Upcoming Meetings

Holiday Office Hours
The office will be open from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday, February 20th.

Sunday School for Tweens
Every Sunday at 9am, there will be a Sunday school class for tweens .The class will be held upstairs on the west side of the church in the room next to the computer room.

Confirmation
Confirmation # 1 - children from 6-7 grades and Confirmation #2 -children 14 and up. Parents please give me the names your children or grandchildren. You can meet with me after service or call me. Confirmation is scheduled for February 12- April 1, 2012.                           
Barbara Walker  
                
Bible Study
Bible Study is cancelled for Tuesday, February 21. Please attend  Ash Wednesday Service at 12 noon or 6:00 p.m.

Church Council
Church Council meeting has been moved from Wednesday February 22th to Thursday February 23th at 6:30pm due to Ash Wednesday Service. All chairpersons are asked to please be present at that time.

BMCR Training
The wheels at BMCR are still turning! Our next event is the Administrative Board/Council Training to be held on FEBRUARY 26TH at 2:30pm at Asbury UMC, located at 2969 S. Mendenhall (at Cottonwood), Memphis, TN 38115.
Class and Instructors:
Administrative Board/Council - Rev. Dr. Martin McCain
Lay Leader - Rev. Gerry Campbell
Finance - Rev. Anthony Anderson or Rev. Harold Evans
Pastor-Parish - Rev. Jerome Scales, Sr.

The training sessions won't be longer than 45 mins. We are allowing time for a presentation by the instructor followed by a Q&A. Please help us make this event a success by supporting it, with your PRAYERS!

If you have any questions, please call Pastor Freddie Moore at 901-523-2485 or Mozell Starks at 901-774-4541.

Go Red for Women Sunday
Thanks to everyone who came together and wore red to promote Go Red for Women Sunday and support the fight against heart disease, women's No. 1 killer. Go Red for Women Sunday was developed to encourage faith-based organizations to discover unique lifesaving power by learning about heart disease and taking positive action to reduce risks. Heart disease is largely preventable, if you work to lower your risks by making changes
to your everyday lifestyle. There are some basic steps you can take to make a positive impact on your health.
o    Start moving! Regular physical activity can lower your risk of heart disease.
o    Stay away from tobacco. Quit smoking or don't start!
o    Make healthy food choices by adding more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your diet.
o    Know your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers.
o     Work with your doctor to improve them if need be.
o    Find healthy ways to cope with stress.
o    Getting regular checkups and preventive screening test
are among the most important things you can do for yourself.

Your Heart Is In Your Hands.
For more information visit: americanhaeart.org, WedMD, women's health.gov.    
Health and Welfare, Outreach, P.A.C.E. Ministries & Congregational Health Network

Holy Land Journey through the Bible 2012
Starting from $3,594 *Taxes & Fees Apply
This Trip Visits: Israel (Holy Land) - June 6-17, 201Trip Includes: Deluxe Motorcoaches, Guided Sightseeing, Entrance Fees to Sites Visited, 1st Class Hotels and Superior 1st Class Hotels, Buffet Breakfast & Dinner Daily, Online Bible Study Guide, Lecture Series…Detailed brochures, outlining daily itinerary and payment plan, are now available in the church office or narthex.

Thank You!  Thank You!  Centenary Family
Words cannot adequately express the heartfelt thanks and pride that I feel in my heart. I sincerely thank you for all that you did to help make the McKendree District Clergy meeting a wonderful experience for clergy and all invited guests.  The church was beautiful, festive, and filled with the love of Christ as exemplified through your generous and countless acts of hospitality. Please know that I am extremely proud of our church family and all that you did to make this a memorable and blessed event.
May the LORD now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. (2 Samuel 2:6)                               
Pastor Deborah B. Smith

Altar Flowers
We have several open dates for altar flowers. If you would like to honor or remember someone, please sign up on the "Altar Flowers" board. It is such a joy to have fresh flowers on our altar each week. Thank you.

Facility Usage and Meetings Form
Please be reminded that you must fill out and complete an event planning form before any meeting takes place. The forms are located in the church office and in the W. A. Miller room. Once you have filled out the form, please contact the church office to notify and  confirm  scheduled date. Thank you.

Announcements
Please be reminded that all announcements, including inserts in   any format, must be approved by the Pastor.  If you have any announcement(s)/inserts to be included in the weekly bulletin, contact Ms. Tamala Young at 774-7604 no later than Wednesday.  Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated.  Thanks! Pastor Deborah B. Smith
                          
 Electronic Giving Program
Centenary is pleased to announce the introduction of an electronic option for making regular offerings. Contributions can now be debited automatically from your checking or savings account. Our new electronic giving program offers convenience for you and much-needed donation consistency for our congregation.  
Stewardship and Finance Committees  

Lent
The Lenten Season will officially begin on February 22nd, and our Ash Wednesday services will be held at 12 noon and 6:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. As you may recall, the purpose of Lent is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ-his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection. Our worship and sermon focus will be based on the theme, The Journey to the Cross. Each Sunday through Easter, we will explore the challenges that Jesus encountered and how we may discern some practical applications for our lives and our faith journey.   
Pastor Deborah B. Smith

Worship Celebrations
Passionate worship is an act of the whole person. It is to embody the greatest commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind." It is expressed in the psalmist's cry, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name" (Psalm 103:1). We desperately need to practice passionate worship - worship that is whole-hearted, not half-hearted: Worship that is alive and an expression of a heart sensitive to God instead of worship of a heart cold to God. Given this perspective we are enhancing our current worship experiences.

8:00 a.m. Worship Celebration
We will celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion on the 1st and 3rd Sundays.  On 2nd and 4th Sundays, we will be led in song and praise.

10:30 a.m. Worship Celebration
We will begin our worship with a time of praise prior to the start.  This praise period will begin promptly at 10:15 a.m. each Sunday, and we will continue into worship celebration at 10:30 a.m.  The Sacrament of Holy Communion will be offered on the 1st Sunday as is our current custom.  Also, the altar will be open for anyone who would like to pray prior to worship. There will be individuals present at the altar during that time, if you would like someone to pray for you and/or over you.  

I am so excited about our time together in worship and praise, and I sincerely pray that God will continue to bless us as we gather for worship.   Blessings to each of you.
Dr. Deborah B. Smith, Pastor                     

Opportunities to Serve

Food Pantry Ministry
We need your help! Because of the increasing demand for food, we need volunteers to help package the groceries and answer the phone. If you feel that you would like to serve and become a     member of the Food Pantry Ministry, please contact Mrs. Stokes at 901-946-0389.      

Attention Acolytes
We are currently in need of acolytes ages 5-95. All those who feel the need to serve please contact Ms. Pearl Pegues at 901-854-0917.

Ushers
All those who are interested in becoming an Usher please contact Mr. Lamon (901-435-6520).

Library Committee- Please return all library books.
If you are interested in working on this committee please call Erma Williams at 751-8555.

Worship Leader
If you would like to participate and serve as a worship leader, please contact Mrs. Charlene Parker (901-948-3569).

Communion Serving Team Ministry
If you feel called to assist with communion visitation to our sick and shut in, please contact Mrs. Lucille Grose (901-743-7061).

Van Drivers
We are still in need of volunteers to drive the van. If you desire to serve in this area, please contact Mr. Thomas Lamon. There is an urgent need for drivers.

Ushers
All ushers will meet February 19 immediately after worship service in the W. A. Miller Room.    
Thomas Lamon
 
Celebrating the Legacy of Centenary U. M. Church

Please join us for Centenary's celebration of Black History Month on February 25, 2012 at 11am. We will be focusing on the history of this great church. We are asking for soup makers, corn bread makers and dessert makers for this occasion. In the past we have enjoyed wonderful soups and fixings. Please let me know if you are able to donate soup, bread or dessert for the Black History Program. The struggle to know and understand the history of our people continues. We owe it to our young and to future generations to deliver that knowledge, and to do so with competence and integrity. Our students need their history. We must deliver it.                                                            
Vietta Lewis