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Pastor Matt Bates |
Dear Centenary Family,
As I've studied the lectionary readings for this Sunday, I realize why a lot of folks find other things to do on Sunday mornings during the summer. We get a stretch of readings usually in late July and August that are a little hard to hear. I've been working on the Old Testament reading for this Sunday, Isaiah 1:1, 10-20. Read this text and you'll see why prophets weren't very popular in ancient Israel. And maybe you'll realize why many of our friends prefer golf courses and tennis courts to hearing words like this from Scripture.
This passage dives right into one of the problems many people claim keeps them away from church - hypocrisy. You know the argument - those of us who are trying to be Christians are automatically suspect because religious people are notorious for saying they believe one thing and then doing something else altogether.
Well, they're right - to some extent. Our actions will probably never live up to the beliefs and ideals we profess.
But regardless of how critical others are of religion gone bad, there is one critic whose words are harshest of all, and whose words carry more weight than any other. But this critic's words are meant to bring healing and restoration and life.
I look forward to seeing you this Sunday. The sermon I'm working on is entitled, "Religion's Harshest Critic."
Peace,
Matt
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Congratulations to our nursery worker Melissa Martinez on the birth of her new baby who was born on July 1. Melissa's daughters Kyria and Karisia are excited to welcome a new baby brother, Edwin Martinez III, to their family!
Important Notice about Sunday Parking on 4th Street
Please re
member that on Sunday mornings if you park on 4th Street in one of the handicapped parking places (right hand side of the street as you head north - see photo on the left), you must display a
handicapped parking tag or risk
being ticketed.
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Sunday, August 21 at 6 pm: Summer Movie Night
The featured movie in August is
Eddie the Eagle.
Cut from the Olympic ski team, British athlete Michael "Eddie" Edwards travels to Germany to test his skills at ski jumping. Fate leads him to Bronson Peary, a former ski jumper who now works as a snowplow driver. Impressed by Edwards' spirit and determination, Peary agrees to train the young underd
og. Despite an entire nation counting him out, Eddie's never-say-die attitude takes him all the way to a historic and improbable showing at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta. Rated PG-13.
Items for School Kits
With all of the back-to-school sales, this is the ideal time to pick up items for the school kits we will be assembling for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) this year. The items we really need to complete kits are: pads of wide ruled paper (spiral or top bound pads 150 sheets or less, can also be packages of loose leaf paper 150 sheets or less), pencil sharpeners (handheld - must be at least 1 inch long!), blunt children's scissors (rounded tip only, not ones with plastic blades), 24-count boxes of crayons. We have plenty of pencils, erasers, and rulers left from last year's collection. We also need the cloth bags to put the items in: 14x16 inch cloth bag (homemade or purchased bags are both acceptable) made of heavy-duty fabric only, such as denim, corduroy, or drapery fabric. No advertisements, religious, patriotic, military, or camouflage symbols. Closures are optional but must be buttons, snaps, or Velcro sewn in middle of opening.
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Please Remember in Prayer
Joe Ciucci
Goldie Craig's niece Morgan
Ruth Ann Davis
Susan Dobyns (friend of Leah Hundley)
Grace Hinchman
Jack & Lois Hinerman
Judy Holland
Jean Jones
Mike Jones
David Leake (Lorna's brother)
Troy Nelson
Marcus Smith (Suzanne Ray's uncle)
John Seyfarth
Ann Michael Sturgeon's family (A.J. Crick's sister, who recently passed away)
Kevin Watson (upcoming surgery on September 1)
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Celebrating Birthdays in August
Charles Almany
Matt Bates
Anne Harrison Beck
Kaira Boston
Steven Boyd
Rob Brager
Judy Bristow
Michelle Call
Joseph Ciucci
Goldie Craig
Cary Davis
Carol Duncan
Serena Durst
Susan Gillis
Kathleen Gregory
Shawn Gregory
Grace Hinchman
Cory Hudgins
Marc Hudgins
Bob Hundley, Jr.
Nancy Hundley
Lorna Leake
Gregory Lewis
Sharon Murphy
John Pagan
Kelley Parks
Yvonne Robertson
John Seyfarth
Katie Shingleton
Mary Beth Siddons
Timothy Siddons
Tommy Speidel
Sharon Steele
Amanda Surgner
Kathy Talley
Meredith Thrower
George Vetrovec
Alicia Webster
Mirian Wickman
Betty Wright
Suzie Zeh
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Photo of the Week
The nursery has recently had some improvements with the painting of furniture and the addition of some new chairs!
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Visit Us: 411 E. Grace St., Richmond, VA 23219
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