Wednesday Words for August 1, 2012
from Pastor Carrie Smith
Thought for the Day:
Abba Doulas, the disciple of Abba Bessarion said, “One day when we were walking beside the sea I was thirsty and I said to Abba Bessarion, “Father, I am very thirsty.” He said a prayer and said to me, “Drink some of the sea water.” The water proved sweet when I drank some. I even poured some into a leather bottle for fear of being thirsty later on. Seeing this, the old man asked me why I was taking some. I said to him, “Forgive me, it is for fear of being thirsty later on.” Then the old man said, “God is here, God is everywhere.”
—Abba Doulas on Abba Bessarion, Orthodox writing
In our prayers: Gerda Kristensen; Scott Bouchard, in the hospital with a leg infection; Michelle Skinner, preemie great-grandchild of the Zoellicks; the Tanzania Trippers; Mission Save a Smile; all those who are struggling against cancer; all those who are grieving the loss of loved ones.
This Sunday at Bethany: This will be Pastor Paul’s first Sunday with us! Pr. Paul’s spouse, Kirstin, will also be here, but she will then have to return to the Twin Cities to continue school on Sunday afternoon. I hope you will make them feel most welcome!
Thanks to all who contributed to the Pantry Shower for Paul and Kirstin. A shopping cart full of food will be wheeled down the aisle to surprise them on Sunday. What a way to say “we’re glad you’re here!”
Monday will be the first day in the office for our new Sunday School superintendent, Barb Buczek. Look for updates on this year’s Sunday school program soon!
An update from Tanzania: “Pat and I, and the whole Northern Illinois Synod group are constantly amazed and enlightened by what we have been seeing for the first time and for the second (or more) time but anew through other people's eyes. Yesterday it was worship and fellowship at two Arusha Lutheran churches and the Tumaiani University at Makumira (especially the student performers and Randy Stubbs in the music department. Today it was in Monduli at the Moringe Sokoine Secondary School and the Maassae Girls Lutheran Secondary School (where Rachel taught English for two years), and back, closer to Arusha at Peace House Secondary School (for students orphaned by AIDS). The discussions are often very intense, but we also laugh a great deal, especially on the bus. By the time we finish supper in the evening, we are beat and crawl into our beds. Love, Ron”
Save the date! Sunday, August 26 will be an Outdoor Worship Service at 10 am, followed by a church picnic. There will be one service only that day. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets. If you don’t have any chairs—come anyway! Many of us will bring our extras to share. The picnic lunch is “bring your own”. We will provide old-time Gospel tunes, guitarists, a casual atmosphere, and games for the kids! To be held at Nunda Township Park—check your Sunday worship bulletins and MemberConnect for a map.
Entertaining angels unawares: Last night I hosted a complete stranger at my home: a young man from Britain who stopped by the church asking for a place to stay. He is biking from Seattle to New York this summer on just $10 a day. You might hear more about this in Sunday’s sermon…
Help Pastor Paul move in: I have a nice group of Bethany members who have offered to help Pr. Paul and Kirstin unload on Saturday. If you think you could help, please email me at carrie.smith@bethanylc.com
Have you checked out the church offices lately? Many Bethany saints have been working hard to get things cleaned and freshened up for the arrival of our new staff members. Come and see for yourself!
This week’s texts: 13th Sunday after Pentecost
Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
2The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” 4Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 9Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’“ 10And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11The Lord spoke to Moses and said, 12“I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’“
13In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
Psalm 78:23-29 (Message Version)
But God helped them anyway, commanded the clouds
and gave orders that opened the gates of heaven.
He rained down showers of manna to eat,
he gave them the Bread of Heaven.
They ate the bread of the mighty angels;
he sent them all the food they could eat.
He let East Wind break loose from the skies,
gave a strong push to South Wind.
This time it was birds that rained down—
succulent birds, an abundance of birds.
He aimed them right for the center of their camp;
all round their tents there were birds.
They ate and had their fill;
he handed them everything they craved on a platter.
Ephesians 4:1-16
4I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. 7But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.” 9(When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) 11The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. 14We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. 15But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
John 6:24-35
24So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.”
28Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” 29Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Peace,
+ Pastor Carrie Smith
carrie.smith@bethanylc.com
