OUR WEEK — SEPT. 18TH TO SEPT. 24TH

REMINDERS —
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH —
PRAYER BREAKFAST AT HAPPY CHEF - 7 A.M.——————————————————————
COMMISSION ON THE STATUS
AND ROLE OF WOMEN

Start Date: Saturday, September 17, 2011
Start Time: 10:00 AM
End Time: 3:00 PM

The COSROW meeting on Saturday, Sept. 17
at the Iowa Methodist Conference Center
in the Jacob Albright room.

Address:
2301 Rittenhouse Street
Des Moines, IA 50321
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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2011
FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
COLOR: GREEN

EXODUS 16:2-15
(The Message)
A potential coup attempt against Moses and
Aaron becomes the occasion for God to test
the "whole gathered assembly" about their
willingness to follow instruction. God
provides quail for meat and "manna" for
bread. God would provide the food (quail at
night, manna in the mornings). They would
ll be fed, but only if they cooperated. There
would be enough for all if each took enough
for each day, one day at a time.
We see a "congregation" of Israelites
complaining about the lack of adequate food
provisions. That evening, the quail landed.
Next morning a flaky substance appeared on
the grasses after the dew lifted - - the bread
f heaven. It was a strange feast - - birds from
the sky, insect excretions on the ground.
2 The whole company of Israel complained
against Moses and Aaron there in the wilderness.
3 The Israelites said, "Why didn't God let us die
in comfort in Egypt where we had lamb stew and
all the bread we could eat? You've brought us out
into this wilderness to starve us to death, the
whole company of Israel!"
4 God said to Moses, "I'm going to rain bread
down from the skies for you. The people will go
out and gather each day's ration. I'm going to test
them to see if they'll live according to my
Teaching or not.
5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they
have gathered, it will turn out to be twice as much
as their daily ration."
6 Moses and Aaron told the People of Israel,"This evening you will know that it is God who
brought you out of Egypt;
7 and in the morning you will see the Glory of
God. Yes, he's listened to your complaints against
him. You haven't been complaining against us,
you know, but against God."
8 Moses said, "Since it will be God who gives you
meat for your meal in the evening and your fill of
bread in the morning, it's God who will have
listened to your complaints against him. Who are
we in all this? You haven't been complaining
to us - you've been complaining to God!"
9 Moses instructed Aaron: "Tell the whole
company of Israel: 'Come near to God. He's heard
your complaints.'"
10 When Aaron gave out the instructions to the
whole company of Israel, they turned to face the
wilderness. And there it was: the Glory of God
visible in the Cloud.
11 God spoke to Moses,
12 "I've listened to the complaints of the Israelites.
Now tell them: 'At dusk you will eat meat and at
dawn you'll eat your fill of bread; and you'll
realize that I am God, your God.'"
13 That evening quail flew in and covered the
camp and in the morning there was a layer of dew all
over the camp.
14 When the layer of dew had lifted, there on
the wilderness ground was a fine flaky
something, fine as frost on the ground.15 The Israelites took one look and said to one
another, man-hu (What is it?).
They had no idea what it was.
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PSALM 105:1-6, 37-45 (UMH 799)
(The Message)
PSALM 105:1-6
1 Hallelujah! Thank God! Pray to him by name!
Tell everyone you meet what he has done!
2 Sing him songs, belt out hymns, translate his
wonders into music!
3 Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs, you
who seek God. Live a happy life!
4 Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his
works; be alert for signs of his presence.
5 Remember the world of wonders he has
made, his miracles, and the verdicts he's
rendered -
6 O seed of Abraham, his servant,
O child of Jacob, his chosen.
PSALM 105:37-45
37 He led Israel out, their arms filled with loot,
and not one among his tribes even stumbled.
38 Egypt was glad to have them go - they
were scared to death of them.
39 God spread a cloud to keep them cool
through the day and a fire to light their way
through the night;
40 They prayed and he brought quail, filled
them with the bread of heaven;
41 He opened the rock and water poured out;
it flowed like a river through that desert
42 All because he remembered his Covenant,
his promise to Abraham, his servant.
43 Remember this! He led his people out
singing for joy; his chosen people marched,
singing their hearts out!
44 He made them a gift of the country they
entered, helped them seize the
wealth of the nations
45 So they could do everything he told them -
could follow his instructions to the letter. Hallelujah!
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PHILIPPIANS 1:21-30
(The Message)
Paul shares his trust in God in life or death.
- - Homothumadon - - We often translate this
as something like "with one heart" or
"in one spirit," or having hearts that beat in
synchrony. He desires to come and see the
Christians at Philippi again, and his hope is
that when he comes, he will find them to be
united; of one heart and one mind with each
other and in whatever struggles they may
face with those who persecute them.
Athletes might describe this as being
"in the zone." The whole team . . . the whole
community, is "in the zone."
People this closely bound will not be
intimidated by opponents.
21 Alive, I'm Christ's messenger; dead, I'm his
bounty. Life versus even more life! I can't lose.
22 As long as I'm alive in this body, there is good
work for me to do. If I had to choose right now,
I hardly know which I'd choose.23 Hard choice! The desire to break camp here
and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can
think of nothing better.
24 But most days, because of what you are going
through, I am sure that it's better for me to stick it
out here.
25 So I plan to be around awhile, companion to
you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting
Godcontinues.
26 You can start looking forward to a great reunion
when I come visit you again. We'll be praising
Christ, enjoying each other.27 Meanwhile, live in such a way that you are a
credit to the Message of Christ. Let nothing in your
conduct hang on whether I come or not. Your
conduct must be the same whether I show up to see
things for myself or hear of it from a distance. Stand
united, singular in vision, contending for people's
trust in the Message, the good news,
28 not flinching or dodging in the slightest before
the opposition. Your courage and unity will show
them what they're up against: defeat for them,
victory for you - and both because of God.
29 There's far more to this life than trusting in Christ.
There's also suffering for him. And the suffering is
as much a gift as the trusting.
30 You're involved in the same kind of struggle
you saw me go through, on which you are now
getting an updated report in this letter.
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MATTHEW 20:1-16
(The Message)
Jesus tells the parable of the workers in the
vineyard. As any farmer, this landowner seems
almost obsessed about getting all known
laborers to work in his vineyard. He wants to
be sure he gets as much of the harvest in as
quickly as possible. He pays each one exactly
the same, regardless of how long each worked.
Everyone got the daily wage, one denarius. The
landowner works the harvest of people and
someone else works with the crops and the cash.
Who harvests people today in our lives?
Advertisers, recruiters, headhunters, solicitors
(print, billboard, radio, telephone, television,
Internet); an avalanche of sound bytes bombards
us constantly.
[ In John Wesley's day, Wesley himself and the
lay preachers of Methodist Societies strove
where they could, to offer "field preaching"
morning and evening. ]
1 "God's kingdom is like an estate manager who
went out early in the morning to hire workers for
his vineyard.2 They agreed on a wage of a dollar a day, and
went to work.3 "Later, about nine o'clock, the manager saw
some other men hanging around the town square
unemployed.
4 He told them to go to work in his vineyard and
he would pay them a fair wage.
5 They went.6 At five o'clock he went back and found still others
standing around. He said, 'Why are you standing
around all day doing nothing?
7 ' "They said, 'Because no one hired us.' "He told
them to go to work in his vineyard.8 "When the day's work was over, the owner of the
vineyard instructed his foreman, 'Call the workers in
and pay them their wages. Start with the last hired
and go on to the first.'
9 "Those hired at five o'clock came up and were
each given a dollar.10 When those who were hired first saw that, they
assumed they would get far more. But they got the
same, each of them one dollar.
11 Taking the dollar, they groused angrily to the
manager,
12 'These last workers put in only one easy hour,
and you just made them equal to us, who slaved
all day under a scorching sun.'
13 "He replied to the one speaking for the rest,
'Friend, I haven't been unfair. We agreed on the
wage of a dollar, didn't we?
14 So take it and go. I decided to give to the one
who came last the same as you.
15 Can't I do what I want with my own money?
Are you going to get stingy because I'm generous?'
16 "Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the
first ending up last, and the last first."
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH —
Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
Office will be closed today.
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FLOOD CLEAN-UP TEAMS NEEDED
IN WESTERN IOWA
Teams needed in the Northwest District
8/31/2011THE WATER IS FINALLY GOING DOWN!
Slowly but surely….. but what is left is a slimy,
sticky, smelly, dirty mess!
The debris piles are overwhelming.

We are ready for teams who wish to help with
flood and flood related clean-up.At this time in the Northwest District we need
teams (one day or longer) who are able to help
with sand bag removal and tree cutting and
removal. This work will be in and around the
greater Sioux City, Iowa area. As we get into
the areas where waters have receded we need
first to remove the fallen trees (and there are
many, many of them), debris that has
accumulated and to get rid of the sandbags.
This will be heavy, strenuous work.
Please bring gloves and protective clothing and
a pick-up truck or low trailer.

In the weeks to come we will be needing teams
to help clean-out basements and help with the
first steps toward drying-out. Set your dates for
after September 10, 2011 . Housing is available
in the traditional VIM style (church floors).
Meals and showers will be available.

Contact Pastor Catie or John Newman to
schedule your team,
(PLEASE, TEAMS ONLY at this time)
Phone 712-874-3247 or 712-899-4067
or e-mail johnstruckfarm@wiatel.net
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There is a strange paradox about living in the
information age, where everyone has computers,
I-Pads and smart phones.
We don't talk to one another anymore.
These days, because of the bad habits we’ve
developed and the frantic pace of our lives, we
need to be reminded about slowing down . . .
not interrupting . . . listening to each other . . .
and responding to each other.

When two very young children talk to each other,
they each respond to the fact that the other child
has spoken, but not to what the other child has
actually said.
Could it be that we have never actually grown up?
Parents think that their children have no respect
for their experience or wisdom. Spouses spend
more time talking past each other than with each
other. The central issue behind every family
intervention I am asked to engage in revolves,
ultimately, around the issue of communication. It’s
not just families. It’s just about every aspect of
society — politics, religion, business, you name it.

If you want to know who is to blame, I will tell you.
It is BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. In 1775 he became
Postmaster General. Before he brought his
efficiency to the country, most communication
was done face-to-face . . . in person . . .
mano-e-mano. Next came the telephone, the
radio, television, internet, twitter, facebook, texting,
and all the other social media outlets.
Now we all talk AT one another, but no longer WITH
one another.
—— From “I'm Just Saying”
By Psychologist Jean Piaget

TALKING WITH ONE ANOTHER IS LOVING
ONE ANOTHER
“Talking with one another is loving one another.”
—— Kenya Proverb

The Rev. Dr. James Forbes wrote in an Advent
devotion entitled, “Born to Save His People,” that
the greatest thing about Jesus is that he came to
save us from ourselves.

My wants and desires can conflict and even delay
or thwart God’s plans to use me to bless others.
It is my mission to be an instrument of
encouragement and peace. I am well aware that
no Godly goal can be accomplished without God.
Emmanuel reminds us that Jesus is God with us
and for us, in ways that makes it possible for
imperfect vessels to become instruments of
peace and love.

Talking to one another about matters of importance
is trusting that our walk and talk can converge on
the Emmaus road, where Jesus meets us to remind
us to be gentle with one another.

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob