Wednesday Words for May 15, 2013
from Pastor Carrie Smith
Thought for the Day:
“It is by the Holy Spirit that we love those who are united to us in Christ. The more plentifully we have received of the Spirit of Christ, the more perfectly we are able to love them: and the more we love them the more we receive the Spirit. It is clear, however, that since we love them by the Spirit Who is given to us by Jesus, it is Jesus Himself Who loves them in us.”
Thomas Merton, “No Man is an Island”
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In our prayers: Al Stefan (now home); Sharon Saunders (undergoing chemo); Andrew Fant (reconstruction surgery this week); Betty Klehfoth (having an angiogram); Wendy Lasswell and family (Wendy is in California supporting her mom during cancer surgery/treatments); Delores Donn (mother of Londa Mattick).
Tonight at Bethany:Wow—can you believe this is the last night of Confirmation?! Pr. Paul is at a preaching conference this week, so I get to teach this last night of classes. Pr. Paul tells me there is a Confirmation party next Wednesday. Please check with him for details.
Sunday at Bethany:Come, Holy Spirit! Don’t forget to wear red to worship, so we will be awash in a sea of fiery color in honor of the Holy Spirit.
At 9 am and 10:45 am, the Bethany adult choir will sing and the Bethany Vision Dancers will perform. We’ll begin worship with a dramatic reading of the Pentecost story from Acts, and we are so blessed to be celebrating the baptisms of 4 new sisters and brothers in Christ at the 10:45 service! Welcome to the church, Myles, Jimmie, Natalie and James!
(Note: Myles is the nephew of our office manager, Kelly Efken! Kelly is also the godmother! Congrats!)
We’ll be singing “Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness”; “God of Tempest, God of Whirlwind”; as well as the rousing fanfare “Hail Thee, Festival Day”. During the prayers, we’ll be singing in Latin (Veni Sancte Spiritus/Holy Spirit, Come to Us) and during the presentation of the offerings we’ll have the chance to try a hymn in Spanish (Toma, oh Dios, mi voluntad/Take My Life That I May Be). Come, Holy Spirit!
Summer Worship Times: Mark your calendar, because next week (May 26) the summer worship schedule begins! Join us this summer at 8:30 am or 10:30 am for worship, with coffee and fellowship between services. Occasional educational opportunities may be offered between services as well.
Grab a sign: You can help us promote the annual Rummage Sale (May 31-June 1) by picking up a sign for your yard. Signs are available to check out in front of the bulletin board.
Military Family Support: You have 2 more weeks to write a thank you note or send a prayer to a military family—check out the booth in Luther Hall between worship services.
Check out Bethany Lutheran online! You can follow us on Facebook (search for Bethany Lutheran Church, ELCA), or refer people to our website: Bethany Website(baptism and weddinghandbooks are there, as well as links to other important information); and you can read sermons online at our sermon blog: Bethany Sermon Blog The full church calendar is always available online without logging in to MemberConnect. Just go to Main Website and click on the Calendar link on the left hand side of the page. Try it today!
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This Week’s Texts: Day of Pentecost
Prayer of the Day:
God our creator,
the resurrection of your Son offers life to all the peoples of earth.
By your Holy Spirit, kindle in us the fire of your love,
empowering our lives for service and our tongues for praise,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
| FIRST READING | Acts 2:1–21 |
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
5Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.7Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs — in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." 12All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."
14But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17'In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
18Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;and they shall prophesy.
19And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
20The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.
21Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'
Psalm 104:24-34, 35a (Message Version)
24-30 What a wildly wonderful world, God!
You made it all, with Wisdom at your side,
made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.
Oh, look—the deep, wide sea,
brimming with fish past counting,
sardines and sharks and salmon.
Ships plow those waters,
and Leviathan, your pet dragon, romps in them.
All the creatures look expectantly to you
to give them their meals on time.
You come, and they gather around;
you open your hand and they eat from it.
If you turned your back,
they’d die in a minute—
Take back your Spirit and they die,
revert to original mud;
Send out your Spirit and they spring to life—
the whole countryside in bloom and blossom.
31-32 The glory of God—let it last forever!
Let God enjoy his creation!
He takes one look at earth and triggers an earthquake,
points a finger at the mountains, and volcanoes erupt.
33-35 Oh, let me sing to God all my life long,
sing hymns to my God as long as I live!
Oh, let my song please him;
I’m so pleased to be singing to God.
| SECOND READING | Romans 8:14–17 |
14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ — if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
| GOSPEL | John 14:8–17 [25–27] |
8Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." 9Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
15If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
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.
Peace,
+ Pastor Carrie B. Smith
