Tuesday, December 30, 2008

OUR WEEK — JANUARY 4 - JANUARY 10

»»»REMINDERS«««
Tuesday, December 30th —
Pastor Lynn and
Naomi will be out of the office
until Friday,
January 2nd.

No business or social meetings scheduled.
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Thursday, January 1st, 2009 —
Happy Happy Happy Happy!
GET SOME REST ! ! !
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Friday, January 2nd, 2009 —
NAOMI is in the office from 9 till noon.
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SUNDAY, JANUARY 4th, 2009 —
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper today.
Epiphany Sunday — Epiphany is a
celebration that is extended over two
Sundays in The U. M. C. It incorporates
the story of the Magi and the story of
the baptism of the Lord.
The Magi were descendants of the
Babylonians, the very people who
carried the people of Judah into exile.
When word about God entering into
history gets out, no part of the world
is unaffected. Today's texts are about
the manifestation of God's saving
intervention in history — whether in
the days following the end of the exile
(Isaiah) or in Jesus Christ (Ephesians,
Matthew). We hear God's outrageous
revelation of salvation to the GENTILES
who were formerly bitter enemies and
crushing oppressors.

Our Scripture Readings for this Sunday:
ISAIAH 60:1-6 (New Living Translation)
Isaiah prophesies to a people just returning from exile that the day would come when all nations would flock to their light. Isaiah offers a word from the Lord to exiles returning to their homeland after a 39-year absence.
They expected ruins on their return, and that is what they found. They entered their ruined homeland and their destroyed capital, Jerusalem.
Persian government set the Judeans free to return to their homeland, and sent orders to have building materials sent for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its temple.Isaiah 60:1-6 (New Living Translation)
Future Glory for Jerusalem

1 “Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see.
For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you.
2 Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth,
but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you.
3 All nations will come to your light;
mighty kings will come to see your radiance.
4 “Look and see, for everyone is coming home! Your sons are coming from distant lands; your little daughters will be carried home.
5 Your eyes will shine,
and your heart will thrill with joy, for merchants from around the world will come to you. They will bring you the wealth of many lands.
6 Vast caravans of camels will converge on you,
the camels of Midian and Ephah. The people of Sheba will bring gold and frankincense and will come worshiping the Lord.

PSALM 72:1-7, 10-14 (UMH 795)
In
praise of the righteous king who would
receive tribute from all nations.

1 Give your love of justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s son.
2 Help him judge your people in the right way;
let the poor always be treated fairly.
3 May the mountains yield prosperity for all,
and may the hills be fruitful.
4 Help him to defend the poor,
to rescue the children of the needy, and to crush their oppressors.
5 May they fear you as long as the sun shines,
as long as the moon remains in the sky. Yes, forever!
6 May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass,
like the showers that water the earth.
7 May all the godly flourish during his reign.
May there be abundant prosperity until the moon is no more.
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EPHESIANS 3:1-12;
For having preached the doctrine of truth, the apostle Paul was a prisoner. It was evangelism that got Paul locked away. And being locked away, Paul never stopped evangelizing about God's kingdom and Jesus Christ.
EPHESIANS 3:1-12 (Amplified Bible)

1 FOR THIS reason because I preached that you are thus built up together, I, Paul, am the prisoner of Jesus the Christ for the sake and on behalf of you Gentiles--

2 Assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was entrusted to me to dispense to you for your benefit,

3 And that the mystery was made known to me and I was allowed to comprehend it by direct revelation, as I already briefly wrote you.

4 When you read this you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.

5 This mystery was never disclosed to human beings in past generations as it has now been revealed to His holy
apostles (consecrated messengers) and prophets by the Holy Spirit.

6 It is this: that the Gentiles are now to be fellow heirs with the Jews, members of the same body and joint partakers
sharing in the same divine promise in Christ through their acceptance of the glad tidings of the Gospel.

7 Of this Gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's free grace (undeserved favor) which was
bestowed on me by the exercise of His power.

8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints (God's consecrated people), this grace (favor, privilege) was granted and graciously entrusted: to proclaim to the Gentiles the unending, boundless, fathomless, incalculable, and inexhaustible riches of Christ,

9 Also to enlighten all men and make plain to them what is the plan regarding the Gentiles and providing for the salvation of all men of the mystery kept hidden through the ages and concealed until now in the mind of God Who
created all things by Christ Jesus.

10 The purpose is that through the church the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities principalities and powers in
the heavenly sphere.

11 This is in accordance with the terms of the eternal and timeless purpose which He has realized and carried into effect in the person of Christ Jesus our Lord,

12 In Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness courage and confidence of free access an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear.
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MATTHEW 2:1-12 (Amplified Bible)
The wise men's search after Christ.
Those who are the greatest distance from the means of grace often use most diligence to know Christ and his salvation. The word of God, is a light that shines in a dark place. Though Herod was very old, and never had shown affection for his family, and was not likely to live till a new-born infant grew to manhood, he began to be troubled with the dread of a rival. A man may hate truth because it interferes with his own ambition. Such a belief made Herod oppose the cause of God; and foolish enough to believe in his own success.

1 NOW WHEN Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men [astrologers]
from the east came to Jerusalem, asking,
2 Where is He Who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east at its rising and have come to worship Him.
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was disturbed and troubled, and the whole of Jerusalem with him.
4 So he called together all the chief priests and learned men (scribes) of the people and anxiously asked them where
the Christ was to be born.
5 They replied to him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

6 And you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are not in any way least or
insignificant among the chief cities of Judah; for from you shall come a Ruler Who will govern and shepherd My people Israel.
7 Then Herod sent for the wise men [astrologers] secretly, and accurately to the last point ascertained from them the
time of the appearing of the star [that is, how long the star had made itself visible since its rising in the east].
8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search for the Child carefully and diligently, and when you have found Him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship Him.
9 When they had listened to the king, they went their way, and behold, the star which had been seen in the east in its
rising went before them until it came and stood over the place where the young Child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were thrilled with ecstatic joy.
11 And on going into the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then
opening their treasure bags, they presented to Him gifts - - gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12 And receiving an answer to their asking, they were divinely instructed and warned in a dream not to go back to
Herod; so they departed to their own country by a different way.
TODAY, SUNDAY, JANUARY 4 & NEXT SUNDAY, JANUARY 11th - We have scheduled an Evening Prayer, Scripture, and Music Service - These services will be hosted by Adair UMC from 5:30 to 6:30 PM in the Adair Fellowship Hall. They are a bit more informal, and we would like you to offer any suggestions about ideas you might have.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 18TH AND SUNDAY, JANUARY 25TH - We will have Prayer, Scripture, and Music Services hosted by Casey UMC in their Fellowship Hall. Same time, 5:30 to 6:30 PM.
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Monday, January 5th —
This is Pastor Lynn's and Naomi's day off.
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Tuesday, January 6th —
Adair Disciple Fellowship will meet from 9 to 11 A.M. in Adair U.M.C.
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Wednesday, January 7th —
Confirmation Group will meet from 6 to 7:30 P.M. in Casey U.M.C.
Donna Sheeder has volunteered to bring rations for the troops.
Thank you, Donna
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Saturday, January 10th —
Join us today as we welcome Bishop Robert Schnase, author of the "Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations" -- celebrating through the "Practices" what God is doing among us!

This event is open to EVERYONE regardless of whether or not your church has participated in the Conference-wide "Five Practices" workshops.

Start Time: 10:00 am
End Time: 2:30 pm
Location: OAKWOOD UMC
Address: 400 NE 56TH ST
City: PLEASANT HILL
State: IA — Click on Map and Flyer below for expanded versionIf expanding these images does not work for you,
go to on line.
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It is time for the Annual Church Audit for 2008.
Please provide your checkbook and bank
statements ASAP to Ginger Spangler for Adair
UMC and JoAnn Morris for Casey UMC.
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Upcoming Event: Jan. 19th- Potluck - hosted
by CUMC
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One of the changes around Adair in 2008 is the
addition of the Wind Turbines
out on the country
side. There are 76 I am told and they are just a
small group of the turbines being set up all over
the world. It is a serious effort to wean us off of
fossil fuels and over to renewable energy
sources. The world is constantly changing and
isn't it exciting?
Thank you for your concerted efforts to make the
wheels turn this year. We are all human beings
and yet we are all magically different, with our own
set of talents and aptitudes — and that is exciting
as well. I will see you very soon, in 2009.

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Lynn