WELCOME TO WORSHIP
WE GO AS GOD’S PEOPLE INTO THE WORLD
WE HEAR THE WORD PROCLAIMED SCRIPTURE — Matthew 2:13-23 (pew Bible New Testament page 2)
HYMN
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This is the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. SERMON
BENEDICTION
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WE RENEW OUR COMMITMENT OFFERTORY In the Bleak Midwinter — Richard Shephard DOXOLOGY #221 In the Bleak Midwinter — CRANHAM What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part, yet what I can I give him: give my heart.
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FIRST SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS • JANUARY 1, 2023 • 11:00AM
PRAYER OF DEDICATION Almighty and forgiving God, we your unworthy servants give you most humble thanks for all your goodness and loving kindness, to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. Give us such an awareness of your mercies, that our hearts may be thankful, and that we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
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THE COMMUNITY GATHERS The prelude signifies the beginning of worship. You are invited to be in a spirit of prayer and meditation. Please silence all mobile communication devices. †
Please stand as you are able
PRELUDE GREETING CALL TO WORSHIP Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise the Lord, in the heights! Praise the Lord, all his angels; praise the Lord, all his hosts! Praise the Lord, sun and moon; praise the Lord, all shining stars! Praise the Lord, highest heavens and all waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord, who commanded and they were created, who established them forever and ever; and fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed. Let them praise the name of the Lord, whose name alone is exalted; whose glory is above earth and heaven. God has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the Lord!
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HYMN OF PROCESSION #249 There’s a Song in the Air — CHRISTMAS SONG
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AFFIRMATION OF FAITH I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
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GLORIA PATRI #71 Glory Be to the Father — GREATOREX Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.
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#219 What Child Is This — GREENSLEEVES
WE CELEBRATE HOLY COMMUNION INVITATION TO COMMUNION Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another. Therefore, let us confess before God and one another. CONFESSION AND PARDON The congregation is invited to follow the communion liturgy beginning on page 12 of the hymnal. THE GREAT THANKSGIVING THE LORD’S PRAYER Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
POSTLUDE
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Thank you for joining us in worship today.
SERMON NOTES
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RECEIVING OF ELEMENTS
PARTICIPANTS IN WORSHIP
CLOSING PRAYER Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
PREACHING The Reverend Susannah Pittman, Assoc. Minister LITURGIST The Reverend Meg Peters, Assoc. Minister
MUSIC June Stegall, Assistant Director of Music Ministries Joshua Sobel, Organ Scholar The Chancel Choir
FLOWERS The Chancel Flowers are given in loving memory of Mary Elizabeth Boggan Palermo by her parents, Mr. & Mrs. Clayton Boggan, Jr.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE The anthem texts are printed with permission. One License A-707342 By entering the Sanctuary, you grant to Centenary United Methodist Church unrestricted right to use and publish, transmit or telecast photographs or likenesses that might be taken of you this day for use in communications related to the church.
ANNOUNCEMENTS • JANUARY 1, 2023
WELCOME!
Learn more and register for events at www.centenary-ws.org/engage
The congregation and staff of Centenary welcome you to today’s worship. It is our honor to have you with us! Our ministers, staff, welcome team and ushers are happy to assist you with any questions you may have. We hope our worship will inspire, comfort and challenge you as we hear God’s message proclamed through preaching, music, prayer and liturgy.
WORSHIP AT CENTENARY SUNDAYS
9:00 am • Memorial Auditorium 11:00 am • Sanctuary
MEMBERSHIP
We are eager to share Centenary’s story with you. If you are interested in learning about church membership, please contact Rev. Meg Peters (336-724-6311 ext. 1361)/mpeters@ centenary-ws.org to schedule a time to meet.
WATCH
Each Sunday morning, our 11:00 am worship service is broadcast on the Internet through our Live Stream. Visit www.centenary-ws.org. Once there, scroll to the bottom of the home page and click on either Live Stream or the Live Stream arrow.
HEARING LOOP
Our Sanctuary is fitted with a Hearing Loop system. Please switch your hearing device to T-coil. If you need a listening device, please contact one of our ushers. Be sure to sit in the pews located on the floor of the Nave.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CENTENARY
ADULT FORMATION
MISSIONS
NEW SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS PARENT FOUNDATIONS ROOM 310 Raising young children is a challenge. From teething and tantrums to homework and soccer practice, it can be hard to find a free minute to spend time with God. We are parents of younger children who participate in member-led studies of books and topics to enhance our faith as parents. Conversation is geared so that those who have not been able to read the material can participate. We also discuss ideas, strategies, and support one another as we hope to raise our children with a strong Christian foundation. On January 8, we begin a new study on “Undistracted” by Bob Goff. We would love to have you join us! For more information about this class, please contact Katie Allen (kpallen846@ gmail.com).
WINTER OVERFLOW SHELTER NOW – MARCH 28 This vital ministry provides persons experiencing homelessness a meal and a warm place to sleep, and we are honored to be a partner with City with Dwellings in this effort. Centenary furnishes transportation from the check-in site to the overflow shelter on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings. We are in need of drivers and ridealongs. Ride-alongs help with boarding the busses and serve as an extra pair of eyes for drivers. To volunteer as a driver or a ride-along, please contact Rev. Meg Gaston (mgaston@centenary-ws.org/ext. 1361) or sign-up on our Engage Page.
CONGREGATIONAL CARE STEPHEN MINISTRY “Christmas is the most joyful time of the year”… unless you are feeling alone or dealing with the loss of a loved one. In that case, the holidays may be unbelievably difficult. A Stephen Minister can help you find meaning and joy in life again by supporting you through the hardest times.
There is always something happening at Centenary and we invite you to join us. To learn more about Centenary ministries and events, visit our website at www.centenary-ws.org. You may also contact our receptionist who will guide you to the appropriate ministry area.
If you or someone you know could benefit from Stephen Ministry, please contact Deena Morgan (336-692-2314), Wilba Brady (336-723-6236), Rev. Craig Ford (336-724-6311 ext. 1353) or Rev. Susannah Pittman (336-724-6311 ext. 1357).
STAY CONNECTED
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
Reception Desk • 336-724-6311
SUMMER DATES 2023: MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW! Older Elementary Mission Week: June 27-29; Rising 4th-6th Graders Centenary Week at Camp Tekoa: July 9-15; Rising 4th-6th Graders, register now at www.camptekoa. org Children’s Music and the Arts Camp: July 17-20; 2 year olds through rising 5th Graders Vacation Bible School: 4 year olds through rising 6th Graders
CENTENARY LEADERSHIP CONNECTIONS
For more information, please contact Kate May (kmay@centenary-ws.org/ext. 1331).
336.724.6311 + Extension (for the Minister on Call • Option 2) Reverend Dr. P. Glenn Kinken III Senior Minister
ext. 1362
Rick Gibbons Congregational Care Assistant
ext. 1342
Mary Ann Wexler Executive Director
ext. 1346
Stacy Holley Exec. Assistant to Senior Minister
ext. 1359
Jonathan Emmons Director of Music Ministries
ext. 1339
John Markle Director of Operations
ext. 1347
Reverend R. Craig Ford Associate Minister
ext. 1353
Doug Peninger Director of Communications
ext. 1368
Reverend Kate May Associate Minister with Children
ext. 1331
Tammy Pollock Director of Youth Ministries
ext. 1337
John Rogers Director of Information Technology
ext. 1356
Reverend Meg Peters ext. 1361 Assoc. Minister of Evangelism, Engagement & Missions
Reverend Susannah Pittman ext. 1357 Associate Minister of Congregational Care & Adult Formation CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 646 W. FIFTH STREET • WINSTON-SALEM, NC 27101 WWW.CENTENARY-WS.ORG • 336-724-6311
JUSTICE & RECONCILLIATION THE COLOSSIAN WAY You are invited to join a small group study as we learn how to engage faithfully with one another and strengthen our relationships in the process. The Colossian Way is a model for how Christians can discuss diverse topics such as politics, gun violence, healthcare, etc. There is a maximum of 10 participants. The seminar will run on Wednesdays, January 11- March 22, except February 22 from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Register your interest by January 8. If you would like to learn more, please contact Suzanne Epermanis or Doug Haynes.
MUSIC & THE ARTS SUBSCRIBE TO SIGHTINGS & SOUNDINGS Check out Centenary’s monthly Music & Arts magazine! Find the latest edition on Centenary’s website (Music & Arts’ page), subscribe via the QR Code below, or pick up a printed copy from the Music Suite. CHILDREN’S MUSIC & ART NIGHT CONTINUES IN JANUARY – NEW PARTICIPANTS WELCOME! Children ages 2 through 6th grade are invited to join us every Thursday night beginning January 5 from 5:00-6:35 pm for Children’s Music & Art Night. Programming includes choir, handbells, handchimes, Kindermusik, art and more! Dinner (suggested $5 donation) is available from 4:30-6:30pm. Adult supervision is required for dinner. (Children ages 2-3 are dismissed at 5:40, and those participants require adult accompaniment.) Current participants need not register; the QR code below will direct new participants to the registration form. For more information, please contact Music Ministry Assistant, Virginia Sheffield (vsheffield@centenaryws.org).
YOUTH MINISTRY EVENTS •January 1: Happy New Year (No Youth and No Sunday School) •January 4: 6:00 -7:30 pm – Confirmation Student Orientation •January 5: 6:00 – 7:30 pm – Confirmation Shepard Orientation •January 8: Love Thy Neighbor For more information or to sign up to receive Youth Ministry updates by email, contact Tammy Pollock (tpollock@centenary-ws.org). Or follow us on Instagram @centenary_youth. CONFIRMATION Confirmation by definition is faith formation, one part of a life-long journey. We have designed an incredible Confirmation process to help our 7th grade youth begin to claim their faith as their very own. Through our Confirmation ministry you will have opportunities, be given tools, support, and the inspiration you need to build your faith on a firm foundation. Registration is now open. Check the Youth Announcements for more details.
OPEN FLOWER DATES A wonderful way to honor or remember a loved one, friend, group, birthday, or anniversary is by providing flowers in our Sanctuary for Sunday morning services. Our Flower Calendar has an open date available on January 29, 2023. If you are interested, please contact Paige Morgan Foy (pmorganfoy@centenary-ws.org).