Centenary's Weekly Newsletter October 7, 2016
A Message from Centenary
Dear Centenary Family,
Pastor Matt Bates
 
It's easy to go through life focused on the ways we feel we've been short-changed. It's easy to think of the obstacles that have prevented us from attaining some goal or the people who have let us down. It's easy to focus on the disappointments we've experienced, the wounds we've received, or the burdens we still carry.

And sometimes we have every right to lament our circumstances. That is why the Gospel reading for this Sunday (Luke 17:11-19) is so important, challenging, and possibly transformative. Jesus heals ten lepers. I can't imagine a much greater difficulty to endure in life than to have been a leper in the ancient world, separated from loved ones, friends, and the resources of a faith community. When the ten lepers see Jesus coming toward them, they cry out, asking him to have mercy on them. Jesus doesn't pronounce explicit words of healing. He simply tells them to go present themselves to the priests so they can be declared ritually cleansed and given permission to take up the ordinary lives they led before their disease dictated their geographic and social isolation.
 
One leper returns to give thanks, to praise God, to express gratitude. He was not a faithful Jew, but a despised Samaritan. Because he takes time to express gratitude and to praise God, something beyond physical healing happens to him. Jesus tells him to go his way because his faith has made him well, or as some translations put it, his faith saved him.  What images come to your mind when you hear the words "Jesus Saves"? What impressions come to your mind when you see those words on a bumper sticker or a billboard? Do those words make you uncomfortable or give you hope?

Let's think some about that this Sunday. And let's think about that connection between gratitude and salvation. My title this week is "Jesus Still Saves." And though we may not always put it in those words, we live in a world that still needs salvation, just as we need God's saving power in our own lives.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday.
 
Peace,  
 
Matt
Church
This Weekend at Centenary

Sunday, October 9 at 6:00 pm:  Young Adult Cookout
David Pippin and Mann Brown are hosting a cookout for Centenary's young adults (but don't worry, we don't card!). David and Mann will provide hot dogs and burgers. Everyone else is asked to bring a side dish or dessert to share.  The address is:   8523 Ben Nevis Drive in  North Chesterfield.
About Sunday's Music 

Have you ever tried rubbing a wet finger around the rim of a wine glass to make it sing? Your finger acts in the same way as a bow moving across a violin string - it pulls and releases very quickly and sets up a resonance pattern with the touched object. Believe it or not, there was a musical instrument built by none other than Benjamin Franklin based on this principle!

Franklin took 37 glass bowls, each a different size, drilled holes through the center and placed them nested close to each other on a long spindle. He then mounted the spindle horizontally and attached a treadle so that the spindle could be turned by your feet (think bicycle pedals). Add a pan of water to wet the players fingers and you have a glass harmonica!

Regrettably we don't have a real glass harmonica available but I will be playing a piece that W. A. Mozart originally wrote for it during the prelude this Sunday at the 11:00 am worship service. I thought it would be a nice companion to the "jubilant" Mozart anthem (Jubilate - "O be joyful") the choir will sing for the offertory.

There is a great article about the glass harmonica including sound samples and photos. Click to read more.

You can also find lots of performances on YouTube - here is the actual Mozart piece I will be playing (on the organ) on Sunday. Click to listen.

Enjoy!

Stan Baker
Director of Music/Organist
Calendar
Upcoming Events

Monday, October 10 at 6:30 pm:  Post Construction Church Tour
Members of the congregation will be hosting a Post Construction Church Tour. Stop by Centenary and go on a grand tour of the renovations of the kitchen and elevator. 

Tuesday, October 11 at 5:00 pm:  Evangelism/Communications Committee Meeting

Thursday, October 13:  New Date for the Golf Tournament
The tournament was rescheduled from September 29 because of rain. Join us on the new date for the 39th Annual Golf Classic at the Hollows Golf Course. Registration will begin at 11:00 am with a putting contest at 11:30 am, lunch at 11:45 am, and a Golf Tee-Off at 1:00 pm. The cost is $75.00/ person, $15.00 for lunch only (firm reservations needed for catered lunch). The proceeds benefit Stop Hunger Now/Operation Storehouse. Hole sponsorships are also available at $50.00 per sponsor and $10.00 or more for patrons. Gift certificates can also be donated to be given as prizes.   Visit our website to learn more about Stop Hunger Now. 


Sunday, October 16:  Laity Sunday
Our Lay Speaker for that day will be Kevin W. Bruny, Director of the Learning and Performance Center and Chief Learning Officer for Chesterfield County Government. Kevin is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Richmond and also gives his time as a board member for Community Building of the Greater Richmond United Way, Henrico County CASA, and a co-chair of the Bishops' Foundation of the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church. At Reveille UMC, Kevin chairs the Worship Vision Team and is an Annual Conference Delegate. The title of Kevin's message for us on Laity Sunday is "Of What is Your Ministry?"

Sunday, October 16 at 10:00 am:  New Adult Sunday School Class Begins
All adults are invited to gather together in the Fellowship for the next three Sundays to hear presentations from the 2020 Committee under the leadership of Joe Speidel.

Sunday, October 16 at 5:00 pm:  Movie Night
Join us for Movie Night at Centenary featuring the comedy Shooting the Prodigal, a movie about a church making a movie about the prodigal son. Refreshments will be served and there will be a talk-back discussion following the movie.

Saturday, October 22 at 9:00 am:  Church Work Day

Tuesday, October 18 at 7 pm:  Charge Conference
The purpose of this called Charge Conference is to authorize the Centenary Trustees to take action to create the legal structure and sign the appropriate documents to receive the benefit of historic tax credits related to the recent kitchen renovation and elevator construction project. All church members are invited to attend. Administrative Council members are eligible to vote.

Saturday, October 22 at 2:00 pm:  Theatre Outing to Hunchback of Notre Dame
A group from Centenary will be attending a performance of the Three-Penny Theatre's Hunchback of Notre Dame, an original adaptation by local playwright Ray Carver of the novel by Victor Hugo. Three-Penny Theatre is located at Gayton Kirk Presbyterian Church (11421 Gayton Road in Henrico). Their productions are "pay what you want" performances; every audience member names their own ticket price. Sign up on the bulletin board across from the kitchen.

Sunday, October 23 at 12:30 pm: Luncheon Meeting about Syrian Refugee Family
We have been in discussion with our sister Downtown Community Ministry churches about the possibility of working together to support a Syrian Refugee family. As a next step in our process of discernment, we invite anyone interested in learning more about this opportunity for service to attend a luncheon meeting following worship on Sunday, October 23 about 12:30 pm  in the Second Presbyterian Church dining room. We will hear presentations to learn the details of sponsoring a refugee family. Bring your questions and enthusiasm. Cost is $8.00. Please sign up on the downstairs bulletin board if you plan to attend. Deadline is October 19.

Sunday, October 30:  Celebration of our Renovations!
We will have one Worship Service this day at 11 am with a special dedication of our kitchen renovations and new elevator. (Note that  Sunday School will still be offered at 10:00 am). At noon there will be a b runch for all prepared in the new kitchen. Please mark your calendar for this celebration, and i nvite friends and family who have prayed for and followed our progress.

Saturday, November 5 at 8:45 am:  Stop Hunger Now
We  will  gather  in  the  Fellowship  Hall to pack meals to provide for families in distressed areas of the world. This is a wonderful time for fellowship and commitment to missions. Bring family, friends and neighbors. Join in the fun! (Reminder:  Wear a hat or use a hairnet.)    
Calendar
Outreach and Mission Opportunities

Altar Flowers
The altar flowers, that were available for Sunday, October 30, have been assigned. Thank you so much for your continued support and help in making our sanctuary a beautiful place of worship and remembrance. 

Serving our community
The Outreach Committee received a request from a teacher at Chimborazo Elementary School for multiple copies of books for use in improving her students' reading abilities. We are happy to report that we provided her with 5 sets of books for her class of 24 students. We appreciate Rev. Heckstall of Asbury United Methodist Church who informed us of this need. 

Pecan Sale
Our annual order of pecans will be shipped on October 28 so will be available on the first Sunday in November. Leah Hundley will be ordering: 
4 cases halves
1 case of large pieces (10 already reserved)
2 cases of medium pieces(10 already reserved)
2 cases milk chocolate covered
2 cases dark chocolate covered.
Leah is not ordering the clusters or cinnamon glazed as last year they did not sell as well. She will put up a sheet on the bulletin board next week or will take phone orders at 804-746-9537.

Support the Hermitage's Bazaar and Bake Sale
Plan to attend the 2016 Country Store Bazaar and Bake Sale at the Hermitage (1600 Westwood Avenue in Richmond) on October 28 from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm and October 29 from 9:30 am to noon.

United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)
The Outreach Committee wants you to be aware of an opportunity to help the struggling people in Louisiana as they overcome destruction from the floods. If you make a check out to Centenary UMC and write UMCOR #901670 on the bottom of the check, it will be sent to help with Louisiana's recovery. If you want your contribution to go to help with buying clean-up buckets for the effort, write UMCOR #901440 on your check. At this time UMCOR doesn't have numbers for the earthquake in Italy or the fires in California. We will keep you updated as we receive this information. Visit the UMCOR website to learn more.
Please Remember in Prayer

Joe Ciucci Jr.
Ruth Anne Davis
Susan Dobyns (friend of Leah Hundley)
Grace Hinchman 
Jack & Lois Hinerman
Judy Holland          
Jean Jones
Donna Mestre (Betty Brown's sister)
Troy Nelson
Marcus Smith (Suzanne Ray's uncle)
John Seyfarth
Kevin Watson (son of Cheryl Owen-Watson)
Ina Wilson (her sister passed away October 3)
ten_striped_candles.jpg
Celebrating Birthdays in October

Ryland Bailey, Sr.
Barry Sanderlin
Elsie Jarvis
Milton Wright
Linda Ryan
William Bizzell
Andrea Dukes
Lila Irby
Kimberly Clark
Merle Brown
Jill Duncan
John Dillehay
Kerry Lambertson
Lee Cardoza
Corinne Brager
Toni Corcoran
Norm Dinwiddie
Karen Steele
Andrew Johnson
Matthew Simpson
Preston DeVader
Mary Shingleton
Pencye Bailey
Gary Levine
Mary Anne Dazey
Anne Richardson
Photo of the Week
Tuesday morning people walking by the church were warmly greeted by Susan Thomas and Khaki as part of our Open Sanctuary.
Centenary United Methodist Church | (804) 648-8319 | www.centumc.org 
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