Wednesday Words for July 17, 2013
From Pastor Carrie Smith
Thought for the Day:
“It's funny: I always imagined when I was a kid that adults had some kind of inner toolbox full of shiny tools: the saw of discernment, the hammer of wisdom, the sandpaper of patience. But then when I grew up I found that life handed you these rusty bent old tools - friendships, prayer, conscience, honesty - and said 'do the best you can with these, they will have to do'. And mostly, against all odds, they do.”
― Anne Lamott, Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith
***
Happy Wednesday! Your Bethany Weekly Newsletter is attached to this email.
Please remember to look at the bottom of the email for the link!
***
Tonight at Bethany: It’s ice cream social time! Come on out at 6:30 pm for ice cream, pies, music by the Sinful Saints, a “Cars”-themed bouncy house for the kids, and lots of time for fellowship! Tickets are available at the door. ($3 for adults, $2 for kids, $10 maximum per family!)
Also tonight: Meet the Preschool Director! Pam McAllister, our new Bethany Preschool Director, will be here tonight for a “Meet and Greet”. You also have the opportunity to take away some extra preschool toys for your own use. These items will be in the hallway outside the preschool rooms, and are available to you for a freewill donation. Come take a look!
This Sunday at Bethany: At 10:30 am, we will be joined by the children and families of Vacation Bible School, who will be providing special music! The sanctuary will be decorated like a forest (“Sonrise National Park”) which is our VBS theme this year.
We’ll be singing “Blessed Assurance”, which is a favorite hymn of Liz Tollefsen. And, since the Gospel story is about Mary and Martha, we will sing “For All the Faithful Women” as our hymn of the day. During communion, I hope to hear your voices loud and clear on “Let Us Break Bread Together.” As we go back out into the world, we will sing “O Christ the Same”, but we’ll sing it to the tune of “Danny Boy” (which is the way it was printed in the old With One Voice Hymnal). Why? Because it’s one of the senior pastor’s favorite tunes!
Pr. Paul will be giving the children’s sermon, and Pr. Carrie will be preaching.
Coming Soon: God’s Work, Our Hands Sunday! This year is the 25th anniversary of the ELCA, and to celebrate, ELCA congregations all over the country are participating in a service day on Sunday, September 8 (also known as “Rally Day”!) Watch for more information about opportunities to sign up for a service project. We will be working with Living Waters Lutheran church for some exciting events! You can read more about “God’s Work, Our Hands Sunday” here: Welcome to the ELCA 25th Anniversary
Saturday Book Signing: Yes, I will take another opportunity to brag about my spouse and his new book! More Desired than Our Owne Salvation is a history of Christian Zionism, written by my husband, Robert Smith. It’s available on Amazon, and on Saturday starting at noon Robert will be at Read Between the Lynes bookstore in Woodstock for a book-signing and Q & A session. The book features a forward by Martin Marty. You can see it here: More Desired than Our Owne Salvation
***
This Week’s Texts: Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Prayer of the Day:
Eternal God, you draw near to us in Christ,
and you make yourself our guest.
Amid the cares of our lives, make us attentive to your presence,
that we may treasure your word above all else,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
| First Reading | Genesis 18:1–10a |
The Lord visits Abraham and Sarah to tell them that the long—awaited promise of the birth of a child will be fulfilled for them in their old age.
The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. 2He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. 3He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. 4Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on — since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have said." 6And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes." 7Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. 8Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
9They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There, in the tent." 10Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son."
Psalm 15: The Message Version
1 God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list?
2 "Walk straight, act right, tell the truth.
3 "Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbor;
4 despise the despicable. "Keep your word even when it costs you,
5 make an honest living, never take a bribe. "You'll never get blacklisted if you live like this."
| Second Reading | Colossians 1:15–28 |
Sometimes Paul preaches with great attention to theological concepts. Here, however, Paul offers a mystical teaching, that the great mystery of God is "Christ in you." Because Christ is present in the church, Christians share in his life, suffering, and glory.
15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers — all things have been created through him and for him. 17He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
21And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him — 23provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.
24I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. 25I became its servant according to God's commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. 27To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
| Gospel | Luke 10:38–42 |
Jesus uses his visit to two sisters as an occasion to remind disciples that an important aspect of obedience is singleminded devotion to Jesus and his word.
38Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. 40But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." 41But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42there is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."
Peace,
+ Pr. Carrie Smith
