Wednesday Words for January 29, 2014
From Pastor Carrie Smith
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Thought for the Day:
"I think there is no suffering greater than what is caused by the doubts of those who want to believe. I know what torment this is, but I can only see it, in myself anyway, as the process by which faith is deepened. What people don't realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross."
- 20th Century Catholic writer Flannery O'Connor
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Sunday at Bethany: It’s Global Mission Sunday! Members of your Global Mission Team will be participating in worship as readers and offering a special prayer. The “guest” preacher will be Pr. Robert Smith from the ELCA Global Mission Unit. Instead of global music this year, we’ll be singing hymns which focus on our mission to the world: “In Christ There is No East or West”, “We All Are One in Mission”, and “The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve”. The Gospel text for the day is from Matthew 5, including the Beatitudes, so we’ll be singing “Blest Are They” as our Hymn of the Day. Sonshine Singers will share their talents at 8:30 am, and the Bethany Adult Choir will sing at 10:30.
Adult Forums starting this Sunday! Starting this week, grab a cup of coffee after the first service and then come back into the sanctuary for a short presentation and discussion. (YES, you can bring your coffee with you!) Sponsored by the Global Mission Team, these talks will focus on Israel and Palestine for the next 4 weeks. All are welcome!
Feb. 2: Robert Smith presents an overview of the issues for Christians in Israel/Palestine
Feb. 9: Robert Smith presents on Christian Zionism
Feb. 16: Beth Chase, from Bright Stars of Bethlehem, presents on the work of Pr. Mitri Raheb in Bethlehem
Feb. 23: Rafael Malpica, Executive Director of ELCA Global Mission (and a Bethany member!) will present on the Accompaniment Model of Mission.
Blood Drive: Have you signed up for the Blood Drive yet? You can donate blood right here at Bethany on Sunday, February 9th! Walk-ins are welcome, but registering helps the crew to plan. Give blood, give life!
New Member Class: Are you considering membership? A new member luncheon/class will be held on Sunday, February 23 from noon to 3 pm. Please contact Pr. Carrie at carrie.smith@Bethanylc.com or 815-459-2690 to register for this class. New members will be received on Sunday, March 2 (or at a later date, if you cannot attend that Sunday!)
Centering Prayer Workshop: St. Mary Episcopal Church (right down the street) is offering a workshop and ongoing classes on centering prayer during the Lenten season. The initial workshop is Saturday, Feb. 22 from 9:30-3, and the ongoing sessions are Thursdays during Lent at 7 pm. The cost is just $25 for all 7 sessions, and there are scholarships available. You can email Robert Bishop (rbishop@joltmail.net) or Chris Moore (chrism050505@msn.com) for more information, or check out the website at: www.centeringprayerchicago.org
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This Week’s Texts: 4th Sunday after Epiphany
Prayer of the Day
Holy God, you confound the world's wisdom
in giving your kingdom to the lowly and the pure in heart.
Give us such a hunger and thirst for justice,
and perseverance in striving for peace,
that in our words and deeds the world may see the life of your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
FIRST READING Micah 6:1–8
With the mountains and the foundations of the earth as the jury, God brings a lawsuit against Israel. God has "wearied" Israel with a long history of saving acts. God does not want or expect lavish sacrifices to attempt to earn divine favor. Rather God empowers the people to do justice, to love loyalty to God, and to walk shrewdly in God's service.
Hear what the LORD says:
Rise, plead your case before the mountains,
and let the hills hear your voice.
2Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the LORD,
and you enduring foundations of the earth;
for the LORD has a controversy with his people,
and he will contend with Israel.
3"O my people, what have I done to you?
In what have I wearied you? Answer me!
4For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
and redeemed you from the house of slavery;
and I sent before you Moses,
Aaron, and Miriam.
5O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised,
what Balaam son of Beor answered him,
and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,
that you may know the saving acts of the LORD."
6"With what shall I come before the LORD,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"
8He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
PSALM (ELW) Psalm 15
1LORD, who may dwell in your | tabernacle?
Who may abide upon your | holy hill?
2Those who lead a blameless life and do | what is right,
who speak the truth | from their heart; R
3they do not slander with the tongue, they do no evil | to their friends;
they do not cast discredit up- | on a neighbor.
4In their sight the wicked are rejected,
but they honor those who | fear the LORD.
They have sworn upon their health
and do not take | back their word.
5They do not give their money in hope of gain,
nor do they take bribes a- | gainst the innocent.
Those who do these things shall never be | overthrown. R
SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 1:18–31
According to the world?s standards of power and might, the message of the cross seems stupid and offensive. Yet this word reveals the paradoxical way God has chosen to work power and salvation through weakness, rejection, and suffering. Hence the message of the cross becomes true wisdom and power for believers.
18For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written,
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."
20Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.
26Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31in order that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
GOSPEL Matthew 5:1–12
Jesus opens the Sermon on the Mount by naming those who are blessed in the reign of God.
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7"Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Peace,
+ Pr. Carrie Smith
