2015 January/February Through Centenary Windows

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Departments

Faith in Films

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Go & Build the Kingdom

DAYBreak/Respite

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United Methodist Women

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Abbott Lecture Series

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Creation Care

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EDITOR

From the Editor

As I am completing this issue of Through Centenary Windows, there are Christmas carols playing on the radio and the third floor hallway is decorated for the festive season. It’s truly a wonderul and magical time of the year.

What always amazes me is the buildup to the big day. We work so hard to get there and I wonder if we really take the time to experience the journey to Bethlehem. I hope your Christmas was filled with great love and peace.

Food for Thought

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Seder: Christ in the Passover

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Senior Adults

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Small Groups

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Baptism

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New Members

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2015 Lenten Study

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Memorials

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Honoraria

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Winston-Salem Street School

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DAYBreak/Respite Care

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Children’s Ministry

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Glad Tidings

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I hope your January and February are filled with great joy as we enter the new year and you find yourself immersed in activities at Centenary.

Haiti: A Reflection

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Warmest wishes,

Where Is Your God

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Youth Ministry

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As we quickly jump into a new year, the clergy and staff of Centenary have been working hard to prepare for new events in which they hope you will participate. Within our pages, you will find numerous ways to be involved and learn more about the faith we love and cherish. There is everything from films to food, from missions to meals. I hope you will get out your calendars, invite your friends and be in prayer.

Believe it or not, we will quickly enter the season of Lent. Be sure to look at the 2015 Lenten Study as we take the journey to Easter.

Doug Peninger Director of Communications

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Vision

mralls@centenary-ws. org 336-397-1362

Go and Build the Kingdom

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hroughout the spring and summer of 2014, Centenary leaders, clergy and staff completed a discernment process.

We adopted a passage from the Gospel of Luke as our vision. To symbolically express this sense of call, we gathered for worship at Tanglewood Park in September. With close to 700 people in attendance, we announced our commitment to Go, God’s Kingdom is at our doorstep.

We are deepening our shared resolve to engage ourselves in Kingdom building in 2015. As we consider the year ahead, I invite you to actively serve in at least one of these hands-on outreach ministries, all of which are led and supported by Centenary members: • Overflow shelters provide meals and a warm place to sleep during cold weather months.

• HOPE (“Help Our People Eat”) provides meals to children in food deserts in Forsyth County.

• Our Loaves & Fishes ministry provides food and financial assistance to needy clients.

• Glad Tidings books and gifts supports the Winston-Salem Street School by donating revenue and volunteer hours.

• Our Backpack Program provides children with supplemental weekend meals when school feeding programs aren’t available.

• Stop Hunger Now meal packaging ministry provides nutrition to hungry people. At our most recent event, we packed 20,088 meals that were sent to Haiti.

• Front Porch Days ministry gives us opportunities to participate in mission projects as a congregation every quarter.

• Our Prayer Shawl Ministry invites everyone in the congregation to deliver a hand-knitted shawl to someone they know who can use one. Join the group to knit items together or on your own.

• Our youth “Love Thy Neighbor” ministry provides meals, fellowship and medical care for our downtown homeless and marginalized neighbors • The Betty and Jim Holmes Food Bank Garden (at The Children’s Home) contributes all of its produce to the Second Harvest Food Bank • Join a team for a mission trip like the trip our adults took to Haiti in October 2014, or the various summer mission trips offered by our youth ministry • Help with our annual Christmas Angel Tree to donate gifts for those in need.

Want to know more, and who to call to get involved? Go to Centenary’s website for a complete list of outreach opportunities, including ways children can participate: http://www.centenary-ws.org/index.php/hands-on-outreach

Mark Ralls Senior Minister

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Affairs of the Heart

You are invited to the second annual DAYBreak Family Gala & Fundraiser

Benefitting DAYBreak Respite Care & the Caregiver Support Ministries of Centenary United Methodist Church.

February 21, 2015 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm Heavy hors d’oeuvres Entertainment Silent Auction Bake Sale Tickets: $25.00 or $250.00 per table of 10 Centenary United Methodist Church Memorial Auditorium 4½ Street Entrance Reservations due by February 13, 2015 Call 397-1345 For Additional Information: Jan Sawyer (336) 397-1345 / jsawyer@centenary-ws.org

DAYBreak Respite Care

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United Methodist Women

Fall Celebration Memories

By Wanda Luck-Willis

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riday, October 10th was our Fall Celebration at the Piedmont Club. The decorations & tables were just beautiful and many thanks to all of the hard workers that helped make this possible! We enjoyed having the Men of Centenary join us for the first time. Christian fellowship was in the air. Money raised from this event will go to H.O.P.E, The Backpack Program, & Women’s Prison Ministry. The community was extremely generous this year with their donations for the Silent & Live Auction.

Centenary United Methodist Women raised $15,411.11 in one evening and gave back $15,411.11 to the Community! We are all so blessed to be able to give our time and money.

Next Luncheon • February 2 • Memorial Auditorium Join your UMW sisters on February 2 as Elizabeth Pleasants will be the guest speaker.

She will be discussing the recent mission trip to Haiti. This program will be filled moving stories as she and the mission team share their memories and dreams for our friends in another country.

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Creation Care

jbrake@centenary-ws. org 336-397-1334

Centenary Creation Care Ministry Has Big Plans for 2015 Action Steps on our Energy Savings Analysis

Great American Cleanup March 21 • 9 am-Noon

Green Faith Energy Shield GreenFaith is an interfaith coalition for the environment that works with houses of worship, religious schools, and people of all faiths to help them become better environmental stewards.

A new recognition program has recently been started whereby we can earn “environmental merit badges” for Centenary.

By completing a few activities, including education, worship, making improvements in our building, and encouraging members to take steps at home, we will be able to proudly display the GreenFaith Energy Shield on our website, publications, and other means of communication. If you would like to help Centenary earn this distinction please let us know.

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climate change to promote hopefilled responses. Blessed Earth is an educational non-profit that inspires and equips people of faith to become better stewards of the earth.

In 2014, we conducted an energy efficiency workshop including a presentation by a representative of the North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light and a walkthrough of our entire church building. We learned that Centenary is already doing quite well on energy efficiency, yet we identified several items that could be improved. We will work with the church Building Committee this year to prioritize these action items and begin moving forward.

Taking these steps in our facility will also count toward earning the energy shield and complete some of our annual agreements with NCIPL and Blessed Earth.

NCIPL, part of the North Carolina Council of Churches, is a committee that works with faith communities to address causes and consequences of global

For several years, Centenary has partnered with Keep WinstonSalem Beautiful to clean up streets, parks, and streams.

We will again take a group of church members to help pick up trash and debris. This is a wonderful opportunity for multigenerational families to work together. Cleaning supplies, lunch, and a t-shirt are provided for all who participate. Please let us know if you would like to be part of the Centenary team this year.

Planting Day at Centenary This Spring, we will gather members of the church to help beautify the beds and grounds around our building. Again, this is a wonderful opportunity for multi-generations to work together. If you would like to participate or help organize this event, please let us know.

April is Creation Care Month

Our annual Creation Care Sunday will be on April 19th with an energy-focused theme.

Rev. Jonathan Brake will bring the message and the Creation Care Team will share special items with those in attendance.

That afternoon we will go to the Food Bank Garden and help plant the fields as part of Centenary’s ongoing Front Porch Day community service projects. The annual Creation Care Dinner will again be held on the Children’s Home property with locallysourced food, a great speaker, and more community-involvement. (date TBA). We will be taking a group to the UMC Annual Caring for God’s Creation Conference in Decatur, GA, on April 24-26.

Let us know if you would like to attend. There will be participants from across our denomination.

Spring Small Group Caretakers: Christians & Creation What does Sabbath, gardening, recycling, and being “green” have to do with our Christian faith? The Bible has over 1000 references to the earth and is grounded in the wonder and glory of creation from beginning to end. Even we “humans” come from the “humus” (soil)! We will explore such themes as repenting, reclaiming, reducing, reusing, recycling, and rejoicing in the context of Scripture, science, and Christian stewardship for today and future generations. We will look at ongoing and possible new endeavors for “greening” Centenary in 2015 as well as personal action steps we can take in our homes and workplaces.

Bring your dinner to eat while we share. You can even stay for Roots Revival if you would like!

Register through the small groups website or at Glad Tidings Books & Gifts. This 6-week group will meet on Wednesdays, April 22, 29, May 6, 13, 20, 27 (6:007:15pm). Rev. Jonathan Brake is the facilitator.

Composting

Again this year we will sponsor the composting of food waste at our church-wide celebrations – Pentecost Festival in May and Worship in the Park in September.

This partnership with Gallins Farm has been well received and stands as a reminder that as we eat together in the great outdoors, our actions have a direct impact. In fact, Gallins Farm supplies compost to the Food Bank Garden to help feed our neighbors too!

Monthly Planning Meetings The Creation Care Ministry Team meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month (except July, August, & December) at 6:30pm in Room 222. All are welcome to come to these planning meetings to find out what we are working on next, see how you can be involved, and bring ideas. For more information, see our page on the church website or contact Rev. Jonathan Brake, jbrake@ centenary-ws.org or 336-3971334

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Food For Thought

jbrake@centenary-ws. org 336-397-1334

Wednesdays Noon in Memorial Auditorium $7 Lunch: includes salad, meat, sides, bread, beverage and dessert Open to the Public

W

here can you go for music, a meal, and a message midweek to get you through hump day? If you haven’t been to Food for Thought at Centenary then you’ve been missing a blessing. Every Wednesday we gather around the auditorium tables to feast, fellowship, and fill up for the rest of the week. Live music from the stage, an affordable meal, and an inspiring lesson from Rev. Jonathan Brake make this one of our best kept secrets. Food for thought is open to the community where you will find workers from nearby businesses, church members and staff mingling and munching with one another. Make Food for Thought your 2015 New Year’s Resolution come true!

Winter/Spring Series: Through a Shepherd’s Eyes: Rediscovering Psalm 23 Psalm 23 is attributed to David—warrior, king, sheep herder. Yet, when he writes “The Lord is my shepherd …” what does that really mean? We’ll look afresh at the 23rd psalm with the help of Pastor W. Phillip Keller, a former shepherd who will unveil parts of this beloved poem that we’ve never before understood.

Lenten Series: Do Something During Lent, we will take a few weeks’ break from Psalm 23 in order to focus on Centenary’s Lenten Study. Rev. Brake will share from the book A World Worth Saving: Lenten Spiritual Practices for Action. Our Lenten theme this year is “Do Something” for the kingdom of God. We will explore why Jesus thinks the world is worth saving and how he uses his followers to accomplish this task.

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Seder

jbrake@centenary-ws. org 336-397-1334

Christ in the Passover

March 22, 2015 5:00 – 7:00 pm in Memorial Auditorium Cost: $10 per person This year we welcome missionary Lynn McCoy to lead us in celebrating Christ in the Passover. As a “Messianic Jew,” Lynn is uniquely prepared to show us the link between the ancient Festival of Redemption and Christ as the Lamb of God. Because this annual celebration is centered on the family, we will be seated around tables as “families.” Either bring your relatives or join in with others to form a family unit for the evening. Each table will be set with traditional Passover items and we will partake of the meal as our missionary walks us through the traditional Haggadah (celebration order). Using scripture and visuals, we will discover how Jesus took the historical Passover Seder from the Exodus event and transformed it for the New Covenant. Discover how the story of the Exodus is woven together with the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. McCoy will explain how the Hebrew words spoken in the upper room came alive in Christ.

Registration: Online or by calling Tara Snow (336-397-1342) Information Contact: Rev. Jonathan Brake

11 Traditional Seder Menu: Roast Lamb, Matzoh Bread, Charoseth (sweet apple-nut mixture), Matzah Ball Soup, Boiled Egg, Onion, Parsley, Horseradish, Grape Juice, Water , Dessert

Senior Adults

cford@centenary-ws. org 336-397-1353

SENIOR ADULTS LOOK AHEAD TO 2015 said, “The day’s own trouble is quite enough.” Indeed, it is.

By Rev. R. Craig Ford

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t is hard to realize that we are now in the early month of the year 2015. I remember well the evening in which the nation was preparing for the beginning of the new century. We were returning to Florida after visiting family here in Winston-Salem following the Christmas holidays, and we were hoping to reach our home before the clock struck twelve, in order to see the traditional ball-drop in New York. We arrived at our destination just in time to watch the countdown to the new century and celebration which followed. There were so many firecrackers exploding that night that the air smelled of smoke and every dog in the neighborhood added its voice to the celebration.

Several years ago, the late Bishop Ernest Fitzgerald delivered a sermon entitled, “The Movement of Time.” In that sermon, he described time as a tyrant, as a test, and as a trust. There are other words that could be used in order to describe the movement of time, but those three provide a good understanding.

Fortunately, God, in his great mercy, gives us only one moment at a time. God breaks life up into years, months, and days in order that our finite minds can cope with, and deal with, time. We would be overwhelmed if we could see years in advance with all of the difficulties and possibilities we will know for the rest of our lives. I agree with the person who

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“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery.”Mac Davis wrote the following lines: “One day at a time, dear Jesus, that’s all I’m asking of you. Give me the strength to do the things I have to do. Yesterday’s gone and tomorrow may never be mine.

Lord help me today. Show me the way, one day at a time.”

Live graciously, hopefully, expectantly; celebrate life one day at a time and live it to the fullest.

The following are the programs that have been arranged, so far, for the year of 2015 for the Senior Adults: In January we will be honored to attend the Senior Adults of St. Paul Episcopal Church. This traditional meeting is good because we will have the opportunity to meet with our Episcopal friends and enjoy a meal with them.

In the month of February, we will be honored to receive Linda Darden, new Executive Director of the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice. Mrs. Darden accepted this responsibility in the latter part of 2014 and has “hit the ground running” in an effort to conduct a much needed ministry for the Winston-Salem Area.

March is the month we celebrate Irish heritage. We will have the honor of hearing “the three tenors”--Centenary tenors, that is. Craig Collins, Jeff Maggs and Frank Zackery are three outstanding tenors in our Chancel Choir. The three will entertain us with a selection of Irish songs. More than likely, we will want to join in and show our Irish connections on a selection or two.

In April, the month we celebrate Easter, the Senior Adults will receive one of the outstanding religious leaders in the Winston-Salem area, Dr. Bill Leonard.

Dr. Leonard’s topic will be “Religion in America.” He will speak about several

different denominations, communions, and traditions, including the snake handlers, and explain the impact they have had on America. (Dr. Leonard has promised not to bring any reptiles with him.)

Our program in the month of May will provide an opportunity to see some of the discoveries about the architecture of Centenary United Methodist Church when the renovations were made. Michele Walter and Alan Keely have prepared a program of photography about the sanctuary that will show many of the interesting artifacts about the design, planning and construction of the church.

We are very fortunate that this historic information has been preserved and we will have an opportunity to see it.

In the month of June, we will return to the park in Lewisville. We should soon have confirmation of our program for our annual picnic. Please note that on the evening of June 6, we will host the Shepherd Center for a dinner at the church.

There will be more to come. This information is given on November 15, so all of the plans have not been completed at this time.

I trust that we will have a great year together with all of our Senior Adults. I thank you for all you do and for the great care and support you give. It is a joy to work with you.

May God be close to you.

2015

Spring Small Groups

Register online at centenary-ws.org How do you go deeper in your discipleship? John Wesley said that “Christian Conferencing” is a Means of Grace – a place where our spirit and God’s Spirit connect.

One of the key places for Christian Conferencing in our church today is found through the variety of small groups offered each Spring and Fall.

If you have never been in a small group before, we encourage you to make this a part of your spiritual growth in 2015. Look through the many options from Bible Study to Christian Theology, from Creation Care to learning how our Emotions affect our Spirituality. For more information, go to the church website or pick up a small groups brochure in Glad Tidings Books & Gifts. Contact Rev. Jonathan Brake for more information.

Small Groups registration is now open Online: www.centenary-ws.org In Person: Glad Tidings Books & Gifts

By Phone: Tara Snow 336-397-1342 Contact Info Rev. Jonathan Brake, Associate Minister jbrake@centenary-ws.org 336.397.1334

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entenar y

u n i t e d

m e t h o d i s t

w i n s t o n - s a l e m

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Worship Elements

showell@centenary-ws. org 336-397-1348

Baptism

By Sarah Howell

The Baptismal Font at Centenary

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t the beginning of this year, I had the privilege of traveling to Israel and Palestine with a group of young clergy from the Western North Carolina Conference. One of the many holy sites we visited was the Jordan River. The Jordan is not an impressive body of water.

It is small and muddy. But it is the place where John the Baptist, well, baptized people—including Jesus.

We were there not just as tourists; we were there as pilgrims. And so, we worshipped on the banks of the Jordan.

We held a baptismal remembrance service, singing and praying by the water. We went into the water in pairs, dipping our hands into the river and making the sign of the cross or just dumping a handful of water on our partner’s forehead. As we did so, we spoke one simple phrase: “Remember your baptism, and be thankful.”

Here’s the thing: I don’t remember my baptism. I was 4 months old when I was baptized.

For Methodists, infant baptism is the standard, in large part because we believe in prevenient grace. Prevenient grace is the grace that goes before us—it tells us that God is active in our lives even before we are aware of it. Baptism is a gift whose goodness is based first and foremost on God’s giving.

I may not remember my baptism, but lots of other people do. My parents, my godparents, the community of faith that witnessed my baptism and made their own promises to me and to my family— they remember, and I remember through them. More importantly, God remembers.

When I remember my baptism, I am resting in the collective memory of the church that baptized me and of the God who will never forget me.

We believe in one baptism because baptism is a covenant with God—and God never breaks God’s promises. We may fail, we may break the promises made by and for us in our baptism, but God remains steadfast. We believe this about

faith, too. Our faith in God may falter, whether through failing mental faculties or simple human wandering, but God remains faithful. Even these may forget— even you may forget—yet I will not forget you (Isaiah 49:15).

Here at Centenary, we follow Methodist tradition and theology in practicing infant baptism. In some traditions, the practice is believer’s baptism—a person must make a profession of faith before being baptized.

But since we see baptism as a covenant initiated by God, and since we believe that grace is active in our lives before we even know it, we baptize infants and adopt them into the family of the church. We, as the body of Christ, make promises to the child and to the family, knowing that even if we fail to live up to those promises, God will always be faithful.

in February. It now sits in a jar on a shelf in my house, reminding me of the baptism I don’t remember but from which my life and vocation has flowed for 27 years.

God’s grace has gone before me and has held me even when I did not know it or acknowledge it, and it will carry me through all my days.

This does not mean that a person can age out of an opportunity to be baptized.

Although the general practice is to baptize infants, we will baptize older children and adults who make a profession of faith and who have not previously been baptized. On Mother’s Day of this year, we baptized Morgan Slate into the church.

Morgan is a young adult whose mother had recently passed away, and one of Morgan’s promises to her mother was that she would be baptized at Centenary on Mother’s Day. It was a moving testament to Morgan’s faith and to the enduring presence and guidance of her mother.

Centenary celebrates baptisms with great regularity, which is a true joy. In the last year, the clergy began working on an alternate liturgy for these baptisms. The new liturgy incorporates a beautiful, modern affirmation of faith that invites the whole congregation to join in the profession rather than simply asking the parents of the child a series of questions.

However, we find that for some families, retaining the language of the traditional baptismal liturgy is important, and so you will find that our service follows that rubric when it is requested.

When I left the Jordan back in January, I took with me a bottle of water from the river. It was used for baptismal remembrance in a Roots Revival service

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Welcome

New Members

Mark & Lindley Curtis (Claire, Wesley)

Sarah Dale (Phoebe, Meredith)

Seth and Leigh Hamm (Ethan, Libby Jane)

Not Pictured Rebecca MacNeilage Olivia Money Boyd & Randi Honeycutt

Hector Perez

Anita Brewer Pulley

We give thanks for all that God has already given you and we welcome you in Christian love.

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Lenten Study

jbrake@centenary-ws. org 336-397-1334

2015 Lenten Study “Do Something” What do you usually give up for Lent? This year, we’re going to give up Apathy! We’re going to move closer to the caring love of God by working together to Do Something for the Kingdom of God. Sign up for one of our Lenten Small Groups where we will move from prayer to action. Why? Because Jesus thinks the world is worth saving and he has called us to get involved. In six weeks we will explore fasting, serving, feeding, seeking, healing, and refining and we partner with Jesus to bring the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

Lenten Study Kickoff Covered Dish Sunday, February 15, 2015 6:30pm in the Auditorium

Small Groups begin the week of February 16

Small Groups will again be offered in homes and other locations across the Forsyth County area each week. Find one that fits your schedule!

Registration & Information

Look on our website under “Adult Ministry” or in Glad Tidings Books & Gifts. Also find registration materials in the information stations. Contact Person: Rev. Jonathan Brake

Participants Book A World Worth Saving: Lenten Spiritual Practices for Action

by George Hovaness Donigian Available in Glad Tidings Books & Gifts (or on Kindle)

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Memorials Centenary Fund

Sacred Music

In memory of Dr. William Arnold Lambeth, Jr. by Martha Womble. In memory of Marilee Conrad Pardue by Bishop and Mrs. Tom Stockton, The Chapel Class, Dewey and Betty Chapple, Debra Kiser, Mr. and Mrs. Sam C. Ogburn, Sr., Fred and Faye Marchant, Ken and Betty Stafford, Norwood Robinson, Susan and Paul Armstrong, Gayle Foster, Circle #8, Jerry Murdock, Tom and Vicki Hunt, George J. Ellis, Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Cannon, Horace and Ruth Deudney. In memory of Richard “Dick” Tenney Bynum by Circle #1, Dr. George Robinson, Clayton and Eleanor Boggan, Sandra and Wayne Shugart. In memory of Dr. J. Gaylord May by Lynn Adams, Cannon & Company, LLP, Eugene and Harriet May Heise. In memory of Mary Ellen Hill Davis by Harry and Nancy Underwood. In memory of James Arnold Fyock by Linda and Michael O’Dunne. In memory of Wendel Hill “Bunky” Stockton

by Dr. George Robinson. In memory of Wade Hampton Clayton III by Clayton and Eleanor Boggan, Horace and Ruth Deudney. In memory of Ann Lenox Gore Spencer by Sally Gulley. In memory of David Thomas “Tom” Dance by Sandra and Wayne Shugart. In memory of Libby Ann Voss by Bill and Nancy McClure, Mrs. Jack Rose, Jane Reade. In memory of Laura Beth Smith Spivey by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Cannon. In memory of Ruth Howard Mundy by Sandra and Wayne Shugart.

In memory of Bettye Balthrop Shehan by Anna May Gillett. In memory of Thomas Jackson “Jack” Greenwood, Sr. by Herb and Linda Baker, Alice and Jay Mahoney.

In memory of Nancy Secrest Helmbrecht Cockman by George and Susan Ragland, Richard Stockton, Dean Henrichs, Alice Kenney.

In memory of Richard “Dick” Tenney Bynum by Gloria and Mitch Lowrey, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Miller, Robert Clinard.

In memory of Bettye Balthrop Shehan

by Delores Gray. In memory of Elizabeth Gibbons Hunter by Audrey Staruch.

Music and the Arts In memory of William “Bill” Charles Voiers by Robin Voiers.

Respite Care In memory of Buna Sprinkle by Lonnie Sprinkle.

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Senior Adult Ministry In memory of Reverend Francis “Frank” Beaury Cook by Jeffrey Coltrane, Jr.

In Memoriam Wade Hampton Clayton III October 11, 2014 Marilee Conrad Pardue October 12, 2014 The Reverend Frank B. Cook October 22, 2014 Jayne C. Walker October 25, 2014 Jeannine Amelia Brunstetter October 30, 2014 Libby Ann Voss November 2, 2014 Nancy H. Cockman November 21, 2014 Elizabeth A. (Libby) Caudill November 10, 2014 Benjamin Franklin Niven Jr. December 1, 2014 Dr. Robert Wesley Clinard December 3, 2014 Jean Aleen Steelman December 4, 2014 Grace Richardson Early December 5, 2014 Edward Gregory “ Greg” Brewer December 11, 2014 H. Kenneth Smith, Sr. December 11, 2014 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.

Honoraria Centenary Fund

Youth Ministry

In honor of Dr. Robert E. Frazier by Harry and Nancy Underwood. In honor of Vida Jennings Kennedy by Thomas Hanes Pierce.

In honor of the marriage of Tamara Clark and Dr. Edward Pollock, Jr. by Dr. and Mrs. A.D. Kornegay. In honor of Tammy and Eddie Pollock by Kenneth and Wendy Tucker, E.Q. Wilson, Deena and Lon Morgan.

Children’s Ministry In honor of Jacob, Eva, and Caleb Hollar

by Larry and Frances Hollar. In honor of Jack Norman by Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Sponcler.

Loaves and Fishes In honor of Tammy and Eddie Pollock by Rosemary and Robert Pulliam. In honor of Marianne Bach by Wayne and Ann Yelverton.

We celebrate the birth of... ...(Walter) Scott Petree, born September 24, 2014, son of Tucker and Chip Petree, grandson of Louise and Harold Pollard, and nephew of Elizabeth and Rob Welch and Nell and Soren Johnson.

Love Thy Neighbor

We celebrate the baptism of...

In honor of Tammy and Eddie Pollock by Wilba Brady, William Frisbie. In honor of Tammy and Eddie Pollock’s Wedding by Mr. and Mrs. Randy Casstevens.

...Elizabeth Jane Hamm daughter of Seth & Leigh Hamm, sister to Ethan (3 years).

Miscellaneous In honor of Tammy Pollock by Mr. and Mrs. Peter Epermanis.

...Sydney Adair Barnes, daughter of

Margaret Barnes, and granddaughter of John & Kathy Barnes. ...Corbin Taylor Smith, son of Bryan & Magan Smith, brother of Avery 5 years), and grandson to Susan Reiner.

Music and the Arts In honor of Barbara Fulp by Phyllis Dunning. In honor of Jean Burroughs by Phyllis Dunning.

Respite Care In honor of Mary Alice Love by Sarah McFarland. In honor of Jan Sawyer by Paul and Carlinda Meier, Wayne and Ann Yelverton. In honor of Carol Leinbach by Nell Cavenaugh.

Sacred Music Fund In honor of Gene Wagoner by College Park Baptist Church, Inc. of Winston-Salem.

Soul Sisters One Sunday, following the 11AM worship service, I was walking back through the Sanctuary and came across these sisters of faith and I asked if I could photograph them.

Can you imagine the stories of faith they could share? Can you imagine the joy and affection they share for one another and for Centenary? As we celebrate the new year, I hope you will celebrate one another and share in the joy and love of Centenary.

Doug Peninger

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Winston-Salem Street School

jjones@centenary-ws. org 336-397-1361

Deeper Involvement

By Judy Jones

2014 brought deeper involvement from Centenary in the Winston Salem Street School. We continued with the Monday morning breakfasts serving up chicken fried biscuits and good conversations with the students. Glad Tidings underwrote the September Fund raising luncheon at Forsyth Country Club turning an investment of $6,000 into over $60,000.00 in donations to continue the education for students of the WSSS. Glad Tidings volunteers were excited and honored to prepare and serve a Christmas feast for the WSSS Christmas luncheon. It was a beautiful and grace-filled gathering. Children of WSSS students were named on Centenary’s Angel Tree and were provided their chosen gifts. Loaves and Fishes was so faithful and provided bags of food to select students, assuring them of a holiday meal.

2015 will bring many positive happenings for the Winston Salem Street School with continued development of The Angels program in which supporters are able to provide special needs in particular situations for WSSS students. Please contact Judy Jones or any Glad Tidings volunteer if you would like to find out how you can be a part of that ministry.

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jjones@centenary-ws. org 336-397-1361

DAYBreak/Respite Care

A True Blessing The letter below was submitted anonymously.

J

ust when we think everything is going great, life has a way of tossing us curve balls that can make us question our ability to cope with crisis. I had no idea that the loud crash coming from upstairs was heralding in a life altering event for us both.

Rick suffered a stroke that took away most of the things in his life that he deemed important. It stripped him of his ability to speak well, to read, to write, to tell time or to manage his life. Physically, he rebounded quickly but from that moment forward, I became his caregiver.

I had retired two months earlier after a thirty year career as a nurse. I thought I was well prepared for the challenge of being a caregiver but I quickly learned that there is a vast difference between being a care provider and being a caregiver. I don’t think anything can prepare us for the ultimate responsibility of taking over another person’s life completely.

He remained in the hospital for more than a month. During that time, I was able to figure out our finances and, at least, pay the bills. He’d always been the organized one and his record keeping was impeccable.

After thirty- five years together, we’d defined our roles and my role had not been to manage our money.

Luckily, I’d paid attention to his lighthearted sermons about the importance of fiscal responsibility.

After he was discharged from the hospital, I faced the sobering reality of our situation and realized that I didn’t know where to turn next. I felt capable of managing his recovery but as the months went by, I realized that I couldn’t do it alone. I offer advice to anyone who finds themselves in this situation to not try to do it alone. Whether the help is provided by friends, family or a paid care provider, don’t turn down help.

While the hospital staff had been wonderful during Rick’s admission, they weren’t much help after he was discharged. If it hadn’t been for a neighbor telling me about the Daybreak Respite program held at Centenary United Methodist Church in WinstonSalem, I honestly don’t think I would have survived. Respite care offers a break for caregivers while providing a safe environment for your loved one. Jan Sawyer, the Daybreak program director, talked me off of the ledge more than

once. She became a trusted friend and a wonderful resource.

Rick attended the program three days a week. The five hours I had to myself made such a difference in our quality of life.

He enjoyed being there. The program not only provided us with desperately needed respite care, it was life enhancement for Rick. The staff and volunteers are so helpful and kind. I never worried about him when he was at Daybreak. They also offer a monthly support group for the caregivers.

Daybreak was a true blessing for us and I know it can be for you as well. Daybreak is an intimate group of about ten open to the community. It meets every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 am - 3 pm. For information about enrollment, fees, or program specifics contact Jan Sawyer (397-1345)/jsawyer@centenaryws.org.

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Children’s Ministry

kmay@centenary-ws.org 336-397-1331

What Do You Love About Chruch?

By Rev. Kate May

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rowing up I was always at the church. If someone had asked me what I loved most about church I would have said that it was a place I felt safe and at home. It was the place I needed when I felt lost in my own skin as a preteen and teenager. So as we begin to talk about what a renovated children’s building might look like I was curious what our kids love about church. When I asked them, here’s what they told me: • God • Children’s church because it’s better than sitting in boring old big church • We get to have fun here and be together and be who we are • Fun and games • We get to learn about God • Sunday School • Talking to God • Listening to music • Going to music class • Communion • Singing • Storytime • Donuts • Vacation bible school • Worship • Friends at church • Everything!

The safety I felt was what led me to my call in children’s ministry. I wanted to create for as many kids as I could the love and safety I experienced at the church. What do you love about church. How can you share that love with someone?

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jjones@centenary-ws.org 336-397-1361

Glad Tidings

By Judy Jones

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n the depths of winter, our souls are renewed by words of grace from theologians speaking their faith and their interpretations of the word of God and the meaning to our lives. We recommend books by Barbara Brown Taylor, Richard Rohr, Henri Nouwen and Adam Hamilton to mention a few. Take some time to visit our new reading room and sit down for a few moments with a book and see where it takes you. This new space is perfect for spending time with

a book, a close friend or maybe just yourself! Help yourself to a cup of freshly brewed coffee or tea, cozy up to the fireplace and relax!

As we clear out the holiday items with sales in Glad Tidings, know that right around the corner are beautiful spring scarves from Two’s Company, unique garden art and Valentine gifts and thoughts from a variety of vendors. We have a new line of jewelry that is top of the line.

Lastly, we thank every supporter of Glad Tidings. You encouraged us in 2014 and you made us want to be even better for you and Centenary. We were able to fulfill our obligation to the Winston Salem Street School and to Centenary United Methodist Church and each volunteer is well aware of how we were able to accomplish those goals. It was only because each of you joined us in the ministry of love, and we appreciate the words of support and your prayers.

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Missions

showell@centenary-ws. org 336-397-1348

Haiti: A Reflection

By Rev. Sarah S. Howell

education in Haiti, so not all children are able to attend school. HOM reaches out to impoverished families through their churches, recognizing that worship and spirituality are empty unless paired with meeting educational, medical, and relational needs.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. It shares the island of Hispanola (where Christopher Columbus landed) with the Dominican Republic. Haiti was a slave colony of France, at one time producing enormous exports of coffee and sugar— but with such terrible conditions that they required more slave imports than any other place because the slaves could not repopulate naturally.

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n October, a 9-person team from Centenary traveled to Port-au-Prince, Haiti for 5 days. We went to work with and learn from Haiti Outreach Ministries, a Haitian-run organization working in the poorest parts of Port-au-Prince.

HOM has Winston-Salem connections— Pastor Leon Dorleons, who started HOM, is a graduate of Piedmont Bible College (now Piedmont International University), and his daughter is a student at Salem College. Some of our team members had worked with HOM or traveled to Haiti before; others had never been on a mission trip. All were transformed by the experience.

HOM operates at 3 sites around Port-auPrince. At each site is a church, a school, and a medical clinic. There is no public

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Slave revolts eventually freed the country from imperial rule but left a wholly uneducated population with no government or infrastructure, and a long line of dictators continued the oppression and exploitation of the Haitian people. Although Haiti is now a republic with a president, the government and most of the economy is controlled by a few mafia families who prevent aid and uplift from benefiting the general population.

It is against this historical backdrop that Pastor Leon felt the call to do something.

HOM began in Cité Soleil, a slum of Port-au-Prince, the largest slum in the Northern Hemisphere. A few of our team members went to Cité Soleil and another nearby community to help re-roof some of these homes, one of the many services HOM offers to its neighbors. Half the homes in Cité Soleil are long rows of small concrete buildings with corrugated metal roofs, with 6-10 people living in a space smaller than many of our living rooms; the other half are homes made entirely from scavenged materials.

I have never seen anything like Cité Soleil in my life. Small children walk barefoot and half-naked through streets (that are really alleys maybe 5 or 6 feet wide) full of puddles, mud, trash, and excrement, carrying large jugs of water on their heads. Women wash clothes in large tubs of soapy water. People of all ages bathe and brush their teeth outdoors, dumping dirty water into the gutters.

Yet in the midst of this abject poverty, children played and laughed, coming to stare at the “blans” (Haitian slang for white people), waving timidly and replying “bon jou” when we proffered a Creole greeting (French is the official language of Haiti, but everyone speaks Creole, and people who have had no formal education may only speak Creole).

A few residents made fun of Richard Cassidy’s boisterous laugh as they cooked rice and washed clothes while we worked on the roof.

Our team worked at a new HOM site where a high school is being built. The three HOM schools in existence start at pre-K (age 3) and go through 6th grade.

There is no guarantee that students will be able to continue to high school, and so HOM is building one to keep their children in the system and give them the best possible education.

The high school will include several classroom buildings, an administrative building, a chapel, and a trade school where students can learn practical skills for gaining employment. HOM already offers sewing and computer classes for older students at its existing sites. Our team painted the groundskeeper’s house, the first building completed on the site of the high school.

The most joyful parts of the trip came in meeting the people, especially the children. We were able to interact with

the schoolchildren at Terre Noire, the HOM site where we stayed. We visited their classrooms, played, and sang with them. We also visited two different orphanages, one for girls (several of whom attend HOM schools) and another for children with special needs. It was in reflecting on the experience at the latter that Richard Cassidy wrote his poem “Where Is Your God?” On the last day of our trip, we went to two different church services. Haitian church is simply amazing—the faith of the people, which is so evident on a day to day basis, comes fully alive in worship.

We learned that in Creole, God is called “Bon Dye,” which means “Good God.” It’s never just “God”—it is always “Good God.” We came into the church at Terre Noire and found our seats in the sanctuary. The church seats 1,000, and it was packed by 6:00 in the morning. The entire service was in Creole, so we understood very little of what was happening. But the spirit of worship was palpable, inviting, and infectious.

We all felt that it didn’t matter that

we didn’t understand the words— we were truly worshipping with our Haitian brothers and sisters. And when communion was celebrated, we understood without translation that we were welcome at Christ’s table.

After church, we went to lunch at the Hotel Montana, a nice hotel in the hills above Port-au-Prince. We were accompanied by a translator named Rony, whose English is excellent and whose area of expertise is computer programming.

Although he is paid to translate, he insists that his time with HOM is service, not work—he is passionate about supporting their mission and connecting with visiting teams to share his story and the story of Haiti.

Rony lost his mother in the 2010 earthquake, and he doesn’t know who his father is. When he asked if that happened in America—fathers not taking care of their children—we assured him that was a human problem, not a Haitian problem.

Rony would love to come to America to study more and find a good job, but it is extremely difficult for a Haitian to get a visa to come to the U.S. When we asked

Rony what he would miss most about Haiti if he were able to come to America, however unlikely that might be, he said, “the courage of the people.” Rony is himself a testament to the faith, fortitude, and tenacity of the Haitian people, and I am blessed to know him.

The Hotel Montana is itself a tragic story—it was destroyed in the earthquake that took Rony’s mother. Many guests were killed, including Sam Dixon, head of the United Methodist Committee on Relief, and Clinton Rabb, a leader in the United Methodist Church’s mission volunteer program.

Methodists are always doing good work in Haiti, and UMCOR was the first group there to respond to the earthquake.

Although those and many other losses were deeply tragic, I am proud to be a part of a denomination where leaders are willing to GO, taking risks both known and unknown, to support development work around the world for the sake of the kingdom.

Where is Your God? Angels cloud my view of dirt and raw sewage that’s present everywhere; Your eyes, your eyes shine so bright they attract all those whose life is full of pain and devoid of hope.

Everywhere you look the only thing you see is hope Within everyone you see God-Incarnate’s heart beats.

Never before have I felt so close to the crucified Christ, Until now, I have never touched His wounds.

Today as I kneel in prayer Today as my heart breaks Today my faith is restored as the risen Christ takes my hand, sits in my lap, and laughs.

“Where is your God?” they ask, “in the midst of all the trash, dung, and disease, where is your God?” Here is my God; Covered in flies, and bugs, Wearing unchanged diapers, Bodies broken and beaten by disease; Innocent children wanting nothing else than to be held; There is my God! As I wipe away the flies, and let the children sit in my lap and play with my hair, we declare God’s Kingdom, here, now.

No matter what icon you choose, the savior on a cross, an empty tomb, an ascending King, or a child whose face is covered in flies; No matter what icon you choose don’t stop there, let God carry you on in good works prepared only for you.

We are the hands, feet, and heart of Christ, and so is the crippled speechless child wanting nothing more than to love and be loved. ~ Richard Cassidy

Editor’s Note: Richard submitted this poem after his moving trip to Haiti.

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Youth Ministry

tpollock@centenary-ws.org 336-397-1337

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