Wednesday Words for May 22, 2013
from Pastor Carrie Smith
Thought for the Day:
“For even if the whole world believed in resurrection, little would change until we began to practice it. We can believe in CPR, but people will remain dead until someone breathes new life into them. And we can tell the world that there is life after death, but the world really seems to be wondering if there is life before death.”
― Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical
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In our prayers: Betty Klehfoth, Andrew Fant, Janet Luken (who is undergoing tests for possible colon cancer)
Today at Bethany: The Bethany Preschool class of 2013 will be graduating at 11:15 am! You are all invited to see them receive their “diplomas.” If you can’t attend, please pray for these little ones who have begun their educational career within the walls of our church!
Sunday at Bethany: Don’t forget! The summer worship schedule starts this week! Join us for worship at 8:30 am and 10:30 am, with a coffee and fellowship time in between services.
Pastor Paul will be preaching this week at both services--freshly inspired by a week at the Festival of Homiletics! At 10:30, we are blessed to be welcoming four more sisters and brothers in Christ through baptism: Emily, Jake, Mason and DeAngelo! Thanks be to God for baptisms #15, 16, 17, and 18 for 2013!
We’ll be singing some hymns that take on the subject of the Trinity: “Come Join the Dance of Trinity” and “Holy, Holy, Holy”, and then, just because: “Amazing Grace”!
32 years of ministry! Congratulations to Pastor Rafael Malpica-Padilla, a member of Bethany and ELCA Director of Global Mission, who celebrated 32 years of ordination on Pentecost Sunday.Thanks be to God!
A way to help Oklahoma: ELCA Tornado Disaster Relief
A Letter from the Bishop in Oklahoma on the tornado tragedy: Bishop's Letter
Eco-Fair and Rummage Sale coming up: Remember that you may start dropping off your donations this Friday, May 24 during office hours at the church (8:30 am – 3:30 pm). All donations go to the basement community room. Please do not leave them in the office!
You may also drop off during church hours on Sunday morning, as well as next Tuesday and Wednesday. No televisions or computer monitors will be accepted.
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This week’s texts: Holy Trinity Sunday
Prayer of the Day:
Almighty Creator and ever-living God:
we worship your glory, eternal Three-in-One,
and we praise your power, majestic One-in-Three.
Keep us steadfast in this faith,
defend us in all adversity,
and bring us at last into your presence,
where you live in endless joy and love,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
FIRST READING Proverbs 8:1–4, 22–31
Does not wisdom call,
and does not understanding raise her voice?
2On the heights, beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries out:
4"To you, O people, I call,
and my cry is to all that live.
22The LORD created me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of long ago.
23Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
24When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth —
26when he had not yet made earth and fields,
or the world's first bits of soil.
27When he established the heavens, I was there,
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,
29when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30then I was beside him, like a master worker;
and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing before him always,
31rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the human race.
PSALM (ELW) Psalm 8
1O | LORD our Lord,
how majestic is your name in | all the earth!—
2you whose glory is chanted above the heavens
out of the mouths of in- | fants and children;
you have set up a fortress against your enemies,
to silence the foe | and avenger. R
3When I consider your heavens, the work | of your fingers,
the moon and the stars you have set | in their courses,
4what are mere mortals that you should be mind- | ful of them,
human beings that you should | care for them? R
5Yet you have made them little less | than divine;
with glory and hon- | or you crown them.
6You have made them rule over the works | of your hands;
you have put all things un- | der their feet:
7all | flocks and cattle,
even the wild beasts | of the field,
8the birds of the air, the fish | of the sea,
and whatever passes along the paths | of the sea.
9O | LORD our Lord,
how majestic is your name in | all the earth! R
SECOND READING Romans 5:1–5
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
GOSPEL John 16:12–15
12I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Peace,
Pr. Carrie
carrie.smith@bethanylc.com
