OUR WEEK — OCTOBER 12 - OCTOBER 18

REMINDERS —
Wednesday, October 8th —
Prayer Breakfast: Happy Chef @ 7 A.M.
Confirmation Class will be in Casey UMC
from 6 P.M. till 7:30 P.M.
WE NEED HELPERS to provide a lunch for approximately 10 class members each Wednesday night. On the 3rd Wednesday night of each month the TWEENS Youth Group will meet. This brings our total to 20 youthful appetites once a month.
Kids like: Pizza, Pasta, Soup, Sandwiches, Chips, Bars, easy stuff. If you would be willing to help, it would SOO be appreciated! If you can help, let Sheryl Richter know at Ph: (800) 689-5051 or phone Naomi at (641) 746-2210. TWEENS YOUTH GROUP will be included ONCE EACH MONTH:
October 15
November 19
December 17
They have lunch at 6 P.M.
• • • S.P.C.R. Meeting in Casey UMC at 7:30 P.M.
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October 12, 2008, Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost (Color: Green)
Sunday School will begin at Adair U.M.C. at 9:30 - ending at 10:15
Worship at 10:30 A.M.
Choir Practice at Casey U.M.C. - beginning at 8:30
Worship at 9:00 A.M.
Sunday School begins at 10:00 A.M.
There will be a UMW Recognition Pin Award during Adair U.M.C. worship today.
The second Sunday in October is designated for the celebration of CHILDREN'S SABBATH (October 10-12, 2008). Our Scripture readings for today are:
Exodus 32:1-14:
While Moses was up on the mountain with God, the people became anxious and distracted. Aaron leads them to fashion a golden calf and to worship it. This appalled God and Moses. Only through Moses' intercession was disaster averted. Some may argue that God was testing Moses, tempting him with power to see how he would respond. The Bible itself gives no indication of this, anywhere. What was tested, however, was the relationship between God, Moses, and God's people, Israel. It was tested by the Israelites themselves, who came to Aaron demanding he make gods for them. It was tested by Aaron, who so quickly complied without putting up any sort of resistance. It was tested by God, who proved ready to try to start from scratch, much as this same God was already known to have attempted in the Great Flood. And it was tested by Moses, who dared to question God, speaking up both for the sake of the people and of God's own reputation among the nations should God obliterate these people after having appeared to have rescued them. The relationship ultimately held. God would be their God. Moses would be their leader. Aaron would be reclaimed as a priest of YHWH among them. The people would return to the worship of YHWH alone.

EXODUS 32:1-14 (Amplified Bible) (AMP)
1 WHEN THE people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, they gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, Up, make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.

2 So Aaron replied, Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives, your sons, and daughters, and bring them to me.

3 So all the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron.

4 And he received the gold at their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it a molten calf; and they said, These are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt!

5 And when Aaron saw the molten calf, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.

6 And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.

7 The Lord said to Moses, Go down, for your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves;

8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, These are your gods, O Israel, that brought you up out of the land of Egypt!

9 And the Lord said to Moses, I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people;

10 Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and that I may destroy them; but I will make of you a great nation.

11 But Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why does Your wrath blaze hot against Your people, whom You have brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?

12 Why should the Egyptians say, For evil He brought them forth, to slay them in the mountains and consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and change Your mind concerning this evil against Your people.

13 Earnestly remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self and said to them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give to your seed, and they shall inherit it forever.

14 Then the Lord turned from the evil which He had thought to do to His people.PSALM 106:1-6, 19-23 (UMH 829)
God's people have reason to be cheerful people; and need not envy the children of men their pleasure or pride. None of our sins should prevent our ascribing glory and praise to the Lord. Often have we set up idols in our hearts, cleaved to some forbidden object; so that if a modern Moses had not stood to turn away the anger of the Lord, we should have been destroyed.

PSALM 106 New International Version - (NIV)
1 Praise the LORD.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

2 Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD
or fully declare his praise?

3 Blessed are they who maintain justice,
who constantly do what is right.

4 Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people,
come to my aid when you save them,

5 that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may share in the joy of your nation
and join your inheritance in giving praise.

6 We have sinned, even as our fathers did;
we have done wrong and acted wickedly.

PSALM 106:19-23 - Amplified Bible (AMP)
19 They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped the molten image.

20 Thus they exchanged Him Who was their Glory for the image of an ox that eats grass. They traded their Honor for the image of a calf!


21 They forgot God their Savior, Who had done such great things in Egypt,


22 Wonders and miracles in the land of Ham, dreadful and awesome things at the Red Sea.

23 Therefore He said He would destroy them. And He would have done so had not Moses, His chosen one, stepped into the breach before Him to turn away His threatening wrath.

Philippians 4:1-9:
Paul addresses the specific conflict in the community at Philippi head-on, calling the two chief parties in the conflict by name and asking for the assistance of Syzygos, who may be a bishop there, to help resolve it. The letter then turns towards its close, with exhortations to rejoice, trust God, and focus their thoughts on worthy things. Paul's letter to the Philippians is heading for its finale. This is thus the time both to name the conflict that instigated this letter and its earnest pleading to return to the fuller levels of communitas they had previously known, and to a final flurry of communitas-basics as he bids them farewell. The conflict appears to be led by two influential female leaders in the church, Euodia and Syntyche. Paul calls on a third person, perhaps a bishop (Philippians 1:1 is addressed to the the saints, bishops and deacons in Philippi), to intervene decisively and bring the conflict to a close. We do not know whether the word "Syzyge" is a name, a title, or a term of friendship. Translated as it often is, it means "sharer of the yoke" ("yokefellow" in KJV) literally, or "loyal companion" (NRSV) more figuratively. However, given the fact that Paul has named the other two, it seems reasonable to assume this is a name, and probably the name of a respected male leader in the church. It is not unusual for Paul to be this directive toward or about specific persons in his letters. And a number of early Christian documents attest to the role of bishops as judges or arbitrators given the authority to decide and resolve disputes in the community. The fact that Paul names the parties involved and calls for the help of Syzygos and spends almost no time trying to persuade anyone further about the matter but quickly changes the subject back to the larger theme of what makes for Christian communitas would seem to indicate his confidence that Syzygos would simply take care of the matter and all could then move on. What the practices commended in verses 4-9 create is not a community devoid of conflict, but a community that has developed capacities to handle conflict with confidence and grace as it comes. These practices are simple and profound. Always rejoice in the Lord. Practice gentleness. Remember the presence of God and the return of Jesus. Rather than holding on more tightly in challenging circumstances, pour out your souls to God in prayer with thanksgiving. Flow with the peace of God. And stay focused in your thinking on what is good, what is beneficial, what is working more than on what is broken, bad or lacking. These are concrete practices, disciplines of heart and mind that Paul had taught them before (verse 9). He reminds the congregation of these practices here once again and bids them stay practiced in them.

Philippians 4:1-9 New International Version (NIV)
1 Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!
2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.
3 Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.Matthew 22:1-14:
Jesus tells the parable of the Wedding Banquet. Those invited did not respond, so the king ordered his servants to the streets to invite everyone to come. One person came who refused to dress appropriately; he was promptly thrown out. The conclusion: many are called, but few are chosen. The parable of the wedding guest in Matthew has been the subject of many sermons over the years, not the least of which is John Wesley's "Of the Wedding Garment." This sermon is remarkable in part because its opening paragraphs reference many other sermons and commentators of Wesley's own day and several preceding generations and show how each, in its own way, was either incoherent or encouraged a slide into Antinomianism. Instead, he argued, the wedding garment points to "the holiness without which no man shall see the Lord." Wesley then goes on to describe what that holiness does not entail -- neither the adoration of holy things, nor acts of "holy war" The God of love is willing to save all the souls that he has made. This he has proclaimed to them in his word, together with the terms of salvation, revealed by the Son of his love, who gave his own life that they that believe in him might have everlasting life. And for these he has prepared a kingdom, from the foundation of the world. But he will not force them to accept of it; he leaves them in the hands of their own counsel; he saith, "Behold, I set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: Choose life, that ye may live." - JOHN WESLEY

MATTHEW 22:1-14 Amplified Bible
1 AND AGAIN Jesus spoke to them in parables (comparisons, stories used to illustrate and explain), saying,

2 The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son
3 And sent his servants to summon those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they refused to come.

4 Again he sent other servants, saying, Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have prepared my banquet; my bullocks and my fat calves are killed, and everything is prepared; come to the wedding feast.

5 But they were not concerned and paid no attention. They ignored and made light of the summons, treating it with contempt, and they went away--one to his farm, another to his business,

6 While the others seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and put them to death.

7 Hearing this the king was infuriated; and he sent his soldiers and put those murderers to death and burned their city.

8 Then he said to his servants, The wedding feast is prepared, but those invited were not worthy.

9 So go to the thoroughfares where they leave the city (where the main roads and those from the country end) and invite to the wedding feast as many as you can find.

10 And those servants went out on the crossroads and got together as many as they found, both bad and good, so the room in which the wedding feast was held was filled with guests.

11 But when the king came in to view the guests, he looked intently at a man there who had on no wedding garment.

12 And he said, Friend, how did you come in here without putting on the appropriate wedding garment? And the man was speechless.

13 Then the king said to the attendants, Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the darkness outside; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

14 For many are called (invited and summoned), but few are chosen.
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Monday, October 13th —
This is Pastor Lynn's and Naomi's scheduled day off.
Quilting Group meets at Casey U.M.C. this afternoon.
Casey U.M.C. Disciple Study will meet from 6:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.
Angel Food Ministries will have a presentation at Casey U.M.C. Starts at 6:30 P.M. and everyone is welcome.Here is a sample of the current October menu: Click on it for full size.
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Tuesday, October 14th —
— Prayer Shawl Ministry - Adair UMC at 3 PMAdair U.M.C. Disciple Study will meet from 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 AM.
Adair Office Hours today: 11 A.M. til noon and 1 P.M. til 4 P.M.
Casey Office Hours today: 9 A.M. til noon
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Wednesday, October 15th —
Confirmation Class will be in Casey UMC from 6 P.M. till 7:30 P.M.
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Thursday, October 16th — Deborah-Mary Circle will meet at Casey U.M.C. - at 2:00 P.M.
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We have many things to think of at this time. Last week was "Mental Health Awareness Week". With the extreme volatility of the markets at this point in time, you will have family and friends who are not prepared for the dramatic downturn of elements in their portfolio. Be there for them and watch for signs of their depression and let them know God will carry them through. . . and let them know you love them.

This week is "Domestic Violence week". A time to learn what some of our family and acquaintances may be going through in their private lives - and how to recognize the signs of violence. Life is hard, but none of us should have to put up with violence in our own homes. When we have been on the front lines all day, home should be a sanctuary, a place of refuge and rehabilitation.

Last week we had a timely and instructive visit from Dr. Somner, who spoke to us about the wonderful Bidwell Riverside Center in Des Moines. They have unbelievable resources available and waiting for people in need - and there are many. Next week we will talk about items Bidwell is constantly in need of. The list is available in the office. Bidwell is a valuable community outreach that the south side of Des Moines could not get along without.

The weather is beginning to cool and our thoughts turn to Thanksgiving and the Advent Season. So much to do - and only 24 hours a day.
Thank you profoundly for all of the wonderful service you give to your church.
God bless and keep you, my friends,
Pastor Lynn