OUR CLERGY AND STAFF Reverend Dr. P. Glenn Kinken III Senior Minister gkinken@centenary-ws.org Reverend Bret Cogan Assoc. Minister of Spiritual Formation & Education bcogan@centenary-ws.org Reverend R. Craig Ford Associate Minister cford@centenary-ws.org Reverend Kate May Associate Minister with Children kmay@centenary-ws.org Reverend Jeremy Pegram Assoc. Minister of Evangelism, Engagement & Missions jpegram@centenary-ws.org Tamara M. Pollock Director of Youth Ministries tpollock@centenary-ws.org Emily Rivers Ministry Intern erivers@centenary-ws.org Mary Ann Wexler Executive Director mwexler@centenary-ws.org Susan Bates Organist and Music Associate sbates@centenary-ws.org Martha Bassett Alternative Music Leader mbassett@centenary-ws.org Kristy Eaton Contributions keaton@centenary-ws.org
OUR PAGES Table of Contents/Clergy and Staff ~~~~~~~~~~~ 2 Summer at Centenary~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 From the Editor ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4 Vacation Bible School ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5 Bret Cogan: The Trinity~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6 Page Eight ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 8 Dinner for 8 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 10 New Members~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11 Jukie Drinkard” “Rosies” on a Mission~~~~~~~~~ 12 Engagment Fair & Commitment Sunday~~~~~~~ 14 Lauren Frye: Faith Binds Us Together~~~~~~~~~ 15 Tyler MacDonald: Beyond the Mission Trip ~~~~ 16 Mary Ann Wexler: Food Bank Garden~~~~~~~~ 18 Kate May: Crossnore~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 20 Portrait Directory & Leaders Wanted~~~~~~~~~ 22 Youth Fall Kickoff ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 23 Jeremy Pegram: UMCOR ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 24 DAYBreak Back-to-Church BBQ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 26 Worship in the Park~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 27 Eileen Ayuso: Shalom Project~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 29 Calendar ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 30 Memorials ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 32 Honoraria ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 33 Glenn Kinken: Mission & Vision Connected ~~~~ 34
OUR COVER
Sandra Gramley Congregational Care Coordinator sgramley@centenary-ws.org
Within all of the windows of the Sanctuary, there runs a grapevine, connecting all the stories found within the windows. We have created an all new “window” for this issue with images found within our articles. Our stories are all connected as you will discover as you read.
Stacy Holley Exec. Assistant to Senior Minister sholley@centenary-ws.org
You can learn more about the windows of the church by reading Centenary United Methodist Church Symbols: The Story Told in Glass, Stone and Fabric.
John Markle Director of Operations jmarkle@centenary-ws.org Doug Peninger Director of Communications dpeninger@centenary-ws.org
For a video tour of the ministry and office spaces located at The Haven, scan the QR code below.
Debbie Pilson Director of DAYBreak/Respite Care dpilson@centenary-ws.org John Rogers Director of Information Technology jrogers@centenary-ws.org June Stegall Interim Director of Music jstegall@centenary-ws.org
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From the Editor Over the summer months, we go on vacations. We reconnect with families who live in other cities, states or countries. We take time to spend with friends and family members.We give ourselves chances to take a deep breath and create new memories. We share cook-outs and ice cream, and somewhere along the way many of us share family stories and laughter. Oh yes, laughter.
Dr. Kinken wraps up this issue as he shares his thoughts on how our mission and vision are all connected. There are many other articles to read. What I have shared is merely a highlight: one other thing, we are creating a new portrait directory in October. be sure to sign up soon, the best slots fill quickly. We want to make sure everyone is represented so we can see how we are all connected!
Well the same almost goes, here at Centenary. While we don’t necessarily go on vacation, meaning our doors don’t close, we go on mission trips, we create new classes, we enter a little different schedule during the week. But our worship and our connection does not change. Throughout this issue of Through Centenary Windows, we will be exploring the many ways we are all connected. We begin with Bret Cogan sharing thoughts on the Holy Trinity. We get a chance to connect with new folks or maybe some old friends as we reintroduce Dinner for 8. Be sure to contact Juana Jasinto at the recption desk to sign-up. This always fills up quickly, so sign up soon. Mary Ann Wexler takes us on a field trip to the Food Bank Garden as she explores how this important ministry shares its bounty with our friends and neighbors in need.
You’ve got to see the pictures and read the story of the UMW spring mission projcet. The “Rosies” were on a mission as they connected with local ministries to provide items for those in need.
Tyler MacDonald shares that when the youth return home from a mission trip that the mission doesn’t end. Most of the time, it is merely the beginning as the youth return inspired and ready to create new opportunities. We have a chance to look at Crossnore as Kate May examines our connection with this important ministry. She also invites us to connect with our sister church, Calvary Moravian, as our Vacation Bible school moves off campus for 2019 as we continue our renovations.
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Get ready, get set, get reading! I’ll see you at Centenary!
Doug Peninger Director of Communications
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| faith formation |
The Trinity I was in the attic earlier this spring when I discovered a box that I assumed was long gone.
Rev. Bret Cogan
bcogan@centenary-ws.org
As I started to go through it, I found one of those silly, yet frustrating party favors from some long past birthday party known as a Chinese finger trap. You remember them, the gag gift that you and all your friends got your fingers stuck in. If you’ve never seen one, the Chinese finger trap is a small woven bamboo tube that is meant to be a child’s puzzle, that also illustrates a pretty important truth about our connection to one another. It is also, in my mind a metaphor for how we are invited into connection within a profound truth of our faith we know as the Trinity. Throughout my faith journey, which began when I was 15, the concept or idea, or doctrine of the Trinity has been one of those things that I was aware of… while at the same time I was not really sure how it related to the everyday practice of my faith. Only recently have I discovered I was not alone!
In Karl Rahner’s book “The Trinity” he suggested that our understanding and appreciation for this doctrine within our faith is so little understood that if it was removed, or disavowed it would have little to no impact upon most of our literature and sadly our understanding of our faith and it’s practice. So, what is the Trinity? Every time we recite the Apostle’s Creed, we invoke our faith in it, but can we see the connection it has for the way we live our lives? For me the idea of Trinity is not as much an idea, but an invitation into an experience. It is an invitation to enter into our life by engaging those around us, by connecting with others and learning from them. The idea of the Trinity is grounded within the relationship we see in the Father, the Son and the Spirit. It is an idea, or mystery that is hard to conceptualize so we use metaphors. I would like to suggest we consider the Chinese Finger Trap as yet another metaphor to understand the meaning and power of our connection found within our understanding of the Trinity! The Trinity images for us a flowing dynamic connection within a relationship of mutual love and embrace of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit where each is up lifted and none are diminished. There is no push and pull for an upper hand. There is no struggle for control, only the flowing of love, learning and endless creativity. The relationship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit reveals to us the power of connection when it is free from the push and pull of control we see so readily within our own experience. This is also what the Chinese Finger Trap invites us to learn and experience! You can’t resist putting your fingers into the ends of the tube, only to realize as you try to pull away the bamboo constricts and traps them. The more you try to pull your fingers out, the more the tube constricts. The only way to free yourself is to gently push your fingers inward or toward one another, which creates space to move and twist them out. Trinity is all about relationship and connection. We experience the Trinity through our willingness to connect not only with God, but each other. The flow and movement toward one another dissolves our sense of disconnection. Whereas any movement away from, or oppositional stance against another creates exclusion and isolation. Which is the exact opposite of what the image of Trinity teaches and invites us into. In the image of Trinity, we have three
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separate, but equal “Persons” as we call them, who are engaged in a seamless communion with one another, yielded and surrendered to each other within a selfless Love for the other. It is this image of relationship we are all called to enter into and experience with God and also with each other. The Chinese Finger Trap illustrates how our unwillingness to do so creates a situation where we have to either pull away and eventually destroy that which binds us or move vforward in faith trusting God’s love and the life enriching image we see of the relationship in the Trinity. Our moving toward the other allows us to see other creative expressions and opportunities before us, freeing us to live more fully connected to God, others and even ourselves.
where the movement and flow of connection was shared between, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Again, Trinity is an invitation into relationship and a deeper understanding of our connection to one another. From this perspective Trinity then becomes not so much something we must understand as it is something we must be willing to give ourselves to as we share our lives in connection with others. In seeking to embrace the message of the Trinity, like the child’s toy we know as the Chinese Finger Trap, we discover the only way to become free is to move closer toward one another seeking to understand our connection; and in doing so we learn more about others, ourselves and the connection we all share as God’s beloved children.
One of the early images for the Trinity was a “Circle Dance”
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8 | feature |
Page Eight
Back in late April, the time had come to start getting the flowers planted and sprucing up the exterior of the house. This year, I decided to place a hanging
basket on the porch at the front of the house. Within this basket are purple super-tunias, pink geraniums and creeping jenny. There is also a new family…of birds. The hanging basket had not been up more than two days when I noticed a section that looked like a nest. Sure enough, a house wren had moved in.
Doug Peninger
dpeninger@centenary-ws.org
Over the last few weeks, I have been intentional to quietly approach the basket as I water the flowers. I gently turn the basket as I hand-water to make sure I don’t interrupt the nesting process or scare the mother away. We’ve slowly gotten to know one another as I encourage her and tell her what a good job she is doing as she awaits the hatching of the three eggs inside the next. I’ve also made sure that the bird feeders are kept stocked. Wow, there have been lots of different birds this year. It’s a beautiful sight to see the multitude of colors and different birds who choose to dine at the restaurant under the birch tree.
The time finally came and sure enough, three babies arrived and are enjoying their new home. The mother is doing a great job feeding them and keeping them warm. She even lets me take a look from time to time as she proudly perches on the hanging basket chain to show them off. Soon, they will be large enough and strong enough to fly away and make homes of their own. I will wish them well. Hopefully, when their time comes, they will return to this home to start their families and the cycle continues. They will be welcomed.
When you consider this illustration, it is quite similar to our church family. Think about it. We have a couple that gets married at the church. Soon, they discover they are pregnant and in time, a newborn comes into the to life of our congregation. Kate May gets the “welcome baby” ministry into action as this precious child starts its journey. Within a few months, the time comes to baptize the baby and we, as a congregation, renew our commitment to raise this child in the faith we all know and cherish. Of course, the journey continues through children’s ministry with Bible Sunday, Vacation Bible School, mission weeks and much, much more. Then, middle school comes. This same child enters the time of change as bodies grow and the faith journey steps into a new gear. In seventh grade, the invitation to confirmation is sent and this child makes an important decision to accept the grace given to all of us through the gift of Christ. When the youth joins the church at confirmation, we welcome them into the membership of our local church. They are the newest member of our congregation. We are all connected. The next big step is when they graduate from high school and commence upon a college experience or enter the work force. We lovingly wrap them in a red blanket as they bless their parents for helping them on their faith journey and the parents offer a blessing to them. We, as a congregation also offer our blessing. We love them simply because they are ours, for no other reason. And, then, they leave the nest. Hopefully, at some point they will engage in the membership of another church, or perhaps, they might return home to Centenary to continue growing in their faith as an adult and experience the multitude of opportunities available through adult spiritual formation. That could mean anything from music to small groups to missions or more. The thing is, as members of our church, we are all connected, no matter what our age or position in life. At the core is our faith. So, like the birds in the basket, may we all nurture one another, love on one another, support one another,
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cherish one another. We will all fly away at some point as we join the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us. Those left behind will light a candle on All Saints Sunday as they reflect upon our lives. The big circle continues and the connection never ends. ď Ž
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...we renew our covenant faithfully to participate in the ministries of the church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness, that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. JULY/AUGUST | 11 | CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST
| missions |
“Rosies” on a Mission
Julie Drinkard guest writer
“Rosie the Riveter” was a cultural icon for World War II, representing the women who took on entirely new jobs and extra work to replace the men called up by the military. This opening for women to join the workforce ended up spilling over into later generations of “Rosies” who felt the calling to provide for their families outside of the home. To kick off their “Mission Day on May 6th, the United Methodist Women (UMW) of Centenary channeled these fierce and pioneering women to became “Rosies for Christ”, fulfilling their purpose “to know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative, supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church.”
For the Forsyth Prison Ministry, the efforts were twofold. First, games, puzzles, and candy were sent so that the children visiting their parents in prison could engage with them in fun ways. Second, the UMW wanted to thank the 20 volunteers who go every Thursday night to be with the prisoners, so they made them gift bags with gift cards, blessing boxes, homemade cookies, and even a thank you note from the prisoners to the volunteers. Finally, over 250 Christmas stockings were decorated for the two Special Children’s Homes. No, it’s not Christmas yet (I wish!), but crafting these was the first step in the process before they are filled and sent over in December. This summer, the UMW will also be making bibs and mat covers for the children. The supplies purchased for the Mission Day were purchased in part with funds the UMW raised from last year’s rousing event with Sharon Randall, an overwhelmingly successful fundraising effort led by Sue Drinkard, president of UMW. The UMW has always been an infectiously joyful part of Centenary, but if you were in that room on May 6th prepping these mission blessings, you were overwhelmed with the excitement and passion all of these “Rosies” have for each other, their community, and for Jesus.
The Mission Day committee, consisting of Deedee Fenwick, Dianne Moore, Susie Smith, and Laura Young, spearheaded this meeting to help women and children in our community. They chose three organizations to serve: the Battered Women’s Shelter, the Forsyth Prison Ministry, and two Special Children’s Homes. In addition, literature was provided for all attendees on other worthy organizations in the area should any of the attendees choose to help them at a later date. For the Battered Women’s Shelter, umbrellas and ponchos were provided for the women who often must walk to work or to their bus stops, no matter the weather. Baskets were also stuffed with “welcome home” items to help clean and ready their homes or apartments as they transition from the shelter.
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| guest writer |
Faith Binds Us Together
A
Lauren Frye guest writer
s Christians, we have our differences: tastes, talents, languages, skin color. But our faith binds us together in a common mission: to spread the gospel of God’s love to the world. As Methodists, we are part of what John Wesley called a “connectional” church - meaning “Every local church is linked to an interconnected network of organizations that join together in mission and ministry, allowing us to accomplish far more than any one local church or person could alone.” (UMC.org) Fulfilling this calling to share the gospel and the connectional mission of the church, members of Centenary United Methodist and St. Paul United Methodist are working to build bridges between our churches through personal relationships and opportunities to share in ministry and service.
of participating - and though our skin color may have put us in the minority at St. Paul, in praising God we felt at home. It was most certainly a foretaste of heaven, where we will raise our voices as one in praise. In June, our children’s ministry had the opportunity to particpate in Vacation Bible School with St. Paul.We are currently planning more opportunities for connection. Please see the bulletins for more information. If you are interested in joining this group and building bridges across a racial divide with faith as our guide, please email me at laurenquartz@gmail.com. We’ll take a break from meetings in June and July, and I hope you’ll prayerfully consider joining us when we reconvene in August.
This group is diverse, representing different ages, races, and backgrounds. We meet monthly to fellowship and to plan opportunities for collaboration between our congregations and ministries. Our meetings are collaborative and earnest. We know the work of connecting our churches is just beginning, and that it begins with us building connections to one another. This spring, we planned our first small but powerful events: group members from St. Paul attended Centenary’s jazz service, and many of us from Centenary attended a service at St. Paul. My family had the pleasure
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| youth ministry |
Service Beyond the Mission Trip
Tyler MacDonald
Every year as we load up the buses at the end of one of our two mission trips there is a palpable buzz among the Even though they are youth. exhausted from a long week of serving and
simply sit back and hope someone else would do something about it. They started off small, handing out sandwiches on the front lawn of the church, but over time the youth of Centenary have continued to add to and grow the ministry. Now we serve hot meals, we have medical clinic with a pharmacy, and we have given out thousands of toiletries,
tmacdonald@centenary-ws.org
being out in the sun they are filled with the energy that comes from helping others. They chatter excitedly about what they witnessed and did that week. They share stories that made them laugh, stories that made them think and stories that made them sad. They bond over their shared experience and the anticipation of continuing their service together back home. On the way home they continue the conversations they had all week about how to apply what they learned back in their own community. I cannot count the number of times youth have approached me on or after a trip and said something along the lines of “we did this amazing thing at our work site and I think we could do something similar at home.” The youth recognize that mission is not strictly traveling to a distant city to meet other’s needs. They see the needs within their own city and they have a heart to meet those needs. They dream big and they long to improve their community. That is the beauty of these mission trips: serving in a different community gives us all new eyes to see the needs within our own community. The very existence of Love Thy Neighbor comes out of conversations similar to the ones our kids have after every mission trip. When Centenary’s youth went to San Francisco in 2005 to serve at Glide Memorial Church they were struck by Glide’s outreach to the homeless. When they reflected with one another about the homeless ministry they could not help but connect it to the homelessness in Winston-Salem. They recognized that the homeless of Winston-Salem needed to be loved and cared for too. They also realized that they could not
socks and other necessities. Within the last two years we have been able to give away brand new sleeping bags and tennis shoes to our neighbors, thanks to the tireless efforts of our youth. Their heart for mission does not start and stop over a one-week mission trip in the summer. The youth do not go on these trips to meet their “quota” for service; they go to rekindle their deep desire to serve the people around them back home. Love Thy Neighbor is the most
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obvious example of this, and without our kids it would not be possible. However, their passion for ministry extends beyond even Love Thy Neighbor to the many activities they participate in throughout the year, whether it is Vacation Bible School, the H.O.P.E.Truck, NHS, the Community Garden, Habitat for Humanity or the many other service opportunities they are a part of within our community.
as they pour out their hearts to us or meeting whatever needs we see around us. My hope and prayer is that we all can live up to the standard our youth have set and be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ in our community every day.
Their passion for meeting other’s needs is an inspiration. The fact that our youth extend their service beyond mission trips is a reminder to all of us that God’s call to love others is something we can do daily.We can do this by acknowledging a neighbor on the street and affirming their dignity and humanity, or offering a kind word to a co-worker or class mate who is having a hard day, or listening to a friend or family member
Photo: 2018 Mission Team to New Orleans
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| executive director |
The Jim & Betty Holmes Food Bank Garden
T Mary Ann Wexler
mwexler@centenary-ws.org
his year, I became involved with the Food Bank Garden and I have been amazed at what I have learned about this incredible operation. What a wonderful gift they provide for the hungry in our area! The garden is located on several acres at the Crossnore School in the heart of Winston-Salem and their produce is primarily distributed to the Second Harvest Food Bank. Then, it is passed along to soup kitchens, emergency shelters and other food assistance programs in our area. There are over 100 agencies in Forsyth County that benefit from the Food Bank Garden’s delicious produce. The Food Bank Garden began in 1998 when Jim Holmes Jr. saw a strong need for growing more food to help feed the hungry people in Winston-Salem. They are now in the 21st year of this wonderful mission. On a recent picture-perfect blue sky day, Doug Peninger and I ventured out to the Garden. When we arrived, we observed volunteers working hard in the fields. Some were working on irrigation systems and some were working in raised food beds. The fields are quite large with multiple rows of planted crops that will be harvested throughout the summer.
the planting of long rows of corn, bush beans and cucumbers. An abundance of kale, bok choi and radishes had just been harvested and watermelon and cantaloupe had been planted in another field. Their mission: “To grow and provide fresh, local produce to those in need in our service area.” (The 18 counties served by the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC.) The numbers are staggering. Hunger affects 1 in 7 adults and 1 in 5 children throughout our state. The Food Bank Garden produces over 10,000 pounds of fresh vegetables each year and it’s all done with volunteers. How can you help? The garden is always looking for volunteers throughout the summer and into the fall season. Individuals or groups of volunteers from schools, churches and businesses are invited to come. You can visit the Food Bank Garden website at foodbankgarden. shutterfly.com to get information on the next opportunity to come. No experience necessary!
Lowe’s Foods on Robinhood Road graciously allows the Food Bank Garden to store their produce in chilled lockers until Second Harvest Food Bank can pick it up. While we were there, some employees of Lowe’s as well as other volunteers were assisting in preparing
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For the latest updates on the renovation, visit www.centenary-ws.org/renovations.
Background Image: The watermelon patch had been planted the day before photo was taken.
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| children’s ministry |
Connection with Crossnore I love children’s books.
The beautiful pictures, the simple yet profound messages. They draw me in every time! Recently my son and I were reading, “Are You My Mother?” by P.D. Eastman. In the book a baby bird hatches from its egg while its mother has gone to find food. The baby bird sets out on a journey to find its mother encountering all kinds of creatures along the way each time asking, “Are you my mother?” Finally it is Kate May the “Snort,” a steam shovel, that deposits the kmay@centenary-ws.org baby bird back into its nest just as the mother bird returns. The baby bird’s search for where and to whom it belongs reminded me of Centenary’s connection with the Crossnore School and Children’s Home. Centenary’s relationship with the Children’s Home goes back long before Crossnore’s recent adoption of the campus on Reynolda Road and its ministry. I spoke with Aubrey Kirby who spent his high school years at the children’s home and he reminisced over
the campus coming to Centenary every Sunday and the children filling both transept balconies during worship. At that time Centenary was the home church of the Children’s Home and in talking to Aubrey it was easy to tell that the children felt like they belonged at Centenary. Aubrey joined Centenary in the ninth grade and as a young man from the Children’s Home was “sponsored” by the Susannah Wesley class. Aubrey spoke fondly of the foot locker he received from the class when he graduated from high school that he carried his belongings in all over North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. He still has that foot locker and he still finds an intense sense of belonging at Centenary. Over the years, as the ministry model of the Children’s Home has changed, Centenary’s relationship with the campus has changed as well. But what has not changed is the sense of connection between the two institutions committed to giving children a place to belong. Today, as the ministry on the Crossnore Campus here in Winston-Salem continues to grow and develop, we at Centenary continue to have an opportunity to offer love and belonging to the children who find sanctuary at Crossnore. On the Crossnore Campus, children who are in Crossnore’s care live in cottages as family units. Sometimes those family units include actual sibling groups and sometimes they simply come together and become family as they are cared for by two pairs of cottage parents who serve every other week. A few weeks before Christmas I was contacted by the campus
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chaplain who explained that Crossnore would like to connect each of its cottages with a local church who could become a church family to the children living in the cottage. He asked me if I thought Centenary would be interested in “adopting” one of the cottages. He barely finished speaking when I gave an enthusiastic, “Yes, absolutely!” Fast forward to February when we first welcomed the 10 children 8 years old and younger along with their cottage parents to 11 am worship at Centenary! We have been slowly building relationships with these children and the amazing adults who have dedicated their life’s work to loving them. What these kids need most is loving adults who will consistently show up in their lives so we have surrounded them with hosts who help get the kids from the parking lot, across the street, through the sanctuary, to the nursery and to the sanctuary for children’s worship and then back again. One of these host families shared with me, “The joy on their little faces as they come into the sanctuary is priceless. However, it’s also been fun to see the congregation light up as they watch them come into church.” Another piece of this amazing partnership is the cottage sponsors or cottage grandparents. These grandparents are a small group of adults who have gone through training and background checks so that they can interact with the kids and their cottage parents at the cottage on a weekly basis. This is one more group of adults to add love and stability to the lives of these kids who are waiting for re-unification or a new forever home. There is a lot that we are still learning. We are moving slowly so that we can find the right ways to help, but as we at Centenary build relationships with the kids on Sundays and as we communicate with the cottage grandparents we will be able to support the kids and the cottage parents in beautiful ways that, with each other’s help, will make an eternal impact on their lives. Please pray for these kids that they might find belonging as a part of our Centenary family and ultimately a part of God’s family.
“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. ” -Ephesians 1:4-5 (New Living Translation) JULY/AUGUST | 21 | CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST
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Youth and Parents Fall Kick-Off Event
$10 per family
August 25th 5 - 7:30 pm
Join us for an evening of inflatable fun and friendly competition on the Centenary Lawn. The grills will be going , the music will be jamming, and laughter will be guaranteed! It’ll be a great way to kick-off a new year of ministry!
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| evangelism & engagement |
UMCOR “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Matthew 25:34-36 (NIV)
T
hrough these words of Jesus found in Matthew 25:34-36, we discover the call and imperative to serve all who have need. As United Methodists, we are blessed by connectional ministries that enable us to serve our brothers and sisters in need around the world. During the 1940’s a ministry, known today as the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), was started by Bishop Herbert Welch to respond to suffering after the onset of World War II. Through our partnership with United Methodists around the world we are able to join our resources and efforts to share God’s abundance with many in time of need. I invite you to read through Rev. Jeremy Pegram these pages and to learn more about jpegram@centenary-ws.org UMCOR and how we as United Methodist love our neighbor around the world and answer the call of Jesus to provide food, water, shelter and clothing to all of God’s children.
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About UMCOR UMCOR brings God’s hope, healing and renewal to people whose lives have been disrupted by war, conflict or natural disaster. As the humanitarian relief and development arm of The United Methodist Church, the United Methodist Committee on Relief assists United Methodists and churches to become involved globally in direct ministry to persons in need. UMCOR works with vulnerable communities to strengthen self-sufficiency and encourage partnerships. UMCOR is working in 80 countries around the world, including the United States. After flood waters have receded, wounds have been tended, basic needs met, and the world’s attention has faded, The United Methodist Church continues to be present by providing ongoing assistance. UMCOR provides survivors not only temporary relief, but also long-term education, training, and support. While UMCOR cooperates with other aid organizations, the most important partners in the work of recovery are those being served. UMCOR comes alongside those who suffer from natural or human-caused disasters - be it famine, hurricane, war, flood, fire or other events—to alleviate suffering and to be a source of help and hope for those left most vulnerable. UMCOR provides relief, response and long-term recovery grants when these events overwhelm a community’s ability to recover on their own. UMCOR also provides technical support and training for partners to address emerging and ongoing issues related to disaster relief, recovery, and long-term health and development. UMCOR Areas of Impact: Disaster Response and Recovery, Migration, Hunger and Poverty, Sustainable Development, Water and Sanitation, Creation Care, Global Health, Women and Children.
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| guest writer | with a spirit of inclusion, compassion and justice. We understand responsibility for both poverty and prosperity rests not only with individuals, but also with institutions and communities. Poverty is a complex problem; however, we believe committed communities providing innovative solutions is key to reducing poverty at the local level. We recognize that poverty encompasses more than economics. Therefore, addressing and rectifying poverty requires holistic strategies which place the well-being of the individual at the center of initiatives. The Shalom Project’s approach to helping our impoverished neighbors coincides with the supporting body of evidence that suggests that access to support at critical moments can determine whether a household is able to move out of poverty or absorb a shock without being pushed further into crisis. It is for this reason that our organization offers programs that not only provide support services for individuals and families but also a program that helps low-income families rise above poverty and one that works to improve the residential and commercial environment where low-income individuals and families reside.
By Eileen Ayuso
Poverty is a problem in our community.
The statistics speak for themselves. Since 2006, Winston-Salem had a higher rate of poverty than the United States, North Carolina, and Forsyth County; and Forsyth County is the third worst county in the US for helping people to move out of poverty. Further, poverty in Winston-Salem disproportionately affects women, children and people of color, with an estimated 25% of women and one out of every three children living in poverty, making WinstonSalem the 20th in the nation for highest child poverty rates. African American residents in Winston-Salem are almost three times as likely and Hispanic and Latino residents four times as likely to be in poverty as their white, non-Hispanic neighbors. The Shalom Project seeks to address poverty by developing and maintaining programs that assist impoverished individuals in and around Forsyth County
Our direct service programs include a food pantry and clothing closet that provides supplemental food resources and clothing, serving an average of 80 individuals weekly which represents 250+ family members. Our free medical clinic and inhouse pharmacy is also held weekly at a space graciously given to us by Centenary UMC and is averaging 45 patients treated and served a bagged dinner. Our Welcome Table meal feeds an average of 75 people a hot meal weekly. The Shalom Project’s Peter’s Creek Initiative (PCCI) arm has recently worked with our local governments and a private foundation to purchase the Budget Inn property. Our plans are to demolish the existing structures and, once financing is secured, to build 72 affordable (workforce) housing units close to downtown Winston Salem. Our hope is to positively affect the lack of affordable housing in our community and to locate many low-income individuals nearer to their places of employment. Shalom’s Flourish Program recruits and works alongside female heads of households and their children living in poverty to give them the tools to step up out of poverty and oftentimes end the generational cycle of poverty. If you would like to learn more about what we do, please come see us in action or sign up for our newsletter at theshalomprojectnc.org. You can also follow The Shalom Project on Facebook or the_shalom_project on Instagram. Most importantly, if you would like to support us by volunteering, you can visit the website of call us at 336.721.0606. Thank you for your engagement with our community!
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Be sure to mark your calendars with the events on these pages. For the most current information, be sure to see the Sunday bulletins and the church website.
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July
August
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Memorials
We remember the saints who have gone before....
Centenary Fund
Music and the Arts
In memory of Bernice “Bea” Evelyn Mackoff Johnson by Mrs. J. Robert Elster. In memory of Elizabeth “Bess” McMullen Richardson by Betty Richardson. In memory of Lawrence F. “Larry” Fisher by Ken & Otie Anderson, Nell & Jim Cavenaugh, The Chapel Class, Kathryn & Bobby Edwards, Daniel Hooper, Peggy Ellen Jenkins, Randall & Clark Larson, Sam & Mary Ceile Ogburn, Payne Family Foundation, Strong & Associates, P.C. In memory of Margaret Anne Kester by The Chapel Class. In memory of Mary Elizabeth “Mary Lib” Harris Harper by Rubie Hecht. In memory of Robert “Mason” Linker lll by John & Debbie Lyda, Neil & Betsy Clark, Reid & Suzanne Wilcox, Ben, Henry and Ellie Wilcox. In memory of Royce Patrick “Pat” Spangler Jr. by Louise & Jim Kelly. In memory of Sara G. Rayburn by Janice & Terry Johnson. In memory of William Edward “Eddie” Poe by Louise & Jim Kelly. In memory of Troy Allan Sager by Nancy Lide.
In memory of Edward “Ted” O’Hanlon Hill by Missy Butler, Phyllis Dunning, Bob & Lenna Severs, Sandra & Bill Gramley.
Children’s Ministry In memory of James Robert Fox by Don & Nancy Shaw.
Loaves & Fishes In memory of Edna Freemon Helms by Hayden & Mary Kepley. In memory of George William Crone Jr. by Debbie E. Blackmon, Alison E. Blackmon and Tally B. Jackson, Phil & Ginny Thomas, Sam & Lea Thompson. In memory of Mary Elizabeth “Mary Lib” Harris Harper by Hayden & Mary Kepley. In memory of Reverend Doctor James W. Ferree Sr. by Mr. & Mrs. John D. Mundy. In memory of Sara G. Rayburn by Hayden & Mary Kepley.
IN MEMORIAM Dolores C. Johnson March 11, 2019 Lawrence F. Fisher March 29, 2019 Betty (Elizabeth) West Alexander April 10, 2019 Manford Ray Haxton April 20, 2019 Edward (Ted) O’Hanlon Hill April 28, 2019 Robert Mason Linker III May 9, 2019 Barbara Halliday May 28, 2019 Emily Williamson June 5, 2019 The ministers and members of Centenary Church extend their deepest sympathy to the bereaved families and pray they may know the comfort and peace of our Heavenly Father.
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Honoraria
We celebrate the kingdom of God among us...
Capital Campaign In honor of Joshua, Jackson & Levi Fox by Don & Nancy Shaw.
Centenary Fund In honor of the confirmation of Duncan Taylor Brown by Fred & Laura Brown. In honor of the confirmation of Jack Norman by Mrs. Maurice Sponcler. In honor of Steve Reeder by Tom & Nancy Cannon.
DAYBreak Respite Care In honor of Alma Thompson for her “Memoirs of a Rich and Full Life” by Pragna Shah.
Loaves & Fishes In honor of Tom & Nancy Cannon by the Wednesday Morning Bible Study Class.
Love Thy Neighbor In honor of Martha Brown by Circle #3. In honor of Reverend Bret Cogan by Circle #3. In honor of Tyler MacDonald by Circle #3.
Sacred Music Fund In honor of June Stegall by Christina Martin.
Winston-Salem Street School In honor of Tom & Nancy Cannon by the Wednesday Morning Bible Study Class.
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| senior minister |
Our Mission and Vision Is Connected
Rev. Dr. Glenn Kinken gkinken@centenary-ws.org
Not-for-profit organizations such as the local church often lag behind the for-profit world when it comes to operating principles and practices. The headwaters for this lag are often found in the naĂŻve assumption that the local church knows what to do and just does its thing. Leadership consultants, entrepreneurs,
small business owners, and executives will say having a clear sense of purpose and knowing what successful achievement of that purpose looks like is essential to the long-term health and sustainability of any organization whether it is a small business, Fortune 500 company, global not-for-profit, or local congregation. These two key elements are the mission (reason for existing) and vision (what achieving the mission looks like). When the organization has clarity about these two points, then it can set strategy for fulfilling the mission and achieving the vision. Each undertaking of the organization will then be connected directly to the mission and vision. Any undertaking that does not directly connect to the mission and vision is drawing resources away from the organization achieving its goal. The mission of the United Methodist Church is to follow Jesus, make disciples for the transformation of the world. This has been the mission of the Church since Pentecost and is rooted in the Great Commission from Jesus in Matthew 28:16-20. When considering the questions: why
Photo: Courtesy John Markle JULY/AUGUST 2019 | 34 | CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST
Centenary exists; what does Centenary do; or why am I a part of Centenary, the answers are rooted in our mission. Clarity of purpose is very freeing. Clarity of mission tells us whose we are, what we are to be about, and why we are doing it. The mission becomes the guiding principle for our congregational life. In following Jesus, we seek to understand where God is calling us to go, who Jesus calls us to be, and how Jesus calls us to act. This becomes the living embodiment of our own personal and collective discipleship.
As a regional, downtown church at the cross-roads of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, we recognize that we have a unique role to play in our neighborhood (downtown) and in our neighborhoods (where members live). But we also remember that John Wesley said, “the world is my parish.” Because of that, we also recognize that loving God and our neighbor does not stop at the county line. Instead we envision that fulfilling our mission might also carry us across the state, country and the globe.
Disciple making is not a one-size fits all, or a one-anddone process. Instead it is a lifelong, multi-faceted buffet. Discipling happens through age-level faith formation – Sunday morning child care, Sunday school (for all ages!), children’s worship, youth group, confirmation, and Bible studies. It happens in worship through regular attendance, participation in choirs, participating as ushers, greeters, liturgists, torch bearers, and crucifers. Disciple making happens in small groups – such as prayer shawl knitting, UMW circles, Stephen Ministry, and mission teams.
Fulfilling our mission and vision is about connection. First, it is about connecting the ministries and programs at Centenary to the mission and vision. This is essential to our success. If our ministries are not connected and resources not aligned to accomplish the mission and fulfill the vision, then we are missing opportunities and wasting resources. Each of the ministry areas of the church have spent the last few months examining their piece of the Centenary pie to set goals and connect their work to mission and vision. It will be exciting to see how these goals will help their ministry area fulfill the mission and vision. What is most exciting though, will be seeing how each ministry area’s work will relate to the work of all the other areas and how Centenary will better fulfill its mission collectively.
The goal of our mission is to change the world. Through following and disciple making we want to make a true, marked difference in the world around us. To make it a better place. Transformation is two-fold. First, there is our personal transformation. This is characterized by how we, as individuals, are better people (the people God wants us to be) and we interact with the world in ways that reflect the love Christ has for the world and all people. Second, is the transformation that we, collectively, bring to the world. This transformation is characterized by changing lives through Centenary’s outreach ministries (for example Love Thy Neighbor, Loaves and Fishes, back-pack meals, and Haiti mission teams), our congregational care ministries (for example Grief Care, Shining Light on Mental Health, and senior adult visitation teams), and our engagement ministries which invite others to join in fellowship and discipleship with us. If mission is the why an organization exists, then the vision becomes how that organization sees itself fulfilling that mission. At Centenary our vision is to be a vibrant Christian community, loving God and loving neighbor downtown and throughout the region. This is such a great image of what we aspire to be. In many ways we are already achieving this, yet we also know that we have more work to do to make it a full-blown reality. The vibrancy of our church is evident in worship on Sundays and Wednesdays, and yet there is still room for you to invite your friends and neighbors to join you. We see vibrancy in increased participation in, and opportunities for, faith formation, congregational care, and mission ministries. We are indeed loving God and neighbor and many of our ministries that take us outside the walls of the church seek to make a greater impact on the lives we touch and show the world how much God loves them. We are rediscovering the power of our geography.
Secondly, fulfilling our mission and vision is about connecting with partners. We cannot fulfill our work alone. For example, transforming lives in Haiti cannot be accomplished without a partner in the region like Haiti Outreach Ministry. Many of our ministry areas cultivate partnership with other ministry areas, agencies in the community, and denominational resources. You have read about some of these exciting partnerships/ connections already in the pages of this edition. The final connection needed for us to achieve our mission and vision is you. That is correct. You are an essential part of our mission and vision and we want/ need to connect you to it. It is an interesting duality. Part of our mission is to help you become a disciple, but we need your help to accomplish it. Each one of us has gifts and talents. For Centenary to fulfill its mission and vision it will take all of us connecting with each other. It will take our prayers (for the church, each other, and our leaders), our presence (in worship, faith formation, and small groups), gifts (financial resources, of time, and talents), service (willingness to lead, help and do around and through the church) and witness (our interaction with the world that shows the change in us, and an invitation to others to join us). For Centenary to follow Jesus, make disciples and transform the world, we must be connected individually and collectively around this purpose and in doing so we will be a vibrant community, loving God and loving neighbor across the world.
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(USPS 628-480)
Periodicals Postage Paid at Winston-Salem, NC
Published By: Centenary United Methodist Church PO Box 658 Winston-Salem, NC 27102-0658 Church Office: (336) 724-6311 Fax: (336) 723-5840 Website: www.centenary-ws.org Postmaster Send Address Changes to: Centenary United Methodist Church PO Box 658 Winston-Salem, NC 27102-0658 A Stephen Ministry Congregation Printed on recycled paper
WORSHIP AT CENTENARY Traditional Worship Sunday 8:30 am Memorial Auditorium
Sunday 9 am Sanctuary Includes Children’s Worship
Sunday 11:00 am Sanctuary Includes Children’s Worship
Wednesday 7 pm Memorial Auditorium
While you are away from our church home, we invite you to worship with Centenary on your computer, smart TV, smartphone, tablet, or whatever electronic device that has access to the Internet. Our Live Stream worship will be there for you. Be sure to sign in so we may be in connection with you. Join us for worship each Sunday at 11:00 am.
www.centenary-ws.org/live-stream