Wednesday Words for January 2, 2013
from Pastor Carrie Smith
Thought for the Day: In Memoriam (Ring Out, Wild Bells)
by Lord Alfred Tennyson
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes
But ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
***
In our prayers: Dave Sweet, on the death of his brother; Bill Kohl; Alice McDonald; and for safe travel for members who are away over the holidays.
Also in our prayers: Bishop Laiser, bishop of our companion synod in Tanzania. He has been admitted to the hospital in Arusha (India) seeking answers to some ongoing health issues.
Sunday at Bethany: It’s the Day of Epiphany! We don’t always have the opportunity to celebrate this festival on a Sunday, so we’re going all out this year! We will be blessed with special music by Mike Bagby and his trio singing “I Have Seen the Light”, as well as the Bethany Choir singing “The First Noel.” Bethany Council Member Luz Malpica will be offering the childrens’ sermon, sharing about the tradition of Three Kings’ Day in Puerto Rico. The church will still be decorated for the season, and we will sing a few Christmas carols one more time, honoring the fact that Christmas in the church lasts until the Day of Epiphany.
Parents: Yes, there is Sunday School this week!
What is Epiphany? Epiphany is from the Greek επιφάνεια: "manifestation" or "appearance". From the ELCA website: “On the day of Epiphany, January 6, the church celebrates the revelation of Christ to all nations as represented by the magi who come to worship Jesus. The church calendar recognizes the season of Epiphany from January 6 until the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday which is celebrated as the Transfiguration of our Lord. The length of the season of Epiphany varies and is determined by working backwards through the season of Lent from the moveable date for the celebration of Easter.
Principal Themes of this season are:
The revelation of Christ to all nations
Jesus' baptism in the River Jordan
Christ as the light of the world
The public ministry of Jesus Christ, including Jesus' first miracle of turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana
Growth in a Christian's baptized identity
Happy New Year! 2013 is Bethany Lutheran Church’s 90th anniversary, and to celebrate we are embarking on a “Year of Renewal”. Our mission statement is “Gathering people together for renewal and service.” It’s important to note that renewal comes first! It’s impossible to serve others until we ourselves have been fed, nourished, and renewed by the love and grace of God. Our theme verse for this Year of Renewal will be Romans 12:2:
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
I encourage you to commit this verse to memory, and let it guide your meditation and prayer in 2013!
The year 2013 also happens to be the ELCA’s 25th Anniversary! You can read about how our denomination will celebrate 25 years together at the Living Lutheran Blog: 25 Years Together
Have you turned in your financial pledge for 2013? If not, please do so right away! The Finance Team is busy putting together the year’s budget for mission and ministry, and they need to know how they can count on you for support. It’s not too late!
The Texts This Week: Day of Epiphany
Isaiah 60:1-6
60Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 2For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. 3Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 4Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms. 5Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. 6A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
Psalm 72 (The Message Version)
Give the gift of wise rule to the king, O God,
the gift of just rule to the crown prince.
May he judge your people rightly,
be honorable to your meek and lowly.
Let the mountains give exuberant witness;
shape the hills with the contours of right living.
Please stand up for the poor,
help the children of the needy,
come down hard on the cruel tyrants.
Outlast the sun, outlive the moon—
age after age after age.
Be rainfall on cut grass,
earth-refreshing rain showers.
Let righteousness burst into blossom
and peace abound until the moon fades to nothing.
Kings remote and legendary will pay homage,
kings rich and resplendent will turn over their wealth.
All kings will fall down and worship,
and godless nations sign up to serve him,
Because he rescues the poor at the first sign of need,
the destitute who have run out of luck.
He opens a place in his heart for the down-and-out,
he restores the wretched of the earth.
He frees them from tyranny and torture—
when they bleed, he bleeds;
when they die, he dies.
Ephesians 3:1-12
3This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given me for you, 3and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, 4a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. 5In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: 6that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given me by the working of his power. 8Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, 9and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; 10so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.
Matthew 2:1-12
2In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” 3When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 6‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” 7Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”
9When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Peace,
Pastor Carrie Smith
carrie.smith@bethanylc.com
