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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5TH —
ABC AD COUNCIL IN CASEY U.M.C. - AT 6:30 P.M.
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 6TH —
Epiphany of the Lord
In some cultures, Epiphany is known as the
Day of the Kings.
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COLOR: WHITE
BAPTISM OF THE LORD SUNDAY
REMEMBERING OUR BAPTISM
Today all Scripture readings relate to each otherand to the Gospel reading.
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
ISAIAH 42:1-9
(The Message)
"Here is my servant . . . . . my chosen . . . . .
I have given you as . . . a light to the nations."
1 "Take a good look at my servant. I'm backing
him to the hilt. He's the one I chose, and I couldn't
be more pleased with him. I've bathed him with my
Spirit, my life. He'll set everything right among the
nations.
2 He won't call attention to what he does with loud
speeches or gaudy parades.
3 He won't brush aside the bruised and the hurt
and he won't disregard the small and insignificant,
but he'll steadily and firmly set things right.
4 He won't tire out and quit. He won't be stopped
until he's finished his work - to set things right on
earth. Far-flung ocean islands wait expectantly for
his teaching." The God Who Makes Us Alive with
His Own Life
5 God's Message, the God who created the cosmos,
stretched out the skies, laid out the earth and all that
grows from it, Who breathes life into earth's people,
makes them alive with his own life:
6 "I am God. I have called you to live right and well.
I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe. I
have set you among my people to bind them to me,
and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations,
7 To make a start at bringing people into the open,
into light: opening blind eyes, releasing prisoners
from dungeons, emptying the dark prisons.
8 I am God. That's my name. I don't franchise my
glory, don't endorse the no-god idols.
9 Take note: The earlier predictions of judgment
have been fulfilled. I'm announcing the new salvation
work. Before it bursts on the scene, I'm telling you all
about it."
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PSALM 29 (UMH 761) (The Message)
1 Bravo, God, bravo! Gods and all angels shout,
"Encore!"
2 In awe before the glory, in awe before God's visible
power. Stand at attention!
Dress your best to honor him!
3 God thunders across the waters, Brilliant, his voice
and his face, streaming brightness - God, across the
flood waters.
4 God's thunder tympanic, God's thunder symphonic.
5 God's thunder smashes cedars, God topples thenorthern cedars.
6 The mountain ranges skip like spring colts, The high
ridges jump like wild kid goats.
7 God's thunder spits fire.
8 God thunders, the wilderness quakes; He makes the
desert of Kadesh shake.
9 God's thunder sets the oak trees dancing A wild
dance, whirling; the pelting rain strips their branches.
We fall to our knees - we call out, "Glory!"10 Above the flood waters is God's throne from
which his power flows, from which he rules the world.
11 God makes his people strong. God gives his
people peace.
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ACTS 10:34-43
(The Message)
Peter, preaching to Cornelius and his household,
summarizes the life and ministry of Jesus,
"beginning in Galilee after the baptism . . ."
34 Peter fairly exploded with his good news: "It'sGod's own truth, nothing could be plainer: God
plays no favorites!
35 It makes no difference who you are or where
you're from - if you want God and are ready to do
as he says, the door is open.
36 The Message he sent to the children of Israel
- that through Jesus Christ everything is being put
together again - well, he's doing it everywhere,
among everyone.
37 "You know the story of what happened in Judea.
It began in Galilee after John preached a total life
change.
38 Then Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by
God with the Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went
through the country helping people and healing
everyone who was beaten down by the Devil.
He was able to do all this because God was with
him.
39 "And we saw it, saw it all, everything he did in
the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem where they
killed him, hung him from a cross.
40 But in three days God had him up, alive, and
out where he could be seen.
41 Not everyone saw him - he wasn't put on
public display. Witnesses had been carefully
handpicked by God beforehand - us! We were
the ones, there to eat and drink with him after
he came back from the dead.
42 He commissioned us to announce this inpublic, to bear solemn witness that he is in fact
the One whom God destined as Judge of the
living and dead.
43 But we're not alone in this. Our witness that
he is the means to forgiveness of sins is backed
up by the witness of all the prophets."
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MATTHEW 3:13-17 (The Message)
Matthew's account of the baptism of Jesus at the
Jordan. Matthew is the only gospel writer to
record John's objection and the baptism itself.
Each is important. Matthew's is also the only gospel that includes
Jesus' reply to John's objection. "Let that go,
now. This is the way it is fitting for us to fulfill all
righteousness"
13 Jesus then appeared, arriving at the Jordan River
from Galilee. He wanted John to baptize him.
14 John objected, "I'm the one who needs to be
baptized, not you!"
15 But Jesus insisted. "Do it. God's work, putting
things right all these centuries, is coming together
right now in this baptism." So John did it.
16 The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal
waters, the skies opened up and he saw God's Spirit -
it looked like a dove - descending and landing on him.
17 And along with the Spirit, a voice: "This is my Son,chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life."
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MONDAY, JANUARY 10TH —
Pastor Lynn's and Naomi"s day off.
OFFICE CLOSED TODAY.
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 11TH —
Adair Morning Bible Study - 9 A.M. to 11 A.M.
———————————————————————HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS DAY
The United Methodist Church is called to inform
its members and the public at large that an
estimated 700,000 to 4,000,000 people worldwide
are trafficked each year. 18,000 to 20,000 of those
are trafficked into the United States. The numbers
are unbelievable. The solution still eludes us so
we must devote some thought to this problem.
(Source: CIA and U.S. Dept. of State)
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Prayer Breakfast - Happy Chef at 7 A.M.
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T.T.T. #2 meets from 9:30 to 10:30 A.M.
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A sincere and heartfelt thank you for all of your
wonderful cards and good wishes this holiday
season. it means a great deal to me. I hope you
have all had a joyous Christmas and a Happy New
Year and are feeling healthy and safe.
• We pray the flu tiptoes past us on silent feet and
absolutely forgets to stop and say hello.
God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Lynn