This Week at Centenary
Friday, September 11, 2020
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Dear Centenary Family,
This Sunday’s sermon is based on Exodus 14:19-31 and my title is “Through Deep Water.” This passage finds the people of Israel at one of those difficult in-between places in which we often find ourselves. They’ve left Egypt, but still aren’t convinced either God or Moses can be completely trusted and think going back to Egypt might be preferable to pressing forward to an unknown, uncertain future. The Egyptian army is pursuing them from the rear and the Red Sea is staring them in the face just ahead. Stuck in between. I suspect some of us feel that way right now. We are stuck between the challenges, frustrations, and disappointments of living in a pandemic on the one hand, and a lot of uncertainty about what a post-pandemic world will look like on the other side.
The people of Israel learn some important lessons here about faith, and trust, and courage. The problem is that they, like a lot of us, forget those lessons rather quickly and have to keep re-learning them, just like many of us have to learn almost daily what it means to trust God to provide for us and to guide us.
As you will see from this newsletter, our congregation is still busy worshiping, serving, and envisioning new opportunities for the future. And there’s a lot going on in our building that we know will be a blessing when we do return in person.
Many of us have missed the opportunity to participate in the sacrament of Holy Communion. Bishop Lewis recently stated a new policy that allows congregations to celebrate online communion in this season. We plan to celebrate the Lord’s Supper together on World Communion Sunday, October 4. We’ll have more instructions to help you prepare, but for now, secure the elements you’ll need for communion—some bread, some grape juice –or wine if you prefer. Karen Junker, our lay leader will lead a virtual reception after worship that day. I know one of the topics for discussion will be about what communion means to us, and what this experience of online communion has meant to us.
Remember that you are loved—by God and your church family.
Peace,
Matt
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Healthy News from your Healthy Church Team (HCT)
Hi Centenary family! Everybody misses everybody, but CUMC is faithfully working toward the day when we can all be together in our beautiful sanctuary.
Great news! We can now celebrate communion with our on-line services. The plan is to have communion on Sunday, October 4th; then have a reception after the service led by our Lay Leader, Karen Junker. Please see information from Matt in this newsletter to learn more about communion opportunities.
The new audio-visual equipment is in the final stages of being debuted soon at our on-line services (you’ll know when this happens). Happy greetings from members are visible every Sunday as we watch the Sunday eleven o’clock service wearing our comfy clothes and drinking coffee.
We have been busy during our time away from attending church by giving the church a facelift. Wait until you see the beautiful new paint on the walls and the beautiful tiled restrooms. An extra special THANK YOU goes to Ryland Bailey for heading up this extensive project and an extra special THANK YOU to the CUMC United Methodist Women, led by Leah Hundley, for funding the project!
The HCT has been discussing ways for us to connect with one another. A survey will be sent out soon to see what your thoughts are for future in-service worship. We are also planning to consider gathering for an outdoor picnic in the fall.
Stay tuned for more information in our upcoming newsletters to find out what’s going on at Centenary. Our church is a special place because of our wonderful, friendly, and dedicated pastors, staff, and members. Thanks for all you do to stay connected with each other. You are loved and appreciated.
Love and blessings from your HCT,
Matt Bates, Jim Hill, Ryland Bailey, Bob Almond, Karen Junker, Susan Thomas,
Meredith Thrower (legal consultant) and Dr. Jim Wickham (medical consultant)
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As noted in the article above, Ryland Bailey has been hard at work on various projects. Here is a short note from Ryland, along with some pictures. And a big THANK YOU to Rex Dazey, who built the audio-visual console for us!!
Today the third floor restrooms were painted and yesterday the audio- visual console was delivered and about set in place. The tile in the pastoral restroom and cloak room was installed. Today I trimmed the restroom doors to clear the new thresholds, I am glad that is finished.
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Online Worship
11:00 a.m. This is the time and place that we gather to worship together. Invite others to join us this Sunday and on the Sundays to come!
This Sunday Rev. Matt Bates will be preaching.
His sermon is titled Through Deep Waters.
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UMW NEWS
Pecan Sale
FINAL CALL!!
It is that time again! Time for the pecan sale. The nuts will be either delivered to your home or held in a location near you and you can pick them up at your convenience. The order will be placed on Monday, September 14, so get your orders in ASAP! There may be some left overs but if you order now you will be sure to have exactly what you want! The pecans should arrive early November.
Fancy mammoth halves - 16 oz. bag
Fancy medium pieces - 16 oz bag
Chocolate covered - 10 oz bag
Dark chocolate covered - 10 oz bag
Cinnamon glazed - 10 oz bag
Price is still the same. $12.00 for each bag.
To place your order please:
or
phone: 746-9537
Checks made out to Leah Hundley, please.
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UMW - Smethie Circle Meeting
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Congratulations to Penny Speidel.
Penny recently had one of her watercolors on exhibit at the Virginia Beach Arts Center which began last Friday. You can see her painting here:
You can also see more of Penny's work on her website:
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Do you have a gift or talent to share, something you've drawn or painted or written that you'd be willing to share for our inspiration? Have you rediscovered some passion or interest during this time of pandemic that has been meaningful to you? We'd love to hear from you! Email: centunitedmethodistchurch@gmail.com
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Rev. Gil Caldwell,
Civil Rights Pioneer, Dies
Would you like to know more about a United Methodist icon who participated in the Civil Rights movement, who worked tirelessly for both racial and LGBTQ equality, who spoke to a gathering at the Virginia Annual Conference, and was driven to and from the airport by Rev. Dr. Pat Shipley, and who attended worship with us at Centenary and spoke to us about his work just a few years ago?
This is the introduction to a recent article about Rev. Gil Caldwell. The link to the full article follows. Check out some of the fascinating links to videos, including a link to his memorial service.
"The Rev. Gilbert H. Caldwell called himself a “foot soldier” in the U.S. civil rights movement. But many across his beloved United Methodist Church remember him as a general for justice.
He died Sept. 4 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in hospice care. He was 86.
Caldwell, who went by Gil, pushed to end discrimination throughout a ministry that spanned more than 60 years and churches in at least five conferences.
He tirelessly and nonviolently advocated for both racial and LGBTQ equality — even when doing so put him at odds with prevailing state and church laws. As Caldwell saw it, he was following the call of Jesus to be inclusive.
“He was gentle but strong, wise but humble,” said retired Bishop Woodie White, who considered Caldwell a mentor, model and friend. “His commitment to racial justice and inclusiveness was unyielding, whether in the church or nation.”"
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Online Giving Update
Centenary is moving 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.
One aspect of Realm that we are embracing now is online giving. It is much like we had before, just with a new look. You can still securely give from our website using the same “Give” link. Please watch the video tutorial below for more information on how to navigate the new look. (Right now, we are all giving as guests.)
If you previously set up recurring giving through our online link, you don’t need to do anything! Your recurring contributions will continue as usual.
In the near future, you will hear more about other ways Realm will support Centenary's ministry and ways you can help. It is an exciting new way to do
ministry that we look forward to sharing with you soon!
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Wednesday Morning Bible Study
Join us on Wednesday morning at 10:00 a.m.
for our Bible Study via Zoom.
Watch for your Zoom invitation to join us on Tuesday!
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Tea with Tim
Thursday, September 17 at 4:00 p.m.
We are back next week! Watch for the Tea with Tim
email with the Zoom link.
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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 September/October issue!
You may download your copy here.
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Birthdays This Week
September 11 - Carolyn Dinwiddie
September 15 - Karen Junker
September 16 - Earl Siddons
September 18 - Rachel Simpson
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Ka Cheng - friend of Vicki and Phyllis Stump diagnosed with breast cancer.
Ronnie Clements
Jack & Denney Collins - Jack is in rehab at Sheltering Arms. 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.
Les Dobbs
Jeff Hatch
Clyde Hundley - recovering from outpatient surgery at home.
Megan Mattax - a friend of Miranda Clayton, pregnant and diagnosed
with breast cancer.
Patti Oman - health concerns - friend of Beth Hensley.
Lolly Parker and family - friends of Barrett Brown, as Lolly struggles with COVID 19
and is in the ICU.
Libby Rhame - Mitzi Golod shares that her mother is doing well and her prayers
of thanks for her recovery and for all of the concern and prayers!
Phyllis Stump - at Lakewood Manor.
Ally Weaver - youth pastor at Southside Church. She had brain surgery on a cancerous
tumor. Prayers for her, her husband and children.
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