DEPARTMENTS From the Editor EDITOR
Roots Revival
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Day of Celebration
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Reflections
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Dr. W. Mark Ralls, Senior Minister
Tastings for Faith & Fellowship
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Missons: Disaster Relief
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Feature: Martha Brown
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John Wesley Society
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Senior Adults
14
Faith in Films
16
Memorials
18
Honoraria
19
Adult Education
20
Children’s Ministry
22
Put on Your Happy Shoes
Events & Announcements
24
Stephen Ministry
26
Lecture Series
27
Table Extravaganza
28
Youth Minsitry
30
Love Thy Neighbor
31
2013 Fashion Show
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2013 has arrived. This causes me to inhale rather deeply. Is it possible that the last twelve months have disappeared? My parents always warned me that time would move more rapidly as I became older. I remember, when I was a youth, my retired grandmother commenting on how she simply did not know where time went. As we journey into this exciting new year, I pray we may each have time to reflect and continue in our journey as Christians and our journey together at Centenary. For January/February, our magazine offers many adventures. From Martha Brown to Stephen Ministry to something yummy, we have a little something for everyone. I invite you to sit back, enjoy your favorite coffee or hot tea and discover this edition of Through Centenary Windows. Doug Peninger
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C elebration
On Sunday, November 18, Centenary reopened its historic sanctuary after several months of renovation. As we celebrated, we worshipped not only in the Sanctuary, but in Memorial Auditorium. The Simplify and Rejoice worship services realized their new homes as well. We hope you will enjoy this photo essay. A special word of thanks goes to Rick Gibbons. He generously donated his time and talent to capture each worship experience that day.
Reflections
mralls@centenary-ws.org 336-397-1362
All
A most special Centenary window of mine is the John Wesley Preaching from a Market Cross window housed in the west transcept of our sanctuary.
Like a baseball player who taps home plate with his bat each time he enters the batters box, I too have an unbreakable routine. I glance to my left and privately acknowledge the scene this window depicts. As I begin my sermon, this window reminds me of the holy task before me and of the great heritage in which I stand.
Dr. W. Mark Ralls
Senior Minister mralls@centenary-ws.org
The window shows John Wesley – the founder of Methodism – preaching. Yet, he is not displayed in a pulpit. He is on the outside steps projecting the Word of God beyond the sanctuary walls. He is addressing people in the street all dressed in the custom of the day but obviously from very different stations in life. One person exists at a fine carriage with a gleaming walking stick in hand. He is obviously quite well-to-do. Another of more modest dress peers around a stone pillar. To me, this figure not only represents the merchant class but those on the fringes of faith; those persons who long to know more about Jesus Christ but are still sorting out what it means to follow Him. Finally, there is a young lad. His clothes are ragged and torn. He is someone who may not have felt comfortable inside the grand cathedral but, as he listens to Wesley, his face glows and his eyes widen. He obviously feels included in some new world of grace that no cathedral can contain. And then there is Mr. Wesley. Bright-eyed. Chin high. Right hand raised. What is he saying? What is the text, the theme of his sermon that day? I wish I knew. I like to imagine he is sharing with them his summation of faithful discipleship; the pithy, poignant quote that has come to be known as John Wesley’s Rule:
Do all the good you can … in all the ways you can …
in all the places you can…
for all the people you can …
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as long as you ever can.
The past few months, I have been praying through these great words. I’ve pondered, “What do they mean for all of us here today … not only for the ‘people called Methodists’ but more specifically for the people of Centenary?” Some of our church leaders have joined me in discernment. We have shared much thought, much conversation, much prayer. I have come to believe that God addresses these words to us. I propose that they comprise our mission statement: “All … [that is] good … in all … ways, in all … places, … for … all people, … and for … all time.” Let us receive these words as we might a benediction at the close of worship. It is a prayer that sends us forth into God’s world.
All that is good Often religion is defined solely in negative terms. Restrictions. Boundary lines. Thou shalt nots…. We need limits surely but this is only one side of the coin. We also need possibilities. horizons and a few commandments that begin “Thou shalt.” The Christian faith is not just about carving what’s bad out of our lives. It is also about releasing the good. I think that’s what John Wesley had in mind. “Do all the good you can,” he preached to the early Methodists. Our lives are like containers. The more we fill our lives with good thoughts, good deeds, good relationships, the less room there is for anything else that is less than good. The people of Centenary are called to release goodness in ourselves, in each other and into God’s world.
In all ways I once heard that Eskimo’s have fifty-two words for snow. There is a word for dry, powdery snow and another for wet, slushie snow. There is a word for snow that falls in large flakes and another for small. There is a word for snow that looks like it’s falling upwards (I used to live in Rochester I’ve seen that snow!) and another for snow in the summer time (thankfully, I didn’t experience that). One of my favorite snow words is chachat. This is the “swirling snow that drives you nuts.” You get the idea. Snow is such a big part of Eskimo life that a single word won’t do. The people of Centenary are called to release the good in so many ways that perhaps we should expand our vocabulary. There is the goodness of teaching a child or mentoring a youth. There is also the goodness of learning from one another in a Covenant-Discipling or Centenary Academy. There is the goodness of participating in the Mustard Seed Initiative and the goodness of participating in Roots Revival or Rejoice! – our two newest experiences in worship. My prayer is that such good will become for us as pervasive as snow is for an Eskimo.
In all places Another well-known saying from John Wesley is this: “The world is my parish.” I think that was his way of insisting that goodness – once it is released – cannot be contained within the walls of the church. It goes into all the world following the secure threads of grace into our schools and places of work, into our homes and the homes of our neighbors in need. I envision that we will focus the next several years responding to one great need in our county – childhood hunger. One in three children of Forsyth are poor. And as I learned from friends at Brunson Elementary, more children each year come to school hungry and have little on weekends than I ever imagined. Let’s join the forces for good of Loaves and Fishes, the Holmes Food Garden, White Gifts, and included new initiatives such as the One Week to Combat Hunger and the Mustard Seed Initiative to change the equation of hunger in Forsyth County.
To all people I still recall my first experience with the remarkable mission of our youth known as “Love Thy Neighbor.” Persons who may not eat regularly were fed. Persons who may feel forgotten were cherished. Persons who may feel excluded were welcomed with Christian hospitality. I believe that their ministry is a model for all of us. Let us become a community of intentional hospitality called to share the goodness of God with all people.
For all time The kind of goodness John Wesley spoke of is found in the Old Testament word, hesed. Hesed refers to a combination of love and kindness that is carried out over a long period of time. It is love as a way of life. It is kindness as an extraordinary commitment. I believe Centenary is called to persevere in goodness just as Wesley’s rule has been carried down to us well over two hundred years after he delivered those open-air sermons so beautifully depicted in the window. Join me sometime when you are in the sanctuary. Walk by this beautiful window. Linger there and consider what Mr. Wesley would have us do. To me the answer is clear. We are to do good, in all ways, in all places and to all people.
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Tastings
for Faith & Fellowship
Through Centenary Windows is proud to bring to you the incredible recipes from the United Methodist Women Cookbook: Be Present at Our Table. We feature a recipe for each edition as we share not only faith, but our love of good food and the fellowship it brings around our table. Be sure to visit Glad Tidings Books and Gifts on the Centenary campus to get your copy of the cookbook.
ues g n i r e M eaven” tefn t o h g m r o o r F “Kisses TS
INGREDIEN
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INSTRUCTIO
ent paper ith parc hm ium speed, w t e e sh g on med a bakin 375*. Line l, with electric mixer nd salt. Beat on high ld to n e v o t a a w Prehe medium bo Add cream of tartar e. Add vanilla and fo t In . e d si a t ee . tim y and se d baking sh h s until froth r, 1 tablespoon at a e re it a h p w re g p g e a to g wit on beat f. Beat in su heaping teaspoons for 6 hours. Sprinkle if st l ti n u d by spee ies in c hips. Drop leave cook in c hocolate n. Turn oven off, and e Place in ov ields 30 cookies. Y s. il re a nonp
COOKING
Beth Townsend, a faithful and loving member of our UMW, is known for her compassionate heart, kind words and amazing culinary skills. Along with her career as a counselor, wife and mother she always makes time to help others through missions and the discipleship of her Circle #13. We are grateful for the many ways Beth serves God through the ministries at Centenary. Beth has offered many recipes for the cookbook so it was hard to decided which one would we could highlight. Her favorite is Forgotten Meringues or as her grandmother calls them “Kisses from Heaven.” Yet, don’t stop with just this recipe of Beth’s! All of her dishes will make any table a delight.
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Missions
mariaking@centenary-ws.org 336-397-1355
RELIEF
Disaster Relief
Early morning, few are awake to enjoy coffee and the silence of God’s presence as we gather again for another day.
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Missions Paul Brigg’s talks about how crown molding had consumed his dreams during the night while others are still asleep trying to rest their muscles for another day. Our hurricane relief team started their trip after worship on Sunday, October 14 when we loaded up the tool trailer and bus with many tools and hearts ready to serve the people affected by Hurricane Irene. Phil Kinken led the saints from Centenary and a few friends from Ardmore UMC to Pamlico County to find what was left remaining that could be salvaged from the storm. We traveled many miles to find a wonderful host, Bruce, who made us feel needed at the disaster relief center. Mt. Zion Original Freewill Baptist Church was our home for the week. Bruce and his crew at our multi-denominational relief center in Bayboro, NC, were exceptional in their organization and hospitality. They converted the daycare center into a wonderful kitchen and living room, with many bunk beds in the former classrooms. The shower trailer was a welcome sight after each crew returned from the workday. Bruce, the director of our week, provided a well-organized
countywide effort through the UMC and other large denominations in the area. Since Hurricane Irene, teams from 43 states plus Canada have arrived at Mt. Zion to help with the effort. All of our workdays were planned efficiently by our host in order for work to be done by each group. In our eight-day trip we split up into two teams and repaired four houses that needed large and small projects completed in order for the families to return back into their homes. We faced a lot of demolition of rotted doors, windows, floors, and cabinets before we could embrace installations. Soon, after much labor, we began to install windows, door and cabinets in the places where we removed water damage while painting exteriors and interiors of another home. Thursday brought us to a doublewide trailer to remove rotten floors and begin to replace them with hope of a new beginning for Jeff and Kelly who visited us each day with much gratitude. During the week we had much inspiration, laughter and sore muscles as we invited new people into our hearts.
Our host congregation at Mt. Zion invited us to their Bible study where we learned about their interpretation of the Bible along with a dialogue of the similarities and differences in our denominations. What makes a domestic trip so special is the promise of new beginnings right here in our own state. We see how UMCOR stays along side families that had been forgotten or turned away by other organizations. With a domestic trip we don’t have to worry about language or custom barriers. Yet, we do walk carefully, and respect the loss of homes and hope, as we begin to transform wood and paint into a place of new beginnings. No matter who you are or what excuses you have that prevent you from leaving Winston-Salem, I hope you might consider looking at the announcement of our next mission trip here in the U.S. or abroad with new eyes to see how God can reveal a fulfilling journey for you.For more information about our next trip please contact Rev. Maria King (397-1355)/ mariaking@centenry-ws.org.
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Feature
A Story of...
Holding Sweet
Feelings, Longings & Loneliness
Communion By Barbara Byrd and Bill Gramley
The title of Martha Brown’s 2012 book, Holding Sweet Communion, comes from the opening words of several letters that Aaron DeArmond wrote to his wife, Nancy Jane, during the Civil War in the early 1860s. That phrase captures this 34-year-old soldier’s tender affection for her. But we wouldn’t have those words or the longer story itself if Martha had not chanced upon the letters inside some magazines from her deceased aunt’s property. Martha wasn’t sure what to do with the letters (just a handful of them in all) until she and her husband, Rod, decided to travel to the battlefields where Aaron and his regiment from Mecklenburg County in North Carolina had fought or camped. While on those sites she began to envision the relationship Aaron and Nancy Jane had. She then created in a very realistic manner the feelings each had and the conditions they had to work through. Nancy Jane comes alive as we see her with her two young children trying to run the farm, get help where she can and feed the family. And then we watch the birth of their next child, Mattie, in 1863, who, it turns out, is Martha’s great grandmother!
Martha Brown
This story truly conveys the feelings, longings and loneliness each had. We sense the conditions of the time, the shortages of food and clothing, Aaron’s ongoing request for shoes and socks, the absence of men to farm and manage the land and the rising strength of the womenfolk. Beneath it all we come to appreciate the faith they had and the support the Sardis Church and community gave to one another. Martha has used her imagination and writing skills to create vivid scenes, to put us especially inside the mind of Nancy Jane, and to express the underlying hope that this couple and many others had for a time of peace. Surely this story from years ago is relevant to our war-torn world of the twenty-first century. Spending time with Martha as she shared the development of her newly completed novel was as fascinating as reading it. The book cover title is a bit mystifying but soon is beautifully revealed for the reader. Martha vividly shares authentic situations through the exchanged letters in Civil War times. In her own life, Martha is reminded of seasonal happenings and family situations similar to those experienced by Nancy Jane and Aaron. Perhaps memories of her readers may also be awakened. The role of the church, a strong faith and an on-going spiritual journey showed continuing strengths of Nancy Jane. These strengths are also obvious in Martha’s own life through her accomplished talent of poetry, prose and informational writing. We give thanks for her sharing this talent with us.
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Add this book to your own library, as a gift and on your list of “to read.” Copies of this fine personal story may be purchased at Glad Tidings Books and Gifts.
tlewallen@centenary-ws.org 336-397-1352
John Wesley Society
A luncheon is being planned for Sunday, February 26, 2013 at 12:30 pm, just after the 11:00 am worship service for all Centenary’s John Wesley Society members. Please mark this date on your calendar if you are a member or are planning to become a member. A special guest speaker will address the membership. The John Wesley Society is the vehicle through which members can support Centenary United Methodist Church through their planned/legacy giving (estate bequests, insurance policies, outright gifts, and beneficiary designations and more). Planned gifts allow the church to grow the Centenary Fund which assists yearly with the annual budget and allows for long term capital improvements and maintenance to our facilities. Planned gifts were the major source of funding for the improvements we are enjoying in our newly renovated auditorium and sanctuary. Many congregation members have included Centenary in their estate plans but we may not be aware of your plans. Membership in the John Wesley Society is simple. Just let us know that the church has been included in your estate plans. Please contact us right away so we may include you in our annual luncheon plans on February 26th. Contact Thad Lewallen, Director of Stewardship and Development (397-1352)/tlewallen@centenary-ws.org.
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cford@centenary-ws.org 336-397-1353
Senior Adult Ministry
QUIET With Quiet Determination
R. Craig Ford
Jon Burkhart, one of our fine members who is a resident of Arbor Acres, had a career in radio and television broadcasting. He serves Centenary as one of the volunteers assisting with the sound system for the services. Jon was standing behind the microphone, adjusting the volume for the upcoming service, when I asked him to speak in the microphone so I could hear his voice. Without hesitation, he softly and eloquently quoted the words from Edna St. Vincent Millay: “My candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night; But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends-It gives a glorious light!” Jon exemplifies and portrays what I am writing about today; “with quiet and persistent determination,” he volunteers his talent to make a difference. January brings a new year, the fourteenth year of this century. A question we should all consider is how each of us, with quiet, persistent determination, can make a difference in
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the world of which we are a part these few years. I offer three different concerns for consideration. First, in the sermon I gave back on June 24, I mentioned that one of the greatest missions of the church today should be the returning veteran. On November12, the day that I am writing this article, we held our annual Veteran’s Breakfast. It is an honor to recognize those veterans who have given so much in times of our nation’s need. Today, many of our returning veterans have suffered from being deployed one or multiple times in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their families have experienced the strain of a father or a mother being away from home for a year or more. Of course, the greatest stress is from the battlefield where, at any moment, one’s life could end or be permanently injured. We all can, with quiet and persistent determination, make a difference in a veteran’s life. A second concern that I lift up is the environment. I am not a scientist. However, the more that I read, the more I am convinced that global warming is a serious problem. If, in fact, global warming has contributed to many of our violent storms and tornadoes, then the recent storm, Sandy, which has done over fifty billion dollars damage in the Northeast, is a case in point. With quiet and persistent determination, every person can make a difference. God gave us the planet for sustenance and for us to have dominion over it. If it is to continue to serve us, we must take care of it. A third concern, that I would encourage each to reflect upon, is the fact that our nation has undergone an enormous amount of stress and strain through the year of 2012. It is time for healing.
Hopefully, prayerful healing can be realized. In the closing verse of 1 Corinthians 12 are these words: “And still I show you a more excellent way.” Then, 1 Corinthians 13, the famous love chapter, closed with the famous and familiar words, “And now abideth faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love.” With quiet, persistent determination, let us build a nation of hope and love as we seek to fulfill the high calling of God. Abraham Lincoln, in a time of great division in our nation’s history, closed his inaugural address with these eloquent words: “You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to ‘preserve, protect and defend’ it. “I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passions may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection... “The mystic cord of memory, stretching from every battle-field and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.” . May God be Close to you, Craig Ford
Dr. Frank Rayburn Jerry & Nancy Warren
Dr. George Robinson with Reverend Craig Ford
Contact Information: Wilma Rush, Terry and Evelyn Johnson
Craig Ford: 397-1353 / cford@centenary-ws.org Handy Helpers: John Anthony • 765-3804 Reservations: Karen Rogers • 397-1343 Senior Adult Chair: Charles Monroe • 773-0446 Programming: Jean Burroughs • 759-2387 Church: 724-6311
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Faith in Films Each Sunday in February • Memorial Auditorium • 2:00 pm
FUN WHILE IT LASTED A presentation of four films by Gary Hawkins 16
The four films in this series explore the relationship of cinema to religion as co-belief systems. These films are all nonfiction, fundamentally religious in their approach to life out of balance, and to the consolations they offer. This is achieved, I believe, despite the religious orientation of their authors which tends toward the secular and the skeptical. Each film lays bare the overlapping emotional states that tend to accompany the disturbance of one’s equilibrium -- loneliness, obsession, loss, a false sense of belonging (to both a society and to a family), the capriciousness of life itself and the specter of death with little promise of an afterlife. When Ross McElwee, who has postponed marriage and fatherhood for forty years, finds himself a part of the ages-old cycle of birth and death. He seeks to preserve (with his motion picture camera) his loved ones in the eternal present. Timothy Treadwell, surely one of the most narcissistic human beings who has ever lived, creates meaning in his short life and certain death by taking it upon himself to “protect the bears” -- only the bears don’t need protecting. The result is a form of fundamentalist paganism that puzzles, and sometimes stuns, his more levelheaded friends and supporters. Likewise, the grief stricken pet owners in the Morris documentary cling to their pets so obsessively that an alternative set of religious beliefs becomes necessary to console them. And the narrator in Sans Soleil finds himself navigating day to day life in a culture so foreign to him that he refers to the inhabitants as Martians. Gary Hawkins is the screenwriter on Joe, a motion picture produced in the Fall of 2012, directed by David Gordon Green and starring Nicholas Cage. Mr. Hawkins is a Sundance Fellow, a contributor to the Oxford American and Paris Review magazines, and a winner of the Emmy Award for his edgy biography, The Rough South Of Harry Crews. He teaches fiction and nonfiction film making at Duke University.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
TIME INDEFINITE
1993, directed by Ross McElwee, 114 min., with Ross McElwee and Marilyn Levine, rated NR. Following the announcement of filmmaker, Ross McElwee’s, impending marriage -- something that he and his family never thought would happen -- McElwee records this new phase of his life in both in real and in philosophical terms. Sunday, February 10, 2013
GRIZZLY MAN
2005, directed by Werner Herzog, 103 min., with Timothy Treadwell, rated R for language. Herzog’s philosophical take on grizzly bear activist, Timothy Treadwell, who was killed and eaten in October of 2003 while living among grizzlies in Alaska. Sunday, February 17, 2013
GATES OF HEAVEN
1978, directed by Errol Morris, 85 min., with Lucille Billingsley, Zella Graham and Cal Harberts, rated NR. Morris presents us with a thriving pet cemetery, run by a father and his two sons. One is a frustrated musician and the other has just rejoined the family business after selling insurance in Salt Lake City. Sunday, February 24, 2013
SANS SOLEIL
1983, directed by Chris Marker, 100 min., with Florence Delay, Arielle Dombasle and Riyoko Ikeda, rated NR. With narration and imagery provided by the collected diary entries and motion picture archives of a world traveler visiting 80s Japan, Marker delves into the nature of time and memory.
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Memorials We remember our loved ones who have gone before us.
Centenary Fund In memory of Theodore Randall Keith by Mr. and Mrs. Norton Willis, William and Mary Dean and Dr. and Mrs. Robert J. Cowan. In memory of Kay Elizabeth Winslow Booze by Donald and Dina Hurdle, Dewey and Betty Ann Chapple, and Wilba P. Brady. In memory of Emmett H. Lacy, Jr. by Hayden and Mary Kepley, Gary and Claudia Fleming, Tim and Beverly Isle, Mr. and Mrs. James H. Kelly, Jr., and Albert Ray Newsome. In memory of James H. Fyock by Michael and Linda O’Dunne. In memory of Mrs. Hugh Beam by Mrs. Gordon Burgess. In memory of Wilbur Rawles Cross by Tom and Marilyn Nicholson. In memory of Fred Pfohl Nading, Jr. by Janie Jenkins. In memory of Jean Kathryn Wren Higgins by Mr. and Mrs Robert H. Woodall, Calvin and Barbara Wells, Sara Spencer, Bob and Lynda James, Circle #8, Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge and Rice, LLP, Karen Branan, Scott and Katherine Sutherland, James and Ann Prock, Jane McNair, Helen Foushee, John and Jan Montueri, Sally McLeod, Mr. and Mrs. Sam C. Ogburn, Sr., Mrs. Wilbur R. Cross, Silas Ridge Homeowners Association and David and Mary Tait. In memory of Warren Harding Kennedy by Dr. and Mrs. Michael Lawless and Harry and Nancy Underwood. In memory of John A. Spencer by Horace and Ruth Deudney and Harry and Nancy Underwood. In memory of Norman Swanson by Horace and Ruth Deudney. In memory of Thurman Barron by Margot Wharton. In memory of David Lambert, Jr. by Howard and Barbara Smith.
Sacred Music Fund In memory of Warren Harding Kennedy by the Forest Garden Club and Betty McCall Smith. In memory of Dr. David Kirby by Jeffrey Swaim.
Epermanis Memorial Scholarship Fund
We extend sympathy to...
In memory of Betty Epermanis by Elizabeth Bealle, Harry and Nancy Underwood and Paul and Ethel Jones.
...Stuart Miller and his family in the death of his daughter, Lucy Carr.
Missionary Friendship Fund In memory of Emmett H. Lacy, Jr. by Mr. and Mrs. William Scurry. In memory of Bobby Newton by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Chatham. In memory of Betty Hennessee by Horace and Ruth Deudney. In memory of Fred Pfohl Nading, Sr. by Betsy Nading.
...Dana Hite and her family in the death of her mother. ...John Kelley and his family in the death of his grandmother.
Archives Fund
...Glenn Griffiths and his family in the death of his mother.
In memory of Kay Elizabeth Winslow Booze by Minnie Louise Smith.
...Pink Willis and her family in the death of her mother, Ann Bennett Willis.
Radio Ministry
...Chris F. Myers and her family in the death of her mother, Virgie Foster.
In memory of Jean Kathryn Wren Higgins by The Chandler Class.
...Dick Barron and his family in the death of his brother, Thurmond Barron.
Stephen Ministry
...Mrs. Margaret Pittard and her family in the death of her sister, Ruth Smith Abell.
In memory of Warren Harding Kennedy by Wilba P. Brady. In memory of Susan Wells Cox by Ms. Selwyn Matthews.
...Jane Edmonds Thompson, in the death of her mother, Virginia T. Edmonds. ...Helen Hairston and her family in the death of her husband, Marshall Hairston.
In Memoriam Wilbur Rawles Cross September 20, 2012 Frederick Pfohl Nading, Sr. October 15, 2012 Kathryn Wren Higgins October 21, 2012 Jean Lucy Carr October 25, 2012 James Stephens Carpenter October 27, 2012 Eric Herbert Bjork October 27, 2012
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...to Christina Skeeters and her family in the death of her mother, Antoinette Mullinax Skeeters.
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.
...Priscilla Robinette and her family in the death of her mother, Ruth L. Swaim. ...Danny Newcomb and his family in the death of his father.
Honoraria ...Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.... We honor our cherished loved ones and friends.
Sanctuary Equipment In honor of Minnie Louise Smith by Wayne and Ann Yelverton.
Sanctuary Renovations In honor of Ray Ebert by Joellen S. Parks.
Elizabeth Holmes UMW Fund In honor of Lisa Norman by Laura K. Bland, Margaret Wilson, Carlin Hollar, Ashley Griggs, Emily Bing, Katherine Jernigan, Dori Jones, Edie Wachtel, Tracey Ledgerwood and Colleen Friedman.
Children’s Ministry In honor of Amory, Lila, Eve, Bo and Whitt Keely by Tom and Nancy Cannon.
Respite Care In honor of Jan Sawyer by Nell Cavenaugh.
Centenary Fund In honor of Betty Orr by Carolyn Warlick. In honor of Judy Jones and the Glad Tidings Volunteers by Joellen Parks.
Extra Gift In honor of Dr. Bob Nations by Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Carver Rudolph, Jr.
We celebrate the wedding of... ...Ronald Alvin Joyce and Elena Kharkova Korol on November 25, 2012.
Lux “Lux” is composed of three of the new light fixtures in the Centenary Sanctuary. As the Sanctuary renovation was nearing completion, the staff was allowed to come in and take a look at all of the changes. Being my normal self, I went into all of the galleries as well as the nave. As I came down the east gallery, there it was. I could almost reach out and touch the light as I approached. I hope you will enjoy this interpretation light as we worship in this Holy Sanctuary.
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Adult Education
jbrake@centenary-ws.org 336-397-1334
Have Life...Live Life 2013 Lenten Study
I came so that they could have life — indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest. – Jesus (John 10:10b Common English Bible)
Lent … For some of us
this is a season with great memories and traditions drawing us into deep introspection. For others it is a time of “giving something up” not unlike a New Year’s Resolution—but for a shorter period of time. For still others, Lent is something that Catholics and other traditionalist churches observe. Yet, this 40-day season (plus Sundays) leading up to Easter has roots back to the early church; a period of time that has included preparation for baptism, repentance, reconciliation, personal and community spiritual growth. 20
Now, for the third year, we at Centenary will observe this season by tying together Sunday morning sermons, home-based small groups and a Holy Week special activity. In addition, we will welcome as guest preacher and presenter, Dr. Matthew Sleeth, author of this year’s study material, 24/6: A Prescription for a Healthier, Happier Life.
Dr. Matthew Sleeth
Our 2013 Lenten Season theme is called “Have Life … Live Life.” Dr. Sleeth will show us why God created Rest on the seventh day. And why Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27 NLT). When we skip the God-given day of rest, we pay a heavy price physically, spiritually, emotionally, relationally and even culturally. Eugene Peterson proclaims in the Forward to 24/6: “Under Dr. Sleeth’s pen, Sabbath, a dead word for so many, undergoes a resurrection, comes alive—not as a bare commandment, the fourth in the sequence of ten, but as a vigorous way to live in the present.
About Dr. Matthew Sleeth A former emergency room physician, Dr. Matthew Sleeth resigned from his position as chief of the medical staff and director of the ER to teach, preach, and write about faith and the environment. Since founding Blessed Earth, he has spoken at churches and schools throughout the country. Dr. Sleeth is a graduate of George Washington University School of Medicine and has two postdoctoral fellowships. He is the author of Serve God and Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action (Zondervan, April 2007), the introduction to the Green Bible (HarperOne, 2008), and 24/6: A Prescription for a Healthier, Happier Life.
Lent 2013: Schedule of Events Ash Wednesday Service | 7:00pm in the Sanctuary Sermons focused on the theme | Sundays February 17, 24, March 3, 10 Lenten Small Groups meet weekly | Registration now open Dr. Matthew Sleeth, guest preacher | Worship on March 17 Evening Presentation on “Sabbath” by Dr. Sleeth | 5:00pm in the Auditorium Holy Week Meditation Stations | March 25-29
You can find more information at www. centenaryonline.com/sf. Register online, call 397-1343, or just fill out a Lenten Group Registration card from an information center and turn it in at Glad Tidings Books & Gifts. The book, 24/6, is now available in Glad Tidings.
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Children’s Ministry
kmay@centenary-ws.org 336-397-1331
Put On Your Happy Shoes “Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away…” Deuteronomy 6: 6-7
God commands us
to share our faith with our children. But how do you do that? You may have a family devotion time each day, maybe you take turns saying the blessing before you eat, you may chat about what happened at church when you are on your way to lunch on Sunday, but is any of that enough?
The Children’s Ministry at Centenary works to do everything we can to be a resource to families who have been given the awesome task of teaching our children about God. We do this in many ways that you would expect, such as providing Sunday School classes, Vacation Bible School and Children’s Worship. Sometimes Christian Education happens most effectively when parents and kids
have an opportunity to just spend time having fun together! To that end, we wanted to share with you a little bit about two of our fun events that are coming up and give parents a great opportunity to spend quality time loving on, and having fun with, their kids.
The Father/Daughter dance is scheduled this year for Friday, January 11. Dads and daughters share this time to get dressed up and go on a date together. It is a special time that gives them the opportunity to have a unique experience that they talk about all year. One parent shared, “My daughter looks at the picture on our refrigerator from the Father/ Daughter Dance last year and still talks about all the fun she had!” There is also always talk about the great DJ who makes the night so much fun for everyone no matter how young or old. Then, of course, there is Mother/
Son Bowling that will occur on Sunday, March 3 this year. This is a super fun event and helps moms to connect with their sons in an athletic way that speaks to the unique mother/son relationship. One mom shared: “Often, we don’t get to share in the fun with our sport-oriented boys, but this is a perfect opportunity to enjoy each other’s company.” While another commented on the huge amount of fun that is had at such a low-key event. So, will these events change the course of your children’s lives? Probably not, but will they give you new opportunities to be in
relationship with your kids in totally unique ways? Absolutely! You’ll definitely want to join this mom who told me, “Designated time with a child is critical, yet often innocently falls to the bottom of the family list. I look forward to putting these events in ink on my calendar. They are as important as birthdays and holidays.” So make plans now to participate in one or both of these fun get-togethers and watch for more details coming your way soon!
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Calendar
Events & Announcements
Items listed below are in addition to those advertised in this issue. For up-to-date events and announcements, please refer to the weekly bulletin or log on to the Centenary website for What’s Happening. To register for an event, unless otherwise noted, please contact Karen Rogers (397-1343) or krogers@centenary-ws.org.
CONGREGATIONAL care
“Christ Caring for People through People”
That’s the motto of Stephen Ministry. The Stephen Minister’s role is to bring God’s love into the lives of people who are going through a difficult time or experiencing a crisis. What do Stephen ministers do? They listen to you, care for you, support and encourage you, and pray with and for you. In the midst of this confidential, one-toone, caring relationship, God’s healing love comes pouring through. If you or someone you know is facing a crisis (large or small) and could benefit from the caring presence of a Stephen Minister, contact Dr. Bob Nations (397-1357)/ bnations@centenary-ws.org. Divorce Care Support Group Divorce Care is a special weekly seminar and support group for people who are separated or divorced. This 12 week group begins Wednesday, October 10 and continues weekly from 6:30-8:00 PM. Each session will be held in Room 116. You are welcome to attend the Divorce Care group on any week. Each session begins with a video on a specific topic followed by discussion. Pink Willis will facilitate our group. Contact Bob Nations at 397-1354 or Pink Willis at 306-4236 if you would like to learn more about Divorce Care. Child care is available if requested a week in advance.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY Children’s Worship and Nursery Care Each Sunday during the 11 am worship service, kindergarteners through third graders are invited to join Children’s Worship with Rev. Kate May in the Dining Room. Kids will be invited to leave for Children’s Worship after beginning as a part of the larger worship service with their families. Children will return to the sanctuary after the sermon, and parents are asked to pick up their children from their reserved pews once worship concludes.
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Nursery care for infants through four year olds is offered during every Sunday morning worship service. Nursery classrooms, staffed by professional childcare workers, are located on the second floor of the children’s building. Front Porch Day of Mission January 13 • 2:00 pm
YOUTH MINISTRY Sunday Events
8:45, 9:00, 9:45, 11:00 am Worship 9:45 am Sunday school 3:00 pm God and Church – Boy Scout Troop 920 3:00-4:00pm CANTUS youth choir & drum circle 4:00-5:00 pm West End Ringers youth bells January 2: Confirmation Orientation January 3: Shepherd Orientation January 5: Hoops 4 Him Boys & Girls Teams January 7: Hoops 4 Him Boys January 8: LTN Leadership Meeting January 9: Confirmation - Shepherd Night January 12: Hoops 4 Him Boys & Girls Teams January 14: Hoops 4 Him Girls Team January 16: Confirmation: God & Jesus January 18 & 19: Confirmation Retreat January 23: Confirmation: Holy Spirit January 26: Hoops 4 Him Boys & Girls Teams January 30: Confirmation: The Story
February 2: Hoops 4 Him Boys & Girls Teams February 9: Hoops 4 Him Boys & Girls Teams February 6: Confirmation: The Church & John Wesley February 10: Boy Scout Sunday February 13: Confirmation: Ash Wednesday February 15-16: Middle School Ski Trip February 20: Confirmation: Shepherd Night at the Jewish Temple February 22: Fashion Show set up February 23: LTN Fashion Show February 27: Confirmation: Food & Stuff
20s-30s MINISTRY
What do singles, newlyweds, parents of toddlers and recent college graduates have in common? A place a Centenary! Get to know other 20s-30s Christians in our community. Join us for our Sunday Morning Gathering at 10:00 am in Room 403. Every 1st Sunday of the month we have lunch. Locations are emailed the week before. Join our email list! CentenaryYAM@ gmail.com or Facebook: Centenary UMC YAM
ADULT EDUCATION
Interfaith Appreciation Series February 5, 12, 19
Centenary hosts Interfaith Winston-Salem for three Tuesday nights. Our speaker will be Dr. Michelle Voss Roberts, Assistant Professor of Theology and Culture in the Divinity School at Wake Forest University. Dr. Voss Roberts will speak about Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism, helping us to understand Christian faith more deeply from the perspective of comparative theology. This series runs nightly from 7:00-8:30pm, is free and open to the public, but we do ask that you call the church to register.
Centenary @ Prayer Wednesdays • 1:00 pm • Chapel Prayer is a vital part of the Christian life and practicing prayer is like exercise for the soul. You are invited by Rev. Jonathan Brake, Minister of Adult Spiritual Formation & Education as he leads us to experience a variety of ways to pray, all the while strengthening your own faith and our church. Centenary @ Prayer happens every Wednesday 1:00-1:45pm in the Chapel, following The Centenary Table. No registration necessary.
of Event s
Events & Announcements
SENIOR ADULTS
Senior Adult Meeting at St. Paul’s January 16 • 11:30 am
The first meeting of the Senior Adults for the year 2013 will be at St Paul’s Episcopal Church. This is a combined meeting with the Senior Adults of St Paul’s Episcopal Church. Senior Adult Meeting February 21 • 11:30 am
Annual Women’s Retreat
Saturday • March 2, 1013 • 9:30 am
Lifting Women’s Voices – Building a Temple in Your Heart and Soul” will be led by The Reverend Dr. Lauren Winner (Priest, author of Mudhouse Sabbath, Still, Girl Meets God etc., and professor at Duke Divinity School). Each Lenten season we gather together with St. Paul’s Episcopal Church for a day apart. If you would like to register or have any questions please contact Rev. Maria King (397-1355) /mariaking@centenary-ws.org.
The program for the Senior Adult Luncheon will be given by the Piedmont Opera.
Loaves and Fishes: Food of the Month January: shelf-stable milk February: macaroni & cheese (preferably complete kits, with no milk needed) Please bring your food donations to the Missions bins, located in the Reception Narthex at 4½ Street.
UNITED METHODIST WOMEN February 4• Auditorium • Noon Please come join us for our first UMW General Meeting in 2013. It will be held Monday, February 4 at noon in the auditorium. Our speaker is Dr. Jane Stephens of the Amani Children’s Foundation. Jane has been working in Kenya off and on for nearly 30 years and is currently the Chair of the English Department at High Point University. She and her husband are the founders of the Amani Children’s Foundation. Come join your friends for fun, fellowship and some surprise give-aways. To make your reservation contact Mary Ceile Ogburn (725-7573) by Thursday, January 31. Please note that the board meeting will be held at 10:30 am in room 115 prior to the luncheon. For any questions call Judy Smith (724-7232).
Are you a member of Centenary’s John Wesley Society? As you prayerfully consider your Stewardship commitment for 2013 please let us know if Centenary is part of your estate planning. If so, you are automatically a member of our John Wesley Society but you need to let us know. For more information, please contact Thad Lewallen, Director of Stewardship and Development (697-1352)/ tlewallen@centenary-ws.org.
Giving Kiosk
MUSIC AND THE ARTS
MISSIONS
John Wesley Society
Art Exhibit
January 10 - April 18 • 4½ Street Gallery Join Centenary members and other local artists as they present artful contemplations based upon the scriptural reference of Phillipians 4:8. “If there be praise, think on these things.”
The Giving Kiosk is located in the Reception Narthex at 4 ½ Street. There, you can contribute your tithe or other contributions, make reservations and update your records. You receive a receipt for your transactions. The kiosk accepts Visa and Mastercard. It does not dispense cash.
Writing Team GlAD tidings Things are getting back to normal in Glad Tidings after the dismantling of Christmas finery and our January Inventory reduction sale. There are some excellent buys available in Glad Tidings and in case you have forgotten, all proceeds over operating costs are donated back to Centenary for use in its ministries and missions. As Valentine’s Day approaches, come shop our beautiful inspirational sterling silver jewelry line. That special someone will treasure one of these pieces forever! We do have the delicious “Oh Sugar” chocolate chip cookies…YUM!
Do you have the knack for digging deep and getting the facts? Perhaps you enjoy creative writing experiences or developing a feature to share. If this describes you, then we need to talk. Currently, Through Centenary Windows is recruiting the 2013 team of writers. If you have an interest in being part of the team, please contact Doug Peninger, Director of Communications (397-1368)/dpeninger@ centenary-ws.org.
Shop Glad Tidings where gift giving is made easy!
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Stephen Ministry
bnations@centenary-ws.org 336-397-1357
A Personal Encounter with
Stephen Ministry By Deena Morgan
I was recently discussing the nature of Stephen Ministry with a group of people when a woman shared a “golden nugget” of a personal experience with me. As a Stephen Minister I could describe many details pertaining to this ministry but I could never do it the justice that her story does. She told me that her husband had received a terminal diagnosis and was having a hard time accepting his fate. He was placed in a care facility and received many visits from his family. Still angered (and most likely fearful) of his situation, he withdrew and was often “less than pleasant” to be around. Unbeknownst at that time to her, the husband began receiving the care of a Stephen Minister. At
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first, the visits may not have seemed productive as the dying gentleman was resistant to talk. Still the Stephen Minister must have sensed God’s urging him to patiently keep visiting with this man. After a few visits the care receiver finally began to talk about what was on his mind. Without doubt, it became a treasured relationship for them both. In fact, other than immediate family and the doctor, the Stephen Minister was the only other person this man would let into his inner circle of visitors. His wife found out about the relationship towards the very end of her husband’s life when due to some surrounding circumstances he decided to share the information with her. Upon the death of her husband a gift was made to the Stephen Ministry program in his memory. She recently found the Thank You note from the Stephen Minister for that gift and she shared it with me. The Stephen Minister wrote: “(Your husband) was generally quiet and had his salty side
but people getting to know him liked him. I knew from the first visit he could die anytime……….and yet, I shall long remember him.” This encounter beautifully sums up what Stephen Ministry REALLY IS. I am grateful for the story shared by this lady and for her permission to share it with you.
If you or someone you know is in need of confidential care and support, Stephen Ministry is available. If you are interested in becoming a part of our Stephen Ministry team here at Centenary please contact Dr. Bob Nations (397-1357).
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Lecture Series
The Eye of the Sparrow The Eye of God The Spiritual Vision of Emily Dickinson and Mary Oliver March Lecture Series with Dr. Tony Abbott March 5, 12, 19, and 26, 2013 April 2 – Bad Weather Date
Emily Dickinson may be the most cherished of all American poets; Mary Oliver may be the most cherished of our contemporary poets. Both of these remarkable poets spent their poetic
careers in a lover’s quarrel with God. Both were profoundly uncomfortable with the church as a formal institution, both found God present in nature, and both wrote poems encouraging readers to be deeply alive as spiritual creatures without necessarily accepting the tenets of orthodox faith. In these four lectures we will look at the lives of these two poets and examine poems with particularly spiritual subjects. Dr. Abbott will supply handouts for the program, one for each poet, and will read (or in some cases recite) poems before discussing them. No previous knowledge of their work is required.
Abbott’s first novel, Leaving Maggie Hope, was published in 2003 and received the Novello Literary Award and ForeWord Magazine’s Gold Award for literary fiction. Its sequel, The Three Great Secret Things, was published in 2007. He is the author of six books of poetry, including the Pulitzer Prize nominated The Girl in the Yellow Raincoat. His most recent book, If Words Could Save Us, was published in 2011 by Lorimer Press. In 2011 he edited the anthology What Writers Do, a collection of essays, short stories and poetry by distinguished alumni of the Lenoir-Rhyne University Visiting Writers Series. Tony is past President of the North Carolina Poetry Society and the North Carolina Writers Network, and a recipient of the Sam Ragan Award for his writing and service to the literary community of North Carolina. His latest book of poetry, If Words Could Save Us, won the Brockman-Campbell Award of the North Carolina Poetry Society for the best book of poems written by a North Carolinian in 2011.
A native of San Francisco, Anthony S. Abbott was educated at the Fay School in Southborough, Massachusetts and Kent School in Kent, Connecticut. He received his A.B. from Princeton University, and his A.M. and Ph.D from Harvard University. He is Professor Emeritus of English at Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, where he served as Department Chair from 1989 to 1996.
Tony Abbott
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Table Extravganza was a Spectacular Blessing by Janet Griffin
Dazzling, convivial, delicious, festive and not-to-be-missed are comments heard describing Centenary’s United Methodist Women second Table Extravaganza which was held on Saturday, October 27 from 9:30 am to noon. As UMW’s sole fundraiser for missions, this special morning included brunch and a silent auction of 130 items donated by UMW & church members and the community. Dressed in bright autumn attire, over 160 enthusiastic ladies mingled in Centenary’s transformed Auditorium among sixteen festive tables displaying such themes as twinkling Halloween, birthday surprises, Moravian traditions, glittering Christmas, Easter bunnies, cherished pottery & quilt heirlooms, Red/white/blue “Vote for Jesus” and sheer elegance, with 4 feet tall scarlet plumes. After admiring all the wondrous table decors, attendees sat either with their own circle sisters or with new friends and were treated to the scrumptious brunch. Chosen from Be Present at our Table Lord, our UMW cookbook, we were served three casseroles: Top of the Morning Breakfast, April’s Cheese Grits and Cranberry Apple, plus Pumpkin Bread and assorted desserts. Cookbooks could be purchased during the event and are still available at Centenary’s Glad Tidings.
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Alluring auction items encircled the room and there was ample time to browse and bid before and after brunch. What an array: framed art, golfing and mountain resort stays, necklaces, pickles, upcoming holiday crafts, elegant home accessories, plants and containers, crocheted treasures and gift certificates. Hallelujah!! When the final bell rang and the cashier team made the preliminary count of payments, we exceeded even last year’s amazing $11,000. All proceeds from this auction sale will benefit The Elizabeth Holmes UMC Fund which supports local mission opportunities that will empower women and children out of poverty. Following such a stellar beginning in autumn 2011, this annual tradition has been eagerly awaited and meticulously planned. The UMW is thankful and grateful to our enthusiastic president Jane Poe, Centenary’s Minister of Missions Maria King, event co-chairs Leigh Myers and Mary Dean & their committee leaders and volunteers, table decorators and sponsors, our church’s culinary staff, each donator of the lovely auction items…and especially to all the attendees, whose enjoyment and generosity assured the success of this wonderful event. This was an exhilarating fellowship blended with our depth of love, care and missionary spirit!
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Youth Ministry
tclark@centenary-ws.org 336-397-1337
Resident
in Youth Spiritual Formation and Education Hello everyone! My name is Tyler MacDonald and I am the new Youth Ministry Resident.
Tyler MacDonald
I was born and raised in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York and I moved down to North Carolina in the spring of this year. I received my undergraduate degree in Religion from Houghton College and in May I graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary with my Master of Divinity. I am a baseball fanatic and a huge Red Sox fan, so hopefully none of you support the Evil Empire (the Yankees). I am also a big music nerd and I collect vinyl records (you know, those things music use to come on). Youth ministry has been a huge part of my life and I would not be in ministry today if it were not for the impact of the loving adults in my church. That is why I am so committed to sharing my gifts with teenagers and their families. I am very passionate about youth ministry and I believe that youth have something powerful to offer to the church and to the world. It is my desire to help the youth cultivate their own gifts as they participate in ministry both in and outside the church. I am very excited to be here at Centenary United Methodist Church and I cannot wait to get to know the youth better. I also look forward to getting to know all of you and I ask that you keep me and the youth in your prayers as we seek to serve God together.
Thank You...
Tammy Clark with Katie Abel
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As we welcome our new Resident of Youth Spiritual Formation and Education, we say farewell to Katie Abel, our Youth Ministry Intern. Many of you know, we, here at Centenary and especially in our Youth Ministry, have had the most tremendous gift in our wonderful intern Katie Abel. Katie served us faithfully over the last three years. She came to us as our first full-time intern. She brought with her so many talents...her love for Jesus and teenagers, her fantastic way of communications, her incredible organizational skills, her tender heart, the way she reaches out to the marginalized and those less fortunate, her great smile and laugh… the list goes on and on. I know that all of us have had a clearer understanding of God’s love by knowing her. She has helped our Youth Ministry grow to be what it is and has been my “right-hand girl” for all her time here. Words cannot do justice to the thankfulness we have for Katie and for the time she has given us over the last three years. She is precious and such a gift to all of us. Katie is currently applying to Medical schools and hopes to begin school in the fall. Please keep her in your prayers as she begins this next big adventure in her life. Peace and Grace, Tammy Clark Director of Youth Spiritual Formation and Education
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(USPS 628-480) Published Monthly By: Centenary United Methodist Church PO Box 658 Winston-Salem, NC 27102-0658 Church Office: (336) 724-6311 Fax: (336) 723-5840 Website: www.centenaryonline.com 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
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