Tuesday, April 12, 2011

OUR WEEK - APRIL 17 - APRIL 23

REMINDERS —
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13TH —
Prayer Breakfast at Happy Chef - 7 A.M.
COMBINED LENTEN SERVICE IN
ADAIR U.M.C. @ 7 P.M.
WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON JAMES 5
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THURSDAY, APRIL 14TH —
—— BIBLE STUDY ——
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SUNDAY, APRIL 17TH —
PALM SUNDAY
Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week.
COLOR: RED/SCARLET OR PURPLE
• • CASEY U.M.C. WILL HOST A BRUNCH
After 9:00 service.
• • ADAIR U.M.C. WILL HOST A LUNCHEON
After 10:30 service.
District Superintendent Rev. Brian Milford will be
meeting with our congregation at the potluck after
Adair's 10:30 service. EVERYONE IS WELCOME.
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SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR TODAY ARE:
MATTHEW 21:1–11
(The Message)
1 When they neared Jerusalem, having arrived at
Bethphage on Mount Olives, Jesus sent two disciples
2 with these instructions: "Go over to the village across
from you. You'll find a donkey tethered there, her colt
with her. Untie her and bring them to me.
3 If anyone asks what you're doing, say, 'The Master
needs them!' He will send them with you."
4 This is the full story of what was sketched earlier by
the prophet:
5 Tell Zion's daughter, "Look, your king's on his way,
poised and ready, mounted On a donkey, on a colt,
foal of a pack animal."
6 The disciples went and did exactly what Jesus told
them to do.
7 They led the donkey and colt out, laid some of their
clothes on them, and Jesus mounted.
8 Nearly all the people in the crowd threw their garments
down on the road, giving him a royal welcome. Others
cut branches from the trees and threw them down as a
welcome mat.
9 Crowds went ahead and crowds followed, all of them
calling out, "Hosanna to David's son!" "Blessed is he who
comes in God's name!" "Hosanna in highest heaven!"
10 As he made his entrance into Jerusalem, the whole
city was shaken. Unnerved, people were asking, "What's
going on here? Who is this?"11 The parade crowd answered, "This is the prophet
Jesus, the one from Nazareth in Galilee."
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PSALM 118:1-2, 19-29 (UMH 839)
(The Message)
Psalm 118:1-29
(The Message)
1 Thank God because he's good, because his love
never quits.
2 Tell the world, Israel, "His love never quits."
3 And you, clan of Aaron, tell the world, "His love
never quits."
4 And you who fear God, join in, "His love never quits."
5 Pushed to the wall, I called to God; from the wide
open spaces, he answered.
6 God's now at my side and I'm not afraid; who would
dare lay a hand on me?
7 God's my strong champion; I flick off my enemies
like flies.
8 Far better to take refuge in God than trust in people;
9 Far better to take refuge in God than trust in celebrities.
10 Hemmed in by barbarians, in God's name I rubbed
their faces in the dirt;
11 Hemmed in and with no way out, in God's name I
rubbed their faces in the dirt;
12 Like swarming bees, like wild prairie fire, they
hemmed me in; in God's name I rubbed their faces in
the dirt.
13 I was right on the cliff-edge, ready to fall, when God
grabbed and held me.
14 God's my strength, he's also my song, and now he's
my salvation.
15 Hear the shouts, hear the triumph songs in the camp
of the saved? "The hand of God has turned the tide!
16 The hand of God is raised in victory! The hand of
God has turned the tide!"
17 I didn't die. I lived! And now I'm telling the world what
God did.
18 God tested me, he pushed me hard, but he didn't hand
me over to Death.
19 Swing wide the city gates - the righteous gates! I'll
walk right through and thank God!
20 This Temple Gate belongs to God, so the victors can
enter and praise.
21 Thank you for responding to me; you've truly become
my salvation!
22 The stone the masons discarded as flawed is now
the capstone!
23 This is God's work. We rub our eyes - we can hardly
believe it!
24 This is the very day God acted - let's celebrate and
be festive!
25 Salvation now, God. Salvation now! Oh yes, God - a
free and full life!
26 Blessed are you who enter in God's name - from
God's house we bless you!
27 God is God, he has bathed us in light. Festoon the
shrine with garlands, hang colored banners above the
altar!
28 You're my God, and I thank you. O my God, I lift high
your praise.
29 Thank God - he's so good. His love never quits!

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MATTHEW 26:14-66
(The Message)
14 That is when one of the Twelve, the one named
Judas Iscariot, went to the cabal (faction) of high priests
15 and said, "What will you give me if I hand him over to
you?" They settled on thirty silver pieces.
16 He began looking for just the right moment to hand
him over.
17 On the first of the Days of Unleavened Bread, the
disciples came to Jesus and said, "Where do you want
us to prepare your Passover meal?"
18 He said, "Enter the city. Go up to a certain man and
say, 'The Teacher says, My time is near. I and my
disciples plan to celebrate the Passover meal at your
house.'"
19 The disciples followed Jesus' instructions to the letter,
and prepared the Passover meal.
20 After sunset, he and the Twelve were sitting around
the table.
21 During the meal, he said, "I have something hard but
important to say to you: One of you is going to hand me
over to the conspirators."
22 They were stunned, and then began to ask, one after
another, "It isn't me, is it, Master?"
23 Jesus answered, "The one who hands me over is
someone I eat with daily, one who passes me food at the
table.
24 In one sense the Son of Man is entering into a way of
treachery well-marked by the Scriptures - no surprises
here. In another sense that man who turns him in, turns
traitor to the Son of Man - better never to have been born
than do this!"
25 Then Judas, already turned traitor, said, "It isn't me, is
it, Rabbi?" Jesus said, "Don't play games with me, Judas."
26 During the meal, Jesus took and blessed the bread,
broke it, and gave it to his disciples: Take, eat. This is my
body.
27 Taking the cup and thanking God, he gave it to them:
Drink this, all of you.
28 This is my blood, God's new covenant poured out for
many people for the forgiveness of sins.
29 "I'll not be drinking wine from this cup again until that
new day when I'll drink with you in the kingdom of my
Father."
30 They sang a hymn and went directly to Mount Olives.
31 Then Jesus told them, "Before the night's over, you're
going to fall to pieces because of what happens to me.
There is a Scripture that says, I'll strike the shepherd;
helter-skelter the sheep will be scattered.
32 But after I am raised up, I, your Shepherd, will go
ahead of you, leading the way to Galilee."
33 Peter broke in, "Even if everyone else falls to pieces
on account of you, I won't."
34 "Don't be so sure," Jesus said. "This very night,
before the rooster crows up the dawn, you will deny me
three times."
35 Peter protested, "Even if I had to die with you, I
would never deny you." All the others said the same
thing.
36 Then Jesus went with them to a garden called
Gethsemane and told his disciples, "Stay here while
I go over there and pray."
37 Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee,
he plunged into an agonizing sorrow.
38 Then he said, "This sorrow is crushing my life
out. Stay here and keep vigil with me."
39 Going a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying,
"My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this.
But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?"
40 When he came back to his disciples, he found
them sound asleep. He said to Peter, "Can't you
stick it out with me a single hour?

41 Stay alert; be in prayer so you don't wander into
temptation without even knowing you're in danger.
There is a part of you that is eager, ready for
anything in God. But there's another part that's as
lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire."
42 He then left them a second time. Again he
prayed, "My Father, if there is no other way than
this, drinking this cup to the dregs, I'm ready. Do
it your way."
43 When he came ba
ck, he again found them
sound asleep. They simply couldn't keep their
eyes open.
44 This time he let them sleep on, and went back
a third time to pray, going over the same ground
one last time.
45 When he came back the next time, he said,
"Are you going to sleep on and make a night of it?
My time is up, the Son of Man is about to be handed
over to the hands of sinners.
46 Get up! Let's get going! My betrayer is here."
47 The words were barely out of his mouth when
Judas (the one from the Twelve) showed up, and
with him a gang from the high priests and religious
leaders brandishing swords and clubs.
48 The betrayer had worked out a sign with them:
"The one I kiss, that's the one - seize him."
49 He went straight to Jesus, greeted him, "How
are you, Rabbi?" and kissed him.
50 Jesus said, "Friend, why this charade?"
51 One of those with Jesus pulled his sword and,
taking a swing at the Chief Priest's servant, cut off
his ear.
52 Jesus said, "Put your sword back where it
belongs. All who use swords are destroyed by
swords.
53 Don't you realize that I am able right now to
call to my Father, and twelve companies - more,
if I want them - of fighting angels would be here,
battle-ready?
54 But if I did that, how would the Scriptures come
true that say this is the way it has to be?"
55 Then Jesus addressed the mob: "What is this -
coming out after me with swords and clubs as if I
were a dangerous criminal? Day after day I have
been sitting in the Temple teaching, and you never
so much as lifted a hand against me.
56 You've done it this way to confirm and fulfill the
prophetic writings." Then all the disciples cut and
ran.
57 The gang that had seized Jesus led him before
Caiaphas the Chief Priest, where the religion
scholars and leaders had assembled.
58 Peter followed at a safe distance until they got
to the Chief Priest's courtyard. Then he slipped in
and mingled with the servants, watching to see how
things would turn out.
59 The high priests, conspiring with the Jewish
Council, tried to cook up charges against Jesus in
order to sentence him to death.
60 But even though many stepped up, making up
one false accusation after another, nothing was
believable.
61 with this: "He said, 'I can tear down this Temple
of God and after three days rebuild it.'"
62 The Chief Priest stood up and said, "What do
you have to say to the accusation?"
63 Jesus kept silent. Then the Chief Priest said,
"I command you by the authority of the living God
to say if you are the Messiah, the Son of God."
64 Jesus was curt: "You yourself said it. And that's
not all. Soon you'll see it for yourself: The Son of
Man seated at the right hand of the Mighty One,
Arriving on the clouds of heaven."
65 At that, the Chief Priest lost his temper, ripping
his robes, yelling, "He blasphemed! Why do we
need witnesses to accuse him? You all heard him
blaspheme!
66 Are you going to stand for such blasphemy?"
They all said, "Death! That seals his death sentence."
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MONDAY, APRIL 18TH —
PASTOR LYNN'S AND NAOMI'S DAY OFF
OFFICE CLOSED TODAY.

BIBLE STUDY AT CASEY U.M.C. 6:30 - 8:30 P.M.
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TUESDAY, APRIL 19TH —
MORNING BIBLE STUDY AT ADAIR U.M.C.
FROM 9 TO 11A.M.
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20TH —
• Dorcus/Ruth Circle — Adair U.M.C. at 1:30 P.M.
»Hostess: Laura Smith
• Esther Circle in Adair U.M.C. at 7 P.M.
»Hostess: Mary Ann Heckman
• Martha Circle —Casey U.M.C. at 7 P.M.
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THURSDAY, APRIL 21ST —
Deborah/Mary Circle — Casey U.M.C. at 2 P.M.
HOLY THURSDAY WORSHIP SERVICE IN
ADAIR U.M.C. - AT 7 P.M.

HOLY THURSDAY commemorates the Last Supper
of Jesus Christ with the Apostles,
four days after
His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.


"HOLY THURSDAY" —
A POEM
BY BRITISH POET WILLIAM BLAKE
C. 1794

Is this a holy thing to see

In a rich and fruitful land,
Babes reduced to misery,

Fed with cold and usurious hand?

Is that trembling cry a song?

Can it be a song of joy?
And so many children poor?
It is a land of poverty!

And their sun does never shine,

And their fields are bleak and bare,
And their ways are filled with thorns:

It is eternal winter there.

For where'er the sun does shine,

And where'er the rain does fall,
Babes should never hunger there,

Nor poverty the mind appall. —
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FRIDAY, APRIL 22ND —

Good Friday Worship Service
at Casey U.M.C. @ 7 P.M.
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SATURDAY, APRIL 23RD — HOLY SATURDAY
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FUTURE FOCUS —
Don't forget! Send in your
Camp Registration for summer fun. Check
with the office for details. Click on this
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT FLYER for more
information.

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SUNDAY, APRIL 24TH IS EASTER

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Lynn