Wednesday Words for July 23, 2014
From Interim Senior Pastor Len Hoffmann
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Thought for the Day:
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
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Pastor Paul will return from vacation and be in the office on Friday, July 25.
September 7 is Rally Day. Watch for details of this special celebration as Bethany is W.I.R.E.D. for Outreach and Service.
Christmas in July: This Sunday we will celebrate Christmas in July. Our gifts will be dedicated and distributed by the Social Action Committee on Monday. Please bring your gifts for our community outreach this Sunday when we will sing Christmas Hymns and celebrate the joy of sharing.
Our Seniors have committed $1,000 from the Ice Cream Social to our deficit (funds we have borrowed from dedicated funds). Thanks to everyone who supported this effort.
Sunday Morning Announcements: Announcements need to be in the church office by Tuesday morning. If something needs special attention please let Pastor Len know prior to worship.
Sunday at Bethany: News stories have captured our attention these past weeks. A civilian airliner shot down; escalating conflict on the Gaza strip; a growing humanitarian crisis on the southwestern boarder of the U.S.
We can add to that our personal stories of battles with cancer, dementia, broken relationships,addiction, depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
In Romans Paul reminds us that since we have been claimed in Baptism and made children of God through Christ that nothing can separate us from God’s love. God continues to love the world despite all the sin, death and evil that plagues us and all humanity. God continues to work in and through us.
Martin Luther reminds us that the good and gracious will of God is done without our prayer, but we pray in the Lord’s Prayer that the reign of God and God’s powerful love may come among us also.
We are claimed, forgiven and set free to reach out and serve.
Pastor Len
Lectionary 17
Proper 12
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
Prayer of the Day
Beloved and sovereign God, through the death and resurrection of your Son you bring us into your kingdom of justice and mercy. By your Spirit, give us your wisdom, that we may treasure the life that comes from Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
First Reading I Kings 3:5-12
Because Solomon did not ask for long life, riches, or the defeat of his enemies, God gave him what he asked for: wisdom to govern the people well. In verse 13 God gives him additional honor and riches beyond compare.
5At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask what I should give you." 6And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. 7And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. 9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?"
10It pleased the LORD that Solomon had asked this. 11God said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you.
Second Reading Romans 8:26-39
These words celebrate the depth of God's actions for us. Through Christ's death for us and the activity of the Spirit praying for us, we are fused to God's love poured out in Jesus Christ. Nothing, not even death itself, is able to separate us from such incredible divine love.
26Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
28We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. 30And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.
31What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? 33Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. 35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36As it is written,
"For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered."
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Gospel Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
Throughout Matthew's gospel, Jesus and his disciples proclaim the good news that "the kingdom of heaven is near!" Here, Jesus offers several brief parables that explore the implications of this announcement for people's lives.
31He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."
33He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened."
44The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
47Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51Have you understood all this? They answered, "Yes." 52And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."
Welcome to Bethany Preschool!
Bethany Preschool was designed to teach developmentally appropriate skills and to provide our students and their families with a caring, Christian-based foundation in an atmosphere that encourages the social, spiritual, emotional, physical, intellectual growth and development of each child. Our philosophy is to make learning so exciting that it will be enjoyed to the fullest. Our goal is to give the child a good self-image and confidence in his or her ability to succeed at new experiences and challenges.
Contact us today at 815-477-7463
pam.mcallister@bethanylc.com
Our address is 76 W Crystal Lake Ave, Crystal Lake, Il 60014
