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Dear Centenary Family,
This Sunday at 5 pm we will have a Movie Night in the Fellowship Hall followed by a talk-back discussion. The movie is a special one.
Shooting the Prodigal is the story of a brash, young Jewish film student from New York who tries to help an overly zealous Baptist preacher in south Alabama make a movie about the Prodigal Son. It is a really funny, warm-hearted comedy that I think everyone will enjoy. It is special because 1) it is about a church that is trying to grow, 2) it was filmed right here in the Richmond area, and 3) because I was a background extra in it!
The scene I am in was filmed on location at First Baptist Church in Ashland. I pretty much sat in a church pew all day long and clapped or laughed on cue. It was a large cast and production crew. Members of First Baptist Church provided wonderful hospitality all day. Shooting a film is a fascinating process - it took almost 8 hours to shoot what amounted to a 5 minute scene in the film.
In this story, the church learns that it takes a lot of resources and team work to make a movie. The original goal was this movie would help the church grow. But the church members learn more than how to make a movie - they learn acceptance, forgiveness, reconciliation, and patience. It takes time to make a movie and it takes time and team work to grow a church.
Over the next three Sundays we will hear from Centenary's Strategic Planning Committee - also called the 2020 Committee - as they share ideas on where Centenary might be headed in the future as we all work together to grow our church.
I hope this week you will join us for Sunday School, Worship (see information below on our Laity Sunday Worship Services this week), and then for a Movie Night!
Blessings,
Ann Davis
Director of Membership Development
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This Weekend at Centenary
Sunday, October 16 at 8:40 and 11:00 am: Laity Sunday
Our Lay Speaker for the morning Worship Services 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?" There will be a reception following the 11:00 am Worship Service.
Sunday, October 16 at 8:00 am: Praise Chorus Rehearsal
The Praise Chorus will practice and then sing the songs "Every Time I Feel the Spirit" and "Where the Spirit of the Lord Is." They will also be practicing "Of the Father's Love" for a future Worship Service.
Sunday, October 16 at 10:00 am: New Adult Sunday School Class Begins
All adults are invited to gather together in the Fellowship Hall for the next three Sundays to hear presentations from the 2020 Committee under the leadership of Joe Speidel. This Centenary Strategic Planning Committee has been meeting for the last nine months and these presentations will be a summary of its work. The issues raised are critical to Centenary's future.
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.
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About Sunday's Music
Composer David Stanley York (1920-2010) had a long association with Westminster Choir College (my alma mater!) in Princeton, NJ, in the early and middle 1900s. Judging by the publication date on one of his anthems, he began composing at the early age of 20 and continued for many years. He wrote in a conservative, harmonious style that harked back to the Victorian era in music.
Our anthem this Sunday at the 11 am Worship Service comes from 1966 and was "Written for the 10th anniversary of the Covenant Presbyterian Church, Madison, Wisconsin, and the Reverend Arnold O. Leverenz, Minister." The text of the tenor solo is taken directly from Jeremiah 31:31-34, Sunday's Old Testament reading. Following the solo, the choir sings three verses of a hymn written back in the 1870s by (English) Baptist minister Frederic W. Goadby, "O Thou Whose Hand Hast Brought Us", which Mr. York chose for its church-dedication text. The music of the last verse is particularly grand as we get to hear not only the forte choir, but also the return of the tenor solo plus a high soprano descant rising above all.
Director of Music/Organist
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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 9:00 am: Church Work Day
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.)
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Outreach and Mission Opportunities
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.
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.
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.
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Please Remember in Prayer
Ryland Bailey, Sr.
Joe Ciucci Jr.
Ruth Anne Davis
Susan Dobyns (friend of Leah Hundley)
Grace Hinchman
Jack & Lois Hinerman
Judy Holland
Jean Jones
Lundi Martin
Donna Mestre (Betty Brown's sister)
Troy Nelson
Barbara Pierson
Marcus Smith (Suzanne Ray's uncle)
John Seyfarth
Kathy Talley
Kevin Watson (son of Cheryl Owen-Watson)
Ina Wilson (her sister passed away October 3)
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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
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Photo of the Week
Today's Golf Tournament raised funds for the November Stop Hunger Now meal packaging event.
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Visit Us: 411 E. Grace St., Richmond, VA 23219
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