I hope you all are able to spend a little bit of time outside today and enjoy this gorgeous spring day. It is so easy to see God in beautiful days like today.
A few announcements
- Council is meeting tonight at 7:30pm, all are invited to attend
- The church tag sale is Saturday from 9-4. Please see Ellen's recent email about volunteering, but also come on Saturday to volunteer and buy.
- This Sunday, May 15, after worship, there will be an informational meeting for youth and parents about the upcoming National Youth Gathering (July 2012) and Hammonassett Gathering (Sept 2011) .
- An intergenerational group from Bethlehem is going Laser Tagging on May 22 after worship. Please let me know if you plan on attending.
- The giving basket is collecting baby items throughout the month of May. All items are needed, especially food, diapers and formula.
Book of Faith Puzzler
Last week’s question was: Last Sunday’s gospel was about “Doubting Thomas,” which is NOT one of the disciples nicknames? A)Thomas “the Twin” B) Peter “the Rock” C) James “Lightning” D) John “Son of Thunder” Thomas is call “the Twin” multiple times in the gospel of John, including in last week’s gospel, (John 20:24). Peter was originally named Simon but Jesus renamed him Peter, which means rock (Matthew 16:18). James and John were the sons of Zebedee which means thunder (Mark 3:17) so they were both called the Sons of Thunder. Therefore James “lightning” is not the nickname. Congratulations to Cheryl M for winning this week's puzzler.
This week’s question: Today we hear about Jesus coming to people on the road to Emmaus. The apostle Paul was converted when a vision of Jesus appeared to him while he was on a road. Where was he headed? A) Jericho B) Jerusalem C) Calvary D) Damascus Think you know the answer? Willing to Google it? Email me by noon on Wednesday. A winner will be chosen from all correct answers received. The winner will be announced in worship next week.
Yesterday's Sermon
If you missed it or would like to read it again it can be found here. What do you hope for? How has some of your hopes been fulfilled? When have your hopes been dashed? How was Jesus with you in both cases?
Sunday's Worship
Serving this week are:
Worship Assistant: Mark H
Reader ______
Usher ______ & _______
Communion Assistant ________
Bread baker: Jennifer C
Offering counter: Frank C
Altar Set-up & clean up ________
Coffee Hour _______
If you would like to serve in any of the ways that are currently open, please let me know.
Sunday's text
The first lesson is Acts 2:42-47. The reading refers to what the newly baptized in the early church did as a community including teaching, fellowship, eating together, communion, prayers and selling their possessions and giving the proceeds to those in need. The church today still does these things (though we could get better about giving our possessions to the poor, myself included). Which on this list do you think you do best? Which on the list do you think Bethlehem does best? Is there one particular thing that you think allowed the Lord to add to the early church's number? Or was it the overall mindset? What does that mean for us today?
The second lesson is 1 Peter 2:19-25. The author tells the reader something that is well known to most people - doing the right thing is not always easy. But the author encourages people to do the right thing even in the face of suffering for Jesus did not return violence with violence. When has doing the right thing caused you suffering? How did you endure? When have you been tempted to do or done the wrong thing because it was easier.
The gospel lesson is John 10:1-10. Jesus calls himself the gate for the sheep and whoever enters by him will be saved. What does it mean to you to be called a sheep? In our non-agrarian culture, does a sheep metaphor make sense to you? What would be a better modern day metaphor for Jesus being the gate to the sheep?
Hope you all have a blessed week!
Pastor Becca
Pastor Becca
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