Wednesday Words for May 1, 2013
from Pastor Carrie Smith
Thought for the Day:
“What we would like to do is change the world--make it a little simpler for people to feed, clothe, and shelter themselves as God intended them to do. And, by fighting for better conditions, by crying out unceasingly for the rights of the workers, the poor, of the destitute--the rights of the worthy and the unworthy poor, in other words--we can, to a certain extent, change the world; we can work for the oasis, the little cell of joy and peace in a harried world. We can throw our pebble in the pond and be confident that its ever widening circle will reach around the world. We repeat, there is nothing we can do but love, and, dear God, please enlarge our hearts to love each other, to love our neighbor, to love our enemy as our friend.”
― Dorothy Day
(I hope you will forgive me for yet another Dorothy Day quote! But it is especially appropriate today, May 1, because this is the 80th anniversary of The Catholic Worker Movement, which she co-founded with Peter Maurin. Catholic Worker Movement explained)
In our prayers: The family of Carol Stupar, who was laid to rest on Monday; Hannah Sorenson; Bill Kohl (at Crystal Pines); Marge Hudoba (also at Crystal Pines); Andrew Fant (now breathing on his own for several hours at a time!); Sharon Saunders (beginning chemo tomorrow)
Also pray for my husband Robert and his family. Robert’s grandma Mary Lou Nichols died last night in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. He is there and will extend his visit to attend her funeral.
Sunday at Bethany: It’s a busy day in the neighborhood! Here's what you can expect:
* Child’s Word: Pr. Paul will be leading the children in saying “thank you” to the Sunday School teachers! Teachers are also staying after church for a “thank you” brunch.
* Bring your seeds! You are invited to bring seeds to contribute to the Community Garden, which will be blessed with the financial offerings
*New Members are being welcomed at all 3 services! We welcome to the community Kathy Wolfe, Kristy Smith, Roger Wolfe (no relation to Kathy!), Rush & Kristen Akin and their 3 kids, and Todd and Erika Benison and their 2 children.
* Special music: provided by the Bethany adult choir
* Hymns: "You are Holy"; "My Life Flows on in Endless Song"; "Alleluia, Jesus is Risen!" and several other favorites
* Town Hall Meeting: 10:15 am in the basement community room. The topic is: Discussion of the possibility of 2 worship services with an education hour in between. Pr. Paul will be moderating this meeting.
* Guest preacher: Father Jamal Khader at 9 am and 10:45 am.
More about our guest: Fr. Jamal is dean of the Faculty of Arts, professor of theology, and chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Bethlehem University in Palestine, and currently the John A. Mackay Visiting Professor of World Christianity at Princeton Theological Seminary. Fr. Jamal was born in the Christian Palestinian village of Zababdeh in the northern part of the West Bank. He earned a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he completed his thesis on the official dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. He is a member of the Theological Reflection Committee of the Latin Patriarchate and of the Committee of Dialogue with Jews. Fr. Jamal teaches Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution Strategies for the Masters in International Cooperation and Development (MICAD) program at Bethlehem University. He is one of the authors of Kairos Palestine, a document written by Palestinian Christians as a “word to the world about what is happening in Palestine” that asks all churches and Christians around the world to “stand against injustice, urging them to work for a just peace in the region.”
Swatting out Malaria! Wow, Bethany…we will be sending in $3,000 to the ELCA Malaria campaign, which will be matched dollar for dollar! Amazing! Thank you for stepping up to make a HUGE difference in the fight against malaria. I’m still waiting for the official tally, but I think we may have surpassed our $15,000/3 year goal in just over one year! Thanks be to God!
Military Family Support: In case you missed Jerry Shaffer’s announcement on Sunday, you need to know that you will have the opportunity to support military families for the next month at Bethany. You can pick up a list of items that are being collected, and you are invited to write a note of thanks and prayer to an active military family. Look for the booth in Luther Hall for the next 4 Sundays.
Seniors: The sign up sheet for the “Tall Ship Outing” to Michigan is on the information desk at church. Checks should be made to Bethany and turned in to the office. Questions should be directed to me at carrie.smith@bethanylc.com
Theology on Tap is this week! Join Pr. Paul and an always diverse group of people for conversation and beverages at Duke’s Alehouse tomorrow, Thursday May 2, at 7:30 pm. Newcomers especially invited! It’s a different group every month.
***
This week’s texts: the 6th Sunday after Easter
FIRST READING Acts 16:9–15
A 9During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
11We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. 13On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home." And she prevailed upon us.
PSALM (ELW) Psalm 67
1May God be merciful to | us and bless us;
may the light of God's face | shine upon us.
2Let your way be known | upon earth,
your saving health a- | mong all nations.
3Let the peoples praise | you, O God;
let all the | peoples praise you.
4Let the nations be glad and | sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide all the na- | tions on earth.R
5Let the peoples praise | you, O God;
let all the | peoples praise you.
6The earth has brought | forth its increase;
God, our own | God, has blessed us.
7May God | give us blessing,
and may all the ends of the earth | stand in awe.R
SECOND READING Revelation 21:10, 22—22:5
Chapter 21
10And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. 22I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25Its gates will never be shut by day and there will be no night there. 26People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Chapter 22
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; 4they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
GOSPEL John 14:23–29
23Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. 25I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I am coming to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.
Peace,
+ Pastor Carrie Smith
