Wednesday Words for October 10, 2012
from Pastor Carrie Smith
Thought for the Day: A Prayer for When I Cry in Church
Oh, Lord, here we go again.
I’m not sure what these tears are about
But I know you know.
Thank you for cracking open my hard heart.
Now let seep in through the crack
Whatever it is you want to give me:
Words, or music, or promises, or insight, or good news.
God, I’m not sure what these tears are about,
But I want to ask that you help them do their work.
Help me to not dry these tears too soon,
Or harden my heart again right away.
Keep me tear-streaked and soft-hearted
For as long as you—or I—need. Amen.
-Quinn Caldwell, from “A Book of (Un)Common Prayers”
***
In our prayers: Larry Kohn, prostate cancer and undergoing treatments; Gary Summers, who had a stem cell transplant on Tuesday; John Michaels, experiencing fatigue and undergoing tests; the Bethany PADS site, which began a new year of ministry on Sunday.
This Sunday at Bethany: We will be blessed with a sermon from Pastor Rafael Malpica-Padilla, who is the Executive Director of Global Mission for the ELCA, and is also a member of Bethany! We’ll also hear music from our fantastic Bell Canto bell choir, and a little bird told me our illustrious organist has been practicing some Bach!
It’s wonderful to have our Global Mission Director with us this Sunday, as we will be celebrating the anniversary of Bethany’s global partnerships in Tanzania. You can learn more about the ELCA’s work in Tanzania here:
ELCA Global Mission in Tanzania
And you can read about Bethany's missionary family in Tanzania, the Stubbs, here: www.stubbsmission.info
Where do you go to church? A new study has been released which says that 1 in 5 adult Americans consider themselves to be religiously unaffiliated:
Young Couple looking to get connected? The new young couple’s group will meet at the Hoekstra’s home – 6903 Inverway Dr., Lakewood – at 7 pm on Sat., Oct. 27th. Please bring a snack to share and ideas of topical studies that interest you. Childcare will not be provided, so if planning to attend couple’s need to find their own childcare. Please contact Jeanna Hoekstra at sjhoekstra@live.com or 815-459-0154 if you have any questions or to RSVP. The more, the merrier!
Help us rid your trash of trash! Bring the following items which will be reused for a better purpose through My Nihilo and Terra Cycle
Cereal bags - wiped clean and free of cereal
Cookie packages -wiped clean and free of crumbs
Writing instruments -old and used
Heavy colored plastic bags - ie; from gap, bath and body, etc.
Heavier packaging plastic used to wrap around products ie; plastic around paper towel or water bottle cases.
Pop tabs
Fasteners: buckles, buttons, & telephone cords
These are items you normally throw out in the trash on a daily basis - why not take one extra step and bring them to Luther Hall this Sunday?
Save the dates! Sunday, October 21 at 4 pm is the next Bethany Arts Series Concert (free admission!) and then Sunday, October 28 at 4 pm is Pr. Paul’s ordination into the ministry of word and sacrament in Rockford.
This Week’s Texts: 20th Sunday after Pentecost
Amos 5:6-7, 10-15
6Seek the Lord and live, or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire, and it will devour Bethel, with no one to quench it. 7Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood, and bring righteousness to the ground! 10They hate the one who reproves in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks the truth. 11Therefore because you trample on the poor and take from them levies of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. 12For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins— you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and push aside the needy in the gate. 13Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time; for it is an evil time. 14Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, just as you have said. 15Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
Psalm 90:12-17 (Message Version)
12-17 Oh! Teach us to live well!
Teach us to live wisely and well!
Come back, God—how long do we have to wait?—
and treat your servants with kindness for a change.
Surprise us with love at daybreak;
then we’ll skip and dance all the day long.
Make up for the bad times with some good times;
we’ve seen enough evil to last a lifetime.
Let your servants see what you’re best at—
the ways you rule and bless your children.
And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us,
confirming the work that we do.
Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!
Hebrews 4:12-16
12Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account. 14Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Mark 10:17-31
17As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’” 20He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” 21Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
23Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” 27Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”
28Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” 29Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
Peace,
+ Pastor Carrie Smith
carrie.smith@bethanylc.com
