MMC: Calling and Being Yourself

Good Morning Everyone

I hope you having a good start to the week and a good start to 2012.

A Few Announcements:

ARE Conference Call Monday Jan 9, 7pm

Confirmation  Tuesday Jan 10, 6pm

Council Sunday Jan 15, after worship

American Red Cross Blood Drive sponsored by Girl Scout Troop 50122 will be at First Church of Christ Congregational, 25 Cross Highway, Redding on Friday, January 20th, from 1:45 - 6:45  Walk-ins welcome or donors can make an appointment at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-733-2767 Reward: A coupon for a free pound of Dunkin' Donuts coffee (Give a pint, get a pound!)

Book of Faith Puzzler

The question from last week: How many days after his birth to the Magi come bearing gifts to Jesus? A)3 B)7 C)12 D)40 E)We don’t’ know
According to scripture, Jesus was circumcised when he was 8 days old (Luke 2:21) and presented in the temple when he was 40 days old (Luke 2:22).  Herod asked the Magi when they had first seen the star (Matthew 2:7) and on that basis killed all the boy age two and under (Matthew 2:16).  So based on that information, Jesus was between the ages of 41 days and 2 years old – so really we don’t know how old Jesus was when the Magi came to visit.  No one won this week's puzzler, which means more bread for me. 


This week’s question:  In Acts 8, where does Philip baptize the Ethiopian eunuch? A)In the River Jordan B)In the sea of Galilee C)In the Dead Sea D)In some water near the road  Look up the chapter and send me your answer by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing. 


Yesterday's sermon
Yesterday's sermon was very different - pure complete conversation about baptism.  You and read my recap about the dialog on my blog here. Where you not here and have your own thought about baptism?  Did you think of another point/question after we ended or too shy to speak up?  If so please send me any additional thoughts you have.  Also are there topics that you would like to discuss, let me know what questions you are pondering so we can ponder them together.



Serving this Sunday
We again have a week were few people have signed up to serve in worship (Barbara C has volunteered to count the offering).  Otherwise the following positions are available for volunteers:
Worship Assistant
Reader
Communion Assistant
Ushers (2 people)
Communion set up/clean up
Coffee Hour Host

Please let me know if you are willing to serve in one of these ways.

Sunday's TextsAs we are in the season after Epiphany, we hear stories of baptism, calling and light.  This week we hear a lot about God calling people.


The first reading is 1 Samuel 3:1-20.  Four times God calls Samuel and the first three times Samuel thought it was his mentor/employer Eli.  Have you ever had God call you but you thought it was something/someone else?  Or have you ever turned from following God's call because it was easier or less scary?


The second reading is 1 Corinthians 6:12-20.  Paul uses the sins of fornication and prostitution to illustrate that God wants our whole bodies and lives to follow Christ, not just part of us.  As we have recently heard about a Catholic bishop who announced he had multiple teenage children or find out that other Christian leaders actually have secret lives, society often marks them as hypocrites.  Yet God calls all of us to fully worship him with every part of our lives - not just Sunday Mornings.  How then are we hypocritical in this faith? and how can we by claiming those inconsistencies help others in their faith?  I will start this conversation - I swear like a sailor and can be quite irreverent in my faith (have you seen the collection of Jesus toys I have in my office?).  And yet because I am this way, I feel like I can actually speak of faith to those who feel they are not "holy enough" without making myself seem superior.  The great question is - should I change my behavior to be more in line with biblical teaching or should I be true to myself which often is greater in sharing the faith?


The gospel for Sunday John 1:43-51.  Jesus calls Philip as a disciple and Philip, in turns, calls his friend Nathanael to join him.    Philip doesn't ask Nathanael to change his mind set before he see Jesus, nor does Jesus ask him to do this after they meet, instead Philip tells Nathanael to come and see Jesus and Jesus flatters him.  Who are you inviting to come see Jesus?




Hope you all have a great week and that you are inviting others to come and see
~Pastor Becca