Wednesday Words for December 3, 2014
From Interim Senior Pastor Len Hoffmann
Please Click on the Bethany Weekly Newsletter below
“Christ is the Key to Unlocking Our Hearts”
Tonight Midweek Advent Worship at 7:00 pm - Holden Evening Prayer
Fanning the Flame Congregational Gathering at 7:30 pm following Advent Worship
Tonight! Our Final Fanning the Flame Event!
Soup Supper 5:45 - 6:15 pm; Purpose and Planning Session 6:30 – 7:00 pm
Sharing Our Gifts-Unlocking our Potential
Men’s Ministry Saturday, December 6 at 7:30 am in the Library
Topic: The Human Jesus - Luke 4:14-30
Stay and help change lights in the Sanctuary
Mission Support Sunday - December 7, 2014
Dedication of Estimate of Giving Cards for 2015
Please prayerfully ask for God’s leading as you determine your response!
Congregational Gathering
Presenting the Fanning the Flame Results December 14 at 9:00 am.
Children’s Christmas Program Sunday, December 14 at 3:30 pm.
Longest Night Worship - Wednesday, December 17 at 7:00 pm
Christmas Eve Worship - 5:00 pm Family Candlelight Worship
7:00 and 10:30 pm Festival Candlelight Worship
Sunday, December 28 Lessons and Carols 9:00 and 10:30 am.
(There will be no 8:00 am Worship this day.)
Help us achieve our remaining Annual Fund Giving Goal of $100,000 by December 31.
Go to our website and click on the green “Give Online” button.
All gifts must be given or postmarked by December 31 to be credited to your 2014 giving.
Thought for the Day: Empowered by God — Responding by Grace
“Now as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you —
so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking” (2 Cor. 8:7).
Sunday at Bethany
This is the final article in our Stewardship Emphasis for this year. On Sunday we will prayerfully dedicate our Estimate of Giving Cards as we celebrate our support for God’s Mission. Your estimate of giving assists in two ways: 1) it assists you In planning your first fruits giving and placing God’s Mission into your financial priorities; 2) like our personal income it helps us plan for mission and ministry through Bethany in the coming year.
In fact if you wish to assure that your gifts are received whether you are here or away you may use the Simply Giving form you received in the mail this week or you may go online and use the green Give Online button to schedule your giving on a regular basis from your bank account or with your credit card. In doing so God’s Mission will receive your regular gifts and allow us to keep our ministry strong as we prepare the way for a New Director for Worship and Principal Organist and a new Pastoral Leader. Like John the Baptist we prepare and further God’s Mission.
As we make our way to Mission Support Sunday I want to share a brief note that I received from Susan Gavle who offers a compelling story of her personal experience with the use of God’s Gifts Susan writes;
Empowered by God….Responding with Grace
Two big words here….Grace and Empowered. They connected for me in a meaningful way this year. I found that Grace is mentioned 170 times in the Bible and basically means “blessings/gifts” not deserved but freely given.” Two years ago my Mom’s sister died and she gifted my Mom with an inheritance. Mom would say, “This is Elaine’s money, not mine” whenever she would use it or gift it. She was so adamant about what an undeserved blessing it was, a true gift, giving her financial security at age 92. When Mom died in May, the inheritance passed onto the family. I didn’t earn it any more than my Mom did, “a blessing freely given and not deserved.” What to do with it?
Now comes the second word, Empowered. I recall the joy and fun, yes fun, when the committee I was on was given the task of giving away the first 10% of the Carlson bequest. We GRACED others with $140,000!!! We felt empowered. Could I do that as an individual? Could I take my undeserved gift and Grace others? Could I tithe away 10%? Let’s just say I am having a lot of fun and finding joy….Border Crisis, Ebola, BUNN coffee maker in the kitchen, world hunger, and even something unglamorous like carpet cleaning. (Yes, the polar vortex heating bills meant some yearly tasks had to be put on hold).
About 20 years ago Fred McCullough sat in our family room with fellow members of BLC and explained that stewardship meant taking care of things that are not really ours. A good steward cares for and leaves things better than she found them. I am trying to use time, talent and my treasure to care for others, the church, and to leave the world better than it was the day before. God has gifted me but God has also empowered me to do something with that gift. Elaine’s gift to Mom; Mom’s gift to me and my gift to others…just paying it forward.
You have also been Graced freely with gifts. Let God Empower you to put your time, talent and treasures to work.
Thank you Susan!
Pr. Len
Second Sunday in Advent
First Reading Isaiah 40:1-11
In grand, flowing, poetic lines, the prophet announces that the exile of God's people in Babylon is over. The Lord will deliver Israel and will care for her as a shepherd cares for his sheep. This word can be trusted, because the only enduring reality in life is the word of the Lord.
Comfort, O comfort my people,
says your God.
2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that she has served her term,
that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the LORD's hand
double for all her sins.
3A voice cries out:
"In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
6A voice says, "Cry out!"
And I said, "What shall I cry?"
All people are grass,
their constancy is like the flower of the field.
7The grass withers, the flower fades,
when the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
surely the people are grass.
8The grass withers, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand forever.
9Get you up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good tidings;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah,
"Here is your God!"
10See, the Lord GOD comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
11He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead the mother sheep.
Second Reading 2 Peter3:8-15a
This short letter deals with pressing concerns regarding the final advent of Jesus, especially concerns that could arise over its apparent delay. The author of the letter calls on Christians to anticipate the promised coming of the Lord through conduct dedicated to God.
8But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.
11Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, 12waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? 13But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.
14Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.
Gospel Mark 1:1-8
The Gospel of Mark does not begin with a story of Jesus' birth but with the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord.
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
"See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way;
3the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,'"
4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
