WELCOME TO WORSHIP AT
"BIG QUESTIONS OF LIFE: AM I LOVED?" EPHESIANS 2:1-10
SUNDAY • MARCH 7, 2021 11:00AM WORSHIP
WELCOME! Welcome to Centenary United Methodist Church. Thank you for worshiping with us today! We are grateful for your presence and invite you to participate in our worship, program and ministry life here at Centenary. We hope the worship will inspire and comfort you as we hear God’s message proclaimed. During this time, now more than ever, may the grace and love of Christ surround you.
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OUR MISSION “The mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”
PARTICIPATING IN WORSHIP PREACHING
The Reverend Dr. P. Glenn Kinken III
LITURGISTS
The Reverend Bret Cogan The Reverend Meg Gaston
MUSIC
Jonathan Emmons, Director of Music Ministries Susan Bates, Organist/Music Associate Centenary Chamber Ensemble
CHANCEL FLOWERS
The Chancel flowers are given in loving memory of Marian W. Rief and Jane F. White by Sandy, Elizabeth, and Katie Rief.
Musical texts are printed with permission. One License A-707342 COVER PHOTO: Easter Sunday Morning 2020 by Doug Peninger.
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LET US WORSHIP Third Sunday in Lent • 11:00 am • March 7, 2021
THE COMMUNITY GATHERS VOLUNTARY
Jesus Makes My Heart Rejoice — Margaret V. Sandresky
GREETING INTROIT Psalm 96 CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 19 (In Unison)
HYMN (found on page six)
All That Hath Life and Breath Praise Ye the Lord! — René Clausen All that hath life and breath praise ye the Lord, shout to the Lord, Alleluia! Praise Him, laud Him, Alleluia! You who fear the Lord, praise him! The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. #77 How Great Thou Art — HOW GREAT THOU ART
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.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
After each prayer, the leader may conclude: Lord, in your mercy. All may respond: Hear our prayer.
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.
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WE HEAR THE WORD PROCLAIMED CANTICLE John 3:16
God So Loved the World — Bob Chilcott God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoso believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
SCRIPTURE Ephesians 2:1-10
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV) This is the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God.
SERMON
"Big Questions of Life: Am I Loved?"
WE RENEW OUR COMMITMENT INVITATION TO OFFERING OFFERTORY
How Great Is This Love! — Vicki Tucker Courtney O love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee, I give thee back the life I owe, that in thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be. How great is this love, this love of the Father! How great is this love he has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God, that we should be called God's children. A love beyond all understanding, a love that will not let me go, a love requiring nothing, can this love be so? A love beyond all mortal being, a love that dies so we may grow. O love that will not let me go, I know this love is so!
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Receive these offerings, O Lord. We give you thanks for the blessings which you have bestowed upon us. We pray these gifts, the employment of our talents, the labor of our hands, the prayers of our hearts, and the witness of our lives will show the world the magnitude of your love and grace. Let us put you first in our lives. Use us this week to build your Kingdom. We ask this in the name of Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever more. Amen.
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WE GO AS GOD'S PEOPLE INTO THE WORLD HYMN (found on page seven)
#549 Where Charity and Love Prevail — ST. PETER
BENEDICTION
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
BENEDICTION RESPONSE
Create in Me a Clean Heart — CLEAN HEART Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of salvation; anoint me with Your Spirit free.
VOLUNTARY
Concerto II in A Minor: Allegro — Johann Sebastian Bach (after Antonio Vivaldi)
SERMON NOTES _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
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OUR WORSHIP BULLETIN IS INTERACTIVE Our worship bulletin is fully interactive. If you see a website address, simply click on the text and you will be redirected. Also, within our announcements, when you see text that is red and bold, it is a link to an email address or web page. Again, click on the text and you will be re-directed. RESOURCES FOR LENT Lent is a time of self-reflection as we focus on what our faith means. We ask ourselves how well am I living into the faith I say I believe? Lent is a time when we as the followers of Jesus prepare ourselves for Easter and consider the impact of Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection on our lives. Our Faith Formation ministry has collected a list of ideas, daily scripture readings and other resources to make this season more meaningful for you and your loved ones. To find these resources, click on the Engage tab of the Centenary website. For questions, please contact Rev. Bret Cogan.
STEPHEN MINISTRY When I found out my spouse was having an affair, it knocked the wind out of my sails. I found it hard to get out of bed or even think straight. I felt so betrayed and honestly, I not only felt abandoned by my husband, but I also felt abandoned by God. With the help of a Stephen Minister, I slowly rediscovered the presence of God in my life, and I was able to move forward. If you or someone you know could benefit from Stephen Ministry please sontact 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).
LENTEN CHECK-IN Tuesdays • Now – March 30 • Noon - 1 pm • Zoom Rev. Susannah Pittman invites you to six, stand-alone sessions during the season of Lent where we will Check-in with one another. Each session will offer a Scripture passage from the lectionary for Lent to center and guide the conversation as we seek to offer support and care during this season. To register, CLICK HERE. For more information, contact Rev. Susannah Pittman.
FAITH AND FITNESS! Centenary is looking to start a Faith and Fitness group that is hoping to meet once or twice a week for running and group work out sessions. If you are interested in joining, you can reach out to Rev. Meg Gaston to find out more.
ZOOM SUNDAY SCHOOL Our theme for March is Bake Off! where we’ll be learning about patience. Each age group will meet with Kate and Jeanette for 20 minutes. Preschool will meet at 8:30 am, K-2nd will meet at 9 am, and 3rd - 5th will meet at 9:30 am. We hope you and your kids will join us! If you have not received the Zoom information by email, contact Jeanette Juran. Easter Eggs and Scavenger Hunt Are you ready for Easter? In lieu of our usual Easter Egg hunt, we are partnering with youth ministry to "egg" families' houses by hiding Easter eggs in your yard! While our youth are busy hiding eggs, we hope you'll join us for a fun Easter-themed scavenger hunt around town. The scavenger hunt and egg hiding will take place on March 28 from 3-5 pm. SIGNUP HERE to have your yard "egged" and/or to participate in the scavenger hunt. The last day to signup is March 14. Youth interested in hiding eggs should look for a SignUp from Tammy coming soon. Do you have questions or want more information, contact Jeanette Juran.
MARCH 7 10:00 am Sunday school (Via Zoom) 11:00 am Worship (Via Live Stream)
CENTENARY
To love youth on behalf of Jesus in hopes of loving them to Jesus.
MINISTRY
MARCH 10 7:00am 6th Grade Bible Study. All 6th graders are invited for breakfast & short Bible Study before school! (Make sure to dress warm & wear your mask!) 6:00 pm Confirmation MARCH 12-14 Rest Retreat
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO UPDATE OUR DATABASE Do you need to update any of your personal data with the church? Perhaps your phone number has changed. Maybe, your email address has changed or you have moved to a new home. We want to make sure you are receiving all communication pieces from Centenary. If you need to update anything, please contact Rick Gibbons (336-724-6311 ext. 1342). Also, if you are not receiving our weekly emails, CLICK HERE and you can sign up. Be sure to select "Happenings (Tuesday Mornings)" and "This Sunday @ Centenary."
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SCHOLARSHIPS AT CENTENARY Scholarship Application Deadline is April 1 Centenary offers three types of endowed scholarships: · T.B. and Mary Neal Dixson Foundation: Scholarships for Centenary members or staff who are full-time students · Cabaniss Fund Scholarship: For needy and deserving students engaged in or planning for ministry · Emma Kapp Ogburn Memorial Fund: Scholarships for Methodist residents of Forsyth County pursuing education for Methodist ministry or a Christian education ministry vocation The deadline to submit all applications is April 1. Find more detailed guidelines and download forms on Centenary’s website under the Engage tab and select the Resources menu. Contact Stacy Holley for more information (ext. 1359)/sholley@centenary-ws.org.
MARCH PROGRAM
Thursday • March 18 • 11:30am • Zoom Soloist, Jacob Wright, will present a program of Irish music, and music to inspire us as we look forward to Easter. This program will be online using Zoom. You can plan to join the Zoom conference call as early as 11:30 am, with remarks scheduled to begin at noon. Information you’ll need to join the Zoom call will be emailed to all recipients of the senior adult newsletter. If you are new to Centenary or new to our senior adult programs, please contact Rev. Craig Ford (336-724-6311 ext. 1353) so we can make sure you receive that information. CHURCH COUNCIL & CHARGE CONFERENCE Monday • March 22 • 7:00pm • Zoom All are invited to the next church council and charge conference. Immediately following the regular business of the Church Council, we will hold a called Charge Conference. The purpose of this Charge Conference will be: 1. Approval of a candidate for ministry; and 2. Approval of the sale of non-contiguous gift of real estate given to the church several years ago. Register for meeting HERE to receive link.
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In Memoriam William (Bill) Robert Whitehurst February 19, 2021 The ministers and members of Centenary Church extend their deepest sympathy to the bereaved family and pray they may know the comfort and peace of our Heavenly Father.
FOR THE RECORD February 23 - March 1, 2021 Worship Attendance
Contributions
11:00 am Live Stream Roots Revival
678 123
Total
801
Virtual Sunday School (Includes Adult, Youth & Children)
Offering Special Gifts Centenary Fund Capital Campaign
$47,159 22,000 0 3,111
Total
$72,270
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PO Box 658 • Winston-Salem. NC 27102
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www.centenary-ws.org