November 26, 2021
In person
and Online
Worship
Sundays at 11:00 a.m.
Join us in our beautiful sanctuary or online at
Office Hours
Monday - Friday
8am-Noon

Contacts
804-648-8319
www.centumc.org

Email Addresses
Rev. Matt Bates

Rev. Tim Gerde

Stanley Baker

Office/Laura Nealley
Dear Centenary Family,

We come to this Advent and Christmas season as people who have been through a trying time. Some of us may feel we are doing well in spite of the turmoil of the pandemic and the many other stressors we’ve experienced in the last 18 months. Some of us may feel anxious, stressed, and isolated. I want to invite you to take some time to look within and ask yourself the question Wesley posed weekly in the class meetings, “How is it with your soul?”
 
Some things are better. Thankfully, we’re able to worship in person and are beginning to think about how we can gather safely in person again. We look forward to experiencing Advent Lessons and Carols on December 12 at 11:00 am followed by an indoor/outdoor Christmas picnic that day. We look forward to worshiping together on Christmas Eve. Many of us are looking to resume family gatherings that were canceled last year.
 
“How is it with your soul?” 
Or to put it another way,
“How is it with you as we approach Christmas? 
What do we hope to receive from Christmas this year?”
 
During Advent, we anticipate the fulfillment of God’s promise to come to us with the gift of salvation. But at Christmas, we celebrate the truth that God did indeed keep God’s promise to send us the gift we needed. Yes, there’s more of that promise yet to be fulfilled, but Christmas people live with the hope that just as God fulfilled the promise of salvation in sending Jesus Christ, God will complete the building of the kingdom of God in all its fullness.
I ask you to remember that this Sunday, November 28, the first Sunday of Advent is the beginning of a new Christian Year. On this Sunday, we have the opportunity to express our gratitude for God’s faithfulness as we bring our pledges for giving for 2022. I hope you will prayerfully consider how God is calling you to support Centenary’s ministry in the coming year. You may pledge online using the button below. There will also be a limited number of pledge cards available on Sunday.
 
I’ll be focusing on the theme of God’s faithfulness to God’s promises in the coming weeks. Here’s what we’ll be focusing on in worship.
 
Sunday, November 28, our focus in worship will be on Jeremiah 33:14-16. The title of my sermon is “The Promise of Christmas.”
 
Sunday, December 5, we will celebrate Holy Communion in person and online. We’ll focus on Malachi 3:1-4. My title that day will be “Cleaning up for Christmas.” 
 
Sunday, December 19, we’ll focus on Micah 5:2-5a. My title that day will be “I’m Dreaming of a Small Christmas.”
 
Christmas Eve, Friday, December 24, we’ll hear the Christmas story read once again from Luke 2:1-20.   We’ll hear beautiful music and celebrate Holy Communion together. The message for that evening will be entitled, “It All Started with a Baby.”
 
Sunday, December 26, we’ll join together for a Service of Christmas Lessons and Carols and hear the gospel through the great songs of Christmas.
 
I hope you will pray that God will bless us in this sacred time of year, that our faith will be renewed, that our fellowship with one another strengthened, and that we will all be open to hearing God’s call to proclaim and live out the Christmas message wherever God has placed us.
 
Yours in Christ’s love,
 
Matt
Fellowship, Study & Outreach
A Christmas Celebration is Coming Soon!
The Hallmark Channel presents "Christmas in July" showing its cheery, snowy movies in the heat of the summer. Centenary's pandemic twist will be "A Picnic for Christmas." Join us on Dec. 12 for our favorite prepared foods in indoor and outdoor spaces. To help prepare for this out-of-season celebration, we ask that you RSVP in advance! Also, we are looking for a 1-day loan of portable patio-type heaters. You can RSVP, volunteer to help, and/or indicate if you have a heater by contacting the church office.
Servants Needed
 As we continue adjusting to new patterns because of the pandemic, we are seeking more people to help us reach and serve others in our community. 

  • Online Worship Hosts - One immediate need we have is for people to help us improve our hospitality to members and guests who worship with us online. We need people who would be willing to welcome and greet people online just as we do in person, to encourage all worshipers online to fill out a registration form so we can know who is worshiping with us, follow up on members who usually attend and miss several Sundays, and follow up with visitors who join us for worship. Training will be provided. 

We are also seeking people to serve on one of our three ministry teams. These teams will be active in the coming year as we reshape our ministry in this, what we hope soon will be, a post-pandemic world.

  • Reaching Team - The purpose of our Reaching team is to reach out to new people with the Good News of Jesus Christ, invite them to faith in Christ and participation in the life of the church, and to begin to help them connect with Centenary so that they continue to grow in faith and find their place of service.
  • Gathering Team - The purpose of our Gathering Team is to continue the assimilation of new members and nurture people of all ages in the Christian faith.
  • Serving Team - The purpose of our Serving Team is to equip members for outreach, mission, and service in the world.

Please consider where God might be calling you to serve.  Please contact the church office with any questions.
Tuesdays at 11:00 am
Everyone is welcome to drop in for a chat, a prayer, or wherever the
spirit may lead.
Questions? Please contact Tim Gerde.
Wednesdays at 10:00 am
Join us as we look at the scripture for the upcoming Sunday.
This week's scripture is
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Please contact the church office for questions or the Zoom link.
Keeping You Informed
3rd Quarter Update on the 2021 Operating Budget 
(rounded to hundreds) 

  • As of September 30, year-to-date contributions pledged and unpledged are $279,800 and at 95.2% of planned giving. We are grateful for all who are supporting Centenary's missions by their gifts.
  • Expenses, excluding apportionments, are under budget by $24,000.
  • As of the third quarter, we have a remaining balance of $19,000 of the total $57,100 Priority One revised apportionments for 2021. As we have done during the pandemic, Council monitors our cash position each month to determine whether apportionments can be covered, after salaries and necessary expenses.
  • At the end of the third quarter, paid expenses exceeded revenues (all gifts, other revenues, and endowment earnings draws) by $18,900. We are prayerful this shortage will be covered by the end of 2021.

Reminder Notes
Our annual giving does not cover the salaries for the Coordinator of Older Adult Ministries or Minister to Young Adults and funding our missionaries. These items are covered by gifts and bequests.

We hope all of you are looking forward to having time with loved ones this Thanksgiving.  We are grateful to be able to worship together again and for your continued commitment to our church!  If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to a member of the Finance Team: Herb Young, Barbara Pierson, or Mitzi Golod.
November 30 @ 11:00 am - Drop In Cafe


December 1 @ 10:00 am - Wednesday Bible Study

December 6 @ 7:00 pm - PRG Meeting


December 12 - Church Picnic following the
Lessons and Carols service
CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH