CELEBRATE SERVING DOWNTOWN RVA This street festival for community service opportunities in downtown Richmond, sponsored by Centenary, Second Presbyterian Church, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and Third Street Bethel AME will be held on Sunday, May 3 from 12 noon to 3:00 pm. Plan to attend this exciting event following the 11 am worship service on that day. It will be on Grace Street between 5th and 7th Streets, and feature live music and food trucks. Volunteers are needed to help with the Festival – hospitality, set up, clean up, etc. Sign up on the bulletin board across from the kitchen.

THEATRE OUTING Sunday, May 24 at 2:30 pm we will be attending a Huguenot Community Players production of Dear Phoebe at Huguenot United Methodist Church (10661 Duryea Drive). In Dear Phoebe, Bill Hastings is hired by the Daily Star as the advice to the lovelorn columnist Aunt Phoebe. Riotous complications ensue when he gets a letter implicating a nightclub owner in a sports scandal. Bill, dressed as Phoebe, goes after the story with lovely reporter Mickey. The informant is murdered and they must solve the crime before the morning deadline. Hilarity abounds in this adaptation from the television series. Tickets are $10 – 12 each depending on the size of our group. Sign up on the bulletin board in the hallway across from the kitchen.

SPRING PICNIC

Centenary’s annual outdoor spring picnic, sponsored by the Congregational Care Committee, will be held on Sunday, May 31 at 12:15 pm following the 11 am worship service. Grace Street will be closed in front of the church and tables will be set up on the street and sidewalk. Hot dogs and beverages will be provided. Please bring a large covered dish or dessert to share. Bring your families, friends, and neighbors!

THE CONNECTION

May 2015

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE

Save the date, Sunday, June 21st, 5pm, at Centenary United Methodist Church for a special performance of the Vespro Della Beata Virgine (Vespers of 1610) of Claudio Monteverdi, performed by Third Practice (Washington D.C.), Three Notch'd Road (Charlottesville), and the Washington Cornett and Sackbutt Ensemble (WCSE). Monteverdi's monumental collection of Vespers Psalms and Magnificat published in Venice in 1610 has never been performed in its entirety in Richmond. Come enjoy the sumptuous sonic splendor of this great music performed by three seasoned professional ensembles, all conducted by Brian Bartoldus (artistic director of Third Practice) with several vocal soloists from that group, and virtuosic string and wind flourishes from Three Notch'd Road and WCSE.

Fuchs, Joanna. "God in the Seasons." Christian Poems.

Poemsource.com. Web. 24 Apr. 2015. <http://

www.poemsource.com/Christian-poems.html>.

God in the Seasons Lord, In Spring we are reminded of the magnificence of Your creation, as the earth is covered in verdant green, with splendid splashes of color, and we witness birth everywhere, of animals bearing their young, of buds turning into leaves and flowers and our own moods being reborn with renewed energy and life. Lord, in Summer, we remember the warmth of Your love for us and the light of Your goodness. Both are everywhere for those who look. Thank You for butterflies, birds and wildlife for us to enjoy, water to swim in, and weather that frees us to romp and play while outdoor pleasures are at their peak. Lord, In Fall, we thank you for Your cooling breezes, that bring relief from the relentless summer heat. We see bright colors fading and dying, leaves turning brown, crisp, disintegrating, only to be reborn next year, reminding us that every living thing, including us, must die in some way before being reborn. Lord, In Winter, as white snow blankets the ground, we are reminded of Your purity and Your perfection. The complexity and beauty of each single snowflake only hints at Your transcendent intelligence and creativity. We hunker down and snuggle in, knowing this season will wind down and Spring will reappear, as it always has because You created an orderly, predictable universe, not by chance, but from your flawless design. Thank You for the seasons, Lord, and everything in them that You created for our enjoyment. By Joanna Fuchs

5th Sunday of Easter May 3, 2015 Acts 8:26-40 Psalm 22:25-31(UMH 752) 1 John 4:7-21 John 15:1-8

6th Sunday of Easter May 10, 2015 Acts 10:44-48 Psalm 98 (UMH 818) 1 John 5:1-6 John 15:9-17

7th Sunday of Easter May 17, 2015 Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 Psalm 1 (UMH 738) 1 John 5:9-13 John 17:6-19

Day of Pentecost May 24, 2015 Acts 2:1-21 Psalm 104:24-34, 35b (UMH 826) Romans 8:22-27 John 15:26-27;16:4b-15

First Sunday After Pentecost Isaiah 6:1-8 Psalm 29 (UMH 761) Romans 8:12-17 John 3:1-17

The scripture readings are provided so that you may read and reflect upon them during the days prior to each worship service.

NOTES FROM THE LAY LEADER Phyllis Stump

It is a blessing to know that members of Centenary’s Congregation are joining together in order to make our 28 Days of Prayer a successful undertaking. We began using the booklet of devotional writings on April 20 to assist us as we pray in unison.

Another opportunity for us to join together in prayer will come on Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16 when we will participate in a prayer vigil. The schedule for the vigil will be set up with 30 minute intervals for prayer. You may sign up for more than one interval. Details as to how we may become a part of the vigil will be available shortly.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

CAMPAIGN BYPRODUCTS

As we move though this capital campaign, we are discovering some gifts that come our way besides raising money. What we are doing is a group effort, needing many talents with many people offering their individual talents and time.

We have become better acquainted with members of our church family by working together in a number of teams. We have dined together and prayed together. We have come to appreciate people we hadn’t known before and the gifts they possess in areas the church needs such as visitation, communication, and spirituality. In these new relationships we even may have found skills within ourselves we didn’t realize were there.

Commitment Sunday, May 17, is on the horizon! We continue to be in prayer about what each of us can materially give toward the kitchen and elevator project. Let us also continue in prayer for Centenary and to give thanks for each other. It’s a good thing to stay in touch. Let’s keep our connectedness strong as we move forward!

OUTREACHINGS

MAY 7TH GOLF TOURNAMENT Centenary is the proud possessor of one of Stop Hunger Now’s gongs. No it’s not a throwback to the 1970’s “The Gong Show," it is an award given to organizations that package over 100,000 meals to be sent to disaster areas. We are working on our second 100,000 and to do this we must raise the funds to pay for the raw materials to be used in a packaging event. Money for this fun operation is raised though our semi-annual golf tournament scheduled for May 7th at the Hollows Golf Course. We don’t award green jackets, but a delicious BBQ meal is included at a reasonable cost. If you are not a golfer, you can sponsor a hole. Contact Earl Siddons and let him know if you are interested and how many you will be bringing and join us for a future packaging event.

ANNIVERSARY ANTHEM ON MAY 17

At the commitment service for our capital campaign, the Chancel Choir will reprise the wonderful anthem "Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life" composed by Jackson Hill which was originally commissioned for our 200th anniversary in 2010. It is a marvelous setting of the six verses of the hymn and is variously upbeat, dramatic and reflective according to the sense of the words in each stanza. Mr. Hill is Professor emeritus at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA.

His website can be accessed here: http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/jhill/

Stan Baker Director of Music/Organist

SUN MON TUES WED THU FRI SAT

Every Sunday

8:40 AM Informal Worship

10:00 AM Sunday School

11:00 AM Traditional Worship

Every Monday

10:30 AM Zumba Class

Every Tuesday

12:00 PM Fellowship Group at

Aunt Sarah’s

12:00 PM - AA

11:30-1:30 pm Sanctuary Open for

Prayer

Every Wednesday

10:30 AM Zumba Class

12:00 PM

Staff Meeting

7:00 PM Chancel Choir Practice

Every Thursday

Every Friday

10:30 AM Walk-In & Bless My

Sole Ministries

12:00 PM - AA

1

2

3 Serving

Downtown RVA

(Volunteers Needed from 12-3 p.m.)

Visit their website at DCMRVA.org

4

5

6 7

8 9

10

11 Administrative

Council Meeting 8 p.m.

12

13

14

15

Prayer Vigil 9 a.m. –11 a.m.

16 Change the

World Weekend!

Prayer Vigil 9 a.m. –11 a.m.

17 Commitment

Sunday

18

19

20

21

22

23

24 A Huguenot Community

Players Theatre Outing of

Dear Phoebe at 2:30 p.m.

25 Memorial Day CHURCH OFFICE

CLOSED

26 27 28 29 30

31

May 1 Bernice Walter

Billie Davis

May 3 Phyllis Stump Mary Simpson

May 4

Pat Shipley Matthew Weaver

May 7

Michael Grey Shelby Pritchett

May 8

Marc Gregory Tara Richardson

May 9

Earl Moss

May 10 Lynn LaBarre

May 11 Roy Cooke

Barbara Bucher

May 13 Joyce Haley

May 14

Alice Cooke David Ashe

May 15

Jeannette Benton Lynn Bailey

May 16

Tori Brock

May 17 Buck Haley

May 19

Kevin Cramer Darcy Inge

May 22 Eddie Robertson

Sally Jordan

May 24 Whit Saliba

Charley Webber Robb Stottlemyer

May 25

Gary Gillis

May 27 Jenean Farmer

May 29

Louise Smith

May 30 Chris Jarvis Kim Golden

Penny Speidel Eric Brager

Guy, Kevin. "Birthday Poems." BirthdayMessages.net. BirthdayMessages.net. Web. 24 Apr. 2015. <http://

www.birthdaymessages.net/birthday-poems.html>.

When I Wish You a Happy Birthday By Kevin Guy

When I wish you "happy birthday," There's so much more I want to say, Though it's hard to utter the words, Nothing's going to stop me today.

When I wish you "happy birthday," What I mean is "I love you,"

You're more than the world to me, I'm so thankful for all you do.

When I wish you "happy birthday," It's because you make me proud,

Now that I've put down these words, I just want to scream them out loud.

ACOLYTES 03 Christina Kidd 10 Madison Lee 17 Isabel Junker 24 Katie Shingleton 31 Christina Kidd ALTAR GUILD 03 Florence Clay Bishop 10 Ginny Jarvis 17 Mary Sue Sanderlin James Durst 24 Barrett Brown 31 Sylvia Whaley BANNER BEARERS 03 Agatha Kidd 10 Agatha Kidd 17 Chris Junker 24 Ryland Bailey, Jr. 31 Agatha Kidd COMMUNION STEWARDS 03 Susan Thomas Barbara Pierson GREETERS 03 John Mingus and Barrett Brown 10 John and Bette Dillehay 17 Connie Bennington and Susan Thomas 24 Bob and Leah Hundley 31 Lee and Kim Chen HALL MONITORS 03 Robb Stottlemyer R.B. Bennington* 10 Bob Hundley, Sr. Neil Singleton* 17 Alan Davis Charley Webber* 24 Steve Gregory Buck Haley* 31 David Pippin Justin Bates* (* 2nd Floor)

MAY WORSHIP HELPERS

LAY READERS 03 Doug Wilson 10 Rugby Baker 17 Alan Davis 24 Ginny Jarvis 31 Billie Davis TELLERS 04 John Dillehay and Sylvia Whaley 11 John Dillehay and Sylvia Whaley 18 Ryland Bailey, Jr. and Jack Hill 26 (Tuesday) Ryland Bailey, Jr. and Jack Hill USHERS Joe Speidel (Captain) Rugby Baker R.B. Bennington Jim Wickham Wilbur Cheatham REMINDER: IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO BE HERE ON YOUR SCHEDULED SUNDAY, PLEASE FIND A SUBSTITUTE AND NOTIFY THE CHURCH OFFICE OF THE CHANGE.

COORDINATORS Lay Readers: Phyllis Stump (330-2544) Greeters and Hall Monitors: Sylvia Whaley & Clint Jones (795-5492) Tellers: Suzanne Ray (262-4854) Ushers: Sylvia Whaley & Clint Jones (795-5492)

CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Worship………………………………………..8:40 a.m.

Sunday School………………………………..10:00 a.m.

Worship …………………………………...…11:00 a.m.

STAFF

Senior Minister………………...….….Matthew D. Bates

Minister to Senior Adults…….…..Cheryl Owen-Watson

Director of Music/Organist…………...Stanley M. Baker

Director of Membership Development…...….Ann Davis

Administrative Assistant………...……….Mandy Porter

Senior Accountant……………...…….…….John Lampe

Facilities Manager…………...…………..Al Richardson

Sexton…………………………...……………Saran Yin

Choir Section Leaders …………………..…Erika Straus

…………………………………….……Alexandra Goia

……………………………………...…….Todd Minnich

………………………………..…….………...Sam Cook

Early Service Musician………….………Lee Covington

Nursery Worker……………….…....…Melissa Martinez

Nursery Worker………………………...Shannon Hocutt

411 East Grace Street

Richmond, Virginia 23219

Phone: 648-8319

www.centumc.org

Matt – mbates3@verizon.net

Cheryl - owenwatson@comcast.net

Ann - cent.davis@verizon.net

Mandy – cent.umc@verizon.net

Stan – dirmusic@verizon.net

John - finsecretary3@verizon.net

Centenary United Methodist

Church is a Reconciling

Congregation, extending

hospitality and encouraging

full participation of all,

regardless of age, race,

national origin, gender,

gender identity, sexual

orientation, marital status,

educational or economic

background and physical or

mental ability.

CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

411 EAST GRACE STREET

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, 23219

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED