Tuesday, April 2, 2013

OUR WEEK —
APRIL 7TH TO APRIL 13TH

REMINDERS —
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3RD —

ADAIR AD COUNCIL MEETING IN ADAIR UMC 
AT 5:30 P.M.                                                          
• CASEY AD COUNCIL MEETING IN ADAIR UMC
AT 6:00 P.M.   
• JOINT AD COUNCIL MEETING IN ADAIR U.M.C.
AT 6:30  P.M.


LENTEN STUDY
“CHRIST THE VICTOR” AND
“WHAT IF JUDAS HAD LIVED?”
 IN CASEY U.M.C. AT  7:00 p.m.
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SUNDAY, APRIL 7TH —
SPECIAL CHILDREN'S WORSHIP
AT BOTH CHURCHES

COLOR: WHITE

IT'S STILL EASTER! 
Easter Day is the beginning of the season, 
not the end.  The symbols of Easter
come in many colors — butterflies, rainbows,
Easter eggs, bulb flowers of every hue.
Easter is about new life, not just for the ancient
Christians of their time, but for all of us - here -
now.

Easter continues from now through the Day of
Pentecost (May 19).

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SCRIPTURE READINGS
ACTS 5:27-32
THE MESSAGE (MSG)
Peter and John were arrested because they
continued to publicly declare the resurrection
of Jesus and the implications of that for the
world, including fellow Jews. Cease and desist
orders had been issued, but the apostles didn't
stop. They multiplied their witness, healing and
proclaiming the Resurrection to hundreds . . .
maybe thousands.  This case got "bumped up"
to the Council and high priest in Jerusalem.

 27-28  Bringing them back, they stood them
before the High Council. The Chief Priest said,
"Didn't we give you strict orders not to teach
in Jesus' name? And here you have filled
Jerusalem with your teaching and are trying
your best to blame us for the death of this man."

29-32  Peter and the apostles answered, "It's
necessary to obey God rather than men. The
God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, the One
you killed by hanging him on a cross. God set
him on high at his side, Prince and Savior, to
give Israel the gift of a changed life and sins
forgiven. And we are witnesses to these things.
The Holy Spirit, whom God gives to those who
obey him, corroborates every detail."
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PSALM 150 (UMH 862)
THE MESSAGE (MSG)
Let everything with breath praise the Lord!
"Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is risen!"

 Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy house of worship,
      praise him under the open skies;
    Praise him for his acts of power,
      praise him for his magnificent greatness;
   Praise with a blast on the trumpet,
       praise by strumming soft strings;
   Praise him with castanets and dance,
 praise him with banjo and flute;
   Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum,
       praise him with fiddles and mandolin.
   Let every living, breathing creature praise God!
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REVELATION 1:4-8
THE MESSAGE (MSG)
We see and hear and feel heaven broken loose.
We are loved, freed from sin, made into a
kingdom and priests to God.

 4-7
I, John, am writing this to the seven churches
in Asia province: All the best to you from The
God Who Is, The God Who Was, and The God
About to Arrive, and from the Seven Spirits
assembled before his throne, and from Jesus
Christ—Loyal Witness, Firstborn from the dead,
Ruler of all earthly kings.

 Glory and strength to Christ, who loves us,
    who blood-washed our sins from our lives,
 Who made us a Kingdom, Priests for his Father,
    forever—and yes, he's on his way!
 Riding the clouds, he'll be seen by every eye,
    those who mocked and killed him will see him,
 People from all nations and all times
    will tear their clothes in lament.
    Oh, Yes.

8 The Master declares, "I'm A to Z. I'm The God
Who Is, The God Who Was, and The God About
to Arrive. I'm the Sovereign-Strong." 
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JOHN 20:19-31
THE MESSAGE (MSG)
Jesus appears to the disciples at a time when
Thomas is not present, so Thomas is skeptical.
Jesus returns a week later and greets Thomas,
and Thomas confesses "my Lord and my God."
Like Thomas in this story, we are also those
who believe, and sometimes doubt.  The good
news in this story is that our risen Lord comes
to us wherever we are, however we are, and
brings us what we need at that moment.

19-20
Later on that day, the disciples had gathered
together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all
the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood
among them, and said, "Peace to you." Then he
showed them his hands and side.

20-21 The disciples, seeing the Master with their
own eyes, were exuberant. Jesus repeated his
greeting: "Peace to you. Just as the Father sent
me, I send you."

 22-23Then he took a deep breath and breathed
into them. "Receive the Holy Spirit," he said. "If
you forgive someone's sins, they're gone for
good. If you don't forgive sins, what are you
going to do with them?"

24-25 But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin,
one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus
came. The other disciples told him,
"We saw the Master."

   But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his
hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick
my hand in his side, I won't believe it."

26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in
the room. This time Thomas was with them.
Jesus came through the locked doors, stood
among them, and said, "Peace to you."
 27 Then he focused his attention on Thomas.
"Take your finger and examine my hands. Take
your hand and stick it in my side. Don't be
unbelieving. Believe."

28 Thomas said, "My Master! My God!"

29 Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've
seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings
are in store for those who believe without
seeing."

30-31 Jesus provided far more God-revealing
signs than are written down in this book. These
are written down so you will believe that Jesus
is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of
believing, have real and eternal life in the way
he personally revealed it.

• RED BIRD MISSION TRIP •
Brief informational meeting at Adair U.M.C.
11:30 A.M.

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MONDAY, APRIL 8TH —
The office is closed today.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10TH —

SPRC MEETING IN ADAIR UMC AT 7 P.M.
Staff-Parish-Relations-Committee
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FUTURE FOCUS —
SUNDAY, APRIL 14TH —

Native American Ministries Sunday

Thank you for the energy you put into our 
church life.  You are the fuel that keeps 
the walls up and the doors open. 

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Melodee