MMC: Many parables.

Good Morning Bethlehem

I hope you all have your fans and air conditioners ready to go this week!  But if you need a place to keep cool, the church basement is always a comfortable place to hang out in the heat. 

A few quick announcements

• Sunday July 31 Bethlehem will be going to the Connecticut Wine Festival.  Advance tickets are on sale through this coming Sunday at www.ctwine.com.  Tickets are also available at the door for $25 or $10 for DD/under 21. 
• August 7 will be the annual outdoor worship and picnic.  Please bring a side dish or dessert to share, hot dogs & hamburgers will be provided.
• Throughout July & August the giving basket is collecting toiletries - shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, etc.  All sizes are needed but travel sizes are especially helpful. 

Prayers

Carol K is in the process of moving to a nursing home in Virginia, a few minutes from her daughter's home.  Please keep her and George in your prayers.  I will forward you Carol's new address as soon as it is available. 

Book of Faith Puzzler

Last week’s  question was: In the parable of the grain of mustard seed, when it becomes a tree birds come and do what?A) Build nests, B) Eat the leaves C) Roost for the night D) Find shelter from the rain 

The parable of the mustard seed is found in Mark 4:30-32 and reads  “He also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? ³¹It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; ³²yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”  Congratulations to Carl R for winning this week's puzzler by knowing the birds make their nest in the mustard tree. 

This week’s question: In the bible the first time people try to know the difference between wheat and weeds (good & evil) is A) the first sin B) Noah after the flood C)Abraham sacrificing Isaac D)The receiving of the 10 commandments.  Send me an email by noon on Wednesday with your answer to be entered into this week's question.  

Wednesday's Worship

This Wednesday we will hear about the parable of the houses on rock and sand and discuss what we are building our "houses", our lives, on.  Worship is at 7pm but come early for dinner at 6:30pm.

Yesterday's sermon

If you would like to read it, it can be found here.  In what ways are you wheat? In what ways are you weeds?  Do you believe we are predestined to be one or the other?  

Assisting this Sunday

The following people have signed up to serve in worship this week.

Worship Assistant: Mark H

Reader: Bob MC

Communion Assistant: Lillian J

Usher: ______ & ________

Communion Set up & Clean up: Nancy B

Bread baker/bringer: _________

Offering Counter: __________

Coffee Hour Host: Heloisa and Mark

Sunday's Text

This coming Sunday the gospel is Matthew:31-33, 44-52, a series of 5 short parables.  The parables are about a mustard seed, yeast, treasure in a field, fine pearls and a net full of fish.  These parables are quite different and use different examples to demonstrate what the kingdom of heaven is like.  These five parables are then tied together by a sixth parable "the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."  What do you think heaven or the kingdom of heaven is like?  What would you compare it too?  

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Pastor Becca