through centenary windows november/december
DESCRIPTION
Official magazine of Centenary United Methodist Church.TRANSCRIPT
November/December 2012
EDITOR
2
In Remembrance 3
Advent at Centenary 4
Sanctuary Re-opening 5
Reflections 6 Dr. W. Mark Ralls, Senior Minister
Tastings for Faith & Fellowship 8
Poinsettias for Advent 9
Gray Gottage 10
Haiti Mission Trip 11
White Gifts 12
Senior Adults Ministry 14
Lessons & Carols 16
Memorials & Honoraria 18
Adult Education 20 Children’s Ministry 22 Christmas Craft Night
Events & Announcements 24
Faces at CUMC 26
Eagle Scout Project 27
Glad Tidings 28
Handel’s Messiah 30
Congregational Care 31
Youth Ministry 32 Love Thy Neighbor
Daybreak/Respite Care 34
Angel Tree 35
DEPARTMENTS
From the Editor
Autumn and Advent...I welcome both with great joy. Each year, as the leaves begin to change color and the refreshing, crisp air arrives, my spirit is renewed. I enjoy the cooler weather and the shorter days. It causes me to stay inside my home more often and discover things forgotten and projects to consider. It also reminds me that the glorious season of Advent is quickly approaching. This magical time of year always makes my mind wonder back to the mystery of it all. O great mystery, come to us all and allow us to treasure the journey of Advent.
Doug Peninger
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We remember...RememberOn Sunday, November 4, All Saints Day, Centenary will remember the Saints who have gone before us. At the 11:00 am worship service, we will read their names and offer our prayers. Listed below are those we remember.*
*This list is as of October 7, 2012.
William Daniel ActonRuggles Lee Baker
Lyle J. “Pat” BenbowSamuel Lewis Booke, Jr.
Kay W. BoozeCharles Andrew Burkhart
David Allen Carmichael, Sr.Susan Wells Cox
Nancy Arnott CramerNancy Nading Deitrick
Elizabeth Ferebee EpermanisWilliam Thompson Fenimore
Edward Vernon Ferrell, Jr.Marjorie Husband Froeber
Irene Fowler GambillLogan Thomas Garrison
Margaret Alice WilliamsonLawrence Gilmore
Blanche Louise HanesMargaret Ormond Hardin
Kirk Walter HarrisBetty Spainhour Hennessee
Jane Smith HillFlorine Scott Hoy
Bernice JonesTheodore Randall “TR” Keith
Warren Harding KennedyDavid S. Kirby
William Donald Kirkpatrick
Emmett (Sonny) Howell Lacy, Jr.Jim LeCompte
Kathryn Somers “Kitty” MooreJuanita Bracey”Nita” MorrisLucy Fain “Sookie” PeeblesPauline “Pinky” Davis Perry
Lucille W. PerryPeggy Louise Clendenin Petree
Thomas Rutledge PostCharles Nicholas Remy
Ruth RiceBetsy Richardson RippleSarah Frances Simpson
Herbert Max SmithJohn Addison SpencerClara Hyatt Stanfield
John Thomas StanfieldNorman W. SwansonCora Morgan Vick
Roy Roscoe “Dallas” WalkerM. Albert Walker, IIIJean Walters Walker
Mary Lou Johnston WayneMildred Shouse West
ADVENT AT
December 9 White Gifts • 5 pm • Sanctuary Children’s Choirs and Seasonal Carols Gifts are collected at morning and afternoon worship.
December 16 Festival of Lessons & Carols • 5 pm • Sanctuary Chancel & Sanctuary Choirs, Cantus Choir, Handbells, Orchestra and Soloists Plan to arrive early as seats fill quickly. Prelude begins at 4:30 pm.
December 18 & 19 Handel’s Messiah • 7:30 pm • Sanctuary Presented by The Winston-Salem Symphony & Chorale Tickets available through the Symphony office.
December 24 Chapel Worship • 3 pm • Centenary Chapel Communion
Family Worship • 5 pm • Sanctuary Featuring the Children and Youth of Centenary
Evening Worship • 8 pm • Sanctuary Worship with music, communion and candlelight Candlelight Worship • 11 pm • Sanctuary Communion celebration with music and candlelight
It’s not a ship. It’s a boat.6
Reflections
It’s not a ship. It’s a boat.
This past July, three generations of my family shared a cruise to Alaska. It was great fun but as a life-long landlubber, I had trouble adapting to the appropriate seafaring lingo. I kept calling our cabin a room and inviting family members to meet me on the fourth floor rather than deck number four. When it came to more traditional nautical terms like starboard side or port side, I didn’t have a clue. I usually just pointed. Yet, by far my biggest indiscretion – and the one that drove family members crazy – was my tendency to mislabel the vessel itself. Every time I called it a boat my father would cringe and patiently remind me, it’s not a boat. It’s a ship.
Using the proper word matters. That’s true not only for sailors but followers of Christ as well. For instance, a favorite ancient symbol for the church is a boat. If you ever wondered why one of the stained glass windows of our beautiful chapel features a small wooden vessel with a sail, this is the reason. It is there to remind us of that ancient symbol for the church.
And, like all symbols, it is also there to spur our imaginations. We are meant to gaze upon that window and to ponder how a church is like a boat. As I pondered the window, the first thing I noticed was the small size of the vessel. This is definitely not a cruise ship. It’s just a boat. That distinction is important. After all, there is quite a difference between cruise ships and the wooden boats of the ancient world. Here’s a list of five that come to mind.
1. Persons who travel by cruise ship are called passengers and that’s a very passive word. All the important decisions and all of the work are handled by trained professionals, called the crew. Yet, if you were an ancient mariner on a boat, you were the crew. Raising sails. Tying knots. Rowing oars. If you didn’t know how to do such things, you would watch and learn from others. If you hope to get anywhere, both the work and the decisions must be shared.
2. The passengers on a modern cruise ship all pretty much do their own thing. Some play shuffle-board while others shop. Some stay in their rooms – darn it, I mean cabins – and read, while others attend classes and lectures. Some swim in the pool while others nap in a deck chair. On a boat, it’s not like that. To raise sails or to navigate by the stars takes not just work but teamwork. With no sonar for guidance, ancient mariners would carry with them ravens and release them into the blue sky. The crew would then assemble on deck (got it right that time!) and search the skies for signs of the black birds that would lead them to land. Ancient mariners didn’t just have to work. They had to learn to work together. Otherwise, they were – quite literally – sunk.
3. Passengers on a cruise ship dine at separate tables. You don’t have to mix much unless you just want to. On an ancient boat, everyone ate from a common table. They not only shared the food but had to work together to prepare the meal and then to clean it all up after it was complete. There was to say the least a lot of mixing involved.
4. Modern passengers are entertained. In fact, your one and only mission on a cruise ship is to find ways to amuse yourself as you travel from port to port. So, you go to Broadway style shows, watch movies in the little theatre or attend talks at the lecture hall, all with the hope of being entertained. Those aboard an ancient boat, however, had to entertain themselves. They would gather together to share tall tales, true stories and bawdy jokes. How else could they get through all those long, dark nights as their boat drifted along.
Dr. W. Mark RallsSenior Minister
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5. It doesn’t take all that much courage to sign up for a cruise. Typically, the gravest dangers you face are gaining 10 pounds from the buffet lines or twisting an ankle on the dance floor. Yet, in ancient days, the sea was a terrifying place. It was believed to be the one part of creation that had not been tamed by God. In an age when everyone believed in sea monsters and an earth so flat that you could sail right off the edge, it took a lot of guts to climb aboard a creaky wooden boat. You had to trust that God would keep you safe while trusting in each other to do their part. Getting the words right matters especially when it comes to following Christ. That’s why when it comes to the church, I must insist, it’s not a ship. It’s a boat.
Sometimes, church members confuse pews with deck chairs as if church were a place to watch passively as others teach children, study scripture, visit the sick and befriend the poor. Thankfully, Centenary is not a cruise ship. It is a boat where all can be transformed by sharing these projects together.
Sometimes, church members divide into interest groups – children sequestered where no one can be disturbed and senior adults doing their own thing. Sunday school classes that share nothing more than a hallway. Conservatives huddled together on the starboard side, liberals doing the same on the port. Thankfully, Centenary is not a cruise ship. It is a boat where all can be reconciled trusting that the love of God we share is greater than any differences that may drive us apart.
Sometimes church members forget that we are called not just to co-exist but to mix together in joyful fellowship. Thankfully, the people of Centenary share a common table of bread and cup. We kneel together there and receive from the same bounty of grace.
Sometimes church members act like consumers. They shop around for prayers, snappy tunes and messages that are as comfortable as their cushioned seats. Thankfully, Centenary is a worshipping community. While our various services of worship may differ in style, they are all united in purpose – the glory of God. Volunteers come together to place the flowers, share the anthems, welcome guests all with the understanding that when it comes to worship, we are not the audience, God is.
Sometimes church members take their vows of membership lightly. They assume that church is just another name for a social club or a weekly routine. Thankfully, Centenary is dedicated to making disciples and nobody can be a disciple without taking a few risks. Weekly, we remind each other that following Christ takes more faith, hope and love than any of us could muster on our own.
I am so grateful to share this vessel of grace with you. As congregations go, Centenary is kind of large, but it feels as cozy and small as the size of the ancient wooden boat in our beautiful chapel window. And that’s, of course, as it should be. After all, no church worth its salt would ever be confused with a cruise ship.
It’s not a ship. It’s a boat.
for Faith & FellowshipTastings
Through Centenary Windows is proud to bring to you the incredible recipes from the United Methodist Women Cookbook: Be Present at Our Table. We will 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. Special thanks goes to Helen Kennedy for sharing her recipe and hospitality as we enter a busy holiday season.
MERINGUE
INGREDIENTS
½ cup of granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar
2 egg whites
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 250 degrees. Sift tartar with sugar. Beat egg whites until stiff
but not dry. Slowly add sugar and beat about three minutes.
Spread over the bottom of two well greased pie tins. (Freezer size) Bake
one hour and turn off oven and leave in another hour to cool]
**Meringues POSITIVELY will not make on an overcast day or a day
that is humid, so don’t even try. I wait for a bright, dry, sunny day to
make mine. Handle them gently.
Helen Kennedy is one of our members who continues to inspire us with her faith and her enthusiasm for life. Helen is a vital member of our church with her passion for welcoming visitors and taking care of her church family. When you ask her about her cooking she will remind you that with food there must be fellowship and a desire to make sure you present your best. Her family has many stories about how Helen has made their life richer with the dishes she has served over the years. When they walk in the door to her house the first words out of their mouths are, “How many hot biscuits will you make while we are here?” There is also a story of how she bribed her husband to go to Bermuda with a written contract that if he went to Bermuda with her she would make him cornbread everyday of his life. Needless to say they went to Bermuda. Helen’s recipes are as rich and delicious as her passion for life, love and family. Her recipe for French Silk Pie Meringue can be found on page 456 of the cookbook.
Many other dishes can be found in Be Present at Our Table, the full-color, hardcover cookbook featuring more than 1,000 exceptional recipes from the families of our church. Also included are beautiful images of Centenary’s stained glass windows, photos from the history of the church, and other historical information. Copies are available in Glad Tidings for $35 each. You can also order by phone or online (397-1352)/www.shopgladtidings.com). Each Sunday in Advent we are hosting tastings of our cookbook recipes in Glad Tidings. All of the profits from cookbook sales go directly to empower women and children out of poverty.
Poinsettias for Advent
and ChristmasThis year you have a unique opportunity to purchase a poinsettia in honor or memory of your loved ones. The poinsettias can be purchased for $15 each and will be available for pick up after worship on December 30, 2012. Each plant must be paid for at the time the order is placed. Please place your order before November 15, 2012.
Order FormName of person(s) ordering poinsettia:
_____________________________________________________________________
In memory of:_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
In honor of:_____________________________________________________________________
Total Number of Plants Ordered _________ Total $ _________ ($15 per plant)
Method of Payment (must be attached to order from):
Cash _________ Check _________
Credit Card Number ________________ Expiration _______________
Please submit your completed order form with payment to Karen Rogers (397-1343) in the Business Office.
Should you choose, you may also pay online at www.centenaryonline.com. When paying online, make sure you put memorial or honorarium under “other.”
The Children’s Home
Haiti
While I spend time with these great kids, who so desperately need to know that someone cares about them, I think of Centenary Church and the amazing work you have done on their behalf, and the generous gifts you have shared with them in the name of Jesus Christ. Kathy is across from me, gathering garden veggies. She has come so far since she was dropped off to live in our emergency shelter program at Gray Cottage, because her mother is incarcerated and she has no other place to go. She has started working toward her GED and has become very active in weekly Chapel, helping me with scripture reading and programming. I look up toward the farm buildings, where Justin tosses feed to the chickens in the friendly barnyard. He is so concerned about the family he had to leave behind. He has been saving up any money he can earn doing farm chores, and sending it to them to help out. And then there’s Dexter--he has been served in three different programs on the Children’s Home campus, attending the Kingswood School with its therapeutic Day Treatment program, and previously living in Aldersgate where he received help
with his mental health problems. He’s now living at Gray because his mother is just not able to take care of him at home. He’s participating in the horseback riding which can be such an important therapeutic activity for our kids! Centenary’s commitment to Gray Cottage and The Children’s Home is comprehensive. The United Methodist Women have redecorated and furnished Gray Cottage, and we at TCH greatly enjoyed hosting the closing General Meeting of the season this past May when UMW visited, ate with us, and toured the campus and Gray. The UMW Table Extravaganza is a wonderful source of support for TCH! In addition, many Centenary volunteers
led by Phil Kinken and Rev. Maria King have painted the entire cottage and all its rooms where the kids live. So many of you have donated many wonderful things to make the lives of our kids more
comfortable, stable and meaningful. Centenary has also been a strong financial supporter as many of you give on Children’s Home Sunday year after year. At The Children’s Home, our mission to serve children in need, has not changed in 103 years. We are currently refocusing on Bringing Children Home--expanding our residential offerings. A growing demand for more immediate residential facilities that support young children suffering from trauma, abuse and neglect has inspired the Home’s recommitment to Bring Our Children Home. On behalf of Centenary’s own Linda G. Davis, the current TCH interim CEO, and our wonderful Board leaders drawn from the ranks of Centenary members, I
want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for extending yourselves beyond the walls of the church to help our children and youth. Your actions demonstrate the love of God and grace through Christ Jesus, and our gratitude for your discipleship and mission outreach is beyond measure!
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Feature [email protected]
Gray CottageAs the coming autumn weather blows cool breezes across the 200-acre campus of The Children’s Home, I stroll along with the kids from Gray Cottage, headed up toward the rolling pastures of our working farm. There, they can ride horses, feed the pigs and goats, help harvest vegetables and bale hay.
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Missions
Haiti
As you read this, a team from Centenary is preparing for travel to Fondwa, Haiti, on November 10-17. Our members will be taking photos for a school sponsorship program, working alongside Haitians on construction projects, and building relationships with the community.
If you are interested in serving as the presence of Christ in Haiti, consider joining one of our teams next year. Our first team will be in Port-au-Prince from April 21 -26. This trip supports Haiti Outreach Ministries through construction work, medical missions, and other projects. Haiti Outreach Ministries was founded by Pastor Leon Dorleans, a Haitian who attended Piedmont Bible College in Winston-Salem. Participants on this trip stay in dormitory-style accommodations with bunk beds, showers, and toilets; hot water and air-conditioning are limited.
In November, we will return to Fondwa for more work with the orphanage and the school sponsorship program. Our work in Fondwa supports Family Health Ministries, a nonprofit that originated at Duke University. Fondwa is very rural and mountainous, so living conditions are difficult—no hot water, no air conditioning, and sporadic electricity. Specific dates will be available in early 2013, but travel is generally in mid-November.
Scholarships are available for both trips, and people of all ages and abilities are needed. For more details, contact Rev. Maria King (397-1355)/[email protected].
Opportunities for
Partnership in Haiti
White GiftsWhite Gifts is one of Centenary’s longest-running traditions.
White Gifts Sunday has a special purpose—every year our congregation fills white bags with food needed by Loaves & Fishes, a community ministry of Centenary. These donations are vital for meeting the needs in our area. As Marianne Bach, the director of Loaves & Fishes, says, “The food we get from White Gifts not only helps fill the Christmas bags but gives us food that carries us into the first quarter of the year. The congregation really helps our community.”
Bags can be picked up at locations around the church; each bag has a list of needed food. You can bring your filled bag to any service on December 9, White Gifts Sunday. There will be a special time to accept gifts during each of our morning services this day.
You can also bring your bag to the special evening service at 5:00pm on December 9. At this White Gifts service, our children’s choirs will lead us in worship with Light of the World—a program combining original songs and familiar carols from around the world to tell the Christmas story. Through narration, drama, and song, choristers share how Jesus came to be the “Light of the World” over 2,000 years ago. The narration begins with the story of creation, turns to the prophetic words of Isaiah, and then recounts the events of Jesus’ birth. This light is shared with the congregation at the close of the musical with an invitation to take the light out into the world, reminding us of the reason we observe White Gifts.
“White Gifts Sunday has always held a special place in my
heart.”12
“White Gifts Sunday has always held a special place in my heart,” remembers Alan Keely. “As a boy, I remember the sound of Christmas carols on the organ; the singing of the choir; the procession to the front of the sanctuary to leave our gifts of food that had been carefully wrapped in white tissue paper and receiving a candle as we returned to our pew.”
Items You Can Donate
Small canned hams (no refrigeration needed)
Bags of rice
Canned potatoes (white or sweet potatoes/yams)
Canned fruit
Complete boxed dessert mixes (brownies, cookies, etc, preferably no eggs needed)
Boxed cornbread mix
Hearty soups & canned meats (beef stew, tuna, chicken, canned spaghetti sauce)
Spaghetti noodles
Pasta meals (macaroni and cheese 7.25 oz. boxes)
Powdered milk
Other items (saltine crackers, peanut butter, jelly, cereal )
Any monetary donations
Sunday, December 95:00pm
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White Gifts
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It has been wonderful to see how people have enthusiastically embraced the things that have been happening at Centenary.
The renovation of the auditorium and the refurbishing of the sanctuary have made tremendous improvements. All who have been involved with this work are to be commended, and members of the congregation should be praised for the enthusiastic manner in which they have adjusted. Yes, enthusiasm does make the difference.
In October last year, 2011, forty-six travelers took the trip entitled, “The Journey of a Lifetime,” traveling to the Holy Lands and the path of some of Paul’s journeys. St. Paul must have been one of the most enthusiastic persons who ever lived, traveling to many different countries establishing churches, and providing letters that compose much of the New Testament. At one time, Paul wrote, “I press on to
make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own.” Then, at the end of his life, he was able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith.” Indeed, it was his profound belief and faith in the resurrected Christ and his enthusiastic desire to extend the message of Christ that made St. Paul such a central figure in the life of the Christian faith.
I would like to thank the Senior Adults for their enthusiastic response to the programs, travel, and ministries of the church. You are wonderful and you are a blessing to the church. All who have provided leadership have my sincere gratitude.
I especially want to thank Dr. Frank and Sara Rayburn. Frank has served as Chairperson of the Senior Adult Council for the last two years and has given marvelous leadership. He has been a leader who has given much time leading our council, providing insight, responding to hundreds of e-mails, and always doing so in a positive and enthusiastic manner. On behalf of the Senior Adults: Thank you!
Next year, the Senior Adults will be honored to have the leadership of Charles Monroe. Charles and Susan Melville have been involved with the Senior Adults for many years and are very familiar with all of the areas of the Senior Adult program. We welcome Charles and Susan as our leaders.
As we approach the Thanksgiving and
Christmas Seasons, I hope and pray that you have had a good year and that the coming year will bring much joy and happiness. Thanks to each and everyone for all you have done and continue to do.
May God be Close to You,
Craig
ENTHUSIASMEnthusiasm Makes the Difference
R. Craig Ford
Senior Adult Ministry [email protected]
Senior Adults
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Contact Information: Craig Ford: 397-1353 / [email protected] Helpers: John Anthony • 765-3804Reservations: Karen Rogers • 397-1343Senior Adult Chair: Frank Rayburn • 201-6324Church: 724-6311
ENTHUSIASMEnthusiasm Makes the Difference
Senior Adults
Lessons & CarolsThe annual Lessons and Carols service will be offered to the church and to the community on Sunday, December 16th, 2012 at 5 p.m. with the prelude beginning at 4:30 p.m. Director of Music and the Arts, Dr. Robert Frazier will lead the Chancel and Sanctuary Choirs with full orchestra and organ in this traditional service. The Cantus Choir, West End Ringers, and Carillonneurs will also participate. Inspirational Advent and Christmas anthems of Johann Sebastian Bach, Benjamin Britten, Francis Poulenc, and Martin Lauridsen among others will be presented along with beautiful carols of the season. Come be refreshed, renewed and restored through God’s glorious gift of music in this historic worship service, which invites us to prepare our hearts and spirits for the mystery of the Incarnation with the in-filling of the Holy Spirit.
Sunday • December 16 • 5:00 pm • Sanctuary
Lessons & CarolsFestival of
Being in the choir – I feel so lucky because from the end of September to that Sunday in December, I get to hear the music, sing the music, learn how the composer through music is conveying the “Marvel of this Night.” Then, on that Sunday, as the choir lines up, as the brass and bells and organ conclude their prelude, as those first notes of the processional carol start and the congregation stands, I feel the majesty, beauty and timelessness of Christmas. It’s a “wow” moment. ~ Margaret Felts
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Lessons & Carols
Memorials
We remember our loved ones who have gone before us.
Centenary Fund
In memory of Emmett H. Lacy, Jr. by Ron and Sharon Shealy, Martha McNair, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kirk, Mr. and Mrs. John Gallins, Kathryn and Bobby Edwards, Dr. and Mrs Allston J. Stubbs, Dr. and Mrs. Robert Cowan, Robert and Leigh Edwards, Robert and Acra Kluttz, Paul Gwyn, Charlie and Patricia Chatham, Terry C. Watkins, Patricia Lackey, Dr. and Mrs. Richard Hines, Jr., Donna Torreyson and Thorne H. Worley. In memory of Warren Harding Kennedy by M. Louise Thomas. In memory of Sam and Eleanor Booke by M. Louise Thomas. In memory of John Addison Spencer by M. Louise Thomas. In memory of Jim Jones by Patricia Lackey. In memory of Peggy Gibson by Sara Spencer.
Sacred Music Fund
In memory of Warren Harding Kennedy by William and Janet Snow and Chuck and Linda Eldred. In memory of Dr. David Kirby by Jeffrey Coltrane, Jr.
Sanctuary Renovation Fund
In memory of Emmett H. Lacy, Jr. by Ted and Mary Jane Keith. In memory of Warren Harding Kennedy by Joyce S. May.
Respite Care
In memory of Kazoo by John and Annette Sherden, III.
Epermanis Memorial Scholarship Fund
In memory of Betty Epermanis by Anne Saxon.
Missionary Friendship Fund
In memory of Emmett H. Lacy, Jr. by Joyce S. May. In memory of Mary Lou Wayne by Pat Stoeber.
Archives Room
In memory of Kay Booze by Charlie and Marge Van Meter and Mark and Vickie Robinson.
We extend sympathy to...
...to Judy Jones and her family in the death of her step-father Harry W. Hartley on September 22, 2012.
...to Rhoda Searcy and her family in the death of her sister, Beula Keele on September 24, 2012.
...to Rana Warren and her family in the death of her father Allan Blackford, on September 25, 2012.
...to Putter Caudle and her family in the death of her father Ed McGuire on September 26, 2012.
...to Susan Armstrong and her family in the death of her father, Clarence E. Glausier, Jr. on September 29, 2012.
In MemoriamLogan Thomas Garrison
September 11, 2011
Susan Cox September 13, 2012
Kirk W. HarrisSeptember 23, 2012
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
...Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses....We honor our cherished loved ones and friends.
Missionary Friendship Fund
In honor of Dianne Iseman from Helen Barnhardt.
We celebrate the birth of...
...We celebrate the birth of Finnian (Finn) Hartley Jones, born September 21, 2012 to parents Will and Honor Jones: the proud grandparents are Mike and Judy Jones.
We celebrate the baptism of...
... (Finn) Josef Seeba son of Mr. Nicholas and Dr. Jennifer Seeba (Nick and Jen), brother of Olive, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Daryle Milbrath (Daryle and Linda).
... (Sally) Powers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Powers (Francie and Michael), sister of Jane, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Vaughn, Sr., great-granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Vaughn.
... (Reed) Davis Sager son of Mr. and Mrs. Troy Sager (Troy and Annie), grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Perry, Jr. (Cliff and Buff).
We celebrate the weddings of...
...Glenn Sperling Young and Patricia Ann Hollan Rudolph, August 25, 2012.
...Gerald Taylor and Lynda Moore, September 2, 201.2.
...William Womble, Sr. and Allan Hollan, September 8, 2012.
...Kenneth Tyler Holt Teague and Lindsey Connell, October 6, 2012.
Christmas Chapel
“Christmas Chapel” came about by chance. During the summer and autumn diaspora of the congregation, during the Sanctuary renovation, the Chapel began hosting an 11:00 am worship service. The beautiful space also hosts the Centenary staff during their time of devotions on Wednesday mornings. I felt as though this often over-looked place deserved some attention. If you have not been in the Chapel lately, please visit when you can. You will be blessed by the intimacy of the space and the presence of the Holy Spirit you will feel. Be sure to look for this and other works to be available in Glad Tidings, beginning in November. This work, the fourth in a series was created by Doug Peninger.
THE BIG SILENCEStumbling into the Heart of Christ
Small Groups20
Adult Education [email protected]
Have you ever seen a beautiful flower and leaned down to smell it, only to discover that it was actually plastic?
Then you take your fingers and check the leaves, stalk, and soil to confirm this fact? There are times that our faith can be like that flower. On the outside, it looks beautiful and we even fool many of the people in our lives, but the substance of our faith is less than genuine. In contrast, real faith is alive and constantly growing. Real faith needs light, food and water. In addition, real faith struggles with wind and hail, flood and drought.
Here at Centenary, our faith grows when we give it the water of life, feed it from God’s Spirit and shed the light of Scripture upon it. One very intentional means of growing faith is through our small groups ministry. For years, members and guests have gathered weekly to study Scripture, discover Christian beliefs and engage in spiritual practices. These groups have been a place for friendships to flourish, beliefs to bud, and faithful living to blossom. Stories abound about those who have gained confidence and learned their spiritual giftedness, put their faith into action and begun to experience the fullness of life that Jesus promises.
If you have never participated in a small group before, why not? Perhaps this is your year to take a step into intentional growth. Check out our web-page for the 2013 spring groups that will begin in January. REGISTER NOW to fertilize your faith and quench your spiritual thirst in the new year.
How is your faith growing?
Spring 2013 Topics will include these and more:7 Deadly Sins Sunday evening 2 week mini-group – Dr. Mark Ralls facilitating
Thursday lunch group – Dr. Mark King facilitatingToo Busy Not to Pray on Tuesday mornings – Sue Stephens facilitating
Financial Stewardship – Thad Lewallen facilitatingC.S. Lewis Signature Classics – Rev. Jonathan Brake facilitating
Everything Must Change: Jesus’ Revolution of Hope – Rev. Jonathan Brake facilitating
To Register or to find out much more …www.centenary-ws.org/smallgroups
THE BIG SILENCEStumbling into the Heart of Christ January 20-23, 2013
St. Francis Springs Prayer Center Stoneville, NC
This four-day guided retreat, Sunday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon, will have big spaces of silence so that we might experience the gift of God’s transforming grace. Inspired by the documentary The Big Silence (see link on our webpage), this retreat will be grounded in the modern classic The Way of the Heart by Henri Nouwen. There are only 16 rooms available. If you would like to view a PDF flyer/registration, go to www.centenary-ws.org/SF or contact Rev. Jonathan Brake, Minister of Adult Spiritual Formation & Education, at [email protected].
Children’s Ministry [email protected]
Christmas Craft Nightr e t u r n s
Many Centenary members have fond memories of Christmas Craft Night, when parents and children
came for dinner and Christmas activities.
“My mom still puts the angel I made at Christmas Craft Night on her tree each year.” –Elizabeth Welch
This year we are bringing Christmas Craft Night back! Instead of having craft day the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we’ll have craft night from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 12.
Craft stations will be open the entire two hours and we will have two dinner seatings, one at 5 and one at 5:30 p.m. On Sundays, November 18 and December 2 you will have the opportunity to sign up for dinner and crafts. We have chosen crafts very intentionally this year that are meant to be done together by the whole family! Stop by the hallway outside of the children’s ministry offices to see examples of the crafts and then sign up for crafts and dinner. Spots will go fast so make sure to be at church on one of the two Sundays to sign up.
Mary and Joseph will also be present. They will help us to think about the first Christmas, and remind us of why we celebrate. Kids will even have the opportunity to dress up as someone who was at the manger that great night and have their picture taken with Mary and Joseph!
We hope that you’ll mark your calendars and plan to join us for this festive event. But don’t take our word for it. We asked some long-time Centenary members why Christmas Craft Night is so great and here is what they said…
“I do have wonderful memories of Christmas Craft Night and still have many of the items we made such as the handprint apron, advent wreath, door decorations, and Christmas tree decorations. My children see me wearing my apron from craft night all the time!”–Carol Holden
“Christmas Craft Night was wonderful when my children were little! I’d love to see it getting off the ground again.” –Louise Pollard
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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-to-one, 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)/[email protected].
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 Room 107. Kids will be invited to leave for Children’s Worship after beginning as a part of the larger worship service with their families. Parents are asked to pick up their children in Room 107 once worship concludes.
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.
Upcoming Children’s Events
Front Porch DayNovember 18 • 2 -4 pm
This year Centenary will be offering monthly opportunities for our entire church family to be in service together, with projects appropriate for children, youth, and adults. On Nov 18, we will prepare Thanksgiving baskets for Loaves & Fishes.
Kids’ Day InDecember 1 • 9:30 am - Noon
Children of all ages are welcome for a day of fun, games, and Christmas Bible study. There will also be a chance for children to go “shopping” for Christmas gifts for their parents. Parents can enjoy a morning out on their own.
YOUTH MINISTRY
Sunday Events
8:45, 9:00, 9:45, 11:00 am Worship9:45 am Sunday school 3:00 pm God and Church – Boy Scout Troop 920 3:00-4:00pm CANTUS youth choir & drum circle4:00-5:00 pm West End Ringers youth bells
November 4: Love Thy NeighborNovember 25: Festival of LightsDecember 2: Shopping for Angel TreeDecember 11: LTN Leadership MeetingDecember 12: Confirmation Parents OrientationDecember 16: Love Thy Neighbor
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! [email protected] or Facebook: Centenary UMC YAM
ADULT EDUCATION
Small GroupsHow is your faith growing? Our lives are always being formed by something – either the influences of this world or the influences of the Gospel message. Just like a flower in the kitchen window, our faith needs water, sunlight, and fertilizer in order to bloom; without which our souls will wither. In the coming year, we offer many ways for you to grow your faith through our small groups ministry. Go to www.centenaryonline.com/smallgroups to discover how you can fertilize your faith in 2013.
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.
SENIOR ADULTS
Senior Adult LuncheonThursday • November 15 • Noon
The November luncheon features John Trulove, pianist. Fellowship begins around 11:30 am and lunch will be served at 12:00 noon. Dead-line for reservations is 12:00 noon on Monday,
Calendar of EventsEvents & AnnouncementsItems 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 check the Centenary website for What’s Happening. To register for an event, unless
otherwise noted, please contact Karen Rogers (397-1343) or [email protected].
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Events & Announcements
November 12. We look forward to seeing you there. Cost is $7 per person.
ARbOR ACRES
Annual Christmas ShopThursday • November 13 • 11:00 am
We will feature items from the Atlanta Gift Show with everything from home decor to clothing. Gift wrapping is available. All proceeds go to Arbor Acres Residence Assistance Fund.
MISSIONS
Loaves and Fishes: Food of the Month
The November food of the month is saltine crackers and shelf-stable milk. Please bring your food donations to the Missions bins, located in the Reception Narthex at 4½ Street.
Opportunities to Give this Season
•The Angel Tree project begins on November 25; instructions and names of recipients will be available in the 2nd floor gallery, outside room 221. Gifts must be returned by December 14.
•Having trouble thinking of a good Christmas present? Please consider a gift in honor or memory of someone through Love Came Down at Christmas. When you give over $5 you will receive a beautiful card to send to your love one describing how your donation will be used in their honor; all donations support Centenary’s mission ministry. Visit Glad Tidings for more information.
•On Sunday, December 9, all of the worship services will be collecting and blessing our “White Gifts” (donations of food for Loaves & Fishes, our weekly financial and food assistance ministry). White bags will be provided at the Reception Narthex with a list of needed food items. Please bring back your bag with your food items to one of the services on Sunday, December 9.
UNITED METHODIST WOMEN
December 3 • Auditorium • Noon
The UMW General Meeting will be held Monday, December 3 at noon in the auditorium. The program will be a holiday celebration with special music, inspirational speaker and to celebrate our mission events for the year. To make your reservation contact Mary Ceile Ogburn (725-7573). For any questions call Judy Smith (724-7232).
Annual Women’s RetreatSaturday • 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. 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) /[email protected].
MUSIC AND THE ARTS
Lessons & CarolsSunday • December 16 • 5:00 pm
The annual Lessons and Carols service will be offered to the church and to the community on Sunday, December 16th, 2012 at 5 pm with the prelude beginning at 4:30 pm. Director of Music and the Arts, Dr. Robert Frazier will lead the Chancel and Sanctuary Choirs with full orchestra and organ in this traditional service. The Cantus Choir, West End Ringers, and Carillonneurs will also participate. Inspirational Advent and Christmas anthems of Johann Sebastian Bach, Benjamin Britten, Francis Poulenc, and Martin Lauridsen among others will be presented along with beautiful carols of the season. Come be refreshed, renewed and restored through God’s glorious gift of music in this historic worship service, which invites us to prepare our hearts and spirits for the mystery of the Incarnation with the in-filling of the Holy Spirit.
GLAD TIDINGS
Be sure to stop by Glad Tidings for all of your holiday gift-giving needs. We have all of your favorites as well as some surprises. There is something for everyone.
JOHN WESLEY SOCIETY
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)/[email protected].
CHURCH HOLIDAY HOURS
Thursday, November 22Closed for Thanksgiving
Friday, November 23Closed for Thanksgiving
Monday, December 24Closing at Noon-Christmas Eve
Tuesday, December 25Closed for Christmas
Wednesday, December 26Closed for Christmas
Tuesday, January 1, 2013Closed for New Year’s Day
Veterans Day BreakfastMonday • November 12 • 8:30 am
The annual Veteran’s Day breakfast will be held in the auditorium. Norwood Robinson will be the speaker. Make your reservation no later than November 9.
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Calendar of Events
Faces at Centenary
We Bid Farewell...
We Welcome...
Dear Centenary Members,
There is a season for everything including the seasons of our lives. When I was young I looked forward to Christmas morning and the Easter Bunny, fun vacations and summers off from school. As I grew older I looked forward to getting married and raising a family. Before I knew it we were empty-nesters wondering “what now?” Then came the grandchildren and we said to ourselves “are we ready for this” only to discover there was no preparation needed to love the little ones each as precious as the next.
Now as I reflect on my years past there really wasn’t any “what now time” for during the course of living God has filled every nook and cranny of my life with people who I have come to know and love. He has taught me what love is and what it means to love, how to recognize it and how to share it. I have learned that good can come from bad and that no matter what, when I place my trust in Him, all is well. I have to say the twelve years that I worked with the Centenary staff and members will forever be embedded in my heart. Nowhere else could anyone find more loving or devoted people of God. Your love shines through in so many ways. I want to thank you all for allowing me to be a part of your wonderful church. As I move on in my life, I will take your gifts of Christian love and friendship and use them to further God’s work.
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.(2Th 3:16)
Shalom,
Chris Campbell*
*Editors Note: Chris Campbell retired from Centenary at the end of September.
Stacy HolleyAdministrative Assistant to Dr. Mark Ralls & Dr. Mark King
Paige Morgan-FoyReception Narthex Receptionist9am - 1pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday
Jean SteelmanReception Narthex Receptionist
Wednesday: 9am- 5pm
Shane CookAssistant Manager
of OperationsJuana JasintoReception Narthex Receptionist1pm - 5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday
It was the end of summer and transformation was in the air. The children’s playground was in need of new landscaping and rescue was on its way. For his Eagle Scout project, Jack Ogburn decided to make this transformation a reality. Jack was able to raise enough funds to not only transform the playground, but to help refurbish the plantings around the chapel. You are invited to come and enjoy this beautiful area of the Centenary campus.
“On my honor I will do my best”
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Juana JasintoReception Narthex Receptionist1pm - 5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday
Glad TidingsMark your calendars for exciting events coming to Glad Tidings.
November 4: Samples from Wind and Willow.November 11: Nancy O’s pepper jellies, soup and muffin mixes.November 18: The new “Growth and Majesty of the Christian Faith” keepsake goes on sale.November 25: Join the Glad Tidings Birthday Club and receive a 20% discount during your birthday month.
December 2: Advent Calendars and nativity collectibles are here for the season.December 9: White Gifts cans can be purchased and donated at the worship service.December 16: Time for last minute gift ideas including peanuts from The Peanut Crew and Bean Soup Mix from Daybreak/Respite Care.December 23: One last day for shopping!December 30: It’s the last day of the year. Be sure to stop in for special surprises.
One special item for Advent, our UMW will be having their annual “Sweet and Savory Sundays” from the Centenary cookbook, Be Present at Our Table. Come by and see what tasty treats will be selected.
Glad TidingsFor questions about Glad Tidings, contact Judy Jones (397-1338)/[email protected]
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MessiahHandel’s
The greatest story ever told. The most majestic music ever conceived. Handel’s inspiring Messiah. Experience music’s most affecting message of faith. This is the
Messiah of the season – the Twin City’s favorite holiday tradition! Share it with family and friends.
Robert Moody, ConductorSara Jane McMahon, soprano
Mary Gayle Greene, altoJohn McVeigh, tenorHyung Yun, baritone
Tuesday, December 18thWednesday, December 19th
7:30 pm
The Sanctuary at Centenary
For tickets, call the Winston-Salem Symphony Box office (336) 464-0145 Monday - Friday, 10 am to 4 pm
Tickets: $10, $30, and $45
The Centenary Music and Arts Ministry in conjunction with the Winston-Salem Symphony proudly present:
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Congregational Care [email protected]
A Congregation That Cares
Bob Nations recently received a call from a church member inquiring about visiting a family in the hospital. This family had a horrific accident and were non residents and non members. We were glad to be present with our prayers and support during their stay in Winston-Salem. The family was immediately included in our weekly hospital visits. Our clergy and Stephen Ministers met with them, prayed with them, and listened to them throughout their hospitalization. Bob wanted to share the following letter as an example of how our ministry is received and appreciated.
Dear Dr. Nations, My husband and I wish to thank you for the marvelous work you and the members of your congregation do through your home mission program at Centenary. None of you can imagine the impact you had on the Gurley and Ridings families as you visited them in the burn unit of Baptist Hospital.
Both my husband and I were petrified in horror when Donna Gurley called to tell us her five year old grandson, who was visiting her for Mothers’ Day, had pulled a hot pan of grease from a barbecue grill on to his head and front of his body. For us, that image was almost too much to register. Dallas Ridings and his family live in West Virginia. Donna Gurley lives in Morganton. So these two families were living a nightmare as strangers in a strange land.
When we learned about this horrific incident, Dick told me to call a friend who was a member of Centenary to see if anyone in her church ever visited strangers who were in the hospital in Winston. Our friend’s response was one word, and it came instantly: “Absolutely!”
In the very beginning, the family was told that this process would be a marathon, not a sprint. I cannot begin to imagine the agony this family felt, let alone the physical agony this little five-year-old boy has endured. At the moment, Dallas is at home, but he will undergo many surgeries for a number of years. The family has been told that the process could be many thousands of dollars. He is home for a few days and able to be up and around. He is in psychotherapy, and Donna has told us “he is handling it well”. That may be, but I cannot begin to fathom the thoughts that go through his little mind. How can anyone “handle” being a cute, outgoing, happy little child one moment and in less than a heartbeat become a visual someone else?
As the daughter of a minister, I can understand how you may feel what you have done for these people was just all in a day’s work in your life as a minister. As a member of a church who participates in mission programs as we have, I can understand how members of the Centenary program may feel that their visitations were just something they do for their church. Let me assure all of you that to the members of the Gurley and Ridings families, you were angels of mercy sent to them personally by God. It is you people about whom Jesus spoke when He said: “I was sick and you visited me”.
When our Centenary friend told me she had made a few calls and that some of you would visit the family, I envisioned a few initial visits until the family could become a little acclimated. I never in my wildest dreams thought you would stay with this family daily for over 60 days. Thank each of you for such a stick-to-it-ness driving force. What a mission this is! What a powerful, Christian witness this is! My husband and I thank God for the outreach you gave to people who were strangers to you, but dear friends to us.
Sincerely,
Marilyn and Dick Gordon
Love Thy NeighborYouth Ministry [email protected]
336-397-1337
Caroline and Lon Morgan slowed down for a few moments to share their thoughts about Love Thy Neighbor (LTN). This monthly event welcomes our downtown neighbors into our church to feed them not only with nutrition, but with medical and spiritual offerings. If you have never stayed after worship on a LTN Sunday, the youth of Centenary invite to come and share the love.
Caroline: I started helping out with Love Thy Neighbor when it first came to fruition. Lon (my dad) heard about what our youth were doing and asked if I wanted to volunteer with him. I didn’t know much about Love Thy Neighbor, but I figured it would be a more fun way to spend my Sunday afternoon than sitting at home. I’m so glad I made that decision! It has been truly amazing to see how much this ministry has grown to become such a blessing to me and countless others. Lon: I first heard about LTN from our Sunday School class. Lisa Waugh (daughter of Phil and Jean Waugh) was heading up a group of youth who had been inspired by a mission trip to San Francisco. There the local church had reached out to their “neighbors” and allowed them shelter within the walls of the church. The youth took it upon themselves to organize, fund and carry out what was to become a noble youth tradition at CUMC.
Caroline: In 2007, when I was eleven, my dad and I began to see how much
need there was among our neighbors for medical care. That’s when we decided to start the medical clinic that is still so successful today. I became a “nurse,” taking vitals and organizing the triage area. Working with Love Thy Neighbor in the clinic has inspired me to pursue a career in medicine.
Lon: When Caroline casually mentioned to me “gosh, there sure are a lot of sick neighbors,” it didn’t take much to realize that this may have been more than my little girl talking. With my stethoscope, my 11 year old “triage nurse,” my good friend/pharmacist Dave Schomberg, and nurse Laura Carmichael we attempted the first of what was to become many LTN Medical clinics. With the help of many, the vision of a few has become a significant blessing to CUMC and our neighbors.
Love Thy Neighbor
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Angel Tree
Daybreak/Respite Care [email protected]
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A wife whose husband has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease said, “I know this is our journey, but I’m the one who has to make all the changes.” That was a poignant but realistic statement about the way in which responsibilities that were once shared become the sole burden of the one who is the caregiver.
The holiday season exacerbates caregiving challenges because there are many additional demands on a caregiver’s energy and focus. Listed below are a few suggestions that may help reduce stress that comes with the season.
•Plan in advance for a holiday season that will meet your current needs. Determine what will be most meaningful to you. Remember that the holidays are more than one specific day—they are part of a whole season. Pace yourself, and spread out both the work and the enjoyment.
•Set realistic goals and expectations for the holidays. Keep expectations simple for yourself and your loved one. Recognize that holidays may be a difficult time and plan accordingly. Tell yourself it is okay not to do everything you have always done during past holidays.
•Make a budget and stick to it. Like your relationships with family and friends, financial worries only add more stress. Spend only what you can afford.
•Allow extra time when traveling. Delays will occur because of possible increased security coupled with a high number of people traveling during the holidays. Plan ahead, and practice patience!
•Relive happy memories. Pick several memories of past holidays to recall with your loved one. Relive the memories frequently.
•Consider celebrating over lunch or brunch, rather than the evening meal. Schedule visits and activities when your loved one is rested and able to manage the extra stress. Consider one-to-one visits rather than large group visits.
•Plan to do something special just for yourself during the holidays!
•Prepare to deal with your post-holiday letdown. You may want to arrange for in-home care so you can enjoy a movie or lunch with a friend and reduce post-holiday stress.
•Allow yourself some time to feel sad, angry or lonely. These are real, legitimate feelings. Nurture yourself; take a “breather.” Know that you don’t have to force yourself to be happy just because it is the holiday season.
•Stay in the present. Put the “good ole days” of yesteryear in the past. As families change, family traditions will change. Prioritize what is important in your life right now.
•Keep things simple, and keep a schedule. These strategies benefit both the person with memory loss and the caregiver!
DAYBreak Respite Care is a ministry of Centenary United Methodist Church. For more information, call Jan Sawyer at 397-1345.
L-R first row: Georgette Fagnant, Stephanie Leonard, Ann Eickmeyer, Rose Moser2nd row: David Clark IV, Audrey Rothrock, Will Ernst, Fred Kear
Awards: Stephanie Leonard, 2nd place ceramics, 4th place painted wood; David Clark, 1st place print making; Fred Kear, 2nd place Senior Ceramics, not pictured: Alvin Miller, 2nd place wood stenciling; DAYBreak group received 2nd
place for group project and 3rd place for decorated pumpkin.Awards were given at the Dixie Classic Fair in October.
During the Christmas season, we take particular care to remember Jesus’ words in Acts 20:35—“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” If you are looking for ways to give back to our church, community, and world, consider supporting both the Angel Tree project and the Love Came Down at Christmas program.
In our Angel Tree program, we receive requests from families who are in need of extra help at Christmas; usually, the requests we accept come from United Methodist ministries in the area. These requests are placed anonymously on the Angel Tree, and people from our congregation buy and return the needed Christmas items. Centenary’s Angel Tree project has grown in recent years. We served 237 people in 2009, 316 people in 2010, and 343 individuals in 2011, so the need this year will probably be great.
Love Came Down at Christmas is Centenary’s missions giving program. It allows members to give to specific ministries and projects, with 100% of gifts going directly toward serving others. You can designate your gift for church ministries like Love Thy Neighbor and DAYBreak Respite Care, local mission projects like the Food Bank Garden and the Children’s Home, and international mission activities in Haiti and elsewhere. For each $5 donation, you are entitled to a Christmas gift card to send to friends and family members.
For more information about how you can give back this Christmas, for further details contact Rev. Maria King (397-1355)/[email protected] Tree
Opportunities to Give this Christmas
Published Monthly By:
Centenary United Methodist ChurchPO Box 658
Winston-Salem, NC 27102-0658Church Office: (336) 724-6311
Fax: (336) 723-5840Website: www.centenaryonline.com
Postmaster Send Address Changes to:Centenary United Methodist Church
PO Box 658Winston-Salem, NC 27102-0658
A Stephen Ministry Congregation
Periodicals Postage Paidat Winston-Salem, N. C.(USPS 628-480)
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