MMC: Saints and Sinners

Good Morning Bethlehem!

I hope that you are recovering from all the Reformation/Confirmation/Halloween activities yesterday and I am especially praying for all teachers and parents today that are dealing with tired cranky kids that are hopped up on sugar, especially anyone who has to try and limit the candy consumption today.

Just a few quick reminders

• This Sunday is All Saints Day, please email me or Ellen Grunsell any names that you would like to include on the prayer list for that day, especially any saints who have gone on to heaven before us this past year, or anyone who has joined the community of living saints that have been born or baptized this past year (and please let us know which category each name falls into)
• The following Sunday, November 14, is Ingathering Sunday, when we have a special collection of canned and boxed goods for Redding Social Services, and the altar is decorated in produce which is also brought to RSS.  You can start bringing in your items at any time.  If you would like an idea of what items are most needed and what items do not get picked as often, you can check out a blog post that I wrote after my last trip to drop off items at the food bank.
• The neighborhood dessert party is coming!  Mark your calendars for Saturday November 20th starting at 6:30, then bring your tastebuds, friends, family, neighbors, and possibly your favorite dessert to the parsonage as we gather for fun and fellowship with the congregation and our neighbors.
• An Intergenerational Mission Trip to Western Virginia is being planned for this July with participates for multiple Lutheran churches in Fairfield County.  Please talk to me if you are interested, these trips are unforgettable and often life changing. An informational meeting will be November 16 at St. Michael’s, New Canaan.

Now onto this coming week's text:

The first lesson is Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18.  Daniel has a dream of four winds of heaven stirring up the sea and four great beasts who com out of the sea.  The dream is interpreted that the four beast represent four kings who will arise, but God will receive and possess the kingdom (heaven) forever.  Why do you think this text is used on All Saints Sunday? How does this text relate to a day when we mourn and yet celebrate people who have died who are now with God in heaven?

The second lesson is Ephesians 1:11-23.  Paul gives thanks for the the Ephesians faith and prays that they might continue to understand God in their lives.  What people in your life do you give thanks for their faith, because their example was an influence in your faith?  Who do you pray for that God will give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation as they come to know Christ?  In other words, who has influenced your faith, and who do you hope God will guide you to so that you can be influential in their faith lives?

The gospel lesson is Luke 6:20-31.  In the NRSV, these verses have two section titles.  First is blessings and woe (or the Beatitudes).  How are you one of the blessed - poor, hungry, weep now, and people hate you?  How are you one of those who are given woe to - rich, full, laughing, people speak well of you?  Do you think you should be blessed or warned?  The second section is entitled "Love for enemies" is probably one of my favorite bible passages where by knowing the cultural context of Jesus' day, the meaning of the passage takes on a entirely different meaning.  How hard is it to love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who abuse you?  In doing those things how does your attitude towards them change?  If your enemy finds out that you are praying for them, how does their attitude towards you change?  Do you always do to others as you would have them do to you?  As far as the cultural context and how it relates to this passage, it is too long to explain in an email, but briefly these verses are not about letting someone abuse you by taking advantage of you but about publicly showing the childishness of the other's behavior by forcing them to shame themselves in order to abuse you.  

Did I wet your bible study appetite?  If so all women are invited to the women's bible study at the parsonage at 7:30pm on Wednesday to further discuss these passages and everyone is invited to 9am Sunday Morning bible study (that bible study is on Romans but I will be more than willing to get off topic about these passages if you are that curious).  

Hope you all have a great week!