Wednesday Words for August 22, 2012
from Pastor Carrie Smith
Thought for the Day: On being the church in suburban America…
“In a world where people believe they are not hungry, we must not offer food but rather an aroma that helps them desire the food that we cannot provide. We are a people who are born from a response to hints of the divine. Not only this, but we must embrace the idea that we are also called to be hints of the divine.”
-Peter Rollins
In our prayers: Michelle Johnson, Jean Cima, Joy McGuire, Fred Becker, all those awaiting test results and those undergoing medical procedures
This Sunday at Bethany: OUTDOOR SERVICE! Please come at 10 am for worship, a picnic, and fun at the Nunda Township Picnic Barn. Bring a chair or a blanket and your picnic lunch. Questions? Directions? Call the church office or email me at carrie.smith@bethanylc.com
The CROP walk for hunger is coming on Sunday, September 30! There will also be a CROP Fundraiser at the Colonial Cafe on Thursday, Sept 27th from 4:30 pm - 10:00 pm. We will receive 15-20% of the proceeds based on the amount spent. If you can’t make the walk, this a great way to support the cause of hunger in our community! The moneys this year will go to PADS and to the CL Food Pantry. You can sign up to do the walk at our Rally Day Ministry Fair on Sept. 9th.
Drumming in the Spirit: There will be a new drum ministry forming on Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. Learn African and Caribbean drumming and enhance the worship services. No experience necessary and no age requirements. Come one, come all! Allison Boccia
New member class! Are you considering membership? Now is the time to RSVP for the next class on Sunday, September 16th from 4-6 pm. Childcare will be provided. Members, I would like to invite some of you to attend as well. Come to welcome our new community members to Bethany!
SOJOURNERS magazine: This is one of my favorite resources. I’ve been a subscriber for more than 20 years! I just found out we could do a bulk subscription and save a lot of money per person. One year for one person is $39.95. However, with 5 of us receiving the magazine at the church the cost would be $17.95. If we have 10, the cost goes down to $13.95…and it goes down from there. If you are interested in receiving this great magazine, please email me at carrie.smith@bethanylc.com You can check out some of the things it offers at www.sojo.net (Celebrating 40 Years of Faith in Action for Social Justice)
As usual, giving has been down in the summer. If you have missed church or are behind in your giving, please take this chance to catch up! There are many exciting programs in the works for the year, and we can’t make it happen without your generous giving.
This Week’s Texts: August 26, 2012
Joshua 24:1-2, 14-18
24Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. 2And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. 14“Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
15Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” 16Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; 17for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 18and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”
Psalm 34:15-22 (Message Version)
15 God keeps an eye on his friends, his ears pick up every moan and groan.
16 God won't put up with rebels; he'll cull them from the pack.
17 Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you.
18 If your heart is broken, you'll find God right there; if you're kicked in the gut, he'll help you catch your breath.
19 Disciples so often get into trouble; still, God is there every time.
20 He's your bodyguard, shielding every bone; not even a finger gets broken.
21 The wicked commit slow suicide; they waste their lives hating the good.
22 God pays for each slave's freedom; no one who runs to him loses out.
Ephesians 6:10-20
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.
John 6:56-69
56Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” 59He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.
60When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” 61But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? 62Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.” 66Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” 68Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Peace,
+ Pastor Carrie Smith
carrie.smith@bethanylc.com
