessity, but a good sense of rhythm will help. These choirs are open to preteens through adults. Anyone who is interested in joining or just checking out these groups is invited to come to the Ringlers’ home on Thursday, September 7th, at 6:30 PM. We will be treated to a barbeque and there will be a short rehearsal for the piece the choir will sing in church on September 10th. Please let Stephanie Ringler (732-632-9626) or Shirley Mosteller (732-321-1823) know if you will be attending.

JUNIOR CHOIR: Our first rehearsal for the Junior Choir will be on Sunday, September 10th, at 5:30 PM in the Choir Room. We will be singing a piece with the Chancel Choir on Sunday, September 24th, and will present a piece during Children’s Sabbath on October 22nd. Any child who is able to read and loves to sing is invited to join the Junior Choir. We will sing again in December, February, April and June. It should be a fun year!

DATES TO REMEMBER: There will be several events sponsored by the Music Ministry throughout the year. If you are interested in helping with these events or serving on the Music Committee, please contact Alison Williams or Shirley Mosteller, or leave a message at the church office.
September 30th at 7:30 PM: A Concert in Celebration of Mozart’s 250th Birthday, featuring piano, vocal and instrumental music.
October 29th at 6:30 PM: A Spooky Silent Movie, with live piano accompaniment, popcorn and refreshments.
February 20th: A Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner, followed by a Jazz/Cabaret Evening to usher in Lent.
All are sponsored by the Music Committee and will be fund-raisers for the church. We hope they will be well attended. Let your friends and neighbors know!

TWO NEW STUDIES BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER
India & Pakistan Adult Study begins on September 10th at 9:00 AM – This “mission study” on India and Pakistan presents the richness and diversity of the cultures of these two countries, and explores key issues common to both, including gender issues, poverty, child labor, population, caste, illiteracy, religious extremism, globalization, and the complexities of the border conflict over Kashmir. “A handful of women” organized for mission in 1869 sent Isabella Thoburn and Clara Swain to India, a story that is at the core of United Methodist Women’s mission with women, children and youth. Since 2006 is the 150th year of Methodist mission, ministry and heritage in India and Pakistan, this study is a fitting reminder of mission that is at once global and local—a mission that is rooted in the local, but whose wings are stretched across the globe.
In July Pastor Painter participated in the India & Pakistan course offering at the 2006 School of Christian Mission, and he will look forward to sharing this study with you. The five-week India & Pakistan study will continue through Sunday, October 8th. Copies of the study text, India & Pakistan by Glory Dharmaraj, will be available to those who wish to use them during the study. We invite everyone to come and participate in this first Adult Study of the fall at 9:00 AM on Sunday mornings in the Sunshine Room.

Becoming Jesus’ Prayer Study begins September 13/14: At the 2006 session of the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference, Bishop Devadhar encouraged every local United Methodist Church to engage in a reflective study of the book Becoming Jesus’ Prayer: Transforming Your Life Through the Lord’s Prayer by Gregory V. Palmer, Cindy M. McCalmont and Brian K. Milford. Pastor John Painter will facilitate weekly studies of this book beginning on Wednesday, September 13th at 7:30 PM and on Thursday, September 14th at 9:30 AM. The sessions will be identical each week, and offered on Wednesday evenings and Thursday mornings, to provide flexibility for persons to be able to participate. Each weekly session is designed to last for one hour. Becoming Jesus’ Prayer invites readers to take a new look at the Lord’s Prayer—words so familiar to Christians, yet often muttered without thinking. Each chapter of the book features a story, some theological reflection, discussion questions for the group, guidelines for weekly prayer at home and corporate prayer, and hymn suggestions. It is a rich resource and a wonderful guide for a deeper involvement in prayer in general and in the Lord’s Prayer in particular. I invite you to join with me as we explore Becoming Jesus’ Prayer together. Copies of the book are presently available in the Church Office for those who plan to participate in one of the study sessions.

Some Thoughts for This Week:

Part of the good part of being a parent is a constant sense of deja vu. But some of what you have to vu you never want to vu again.
- Anna Quindlen, Writer

If you look at zero you see nothing; but look through it and you will see the world. – Robert Kaplan

Sin is like quicksand: Your own efforts only make you sink deeper. Only an outside hand can pull you out. – Unknown

A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.
- St. Francis of Assisi

The value of consistent prayer is not that He will hear us, but that we will hear Him. – William McGill

Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly.
- Robert F. Kennedy

Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart. And try to love the questions themselves. – Rainer Maria Rilke

There are no more hours in a bad day than in a good one! – Unknown

What is powerful is when what you say is just the tip of the iceberg of what you know. – Jim Rohn

The person who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. – William Faulkner [adapted]

Yearn to understand first and to be understood second.
- Beca Lewis Allen

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

Next Sunday, September 10, 2006:
9:00 AM – Adult Class & Senior High Youth Class
10:15 AM – Worship & Sunday School (Pre-K thru 8th Grade)
Preacher: John D. Painter Theme: Good News for the Desperate
Lectionary Readings: Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23 James 2:1-17
Psalm 125 (or Psalm 124) Mark 7:24-37
11:30 AM – Sunday School Picnic (Front Lawn)
5:30 PM – Junior Choir Rehearsal (Music Room)
6:00 PM – CUMC Youth Fellowship (Youth Room/Room 20)

I look forward to sharing with many of you in Worship, Holy Communion and Fellowship this Sunday morning.

Shalom, John