I hope you all enjoyed your Labor Day weekend and are enjoying this first rainy day of school.
A lot is happening at Bethlehem in the next few weeks so please read
A Few Announcements
- Forgot your toiletry items? I will be bringing them to Americares tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. Please bring them by the parsonage if you forgot, you can leave them on the porch if no one is home.
- RALLY DAY is Sept 18. Starting at 9am we will have a time of hearing bible stories together for all ages followed by making health kits for Lutheran World Relief. We still need some people to volunteer to bring towels, nail clippers and combs. If you are willing to provide those items, please let me know.
- During worship on Sept 18 bring your backpack, lunch bag, briefcase, or whatever else you use in your vocation so that they can be blessed.
- After worship on Sept 18 we will have our annual congregational photo so please plan to stick around for a few minutes.
- Senior Lunch is Wed Sept 14 at noon at Chucks in Danbury. All are invited to join us for lunch and conversation.
- Our conference is meeting Saturday Sept 17 at 10 at Salem Lutheran in Bridgeport. All are invited to attend and find out what is going on at other Lutheran churches in our area. Please let me know if you are interested in attending.
Book of Faith Puzzler
The last puzzler from 2 weeks ago was: In our 2nd reading from Romans 12, Paul talks about the body of Christ having many members but we are of one body. Where else does Paul compare the church to a human body? A) Genesis 40, B) 1 Corinthians 12, C) Matthew 8 D) Galatians 7 Out of those options Paul only wrote the books of 1 Corinthians and Galatians, but Galatians only has 6 chapters. Chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians has a wonderful analogy of the church as a body and how we need all parts of the body.
This week's puzzler is: In today’s gospel Jesus tells you how to confront someone who sins against you. But how many times are you suppose to forgive someone who sins against you? A) 7 B) 70 C) 7 times 7 D) 70 times70, E) 700 F) 70 time 7. If you know the answer you have until Thursday at noon this week to submit your answer to me.
Were you traveling this weekend and missed it? You can read the sermon here. What do you love and hate about community? Have you ever politely confronted someone? How did it go? What concerns you and frees you about Jesus' advice?
Serving this Sunday
Are you willing to be a reader, usher, counter, worship assistant or communion assistant this Sunday or in the future? Let me know
Sunday's Text
The first reading is Genesis 50:15-21. Joseph's brothers come to him begging for forgiveness and asking to be his slaves as a result of their actions. Joseph not only forgives their sins against him but says good actually came out of it. When have you begged for forgiveness and been forgiven more than expected? How can this text help us as a nation as many do not forgive the terrorist and those who masterminded September 11, 2001 or even hold those few men's actions against people who are of the same nationality or religious?
The second reading is Romans 14:1-12. Paul writes to a community that is struggling with diversity (Christians of Jewish heritage and Christians from various other religious heritages) and says that they should not despise or judge those who are different from them for we will all stand before God in judgement. We as a nation have struggled many times with religious diversity. How have you despised or judge those who are or different religious heritages that yourself? It is hard to stop despising and judging others; how can we be less judgmental?
The gospel is Matthew 18:21-35. Jesus tells his disciples how much to forgive and then tells the parable of a slaves whose debt was forgiven by the king but then went out and acted cruelly to someone who owed him. God forgives us many times and yet we have a hard time forgiving others. When have you had a hard time forgiving someone? When have you received forgiveness from someone? Who are you not able to forgive?
Hope you have a wonderful week
~Pastor Becca
No comments:
Post a Comment