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Pastor Matt Bates |
Dear Centenary Family,
Many of us have been following the Olympics the last week or so. One of the attractions for some of us, besides displays of athletic ability, is the appreciation we have for the hours of training and hard work these athletes endure to compete. Moreover, so many of the athletes have personal stories of overcoming adversities and obstacles to become elite competitors. To be an Olympic caliber athlete requires perseverance.
One of the readings for this Sunday speaks to the need for perseverance in the Christian life. Hebrews 11:29-12:2 shows us what faith looks like in the lives of our spiritual ancestors who have endured all kinds of trials and difficulties. Faith in this context is not just trust in God - it is an ability to see beyond the troubles of the present time to a future of peace and rest that God offers us.
Christians are not perfect. Sometimes we get discouraged. Sometimes we have questions about God. Sometimes we are heartbroken by life's troubles. Sometimes we lose our tempers. Sometimes we make big mistakes. But Christians are folks who never quit. Through all the ups and downs of our lives, God gives us the grace and courage we need to be faithful from day to day. When we stumble, with God's help, and the help of our brothers and sisters in Christ, we get back up. The writer of Hebrews even compares this journey to running a race, urging us to find inspiration in Jesus' example who endured the suffering and shame of the cross, believing God had something better for him - and us - on the other side of that terrible experience.
The sermon I'm working on is entitled "Christians Never Quit!"
I also want to invite you to join us in our combined Adult Sunday School class as we study, "Get Their Name." This study helps us claim our own faith story and think about how to relate our faith to others in authentic and natural ways. (See below for more information).
I look forward to seeing you Sunday!
Peace,
Matt
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New Adult Sunday School Class
A new study for adults is being offered in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday mornings at 10:00 am. Led by Matt Bates and Ann Davis, Get Their Name is a study by Bishop Bob Farr that helps congregations create a culture of invitation, connect with those who are disconnected from the church, and learn how to share our faith with others in a natural, authentic way.
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.
Tuesday, September 6 at 6:30 pm: Centenary Bowling League Meeting
Yes, we still have a bowling league that had its origins around 1938! We are small, but we have a wonderful time. It is a handicapped league so you do not have to be a great bowler to participate. Our purpose is to enjoy some time with friends and our church family.
We bowl at Shrader Lanes, near Parham and Broad, on Tuesdays at 7 pm. The organizational meeting will be held at Shrader Lanes on Tuesday, September 6, at 6:30.
The meeting will be followed by free practice bowling. League bowling will begin on the following Tuesday, September 13. Our season runs 27 weeks with Tuesdays off during the Christmas season. If you cannot commit to the season, we would love to include you on our list of substitutes.
If you are interested in more information, please contact Mary or Les Dobbs,
mftdobbs@aol.com
,
lcdobbs@aol.com
, or 804-262-5801.
Saturday, September 17 at 10:30 am: Service of Celebration
The Committee on Episcopacy of the Virginia Conference United Methodist Church invites you to attend a Service of Celebration on the assignment of Sharma D. Lewis as Resident Bishop. The service will be held at Reveille United Methodist Church, 4200 Cary Street Road in Richmond. A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall. Read more about the election and assignment of Bishop Lewis.
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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 installation of the new elevator has begun!
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Visit Us: 411 E. Grace St., Richmond, VA 23219
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