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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13TH —
PRAYER BREAKFAST - HAPPY CHEF @ 7 A.M.
ABC COMBINED AD COUNCIL MEETING - 6:30 P.M.Complete Charge Conference Package.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14TH —
TTT #2 - MEETING FROM 9:30 TO 10:30 A.M.
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15TH —
MISSION EDUCATION THROUGH THE 17TH
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16TH —
MISSION EDUCATION
There will be a VIM Team Leader Training Event
Saturday, October 16, 2010 from 10 AM - 2 PM at
Walnut Hills United Methodist Church, in
Urbandale, Iowa.
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17TH —
TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
COLOR GREEN
SCRIPTURE READINGS —
JEREMIAH 31:27-34
(The Message)
This text Is a harbinger of the new covenant.
The promise is - - "I will put my law within them
and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their
God. I will forgive their iniquity, and remember
their sin no more." This meant that God would
wipe out the debt the people owed for their past
transgressions at the end of the exile.
JEREMIAH 31:27-36
27 "Be ready. The time's coming" - God's Decree -
"when I will plant people and animals in Israel and
Judah, just as a farmer plants seed.
28 And in the same way that earlier I relentlessly
pulled up and tore down, took apart and demolished,
so now I am sticking with them as they start over,
building and planting.
29 "When that time comes you won't hear the old
proverb anymore, Parents ate the green apples, their
children got the stomachache.
30 "No, each person will pay for his own sin. You eat
green apples, you're the one who gets sick.
31 "That's right. The time is coming when I will make
a brand-new covenant with Israel and Judah.
32 It won't be a repeat of the covenant I made with
their ancestors when I took their hand to lead them
out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant
even though I did my part as their Master."
God's Decree.
33 "This is the brand-new covenant that I will make
with Israel when the time comes. I will put my law
within them - write it on their hearts! - and be their
God. And they will be my people.
34 They will no longer go around setting up schools
to teach each other about God. They'll know me
firsthand, the dull and the bright, the smart and the
slow. I'll wipe the slate clean for each of them. I'll
forget they ever sinned!" God's Decree. If This
Ordered Cosmos Ever Fell to Pieces
35 God's Message, from the God who lights up the
day with sun and brightens the night with moon and
stars, Who whips the ocean into a billowy froth, whose
name is God-of-the-Angel-Armies:
36 "If this ordered cosmos ever fell to pieces, fell into
chaos before me" - God's Decree - "Then and only
then might Israel fall apart and disappear as a nation
before me."
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PSALM 119:97-104 or PSALM 19 (UMH 750)
(The Message)
The general scope and design of this psalm is to
magnify the Divine law, and make it honorable.
Familiarity with the word of God causes affection,
and affection seeks yet greater familiarity.
PSALM 19 (The Message) A Psalm of David
1 God's glory is on tour in the skies,
God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
2 Madame Day holds classes every morning,
Professor Night lectures each evening.
3 Their words aren't heard,their voices aren't recorded,
4 But their silence fills the earth:
unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.
5 God makes a huge dome
for the sun—a superdome!
The morning sun's a new husbandleaping from his honeymoon bed,
The day-breaking sun an athlete
racing to the tape.
6 That's how God's Word vaults across the skies
from sunrise to sunset,
Melting ice, scorching deserts,warming hearts to faith.
7 The revelation of God is whole
and pulls our lives together.
The signposts of God are clear
and point out the right road.
8 The life-maps of God are right,
showing the way to joy.
The directions of God are plain
and easy on the eyes
9 God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold,
with a lifetime guarantee.
The decisions of God are accurate
down to the nth degree.
10 God's Word is better than a diamond,
better than a diamond set between emeralds.
You'll like it better than strawberries in spring,
better than red, ripe strawberries.
11 There's more: God's Word warns us of danger
and directs us to hidden treasure.
12 Otherwise how will we find our way?
Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
Keep me from stupid sins,
from thinking I can take over your work;
13 Then I can start this day sun-washed,
scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
these are what I chew on and pray.
14 Accept them when I place them
on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
God, Priest-of-My-Altar.
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2 TIMOTHY 3:1-14, 4:5
(The Message)
Coaching Timothy - - "Continue in what you have
learned. All Scripture is inspired by God and is
useful for teaching, for correction, and for training."
They certainly didn't want outsiders - - like Timothy
- - sent by other outsiders - - like Paul - - to come in
and try to straighten them out (which was why Paul
sent Timothy to the churches in the environs
of Ephesus).
1 Don't be naive. There are difficult times ahead.
2 As the end approaches, people are going to be
self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up,
profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse,
3 dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild,
savage, cynical,
4 treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to
lust, and allergic to God.
5 They'll make a show of religion, but behind the
scenes they're animals. Stay clear of these people.
6 These are the kind of people who smooth-talk
themselves into the homes of unstable and needy
women and take advantage of them; women who,
depressed by their sinfulness, take up with every
new religious fad that calls itself "truth."
7 They get exploited every time and never really learn.
8 These men are like those old Egyptian frauds
Jannes and Jambres, who challenged Moses. They
were rejects from the faith, twisted in their thinking,
defying truth itself.
9 But nothing will come of these latest impostors.
Everyone will see through them, just as people saw
through that Egyptian hoax.
10 You've been a good apprentice to me, a part of
my teaching, my manner of life, direction, faith,
steadiness, love, patience,
11 troubles, sufferings - suffering along with me in
all the grief I had to put up with in Antioch, Iconium,
and Lystra. And you also well know that God
rescued me!
12 Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in
for a lot of trouble; there's no getting around it.
13 Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit
the faith. They're as deceived as the people they
lead astray. As long as they are out there, things
can only get worse.
14 But don't let it faze you. Stick with what you
learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your
teachers -
2 TIMOTHY 4:5
5 But you - keep your eye on what you're doing;
accept the hard times along with the good; keep
the Message alive;
do a thorough job as God's servant.
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LUKE 18:1-8
(The Message)
Parable on prayer - - The story is of a widow who
shows up regularly at court pleading for assistance
until the judge finally grants it to be rid of her.
Consider the persistent widow and the unjust
judge: "Will not God grant justice?"
"When the Son of Man comes,
will he find faith on earth?"
1 Jesus told them a story showing that it was
necessary for them to pray consistently and never
quit.
2 He said, "There was once a judge in some city
who never gave God a thought and cared nothing
for the people.
3 A widow in that city kept after him: 'My rights are
being violated. Protect me!'
4 "He never gave her the time of day. But after this
went on and on he said to himself, 'I care nothing
what God thinks, even less what people think.
5 But because this widow won't quit badgering me,
I'd better do something and see that she gets justice -
otherwise I'm going to end up beaten black and blue
by her pounding.'"
6 Then the Master said, "Do you hear what that judge,
corrupt as he is, is saying?
7 So what makes you think God won't step in and work
justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out
for help? Won't he stick up for them?
8 I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But howmuch of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man
find on the earth when he returns?"
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 18TH —
Pastor Lynn's and Naomi's day off.
Office is closed today.
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19TH —
Morning Bible Study at Adair U.M.C. - 9 to 11 A.M.
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• Dorcas Ruth Circle @ 1:30 with Pat Chesnut
• Martha Circle @ 7 P.M. in Casey U.M.C.
Agenda: Make mincemeat.
• Esther Circle @ 7 P.M. in Adair.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21ST —
• Adair U.M.W. at 1:30 P.M.
• Deborah/Mary Circle @ 2 P.M. in Casey U.M.C.
Agenda: Election of officers.
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22ND —
Pastor to vacation in Minnesota for
"Women of Faith" event in St.Paul.
She will return Tuesday Morning, October 26th.
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Pastor may take a few minutes to look in on her
family. This picture is from her last trip to the
north country. What is it that keeps drawing her
back?
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Thanksgiving Ingathering, Saturday, November 6th.
In case you wonder if your contribution makes a
difference, read Bishop Trimble's account of his
trip to Nigeria.
A “layette kit": includes the following items:· 1 receiving blanket
· 2 diapers and 2 diaper pins
· 1 lightweight gown or sleeper (small size)
· 1 undershirt or onesie (small size)
· 1 baby wash cloth
Wrap all items in the blanket and pin. Place in
appropriate size zip lock bag. (Let all the air
out of the bag.) Ingathering valuation: $20 plus
$2 shipping. Be sure to label kits for NIGERIA
on outside of the box so that they will go there
rather than to UMCOR.
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BLOCK BY BLOCK AWARDED
$1.35 MILLION GRANT
One year ago, "Block by Block" was started in
Cedar Rapids as a hope-filled idea. We knew people
needed help to get back into flood ravaged homes.
There are many kind, giving, charitable people in
this country, of course. Many pitched in to do what
ever they could.
The Governor’s announcement of providing
$1.35 million in funding was a boost to all of us
who believe in the spirit of “loving our neighbors
as ourselves.” While we have had bumps along
the way, Block by Block has had a real and
life-changing impact on many citizens. Those
impacted include homeowners, and volunteers
who give up days, weeks and months to help
people they never met before the flood.
Neighbors came to the press conference and
shared their thanks with people in the program
and they talked excitedly about the changes
caused by "Block by Block." Thank you to all
who have given generously of your time and other
resources to make this program a success.
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The US Conference of Mayors, in its 2009 report on
"Hunger and Homelessness in US Cities," states
Hunger and homelessness are at record levels in US
cities," citing an overall 26% demand increase over
the past year and 19% more homelessness.
Job losses, bank failures and home foreclosures
leave millions on their own.
In this time of historic economic crisis, the issues
of hunger and homelessness in America are more
severe and widespread than ever. There is no way
to calculate an accurate number of homeless
because they move around daily. They do not
have mailing addresses.
The book and movie entitled "The Pursuit of
Happyness" written by Christopher Gardner tells
one homeless story. I would really like to say it is
fiction, but it's not. He and his son slept on public
restroom floors. He says "Where there is
determination, perseverance and imagination,
there is hope." In other words never give up.
There are many kind-hearted, benevolent people inthis world. Some of the wealthiest have pledged to
give away half of their fortunes. Sometimes it seems
the occurrence of unfortunate events in our lives come
too often to manage. The man said perseverance and
imagination (and prayer).
Thank you for all of the contributions you make to our
church life.
God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Lynn