INSPIRE 2.23.17

Inspire Newsletter of the Central United Methodist Church

February 23, 2017 Rearrange

Central Lights - March 7 Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “Things do not change, we change.” Take a
Musical Medicine moment and let that sink in.

The March Central Lights program will feature There is some truth to the old phrase, Lent is a season of
guest speaker, Dr. Suzanne Jonas. Jonas is a “the more things change the more they learning to follow
musician, behavioral medicine psychologist, stay the same.” Humans are, by nature,
and sound therapist who worked in the field creatures of habit. We create routines and Jesus.
of sound and music therapies for more than we have our rituals that help guide us with
25 years. Musical medicine is devoted to some measure of sanity throughout our
bringing the healing and focusing energies of hectic lives.
music and sound to everyone.
Central Lights will meet Tuesday, March, 7 at We do this at home, at work, in our play, and especially as it relates to religion. We
10:30 am. Lunch will follow the program for tend to like and appreciate — and perhaps need - routine and ritual that helps
$6. All senior and retired members and friends guide us in our faith.
are invited to attend. Visitors are always
welcome. What can happen, though, is ritual becomes dogma, and our purpose becomes
just going through the motions. Think about the furniture in your house. Keeping it
WOW Dinner Group in the same place can be comforting and helpful (you can walk through the living
room in the dark and know exactly where to step to miss the leg of the couch with
The Central WOWs women’s dinner group your big toe). You can also get so used to it that you sometimes overlook some-
(Women of Worship) is open to all women thing you are missing because everything looks the same. When you rearrange
who’d enjoy a casual night out with friends, the furniture, suddenly your outlook has changed — you are looking at the same
and want to get better acquainted with others space, but through a different lens. The rearranging will cause you to learn a new
in the Central UMC community.  Just din- way of walking through the living room.
ner-no program, no cooking! We meet on the
4th Thursday of every month at 6 pm. Please Lent begins on March 1 with Ash Wednesday. Historically, Lent has been a time of
email Sue Renfro at suzannerenfro1@gmail. self-reflection, meditation, and repentance. A lot of us give up something (like food
com for more information. or some pleasure) to draw closer to God. That’s not a bad thing at all.

Central HUB Yet in the early church, the primary purpose was for Lent to be the final leg of
intense preparation and support for people who have chosen to live in the way of
We send out a weekly e-newsletter via email Jesus. It was the last step before baptism.
to keep people up to date on important news,
reminders, and calendar events. If you would Perhaps we can reclaim some of that purpose? What if Lent was less about self-im-
like to be added to the weekly e-news list, provement and more about learning to live in the way of Jesus?
please contact the church office at 865-524-
1659 or [email protected] Recalling Thoreau, this may require some change within us. It may require a sort of
rearranging. Maybe it does invite you to give up something, and maybe it doesn’t.
Church Directory Maybe it means finding time to be quiet or to be intentional about serving others.
Lent is a season of learning to follow Jesus.
Our church directory can be found online
and your mobile device using Instant Church Throughout Lent, rearrange will be a key word for us. It insinuates change. It invites
Directory app. You can access the directory us, individually and corporately, to enter into a process of rearranging. What comes
by your email as it’s listed in our directory. out of that we cannot yet know. But we can be certain we will not be the same.
Please let Kathy Gant, [email protected], know if
you need assistance. The digital directory is I pray you will join us for this Lenten journey together.
kept up to date with changes, so if you have
a change of address, email, or phone please Pastor Jimmy
let us know. If you need an updated printed
version please let the church office know.

Inspire • February 23, 2017 • Page 2

Ministry Spotlight

Beaumont Bags - Central has been The Concerts and Lunch series offers a
given another opportunity to serve! musical concert at 12:05 pm followed by
We are looking for volunteers to go lunch for $6/person.
to Beaumont Elementary School on
Thursdays at 10 am to stuff provided Monday, March 20, 12:05 p.m.
food in bags for children who deal with Psalm Concert
food insecurities over the weekend. Steve Boyce, tenor; Anna Thomas, flute;
Can you volunteer to help stuff bags once a month? Please see John Purifoy, piano
the sign-up sheet in hallway or call the church office. ‡
Monday, April 10, 12:05 p.m.
This year, the Central Chancel Choir will Ecumenical Handbell Ringers

be providing a singing worship service

with an Easter Cantata the Sunday after

Easter on April 23. We have begun The Trustees invite you to sign up help
declutter, deep clean, and thoroughly
rehearsals for that. Many, any and all wash and dust areas of the church. We will
be having a “Spring Cleaning” week at the
are invited to join us. The Christmas church March 27-31. Please sign up for an
area and come at your leisure during that
Cantata was a huge success and our week to deep clean one of the areas.
There is a sign-up sheet located on the
choir hit 40 members for the Sign Up Central board in the hallway or
call the church office. ‡
first time in many, many years.

We certainly hope to have a big choir for some very special

services this spring. Please join us for rehearsals, services and

both. A big choir is sought for Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday,

Central’s 90th Anniversary Service(March 26), Easter Sunday Ser-

vice, with brass (April 16), and our Sunday, April 23, Easter Cantata

Service. Regular Choir rehearsal is now 6:50-7:30 and cantata

rehearsal is 7:30-8:10. Hope to see you there! Please note that some of the 3rd floor is
currently under some restoration work.
- George Hayden, Music Director ‡ Children and Youth Classes & the Choir are
still being held in their current classrooms.
Nourish Knoxville’s 2017 Please excuse the mess in the hallways.
Winter Market, is held here in the Per the trustees, at this time, please do not
fellowship hall of Central UMC on the give tours of the 3rd and 4th floors. ‡
following
Saturdays from 10 am- 2pm: As we near our 90th anniversary cele-
February 25 bration on March 26, it is good to gather
March 11 & March 25 together and celebrate what God has
April 8 & April 22 been up to in and through Central. You’re
invited to attend Lunch and Learn:
Central UMC provides hospitality by providing greeters at the Celebrating Our Past, Continuing the
doors and we run a small refreshment stand from the kitchen Journey on February 26, right after
window. We need people to sell beverages and to be greeters/ worship. We’ll celebrate what we’ve been able to accomplish over
hosts. To volunteer for a shift, which are 9:30-12 and 12-2:30, the past few years through Phase I of our master plan, and look
please sign-up on the Sign-Up Central Board, call the church office, ahead to Phase II and where we feel God might be leading us. This
or contact Tim & Melanie Gangaware. will be a helpful refresher for those who have been at Central at
least four years, and a good way for people who are newer to learn
Winter Market is a fantastic way to about what has taken place over the past five to six years. Lunch
spend your Saturday morning, whether will be provided at no cost and together with the presentation will
shopping, volunteering, or be no more than an hour and fifteen minutes. Child care will also
simply in fellowship! ‡ be provided. ‡

Inspire • February 23, 2017 • Page 3

90 and Counting

On March 20, 1927, Central Methodist Episcopal Church, South officially opened with
2000 people filling the sanctuary for three different services. Ninety years, twenty-two
senior pastors, hundreds of baptisms, weddings and funerals, and service to the
neighborhood, Central still stands as a witness to the faithfulness of God and gener-
osity and love of the people called Methodists.

What a wonderful history we have to celebrate. On March 26, we will celebrate our
90th birthday in worship. Our theme will emphasize our multi-generational church.
Our children will ring bells, the choir will sing, we hope to have dance, and the su-
perintendent will bring greetings from the annual conference. We encourage you to
invite your friends, family, neighbors, and especially any folks who may have ties to
Central. After worship, you’re invited to an informal reception in the welcome center
downstairs.

It promises to be a grand day as we celebrate what has been and what is to come!

Our anniversary team is helping to plan the service and coordinate some special events throughout the coming year.
The anniversary team is: Melynda Whetsel (chair), Laura Walker, Ann Sartwell, Katie Comen, and Jon Boggs.

Youth News

Youth Schedule After spending an exciting weekend at #REZ17 (that mean “Resurrection 2017” for us older folks) I think
I have finally caught up on my sleep. The experience of my first Resurrection was truly amazing. To see
Sunday, March 5 - 5:30 pm the youth bond and share their struggles with each other, the other leaders and myself left me amazed
Youth Group at the level of maturity they displayed.
I would like to thank all of you who have reached out to me and been so helpful in my first few months
Sunday, March 12 After Church here at Central UMC, the support has been overwhelming at times and I really do appreciate it. It truly
Youth Planning Meeting has been an amazing 5 months getting to know all of you and serving with you.
Central UMC is an amazing place to serve and I know that God has great things instore for the
Sunday, March 19 Children and Youth Ministries. I look forward to serving with you and seeing God work in the lives of
Picnic and Hike at Ijams our Children and Youth.
John Lansford, Director of Children and Youth Ministries
Sunday, March 26
NO Youth Group

Sunday, February 26 - 12:00 noon Mark Your Calendar Saturday, May 13
Lunch & Learn: UMW Flea Market
Saturday, April 15
Celebrating Our Past, Continuing the Journey Bunny Breakfast July 23-29
Youth Mission Trip
Wednesday, March 1 - 7:00 pm Sunday, April 16 – 10:45 am Worship
Ash Wednesday Service Easter Sunday
Fourth United Presbyterian
Sunday, April 23 – 10:45 am Worship
Sunday, March 26 – 10:45 am Worship Easter Cantata
90th Anniversary Celebration
Reception Following Sunday, April 23
4th & Gill Home Tour

Thursday, April 13 - 7:00 pm Monday, May 8
Maundy Thursday Service Fulton Baccalaureate
Central UMC

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Central United Methodist Church, 201 3rd Ave.,
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Our Vision: Making Christ known by extending hospitality, serving the community, and embracing all.

Central Scrapbook Our Staff

Some members of Central join our friends at Fourth Food Pantry Workers: Rev. Jimmy Sherrod
Presbyterian for their Anti-Racism Series during the
Sherry Johnson and George Whedbee Pastor
month of February Central UMC Emergency Food Pantry 865-805-5373
is open every Thursday,10 am-12 pm. [email protected]
People can get food every 60 days or 4 times a year.
Current Pantry Needs: Diapers, Toilet paper, Ashley Garren
Feminine Hygiene Products, Small Dish Soaps, other
Administrative Assistant
Congratulations to Central Member, Judy Dooley, [email protected]
who retired in January, after over 20 years as the
John Lansford
assistant to the directors of the University of
Tennessee Pride of the Southland Band Director of Children & Youth
[email protected]
WOW Dinner Group enjoys a evening out.
January 26, 2017 Lauren Gangaware

Children’s Ministry Assistant
[email protected]

George Hayden

Music Director
[email protected]

Charles Parham

Organist and Security
[email protected]

Carolyn Cottrell

Pianist
[email protected]

Perry Starkey

Food Services
[email protected]

Jeff Criswell

Custodian
[email protected]

Doug Johnson

Facilities Manager
[email protected]

Central member, Bob Whetsel, recently

enjoyed a Bike trip around Cuba.