Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Link of the Week
Youth faith lens is a weekly lectionary devotional for teens. It connects to daily life with stories and humor. There are good questions. This week it asks, "How do famous people get to be known?" It ties in with the gospel of Mark and Jesus' question to the disciples: "Who do you say that I am?"
If you are a teen interested in a simple way to explore your faith in God, click n faith lens and follow the reading there. I get ideas for sermons, bible studies, blog posts from there, too. Check it out.
God's Word in Worship
September 17 2006
Pentecost 15
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 116:1-9
James 3:1-12
Gospel: Mark 8:27-38
Dear Confirmands,
We begin anew in October. As you see below, there are several learning events scheduled for this year. Confirmation day is May 27th, 2007, the Day of Pentecost. It is especially important that 9th graders attend every event before confirmation day. Please bring your bibles, notebooks, and Lutheran Handbooks to every event. The winter retreat and field trip will be announced to you in November. There will also be some Sunday afternoon events sponsored by Holy Trinity to which we are invited. Confirmation is about faithfulness. It is about your answer to God’s faithfulness. God is faithful to you in so many ways. Did you wake up today? Did you have food to eat? Air to breathe? A family? Friends? A Home? Jesus was faithful enough to die for the world. The Spirit of Jesus dwells in you, inspiring you to live faithfully too. Confirmation is about faithfulness. Being faithful means coming to worship every week. It means participating; on Sunday mornings, at learning events, at service opportunities. It means asking questions, praying, giving, and helping others. BE FAITHFUL. And the LORD be with you each and every day.
In Christ’s love,
Pastor Matt
Event Dates Times EVENT THEMES
October 22nd--- 12:30-3:30 pm JESUS
November 19th--- 12:30-3:30 pm WORSHIP
December 10th? MOVIE: The Nativity Story; in theatres
February TBA LUTHER RETREAT
March TBA FIELD TRIP
April 29 12:30-3:3o BAPTISM AND VOCATION
May 8 12:30-3:30 WHAT”S NEXT? YOU ARE CHURCH
May 27 The Day of Pentecost and confirmation
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Life this week
Wednesday is bible study at 7:00 am, Zion Akron and 7:30 pm, Holy Trinity Ephrata.
Thursday is the bishop's annual convocation. Holy cross day.
Thursday night is Worship and Music team.
Sunday is the church picnic and worship in the park.
9/11
Monday was the Anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that killed close to 3,000 Americans. Its a day none of us can forget. Its a day we hate to remember. Since then the U.S. has engaged in a retaliatory war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Are we safer? Is the world more peaceable?
I believe that the post 9/11 world required of the U.S. a response unlike any other in history. I believe the global response ought not to have been a military one. It ought to have been a response of empathy and humanitarianism. 9/11 de-isolated the U.S. from the global experience of preventable, innocent death. What I mean to say is that the U.S. is not the recipient, not the importer of injustice and devastating disease. The U.S. is the perpetrator and exporter of these things in ways of which most of us are unaware. Understand me,I'm not saying that "we"or anyone deserved the terror of 9/11. I'm saying that it happened as a result of global disparities that cannot be easily resolved. The ensuing struggle to achieve balance of power results in terror and retaliation. but it didn't have to.
What if the president had actually resolved to care for the world by sending an unprecedented amount of aid and relief to developing nations? What if he said that the U.S. is weeping with those who weep and mourning with those who mourn? What of our nations' grief was not viewed by us as some personal experience unshared by other nationsand rather realized thatwe were sharing in the collective experience of billions of people around the world?
I am devastated by the report that over 6,000 Africans dies daily from AIDS. Everyday the continent experiences two 9/11 tragedies. Since 9/11 the war on terror has claimed the lives of as many Americans and five times as many Iraqis.
What if we were determined to beat our swords into ploughshares? What if we were resolved to improve the lives of poor children? Maybe that would bring peace. If the U.S. were to turn the other cheek and give until it hurt, what would that do on a global scale?I'm not against defending ourselves. I'm merely for serving others first.
I believe that the post 9/11 world required of the U.S. a response unlike any other in history. I believe the global response ought not to have been a military one. It ought to have been a response of empathy and humanitarianism. 9/11 de-isolated the U.S. from the global experience of preventable, innocent death. What I mean to say is that the U.S. is not the recipient, not the importer of injustice and devastating disease. The U.S. is the perpetrator and exporter of these things in ways of which most of us are unaware. Understand me,I'm not saying that "we"or anyone deserved the terror of 9/11. I'm saying that it happened as a result of global disparities that cannot be easily resolved. The ensuing struggle to achieve balance of power results in terror and retaliation. but it didn't have to.
What if the president had actually resolved to care for the world by sending an unprecedented amount of aid and relief to developing nations? What if he said that the U.S. is weeping with those who weep and mourning with those who mourn? What of our nations' grief was not viewed by us as some personal experience unshared by other nationsand rather realized thatwe were sharing in the collective experience of billions of people around the world?
I am devastated by the report that over 6,000 Africans dies daily from AIDS. Everyday the continent experiences two 9/11 tragedies. Since 9/11 the war on terror has claimed the lives of as many Americans and five times as many Iraqis.
What if we were determined to beat our swords into ploughshares? What if we were resolved to improve the lives of poor children? Maybe that would bring peace. If the U.S. were to turn the other cheek and give until it hurt, what would that do on a global scale?I'm not against defending ourselves. I'm merely for serving others first.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)