What's Happening This Week - January 21

Due to the predicted bad weather, Bill Sherman will be preaching next Sunday, January 30.

If you are unsure about whether church services will be held this Sunday, please check our webpage (centenarychurch.com) or our Facebook page.

In the event that the internet goes out during a service on Sunday mornings, we want you to know that the service is still being recorded and will be uploaded to our web page (centenarychurch.com) by Monday.

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Craven County’s incidence of COVID has continued to rise. While we understand that each of us will make a personal decision, we would ask all of us to consider wearing masks during worship, even vaccinated persons. This is an act of care for our neighbors. Below you will find a link to the statement from Bishop Ward encouraging all congregations in our conference to take this step. We continue to ask all people to support the decisions each of us makes.

https://nccumc.org/bishop/shepherding-your-congregations-faithfully-and-wisely/

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Covid-19 has changed work habits and life patterns for all of us, including your church staff. In March, 2020 we began working from home a large part of the time while making sure the office was open from 9 until 3 every day. We have found that we can be productive while working at home and still available to the congregation throughout the day. Going forward, the whole church staff will be available from 8:30 to 5:30 Monday through Friday. (There are a couple of exceptions to this rule: Tom’s day off is Thursday, Michael’s day off is Monday, and Paul’s day off is Friday.) We may not always be in the office. If you call the Church office, you will be automatically be transferred to our cell phones. Please know that we are working and you are not interrupting us. Answering your calls, even from our cell phones, is a pleasure for us. The church office will be open from 9 until 3 and you are welcome to come by anytime during those hours. In emergency, you are welcome to call the pastors after hours;
Pastor Tom-919-768-3170
Pastor Michael-252-339-5017
Pastor David-240-520-2669

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The plans are underway for the refurbishment of our sanctuary and updates to our kitchen. The playground has already been installed. We are sprucing things up in anticipation of the celebration next year. Two hundred and fifty years of a “people called Methodist,” as Mr. Wesley referred to us, here in New Bern. It is all so very exciting. I hope you have already heard all the plans and are praying how you might support the efforts.

Click here to view the Celebration brochure.

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250th Anniversary Status

By now, you are aware that the 250th Anniversary Refurbishment Campaign is in full swing. You might have some questions and this notice will hopefully answer some of them!

Where are We Going to Worship?

Happy New Year! Effective Sunday, January 2, 2022

·      8:30 service will continue as normal in the Chapel

·      9:30 Experience Service will meet in the Old Fellowship Hall—Use the Middle Street entrance, down the steps! Signage will mark the way! 

·      11:00 Service will meet in the Fellowship Hall! Use the New Street entrance and use the elevator OR go up the steps and then turn right and go down the steps! Or you can enter from the North side of the main parking lot and then down the stairs. Signage and directional arrows will be in place!

What is the status of the Capital Campaign?

Great news! We have on hand or pledged over three years $966,000! We have secured a construction loan, convertible after two years to a mortgage from First Citizens Bank here in New Bern! They have already guaranteed a 2.85% interest rate with no prepayment penalty.

If you haven’t made your pledge, pick up a card or go online and get your commitment on record! Remember, this is our time!

When does the refurbishment begin?

The company restoring and refinishing the pews will be on site January 4. They will remove the pew and take them to their site. That same week, a company will take the necessary precautions to protect and store properly the Church Organ. 

The following week, scaffoldings will be brought in and put in place and the work begins!

When will we be back in the Sanctuary?

 The optimists say by Easter. However, there’s thinking that we may be looking at June 2022.

Still have questions?

Contact Walt Crayton or Jeff Sawyer or any committee member— Mary Carpenter, Dana Crayton, Larry Gilliam, Randy Hunter, Bill McClay, Judy Morton, Si Seymour, Vanita Seymour, Janet Sutton, Britt Warren

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In the midst of all the special celebration for next year, please remember that we will be continuing the ordinary aspects of our ministry. You may remember the old “Dunkin’ Donuts” commercial “Gotta make the doughnuts.” It is a reminder of the ordinary but important elements of our life together. We are using that image to remind ourselves that ministry continues.

Click here to view the “Time to Make the Doughnuts” brochure.

Click here to donate.

We hope you are praying about how you might support the ordinary aspects of our life together as well. Thank you for all you do to support Centenary. Together we “Experience, Grow In, and Share Christ’s Love” here and around the world.

Pastor Tom

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Volunteers needed:  Centenary UMC is partnering with Habitat to build homes. Contact Joe Hudson (252-349-4640) to volunteer.

Due to various concerns, including Fellowship Hall usage, Wednesday night dinners will be suspended until Wednesday, March 2nd.

TIME TO PLAN FOR 2022 LENTEN BIBLE STUDY
Beginning on:  Monday, February 28th
“Entering the Passion of Jesus: A Beginner’s Guide to Holy Week” by Dr. A.J. Levine
Leader:  Reverend Susan Pate Greenwood
6 sessions:  2/28, 3/7, 3/14, 3/21, 3/28 & 4/11
Meeting at:  1:30pm - 3pm
Location:  Chadwick Classroom
Call the Church Office (637-4181) to indicate your interest and stop by the Office to get your study book.($10)  Bring a Bible and an inquiring mind: see you soon!   

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Personalized 2022 Contribution Envelopes are available for pick-up on the reception desk outside the church office.  If you do not find personalized envelopes for your family and wish to receive them, please contact Kathy Mitchell at the church office, 636-4181 or kathymitchell@centenarychurch.com.

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Sanctuary update:  Pews are out of the sanctuary and the scaffolding is up. We are ready for all the changes to begin!!

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The History Room is ready for you! For January, we have set up brief highlights of CUMC beginnings.  Come by to discover interesting pictures and fun new artifacts.   The Archives and History Committee will try to fill in the blanks and answer any questions you may have.  Our future history book will provide you with more interesting and detailed facts. Also, we are looking forward to our guest preacher this month.  Welcome, Bill Sherman!

Archives and History Committee

Mary Carpenter

Coleen Doucette

Brenda George

Martha Leoni

Rebecca Scott

Janet Sutton

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. It is also known as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery, a 150 –billion–-dollar criminal industry that denies freedom to 40.3 million people around the world. It includes the practices of forced labor, debt bondage, domestic servitude, forced marriage, sex trafficking and the recruitment and use of child soldiers, among others. To learn more about human trafficking, please visit Department of Homeland Security’s website ww.dhs.gov/blue-campaign. Please join Centenary’s United Methodist Women in raising awareness about this issue.

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Stephen Minister Training Class
A new Stephen Minister training class will begin in January. If you have considered becoming a Stephen Minister or want more information about the class, please contact Rev. David Brosnan, Jan Hood, Sherry Parker or Judy Tymes.

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Travel Opportunity to the Holy Land and Passion Play August 2022-Plans have been made to travel to Israel and see the Holy Land sights and continue to Oberammergau, Germany for the Passion Play August 11-24, 2022.  This trip was originally scheduled for August 2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic.  Educational Opportunities Tours company has resumed travel to the Holy Land with their schedule of tours since November.  Join tour host Bob Whitley along with travelers from the New Bern community on this exciting opportunity to visit historical biblical places like Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Jericho, and ride across the Sea of Galilee and take a dip in the Dead Sea.  The trip is an all-inclusive package with round-trip international airfare (Raleigh), first class hotels, ground transportation, tour guides, breakfast and dinner daily, plus a ticket to see the historic Passion Play in Oberammergau.  This is a life changing opportunity to deepen your faith – you will read the Bible in a different manner after having visited the sites where the biblical stories took place.   Please contact tour host, Bob Whitley, for more information and a brochure of the tour.  Deadline for registration is March 12, 2022.  Contact info:  252-617-2727 or email toothdoc@suddenlink.net

It's time to start making plans to participate one of Centenary’s Bible studies for the spring of 2022, Max Lucado Life Lessons from 1 Corinthians. This study covers 16 chapters of Corinthians in 12 study lessons. Mark your calendars for the spring startup coming in January. Please see below your options for participating in our spring 2022 study of 1 Corinthians. All study groups are currently co-ed. Feel free to contact the facilitator(s) of any group that interests you. Facilitators will have copies of the book at the introductory session, or you can order one directly.

Bible Sessions:

Sunday Evening Study Group at the Mangums’ / Sundays at 6pm, starting January 23rd. Contact the

Mangums at: vabmangum@juno.com

Thursday Evening Study Group at the Hunts / Thursday's at 7pm, starting January 27 th . Contact the Hunts at: jhunt515@yahoo.com or 336-543-7582

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New GriefShare Sessions-Mondays from 10:00-12:00 PM January 10 for 13 weeks in the Ed Guirkins Sunday School classroom.  GriefShare is a support group for people who have lost a loved one: spouse, family member, relative or friend. It is open not only to Centenary members, but our entire community as well .... ALL ARE WELCOME!!  You can join us at any time. If you know of someone who is hurting, please invite them. For more information, please contact Marty Dzioba at marthadzioba@yahoo.com or call 252-638-8769  Meetings may also be accessed through ZOOM on Monday evenings from 6:30 til 8:30 PM. Check with Marty.

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Harris Teeter Together in Education-You may contribute to Oaks Road Academy when you shop at Harris Teeter by linking your VIC card to Oaks Road Academy. Click here to link your card.

Centenary is a Stephen Ministry congregation.

That means that if you are dealing with a situation that

is difficult to handle alone; you may benefit from establishing

a one on one, totally confidential relationship, with a highly

trained and motivated Stephen Minister.

To explore how this caring ministry could help,

we invite you to contact;

Jan Hood, Sherry Parker, or Pastor David.

If you would like to have communion delivered to you at home by a Stephen Minister on first Sundays, please contact the church office at 637-4181.

If you are home and need a meal, the Caring Cooks have prepared meals in the freezer in our kitchen. You are welcome to come down and pick up what you need. If you need meals delivered, please contact Dawn Ferreira at 252-289-5630 or email her at

chefmomdawn@gmail.com

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