This Week at Centenary
Friday, December 11, 2020
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Notes from the Healthy Church Team (HCT)
Hi Centenary family,
The Healthy Church Team has been working to update Covid 19 safety procedures at CUMC. Starting on Tuesday, December 8th, we have limited the number of people working in the office and all have an assigned area that is socially distanced. Masks will be continued to be worn at all times.
The building has been disinfected and sanitized. Other than staff and periodic volunteers, no other people will be granted access into the building without the approval of Pastor Matt.
There will be a table set up at the back entrance for staff and volunteers to take temperature checks and sign-in after responding to a Health Acknowledgement form. Hand sanitizer will be provided at check-in.
Our Walk-In Ministry will continue on Fridays and volunteers will follow all of the safety procedures.
We will begin our live-streamed services this Sunday (December 13th) on Facebook Live (see article below). Our audio-visual team will be positioned for proper social distancing and we will have one soloist at a time for our services. Plans to pre-record special Christmas music is being planned by Stan and Pastor Matt.
Many thanks are extended to our HCT for working through these procedures. Team members are: Pastor Matt, Bob Almond, Jim Hill, Karen Junker and Susan Thomas. Meredith Thrower is our legal consultant and Dr. Jim Wickham is our physician consultant. Dr. Wickham has been especially helpful during this pandemic.
Wishing you good health and a very merry Christmas! I know we all look forward to better times to come in the New Year.
Love and blessings from your Healthy Church Team
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A Note about Sunday, December 13 Worship
Dear Centenary Family,
2020 is nothing if not a school in resilience, adaptability, and flexibility. We have yet one more way to learn these lessons this week.
When we returned to the building after its recent closure, we discovered that we had no internet service. After a couple of service calls by Comcast, we learned that the problem was that a line coming into our building from outside had been cut. The repair won't be finalized until Monday, December 14. That means we will not be able to live stream in the way we've been doing since the installation of our new equipment.
But, on this journey, we'd learned other ways to worship together. So this week, we'll be streaming at 11:00 a.m. on Facebook Live again using a cell phone. We hope to see you there.
Thank you for your patience and adaptability during these times.
Peace
Matt
PS... Matt will be preaching this Sunday. His sermon is titled And Justice for All.
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Zoom Reception this Sunday, December 13
Following 11:00 a.m. worship at 12 Noon
Join us for a time of fellowship at a congregational reception this Sunday following worship at 12 Noon on Zoom. Karen Junker our Lay Leader will host the reception. Bring a special Christmas ornament, decoration, or story to share with others.
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Join us for Christmas Eve Worship
4:00 P.M. Music for the Season and
Worship with Holy Communion
on Facebook Live and Church Online Platform
11:00 P.M. Music for the Season and
Worship with Holy Communion on Church Online Platform
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Annual Christmas Eve Offering
For many years, Centenary has faithfully supported the wonderful ministry of UMFS through our Christmas Eve Offering. Please support this great ministry generously this year!
For 120 years, United Methodist Family Services has been a blessing to high-risk children and families throughout Virginia. The UMFS offering supports children in foster care and children struggling with mental health and behavioral challenges. With your support, high-risk children and families will receive the assistance they need to achieve a brighter future. Thank you for supporting this transformative ministry.
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You may contribute by making your check out to Centenary UMC and sending to the church office at 411 E. Grace Street, Richmond VA 23219 or making your contribution online using Realm. Please choose "CHRISTMAS OFFERING" fund. |
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An Update on the 2020 Giving
(rounded to hundreds)
As we near the end of this unparalled year, Centenary continues to be blessed with steadfast givers. Our contributions, pledged and unpledged, as of October are at $301,200 or 91.6% of the year to date budget! We continue to be humbled by the demonstration of faith by our church family.
Operating expenses, excluding apportionments, are under budget by $10,900.
Even with lower operating expenses, at October total collected revenues (contributions and other sources) were short of paid expenses including apportionments by $11,400. Centenary is blessed with other financial resources which have been used to cover the short fall. We continue to be prayerful expenses will be covered by giving by year end.
As of today, we have a remaining balance of $11,400 of the total $57,000 in revised apportionments for 2020. Council continues to monitor our cash position each month to determine whether apportionments can be covered, after salaries and necessary expenses.
Reminder Notes
Our annual giving does not cover the salaries for Pastor Tim, Pastor Drew and funding our missionaries. These items are covered by gifts and bequests.
We are waiting on last ordered equipment to sign off on completion of the AV systems project! The costs are expected to be at or under the original $30,000 budget. A final report on this to come. And the UMW generously paid for the building painting and tile work, pictures shared on FaceBook! It is beautiful!
We hope each of you had a meaningful and safe Thanksgiving. While this has been an unprecedented year, we have so much to be grateful for!
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to a member of the Finance Team: Herb Young, Barbara Pierson or Mitzi Golod.
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Ways to Make Your 2021 Pledge
- Fill out and mail your pledge card to the church. We are receiving mail even on the days we are not there.
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If you have created a Realm account, you can make your pledge directly from your account. Click here for instructions!
Thank you for your generosity to Centenary!
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Centenary has moved to a new kind of church record keeping solution called Realm®. It primarily serves the administrative needs of our staff, but it also offers some exciting opportunities to support the way you are involved in our church. Not only will this improve work life for our ministry staff, it will make it easier for our church family to
connect with each other, keep up with what’s going on, and grow as a connected community of believers.
To find out more about Realm, please visit our website. Want to create an account? Please email Laura – centunitedmethodistchurch@gmail.com. She will need the email address that you would like connected to your account. From there, she will send an email with the link you need to set up your account.
New technology is never easy and can be confusing. Here is a PDF that will walk you through your new account. And you can always reach out to Laura. She is happy to set up a time to talk with you and help you feel comfortable with Realm
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SERVING OPPORTUNITY
The Serving Team would like to give you another opportunity to reach out to make Christmas happier for some most deserving people, our Veterans at Mcguire Hospital. For several years our Walk Ins have sent the cards; but that can't happen in 2020. We still want them to be reminded that they are not forgotten during this Christmas Season. You may send as many cards as you like to the following address in a large envelope. Each card would be signed by you and a few words of thanks and encouragement to the veteran. Volunteers will distribute the cards. PLEASE DO NOT SEAL THE INDIVIDUAL ENVELOPES. We appreciate your effort and concern for our men and women who have given their all for our country. Please send the cards to:
Voluntary Service (135)
CVHCS
1201 Broad Rock Road
Richmond, VA 23249
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The UMW Smethie Circle will meet on
Wednesday, December 16 at 4:00 p.m.
Laura Nealley, the "new" administrative assistant, will join us, introducing herself and telling us of her journey.
We hope you will join us!
Zoom Link:
Password: 364499
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PECAN UPDATE
We still have 12 bags of pecan pieces available for sale -- $12/bag.
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Please be sure and mark your calendar for the District Conference, 3:00-4:00pm, Sunday, January 10. The theme for the District Conference is “A Few Things or Just One”.
Immediately following the District Conference, we will have the first of three Leadership Training events, 4:00-6:00pm. The Rev. Jorge Acevedo will be presenting on “Vital Congregations”.
The Conference and three Training Events will be via Zoom. A Zoom link will be provided upon registration and is good for one or all of the events.
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Bible Study Opportunity
Wednesday morning at 10:00 a.m.
Join us for our last Bible Study of 2020 this Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 10:00 a.m.
(The Tuesday night Bible Study will not meet this week). Watch for opportunities for spiritual growth and learning in 2021! Watch for the invitation to join us on Zoom on Tuesday.
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The Upper Room
available as a PDF
The Upper Room is continuing to support their standing order partners with a PDF of the November/December issue!
You may download your copy here.
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Birthdays This Week
December 11 - Jan Nelson
December 15 - Mary Sue Sanderlin
December 17 - Kim Chen
December 17 - William Ray
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Dec. 16 @ 4 p.m. UMW Smethie Circle
All events are on Zoom unless otherwise noted.
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Ka Cheng - friend of Vicki and Phyllis Stump diagnosed with breast cancer.
Ronnie Clements
Jack & Denney Collins - Jack is now recovering at home. Continue to keep him and
his wife Denney in your prayers. Jack and Denney are part of our young adult
ministry. Cards and expressions of support and concern can be sent to Jack Collins,
1217 Stanhope Avenue, Richmond, VA 23227.
Shannon Conway - requests prayer for the Charles Sherman, Peter
Oxborrow, Leon Beale and family.
Tim Gerde - recovering at home.
Jeff Hatch
Clyde Hundley - recovering from a recent blood clot.
Heidi Kara - in the recent loss of her Great Aunt, Marion Oldenburg
John and Winki Lampe
Mary Mismas - recovering from back surgery.
Patti Oman - health concerns - friend of Beth Hensley.
William Ray - husband of Suzanne Ray, recent hospitalization at Memorial Regional Hospital.
Jerry Rodwell - Amy Bates's dad - recent cancer diagnosis.
Phyllis Stump - at Lakewood Manor.
Ron Towers - is recovering at home. Cards can be sent to 202 North 20th Street, Apt. 306, Richmond, VA 23223.
Mariah Travis - Barrett Brown's sister, who in undergoing tests.
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