T h e S p i r e March 2018 Startled into Lent In high school, I went on a church mission trip to an Indian reservation in Florida. By this time, I had been on many mission trips in many different scenarios. Mission trips were becoming a thing for me. We entered a house to do traditional mission trip work. In this particular instance, the kitchen needed work. I was asked to help remove the countertop. Instantly, as the countertop was being lifted, thousands of maggots, cockroaches, and bugs came pouring out alive. Immediately, we dropped the countertop and ran out the room, disgusted. Truth be told, I don t remember how many bugs or even what type of bug. I just remember the startled surprise I felt which led to an epiphany. Some in our world live in inadequate and desperate situations. I had participated in many mission trips before, but I mainly saw them as helping opportunities. However, this mission trip changed me. The God of love does not desire such realities in this world. I was startled into reflecting on God and God s salvific mission. Lent is our season to be startled into reflection and communion with God. There are many things that hopefully startled us to realize God s desire and mission of redemption for all. The continual school shootings, sexual abuse, images of poverty, and the international rhetoric and discord between leaders all remind us that God still has a strong desire for redemption and salvation in the world. Many are lost, confused and victimized. Sadly, it takes more to shock us and startle us. Maybe that is why we live in such a strange time, because we are shocked and startled again. What can we do? What should be done? How did it come to this? Where do we go from here? As Christians, we know these answers do not come from ourselves. Even so, the church as much as anyone else in society, tries to use its own wisdom, talents and guesses to fix what ails us. However, this is Lent. Use these startling realities as reasons to turn back to God. God does promise to never leave us and claims us as God s own. We call this reality: covenant. God seeks to be in covenant with us, and we are assured of God s faithfulness. We will seek to be in covenant with God. It simply means that we bind our lives, our hopes, and all understandings of reality to God. This is no small thing. Let yourself belong to God. Therefore, this lent, I ask you to truly open yourself to God. With all genuineness, remove any masks that exist. Open yourself through prayer and worship, and with all humility seek God. Examine yourself, confess where needed and find yourself in communion with God. And maybe most importantly, choose God. Choose God above all else: above personal desires, personal opinions and personal security. Choose God. But don t just choose God, but seek faithfulness to God s will, developing God s virtues within yourself in community with God s people. Choose faithfulness daily, again and again. Remember God s great desire for the world is redemption and salvation. Through covenant God is inviting you in, not because we are super smart or talented, but because God loves and desires it so. I hope this lent we do return to God. Hopefully, we don t need to be startled. I am tired of all the startling events in our world. Let us return to God. Pastor Danny Walker C e n t e n a r y U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h E s t a b l i s h e d 1 8 6 7
Hello Centenary family! Easter is only 5 weeks away and the weather is finally starting to cooperate. We are still looking for a person or family to host the Easter Egg hunt this year. If you d like to volunteer, please let Nicole, Sue or Danny know ASAP. In junior church the kids are starting a new rock painting project! The kids will each paint 3 rocks in their own unique style, and we will add a bible verse. The kids will choose who they d like to give their rocks to. On Palm Sunday there will be a short children s performance. The Easter egg hunt is usually the Saturday before Easter, but we re leaving the date open until we find a volunteer to run it this year. If you spend much time near the nursery or basement, you ve probably witnessed how our children s ministry is really flourishing. We are in the process of opening a new toddler nursery where potty trained kids, ages 2-4, will learn and play during worship service and Sunday School. This will help the baby nursery to be less crowded. PPR is starting the hiring process for Toddler Nursery workers. We ll let you know when the toddlers will move to the new room. Most of you have heard that I am resigning as the Children s Coordinator. I ve enjoyed spending time and sharing life with the kids at Centenary and their families. PPR is searching for a new coordinator. That being said, I will continue to run the ministry through early March. Please keep the kids of this nation in your prayers. Nicole Jackson Centenary Sewing Gals: This month's sewing project is a repeat of last year's Little Dresses for Africa. We would love to have you join us as we make these simple but pretty little dresses. If you are unable to join us on Sunday afternoons at 3:00, you might want to make one or two at home. You need about a yard of fabric and a package of bias tape. Contact Sharon Hollon @ (812) 459-2643 for the pattern or if you have questions. SPRING BEGINS MARCH 20th! Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone but in every leaf of springtime. ~ Martin Luther WEEKDAY CHRISTIAN EDUCATION ~ There will be a Geranium Sale again this year to benefit this wonderful program that reaches so many children. Geraniums are $5.00 each and can be order in red, salmon, pink, white, and hot pink. Orders are due Monday, April 2nd, and plants can be picked up on Sunday, April 22nd. Order forms will be in the Sunday bulletins beginning March 11th. If you have any questions, please call Joan Crowe at 812-459-3800.
Family Order Form Centenary United Methodist Church NAME CHECK # ORDER DATE Clothing & Accessories % QTY Total Dining - On The Go % QTY Total Aeropostale $25.00 10% $ Arby's $10.00 8% $ American Eagle Outfit $25.00 10% $ Burger King $10.00 4% $ Banana Republic $25.00 14% $ Chipotle Mexican Grill $10.00 10% $ Children's Place $25.00 12% $ Chipotle Mexican Grill $25.00 10% $ Claire's $10.00 9% $ Cold Stone Creamery $10.00 8% $ Crazy 8 $25.00 13% $ Culver's $10 10% $ Express $25.00 10% $ Dairy Queen $10.00 3% $ Gap $25.00 14% $ Domino's $10.00 8% $ Gymboree $25.00 13% $ Dunkin' Donuts $10.00 3% $ Icing $10.00 9% $ Dunkin' Donuts $25.00 3% $ Journeys Kidz $25.00 10% $ GD Ritzys $10.00 15% $ Marshalls $25.00 7% $ Fazoli's $25.00 7% $ Maurices $20.00 7% $ Hardee's $10.00 5% $ Old Navy $25.00 14% $ Krispy Kreme Doughnuts $10.00 8% $ Payless Shoes $20.00 13% $ Little Caesar's Pizza $20.00 8% $ Ross Dress for Less $25.00 8% $ Long John Silver's $10.00 8% $ Shoe Carnival $25.00 5% $ Panera Bread $10.00 8% $ T.J. Maxx $25.00 7% $ Panera Bread $25.00 8% $ Talbots $25.00 13% $ Papa John's Pizza $10.00 8% $ Dining - Casual % QTY Total Papa Murphy's Pizza $10.00 8% $ Applebee's $25.00 8% $ Pizza Hut $10.00 8% $ Applebee's $50.00 8% $ Qdoba Mexican Grill $25.00 7% $ Bob Evans Restaurants $10.00 10% $ Starbucks $10.00 7% $ Bonefish Grill $25.00 8% $ Starbucks $25.00 7% $ Bonefish Grill $50.00 8% $ Steak 'n Shake $10.00 8% $ Buffalo Wild Wings $10.00 8% $ SUBWAY $10.00 6% $ Buffalo Wild Wings $25.00 8% $ Taco Bell $10.00 5% $ Cheddars $10.00 8% $ Wendy's $10.00 4% $ Cheddars $25.00 8% $ Chili's Grill & Bar $25.00 11% $ Health & Beauty % QTY Total Cracker Barrel $10.00 8% $ Bath & Body Works $10.00 13% $ Cracker Barrel $25.00 8% $ Bath & Body Works $25.00 13% $ Denny's $10.00 7% $ CVS Pharmacy 100.00 6% $ Gracie's Chinese $10.00 10% $ CVS Pharmacy $25.00 6% $ Logan's Roadhouse $25.00 10% $ Sephora $25.00 4% $ LongHorn Steakhouse $25.00 8% $ ULTA $25.00 4% $ Los Bravos Mexican $20.00 10% $ Walgreens $25.00 5% $ Los Tres Caminos Mexican $20 10% $ O'Charley's $25.00 13% $ Home Décor % QTY Total Old Chicago $25.00 6% $ Bed Bath & Beyond $100.00 7% $ Olive Garden $25.00 8% $ Bed Bath & Beyond $25.00 7% $ Outback Steakhouse $25.00 8% $ Crate and Barrel $25.00 8% $ Red Lobster $25.00 8% $ Pier 1 Imports $25.00 9% $ Red Robin $25.00 8% $ Pottery Barn Kids $25.00 8% $ Texas Roadhouse $25.00 8% $ TGI Fridays $25.00 9% $
Discount Store % QTY Total Home Improvement % QTY Total Burlington Coat Factory $25.00 8% $ Ace Hardware $25.00 4% $ Kmart $25.00 4% $ Home Depot $100.00 4% $ Meijer $10 3% $ Home Depot $25.00 4% $ Meijer $25 3% $ Lowe's $100.00 4% $ Meijer $50 3% $ Lowe's $25.00 4% $ Meijer $100 3% $ Lowe's $500.00 4% $ Sam's Club $25.00 2.5% $ Menards $100.00 3% $ Target $100.00 2.5% $ Menards $25.00 3% $ Target $25.00 2.5% $ Menards $500.00 3% $ Target $50.00 2.5% $ The Home Depot $100.00 4% $ Walmart $100.00 2.5% $ The Home Depot $25.00 4% $ Walmart $25.00 2.5% $ Online & Catalog % QTY Total Walmart $250.00 2.5% $ Amazon.com $100.00 2.5% $ Walmart $50.00 2.5% $ Amazon.com $25.00 2.5% $ Electronics & Office % QTY Total Groupon.com $25.00 7% $ Best Buy $100.00 4% $ Harry & David $50.00 12% $ Best Buy $25.00 4% $ itunes $15.00 5% $ EB Games $25.00 3% $ itunes $25.00 5% $ GameStop $25.00 3% $ Overstock.com $25.00 8% $ OfficeDepot /Office Max $25.00 5% $ Shutterfly $25.00 4% $ Staples $25.00 5% $ Specialty Retailer % QTY Total Build-A-Bear Workshop $25.00 8% $ Entertainment % QTY Total Guitar Center $25.00 4% $ AMC Theatres West $25.00 8% $ Hallmark $25.00 4% $ Barnes & Noble $10.00 8% $ Jo-Ann Fabric Stores $25.00 6% $ Barnes & Noble $25.00 8% $ Michaels $25.00 4% $ Family Video $10.00 12% $ PetSmart $25.00 5% $ Showplace North $5.00 10% $ Sporting Goods % QTY Total Academy Sports+Outdoors $25.00 4% $ Gas & Auto % QTY Total Bass Pro Shops $25.00 9% $ AutoZone $25.00 8% $ Cabela's $100.00 6% $ BP $50.00 1.5% $ Dick's Sporting Goods $100.00 8% $ Circle K $100.00 1.5% $ Dick's Sporting Goods $25.00 8% $ Circle K $25.00 1.5% $ Department Store % QTY Total Jiffy Lube $30.00 8% $ Dillard's $100.00 9% $ Marathon $100.00 3% $ Dillard's $25.00 9% $ Marathon $25.00 3% $ JCPenney $25.00 5% $ Marathon $250.00 3% $ Kohl's $100.00 4% $ Mobil $50.00 1% $ Kohl's $25.00 4% $ MotoMart $50.00 5% $ Macy's $25.00 10% $ Shell $25.00 2% $ Sears $25.00 4% $ Stein Mart $25.00 7% $ Travel & VISA % QTY Total Grocery % QTY Total Disney $1000.00 3% $ GFS-Gordon Food Service$25.00 4% $ Princess Cruise Lines $500.00 6% $ IGA Buehlers $25.0 5% $ Visa Five Back $100.00 1.25% $ IGA Buehlers $100.00 5% $ Visa Five Back $250.00 1.25% $ Meijer $100.00 3% $ Visa Five Back $50.00 1.25% $ Meijer $25.00 3% $
SCRIP ~ SCRIP ~ Spring is coming! Don't forget to pick up Home Depot (4%), Lowes (4%), and Menards (3%) cards for your spring cleaning and yardwork. Many shopping cards are available to brighten your spring wardrobe such as; JC Penney (5%), Kohl's (4%), Macy's(10%), and Shoe Carnival (5%). Visa cards (1.25%) can be used anywhere. Several new cards have been added. They include; Azzip (10%), Chipotle (10%), Dunkin Donuts (3%), Hacienda (10%), Merry Go Round (10%), and TGI Fridays (9%). Each card you purchase gives back to Centenary. We're in the coffee room every Sunday after church to help you shop! As I write this on a choir practice day, I look at the calendar and see only five Sundays until Easter. Looking ahead, we will soon be having special music for our summer worship. There are so many ways you can help in our Sunday worship; please let us know what you would like. Our Easter cantata is When I Survey the Wondrous Cross. You will recognize most of the music. There are two solo parts and one duet song in the music, and they are beautiful. All our musicians are very talented and hardworking. If you want to be a part, come to practice on Wednesday nights at 7:00 PM or Sunday morning after worship service. Miriam Seibert, Choir Director **MISSION TRIP NEWS** - Our annual mission trip is scheduled for June 16th through June 23rd. We will be traveling to Findlay, Ohio to St. Andrews UMC, a 6 hour drive. For people who like to have a fun activity day, we will be leaving on Friday and traveling to the church. Then we will spend Saturday at Cedar Point Amusement Park, while the rest of the team travels to meet us at the church that evening. The cost to go on the mission trip is $100, plus the amusement park cost for those who will be going there on Saturday. If you are interested in possibly making this trip, please sign up in the Narthex. TRI-STATE FOOD BANK offers government commodities on the last Wednesday of each month to those age 60 or older. You must also qualify based on household income. There is a copy of the Participant Application on the bulletin board in the Narthex that will give you those requirements. There are a few applications available for pick-up, if you find that you qualify. Commodities include things such as cheese, dairy, and various canned goods. Goods must be picked up at St. Matthew s on First Avenue in North Park. If you have any questions, see Joan Crowe @ 812-459-3800. 2018 MEN S LENTEN BREAKFAST SCHEDULE 7:30AM MAR. 3 - HOWELL UMC MAR. 10 - MCCUTCHANVILLE UMC MAR. 17 - METHODIST TEMPLE MAR. 24 - BLUE GRASS UMC $7.00 - Adults $3.00 - Children under 16 UPCOMING DATES TRUSTEE Meeting - 6:30pm Tuesday, March 13th AD COUNCIL Meeting - 7:00pm Thursday, March 22nd EASTER ~ 2018 MAUNDY THURSDAY - 6:30pm, Thurs. March 29th Meal/Service GOOD FRIDAY - 6:30pm, Fri., March 30th EASTER - 7:00am and 9:30am Sunday, April 1st
MARCH Birthdays 1 - Sarah Mitchell 2 - Eric Marchand 4 - Joe Gish 5 - Brian Fleming 7 - Kevin Foster 8 - Shawn Riley 11 - Wayne Aldridge 13 - Steve Graves 13 Mia Harris 13 - Geneva Huebner MARCH Anniversaries 7 - Kenny & Carolyn Horton 8 - Chris & Missy Feller 14 - Chris & Becky Stone 20 - Warren & Beverly Render 21 Brian & Kelly Harris 22 - Joe & Cyndi Gish 26 - Jeff and Morgan Carnahan 14 - Jim Fleming 14 - Jacob Graves 14 - Evan Marchand 18 - Bev Render 19 - Ryan Huebner 19- Roger Latham 25 - Ben Jackson 29 - Bruce Knight 29 - Norma McNary 2 - Ruth Keller 6 - Gene Griffin 7- Sharion Rankin 8 - Phoebe Carnahan 8 - Mary Edmondson 8 - Marchelle Green 9 -Jesse Graves 10 - Debbie Wilson 12 - Paul Walters 13 - Jason Brack 14- Cecilia Riley 15 - Walter Fanok 16 - Lauren Stone 17 - Rosie Ritchie 18 - Franco Bowden APRIL Birthdays APRIL Anniversaries 6 - Dion & Kim Wingerter 7 - Roger & Debbie Latham 10 Zach & Melissa Latham 20 - Sharon Hollon 21 - Molly Harris 21 - Adam Stocker 21 - Chris Stone 22 - Jerry Foster 24 - Brandon Jackson 24- Zeke Feller 24 - Bob Kraft 25 - Laura Unfried 25 - Sam Frederick 25 - Morgan Carnahan 26 - Danny Walker 27 - Briley Wingerter 30 - Angi Beasley A Record of Our Faithful n ess Date Attendance General Fund Offering 1/21/18 166 $3649.00 1/28/18 150 $4190.00 2/4/18 148 $6393.00 2/11/18 143 $2987.00 A man and his five-year old son were driving past a cemetery and noticed a large pile of dirt next to a freshly dug grave when the little boy said, Look, Dad, one got out! Next time you drive past a cemetery, think of the One Whom the grave could not hold. YOUR HELP IS NEEDED! If you find any discrepancies in our Birthday/Anniversary listings, please call the office or email us. This would include names that are missing or misspelled, as well as wrong dates. Prayer Concerns ~~ Don Robinson, Rachel Bailey, Lee Crow, Rose Borman, Walter Fanok, Rosie Ritchie, T.C. Gossett, Eloise Overdorf, Callie Graves, Dave Heavrin, Rosemary Rudolph, John Crow, Roger Huebner Sr, Joyce Smith, Wayne Aldridge, Imogene Sue
March 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 25 26 27 28 1 2 3 12:00PM Good Neighbors 7:30 Men s Lenten Breakfast Howell UMC 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8:30AM Safe Harbor 9:30AM Worship 10:45AM Sun.School 10:45AM Cantata Prac. 11:00AM Confirmation Walking 11:30AM Georgia s Girls/We Care 6:30PM Bible Study Walking 6:30PM Bells 7:00PM Choir 12:00PM Good Neighbors 7:30 Men s Lenten Breakfast McCutchanville UMC 3:00PM Sewing 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 8:30AM Safe Harbor 9:30AM Worship 10:45AM Sun.School 10:45AM Cantata Prac. 11:00AM Confirmation Walking 11:30AM Georgia s Girls/We Care 6:30PM Bible Study 6:30PM Trustee Meeting Walking 6:30PM Bells 7:00PM Choir 12:00PM Good Neighbors 7:30 Men s Lenten Breakfast Methodist Temple UMC 3:00PM Sewing 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 8:30AM Safe Harbor 9:30AM Worship 10:45AM Sun.School 10:45AM Cantata Prac. 11:00AM Confirmation 3:00PM Sewing Walking 11:30AM Georgia s Girls/We Care SPRING BEGINS Walking 6:30PM Bells 7:00PM Choir 12:00PM 7:00PM Good Neighbors Ad Council Meeting 7:30 Men s Lenten Breakfast Blue Grass UMC 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 8:30AM Safe Harbor 9:30AM Worship 10:45AM Sun.School 10:45AM Cantata Prac. 11:00AM Confirmation 3:00PM Sewing Walking 11:30AM Georgia s Girls/We Care 6:30PM Bible Study Walking 6:30PM Bells 7:00PM Choir 12:00PM Good Neighbors 6:30PM Maundy Thursday Meal/Service 6:30PM Good Friday Svc. Data provided 'as is' without warranty
T h e S p i r e P o i n t i n g L i f e i n t h e R i g h t D i r e c t i o n Centenary United Methodist Church 14340 Old State Road Evansville IN 47725 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Church Office: 812-867-3920 Fax: 812-867-3723 Office e-mail: centenary@mw.twcbc.com www.centenaryevansville.com Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 6 Inglefield, IN CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; everything old has passed away, see, everything has become new! 2 Corinthians 5: 17 Seeking God and God s Kingdom First Seeking to Live as Disciples Seeking to Be the Body of Christ, the Church Seeking to Discover the Joy of God