Wednesday Words for September 25, 2013
From Pastor Carrie Smith
Please scroll down to find the Bethany Weekly Newsletter, which appears as a link at the bottom of this e-mail! Newsletters can be printed, forwarded, shared with neighbors, and hung on the refrigerator. Newsletters are also available on Sunday mornings when you pick up your worship bulletin. Enjoy!
Thought for the Day:
Christ has no online presence but yours,
No blog, no Facebook page but yours,
Yours are the tweets through which love touches this world,
Yours are the posts through which the Gospel is shared,
Yours are the updates through which hope is revealed,
Christ has no online presence but yours,
No blog, no Facebook page but yours.
- “The Social Media Gospel: Sharing the Good News in New Ways” by Meredith Gould
- (You can read the original prayer “Christ has no body” by St. Teresa of Avila here:)
***
Sunday at Bethany: Last week we welcomed several new member families (the Mega, Johnson, and Janicki families) and this week we continue with 2 families who could not attend last weekend. A hearty welcome to the Crawley and Sahl families! Thanks be to God for these 16 new members!
This week we’ll be singing some beautiful hymns with a focus on justice: “Canticle of the Turning”, “We are Called”, and “To Be Your Presence Here”. During communion we’ll sing “Blest are They” (based on the Beatitudes) and the spiritual “Give Me Jesus.” This week we’ll be blessed by the music of the Bell Canto bell choir, under the direction of Kristin Lundine, for both services. See you there!
Presiding Bishop-Elect Elizabeth Eaton will be installed as bishop on Saturday, October 5th at Rockefeller Chapel on the University of Chicago campus. The doors open at 1 pm, and worship starts at 2 pm. Tickets are not required, but there is a very large crowd is anticipated! I will be singing in the choir, so I’m grateful to have a seat in the choir loft!
Looking for some good reading? Here are a few things on my current and recent reading list:
- “Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner and Saint” by Nadia Bolz-Weber. This newly-released book by an ELCA pastor is hugely popular. Today it is listed as “#1 book in alcoholism recovery” and #3 in “Christian self-help.” I highly recommend it—it’s an easy read, but also includes some “non-family friendly” language.
- “Free: Spending Your Time and Money on What Matters Most”by Mark Scandrette. This book includes exercises, Scripture, and study questions about rethinking the way you spend money, from a Christian perspective.
- “All Hands Stand By to Repel Boarders” by Cordell Strug. Yes, this is a book by Bethany member Cordell Strug! I am loving this book of stories from Cordell and Mary Carol’s life as Lutheran pastors in rural Minnesota. You will love it, too!
There’s a place being saved for YOU! Your talents are needed here at Bethany! Please consider trying out one of these opportunities to serve with your fellow Christians:
- Singing in the Bethany adult choir (Wednesdays at 7:30 pm)
- Serving as a home communion minister (on your own schedule: contact me at carrie.smith@bethanylc.com)
- Bringing food for funerals (contact Sandi at sandi.teiken@bethanylc.com)
- Volunteering in the nursery with our new paid nursery attendant (sandi.teiken@bethanylc.com)
- Many other opportunities! Check out the Bethany Weekly for more information!
***
This Week’s Texts: 19th Sunday after Pentecost
Amos 6:1a, 4-7
6Alas for those who are at ease in Zion, and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria,
4Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, and lounge on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the stall; 5who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David improvise on instruments of music; 6who drink wine from bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! 7Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile, and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.
Psalm 146 (Message Version)
1-2 Hallelujah!
O my soul, praise God!
All my life long I’ll praise God,
singing songs to my God as long as I live.
3-9 Don’t put your life in the hands of experts
who know nothing of life, of salvation life.
Mere humans don’t have what it takes;
when they die, their projects die with them.
Instead, get help from the God of Jacob,
put your hope in God and know real blessing!
God made sky and soil,
sea and all the fish in it.
He always does what he says—
he defends the wronged,
he feeds the hungry.
God frees prisoners—
he gives sight to the blind,
he lifts up the fallen.
God loves good people, protects strangers,
takes the side of orphans and widows,
but makes short work of the wicked.
10 God’s in charge—always.
Zion’s God is God for good!
Hallelujah!
1 Timothy 6:6-19
6Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; 7for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; 8but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. 11But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
13In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. 17As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, 19thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.
Luke 16:19-31
19“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 24He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ 25But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 27He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— 28for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ 29Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ 30He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Peace,
+ Pastor Carrie Smith
