MMC: The Spirit is Coming

Good Morning Bethlehem

I hope you all are doing well on this not so lovely Monday morning. And we pray for the people of Missouri and Minnesota who were affected by yesterdays tornadoes. 

A Few Quick Announcements

• Thank you to everyone who helped with the tag sale both this past two Sundays but also in the weeks leading up to the sales pricing items, organizing and advertising.  The total as of Saturday is over $2,400!  
• We have some busy Sundays coming up so please plan on attending worship and following events:
• Sunday June 5 is Youth Sunday, Ryan Hawley will be preaching, and the other middle school and high school youth will be leading us in worship
• June 12 is Pentecost Sunday and the baptism of Aidan and Dylan Cooke.  Wear red!  And if you speak a foreign language are willing to read John 3:16 in that language on Pentecost, please let me know!  Afterwards join the festivities at Georgetown Day, especially by bringing baked goods for our booth or volunteering to serve at it. 
• June 19 is Holy Trinity Sunday and Father's Day.  During worship the Cooke & Constable families will affirm their baptism and become members of Bethlehem and after worship we will celebrate Father's Day with a special coffee hour with hot dogs, pretzels and beer (both root and non-root varieties)

Book of Faith Puzzler

 Last week’s  question was: Our worship service is broken up into four main parts, what are they?

A) Gathering, Word, Meal, Sending.

B) Gathering, Hearing, Tasting, Sending

C) Bell, Font, Table, Pew.

D) Peace, Love, Hope, Charity

E) Gossip, Boredom, Snack Time, Yay we get to leave now 

The ELW specifically separates the parts of the worship service into Gathering (we come together to worship), Word (we hear God’s word through scripture and reflection), Meal (we partake of the Lord’s Supper) and Sending (we go out into the world).  Though this pattern has been similar throughout the life of the church.  Congratulations to Frank C for winning this week's puzzler

This week’s question:  In Sunday’s Gospel, we heard one of Jesus’ famous I am sayings “I am the way, the truth and the life”, which of these does Jesus NOT call himself? A) I am the light of the world.  B) I am the boat. C) I am the door.  D) I am the vine  If you know the answer or willing to google it, email me by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

Yesterday's Sermon

The sermon is up on my blog along with a picture of a drawing from the Roman catacombs of a woman in the orans posture.  How do you pray?  Do you pray while doing other things: driving, the dishes, working out, etc?  What do you pray for?  Do you pray confidently or meekly?  For those in worship yesterday, what was it like to pray in orans during communion?

Sunday's Worship

The following people are signed up to help lead us in worship on Sunday.

Worship assistant: Ryan H
Reader: Bob M-C
Communion Assistant: _____
Ushers: _____ & ______
Communion Set up: ________
Bread baker/bringer: _________
Offering Counter: Nancy B
Coffee Hour Host: Becky P
If you would like to sign up to serve in one of the areas that are currently blank, please let me know

Sunday's Text

The first lesson on Sunday is Act 17:22-31.  Paul spoke in Athens about altars and idols to other gods and told his hearers that God does not live shrines made by human hands nor need to rely on humans to serve him. Nor should we think of God as something that can imagined in a statue, painting or other artwork.    How do you picture God?  If this is what Paul says about God - that we cannot picture what God looks like - then why did Michelangelo pain God to look like the image below which is similar to many other paintings of God?

The second lesson is 1 Peter 3:13-22.  The author tells us that if we do good people will not harm us and even if we are harmed we are still blessed.  When have you been harmed for doing good?  Would you rather be harmed for doing good than be left alone and do evil?  If it is the later, how can the congregation help support you when you good?

The gospel is John 14:15-21.  Jesus tells his disciples that if we love him then we should keep his commandments because we are not left alone because the Holy Spirit or Advocate will be with us.  When do you feel the Holy Spirit with you?  Is it easier to love God and one another when you know the Holy Spirit is with you or when you are able to see God in the other?

Hope you all have a wonderful week

Blessings
Pastor Becca