March 24, 2023

Dear Centenary Family,

I want to call your attention to a few things coming up as we approach Holy Week.

This coming Sunday at 9:30am we are having a Let’s Get Acquainted event in the church parlor. We’re inviting recent worship guests and Centenary members to get together for a time of fellowship and good food. I hope you’ll plan to join us. Better yet, invite someone to come with you to this fellowship time and attend worship with you this coming Sunday.

In worship this Sunday, we focus on a text that you may recall learning about in Sunday School or at Church camp. It’s Ezekiel 37:1-14, the vision of the prophet Ezekiel of the valley of dry bones coming to life. Even here in the midst of Lent as we are journeying with Jesus toward Jerusalem and the cross, God’s life-giving power cannot be contained. If you need a word of hope, I hope you’ll join us. My title this week is The Life-Giving God.

Please note these special instructions for Palm Sunday, April 2.  

This year, we continue to rebuild our tradition of gathering with the other downtown churches in the Blessing of the Palms Service. If you’ve never been part of this service, I hope you’ll plan to join us. It’s an uplifting time. 

At 9:45am we’ll gather in the social hall and distribute Palms. Then we will process down Grace Street to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where we’ll participate in a brief service of the Blessing of the Palms. Then we will return to Centenary for our regular 10:30am service. I hope you’ll join us! Please note, the start of our service could be delayed a few minutes as we all return from St. Paul’s and settle in for worship here.

I hope you’ll also note the schedule for our other Holy Week services with Holy Thursday Communion at 7:30pm on April 6 here in the sanctuary. Our Good Friday Tenebrae service at 7:30pm on April 7 is always impressive and moving and draws a sharp contrast between the tragedy of Jesus’ death and the joy of Easter Sunday.

In this season, I hope and pray that each of us might experience that depth of God’s love we see in the cross of Christ and receive the power of new life to live as faithful followers of Christ even in these challenging times.

Yours in Christ’s love,

Matt

Sundays at 10:30am

In person and online.

Collection for The Doorways

We have another opportunity to collect

non-perishable food for The Doorways.

The Doorways provides a home away from home for the families with a loved one at participating Richmond-area hospital partners. Our collection of canned and packaged goods will help supply the residents with the items they need to prepare their own meals. To find out more about The Doorways, please visit their website.

We will have a basket next to the parlor for your contributions from Sunday, March 12 through Sunday, March 26. Please help us provide food for those families during their time of need. Thanks, from the Serving Team.

UMCOR Sunday

Through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) we are able to provide hope for communities and individuals whose lives have been upset by storms, wars, fires, displacement and climate change. This ministry is achieved exclusively through your generosity. UMCOR Sunday is a denomination wide celebration designed to raise awareness and support for UMCOR. The special offering Sunday underwrites the administrative costs associated with the operation of the ministry so that 100% of any donations for a specific appeal will go towards that project and not administrative cost. UMCOR would be unable to do this work without your support so please consider the good work they do for those in extreme need. You can give online by choosing UMCOR Sunday in the Fund pull down menu, or please write UMCOR Sunday in the memo line of your check.

Season 3

Sundays at 11:30am in

Fellowship Hall



Episode 8 - Sustenance

(season finale) 

Jesus preaches to many thousands

in the Decapolis who are also

hungry and Simon’s faith is tested.

Bible Study

Wednesdays at 10:00am

On Zoom

An email is sent out with more details on Tuesdays. If you would like to be added to the Bible study email list, please contact the church office.

Smethie Circle News

Saturday, April 1st - at 1:00pm

We have elected to once again create kits to be made up for general conference. (Many of you might remember our taking the supplies to our treasured beach events, and assembling them there - what fun!)

This year we have chosen to make 20 health kits. The materials will be purchased and will be brought to the home of Leah Hundley where we will gather together and have fun as we assemble the kits to have them ready in time for conference.

Thursday, May 4 - TBD

There will be our Annual Spring Gathering at Mary E’s home on Thursday, May 4th. Time and further details will follow.

Another Woman's Treasure for

Change the World/RVA

Today ~ 4:00-8:00pm

Tomorrow ~ 9:00am - 1:00pm

Our "upstairs friends" at Change the World RVA are hosting their big annual fundraiser this weekend, Another Woman's Treasure. They invite you to come and shop a truly breathtaking selection of new and gently used jewelry, purses, and accessories. There's truly no way to describe this two-day event - you must see it for yourself to believe it! 

High quality treasures at yard sale prices, and 100% of the proceeds support youth who have experienced homelessness. 

The event is at Bon Air UMC . Find more info here.

Volunteers Needed for

Live Streaming Team!

We are so grateful for our small but faithful group of volunteers who have kept our services online through Covid and beyond. We need 3-4 more volunteers to keep this ministry going. We have 30-40 faithful worshipers online each week and this ministry is vital in keeping folks connected to our ministry. Training will be provided. The schedule for serving each Sunday is flexible. It's our hope to continue to have enough volunteers for people to serve every 4-5 weeks. 

Please contact the pastor at srpastor@centumc.org if you'd be willing to serve.

Online Giving Made Easy

Use the QR code to quickly get to

our online giving page.