MMC: Great News!

Good Morning Bethlehem

I hope you all are enjoying this beautiful Monday morning.  

A Few Quick Announcements

• Join us this Friday for Family Fun Night.  If you are available at 4pm, meet at the church and we will go apple picking at Blue Jay Orchard in Bethel. If not come at 6:30 for a light dinner, and apple related fun: apple treats will be made and we will bob for apples and play Apples to Apples.
• Grow 2 Gather will be meeting on Sunday at 9am.  We will hear about the life of Abraham and then you can either play a game, participate in a small service project or help prepare the church grounds for fall.
• All men are invited for the first meeting of the men's group this coming Sunday at 6pm for a grill out.
• Thank you to everyone who donated items for the health kits.  All 50 kits were put together yesterday and will be shipped off shortly to Lutheran World Relief.

Book of Faith Puzzler

The last weeks question was: The first lesson starts after Joseph’s father had died.  Who was Joseph’s (from the Genesis) father?  A) Noah B) Isaac C) Jacob D) Joshua
Jacob, Joseph’s father, had 12 sons of which Joseph was the favored being the first born of his favorite wife, Rachel.  You can read about Jacob & Joseph’s lives in Genesis starting at the 37^th chapter.  Congratulations to Nancy Beck for winning this week's puzzler
This week’s question:  What did God create on the 4^th day?  A)light B)animals C) sun, stars and moon, D) land  If you know the answer, email me your answer by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.

A Personal Announcement

As Bob announced in worship yesterday, he has received a fellowship to study cuneiform math in a PhD program at University of Paris Diderot.  I am so proud of my husband and look forward to all that he will be able to accomplish.  However we are both committed to the ministry at Bethlehem, so I will be staying here in Connecticut and remain serving as Bethlehem's pastor but you can probably guess where I'll be taking my vacations.  

Serving this Sunday

The following people have signed up to help lead worship in the following ways this coming Sunday:

Worship Assistant: Ellen Grunsell

Reader: Paul Degener

Communion Assistant: _________

Usher: Bob Middeke-Conlin & ______

Bread Baker:____________

Offering Counter:__________

Communion set up & clean up:_______

Coffee Hour Host:  Apparently there is going to be some celebration for the 2nd anniversary of my ordination

If you would like to sign up for one of the areas currently blank, please let me know.

Sunday's Texts:

The first lesson is Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32.  Ezekiel challenges his hears who think that they cannot change to change because God is constantly inviting us to turn from our sin.  When have you done something that you thought you could not do?  Is there a certain sin that you would find especially hard to stop committing?  How can you use the first experience to help you find strength to stop sinning?

The second lesson is Philippians 2:1-13.  This reading includes one of the earliest Christian hymns (verses 6-11) which talks about Jesus humbling himself and being obedient to the point of death.  What can we learn from Christ's selflessness?  As of the result of Jesus' death, he was also exalted, when have you been praised for doing what is naturally in you to do?

The gospel lesson is Matthew 21:23-32.  The gospel starts with the religious leaders asking Jesus what authority he has for teaching and he turns it back on them by asking if John's baptism came from heaven or from human origin.  Answering questions with questions, is older than Socrates and can be quiet effective in getting people to think in a different mindset, but it can also be unnerving to others.  When have you been pushed to answer your own question?  Were you flustered like these religious leaders or were you able to answer yourself?  Jesus then tells a parable about 2 sons, one who tells his father he will not work but changes his mind and does, the other tells his father he will work but does not.  We all have been both sons at points in our lives.  When have you said one thing but done the opposite?  Why did you change your mind?

Hope you all have a great week and see you on Friday

~Pastor Becca

It's not fair, but you decide why

Yesterday was Rally Day at Bethlehem, meaning that it was a busy day with LOTS of (almost too much) stuff before, during, and after worship.  But it was a festive day which always makes worship wonderful. 


At the beginning of worship, I pointed out two note cards stuff into each bulletin.  I asked people to write on one something they hold a grudge against or are envious of.  On the other I asked them to write a blessing they have received.  We then used these note cards during the sermon which was based on the gospel Matthew 20:1-16.


Enjoy the sermon!

Can you blame the first for being upset?  If any of us were in the same situation wouldn’t we each be upset that we did not get more?  We worked a full day, 12 hours under the hot sun.  Meanwhile those others just worked an hour and yet they got the same pay as us.  So what if we agreed to the pay that we received before we ever started the job?  So what if what we were given is enough for us to support our families by putting food on the table and a roof over our heads?  What we care about is that it is not fair!  It is not fair that we worked 12 times the amount as the last hired and yet we got the same pay.  It is not fair that the landowner decided to be generous and let all the people under his care to be give enough to survive.  It is not fair!

It is not fair that some of us are struggling to pay our bills while others get multi-million dollar bonuses each year.  It is not fair that some people have been unemployed or underemployed for years and yet others easily jump from one job to another.  It is not fair that some people have to study hard and still only get B’s and others never open a book and so how manage to get an A on the exam.  It is not fair that life seems to constantly dump the worse onto some people in the form of illness, deaths, financial and relationship problems and others never have problems and breeze through life.

Life is not fair!  It is not fair that some people who are good Christians there entire life, always trying to do what is right, and others who come to believe in Christ on the last day, will both receive the same reward of heaven.  Heaven is not fair!

The early laborers were upset that they did not receive more for their work.  They did not think about how depressing it could have been to be waiting for work all day and have perspective employer after perspective employer choose someone else over you.  They did not think about those hired last who spent all day calculating how they will be able to stretch what little they have to feed their families for one more day without an income.  They did not think about how those hired last did not give up hope for finally being able to find work.  Instead as the last hired were receiving their pay, the first were seeing dollar signs in their eyes.  They were already thinking about all the ways they would spend their extra money.  So when they did not receive what they expected, and instead just received what they had agreed upon, they resented those who were hired last.  How dare they get an equal reward for unequal work? 

But if you are able to step out of this parable and look at it from a different point of view, you can see that the first laborers can either hold on to the things that they resent about the last receiving equal pay, or they can rejoice with the last and count their blessings and be grateful that their fellow workers, their neighbors and friends, are also taken care of.  Because the last were paid for a full days work, the first will not have to take of their food in order to help feed their neighbors, those who were only paid for part of the day.  Because the last were paid for a full days work, the first will not have to open their homes in order to allow their relatives, the last to get hired, to have a place to rest their heads at night.  Because the last were paid for a full days work, the entire community is fed, the entire community is cared for, the entire community is blessed.  But the first must choose, they must choose to either hold on to the things that they resent or they must choose to focuses on and lift up their blessings, they can’t do both.

And the same is true for us.  We cannot hold on to both things we resent and to our blessings.  When we hold on to resentment and grudges that we have against others, family members, friends, community members, neighbors, even people who live on the other side of the planet our hearts and minds start to focus only on those negatives and as a results we are not able to celebrate and rejoice in the many blessings and abundances that we are giving.  When we focus on the resentment and grudges we see the world as unfair and we are the ones who are getting the short end of the deal and so we hoard onto what we do have and become inward and me focused.

But when we focus on the blessings and abundances that both ourselves and others have been given, well then we see that the world is unfair, but we are not the ones getting the short end of the deal.  And instead we work to make sure that our abundance, our blessings are given to those who are given less.  Through focusing on the blessings and abundances of this world, we are not only much happier but we also end up with a life-giving sense of justice. 

So you should each have with you two pieces of paper.  I asked you earlier to write one a resentment or grudge that you hold, or something you are envious of.  And on the other I asked you to write something you are grateful for or a blessing you have received.  Now flip them over.  Physically they look much the same on this side. Yet one of these cards is weighing you down spiritually.  One of these cards is like chains wrapped around your heart, keeping you from loving you neighbor and in some cases keeping you from loving God.  And the other card is light, it is something that you want to tell others about, something that you want to share.  Now you have a choice, I’m going to pass a basket around and I’m going to ask you to keep one of those cards and give away the other – I’ll burn them after worship.  The card that you keep, I hope that you hold on to.  I hope you use it as a reminder that you can focus on either the negative or the positive but not both. 

Unfortunately choosing to count blessings instead of holding grudges is not as easy in real life, but remember those who were holding a grudge, the first laborers who were hired, received the landowners grace and generosity.  And even if we end up holding grudges instead of counting our blessings, God still gives us grace and gives it to us generously and with abundance. God is fair because God is just!  God is generous!  God is abundant and God is loving.

MMC: Gearing up for Fall

Good Morning Bethlehem!

I hope you all enjoyed our gorgeous weather this weekend, I know that I and 10 of our youth and adults did at Hammonasset. And I've heard that Sunday's worship was quite nice and it was nice to have Pastor Ned back. 

Some Announcements

It is a busy week coming up at Bethlehem as we kick off our fall

• Senior Lunch is this Wednesday at noon.  We will be meeting at Chuck's in Danbury. 
• Our conference is meeting on Saturday at 10am at Salem in Bridgeport.  Please let me know if you would like to join me in hearing what other Lutheran churches are doing in Fairfield County
• Rally Day is Sunday with our kick off to Grow 2 Gather, our new inter-generational educational program.  All are invited to come at 9am for a time of bible study and this week we will be making health kits for Lutheran World Relief
• On Sunday we will also be blessing backpacks and other work/school related items during worship.  So bring your backpacks, briefcases, lunch bags, phones, laptops or other items that represents your work. 
• After worship we will be taking our annual congregational photo, so please plan on sticking around a few minutes and enjoy a snack or cup of coffee/tea/juice during coffee hour.
• Council is meeting after worship on Sunday.  
• Mark your calendar to join us for our Family Fun Night on Friday Sept 23. For those able to go apple picking, we are meeting at the church at 4pm.  However the true fun begins at 6:30 as we will make apple related goodies, play Apples to Apples and bob for apples. All forms of family are invited as we are all part of the Bethlehem Family. 
• All men are invited to a cookout and planning session on Sunday Sept 25 at 6pm.  Enjoy some time of fellowship and brainstorm ways that you as men of Bethlehem can gather, volunteer, serve Bethlehem or just get to know each other better. 

Book of Faith Puzzle

The last weeks question was: In Sunday’s gospel Jesus tells you how to confront someone who sins against you.  But how many times are you suppose to forgive someone who sins against you? A) 7 B) 70 C) 7 times 7 D) 70 times70, E) 700

Well this is a question when I should double check the answer and not type so fast.  Depending on the translation, Jesus says in Matthew 18:22 that we are to forgive either “77 times” or “until 70 times 7”.  Congratulations to Paul B for not just knowing all these options were incorrect but also knowing the actual answer.


This week’s question:  The first lesson starts after Joseph’s father had died.  Who was Joseph’s (from the Genesis) father?  A) Noah B) Isaac C) Jacob D) Joshua If you know the answer, or even if you had to look it up, send me your answer by noon on Wednesday to be entered into this week's drawing.  

Serving this Sunday

The following people have signed up to serve in worship this coming Sunday

Worship Assist: Ellen G

Reader: Nancy B

Communion Assistant:_____

Usher: _____ & ______

Bread baker/bringer: _________

Communion set up/clean up:______

Coffee Hour: Heloisa R & Mark H

Please let me know if you are willing to volunteer in any of the blank spots. 

Sunday's Text

The first reading is Jonah 3:10-4:11.  The book of Jonah is very brief and this comes at the end.  Jonah is sent to go to Ninevah to tell them to repent their sins and turn back to God; Jonah runs and goes the other way; he ends up being swallowed by a big fish; he then decided to go to Ninevah and gets "spewed" out of the fish; the people of Ninevah listen to Jonah and turn back towards God and God forgive them.  However Jonah is not happy about this and gets upset that God forgave them.  When have you been upset that someone was forgiven?  Were you upset that they were forgiven, that the other was able to forgive, or that it wasn't done to you? 

The second lesson is Philippians 1:21-30.  Paul writes about his commitment to Christ and his ministry.  He encourages the people of Philipi to live lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.  How have you lived a live worthy of the gospel?  How have you failed? (and don't worry we have all failed)  How are you still struggling to live a life that is "firm in one spirit", striving for the faith of the gospel and "in no way intimidated by your opponents"? 

The gospel is Matthew 20:1-16, the parable of the laborers in the vineyard.  The laborers hired at the end of the day get the same pay as those hired at the beginning - a usual daily wage.  Those hired first are upset that they did not get more even though they agreed to their pay at the beginning of their work. Have you ever been in a similar situation, when you thought you would get more than you did based on what others received? How did you react?  Were you envious about what the other received or about the giver's generosity?

Hope you all have a wonderful week and I'll see you Sunday, if not before

Blessings

~Pastor Becca