Bee- Newsy Summer Edition 2026 /Centenary UMC

There Is a Time for Everything

             The summer season is just around the corner. As I think back over the last few months we have had a very real change in the seasons. It was only a few months ago when we had the coldest winter in more than fifty years with parts of Chesapeake and Delaware bay freezing over, and just days ago it was over ninety degrees outside.   As I pondered the changing seasons I began to think about the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes.

                     The book of Ecclesiastes is often attributed to King Soloman the son of King David, as he reflects on his life and experiences, and the pursuit of finding meaning. The Hebrew word hevel translates as vanity or meaningless, as king Soloman reflects that life is fleeting and insubstantial in nature. We often find ourselves searching for our own meaning of life, and therefore we look back or forward seeking the wisdom of God.

                     The next line in verse one of Ecclesiastes chapter three gives us a clue to life’s meaning it states; “and a season for every activity under the heavens. (NIV)” The God of the universe in His wisdom has organized our world into seasons, respectively; Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Our lives have also been organized into seasons, the Spring of our youth, the Summer of young adult days, the Autumn of our middle age, and the Winter of our senior years.  We often look back and long to return to the “good ole days” but realize they are just a memory now, we can only look forward, however we can look back and remember the lessons God has taught us and the wisdom we have gained.

                     Centenary church hosted the baccalaureate service for the graduating class of 2026  Laurel High School.  According to Merian Webster Dictionary the word baccalaureate is defined as “a sermon to a graduation class.”  At this time, there are not many baccalaureate services held anymore.  The service at Centenary was led by the students who read scripture and offered prayers.  A sermon message was preached that inspired the students to remember that the God who walked with Moses is the same God who will walk with you, as you now enter a new season of your lives.  This is an essential clue to King Soloman’s search to find meaning in life.

If you take the time to read the full book of Ecclesiastes, you will probably find it a bit depressing, it seems that most of what the king writes about is that nothing has any meaning. That is of course unless you are living a life that is pleasing to God, whether you are in the springtime of your youth, or the winter of your senior years, or somewhere in between.   God is only giving you so many days to try to do all the good you can, that is the only thing that can truly bring meaning to your lives.

                     King Soloman after twelve chapters declares “Meaningless! Meaningless! Says the teacher. “Everything is meaningless!” (Ecclesiastes 12:8 NIV) and if the book stopped there it would indeed be quite depressing, but the king brings it all to a conclusion. “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.  For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12: 13 – 14).

                     Remember the word to the Galatians says “Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.   Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:9 -10 NIV).  Never think that I am too young, or too old, or too busy to do the good will of God, that is what will truly bring meaning to your lives.  There is a time and purpose for every season under heaven.  The meaning of life is that our lives would have a true meaning.

 Pastor Dean

Treasury News by Ann Lee

  Well church family, we made it through a very cold winter and have already had our first heat wave! We have started showing on our weekly bulletin the amount of tithes received each week and the weekly amount needed each week to meet our budget. (perhaps add something like " "there is a wide gap between these figures, leading to deficits in our ability to pay the expenses" to emphasize why we are posting them.)  

 Our most costly operating costs include heat and air conditioning to keep you comfortable on Sundays, water/sewer bills, electricity to keep lights on, etc. ( perhaps mention something like  "Of course we need to pay our pastor's salary and the costs of his parsonage and travel expenses, as well as the salaries of other staff members.")   Some areas you may not think of are the technology needed to provide worship on Sunday mornings (live  streaming, video and music) as well as printing of bulletins. Some of you watch services from your homes and that requires live streaming services which are very costly. Our financial and payroll software also are very costly. If you are interested in seeing a breakdown of our costs, please let us know.

As we approach vacation season, ( perhaps add "We remind you  that although you may be on vacation, our church and church staff are still working, and the church expenses don't ever stop."   Please don’t take a (long) vacation from church. We miss your smiling faces, and we love to worship our Lord as a family together!  (" Please continue to provide monetary support to our church even though you may be away.Let us all faithfully and consciously work  to break down the gap between the money received and the money needed each week to pay the expenses from our church finances.")

News from Centenary’s Music Department

How good it is to sing praise to the Lord!  This is our newest song our praise team has shared with our congregation.  God has blessed our choir and praise team with another great season.  We are coming down to the end of another year for the choir.  The choir has had an excellent year, and we appreciate our Centenary Chancel choir.

The choir will conclude its ministry for the season on Sunday, May 24, after which it will be on hiatus for the summer.  

April 21 was a magical night of Celestial Sounds handbells, Joy Slavens and Ivy Bell on their harps.  It was well attended and we received a generous love offering.  Thank you to all who attended and supported this concert.

I personally thank the choir for their hard work and commitment to practice each week.  Thanks be to God for all He does and will do in the future!

Choir practice will resume September 2 on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

  We welcome new members!

Submitted by Joy Slavens

GriefShare is finishing another spring cycle after meeting since March 5 for 12 weeks.  We’ve had 10 active participants and a team of facilitators including Adriene Custis, Jill Todd, and Karen & Mike Tull. It’s been a wonderful group of people gathering to support each other during a time of loss.  The program brings hope and encouragement to all of those in attendance.  Our last session always ends with a light dinner and an end of cycle celebration.  We share photos of our loved ones and even a favorite memento.    

We’ll be holding a cycle in the fall beginning Sept. 3- Nov 19th  from 4:00 – 6:00.  Please share information about the program with family, friends, or neighbors.  Our group is usually composed of community members as well as those in our church family, so please share this important program.

Game Night at Centenary

Pizza and game night was held on Friday, March 6.  We had about 40 people gathered to enjoy fellowship and games.  It was wonderful to see people of all ages (young children and young at heart) playing games around the table.

Harp & Handbells Spring Concert

On April 21, the handbells and harp concert was attended by a delightful crowd.  The Celestial Sounds bell choir shared some favorite songs.  Joy Slavens played some very beautiful pieces on her harp and Ivy Bell joined her on several selections.  Ivy also blessed us with her voice as she sang, “Over the Rainbow.”  It was a very peaceful night of music to soothe our souls.   Thanks to all who attended.

Mother’s Day

A delicious breakfast and fellowship was enjoyed by those coming early at 9 a.m.  The photo area was a success with many extra family members joining their moms to celebrate the day. Our children’s Sunday school passed out sweet little hats for the ladies of the church.  Bess’ Buds provided beautiful geraniums to adorn our sanctuary and at the end of service, the ladies of the church got to take home a flower.

-Submitted by Karen Tull

    New Members

We welcome our newest members, Gina Doyle, Tom Reid & Breanna Reid, who joined Centenary UMC as members on May 17th, 2026.

Your presence enriches our worship, and we are truly blessed to have you with us!

Upcoming Events This Summer!

Come And Join Us For Fun & Fellowship

Trap Pond Adventure!

On Friday, June 26 at 5:00, we will gather at Trap Pond State Park for some outdoor time with nature. Please sign up at the Welcome Desk if you’d like to attend.  The $5 fee for in-state ($10 for out-of-state) vehicles applies at the entrance.  You’re welcome to carpool down to save on the ride.

Please bring a chair. As you enter the park, go left and then to the left end of the parking lot near the boat rental area.

5:00 – Gather to boat, fish, or walk

6:00- Hotdogs and water provided.  A sign-up sheet for a few extras to compliment the meal will be at the welcome center.  Remember squirrels enjoy what we bring so we must keep it secure.

We are pleased to announce that beginning on Sunday, June 7th, Centenary United Methodist Church will join the list of local historic sites open for free tours. Completed in 1912, the church is home to some of the most stunningly beautiful stained-glass windows in Delaware.

-Delaware Historical Society/Facebook 2026

1st Sunday of Each Month

June-Nov 2026

The Faith & Family Night at the Shorebirds stadium is August 14.  Information will be shared as it gets closer to the date.  We usually do a ticket/food combination for the evening. A sign-up sheet with the details will be done at the beginning of July.

Ministry Information

Ministry Moments

Centenary has been incorporating a three- to four-minute "ministry moment" during the weekly worship service that can, and has, highlighted and celebrated new, ongoing or developing ministries, to our members and inspiring them to become involved. Below are just some of the ministries we have highlighted since it began in February/2026 .

 A special thank you to the members involved taking the time to inform and inspire us.

 2/22    Love, Inc - Karen Womach                            4/19   Choir, Praise Team &  

  3/1      Grief Share- Karen Tull                                          Special Music    -Joy Slavens 

  3/8      Baby Bottle Campaign - Gayle Frick           4/26    Financial Support/Tithing - Mike Tull     

 3/22     Handbells -Janet Morgan                            5/3    Tech & Sound System - Frank Littleton

 3/29     Ensemble - Linda Premo                           5/10    Bible Study - Tom Slavens

  4/5      Membership - Pastor Dean Perdue             5/17    Fellowship Gatherings- Pastor Dean Perdue

4/12      Centenary Women  - Ann Lee                     5/24    Sunday School- Paula Smith

For a recap of these impactful ministries go to YouTube or Facebook/laurelcentenaryumc and watch the live stream dated for the ministry moment just after welcoming announcements.

          What is the baby bottle campaign?

The Baby Bottle Campaign is a simple yet powerful way to support women and families facing unplanned pregnancies. By filling a baby bottle with change, cash, or checks—or donating online—you help provide free, life-affirming services to those in need. Make a Difference—every penny counts!

The Sussex County Pregnancy Center has sent  a letter in care of Gayle Frick  which states…

“A heartfelt thank you to you and the congregation who so generously contributed to the baby bottle Campaign for Sussex County Pregnancy center. This year Centenary United Methodist Church donated $636.99 through bottle donations, more than last year! We are deeply grateful to each and everyone who filled a bottle and thank you for supporting God’s Gift of Life through our ministry.

Frank Litttleton, Head of Centenary's Tech and Sound needs support for the sound system during Sunday morning worship service. Would you like to be part of the music team? Training is available for anyone who would like to learn more and be part of the experience.

Congratulations!

Each spring Centenary recognizes the members of the high school graduating classes who are members, or who have parents that are members of Centenary UMC.

  Hayden Johnson is one of our 2026 graduates!

Hayden has successfully completed a major step in her education, graduating from Delmar High School. Join us  at the 10am worship service on June 7^th for a celebration of Hayden’s accomplishment.

 The members of Centenary wish to share this special event in her life by presenting her with a gift and receiving Hayden as an honored guest

God Bless