Wednesday Words for March 13, 2013
from Pastor Carrie Smith
Thought for the Day:
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
- a verse from St. Patrick’s “Breastplate” prayer
To read the rest, go to Prayer Foundation
or check out #450 in our ELW Hymnal
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In our prayers: Kathy Sukel; Linnea Becker; Bill Kohl; Gerda Kristensen; John Therrien; Helen Bengston; Larry Kohn; Carol Stupar; Bruce Johnson; and Mission Save a Smile (including church members Chris and Patty Burseth, Cheryl Reimer, and Debbie Groat) who are in Panama improving the dental health of indigenous children and families.
Tonight at Bethany: Soup supper at 6 pm followed by contemplative worship at 7 pm. See you there!
Sunday at Bethany: Pr. Paul will be preaching on this last Sunday before Holy Week. The Sonshine Singers and the Bethany Adult Choir will provide special music. We’ll be singing a stately old hymn called “Through the Night of Doubt and Sorrow” as well as “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” and “Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross”, all excellent hymns to carry us through the end of this Lenten season.
Easter Baskets for kids in need: Did you know that Bethany’s Social Action Team gives out more than 30 Easter Baskets to kids who are staying at Turning Point or Home of the Sparrow? You are invited to help assemble these baskets on Monday, March 18th at 9:30 am, at the church. Thank you for your help!
How do other Lutherans live out their faith? You can read inspiring stories here: Living Lutheran
ELCA Presiding Bishop offers prayers for the election of a new pope:
On behalf of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Rev. Mark S. Hanson extends prayers for Pope Benedict XVI and for the members of the Catholic Church following the announcement of the Holy Father’s intention to resign on Feb. 28. While the resignation comes as a surprise, it is “one that calls Christians to lift up support and prayers in this momentous time of transition,” said Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop. Read more….ELCA news
First Communion: Families of young children, are you planning to attend the Family First Communion Event during Holy Week? If so, please contact Pr. Paul as soon as possible to indicate you are coming. Paul.cannon@bethanylc.com
Holy Week Schedule:
March 24: Palm Sunday: 9 am & 10:45 am services begin under the canopy with the palm procession
Maundy Thursday: 11 am & 7 pm
Good Friday: 11 am (Stations of the Cross) and 7 pm (Good Friday Liturgy with Bethany Choir)
Easter Vigil: 7 pm (gather under the canopy to light the new fire). Thanks be to God for 4 baptisms that evening!
Easter Sunday morning: 8:30 am & 10:30 am, with a light Easter breakfast in between services. Bethany adult choir, Sonshine singers, Bell Canto Choir, the Vision Dancers, and a brass ensemble will help us celebrate the resurrection in style!
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The Texts for this Week: 5th Sunday in Lent
Isaiah 43:16-21
16Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, 17who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: 18Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. 19I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. 20The wild animals will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, 21the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.
Psalm 126 (The Message Version)
126 1-3 It seemed like a dream, too good to be true,
when God returned Zion’s exiles.
We laughed, we sang,
we couldn’t believe our good fortune.
We were the talk of the nations—
“God was wonderful to them!”
God was wonderful to us;
we are one happy people.
4-6 And now, God, do it again—
bring rains to our drought-stricken lives
So those who planted their crops in despair
will shout hurrahs at the harvest,
So those who went off with heavy hearts
will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing.
Philippians 3:4b-14
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
John 12:1-8
12Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5“Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6(He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
Peace,
+ Pastor Carrie Smith
carrie.smith@bethanylc.com
