|
Dear Centenary Family,
One of the things I love and admire about Centenary is that it has a long history of reaching out beyond itself to the world. Our new Bishop preached a sermon Thursday morning at Annual Conference where she told us that the joy of following Christ, and the very presence of Christ itself is found as we go out into the world to those who are suffering, brokenhearted, imprisoned, hungry, or excluded for whatever reason. Here’s a link to the Thursday morning proceedings. The worship service for Thursday morning starts at about the 18:00 minute mark. Check out the music led by Rev. Drew Willson as well.
I think it is in congregational DNA to go out to the world and communicate the life-giving, all inclusive love of God to all people.
Next Sunday, June 25, we have another opportunity to learn more about the reach of our mission. We are in a covenant relationship with three missionaries in Cambodia. We have continued these relationships because of our previous relationship with Clara Biswas, now retired.
Helen de Leon Camarce, Rev. Andrew Lee, and his wife Janice are the three missionaries we now support. They are itinerating here in Virginia for several weeks. Helen is a missionary of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church currently serving as Treasurer the Cambodia and Southeast Asia Missions. She has been a GBGM missionary for 23 years.
It is our great pleasure to welcome Rev. Andrew Lee and Janice Lee as our guests in worship on Sunday, June 25. Andrew will be our preacher that Sunday and will be preaching from II Samuel 9:6-8, 13. The sermon title will be Can God Use A Person Like Me? We will learn about the mission in Cambodia and Janice will be sharing about her Susanna Wesley ministry which shelters 25 young women and encourages them to attain a university education. We will have a time for more personal conversation with Andrew and Janice in the social hall around coffee and refreshments so please plan to stay after worship that Sunday. Also, take time to read more about the great work Andrew and Janice are doing so you’ll be more fully acquainted with them and the work they do which we are privileged to be part of.
What if we all prayed regularly for them and all the other mission projects we support?
I very much appreciated Dr. Barry Penn Hollar sharing with us the bike ride to annual conference each year by the Holy Rollers that calls attention to the Annual Conference offering. This is yet another way we can make an impact for Christ. The Virginia Conference Offering will support Refugee Resettlement, Food Insecurity in the Commonwealth, and Partnerships of Hope’s leadership programs in Brazil, Mozambique, Cambodia, Haiti, Vietnam, and with Native Americans. You can still make a contribution to this offering here.
Finally, I want to bring you up to date on our dear friend in mission, Julie Landsdown. Some of you know Julie well. She joined our church several years ago after moving to Richmond. After spending time in Israel and Africa, she felt called to move into a slum in Nairobi, Kenya where she joined in mission with other Methodists for a time. Over the years, she has developed a feeding program that feeds over 1000 people daily. Julie was a lawyer before responding to this call to mission and by doing legal work remotely and training others to work with her, she has basically funded this mission on her own.
Along the way, Julie has adopted two daughters, ages 5 and 6 and welcomed into her home three young men, one of whom who recently graduated from high school. Julie has become more concerned about the political instability in Kenya. She has asked that we pray with and for her as she discerns the next steps in her response to God’s call, especially now since this family that has taken shape around her has become a primary focus in her life. She is considering returning to the U.S. but realizes there could be many challenges in keeping her loved ones together. If you’d like to contact Julie and let her know you’re praying for her, her email is jmlandsdown@yahoo.com.
Please pray about all these opportunities for generosity and service and together, let us open our hearts so that we can discern all the ways and places God is calling us to carry out Christ’s mission here and around the world.
Peace,
Matt
| 
