Tuesday, May 1, 2012

OUR WEEK-MAY 6TH TO MAY 12TH

REMINDERS —
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 2ND —
ADAIR U.M.W. MEETS AT 9:00 A.M.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
THURSDAY, MAY 3RD — NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER —≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
SUNDAY, MAY 6TH —
FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

COLOR: WHITE

GRADUATION CELEBRATION —
FOR JERIKA AVEY AND COLE PALMER
IN CASEY U.M.C. AT 9:45 A.M.
Congratulations kids! We are proud of you!
HOLY COMMUNION TODAY • • • SCRIPTURE READINGS TODAY:
ACTS 8:26-40

(New International Reader's Version)

An angel sends Philip, deacon and evangelist, to
"hop on board" the chariot of an Ethiopian official
puzzling over the meaning of Isaiah 53. Philip
re-reads it through the story of the life, execution,
and resurrection of Jesus. The man is baptized
and becomes a "road evangelist" in his own right.

Philip and the Man From Ethiopia26 An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip. "Go south
to the desert road," he said. "It's the road that goes
down from Jerusalem to Gaza."
27 So Philip started out. On his way he met an
Ethiopian official. The man had an important position.
He was in charge of all the wealth of Candace. She
was the queen of Ethiopia. He had gone to Jerusalem
to worship.
28 On his way home he was sitting in his chariot. He
was reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.29 The Holy Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot. Stay
near it."
30 So Philip ran up to the chariot. He heard the man
reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what
you're reading?" Philip asked.
31 "How can I?" he said. "I need someone to explain
it to me." So he invited Philip to come up and sit with
him.
32 Here is the part of Scripture the official was reading.
It says,
"He was led like a sheep to be killed.
Just as lambs are silent while their wool is being cut
off, he did not open his mouth.
33 When he was treated badly, he was refused a fair
trial.
Who can say anything about his children?
His life was cut off from the earth." - (Isaiah 53:7,8)
34 The official said to Philip, "Tell me, please. Who is
the prophet talking about? Himself, or someone else?"35 Then Philip began with that same part of Scripture.
He told him the good news about Jesus.
36-37 As they traveled along the road, they came to
some water. The official said, "Look! Here is water!
Why shouldn't I be baptized?"
38 He gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both
Philip and the official went down into the water.
Philip baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of
the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official did
not see him again. He went on his way full of joy.
40 Philip was seen next at Azotus. From there he
traveled all around. He preached the good news in
all the towns. Finally he arrived in Caesarea.

PSALM 22:25-31 (UMH 752)
(New International Reader's Version)
The "turnaround" verses of this psalm of
profound lament were chosen as the response
to the first lesson because of verse 27: "All the
ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the
Lord; and all the families of the nations shall
worship before him."

25 Because of what you have done,
I will praise you in the whole community of those
who worship you. In front of those who respect you,
I will keep my promises.
26 Those who are poor will eat and be satisfied.
Those who look to the Lord will praise him.
May their hearts be filled with new hope!
27 People from one end of the earth to the other
will remember and turn to the Lord. The people of
all the nations will bow down before him.
28 The Lord is King. He rules over the nations.
29 All the rich people of the earth will worship God
and take part in his feasts.
All those who go down to the edge of the grave will
fall on their knees in front of him. I'm talking about
those who can hardly keep themselves alive.
30 Those who are not yet born will serve him.
Those who are born later will be told about the Lord.
31 And they will tell people who have not yet been
born that he has done what is right.

1 JOHN 4:7-21

(New International Reader's Version)
The deep heartbeat of life in the Risen Lord - -
Abide in love; abide in the Spirit given to all who
confess Jesus as Son of God; abide in God and
you will above in love;
We love because God
loved us
. LOVE ONE ANOTHER. We certainly
are
overwhelmed with opportunities.
7 Dear friends, let us love one another,because love comes from God. Everyone who loves
has been born again because of what God has done.
That person knows God.
8 Anyone who does not love does not know God,
because God is love.
9 How did God show his love for us? He sent his one
and only Son into the world. He sent him so we could
receive life through him.
10 What is love? It is not that we loved God. It is that
he loved us and sent his Son to give his life to pay for
our sins.
11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we
should also love one another.
12 No one has ever seen God. But if we
love one another, God lives in us.
His love is made complete in us.
13 We know that we belong to him and he belongs
to us. He has given us his Holy Spirit.
14 The Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of
the world. We have seen it. We give witness to it.
15 God lives in anyone who agrees that Jesus is the
Son of God. That kind of person remains
joined to God.
16 So we know that God loves us. We depend on it.
God is love. Anyone who leads a life of love shows
that he is joined to God. And God is joined to him.
17 So love is made complete among us. We will be
bold on the day God judges us. That's because in
this world we love as Jesus did.
18 There is no fear in love. Instead, perfect love
drives fear away. Fear has to do with being punished.
The one who fears does not have perfect love.
19 We love because he loved us first.
20 Anyone who says he loves God but in fact hates
his brother or sister is a liar. He doesn't love his
brother or sister, whom he has seen. So he can't
love God, whom he has not seen.
21 Here is the command God has given us.
Anyone who loves God must also love his brothers
and sisters.JOHN 15:1-8
(New International Reader's Version)
Abide in Christ, the true vine, and you will bear
much fruit, and even more as the Father prunes
you. Bear no fruit, because you are not abiding
in Christ, and you may expect to be cut off and
cast away. The Father's will isn't to cast you
away, but that you abide in Christ and
bear much fruit.

The Vine and the Branches
1 "I am the true vine. My Father is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch joined to me that does
not bear fruit. He trims every branch that does bear
fruit. Then it will bear even more fruit.
3 "You are already clean because of the word I have
spoken to you.
4 Remain joined to me, and I will remain joined to
you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must
remain joined to the vine. In the same way, you
can't bear fruit unless you remain joined to me.
5 "I am the vine. You are the branches. If anyone
remains joined to me, and I to him, he will bear a
lot of fruit. You can't do anything without me.
6 If anyone does not remain joined to me, he is
like a branch that is thrown away and dries up.
Branches like those are picked up. They are
thrown into the fire and burned.
7 "If you remain joined to me and my words
remain in you, ask for anything you wish. And it
will be given to you.
8 When you bear a lot of fruit, it brings glory to
my Father. It shows that you are my disciples.
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MONDAY, MAY 7TH —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
The office is closed today.

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SUNDAY, MAY 13TH —
This is Mothers Day. Be sure and visit or call
the special Mothers in your life. I know they
will love it.
God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob