Dear Family and Friends of Centenary, As we approach the season of Thanksgiving, many of us find ourselves reflecting on the generosity of God and all the many gifts God has given us. Yes, our God is a God of abundance, and we see that not only in our own lives but also throughout scripture. The first chapters of Genesis are songs of praise for God’s generosity, with each act of creation, the divine refrain is “It is good, it is very good.” The Psalms catalogue God’s abundance as in Psalm 104 …. You cause the grass to grow for the cattle and plants for people to cultivate, to bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the human heart. Then in the Gospels, Jesus multiplies loaves and fishes so that there is enough for everyone. At a wedding feast he turns water into wine as much as 180 gallons. These stories speak of God’s abundance, and it is an abundance that is shared. The loaves and fishes are passed among the crowd, and the wine is poured for the guests. God’s abundance is not something that anyone gets to hold onto – we are called to give it away. Paul reminds the Corinthians that God provides “every blessing in abundance” so that, having enough, we might “share abundantly in every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8) Paul’s words give us a picture of what happens when we understand our lives through the lens of God’s abundance. We become people willing to share what we have received. So, what does it look like when God’s abundance becomes a way of life? Michael Jinkins, former president of Louisville Presbyterian Seminary, tells a story about Ed Vickery, whose generosity was something of a legend. The story comes from Ed’s own daughter: “Having forgotten to check how much gas was in the tank before leaving, Ed and his daughter ran out on a lonely stretch of road halfway to their destination. A phone call later, a young man from a gas station in the next town arrived. He put enough gas in the tank to get them to his station. Once they got to the station, they filled the car and were ready to resume their trip. Before driving away, Ed handed his daughter two fifty-dollar bills to give to the young man as a way of saying ‘Thanks for coming to our rescue.’ She said, ‘Daddy, I’m sure he would be more than happy with just one of those.’ To which her father responded, ‘I don’t want him to be happy. I want him to be ecstatic!’” Here was a man who understood abundance. His goal was not simply to do what was necessary, he wanted his generosity to make a difference in someone else’s life. As you prayerfully consider your gift to Centenary for 2027, my prayer is that you will see it as an opportunity to respond to God’s generosity with generosity of your own. May the abundance we have received become abundance in action—through our generosity, our ministries, and our life together as Centenary United Methodist Church. With gratitude and joy,
Rev. Lara “Willis” Greene Senior Minister
Mary Ann Wexler Executive Director
Libit Glenn Church Council Chair
PO BOX 658 • Winston-Salem, NC • 27101 www.centenary-ws.org • 336.724.6311
Bebe Krewson Finance Chair