CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCHNEWSLETTER

Thanks to the members of the Visioning Facilitation Team, comprised of Charlie Berg, Angela Dugan, Doug Faust, Laura Stevens and Reverend Michelle Hargrave. These five people engaged the congregation in an eight-month vision discernment process. Our new vision statement for Centenary was enthusiastically received by the Administrative Council, and now after a four-week unveiling, we hope you too are energized by the statement. We intend for it to be accurate and truthful, but also inspiring, challenging, evocative, unequivocal, and powerful. We see it both as a recruiting tool, and as a way to create cohesion in our congregation by articulating what binds us together as a community in Christ. In short, the vision provides a lighted pathway into the future that will lead to even greater mission achievement. We invite all of you, EVERY MEMBER of Centenary, to be joyfully inclusive, to champion revolutionary social justice, and to explore and grow your individual ministry gifts in order to create positive change both your own life, and in the lives of those we serve.

Mark Braun, Chair - 20/20 Visioning Team

Centenary United Methodist Church501 South Second Street

Mankato, Minnesota507.387.4074

Centenary’s Vision

w w w . m a n k a t o c e n t e n a r y . o r g

December 2014

DECEMBER WORSHIP

Advent begins Sunday, November 30. “Joy” will shape our movement to the birth of Christ this season.

Sunday, November 30: The Joy of Being Awake, Mark 13:24-37, Rev. Michelle Hargrave preaching

Sunday, December 7, Service of Holy Communion: Good News, Mark 1:1-8, Rev. Michelle Hargrave preaching

Sunday, December 14: Surprise, Luke 1:8-20, Rev. Michelle Hargrave preaching

Sunday, December 21: Mary’s Song, Luke 1:47-55, Erica Koser preaching

Christmas Eve Worship: 4 p.m. with storytelling and Carol Choir, 7 p.m. with Sanctuary Choir, 11 a.m. with Holy Communion and Harp

VITAL SIGNS

IN WORSHIP NEXT MONTH:

Centenary United Methodist Church is a caring and compassionate faith community which is open to all. The cornerstones of our ministry are based on the General Rule of Discipleship as established by the founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley: To witness to Jesus Christ in the world and to follow his teachings through acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Centenary is a Reconciling Congregation. We pledge our love and acceptance of persons of all ages, races, backgrounds, cultures, national origins, conditions, situations, and orientations; thereby opening our doors to all people.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING CENTENARY WITH YOUR PRESENCE AND YOUR GIFTS

FROM THE PASTOR

A little boy, surrounded by Legos on the sanctuary carpet, beams at me all the way through the first hymn of the day.

Sanctuary Choir warm-ups that sound like police sirens.

Folks praying for each other in their Covenant Discipleship groups.

A teenager crying at Confirmation.

Children singing their hearts out at Carol Choir.

The Sanctuary Choir singing for the funerals of former members.

The people who volunteered to cook for Wednesday dinner this fall.

A small group of people making fall basket gifts together, because they love to.

The delight of sharing the building with community partners.

The energy of the Korean Church band singing each Sunday at noon.

Talking about God at Holy Grounds, even as our neighbors thank us for not requiring they believe the same as we do.

The hoot of joy in worship as the vision phrases were revealed.

The faces gathered around the railing during Communion.

The outpouring of food, gloves, and coats for our neighbors this winter.

Lemon Meringue pie served at the Salvation Army.

A roomful of people praying silently together.

The community eating and celebrating together with Friends and Family at the CD release party.

Accept an invitation to joy this Advent season at Centenary Church.

-Pastor Michelle Hargrave

Signs of Joy at Centenary Church:

CHRISTMAS GARDEN ORDER FORM

Rev. Michelle Hargrave

Given by:

In honor of:

In memory of:

Help decorate Centenary’s Sanctuary this Christmas season, with the beauty of flowers, and greenery. You can order yours for $15 by filling out the following order form and placing it in the offering plate with your payment, or you may mail it or bring it to the church office. If you are giving the flowers in memory of or honor of someone, please specify that below.

Following Christmas services, all plants will be distributed through Caring Ministries or used to decorate the Sanctuary on the following Sundays. Also, you need not specify what type of plant you would like to give; we will have a mixture of trees, flowers, ivy and greenery. Thank you for your contribution to our Christmas Garden!

JUSTICE

WORSHIP

COMPASSION

Christmas PageantOne of the ways we engage in the Christmas season is through our Christmas Pageant. Everyone is invited to take part in this years pageant! Join us December 17th at 5pm for dinner and then pick a costume and take part in the No Rehearsal Christmas Program beginning at 6 pm. If you are not in the mood to act, join in carol singing, and listening to the story. The No Rehearsal Christmas Pageant is a great way for anyone to get involved and celebrate the joy of the Christmas story. Following the program, we will enjoy a time of cookies, cocoa, and fellowship. Mark your calendar for December 17th at 6pm!

Winter seems to have arrived rather early here in southern Minnesota. The Salvation Army Shelter has opened and we are seeing 25-30 people each day for Holy Grounds Coffee. Many of the people who come for coffee and a light breakfast are in need of warm hats, scarves, and gloves. We have received several generous donations of beautifully knit hats and scarves, but we are still in need of l/xl warm men’s gloves. In just the last two weeks we have given out 10 pairs of gloves and many hats. We can also use donations of wool socks.

As Holy Grounds continues to grow, we are continually looking for volunteers. If you are a baker, we can always use home baked goods, just drop them off in the kitchen and label them Holy Grounds. If you have questions about Holy Grounds, feel free to contact any member of the Justice Committee or Erica Koser in the office.

Donations tp Help Those in Need as Weather Turns Cold

We are excited to welcome Minnesota Council of Churches Refugee Services to our building. As of November 1st, Refugee Services

has begun to set up office space on the third floor of

the Education wing. Refugee Services opened their first office in Mankato in April of 2012 to address the needs of an increasing refugee population in the community. Refugee Services works to support refugee community integration and independence through case management, job placement, immigration adjustment, community engagement and outreach services. As a congregation who has at it’s core a desire to partake in revolutionary social justice, we look forward to partnering with refugee services as we share space.

We Welcome our Newest Tenants: Refugee Services

Join the Communion Ministry TeamLooking for a meaningful way to serve your neighbors Sunday morning without having to commit every week? The Communion Ministry Team is looking for additional communion stewards to assist at the 9 a.m. service starting in 2015. With recent changes in pastoral leadership and also circumstances for some of our current stewards, we need your support. We will work with your schedule, and informal orientation is available. Please contact Lisa Christman or Cindy Carpenter if interested.

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." ~T. S. Eliot

Centenary has created its own Advent Devotional on the theme “Joy.” This daily devotional, including artwork and writing from the Centenary community, will be available Sunday, November 30, the First Sunday of Advent in written form, and it will be posted on FaceBook daily through the season.

DEVOTION

Advent Devotional

CENTENARY COMMUNITY

Centering Prayer is a Christian form of silent meditation patterned after the teachings of Jesus. Prayer sessions are about half an hour long, beginning with a quiet reflection which is followed by 25 minutes of silence. Centering Prayer will be offered at Centenary Wednesdays at noon starting December 3 in the sanctuary, and the first Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m., December 4. Sessions will be led by Wilbur Neushwander-Frink and Rev. Michelle Hargrave.

Centering Prayer

The United Methodist Women will have their Christmas Get Together December 3, 2014.

Luncheon : 12:00 noon with soup by Drew Campbell and Eve Circle serving & desserts.

Program : 12:45 p.m. Guest Speaker: Edna Thayer, also know as the “Laughing Lady”.

Edna began Humor THAYER-apy in early 1990. She is also an author and retired nurse. Be prepared to be entertained.

UMW Meeting December 3

A Note of Thank YouI wish to thank many of you from the Centenary Family, for your prayers and support during my brother Paul’s illness. Also, for your acknowledgments, memorials and kind words after Paul passed away. Prayers are still being accepted for Gods good healing, for those in our family, including for his wife Arpi, son Joseph, and many close friends. Thank you.

Warmly,

Drew Campbell

Memorial GiftsOn All Saint’ Sunday this year we gave thanks for the memorial gifts given in the last year. Memorial gifts were given in memory of the following:

Doris Bateman

Ramona Berg

Donald Douma

David Dunlop

Gerald Ewert

Ed Fenton

Elfriede Graser

Bill Laven

James Mason

LaVonne Modlin

Virginia Shouts

Howard Snider

Donald Sweet

Russell Vieregge

Rose Worley

Lynn Waltz

CENTENARY COMMUNITY

2015 Stewardship Campaign is UnderwaySunday, November 23 was Pledge Sunday and many members and friends of Centenary have stepped up to support our ministries. If you haven’t yet pledged, please take the time to do so. If you still have questions about what your finacial gifts support, please see just a few examples in the image below.

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•Making a StatementCentenary’s 20/20 Visioning Team has crafted our new Vision Statement. Mark Braun explains how it came together and how we plan to embrace it.

www.mankatocentenary.org

Centenary United Methodist Church501 South Second StreetMankato, MN 56001

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 44Mankato, MN

56001

What’s Inside:

•From the PastorRev. Michelle identifies the signs of joy at Centenary and extends and invitation to Advent happenings in our community.

•Christmas PageantYou are invited to take part in the No Rehearsal Christmas Program. Details are inside.

•Christmas GardenHelp the Centenary Worship Team fill our building with the joy of the Christmas season by supporting the Christmas Garden. Order forms are inside.

CORNERSTONES NEWSLETTERNOVEMBER 2014