ABC PARISH

OUR WEEK - JANUARY 29TH - FEBRUARY 4TH

2012-01-24T10:03:00.000-08:00

REMINDER —
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26TH —
• • SPRC MEETING IN CASEY U.M.C. • •
AT 6:00 P.M.
BRIAN MILFORD WILL BE OUR SPEAKER
Members of both churches are to attend.
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SUNDAY, JANUARY 29TH
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

COLOR: GREEN

DEUTERONOMY 18:15-20
(The Message)
The people are afraid to hear God's voice directly,
so God promises to raise up a future prophet, like
Moses, to continue speaking to them. But as
disciples of Jesus, we expect nothing less than
to encounter directly and learn how to call upon
the presence, power, and voice of God ourselves.
The people in Deuteronomy wanted someone
else, someone special, to be a prophet for them.
• By the first century, those who were considered
prophets were often like Elisha and Elijah. They were wandering teachers who not only
proclaimed truth to power in an authoritative
way, but also demonstrated mighty acts of power
as they did so. Among these acts was exorcism.
15 God, your God, is going to raise up a prophet for
you. God will raise him up from among your kinsmen,
a prophet like me. Listen obediently to him.
16 This is what you asked God, your God, for at
Horeb on the day you were all gathered at the
mountain and said, "We can't hear any more from
God, our God; we can't stand seeing any more fire.
We'll die!"
17 And God said to me, "They're right; they've
spoken the truth.
18 I'll raise up for them a prophet like you from their
kinsmen. I'll tell him what to say and he will pass on
to them everything I command him.
19 And anyone who won't listen to my words spoken
by him, I will personally hold responsible.
20 "But any prophet who fakes it, who claims to
speak in my name something I haven't commanded
him to say, or speaks in the name of other gods, that
prophet must die."
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PSALM 111 (UMH 832)
(The Message)
Praise to God for fulfilling promise of deliverance,
establishing the nation, and providing guidance
for the people.
1 Hallelujah! I give thanks to God with everything I've
got - Wherever good people gather, and in the
congregation.
2 God's works are so great, worth A lifetime of study
- endless enjoyment!
3 Splendor and beauty mark his craft; His generosity
never gives out.
4 His miracles are his memorial - This God of Grace,
this God of Love.
5 He gave food to those who fear him, He
remembered to keep his ancient promise.
6 He proved to his people that he could do what he
said: Hand them the nations on a platter - a gift!
7 He manufactures truth and justice; All his products
are guaranteed to last -
8 Never out-of-date, never obsolete, rust-proof. All
that he makes and does is honest and true:
9 He paid the ransom for his people, He ordered his
Covenant kept forever. He's so personal and holy,
worthy of our respect.
10 The good life begins in the fear of God - Do that
and you'll know the blessing of God. His Hallelujah
lasts forever!
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CORINTHIANS 8:1-13
(The Message)
The people wanted a prophet like Moses precisely
so they would not have to encounter the voice of
God themselves. Paul reminds these
"cognoscenti" (experts) that while their reasoning
may be correct in theory, most folks in Corinth
would have been so saturated by the polytheistic
culture that following Jesus for them would require
them to stay away from any association with other
ritual practices. Therefore, he warns them not to
engage in any action that could be misinterpreted
and so "wound the conscience" of "the weak."
1 The question keeps coming up regarding meat that
has been offered up to an idol: Should you attend
meals where such meat is served, or not? We
sometimes tend to think we know all we need to
know to answer these kinds of questions -
2 but sometimes our humble hearts can help us
more than our proud minds.
3 We never really know enough until we recognize
that God alone knows it all.
4 Some people say, quite rightly, that idols have no
actual existence, that there's nothing to them, that
there is no God other than our one God,
5 that no matter how many of these so-called gods
are named and worshiped they still don't add up to
anything but a tall story.
6 They say - again, quite rightly - that there is only
one God the Father, that everything comes from him,
and that he wants us to live for him. Also, they say
that there is only one Master - Jesus the Messiah -
and that everything is for his sake, including us.
Yes. It's true.
7 In strict logic, then, nothing happened to the meat
when it was offered up to an idol. It's just like any
other meat. I know that, and you know that. But
knowing isn't everything. If it becomes everything,
some people end up as know-it-alls who treat others
as know-nothings.
Real knowledge is not that insensitive. We need to
be sensitive to the fact that we're not all at the same
level of understanding in this. Some of you have
spent your entire lives eating "idol meat," and are
sure that there's something bad in the meat that then
becomes something bad inside of you. An imagination
and conscience shaped under those conditions isn't
going to change overnight.
8 But fortunately God doesn't grade us on our diet.
We're neither commended when we clean our plate
nor reprimanded when we just can't stomach it.
9 But God does care when you use your freedom
carelessly in a way that leads a Christian still
vulnerable to those old associations to be thrown
off track.
10 For instance, say you flaunt your freedom by
going to a banquet thrown in honor of idols, where the main course is meat sacrificed to idols.
Isn't there great danger if someone still struggling
over this issue, someone who looks up to you as
knowledgeable and mature, sees you go into that
banquet? The danger is that he will become terribly
confused - maybe even to the point of getting mixed
up himself in what his conscience tells him is wrong.
11 Christ gave up his life for that person. Wouldn't
you at least be willing to give up going to dinner for
him - because, as you say, it doesn't really make any
difference? But it does make a difference if you hurt
your friend terribly, risking his eternal ruin!
12 When you hurt your friend, you hurt Christ. A free
meal here and there isn't worth it at the cost of even
one of these "weak ones."
13 So, never go to these idol-tainted meals if there's
any chance it will trip up one of your brothers or sisters.
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MARK 1:21-28
(The Message)
Jesus teaches with authority and performs an
exorcism in the synagogue at Capernaum. In Jewish practice, a person known to be a
demoniac would not have been admitted into
the synagogue. The presence and prophetic
authority of Jesus both surface the demon and
cast it out. The people are amazed, and the
report about this "went out" (same verb in
Greek as the command to the unclean spirit to
"come out") to the entire region of Galilee.
What was remarkable in this story was not that
Jesus cast out a demon, or even that he talked
to the demon. There were plenty of other
exorcists in his day. What was remarkable was
the authority with which he did so. He did not call
upon any other authority in the spirit world to act.
Jesus spoke the word, "Shut up, and come out of
him!" The demon immediately complied.
21 Then they entered Capernaum. When the Sabbath arrived, Jesus lost no time in
getting to the meeting place. He spent the day there
teaching.
22 They were surprised at his teaching - so forthright,
so confident - not quibbling and quoting like the religion
scholars.23 Suddenly, while still in the meeting place, he was
interrupted by a man who was deeply disturbed and
yelling out,24 "What business do you have here with us, Jesus?
Nazarene! I know what you're up to! You're the Holy
One of God, and you've come to destroy us!"
25 Jesus shut him up: "Quiet! Get out of him!"
26 The afflicting spirit threw the man into spasms,
protesting loudly - and got out.27 Everyone there was incredulous, buzzing with
curiosity. "What's going on here? A new teaching that
does what it says? He shuts up defiling, demonic
spirits and sends them packing!"
28 News of this traveled fast and was soon all over
Galilee.
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MONDAY, JANUARY 30TH —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
Office is closed today.
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1ST —
Adair U.M.W. will meet in Adair U.M.C. at 1:30 P.M.
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FUTURE FOCUS —
HOLY COMMUNION TODAYFebruary 5th is Super Bowl Sunday. Casey U.M.C. will be serving
Submarine Sandwiches after services.
Each box will have:
• Sandwich,
• Pickle,
• Chips and
• Bar
—— $3.00 EACH OR BUY SIX FOR $15 ——
—————— SIGN UP NOW ———————
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God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - JANUARY 22ND - JANUARY 28TH

2012-01-17T11:55:00.000-08:00

REMINDERS —
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18TH —
MARTHA CIRCLE WILL MEET IN CASEY U.M.C.
AT 7 P.M.ESTHER CIRCLE WILL MEET AT
DONNA SHEEDER'S - AT 7PM
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 19TH —DEBORAH - MARY CIRCLE WILL MEET IN
CASEY U.M.C. AT 2 P.M.
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FRIDAY, JANUARY 20TH —
Parish Consultations with Rev. Kail will take place
in Adair U.M.C. beginning at 1:30 P.M. and he will
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SATURDAY, JANUARY 21ST —
Rev. Kail's Parish Consultations begin at 9:30 A.M.
Sign up now.
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SUNDAY, JANUARY 22ND —
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
COLOR: GREEN
Rev. Ed Kail will speak at Adair
United Methodist Church Service.

SCRIPTURE READINGS ARE:
JONAH 3:1-5, 10
(The Message)
Jonah was a foreign prophet from a backwater
nation who had traveled across the desert to
warn the people of Nineveh they would be
invaded. He begins to fulfill his assignment to
proclaim God's judgment to the people of
Nineveh ("that great city"). He walks through
about one-third of the city's streets on the first
day, announcing that only forty days remain
before doom arrives. Forty days, too short a
time to rally and train an army. The response of
the entire city is rapid and complete:
The entire human population fasts,
"and everyone, great and small, put on
sackcloth" including the farm animals. God
relents and does not bring harm to the city.
• Jesus came to Galilee right after the arrest of
John the Baptizer. John had been operating in
Judea, but he was arrested by Herod, ruler of
Galilee. Jesus did not "flee" from the trouble
that had beset John. Instead, he located his
ministry in a leading trading post in the heart
of Herod's territory, in Capernaum. Jesus encounters Simon and Andrew just casting
their nets into the sea for a catch, calls them to
follow, and they do, immediately, leaving boats
and nets. Then he sees James and John, calls
them, and they even leave their father behind in
the boat to follow him. For these four new
disciples, repentance was leaving behind their
livelihoods and families to become disciples of
Jesus. The callings are different:
• Repentance for Nineveh,
• lives as disciples to a wandering rabbi for
Peter, Andrew, James and John.
But the responses are the same - - -
immediate and dramatic.
• In 612 B.C. the city was captured and
destroyed by the Babylonians.
• In the 16th century A.D. The last settlements
of Nineveh were abandoned.JONAH 3:1-5
1 Next, God spoke to Jonah a second time:
2 "Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of
Nineveh! Preach to them. They're in a bad way and
I can't ignore it any longer."
3 This time Jonah started off straight for Nineveh,
obeying God's orders to the letter.
4 Jonah entered the city, went one day's walk and
preached, "In forty days Nineveh will be smashed." 5 The people of Nineveh listened, and trusted God.
They proclaimed a citywide fast and dressed in
burlap to show their repentance. Everyone did it -
rich and poor, famous and obscure, leaders and
followers.
JONAH 3:10
10 God saw what they had done, that they had
turned away from their evil lives. He did change his
mind about them. What he said he would do to them
he didn't do.———————————————————————
PSALM 62:5-12 (UMH 787)
(The Message)
In God alone our souls wait.
5 God, the one and only - I'll wait as long as he says.
Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not?
6 He's solid rock under my feet, breathing room for
my soul, An impregnable castle: I'm set for life.
7 My help and glory are in God
8 So trust him absolutely, people; lay your lives on
the line for him. God is a safe place to be.
9 Man as such is smoke, woman as such, a mirage.
Put them together, they're nothing; two times
nothing is nothing.
10 And a windfall, if it comes - don't make too much
of it.
11 God said this once and for all; how many times
Have I heard it repeated? "Strength comes Straight
from God."
12 Love to you, Lord God! You pay a fair wage for a
good day's work!
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1 CORINTHIANS 7:29-31
(The Message)
Christians in many generations since Paul would
affirm the ongoing value of Paul's advice here.
The world has not reached a decisive end. Paul
and many early Christians may very well have
believed that the world was literally coming to an
end during their lifetimes. Paul reminds the
Christians at Corinth that they should order their
lives by the realities of God's kingdom, not by
the standards and practices of "this world" that
is "passing away."
• We have some concept of the countless years
that have come before us, and perhaps as many
lie ahead . . . and that our generation has a short
time to bear and to teach our progeny about the
earth we leave in their hands. If we do a good job,
perhaps, as happened in Jonah's time, we will be
allowed to stay longer.
29 I do want to point out, friends, that time is of the
essence. There is no time to waste, so don't
complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple -
in marriage,
30 grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things - your
daily routines of shopping, and so on.
31 Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the
world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on
its way out.
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MARK 1:14-20 (The Message)
Mark offers the core of Jesus' proclamation,
perhaps the title or tagline of every sermon
Jesus preached: "God's kingdom has drawn
near: repent and believe this good news!"
Jesus calls some fishermen to leave their
livelihood and their families to follow him.
14 After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee
preaching the Message of God:
15 "Time's up! God's kingdom is here. Change
your life and believe the Message."
16 Passing along the beach of Lake Galilee, he
saw Simon and his brother Andrew net-fishing.
Fishing was their regular work.17 Jesus said to them, "Come with me. I'll make
a new kind of fisherman out of you. I'll show you
how to catch men and women instead of perch
and bass."
18 They didn't ask questions. They dropped their
nets and followed.
19 A dozen yards or so down the beach, he saw
the brothers James and John, Zebedee's sons.
They were in the boat, mending their fishnets.20 Right off, he made the same offer. Immediately,
they left their father Zebedee, the boat, and the
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MONDAY, JANUARY 23RD —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
The office will be closed today.
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FUTURE FOCUS —
Sunday, February 5th,
Casey U.M.C. will have a SUB SANDWICH BAR -
following 10:30 worship. Everyone is welcome!God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - JANUARY 15TH - JANUARY 21ST

2012-01-10T07:18:00.000-08:00

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
COLOR: GREEN
PASTOR BOB WILL BE OUT OF TOWN TODAY.
TOM CLINE WILL SPEAK AT BOTH CHURCHES.
THIS IS HUMAN RELATIONS DAY.

HUMAN RELATIONS DAY SUPPORTS:
Gifts to Human Relations Day provide avenues
to restored relationships through ministries.
Programs supported through Human Relations
Day offering include but are not limited to:
• • HIV/AIDS Programs
• • Affordable Housing Programs
• • Youth Empowerment/Initiatives
• • Mental & Physical Health Programs
• • Youth Leadership Programs
• • Senior Citizen Assistance Programs
• • Restorative Justice Programs
• • Prison Ministry Programs
• • After-School & Summer Programs
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SCRIPTURE READINGS —
1 SAMUEL 3:1-20
(The Message)
God's call was difficult for Samuel to identify,
and the message with the call (verses 11-20)
even harder to deliver to one who had been a
father and a mentor. At first, Samuel thought
the voice he was hearing was Eli's. Eli had been
Samuel's trusted mentor for several years. It
was Eli who most clearly represented God to
Samuel. Eli said Samuel was to offer himself and
all his attention, letting God do the talking. What
did God want? God wanted Samuel to listen.
God opened Samuel to hearing God calling again
many more times in his life and relaying what he
heard to others.
Samuel became known as a trustworthy prophet.
1 The boy Samuel was serving God under Eli's
direction. This was at a time when the revelation
of God was rarely heard or seen.
2 One night Eli was sound asleep (his eyesight
was very bad - he could hardly see).
3 It was well before dawn; the sanctuary lamp
was still burning. Samuel was still in bed in the
Temple of God, where the Chest of God rested.
4 Then God called out, "Samuel, Samuel!"
5 Then he ran to Eli saying, "I heard you call.
Here I am." Eli said, "I didn't call you. Go back to
bed." And so he did.6 God called again, "Samuel, Samuel!" Samuel
got up and went to Eli, "I heard you call. Here I am."
7 (This all happened before Samuel knew God for
himself. It was before the revelation of God had
been given to him personally.)
8 God called again, "Samuel!" - the third time!
Yet again Samuel got up and went to Eli, "Yes? I
heard you call me. Here I am."
9 So Eli directed Samuel, "Go back and lie down.
If the voice calls again, say, 'Speak, God. I'm your
servant, ready to listen.'" Samuel returned to bed.
10 Then God came and stood before him exactly
as before, calling out, "Samuel! Samuel!" Samuel
answered,
"Speak. I'm your servant, ready to listen."
11 God said to Samuel, "Listen carefully. I'm getting
ready to do something in Israel that is going to
shake everyone up and get their attention.
12 The time has come for me to bring down on Eli's
family everything I warned him of, every word of it.
13 I'm letting him know that the time's up. I'm
bringing judgment on his family for good. He knew
what was going on, that his sons were desecrating
God's name and God's place, and he did nothing to
stop them.
14 This is my sentence on the family of Eli: The evil
of Eli's family can never be wiped out by sacrifice or
offering."
15 Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then rose
early and went about his duties, opening the doors
of the sanctuary, but he dreaded having to tell the
vision to Eli.
16 But then Eli summoned Samuel: "Samuel, my
son!" Samuel came running: "Yes? What can I do
for you?"
17 "What did he say? Tell it to me, all of it. Don't
suppress or soften one word, as God is your judge!
I want it all, word for word as he said it to you."
18 So Samuel told him, word for word. He held
back nothing. Eli said, "He is God. Let him do
whatever he thinks best."
19 Samuel grew up. God was with him, and
Samuel's prophetic record was flawless.20 Everyone in Israel, from Dan in the north to
Beersheba in the south, recognized that Samuel
was the real thing - a true prophet of God.
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PSALM 139:1-6, 13-18 (UMH 854)
(The Message)
1 God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand.
2 I'm an open book to you; even from a distance,
you know what I'm thinking.
3 You know when I leave and when I get back; I'm
never out of your sight.
4 You know everything I'm going to say before I
start the first sentence.
5 I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead
and you're there, too - your reassuring presence,
coming and going.
6 This is too much, too wonderful -
I can't take it all in!
PSALM 139:13-18
13 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother's womb.
14 I thank you, High God - you're breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship
in adoration - what a creation!
15 You know me inside and out, you know every
bone in my body; You know exactly how I was
made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing
into something.
16 Like an open book, you watched me grow from
conception to birth; all the stages of my life were
spread out before you, The days of my life all
prepared before I'd even lived one day.
17 Your thoughts - how rare, how beautiful! God,
I'll never comprehend them!
18 I couldn't even begin to count them - any more
than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me
rise in the morning and live always with you!
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1 CORINTHIANS 6:12-20
(The Message)
Paul confronts the ease with which some,
apparently even in the church in Corinth, could
justify using prostitutes (in our day, the ever
more prevalent use of pornography). This is no
mere economic arrangement, Paul reminds.
Just as in marriage we are made one with a
spouse, so in baptism we have been made one
with Christ. As spouses belong to each other,
so we belong to Christ.
12 Just because something is technically legal
doesn't mean that it's spiritually appropriate. If I
went around doing whatever I thought I could get
by with, I'd be a slave to my whims.13 You know the old saying, "First you eat to live,
and then you live to eat"? Well, it may be true that
the body is only a temporary thing, but that's no
excuse for stuffing your body with food, or indulging
it with sex. Since the Master honors you with a
body, honor him with your body!
14 God honored the Master's body by raising it from
the grave. He'll treat yours with the same
resurrection power.
15 Until that time, remember that your bodies are
created with the same dignity as the Master's body.
You wouldn't take the Master's body off to a
whorehouse, would you? I should hope not.
16 There's more to sex than mere skin on skin.
Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact.
As written in Scripture, "The two become one."
17 Since we want to become spiritually one with
the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex
that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us
more lonely than ever - the kind of sex that can
never "become one."
18 There is a sense in which sexual sins are
different from all others. In sexual sin we violate
the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies
that were made for God-given and God-modeled
love, for "becoming one" with another.
19 Or didn't you realize that your body is a sacred
place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don't you see
that you can't live however you please, squandering
what God paid such a high price for? The physical
part of you is not some piece of property belonging
to the spiritual part of you.
20 God owns the whole works. So let people see
God in and through your body.
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JOHN 1:43-51 (The Message)
John offers us stories about a calling to become
disciples. Jesus calls Philip to follow him, and
Philip announces to Nathanael that he has found
the one expected by Moses and the prophets.
Nathanael is skeptical until Jesus tells him he
was watching Nathanael as he was sitting under
a fig tree. We see the call to discipleship in its
simplest form in Jesus' call to Philip in
verse 43: "Follow me."
• A few professions that offer apprenticeships
before one enters into practice are Medicine,
plumbing, electrical, and iron working. Early
Christianity had a three-year "apprenticeship"
called the “catechumenate.”
A Catechumen (cat•e•chu•men) was a Christian
convert under instruction before baptism.
Catechism is a term still used today to
encompass a summary of principles in Christian
religious education. See “General Rules of the
Methodist Church” or “MethoPedia”.
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee.
When he got there, he ran across Philip and said,
"Come, follow me."44 (Philip's hometown was Bethsaida, the same
as Andrew's and Peter's.)
45 Philip went and found Nathanael and told him,
"We've found the One Moses wrote of in the Law,
the One preached by the prophets. It's Jesus,
Joseph's son, the one from Nazareth!"
46 Nathanael said, "Nazareth? You've got to be
kidding." But Philip said, "Come, see for yourself."
47 When Jesus saw him coming he said, "There's
a real Israelite, not a false bone in his body."
48 Nathanael said, "Where did you get that idea?
You don't know me." Jesus answered, "One day,
long before Philip called you here, I saw you under
the fig tree."
49 Nathanael exclaimed, "Rabbi! You are the Son
of God, the King of Israel!"
50 Jesus said, "You've become a believer simply
because I say I saw you one day sitting under the
fig tree? You haven't seen anything yet!51 Before this is over you're going to see heaven
open and God's angels descending to the Son of
Man and ascending again."
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MONDAY, JANUARY 16TH —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
The office is closed today.
This is Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.Dr. King was an eloquent, masterful speaker.
It's easy to see why selfish, greedy men were
frightened of him.
OUR GOD IS MARCHING ON!
by Martin Luther King
We’ve come a long way since that travesty of justice
was perpetrated upon the American mind.
James Weldon Johnson said:

We have come over a way
That with tears hath been watered.

We have come treading our paths
Through the blood of the slaughtered.

Out of the gloomy past,
Till now we stand at last

Where the white gleam
Of our bright star is cast.

• Today I want to tell the city of Selma, today I want
to say to the state of Alabama, today I want to say
to the people of America and the nations of the
world, that we are not about to turn around.
We are on the move now.

• Yes, we are on the move and no wave of racism
can stop us. We are on the move now. The burning
of our churches will not deter us. The bombing of
our homes will not dissuade us. We are on the
move now.
The beating and killing of our clergymen and young
people will not divert us. We are on the move now.
The wanton release of their known murderers would
not discourage us. We are on the move now. Like
an idea whose time has come, not even the
marching of mighty armies can halt us. We are
moving to the land of freedom.
• Let us therefore continue our triumphant march to
the realization of the American dream. Let us march
on segregated housing until every ghetto or social
and economic depression dissolves, and Negroes
and whites live side by side in decent, safe, and
sanitary housing. Let us march on segregated
schools until every vestige of segregated and inferior
education becomes a thing of the past, and Negroes
and whites study side-by-side in the socially-healing
context of the classroom.
• Let us march on poverty until no American parent
has to skip a meal so that their children may eat.
March on poverty until no starved man walks the
streets of our cities and towns in search of jobs that
do not exist. Let us march on poverty until wrinkled
stomachs in Mississippi are filled, and the idle
industries of Appalachia are realized and revitalized,
and broken lives in sweltering ghettos are mended
and remolded.
• Let us march on ballot boxes until the salient
misdeeds of bloodthirsty mobs will be transformed
into the calculated good deeds of orderly citizens.
• Let us march on ballot boxes until we send to our
city councils, state legislatures, and the United
States Congress, men who will not fear to do
justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God.
• Let us march on ballot boxes until brotherhood
becomes more than a meaningless word in an
opening prayer, but the order of the day on every
legislative agenda.
They ask, “When will Alabama return to normalcy?"
The only normalcy that we will settle for is the
normalcy that recognizes the dignity and worth of
all of God’s children. The only normalcy that we will
settle for is the normalcy of brotherhood,
the normalcy of true peace, and justice.
I know you are asking today,
"How long will it take?"
• How long? Not long, because "truth crushed
to earth will rise again."
• How long? Not long, because "no lie can live
forever."
• How long? Not long, because "you shall reap
what you sow."
• How long? Not long, because the arc of the
moral universe is long,
and it bends toward justice.
"How long will prejudice blind the visions of
men, darken their understanding, and drive
bright-eyed wisdom from her sacred throne?"

Joshua fit the battle of Jericho,
And the walls come tumbling down.
—— A Truly Eloquent Speaker
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18TH —
MARTHA CIRCLE WILL MEET IN CASEY U.M.C.
AT 7 P.M.

ESTHER CIRCLE WILL MEET AT DONNA SHEEDER'S AT 7PM
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 19TH —
DEBORAH - MARY CIRCLE WILL MEET IN
CASEY U.M.C. AT 2 P.M.
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FRIDAY, JANUARY 20TH —
Parish Consultations with Rev. Kail will take place
in Adair U.M.C. beginning at 1:30 P.M. and he will
be available until 6:30 P.M.
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SATURDAY, JANUARY 21ST —
Rev. Kail's Parish Consultations begin at 9:30 A.M.
Sign up to take part now.
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Sunday, January 22nd Rev. Ed Kail will speak at
Adair United Methodist Church Service.
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I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up
and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold
these truths to be self-evident; that all men are
created equal".

“Let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New
Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains
of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies
of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of
Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of
California!
• When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from
every village and every hamlet, from every state and
every city, we will be able to speed up that day when
all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews
and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able
to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro
spiritual,
"Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, we are
free at last"! —— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - JANUARY 8TH - JANUARY 14TH

2012-01-03T08:55:00.000-08:00

REMINDERS —
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SATURDAY, JANUARY 7th —
BEHAVIORAL COVENANT WORKSHOP -
CASEY UMC - 9:30AM 'TIL NOON
This workshop concerns the future health of our
churches. We go to the heart of modern
congregational life: Living creatively together
despite differences of age, race, culture, opinion,
gender, theological or political position. How to
grow by valuing our differences rather than
ignoring them.It is recommended that the AD Council attend.
It is noted that everyone is welcome.
Come and learn - come and teach.
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JANUARY 8, 2012
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY
BAPTISM OF THE LORD SUNDAY

COLOR: WHITE

SCRIPTURE READINGS:
GENESIS 1:1-5
(The Message)
Darkness, chaos, waters, and then the Word
that brings order to them all; the emergence of
light from the midst of darkness.
The Hebrew reads "Day 1."
1 First this: God created the Heavens and Earth -
all you see, all you don't see.2 Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless
emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded
like a bird above the watery abyss.3 God spoke: "Light!" And light appeared.
4 God saw that light was good and separated light
from dark.5 God named the light Day, he named the dark
Night. It was evening, it was morning - Day One.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
PSALM 29 (UMH 761)
(The Message)
Floods, tornadoes, lightning, devastation, and
God reigning in the midst of it all - - images of
the awesome and dangerous power of God.
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 the
northern 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.

ACTS 19:1-7
(The Message)
• Keep in mind, they had no television,
bluetooth, or other wireless technology.
A reminder of the power and extent of the
ministry of John the Baptist - - reaching all
the way from Judea to the western shores
of Asia Minor (Turkey) by mid-century,
(probably 25-30 years after his execution).
John taught people to live differently in light
of the coming Kingdom; Jesus would give
them the power of life. It is probably no accident
that Luke tells us the number of these believers
was — about 12 .
Ephesus became the seat of apostolic ministry in
and from western Asia Minor for several decades
to come.1 Now, it happened that while Apollos was away in
Corinth, Paul made his way down through the
mountains, came to Ephesus, and happened on
some disciples there.2 The first thing he said was, "Did you receive the
Holy Spirit when you believed? Did you take God
into your mind only, or did you also embrace him
with your heart? Did he get inside you?" "We've
never even heard of that - a Holy Spirit?
God within us?"
3 "How were you baptized, then?" asked Paul.
"In John's baptism."
4 "That explains it," said Paul. "John preached a
baptism of radical life-change so that people would
be ready to receive the One coming after him, who
turned out to be Jesus. If you've been baptized in
John's baptism, you're ready now for the real thing,
for Jesus."
5 And they were. As soon as they heard of it, they
were baptized in the name of the Master Jesus.
6 Paul put his hands on their heads and the Holy
Spirit entered them. From that moment on, they
were praising God in tongues and talking about
God's actions.7 Altogether there were about twelve people there
that day.

MARK 1:4-11 (The Message)
Let there be water. While John's baptismal
ministry seems to unite folks from Judea and
all Jerusalem in confession and repentance,
his baptism of Jesus "splits the heavens"
(like lightning). The announcement of the voice
from the heavens (like thunder) answers the
hope for the arrival of one chosen by God to
pour out the Holy Spirit.
4 John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching
a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness
of sins.
5 People thronged to him from Judea and
Jerusalem and, as they confessed their sins, were
baptized by him in the Jordan River into a
changed life.6 John wore a camel-hair habit, tied at the waist
with a leather belt.
He ate locusts and wild field honey.
7 As he preached he said, "The real action comes
next: The star in this drama, to whom I'm a mere
stagehand, will change your life.
8 I'm baptizing you here in the river, turning your
old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism - a holy
baptism by the Holy Spirit — will change you from
the inside out."
9 At this time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee
and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 The moment he came out of the water, he saw
the sky split open and God's Spirit, looking like a
dove, come down on him.
11 Along with the Spirit, a voice: "You are my Son,
chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life."
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MONDAY, JANUARY 9TH —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
Office is closed today —≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
FUTURE FOCUS —
FRIDAY, JANUARY 20TH — AND
SATURDAY, JANUARY 21ST —
Parish Consultations with Rev. Kail.
These will take place in Adair U.M.C.
and begin on Friday at 1:30 and
be available until 6:30.
Saturday Consultations will begin at 9:30 A.M.
Sign up now.
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• Be always at war with your vices,
at peace with your neighbors,
and let each New Year find you a
better person.
—— Benjamin Franklin

• We will open the book. Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called "Opportunity" and
its first chapter is New Year's Day.
—— Edith Lovejoy Pierce

• Your Happy New Year depends on what
you do for others.
—— Anonymous

• Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth.
——— Martin Luther King
God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - JANUARY 1ST TO JANUARY 7TH

2011-12-26T14:44:00.000-08:00

REMINDERS —
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31ST —
New Years Eve -
Have a reasonably good time!
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SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2012 —
NEW YEARS DAY • • • EPIPHANY SUNDAY
COLOR: WHITE

SCRIPTURE READINGS
ISAIAH 60:1-6
(The Message)
Isaiah offers a word from the Lord to exiles or
new returnees to their homeland after at least a
39-year absence. They knew to expect ruins on
their return, and that is exactly what they had
found. Thick darkness (verse 2) in the world
they knew; in their ruined homeland and their
destroyed capital, Jerusalem. The prophet
declares the coming of the glory of the Lord
into this atmosphere. Not long after the Judeans
were set free to return to their homeland, the
new Persian government sent orders to have
supplies and building materials sent to rebuild
and furnish the city and its temple. Among these
materials were gold and frankincense
(Isaiah 60:6). Isaiah reminded the returned exiles
that if they watched, they would see other
nations bringing camels, gold, and frankincense
into Jerusalem.
1 "Get out of bed, Jerusalem! Wake up. Put your
face in the sunlight. God's bright glory has risen for
you.
2 The whole earth is wrapped in darkness, all
people sunk in deep darkness, But God rises on
you, his sunrise glory breaks over you.
3 Nations will come to your light, kings to your
sunburst brightness.
4 Look up! Look around! Watch as they gather,
watch as they approach you: Your sons coming
from great distances, your daughters carried by
their nannies.
5 When you see them coming you'll smile - big
smiles! Your heart will swell and, yes, burst! All
those people returning by sea for the reunion, a
rich harvest of exiles gathered in from the nations!6 And then streams of camel caravans as far as
the eye can see, young camels of nomads in Midian
and Ephah, Pouring in from the south from Sheba,
loaded with gold and frankincense, preaching the
praises of God.———————————————————————
PSALM 72:1-7, 10-14 (UMH 795)
(The Message)
PSALM 72:1-7
1 Give the gift of wise rule to the king, O God, the
gift of just rule to the crown prince.
2 May he judge your people rightly, be honorable
to your meek and lowly.
3 Let the mountains give exuberant witness; shape
the hills with the contours of right living.
4 Please stand up for the poor, help the children of
the needy, come down hard on the cruel tyrants.
5 Outlast the sun, outlive the moon - age after age
after age.
6 Be rainfall on cut grass, earth-refreshing rain
showers.
7 Let righteousness burst into blossom and peace
abound until the moon fades to nothing.
PSALM 72:10-14
10 Kings remote and legendary will pay homage,
kings rich and resplendent will turn over their wealth.
11 All kings will fall down and worship, and
godless nations sign up to serve him,
12 Because he rescues the poor at the first sign
of need, the destitute who have run out of luck.
13 He opens a place in his heart for the down and
out, he restores the wretched of the earth.
14 He frees them from tyranny and torture - when
they bleed, he bleeds; when they die, he dies.
———————————————————————
EPHESIANS 3:1-12
(The Message)
It was typically evangelism that got Paul locked
away. And being locked away, Paul never
stopped evangelizing about God's kingdom and
Jesus Christ to everyone he could, even to the
point, reaching the whole imperial guard in Rome.
That is part of what Paul refers to here when he
speaks of the mystery of the gospel now being
made known to "rulers and authorities in
heavenly places."
1 This is why I, Paul, am in jail for Christ, having
taken up the cause of you outsiders, so-called.
2 I take it that you're familiar with the part I was
given in God's plan for including everybody.
3 I got the inside story on this from God himself,
as I just wrote you in brief.4 As you read over what I have written to you,
you'll be able to see for yourselves into the mystery
of Christ.
5 None of our ancestors understood this. Only in our
time has it been made clear by God's Spirit through
his holy apostles and prophets of this new order.
6 The mystery is that people who have never heard
of God and those who have heard of him all their
lives (what I've been calling outsiders and insiders)
stand on the same ground before God. They get the
same offer, same help, same promises in Christ
Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming
to everyone, across the board.
7 This is my life work: helping people understand
and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer
gift to me, a real surprise,
God handling all the details.
8 When it came to presenting the Message to
people who had no background in God's way, I
was the least qualified of any of the available
Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but
you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my
natural abilities.
9 My task is to bring out in the open and make
plain what God, who created all this in the first place,
has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all
along.
10 Through Christians like yourselves gathered in
churches, this extraordinary plan of God is
becoming known and talked about even among
the angels!
11 All this is proceeding along lines planned all
along by God and then executed in Christ Jesus.
12 When we trust in him, we're free to say
whatever needs to be said, bold to go wherever
we need to go.
———————————————————————
MATTHEW 2:1-12
(The Message)
We see the three kings, their gifts, and perhaps
the use of incense.
• In the midst of our own economic freefall,
impending threats of global climate change,
and the ongoing uncertainties about the price
and availability of energy sources, we may hear
and experience this story in ways that take
seriously the notion of threat and subversion
that were clearly part of its first tellings. Iraqi
or Iranian astrologers would not normally go
waltzing into Jerusalem looking for a newborn
child destined to become the new ruler of that
nation. Matters of state like this would usually
have been handled by an official delegation
working through all the "right" channels. What
these men did in Jerusalem was bound to draw
suspicion from the powers that be.
• What we know of Herod we know primarily
from a historian (Josephus) who did not like
him, as well as from testimony in Matthew.
Herod was, by their testimony, insecure,
paranoid, and ready to act violently if he felt
threatened. Herod is a maniacal figure and a
stand-in for powers of the world that deny
access to truth they don't want accessed, and
then try to spin the truth, if it is discovered.
(Sound familiar?)
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem village, Judah
territory - this was during Herod's kingship - a band of
scholars arrived in Jerusalem from the East.
2 They asked around, "Where can we find and pay
homage to the newborn King of the Jews? We
observed a star in the eastern sky that signaled his
birth. We're on pilgrimage to worship him."
3 When word of their inquiry got to Herod, he was
terrified - and not Herod alone, but most of
Jerusalem as well.
4 Herod lost no time. He gathered all the high
priests and religion scholars in the city together and
asked, "Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?"
5 They told him, "Bethlehem, Judah territory. The
prophet Micah wrote it plainly:
6 It's you, Bethlehem, in Judah's land, no longer
bringing up the rear. From you will come the leader
who will shepherd-rule my people, my Israel."
7 Herod then arranged a secret meeting with the
scholars from the East. Pretending to be as devout
as they were, he got them to tell him exactly when
the birth-announcement star appeared.
8 Then he told them the prophecy about Bethlehem,
and said, "Go find this child. Leave no stone
unturned. As soon as you find him, send word and
I'll join you at once in your worship."9 Instructed by the king, they set off. Then the star
appeared again, the same star they had seen in the
eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the
place of the child.
10 They could hardly contain themselves: They were
in the right place! They had arrived at the right time!11 They entered the house and saw the child in the
arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled
and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage
and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.
12 In a dream, they were warned not to report back to
Herod. So they worked out another route, left the
territory without being seen, and returned to their own
country.
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MONDAY, JANUARY 2ND
Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
The office will be closed today.
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 3RD —
Back to school, kids.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
SATURDAY, JANUARY 7th —
Behavioral Covenant Workshop at
CASEY UMC - 9:30AM-NOON
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2011 is nearly over. In summation, this has been
quite a year! We have had flooding.We had hundreds of tornadoes.We had a number of wildfires in the southwest.We have had a considerable number of protests,
both in the United States and abroad in countries
connected with Arab Spring, and now in Russia.
Japan experienced an incredible earthquake and tsunami.
Countries in Africa are enduring continued hunger.
Nearly 3,000,000 Americans have been evicted
from homes during our ongoing mortgage fiasco.
• We have had many good experiences as well.
Bringing our military people home from Iraq.
Time we have spent with family and friends. Therein
lies the golden moments.
————————————————————————
We are very grateful for the hard working benevolent
people who gave incredible amounts of time, energy,
and monetary contributions to fix all of the staggering
problems that we have had this year. No, everything
is not fixed. Many problems will take much time, so
don't give up.
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God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - DECEMBER 25TH TO DECEMBER 31ST

2011-12-20T09:05:00.000-08:00

REMINDERS —
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21ST —
• Advent Bible Study at 2 P.M. in Casey U.M.C.
“What I Want for Christmas.”This is the Longest Night of the year.
• • • There will be a Blue Christmas Service —in Adair U.M.C. at 7 P.M. Everyone is welcome,
but it is directed toward anyone who has
experienced intense loss this year. It can be in
the realm of death, severe illness, family
disagreements, job security, or some entirely
different adjustment. Many transformations in
life can shake us to our very foundations, and
cause a sweeping change in our sense of well
being.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22ND —
• Advent Bible Study at 7 P.M. in Adair U.M.C.
“What I Want for Christmas.”≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23RD —
A-C School's Winter Break begins today.Don't forget to go back to school January 3rd!
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24TH —
CHRISTMAS EVE ———
Adair U.M.C. at 5 P.M.
Casey U.M.C. at 9 P.M.
Communion in both churches.
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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25TH —
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
COLOR: WHITE OR GOLD
Regular services at both churchesSCRIPTURE READINGS:
ISAIAH 52:7-10
(The Message)
These specific readings for Christmas Day have
a history that stretches far back into Christian
history, at least to the seventh century in the
West. Isaiah calls the ruins of Jerusalem to give
thanks for the coming of the Lord because
God's people are returning to their homeland to
rebuild them. Those of you who live in or near
places of devastation - - by floods, earthquakes,
hurricanes, tornadoes, fires or other means- -
know what it is like to see the ruins around you
and know the people are gone. Isaiah announces
the return of the LORD to Jerusalem, a sign of
the end of exile. "All the ends of the earth shall
see God's salvation."

Restoring destroyed communities is certainly
familiar to our contemporary world. Today we
have our own experience, whether the coasts of
the Gulf of Mexico, the floodplains of our Upper
Midwest and Thailand, the regions of Haiti,
territories in Japan devastated by tsunami, the
wildfires in Texas, the rice fields of Burma, the
ruins from long wars and strife in Afghanistan,
Iraq, and Palestine . . . or economic collapses
continuing to drive millions of people around
the world into unemployment. It is all mind
numbing devastation for the people forced to
experience it. Sweeping change from a sense
of well being.
7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the
messenger bringing good news, Breaking the news
that all's well, proclaiming good times, announcing
salvation, telling Zion, "Your God reigns!"
8 Voices! Listen! Your scouts are shouting,
thunderclap shouts, shouting in joyful unison. They
see with their own eyes God coming back to Zion.
9 Break into song! Boom it out, ruins of Jerusalem:
"God has comforted his people! He's redeemed
Jerusalem!"
10 God has rolled up his sleeves. All the nations
can see his holy, muscled arm. Everyone, from
one end of the earth to the other, sees him at work,
doing his salvation work.

PSALM 98 (UMH 818)
(The Message)
A song of praise for God's intervention to save
God's people. "For the Lord comes to judge the
nations with righteousness, and the peoples
with equity."
1 Sing to God a brand-new song. He's made a
world of wonders! He rolled up his sleeves, He set
things right.
2 God made history with salvation, He showed the
world what he could do.
3 He remembered to love us, a bonus To his dear
family, Israel - indefatigable love. The whole earth
comes to attention. Look - God's work of salvation!
4 Shout your praises to God, everybody! Let loose
and sing! Strike up the band!
5 Round up an orchestra to play for God, Add on a
hundred-voice choir.
6 Feature trumpets and big trombones, Fill the air
with praises to King God.
7 Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause,
With everything living on earth joining in.
8 Let ocean breakers call out, "Encore!" And
mountains harmonize the finale -
9 A tribute to God when he comes, When he comes
to set the earth right. He'll straighten out the whole
world, He'll put the world right, and everyone in it.

HEBREWS 1:1-4; 5-12
(The Message)
The full text of Hebrews speaks at some length
about Jesus being the imprint of God's
"ultimate essence" (hypostasis, in Greek) and
far superior to angels. In Jesus, God has given
us no mere angel or messenger, but "the
radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint
of God's very being. Look at all the clothing
references in Hebrews, and see how you might
elaborate on these in your worship space as
well. The images here are not at all those of a
helpless baby, but of a powerful and
awe-inspiring Lord.
1 Going through a long line of prophets, God has
been addressing our ancestors in different ways
for centuries.
2 Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son.
By his Son, God created the world in the beginning,
and it will all belong to the Son at the end.
3 This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped
with God's nature. He holds everything together
by what he says - powerful words! The Son Is
Higher than Angels
4 far higher than any angel in rank and rule.
HEBREWS 1:5-12 (The Message)
5 Did God ever say to an angel, "You're my
Son; today I celebrate you"? Or, "I'm his
Father, he's my Son"?
6 When he presents his honored Son to the
world, he says, "All angels must worship him."
7 Regarding angels he says, The messengers are
winds, the servants are tongues of fire.
8 But he says to the Son, You're God, and on the
throne for good; your rule makes everything right.
9 You love it when things are right; you hate it
when things are wrong. That is why God, your God,
poured fragrant oil on your head, Marking you out
as king, far above your dear companions.
10 And again to the Son, You, Master, started it all,
laid earth's foundations, then
crafted the stars in the sky.
11 Earth and sky will wear out, but not you; they
become threadbare like an old coat;
12 You'll fold them up like a worn-out cloak, and
lay them away on the shelf. But you'll stay the
same, year after year; you'll never fade, you'll
never wear out.

JOHN 1:1-14
(The Message)
John provides the heart of the good news for
today - - that the Word of God was God from
the beginning and the Word became flesh and
dwelt (pitched a tent) among us in the person
of Jesus. Light shining in the face of darkness,
and though appearing to fade for a time, not
overcome, but transformed from one light
(the sun) to billions of lights
(the moon, planets and stars)1 The Word was first, the Word present to God,
God present to the Word. The Word was God,
2 in readiness for God from day one.
3 Everything was created through him; nothing -
not one thing! - came into being without him.
4 What came into existence was Life, and the
Life was Light to live by.
5 The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the
darkness couldn't put it out.
6 There once was a man, his name John, sent by
God
7 to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came
to show everyone where to look, who to believe in.
8 John was not himself the Light; he was there to
show the way to the Light.
9 The Life-Light was the real thing: Every person
entering Life he brings into Light.
10 He was in the world, the world was there
through him, and yet the world didn't even notice.
11 He came to his own people, but they
didn't want him.
12 But whoever did want him, who believed he was
who he claimed and would do what he said, He
made to be their true selves, their child-of-God
selves.
13 These are the God-begotten, not blood-begotten,
not flesh-begotten, not sex-begotten.
14 The Word became flesh and blood, and moved
into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our
own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like
Son, Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 26TH —
Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
Office Closed today.
Naomi will be in and out of the office all week
so please call before making a trip there.
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31ST —
New Years Eve - Remember, if you fly too high,
your wings might melt.
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SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2012 — HAPPY NEW YEAR!The U.S. Government offers a list of the most
popular resolutions.
• Drink Less Alcohol
• Get a Better Education
• Get a Better Job
• Get Fit
• Lose Weight
• Manage Debt
• Manage Stress
• Quit Smoking
• Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
• Save Money
• Take a Trip
• Volunteer to Help Others
I don't see a clinker in the bunch.
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FUTURE FOCUS —
SATURDAY, JANUARY 7th —
Behavioral Covenant Workshop at
CASEY UMC - 9:30AM-NOON
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God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - DECEMBER 18TH - DECEMBER 24

2011-12-12T12:17:00.000-08:00

REMINDERS —
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14TH —
Prayer Breakfast at Happy Chef - 7 A.M.• • • ADVENT BIBLE STUDY • • •“What I Want for Christmas.”
In Casey U.M.C., - at 2 PM.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15TH —
• • • ADVENT BIBLE STUDY • • •“What I Want for Christmas.”
In Adair U.M.C., - at 7 PM.
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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18TH —
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENTCOLOR: PURPLE OR BLUE

SCRIPTURE READINGS:
2 SAMUEL 7:1-11, 16
(The Message)
Nathan brings good news and a “reality check”
to David. The good news: God intends to
establish David's lineage permanently, though
conditionally. David, Israel's hero-king, had
spent his life and the nation's resources
defending and expanding the kingdom and its
capital, Jerusalem. There he had built a lavish
royal palace complex for himself and his heirs
in Jerusalem. Having done all of this, he noticed that he had
invested nothing on building projects for the
religion of his people. The chief place for
religious gatherings was still, literally, a tent.
So he began to lay out a plan to build a majestic
temple to honor the God of his people.
The reality: God has been present with God's
people by being in their midst as they have
traveled. There is no need for David to build a
temple.
• God did allow Solomon to build a temple; a
facility which ultimately became the largest
religious campus of buildings on the planet in
that or any time so far.
2 SAMUEL 7:1-11
1 Before long, the David made himself at home and
God gave him peace from all his enemies.
2 Then one day King David said to Nathan the
prophet, "Look at this: Here I am, comfortable in a
luxurious house of cedar, and the Chest of God sits
in a plain tent."
3 Nathan told the king, "Whatever is on your heart,
go and do it. God is with you."
4 But that night, the word of God came to Nathan
saying,
5 "Go and tell my servant David: This is God's word
on the matter: You're going to build a 'house' for me
to live in?
6 Why, I haven't lived in a 'house' from the time I
brought the children of Israel up from Egypt till now.
All that time I've moved about with nothing but a tent.
7 And in all my travels with Israel, did I ever say to
any of the leaders I commanded to shepherd Israel,
'Why haven't you built me a house of cedar?'
8 "So here is what you are to tell my servant David:
The God-of-the-Angel-Armies has this word for you:
I took you from the pasture, tagging along after
sheep, and made you prince over my people Israel.
9 I was with you everywhere you went and mowed
your enemies down before you. Now I'm making you
famous, to be ranked with the great names on earth.
10 And I'm going to set aside a place for my people
Israel and plant them there so they'll have their own
home and not be knocked around any more. Nor will
evil men afflict you as they always have,
11 even during the days I set judges over my people
Israel. Finally, I'm going to give you peace from
all your enemies.2 SAMUEL 7:16
16 Your family and your kingdom are permanently
secured. I'm keeping my eye on them! And your
royal throne will always be there, rock solid."
———————————————————————
LUKE 1:46-55 (UMH 199)
(The Message)
The Song of Mary. Listen to this song and hear
in it the signs that Mary is pregnant with the end
of this age and the hope for the coming one!
And the worship we offer is of the One who is
as Mary sang in her song at Elizabeth's house.
46 And Mary said, I'm bursting with God-news;
47 I'm dancing the song of my Savior God.48 God took one good look at me, and look what
happened - I'm the most fortunate woman on earth!
What God has done for me will never be forgotten,
49 the God whose very name is holy, set apart
from all others.
50 His mercy flows in wave after wave on those
who are in awe before him.
51 He bared his arm and showed his strength,
scattered the bluffing braggarts.
52 He knocked tyrants off their high horses, pulled
victims out of the mud.
53 The starving poor sat down to a banquet; the
callous rich were left out in the cold.
54 He embraced his chosen child, Israel; he
remembered and piled on the mercies,
piled them high.
55 It's exactly what he promised, beginning with
Abraham and right up to now.
Quoting from the King James (since so many
settings of this song have used that version):
— MARY'S SONG — KING JAMES VERSION
• He hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden
• and his mercy is on them that fear him from
• generation to generation.
• He hath shown strength with his arm;
• he hath scattered the proud in the imagination
• of their hearts.
• He hath put down the mighty from their seat
• and hath exalted them of low degree.
• He hath filled the hungry with good things;
• And the rich he hath sent empty away.
(Luke 1:48-53).
———————————————————————
ROMANS 16:25-27
(The Message)
A concluding doxology that joins the eternal
praise of God for revealing the mystery of
salvation intended for the whole world in
Jesus Christ.
25 All of our praise rises to the One who is strong
enough to make you strong, exactly as preached
in Jesus Christ, precisely as revealed in the
mystery kept secret for so long
26 but now an open book through the prophetic
Scriptures. All the nations of the world can now
know the truth and be brought into obedient belief,
carrying out the orders of God, who got all this
started, down to the very last letter.
27 All our praise is focused through Jesus on this
incomparably wise God! Yes!
———————————————————————
LUKE 1:26-38
(The Message)
The angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she
will become with child by God and bear the Son
of the Most High whose throne will be eternal.
She consents and thus fulfills God's intention
to establish David's line forever.
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God
sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of
Nazareth
27 to a virgin engaged to be married to a man
descended from David. His name was Joseph, and
the virgin's name, Mary.28 Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her: Good
morning! You're beautiful with God's beauty,
Beautiful inside and out! God be with you.
29 She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what
was behind a greeting like that.
30 But the angel assured her, "Mary, you have
nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you:
31 You will become pregnant and give birth to a
son and call his name Jesus.
32 He will be great, be called 'Son of the Highest.'
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father
David;33 He will rule Jacob's house forever - no end, ever,
to his kingdom."
34 Mary said to the angel, "But how? I've never
slept with a man."
35 The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come
upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you;
Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called
Holy, Son of God.
36 "And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth
conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called
her barren, and here she is six months' pregnant!
37 Nothing, you see, is impossible with God."
38 And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now: I'm the
Lord's maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just
as you say. Then the angel left her.
Blessed Among Women.
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 19TH —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
The office is closed today.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21ST —
This is the Longest Night of the year . . . . . and
tomorrow we can look forward to the night being
a couple minutes shorter. Well, that certainly
lifts my spirits!• Advent Bible Study at 2 P.M. in Casey U.M.C.
“What I Want for Christmas.”

• • • There will be a Blue Christmas Service —
in Adair U.M.C. at 7 P.M. for those of you who
have experienced a profound loss this year.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22ND —
• Advent Bible Study at 7 P.M. in Adair U.M.C.
“What I Want for Christmas.”
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23RD —
A-C School's Winter Break begins today.
Don't forget to go back to school January 3rd!
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24TH —
CHRISTMAS EVE ———
We will take Communion in both churches.
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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25TH —
Services will be at the regular time.
• May Peace be your gift at Christmas
and your blessing all year through!
• The joy that you give to others
Is the joy that comes back to you.

• “A little smile, a word of cheer,
A bit of love from someone near,
A little gift from one held dear,
Best wishes for the coming year.”
—— John Greenleaf Whittier

• The birth of the baby Jesus stands as the most
significant event in all history, because it has
meant the pouring into a sick world, healing
medicine of love, which has transformed all
kinds of hearts for almost two thousand years.

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - DECEMBER 11 TO DECEMBER 17

2011-12-06T11:35:00.000-08:00

REMINDERS —
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7TH —TODAY IS PEARL HARBOR DAY.
WE REMEMBER 3,000 LIVES LOST WHEN
PEARL HARBOR WAS ATTACKED IN 1941— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
CHRISTMAS PARTY AT ADAIR U.M.C.
HOSTED BY ADAIR U.M.W. AT NOON— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
• ADVENT BIBLE STUDY —“What I Want for Christmas.”
In Casey U.M.C., - at 2 PM.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8TH —
• ADVENT BIBLE STUDY —
“What I Want for Christmas.”
In Adair U.M.C., - at 7 PM.
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10TH —
— CHRISTMAS MALL —Casey U.M.C. — East Wing, Social Room
• • • • • 9 A.M. TO 1 P.M. • • • • •
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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11TH
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT COLOR: PURPLE OR BLUE

SCRIPTURE READINGS:
ISAIAH 61:1-4, 8-11
(The Message)
Different scholars propose two different time
frames for this week's reading from Isaiah.
Some believe the prophet was announcing
good news of deliverance to the Judean
people in exile in Babylon. Others argue the
message was instead for those same people
to cheer them up after they had returned home
and found just how destroyed it had been.
The Spirit of the Lord anoints a prophet to bring
good news to the oppressed, the brokenhearted,
the captives, the prisoners, and the mourning - -
good news that includes "the day of vengeance
of our God" that will destroy the social order that
keeps them in their oppressed state. When the
current order is destroyed, rebuilding of God's
"ancient ruins" will begin.
ISAIAH 61:1-4
1 The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because
God anointed me. He sent me to preach good news
to the poor, heal the heartbroken, Announce
freedom to all captives, pardon all prisoners.2 God sent me to announce the year of his grace -
a celebration of God's destruction of our enemies -
and to comfort all who mourn,
3 To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion, give
them bouquets of roses instead of ashes, Messages
of joy instead of news of doom, a praising heart
instead of a languid spirit. Rename them "Oaks of
Righteousness" planted by God to display his glory.
4 They'll rebuild the old ruins, raise a new city out of
the wreckage. They'll start over on the ruined cities,
take the rubble left behind and make it new.ISAIAH 61:8-11
8 "Because I, God, love fair dealing and hate
thievery and crime, I'll pay your wages on time
and in full, and establish my eternal covenant
with you.
9 Your descendants will become well-known
all over. Your children in foreign countries Will
be recognized at once as the people I have
blessed."
10 I will sing for joy in God, explode in praise
from deep in my soul! He dressed me up in a
suit of salvation, he outfitted me in a robe of
righteousness, As a bridegroom who puts on
a tuxedo and a bride a jeweled tiara.
11 For as the earth bursts with spring wild
flowers, and as a garden cascades with blossoms,
So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full
bloom and puts praise on display before the nations.
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PSALM 126 (UMH 847) (The Message)
A Psalm of Ascent, one of the Psalms sung by
pilgrims as they made their way to the temple
after it was rebuilt after the return from exile, as
prophesied by Isaiah. 1 It seemed like a dream, too good to be true, when
God returned Zion's exiles.
2 We laughed, we sang, we couldn't believe our
good fortune. We were the talk of the nations -
"God was wonderful to them!"
3 God was wonderful to us; we are one happy people.
4 And now, God, do it again - bring rains to our
drought-stricken lives
5 So those who planted their crops in despair will
shout hurrahs at the harvest,
6 So those who went off with heavy hearts will come
home laughing, with armloads of blessing.
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1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-24
(The Message)
Concluding his letter, Paul offers specific
practices commended for living now as those
who rejoice in God's salvation in full view of the
end to come. Those practices include regular
rejoicing, constant prayer, persistent thanksgiving,
openness to the Spirit's voice through prophets
and the life of the community, and discernment
about what is good, keeping the good, discarding
the rest.
16 Be cheerful no matter what;
17 pray all the time;
18 thank God no matter what happens. This is the way
God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
19 Don't suppress the Spirit,
20 and don't stifle those who have a word from the
Master.
21 On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out
everything, and keep only what's good.
22 Throw out anything tainted with evil.
23 May God himself, the God who makes
everything holy and whole, make you holy and
whole, put you together - spirit, soul, and body -
and keep you fit for the coming of our Master,
Jesus Christ.
24 The One who called you is completely
dependable. If he said it, he'll do it!
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JOHN 1:6-8, 19-28
(The Message)
The witness of John the Baptizer concerning his
own identity. "I am not worthy to untie the thong
of his sandals." He was clear he was "not the
light," but equally clear that his life was all about
testifying to the light to come and announcing
his arrival.
JOHN 1:6-8
6 There once was a man, his name John, sent by
God
7 to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to
show everyone where to look, who to believe in.8 John was not himself the Light; he was there to
show the way to the Light.
JOHN 1:19-28
19 When Jews from Jerusalem sent a group of
priests and officials to ask John who he was, he
was completely honest.
20 He didn't evade the question. He told the plain
truth: "I am not the Messiah."21 They pressed him, "Who, then? Elijah?" "I am
not." "The Prophet?" "No."
22 Exasperated, they said, "Who, then? We need
an answer for those who sent us. Tell us something -
anything! - about yourself."
23 "I'm thunder in the desert: 'Make the road straight
for God!' I'm doing what the prophet Isaiah preached."
24 Those sent to question him were from the
Pharisee party.
25 Now they had a question of their own: "If you're
neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet, why
do you baptize?"
26 John answered, "I only baptize using water. A
person you don't recognize has taken his stand in
your midst.
27 He comes after me, but he is not in second place
to me. I'm not even worthy to hold his coat for him."
28 These conversations took place in Bethany on the
other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing at
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 12TH —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
The office is closed today.
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14TH —
Prayer Breakfast at Happy Chef - 7 A.M.
• • • ADVENT BIBLE STUDY • • •
“What I Want for Christmas.”
In Casey U.M.C., - at 2 PM.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15TH —
• • • ADVENT BIBLE STUDY • • •
“What I Want for Christmas.”
In Adair U.M.C., - at 7 PM.
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FUTURE FOCUS ——
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24TH —
• 5 P.M. Christmas Eve Service in ADAIR U.M.C.
• 9 P.M. Christmas Eve Service in CASEY U.M.C.
We will have Holy Communion at both services.
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May you have peace this Christmas season.
That may sound like a very small gift, but think of all
the places on this earth where people would give
almost anything to enjoy some peace. Pray for
those who are hungry, for those who are frightened,
those who are captive, and oppressed.
Many of us can hardly envision such affliction, but it
is real, though perhaps not in central Iowa.
It is a very big world, and pray for all who need peace.

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - DECEMBER 4 TO DECEMBER 10

2011-11-28T08:06:00.000-08:00

REMINDERS —
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH —
• Advent Study - “What I Want for Christmas.”• 4-week study held in two sessions each week.
• • FIRST SESSION -
WEDNESDAY, November 30, Casey UMC, - 2 PM.
IF YOU CAN ATTEND, PLEASE CONTACT
PASTOR BOB OR NAOMI, TO REGISTER.
• BRING YOUR BIBLES! •• ABC AD COUNCIL MEETING THIS EVENING —
IN CASEY U.M.C. AT 7 P.M.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1ST —
— WORLD AIDS DAY —• Advent Study - “What I Want for Christmas.”
• • SECOND SESSION -
THURSDAY, December 1st, Adair UMC, - 7 PM.
IF YOU CAN ATTEND, PLEASE CONTACT
PASTOR BOB OR NAOMI, TO REGISTER.
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3RD — 1 TO 8 P.M. &
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4TH — 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M.
ADAIR FESTIVAL OF TREES — ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4TH —
ADAIR-CASEY SCHOOL CHOIR WILL SING AT
BOTH SERVICES THIS MORNING.
CASEY U.M.C. CHRISTMAS POTLUCK
AFTER MORNING SERVICE.HOSTED BY ALL OF THE CIRCLES
EVERYONE IS WELCOME ! !
———————————————————————
— HOLY COMMUNION TODAY —
SCRIPTURE READINGS —
ISAIAH 40:1-11
(The Message)
Four brief prophecies arranged in dramatic
form declare the hope of God's coming to
rescue the exiles from captivity.
• In verses 1-2, the prophet is called by God:
"Comfort my people in exile!"
• In verses 3-4, a voice cries, "Prepare God's
way," as a highway forms across the desert
from Babylon to Judea.
• In verses 5-8, the prophet announces, "Life
is ephemeral; God's word is eternal."
• In verses 9-11, those keeping watch in
Jerusalem, a city in ruins, are called to declare
from the highest height the victory of God
because God will bring the exiles home and
sustain them.
1 "Comfort, oh comfort my people," says your God.
2 "Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem, but also
make it very clear That she has served her sentence,
that her sin is taken care of - forgiven! She's been
punished enough and more than enough, and now
it's over and done with."
3 Thunder in the desert! "Prepare for God's arrival!
Make the road straight and smooth, a highway fit for
our God.
4 Fill in the valleys, level off the hills, Smooth out the
ruts, clear out the rocks.
5 Then God's bright glory will shine and everyone will
see it. Yes. Just as God has said."
6 A voice says, "Shout!" I said, "What shall I shout?"
"These people are nothing but grass, their love fragile
as wildflowers.
7 The grass withers, the wildflowers fade, if God so
much as puffs on them. Aren't these people just so
much grass?
8 True, the grass withers and the wildflowers fade,
but our God's Word stands firm and forever."
9 Climb a high mountain, Zion. You're the preacher of good news. Raise your
voice. Make it good and loud, Jerusalem. You're
the preacher of good news. Speak loud and clear.
Don't be timid! Tell the cities of Judah, "Look! Your
God!"
10 Look at him! God, the Master, comes in power,
ready to go into action. He is going to pay back his
enemies and reward those who have loved him.
11 Like a shepherd, he will care for his flock,
gathering the lambs in his arms, Hugging them as
he carries them, leading the nursing ewes to good
pasture. The Creator of All You Can See or Imagine.
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PSALM 85:1-2, 8-13 (UMH 806)
(The Message)
A response of thanks and trust in God's
deliverance.
PSALM 85:1-2
1 God, you smiled on your good earth! You brought
good times back to Jacob!
2 You lifted the cloud of guilt from your people, you
put their sins far out of sight.

PSALM 85:8-13
8 I can't wait to hear what he'll say. God's about to
pronounce his people well, the holy people he loves
so much, so they'll never again live like fools.
9 See how close his salvation is to those who fear
him? Our country is home base for Glory!
10 Love and Truth meet in the street, Right Living
and Whole Living embrace and kiss!
11 Truth sprouts green from the ground, Right
Living pours down from the skies!12 Oh yes! God gives Goodness and Beauty; our
land responds with Bounty and Blessing.
13 Right Living strides out before him, and clears a
path for his passage.
————————————————————————
2 PETER 3:8-15
(The Message)
• The best scientific consensus on the future
of our planet today says that unless we are
able to reduce carbon emissions to a
sustainable level, by 2050 nearly thirty percent
of the species on earth may be endangered, and
billions of humans living near coastal waters
may be displaced by flooding.
• This isn't Red State or Blue State, liberal or
conservative views. This is the best scientific
consensus that world climatologists on our
planet have achieved presently. We are way
past trying to pin this on anyone. Where human
beings can alter these results or at least slow
their occurrence, we must do so. Most human
animals have an instinctive desire to protect
our children and our grandchildren. The lives
of our future generations demand our attention
to the earth's environment.
Scientists predict our sun will continue to
expand until it becomes a Red Giant, literally
dissolving the first three inner planets, including
earth, with its heat —— in about 5 billion years.We must sustain a living environment on this
planet in this century.With God's grace, we can do it.
• The coming circumstance of the world as we
know it, means that we now must strive for lives
of holiness. We are called to make the present
age a place where righteousness is at home,
even as we wait for changes of the future.
8 Don't overlook the obvious here, friends. With God,
one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand
years as a day.
9 God isn't late with his promise as some measure
lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you,
holding back the End because he doesn't want
anyone lost. He's giving everyone space and time to
change.
10 When the Day of God's Judgment does come, it
will be unannounced, like a thief. The sky will
collapse with a thunderous bang, everything will
disintegrate in a huge conflagration, earth and all its
works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment.
11 Since everything here today may well be gone
tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a
holy life?
12 Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival.
The galaxies may burn up and the elements melt
down that day -
13 but we'll hardly notice. We'll be looking the other
way, ready for the promised new heavens and the
promised new earth, all landscaped with
righteousness.
14 So, my dear friends, since this is what you have
to look forward to, do your very best to be found
living at your best, in purity and peace.
15 Interpret our Master's patient restraint for what it
is: salvation. Our good brother Paul, was given
much wisdom in these matters.
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MARK 1:1-8
(The Message)
The gospel begins with the ministry of John
the Baptizer, calling all to repentance and
baptism for forgiveness to get ready for the
kingdom of the one to come, the one who
baptizes not simply with water, but with the
Holy Spirit.
• In Mark's gospel we learn this age is passing
away. God's kingdom is breaking in, changing
the rules of power, breaking what keeps people
in bondage, forgiving sins, healing the sick,
raising the dead, casting out demons, setting
all kinds of bound-up folks free. There would
be no going back to the former ways.

We hear it loud and see it clear in the prophecy
and manner of life of John, known as
"The Baptizer." The opening of this text recalls
the second scene of Isaiah, the call for the
construction project in the desert. John
embodied that call by where he placed himself -
- in the Judean desert, near the Jordan River,
the last place on the highway from Babylon to
Jerusalem the exiles would encounter before
returning to their homeland.
1 The good news of Jesus Christ - the Message! -
begins here,
2 following to the letter the scroll of the prophet
Isaiah. Watch closely: I'm sending my preacher
ahead of you; He'll make the road smooth for you.
3 Thunder in the desert! Prepare for God's arrival!
Make the road smooth and straight!4 John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching
a baptism of life-change that leads to
forgiveness of sins.
5 People thronged to him from Judea and Jerusalem
and, as they confessed their sins, were baptized by
him in the Jordan River into a changed life.6 John wore a camel-hair habit, tied at the waist with
a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild field honey.
7 As he preached he said, "The real action comes
next: The star in this drama, to whom I'm a mere
stagehand, will change your life.
8 I'm baptizing you here in the river, turning your old
life in for a kingdom life. His baptism - a holy baptism
by the Holy Spirit will change you from the inside out."
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— CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PROGRAM —
Good Shepherd Sunday School Program at the
Presbyterian Church — at 6:30 P.M.
Children from all denominations go to this.
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7TH —
TODAY IS PEARL HARBOR DAY.
WE COMMEMORATE ALL OF THE LIVES LOST
WHEN PEARL HARBOR WAS ATTACKED IN 1941
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CHRISTMAS PARTY AT ADAIR U.M.C.
HOSTED BY ADAIR U.M.W. AT NOON• ADVENT BIBLE STUDY —“What I Want for Christmas.”
In Casey U.M.C., - at 2 PM.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8TH —
• ADVENT BIBLE STUDY —“What I Want for Christmas.”
In Adair U.M.C., - at 7 PM.
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10TH —
— CHRISTMAS MALL —
Casey U.M.C. — East Wing, Social Room
IDEAS ———
ON DECEMBER 17TH, ADULTS MAY SHOP
FROM NOON TIL 1 PM
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God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - NOVEMBER 27TH TO DECEMBER 3RD

2011-11-21T14:00:00.000-08:00

REMINDERS —
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH —
Thanksgiving Day - Office Closed≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH —
Office Closed -
Thanksgiving weekend.
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27TH —
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT COLOR: PURPLE OR BLUE
Now through the First Sunday after Epiphany,
January 8, 2012, all of the lectionary readings
are selected to coordinate with one another.
This First Sunday in Advent calls us to a grim,
yet hopeful, recognition. The world as we
experience it is incompatible with the
flourishing of life God desires. It keeps too
many of us in oppression and other forms of
injustice. No amount of tinkering with it on our
part can change it. The patterns are so ingrained
in history, in cultures, in technology, in politics,
in economics and in ways of life that it seems
only a decisive intervention by God can restore
it to God's intended plan.

SCRIPTURE READINGS —
ISAIAH 64:1-9
(The Message)
The prophet calls for God to appear decisively, to "tear open the heavens" so the nations would tremble. He also confesses the need for such decisive intervention - - the utter sinfulness of humanity, even of those who are part of God's covenant. Finally, the metaphors change - - from earthly catastrophe to remaking pots, begging God to be merciful when God comes.
• Isaiah begins by crying out for more than "help" for a people in exile in his own day. He cries out for a decisive personal intervention by God that will not only show the world God in action, but that will also decisively break the ways and the realm (symbolized by the sky) of the powers that be. In verse 3, the prophet recalls times when God had shown up in the past with a game-changing plan.
1 Oh, that you would rip open the heavens and
descend, make the mountains shudder at your presence -
2 As when a forest catches fire, as when fire makes
a pot to boil -3 To shock your enemies into facing you, make the nations shake in their boots! You did terrible things we never expected, descended and made the mountains shudder at your presence.
4 Since before time began no one has ever imagined, No ear heard, no eye seen, a God like you who works for those who wait for him.
5 You meet those who happily do what is right, who keep a good memory of the way you work. But how angry you've been with us! We've sinned and kept at it so long! Is there any hope for us? Can we be saved?
6 We're all sin-infected, sin-contaminated. Our best efforts are grease-stained rags. We dry up like autumn leaves - sin-dried, we're blown off by the wind.
7 No one prays to you or makes the effort to reach out to you because you've turned away from us, left us to stew in our sins.
8 Still, God, you are our Father.
We're the clay and you're our potter: All of us are what you made us.
9 Don't be too angry with us, O God. Don't keep a
permanent account of wrongdoing. Keep in mind,
please, we are your people - all of us.
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PSALM 80:1-7, 17-19 (UMH 801)
(The Message)
The people cry out for restoration from the midst
of exile. "Restore us, Lord God of hosts. Shine the
light of your countenance upon us,
that we may be saved!"
PSALM 80:1-7
1 Listen, Shepherd, Israel's Shepherd - get all your Joseph sheep together. Throw beams of light from your dazzling throne
2 So Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh can see where they're going. Get out of bed - you've slept long enough! Come on the run before it's too late.
3 God, come back! Smile your blessing smile: That will be our salvation.
4 God, God of the angel armies, how long will you smolder like a sleeping volcano while your people call for fire and brimstone?
5 You put us on a diet of tears, bucket after bucket of salty tears to drink.
6 You make us look ridiculous to our friends; our enemies poke fun day after day.
7 God of the angel armies, come back! Smile your blessing smile: That will be our salvation.
PSALM 80:17-19
17 Then take the hand of your once-favorite child, the child you raised to adulthood.
18 We will never turn our back on you; breathe life into our lungs so we can shout your name!
19 God, God of the angel armies, come back! Smile your blessing smile: That will be our salvation.———————————————————————
1 CORINTHIANS 1:3-9
(The Message)
In the midst of offering a greeting to the Christians
in Corinth, Paul points to the coming Day of the
Lord - - to call them to continue to grow and be
faithful in using their spiritual gifts.
This text reveals the strong connection between
the use and power of spiritual gifts now and our
waiting for the "revealing of our Lord Jesus
Christ" who will "strengthen you to the end."
Paul's point is that we are given the strength we
have - - the goodness of our fellowship and the
gifts we can use in ministry - - so that we can
prepare. Christ is both and at once the reigning
and the coming Lord.3 May all the gifts and benefits that come from God
our Father, and the Master, Jesus Christ, be yours.
4 Every time I think of you - and I think of you often! -
I thank God for your lives of free and open access to
God, given by Jesus.
5 There's no end to what has happened in you - it's
beyond speech, beyond knowledge.
6 The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in
your lives.
7 Just think - you don't need a thing, you've got it all!
All God's gifts are right in front of you as you wait
expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the
scene for the Finale.
8 And not only that, but God himself is right alongside
to keep you steady and on track until things are all
wrapped up by Jesus.
9 God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure,
shares with us the life of his Son and our Master
Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.
The Cross: The Irony of God's Wisdom. Corinth was a very wealthy city until the 5th century
BC, much of which was generated by trade. They
also had a large navy. In 146 BC Corinth was leveled
by the Romans and remained dead for a century.
———————————————————————
MARK 13:24-37
(The Message)
Mark addresses two moments at once: the
destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and of
Jerusalem itself, and the final coming of Christ.
Jesus describes the end and instructs his
disciples to watch for signs of it.
• The brief parable Jesus tells here gives the
context for an admonition. A master has left
his household, put his slaves in charge, and
told the doorkeeper to keep watch. He gives
them no clue about when he will return, only
the word that he will do so. If he returns to find
his household not being cared for and the
doorkeeper asleep, the slaves and the
doorkeeper will have disappointed their master
and will pay the consequences.
What does the master want? He wants his
charges to have kept the house well. To do that,
they must remain awake, watchful at all times.
24 "Following those hard times, the Sun will fade out,
moon cloud over,
25 Stars fall out of the sky, cosmic powers tremble.
26 "And then they'll see the Son of Man enter in
grand style, his Arrival filling the sky -
no one will miss it!
27 He'll dispatch the angels; they will pull in the
chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole.28 "Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment
you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you
know summer's just around the corner.29 And so it is with you. When you see all these
things, you know he is at the door.
30 Don't take this lightly. I'm not just saying this for
some future generation, but for this one, too -
these things will happen.
31 Sky and earth will wear out; my words won't
wear out.
32 "But the exact day and hour? No one knows that,
not even heaven's angels, not even the Son.
Only the Father.
33 So keep a sharp lookout, for you don't know
the timetable.
34 It's like a man who takes a trip, leaving home
and putting his servants in charge, each assigned
a task, and commanding the gatekeeper to stand
watch.
35 So, stay at your post, watching. You have no idea
when the homeowner is returning, whether evening,
midnight, cockcrow, or morning.
36 You don't want him showing up unannounced, with
you asleep on the job.
37 I say it to you, and I'm saying it to all:
Stay at your post. Keep watch."
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH —
Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
The office is closed today
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH —
• Advent Study - “What I Want for Christmas.”This 4-week study will be held in two sessions
each week.
• First session is November 30th, at Casey UMC,
at 2:00PM.
• The next session is December 1st, in Adair UMC,
at 7:00PM.
If you can attend either of these two sessions,
PLEASE CONTACT PASTOR BOB OR NAOMI,
TO REGISTER.
• BRING YOUR BIBLES! •
• ABC AD COUNCIL MEETING THIS EVENING —
IN CASEY U.M.C. AT 7 P.M.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1ST —
— WORLD AIDS DAY —≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3RD &
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4TH —
Adair Festival of Trees≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
FUTURE FOCUS —
DECEMBER 4TH —
CASEY U.M.C. CHRISTMAS POTLUCK
AFTER MORNING SERVICE.
HOSTED BY ALL OF THE CIRCLES
EVERYONE IS WELCOME ! !————————————————————————
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7TH —
CHRISTMAS PARTY AT ADAIR U.M.C.
HOSTED BY ADAIR U.M.W. AT NOON————————————————————————
DECEMBER 10TH AND 17TH —
• CASEY CHRISTMAS MALL WILL BE OPEN.
• BRING YOUR GIFT ITEMS TO THE
EAST SUNDAY SCHOOL ROOM. SOME IDEAS:

Children's toys, winter mittens or gloves, kitchen
or tool shop items are just a few ideas.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - NOVEMBER 20TH - NOVEMBER 26TH

2011-11-15T12:18:00.000-08:00

REMINDERS —
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH —
Dorcus/Ruth Circle meeting in Adair U.M.C.
at 1:30 P.M.Esther Circle will meet at Adair U.M.C. at 7 p.m.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2011 •
CHRIST THE KING SUNDAYCOLOR: WHITE
We will have Holy Communion

SCRIPTURE READINGS:
EZEKIEL 34:11-16, 20-24
(The Message)
To the people scattered in exile in Babylon
(Now Iraq), the prophet Ezekiel declares the
word of the Lord: "I will seek out my sheep…
I will rescue them… I will bring them into their
own land." To the Babylonian rulers, God
announces that it is God, and not the ruler, who
will judge the covenant people, and that God,
and not the ruler, will establish a shepherd over
them, a descendant of David.
EZEKIEL 34:11-16
11 "'God, the Master, says: From now on, I myself
am the shepherd. I'm going looking for them.
12 As shepherds go after their flocks when they
get scattered, I'm going after my sheep. I'll rescue
them from all the places they've been scattered to
in the storms.13 I'll bring them back from foreign peoples, gather
them from foreign countries, and bring them back
to their home country. I'll feed them on the
mountains of Israel, along the streams, among their
own people.
14 I'll lead them into lush pasture so they can roam
the mountain pastures of Israel, graze at leisure,
feed in the rich pastures on the mountains of Israel.
15 And I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep.
I myself will make sure they get plenty of rest.
16 I'll go after the lost, I'll collect the strays, I will
doctor the injured, I'll build up the weak ones and
oversee the strong ones so they're not exploited.
EZEKIEL 34:20-24
20 "'Therefore, God, the Master, says: I myself am
stepping in and making things right between the
plump sheep and the skinny sheep.
21 Because you forced your way with shoulder
and rump and butted at all the weaker animals with
your horns till you scattered them all over the hills,
22 I'll come in and save my dear flock, no longer let
them be pushed around. I'll step in and set things
right between one sheep and another.
23 "'I'll appoint one shepherd over them all: my
servant David. He'll feed them. He'll be their shepherd.
24 And I, God, will be their God. My servant David
will be their prince. I, God, have spoken.————————————————————————
PSALM 100 (UMH 821)
(The Message)
"Old 100th" is also available as a hymn, UMH 75.
1 On your feet now - applaud God!
2 Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his
presence.
3 Know this: God is God, and God, God.
He made us; we didn't make him. We're his people,
his well-tended sheep.
4 Enter with the password: "Thank you!" Make
yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him.
Worship him.
5 For God is sheer beauty, all-generous in love,
loyal always and ever.
————————————————————————
EPHESIANS 1:15-23
(The Message)
Paul reminds the Christians in Ephesus of the
glorious inheritance of all believers. The same
immeasurable power that raised Christ from
death and placed him above every imaginable
power is at work on our behalf.15 That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you
have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of
love to all the Christians,16 I couldn't stop thanking God for you - every time
I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks.
17 But I do more than thank. I ask - ask the God of
our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory - to make
you intelligent and discerning in knowing him
personally,
18 your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see
exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the
immensity of this glorious way of life he has for
Christians,19 oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who
trust him - endless energy, boundless strength!
20 All this energy issues from Christ: God raised
him from death and set him on a throne in deep
heaven,
21 in charge of running the universe, everything
from galaxies to governments, no name and no
power exempt from his rule. And not just for the
time being, but forever.
22 He is in charge of it all, has the final word on
everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the
church.
23 The church, you see, is not peripheral to the
world; the world is peripheral to the church. The
church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and
acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.
————————————————————————
MATTHEW 25:31-46
(The Message)
The final public teaching of Jesus. At the "Great
Assize," the final Judgment, the King to Come,
seated upon a throne and surrounded by the
angels, will judge all based on how they have
treated "the least of these."

31 "When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and
all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his
place on his glorious throne.
32 Then all the nations will be arranged before him
and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd
sorts out sheep and goats,
33 putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on his right,
'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take
what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been
ready for you since the world's foundation.
35 And here's why: I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was
homeless and you gave me a room,
36 I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was
sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and
you came to me.'37 "Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master,
what are you talking about? When did we ever
see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you
a drink?38 And when did we ever see you sick or in prison
and come to you?'
39 40 Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn
truth: Whenever you did one of these things to
someone overlooked or ignored, that was me -
you did it to me.'
41 "Then he will turn to the 'goats,' the ones on
his left, and say, 'Get out, worthless goats! You're
good for nothing but the fires of hell.42 And why? Because - I was hungry and you gave
me no meal, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
43 I was homeless and you gave me no bed, I was
shivering and you gave me no clothes, Sick and in
prison, and you never visited.'
44 "Then those 'goats' are going to say, 'Master,
what are you talking about? When did we ever see
you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or
sick or in prison and didn't help?'
45 "He will answer them, 'I'm telling the solemn
truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things
to someone who was being overlooked or ignored,
that was me - you failed to do it to me.'
46 "Then those 'goats' will be herded to their eternal
doom, but the 'sheep' to their eternal reward."
————————————————————————
Adair U.M.C. will have a tree trimming party after
morning service. A Soup, Sandwich and Dessert
Luncheon will follow the decorating festivities.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
The office is closed today.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH —
Thanksgiving Day - Office ClosedI hope you all get to spend time with those you
love.
That's even more important than pumpkin pie!
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH — Office Closed -
Thanksgiving weekend.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
FUTURE FOCUS —
NOVEMBER 30TH — ABC AD COUNCIL MEETING
IN CASEY U.M.C. AT 7 P.M.
————————————————————————
DECEMBER 1ST — WORLD AIDS DAY————————————————————————
DECEMBER 3RD AND 4TH —
Adair Festival of the Trees for Christmas
Adair U.M.C. is decorating and Angel Tree - If you
have any angel decorations, come, add them to the
tree.
————————————————————————
December 4th —
Casey U.M.C. is having their annual Christmas
Brunch after morning service. Everyone is
welcome.
————————————————————————
December 10th and 17th —
Casey Christmas Mall will be open.

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - NOVEMBER 13TH TO NOVEMBER 19TH

2011-11-08T10:18:00.000-08:00

REMINDERS —
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH —
Prayer Breakfast at Happy Chef - 7 A.M.MARTHA CIRCLE AT 7 P.M. IN CASEY U.M.C.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH —
Deborah Mary Circle in Casey U.M.C. @ 2 P.M.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH —
VETERANS DAY ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH —
AN EVENING OF MUSIC “GAITHER STYLE”
AT 6:30 PM

• At Guthrie County Fair Grounds

This is a Fund Raiser for the
Guthrie County Fair's NEW
Community Building

Presented by
Guthrie County Southern Gospel Sing

GROUPS INCLUDE

Phil Hague,
Praises to Him,
New Shoes Quartet,
Loynachans,
Headin Home,
Craig Kruse,
Dead Men Singing,
Plus Local Talent

A GREAT EVENING OF MUSIC!
Free-Will Donation
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2011—
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY
AFTER PENTECOST
COLOR: GREEN
COMBINED SERVICE THIS MORNING
IN CASEY U.M.C. AT 9:30 A.M.SCRIPTURE READINGS:
JUDGES 4:1–7 (The Message)
———————————————————————
Judges in the Bible
In the Book of Joshua: Joshua
In the Book of Judges: Othniel • Ehud
• Shamgar • Deborah • Barak† • Gideon
• Abimelech† • Tola • Jair • Jephthah • Ibzan
• Elon • Abdon • Samson
In First Samuel: Eli • Samuel —
† - Not explicitly described as a judge
———————————————————————
• In Judges 4, it is King Jabin of Canaan who
reaps the benefit of Israel's evil. For 20 years he
was able to hold sway over the people by the
strength of his military personnel and technology.
• It would appear that the "outcry" cycle did not
begin until 20 years into Jabin's reign. Once the
outcry did occur, their judge, Deborah,
summoned a military leader from Naphtali, Barak,
to lead a battle that she would arrange between
the Israelite and Canaanite armies.
1 The People of Israel kept right on doing evil in
God's sight. With Ehud dead,
2 God sold them off to Jabin king of Canaan who
ruled from Hazor. Sisera, who lived in Harosheth
Haggoyim, was the commander of his army.
3 The People of Israel cried out to God because he
had cruelly oppressed them with his nine hundred
iron chariots for twenty years.
4 Deborah was a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth.
She was judge over Israel at that time.5 She held court under Deborah's Palm between
Ramah and Bethel in the hills of Ephraim. The
People of Israel went to her in matters of justice.6 She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh
in Naphtali and said to him, "It has become clear
that God, the God of Israel, commands you: Go to
Mount Tabor and prepare for battle. Take ten companies of soldiers from Naphtali and
Zebulun.
7 I'll take care of getting Sisera, the leader of Jabin's
army, to the Kishon River with all his chariots and
troops. And I'll make sure you win the battle."
———————————————————————
• PSALM 123 (The Message)
1 I look to you, heaven-dwelling God, look up to
you for help.
2 Like servants, alert to their master's commands,
like a maiden attending her lady, We're watching
and waiting, holding our breath, awaiting your word
of mercy.
3 Mercy, God, mercy! We've been kicked around
long enough,
4 Kicked in the teeth by complacent rich men, kicked
when we're down by arrogant brutes.
• OR PSALM 76 (UMH 797)
1 God is well-known in Judah; in Israel, he's a
household name.
2 He keeps a house in Salem, his own suite of rooms
in Zion.
3 That's where, using arrows for kindling, he made a
bonfire of weapons of war.
4 Oh, how bright you shine! Outshining their huge
piles of loot!
5 The warriors were plundered and left there
impotent. And now there's nothing to them, nothing
to show for their swagger and threats.
6 Your sudden roar, God of Jacob, knocked the wind
out of horse and rider.
7 Fierce you are, and fearsome! Who can stand up
to your rising anger?
8 From heaven you thunder judgment; earth falls to
her knees and holds her breath.
9 God stands tall and makes things right, he saves
all the wretched on earth.
10 Instead of smoldering rage, God-praise! All that
sputtering rage - now a garland for God!
11 Do for God what you said you'd do - he is, after
all, your God. Let everyone in town bring offerings
to the One Who Watches our every move.
12 Nobody gets by with anything, no one plays fast
and loose with him.
———————————————————————
1 THESSALONIANS 5:1-11
(The Message)
The Day of the Lord will come at an unexpected
time. Therefore, Paul exhorts us to remain sober,
faithful, and hopeful, and to continue to build up
and encourage one another. He begins here a
theme sounded throughout the New Testament.
No one knows the day or the hour of Christ's
return. It will be like "a thief in the night." But for
those who are in Christ now, this does not need
to be a bad surprise. We are those, Paul says,
who know how to be ready. We are "of the day,"
he says. We don't "live for the night" of partying,
dissipation, and drunkenness. We live for the day,
sober, alert, watchful, not in fear but in readied,
joyous hope. Our minds are to be dominated and
protected by hope -- not fear, not judgment --
hope in God's salvation.
1 I don't think, friends, that I need to deal with the
question of when all this is going to happen.
2 You know as well as I that the day of the Master's
coming can't be posted on our calendars. He won't
call ahead and make an appointment any more
than a burglar would.
3 About the time everybody's walking around
complacently, congratulating each other - "We've
sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!" -
suddenly everything will fall apart. It's going to come
as suddenly and inescapably as birth pangs to a
pregnant woman.
4 But friends, you're not in the dark, so how could
you be taken off guard by any of this?
5 You're sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live
under wide open skies and know where we stand.
6 So let's not sleepwalk through life like those
others. Let's keep our eyes open and be smart.
7 People sleep at night and get drunk at night.
8 But not us! Since we're creatures of Day, let's
act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed
up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.
9 God didn't set us up for an angry rejection but for
salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ.
10 He died for us, a death that triggered life.
Whether we're awake with the living or asleep with
the dead, we're alive with him!
11 So speak encouraging words to one another.
Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no
one left out, no one left behind. I know you're
already doing this; just keep on doing it.
———————————————————————
MATTHEW 25:14-30
(The Message)
Jesus uses a provocative, even offensive story
in his description of the kingdom of heaven while
teaching in the temple.
• The issue in this story is not how much people
were willing to risk. The two issues in this story
are about what God is ready to entrust to us and
what kind of master we think God is. The
opening line of the story is a shocker.
No significant property holder would entrust the
entirety of one's property to slaves in Roman
culture, not even for a short period of time. This
man was giving these three slaves the equivalent
of 120 years of daily wages to manage. This man
is either crazy or incredibly trusting of his slaves
to do the right thing.
14 "It's also like a man going off on an extended trip.
He called his servants together and delegated
responsibilities.
15 To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another
two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending
on their abilities. Then he left.
16 Right off, the first servant went to work and
doubled his master's investment.
17 The second did the same.
18 But the man with the single thousand dug a hole
and carefully buried his master's money.
19 "After a long absence, the master of those three
servants came back and settled up with them.
20 The one given five thousand dollars showed
him how he had doubled his investment.
21 His master commended him: 'Good work! You
did your job well. From now on be my partner.'
22 "The servant with the two thousand showed how
he also had doubled his master's investment.
23 His master commended him: 'Good work! You did
your job well. From now on be my partner.'
24 "The servant given one thousand said, 'Master,
I know you have high standards and hate careless
ways, that you demand the best and make no
allowances for error.
25 I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found
a good hiding place and secured your money. Here
it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.'26 "The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to
live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you
knew I was after the best, why did you do less than
the least?
27 The least you could have done would have been
to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I
would have gotten a little interest.
28 "'Take the thousand and give it to the one who
risked the most. And get rid of this "play-it-safe"
who won't go out on a limb.
29 30 Throw him out into utter darkness.'
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
The office is closed today.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH —
Dorcus/Ruth Circle will meet in Adair U.M.C.
at 1:30 P.M.Esther Circle will meet at Adair U.M.C. at 7 p.m.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
FUTURE FOCUS —
Adair UMC will decorate for Christmas after church
on Sunday, Nov. 20. Soup, sandwiches, and dessert
will be provided for noon lunch. All are welcome to
stay for decorating and fellowship.Thanksgiving Day is coming up on the 24th.
I hope you get to spend time with those you love.
The Adair UMC is decorating an angel tree for the
Festival of Trees on Dec. 3 and 4 this year. If
anyone has angel ornaments they are willing to let
us borrow, please label them and bring them
to the church.

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK-NOVEMBER 6TH TO NOVEMBER 12TH

2011-11-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

REMINDERS —
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH —
AC BOMBERS PLAY MURRAY AT AC.
GOOD LUCK GUYS!
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH —
THANKSGIVING INGATHERING IN
GREENFIELD U.M.C.
DOORS OPEN AT 8 A.M.If you're bringing boxes of kits, be sure the outside
of boxes are marked:
IA-NIGERIA or UMCOR and
WHAT KIND and the
NUMBER OF KITS there are.
Don't forget: bring 2 COPIES OF REMITTANCE
FORM with one check payable to:
"Thanksgiving Ingathering".
DO NOT put the forms and check inside the
boxes of kits!
Together we can make a difference in the lives
of so many around the world who need our
help now. Let us share the love of God in
truth and action!
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH —
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS!SET YOUR CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR!
———————————————————————
ADAIR U.M.C. FALL DINNER & HARVEST SALE
IN ADAIR COMMUNITY CENTRE —COMBINED WORSHIP SERVICE - at 9:30 A.M.
–––– No Holy Communion today ––––
DINNER from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
SALE begins 1 P.M.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
ALL SAINTS SUNDAY - CELEBRATE IT!
TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
All Saints Day is a "major feast day" historically
in the life of the church. Remembering all those
who have gone before us and are now in
"the company of heaven."• When John Wesley revised the calendar and
lectionary for Methodists in North America, he
did not include All Saints Day. Some American
United Methodists will see All Saints celebrations
more strange than familiar.
Our "Season of Saints" concludes today with
this celebration.
Today we choose no select individuals, but we
remember and give thanks for all saints living or
who have ever lived. You may recall a person or
persons in your life who were very important and
very dear to you - persons who made a colossal
difference in the human being you have become -
your own personal saints. Celebrate them!
Emulate them, and in time, someone will
celebrate you!
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
COLOR TODAY:
RED OR WHITE FOR ALL SAINTS OR
GREEN FOR REGULAR TIME

Scripture Readings:
JOSHUA 24:1-3, 14-25
(The Message)
At the end of the conquest of Israel, Joshua
exhorted the people to renew their covenant
with God. The people of Israel responded by
reaffirming their intent to remain faithful to
God and by recalling their history with God.
JOSHUA 24:1-3a
1 Joshua called together all the tribes of Israel at
Shechem. He called in the elders, chiefs, judges,
and officers. They presented themselves before God.2 Then Joshua addressed all the people:
3 I took your ancestor Abraham from the far side of
The River. I led him all over the land of Canaan and
multiplied his descendants. I gave him Isaac.
JOSHUA 24:14-25
14 "So now: Fear God. Worship him in total
commitment. Get rid of the gods your ancestors
worshiped on the far side of The River
(the Euphrates) and in Egypt. You, worship God.
15 "If you decide that it's a bad thing to worship
God, then choose a god you'd rather serve - and
do it today. Choose one of the gods your ancestors
worshiped from the country beyond The River,
or one of the gods of the Amorites, on whose land
you're now living. As for me and my family, we'll
worship God."
16 The people answered, "We'd never forsake God!
Never! We'd never leave God to worship other gods.
17 "God is our God! He brought up our ancestors
from Egypt and from slave conditions. He did all
those great signs while we watched. He has kept his
eye on us all along the roads we've traveled and
among the nations we've passed through.
18 Just for us he drove out all the nations,
Amorites and all, who lived in the land. "Count us in:
We too are going to worship God. He's our God."
19 Then Joshua told the people: "You can't do it;
you're not able to worship God. He is a holy God.
He is a jealous God. He won't put up with your
fooling around and sinning.
20 When you leave God and take up the worship of
foreign gods, he'll turn right around and come down
on you hard. He'll put an end to you - and after all
the good he has done for you!"
21 But the people told Joshua: "No! No! We
worship God!"
22 And so Joshua addressed the people: "You are
witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen
God for yourselves - to worship him." And they said,
"We are witnesses."
23 Joshua said, "Now get rid of all the foreign gods
you have with you. Say an unqualified Yes to God,
the God of Israel."24 The people answered Joshua, "We will worship
God. What he says, we'll do."
25 Joshua completed a Covenant for the people that
day there at Shechem. He made it official, spelling it
out in detail.
———————————————————————
PSALM 78:1-7 (UMH 799)
(The Message)
1 Listen, dear friends, to God's truth, bend your ears
to what I tell you.
2 I'm chewing on the morsel of a proverb; I'll let you
in on the sweet old truths,
3 Stories we heard from our fathers, counsel we
learned at our mother's knee.
4 We're not keeping this to ourselves, we're passing
it along to the next generation - God's fame and
fortune, the marvelous things he has done.
5 He planted a witness in Jacob, set his Word firmly
in Israel, Then commanded our parents to teach it to
their children
6 So the next generation would know, and all the
generations to come - Know the truth and
tell the stories
7 then trust in God, Never forget the works of God
but keep his commands to the letter.
———————————————————————
1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18
(The Message)
This is the second part of the substance of this
letter, addressing the church's need for clearer
teaching about eschatology.
(The first part deals with sexuality.)
Eschatology: the part of theology concerned
with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the
soul and of humankind.
• The gift of sexuality, after all, has a great deal
to do with continuing life as we know it.
• Eschatology, however, speaks boldly about the
end of all things as we have known them, and
thus the utter temporality and ephemerality of
this life.
(Paul presents both fully here, with no hint of
tension between them. His call is grounded in
his concern that Christian people learn how to
control their bodily desires and channel them in
ways that show a life of holiness and an intention
to honor one's partner. Adultery is not simply to
harm oneself but also to destroy the relationship
with the partner's spouse. Fidelity marks a
radical commitment to God and to community,
and has the effect of strengthening personal
bonds of cohesion among communities.)
Paul was addressing Christians - these specific
Christians in Thessalonica in the context of their
particular relationships with each other.
• What is missed about "readiness for the end,"
is readiness for celebration. We think of what
has to be given up or put away. But this story
points toward a readiness of being filled, not
emptied. This is a readiness of confident
rejoicing and filled with the Spirit at all times.13 And regarding the question, friends, that has
come up about what happens to those already
dead and buried, we don't want you in the dark
any longer. First off, you must not carry on over
them like people who have nothing to look forward
to, as if the grave were the last word.
14 Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave,
God will most certainly bring back to life those who
died in Jesus.
15 And then this: We can tell you with complete
confidence - we have the Master's word on it - that
when the Master comes again to get us, those of
us who are still alive will not get a jump on the dead
and leave them behind. In actual fact, they'll be
ahead of us.
16 The Master himself will give the command.
Archangel thunder! God's trumpet blast! He'll come
down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise -
they'll go first.
17 Then the rest of us who are still alive at the time
will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet
the Master.
18 Oh, we'll be walking on air! And then there will be
one huge family reunion with the Master. Reassure
one another with these words.
———————————————————————
MATTHEW 25:1-13 (The Message)
Toward the conclusion of his public teaching in
the temple, Jesus warns his hearers to be ready
like bridesmaids who brought sufficient oil for
their lamps. The parable of the bridesmaids
from Matthew's gospel was and remains a
serious call to a readied life here and now.
1 "God's kingdom is like ten young virgins who took
oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom.
2 Five were silly and five were smart.3 The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil.
4 The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their
lamps.
5 The bridegroom didn't show up when they
expected him, and they all fell asleep.
6 "In the middle of the night someone yelled out,
'He's here! The bridegroom's here!
Go out and greet him!'7 "The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready.
8 The silly virgins said to the smart ones, 'Our
lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.'
9 "They answered, 'There might not be enough
to go around; go buy your own.'10 "They did, but while they were out buying oil,
the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was
there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast,
the door was locked.
11 "Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones,
showed up and knocked on the door, saying,
'Master, we're here. Let us in.'12 "He answered, 'Do I know you? I don't think
I know you.'
13 "So stay alert. You have no idea when he
might arrive.
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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
Office is closed today.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH —
Prayer Breakfast at Happy Chef - 7 A.M.Martha Circle in Casey U.M.C. at 7 P.M.
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH —
Deborah-Mary Circle in Casey U.M.C. at 2 P.M.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
FUTURE FOCUS —
Sunday, November 13th:
Casey U.M.C. Harvest Bazaar, Dinner and Auction.• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Beginning November 13, the readings for each
Sunday will be addressing the primary Advent theme.
Remember, Advent isn't just about Christmas - -
mangers, shepherds and Magi - - but about the
eternal context, the promised appearance of God's
reign into the powers of this world and the fulfillment
of that promise begun in God's incarnation in Jesus.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Thanksgiving (USA) will be on November 24, 2011.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
See you at Sunday Dinner.

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - OCTOBER 30TH TO NOVEMBER 5TH

2011-10-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

REMINDERS —
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27TH —
Our AC Bombers Football Team is in playoffs
for going to State at the UNI Dome in Cedar
Falls. If they win two more games, they are
on the way. Good luck Bombers!• • • BECAUSE OF THIS, OUR WEDNESDAY,
OCTOBER 26TH ABC AD COUNCIL MEETING
WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL THURSDAY
AT 7 P.M.
• • • A STAFF PARISH RELATIONS COUNCIL
MEETING WILL BE HELD THURSDAY AT 6 P.M.,
BEFORE THE AD COUNCIL. (IN ADAIR U.M.C.)
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"SEASON OF THE SAINTS" continues.
October 30th, we shine a light on two gentlemen:
• • • Christian Saint: Kahkewaquonaby
(Native American missionary in Canada) and
• • • United Methodist Saint: Jacob Albright,
(founder of the Evangelical Association).
————————————————————————Kahkewaquonaby, (Peter Jones) was an Ojibwa
Methodist minister, translator, chief and author
from Burlington Heights, Upper Canada.
His Ojibwa name was Kahkewaquonaby, which
means "[Sacred] Waving Feathers".
In Mohawk, he was called Desagondensta,
meaning "he stands people on their feet". In his
youth his band of Mississaugas had been on the
verge of total destruction. As a preacher and a
chief, as a role model and as liaison to many
governments, his leadership helped his people
survive contact and immigration by Europeans.

• Jones was raised in the traditional culture and
religion of the Mississauga Ojibwas by his mother,
Tuhbenahneequay, until he was 14 years old.
After that, he went to live with his father Augustus
Jones, a Welsh-born United Empire Loyalist.
There he learned the customs and language of
the white Christian settlers of Upper Canada
and was taught how to farm.
Jones converted to Methodism at age 21 after
attending a camp-meeting with his half sister.
• Methodist leaders in Upper Canada recognized
his potential as a bridge between the white and
Indian communities and recruited him as a
preacher. As a bilingual and bicultural preacher,
he enabled the Methodists to make significant
inroads with the MISSISSAUGA and IROQUOIS of
Upper Canada, both by translating hymns and
biblical texts into Ojibwe and Mohawk, and by
preaching to the Indians who did not understand
English.

He preached to the Indians of Upper Canada,
Canadian Methodists, United States Methodists,
and went to Great Britain, giving sermons and
speeches. Jones drew audiences of thousands,
filling the buildings he spoke in, but came to
resent this role, believing the audiences came to
see Kahkewaquonaby, as the curiously exotic
Indian, and not Peter Jones, the good Christian
he had worked so hard to become. He lived and
worked as a preacher and community leader,
leading the conversion of Mississauga Indians to
a European lifestyle of agriculture and Christianity,
which enabled them to compete with the white
settlers that colonized Upper Canada.
• He was elected a chief of the Mississauga of the
Credit Mission in 1829 and acted as a spokesman
for the band when petitioning the colonial
government and its departments. During his
British tours, he had audiences with King William
IV and Queen Victoria, directly petitioning them on
the issue of title deeds for the Mississauga Indians
of Upper Canada.
• During his first tour of England, he met Eliza Field,
to whom he proposed. She accepted, and Jones
returned to Upper Canada in the spring of 1832.
Miss Field came to North America in 1833, arriving
in New York City, where the pair married on
September 8, 1833.Peter and Eliza had five sons:
• Charles Augustus Jones (1839–1882)
• John Frederick Jones (1841–1876)
• Peter Edmund Jones (1843–1909)
He attended medical school at the University of
Toronto and Queen's College, obtaining a
Medical Doctorate in 1866. He is the first known
Status Indian to obtain such a degree in Canada.
• George Dunlop Jones (1847–1885)
• Arthur Field Jones (1849–1850)

• In 1847, Jones led the Mississauga band to
relocate to New Credit on land donated by the Six
Nations. They were able to furnish the Mississauga
with title deeds to their own land.
• Jones' health had been declining for several years
before the move to New Credit, and he was unable
to accompany the Mississauga to the new settlement.
Retiring to a nearby estate outside of Brantford,
Canada West, he died in the summer of 1856 at the
age of 54.
Reference: Jones, Peter (1860) “Life and Journals of
Keh-ke-wa-guo-na-ba”.
———————————————————————
• United Methodist Saint: Jacob AlbrightJacob Albright (Jakob Albrecht) was an American
Christian leader, founder of Albright's People
(Die Albrechtsleute) which was officially named the
Evangelical Association in 1816. This church
underwent mergers and schisms and today is a part
of the United Methodist Church.
• He was born May 1, 1759 to John Albright
(Johannes Albrecht) and his wife, in the region of
Fox Mountain (Fuchsberg) in Douglass Township
(now Montgomery County) northwest of Pottstown,
Pennsylvania and was baptized into the Lutheran
Church. His parents were German immigrants from
the Palatine Region of Germany. Jacob Albright
was educated in a German school where he learned
reading, writing and arithmetic. In addition to
speaking the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect, he spoke
German and taught himself enough English so he
could deliver a sermon in that language.
• During the American Revolution, Jacob Albright
served in the Philadelphia Militia as a drummer boy
and later as a guard for the Hessian prisoners at
Reading, Pennsylvania.
• In 1785, he married Catherine Cope and they had
six children. Only three survived to adulthood. The
young family moved to Lancaster County, where the
young Jacob took up farming and was in business to
manufacture tiles and bricks.
• He converted to Methodism, when three of his
children died causing him to withdraw into a religious
crisis. He was called to take the message of
Methodism to the German-speaking people.
Contemporary records reveal that he was a powerful
and moving speaker, converting many to Methodism.
He was licensed by the Methodist Church but was not
permitted to preach in the German language, so
he set out on his own. He began preaching in
Pennsylvania and by 1800 had many converts.
In poor health from exhaustion and tuberculosis,
Jacob Albright fell ill in Lebanon County. He could
go no farther and there he died, May 17, 1808, at
the age of 49.
• The Evangelical Church united in 1946 with the
United Brethren in Christ to form the Evangelical
United Brethren. That body then united with the
Methodist Church in 1968 to form the United
Methodist Church. The main source for Albright's
life is a short biography written in 1811
by George Miller.
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011
TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
COLOR: GREEN

SCRIPTURE READINGS:
JOSHUA 3:7-17
(The Message)
Joshua receives instructions and instructs the
people of Israel about how to cross the Jordan
River. The priests who carried the Ark of the
Covenant are to take the lead. As soon as they
stepped into the river, the water stopped flowing
upstream, allowing the people to cross on dry
ground. The key symbol in this story is the Ark
of the Covenant held by priests leading the way
and then standing with it in the dried river bed.
Joshua's story about the journey to the promised
land: the crossing of the Jordan River. The image
of "crossing the Jordan" takes many meanings
in a variety of cultures over time. For some, it has
meant something like taking the decisive step into
a new way of life. For others, it has referred to
death or crossing from this life into the next. For
African slaves in North America it was crossing
rivers into free states or countries after traveling
many miles on an Underground Railroad.7 God said to Joshua, "This very day I will begin to
make you great in the eyes of all Israel. They'll see
for themselves that I'm with you in the same way that
I was with Moses.
8 You will command the priests who are carrying the
Chest of the Covenant: 'When you come to the edge
of the Jordan's waters, stand there on the river bank.'"
9 Then Joshua addressed the People of Israel:
"Attention! Listen to what God, your God, has to say.
10 This is how you'll know that God is alive among you
- he will completely dispossess before you the
Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites,
Amorites, and Jebusites.
11 Look at what's before you: the Chest of the
Covenant. Think of it - the Master of the entire earth is
crossing the Jordan as you watch.
12 Now take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one
man from each tribe.
13 When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying
the Chest of God, Master of all the earth, touch the
Jordan's water, the flow of water will be stopped - the
water coming from upstream will pile up in a heap."14 And that's what happened. The people left their
tents to cross the Jordan, led by the priests carrying
the Chest of the Covenant.
15 When the priests got to the Jordan and their feet
touched the water at the edge (the Jordan overflows
its banks throughout the harvest),
16 the flow of water stopped. It piled up in a heap - a
long way off - at Adam, which is near Zarethan. The
river went dry all the way down to the Arabah Sea
(the Salt Sea). And the people crossed, facing Jericho.
17 And there they stood; those priests carrying the
Chest of the Covenant stood firmly planted on dry
ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel
crossed on dry ground. Finally the whole nation was
across the Jordan, and not one wet foot.
———————————————————————
PSALM 107:1-7, 33-37 (UMH 830)
(The Message)
PSALM 107:1-7
1 Thank God - he's so good! His love never runs out.
2 All of you set free by God, tell the world! Tell how
he freed you from oppression,
3 Then rounded you up from all over the place, from
the four winds, from the seven seas.
4 Some of you wandered for years in the desert,
looking but not finding a good place to live,
5 Half-starved and parched with thirst, staggering
and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion.
6 Then, in your desperate condition, you called out
to God. He got you out in the nick of time;
7 He put your feet on a wonderful road that took
you straight to a good place to live.
PSALM 107:33-37
33 God turned rivers into wasteland, springs of
water into sun baked mud;
34 Luscious orchards became alkali flats because
of the evil of the people who lived there.
35 Then he changed wasteland into fresh pools
of water, arid earth into springs of water,
36 Brought in the hungry and settled them there;
they moved in - what a great place to live!
37 They sowed the fields, they planted vineyards,
they reaped a bountiful harvest.
———————————————————————
1 THESSALONIANS 2:9-13
(The Message)
Paul fondly recalls the way the Thessalonians
received him and the gospel he preached. He
and his ministry colleagues worked diligently
to add no burden to the people. The people
gladly heard and received the gospel.
Paul and his companions remind the Christians
in Thessalonica that they had planted well.
The missionaries were hardworking day laborers
while there (verse 9), not expecting to be paid
for sharing the gospel. They demonstrated purity
in all their dealings with the people (verse 10).
Their approach was not like a master to slaves
or a commander to soldiers, but like a
compassionate father to children -- encouraging,
coaching them toward life with God. And the
result of these ways of being among the people
was that the people received their testimony as
being not from Paul and his companions, but
from God.
• Garrison Keillor ends every daily installment of
"The Writer's Almanac" with these words:
"Be well. Do good work. And keep in touch."
It is sound and encouraging advice for writers,
who must do much of their work alone.
9 You remember us in those days, friends, working
our fingers to the bone, up half the night, moon-
lighting so you wouldn't have the burden of supporting
us while we proclaimed God's Message to you.
10 You saw with your own eyes how discreet and
courteous we were among you, with keen sensitivity
to you as fellow believers. And God knows we weren't
freeloaders!
11 You experienced it all firsthand. With each of you
we were like a father with his child,12 holding your hand, whispering encouragement,
showing you step-by-step how to live well before
God, who called us into his own kingdom, into this
delightful life.
13 And now we look back on all this and thank God,
an artesian well of thanks! When you got the
Message of God we preached, you didn't pass it off
as just one more human opinion, but you took it to
heart as God's true word to you, which it is, God
himself at work in you believers!
———————————————————————
MATTHEW 23:1-12
(The Message)
Continuing his public teaching in the temple,
Jesus warned the crowd and his disciples about
the duplicity of the powerful Pharisees. He
admonished those present to act differently.
They were to honor only God, follow one rabbi
(Jesus), and refer to one another as siblings,
servants or students as a sign of humility and
mutual respect. The people to whom Jesus
speaks in the temple in Matthew were either
already his disciples or people who were
interested enough in his message to risk being
seen listening to it in that very public space.
Such people as these either were or would
become leaders in the movements of mission
that would follow in his name. Jesus addressed
these people as if they were already one
community, living in community together, having
had enough instruction in his way that they could
take on the mission.
1 Now Jesus turned to address his disciples, along
with the crowd that had gathered with them.2 "The religion scholars and Pharisees are
competent teachers in God's Law.
3 You won't go wrong in following their teachings
on Moses. But be careful about following them.
They talk a good line, but they don't live it. They
don't take it into their hearts and live it out in their
behavior. It's all spit-and-polish veneer.
4 "Instead of giving you God's Law as food and drink
by which you can banquet on God, they package it
in bundles of rules, loading you down like pack
animals. They seem to take pleasure in watching
you stagger under these loads, and wouldn't think
of lifting a finger to help.
5 Their lives are perpetual fashion shows,
embroidered prayer shawls one day and flowery
prayers the next.
6 They love to sit at the head table at church
dinners, basking in the most prominent positions,
7 preening in the radiance of public flattery, receiving
honorary degrees, and getting called 'Doctor' and
'Reverend.'
8 "Don't let people do that to you, put you on a
pedestal like that. You all have a single Teacher, and
you are all classmates.
9 Don't set people up as experts over your life,
letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority
for God; let him tell you what to do. No one else
should carry the title of 'Father'; you have only one
Father, and he's in heaven.
10 And don't let people maneuver you into taking
charge of them. There is only one Life-Leader for
you and them - Christ.
11 "Do you want to stand out? Then step down.
Be a servant.
12 If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked
out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself,
your life will count for plenty.
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 31ST —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
The office is closed today.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST —2011 Charge Conference in Fontanelle
United Methodist Church — 7 P.M.
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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH —
THANKSGIVING INGATHERING
We turn our focus on the hunger problems of children
and families locally and around the world.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
FUTURE FOCUS —
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH —
END OF DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME!
SET YOUR CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR!ADAIR U.M.C. FALL DINNER & HARVEST SALE
IN ADAIR COMMUNITY CENTRE —
Combined Worship Service today - at 9:30 A.M.
Dinner from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
No Holy Communion today.
See you there!
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH —
CASEY U.M.C. FALL HARVEST BAZAAR •
DINNER • AND AUCTION.
Combined Worship Service at 9:30 A.M. today.
Bazaar opens at 10 A.M.
Dinner from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
Auction at 1:00 P.M. • Mark it on the calendar! •
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Keep Sally Hubbard in your prayers this week.

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK-OCTOBER 23 TO OCTOBER 29

2011-10-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

REMINDERS —
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19th —DORCUS/RUTH CIRCLE 1:30 PM, and
ESTHER CIRCLE 7PM — in Adair U.M.C.
MARTHA CIRCLE 7PM — in Casey U.M.C.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20TH—
DEBORAH/MARY CIRCLE 2 PM - Casey U.M.C
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23RD —
OUR SEASON OF THE SAINTS CONTINUES
FOR OCTOBER 23 WE ACKNOWLEDGE:
• • • Christian Saints:
YONA KANAMUZEYI and
DIETREICH BONHOEFFER, martyrs.
• • • United Methodist Saint:
Sarah Crosby, first female Methodist preacher.
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YONA KANAMUZEYI IN RWANDA:
The Rwandan Genocide is considered on the level of
the Holocaust and Stalin's Purges.
• • • A history of animosity and jealousy fueled by tribal
privilege that was given out by German and Belgian
colonizers simmered for decades. Occasional outbursts
erupted into full force war by 1994.• • • On April 6, 1994 The Rwandan President
Habyarimana and the Burundian President were killed
when Habyarimana's plane was shot down by Hutu
extremists. This began the Rwandan Genocide.
• • • In 1994, the United Nations was warned
of the Rwandan Hutu chauvinist government's
impending GENOCIDE against the Tutsi minority and
anti-tribalist Hutus three months before it began in April.
ETHNIC GROUPS LIVING IN RWANDA:
Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Other 1%
• • • In the spring of 1994, the rolling hills of Central
Africa's tiny country of RWANDA became a killing zone.
Nearly 8,000 people died there each day in the 100
days of horror which was sparked by the death of the
country's president in a suspicious plane crash. News
emerging from this chaos is some of the most brutal
ever gathered. HUTU militia, called the Interhamwe,
used machetes and clubs to kill over 800,000 TUTSIneighbors. One report said that many checkpoints were
set up to identify Tutsi and quickly eliminate them.

• • • As a rural African, we know nothing of YONA
KANAMUZEYI's early life. Yona was born to a mixed
marriage (Hutu and Tutsi), and raised in the Christian
faith. Eventually he served as pastor (deacon) in the
Nyamata district of Rwanda. He was responsible for
24 churches with about 6,000 members.

Early in 1994 Tutsi forces from Burundi invaded
Rwanda. Ethnic slaughter ensued, and because
Yona gave sanctuary and aid to the fleeing Hutu,
he was identified as a sympathizer and marked
for execution.

During the night of January 23rd, five soldiers
arrested Yona and two others. Yona took along
his journal in which he wrote the progression of
activities. Yona was tied up, marched on to a bridge,
and shot, then his body was thrown into the river.
One of the other men escaped and told Yona's story.
Near the end, Yona prayed these words:
“Lord God, I pray You , in your mercy, accept our
lives. We pray You to avenge our innocent blood
and help these soldiers who do not know
what they are doing.”————————————————————————
DIETRICH BONHOEFFER:
• • • Dietrich Bonhoeffer has been dead for more than
60 years, but the well-known German theologian has
been a role model of faith for many Christians,
including the Rev. Charles Sigman. Sigman, the 42
year-old pastor of First United Methodist Church of
Newport, Arkansas has helped make Bonhoeffer the
first martyr officially recognized by The United
Methodist Church. Bonhoeffer “rose above our basic
human instinct to proclaim a love that is worth
dying for.”
• • • Born in Breslau, Germany, in 1906, Bonhoeffer
received his doctorate from Berlin University in 1927,
and was ordained a Lutheran pastor in 1931. A
member of the resistance, he communicated with the
British government and also worked on his book,
‘Ethics’. “Christians do not live in a vacuum, says the
author, but in a world of government, politics, labor
and marriage. Hence, Christian ethics cannot exist in
a vacuum; what the Christian needs, claimed Dietrich
Bonhoeffer, is concrete instruction in a concrete
situation. Although the author died before completing
his work, this book is recognized as a major
contribution to Christian ethics.

• • • Bonhoeffer, as a member of the resistance against
dictator Adolph Hitler, was executed by the Nazis in
1945, during the final months of World War II. Executed
with him on April 9, 1945, were Admiral Wilhelm Canaris,
head of German Military Intelligence, General Hans Oster
and Hans von Dohnanyi, who was married to Christine,
Bonhoeffer's sister. On April 23, two other members of
the conspiracy, Bonhoeffer's brother, Klaus, and a
brother-in-law, Rudiger Schleicher, were also executed,
just seven days before Hitler committed suicide.
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SARAH CROSBY:
• • • In 1771, John Wesley received a remarkable letter
from devout Methodist convert Mary Bosanquet
(1739-1815).
With her friends Sarah Crosby (1729-1804) and Sarah
Ryan (1724-1768), Bosanquet had been running an
orphanage and leading the small-group Methodist
gatherings for spiritual growth that Wesley termed
"class meetings." Crosby had in fact been speaking to
groups sometimes numbering in the hundreds —
though Wesley refused to let her call her spiritual
testimony "preaching."
• • • The month of June, 1771, Wesley endorsed
Bosanquet's friend Crosby as a lay preacher, using
the phrase "extraordinary call." He gave his stamp of
approval to Bosanquet as well. Both women became
tireless evangelists, and some 41 women eventually
became lay preachers in "Mr. Wesley's Methodism."
These were among the first women to find in
Methodism a liberating power to preach the gospel.
Despite a resolution passed in the Methodist
Conference in 1803 (after Wesley's death) that women
cannot be allowed to preach, Bosanquet/Fletcher
continued to preach five sermons a week until she died
in her late 70s.
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2011
NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
COLOR: GREEN

SCRIPTURE READINGS:
DEUTERONOMY 34:1-12
(The message)
Moses was allowed to see — but not enter —
the Promised Land. He died in the land of Moab
and was buried in an unknown burial place there.
The Israelites mourned his death for thirty days.
1 Moses climbed from the Plains of Moab to Mount
Nebo, the peak of Pisgah facing Jericho. God showed
him all the land from Gilead to Dan,
2 all Naphtali, Ephraim, and Manasseh; all Judah
reaching to the Mediterranean Sea; 3 the Negev and the plains which encircle Jericho,
City of Palms, as far south as Zoar.
4 Then and there God said to him, "This is the land I
promised to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob with the words 'I will give it to your
descendants.' I've let you see it with your own eyes.
There it is. But you're not going to go in."5 Moses died there in the land of Moab, Moses the
servant of God, just as God said.
6 God buried him in the valley in the land of Moab
opposite Beth Peor.
No one knows his burial site to this very day.
7 Moses was 120 years old when he died. His
eyesight was sharp; he still walked with a spring in
his step.
8 The People of Israel wept for Moses in the Plains
of Moab thirty days. Then the days of weeping and
mourning for Moses came to an end.
9 Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom
because Moses had laid his hands on him. The People
of Israel listened obediently to him and did the same as
when God had commanded Moses.
10 No prophet has risen since in Israel like Moses,
whom God knew face-to-face.
11 Never since has there been anything like the signs
and miracle-wonders that God sent him to do in Egypt,
to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to all his land
12 - nothing to compare with that all-powerful hand of
his and all the great and terrible things Moses did as
every eye in Israel watched.
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PSALM 90:1-6, 13-17 (UMH 789)
(The message)
1 God, it seems you've been our home forever;
2 long before the mountains were born, Long before
you brought earth itself to birth, from "once upon a
time" to "kingdom come" - you are God.
3 So don't return us to mud, saying, "Back to where
you came from!"
4 Patience! You've got all the time in the world -
whether a thousand years or a day, it's all the same
to you.
5 Are we no more to you than a wispy dream, no
more than a blade of grass
6 That springs up gloriously with the rising sun and
is cut down without a second thought?
13 Come back, God - how long do we have to wait?
- and treat your servants with kindness for a change.
14 Surprise us with love at daybreak; then we'll skip
and dance all the day long.
15 Make up for the bad times with some good times;
we've seen enough evil to last a lifetime.
16 Let your servants see what you're best at - the
ways you rule and bless your children.
17 And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on
us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes.
Affirm the work that we do!
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1 THESSALONIANS 2:1-8
(The message)
Paul continues his "re-introduction," recalling the
suffering that accompanied his first visit and the
authenticity and gentleness of his proclamation
among them. Paul and company had come here
initially because of persecution in Philippi. Now
the Christians in Thessalonica themselves have
experienced persecution for their faith.
1 So, friends, it's obvious that our visit to you was no
waste of time.
2 We had just been given rough treatment in Philippi,
as you know, but that didn't slow us down. We were
sure of ourselves in God, and went right ahead and
said our piece, presenting God's Message to you,
defiant of the opposition.
3 God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were
qualified to be trusted with this Message.
4 Be assured that when we speak to you we're not
after crowd approval - only God approval. Since
we've been put through that battery of tests, you're
guaranteed that both we and the Message are free
of error, mixed motives, or hidden agendas.
5 We never used words to butter you up. No one
knows that better than you. And God knows we
never used words as a smoke screen to take
advantage of you.
6 Even though we had some standing as Christ's
apostles, we never threw our weight around or
tried to come across as important, with you or
anyone else.
7 We weren't aloof with you. We took you just as
you were. We were never patronizing, never
condescending, but we cared for you the way a
mother cares for her children.
8 We loved you dearly. Not content to just pass on
the Message, we wanted to give you our hearts.
And we did.
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MATTHEW 22:34-46
(The message)
The Pharisees ask Jesus to tell them what kind of
law, of all the laws, is the most important. It is a
trap, as verse 35 attests. At the very least they're
asking him (they think) to choose between moral
law and ceremonial law, to declare an ultimate
allegiance either to the Pharisees (who would
have generally focused on the moral law) or the
Saducees (ultimate guardians of the ceremonial
law as operators of the temple). His answer rejects
both paths and blazes another, one that turns any
politically-based reading of the Bible on its head.
"Love the Lord your God with all you are AND
your neighbor as yourself. From this all the law
and prophets hang." The Pharisees try to trap
Jesus with a question: Which kind of
commandment was the greatest? Jesus follows
his reply with more questions about the identity
of the Messiah.
From that day, their questions ceased.34 When the Pharisees heard how he had bested
the Sadducees, they gathered their forces for an
assault.
35 One of their religion scholars spoke for them,
posing a question they hoped would show him up:
36 "Teacher, which command in God's Law is the
most important?"
37 Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all
your passion and prayer and intelligence.'
38 This is the most important, the first on any list.
39 But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love
others as well as you love yourself.'
40 These two commands are pegs; everything in
God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them."
41 As the Pharisees were regrouping, Jesus caught
them off balance with his own test question:
42 "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son
is he?" They said, "David's son."
43 Jesus replied, "Well, if the Christ is David's son,
how do you explain that David, under inspiration,
named Christ his 'Master'?
44 God said to my Master, "Sit here at my right hand
until I make your enemies your footstool."
45 "Now if David calls him 'Master,' how can he at the
same time be his son?"
46 That stumped them, literalists that they were.
Unwilling to risk losing face again in one of these public
verbal exchanges, they quit asking questions for good.
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MONDAY OCTOBER 24TH —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off
The office is closed today.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26
ABC AD COUNCIL MEETING @ ADAIR U.M.C.
STARTS AT 7:00 P.M.
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FUTURE FOCUS —
• Charge Conference in Fontanelle November 1st
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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH —
THANKSGIVING INGATHERING
The Thanksgiving Ingathering is a way for Iowa
United Methodists to address hunger problems locally
and around the world.
THE CURRENT INGATHERING BOOK IS AVAILABLE
AT THE IOWA ANNUAL CONFERENCE WEBSITE.
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH —
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We know that the Rwanda episode will not be the last
bitter ethnic genocide. What makes one group of
human beings decide that they are far superior to any
other group? If someone finds the answer, please let
me know.

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - OCTOBER 16 TO OCTOBER 22

2011-10-11T07:12:00.001-07:00

REMINDERS —
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12TH —
PRAYER BREAKFAST AT HAPPY CHEF -7 A.M.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15TH —
PASTOR BOB'S BIRTHDAY !!!
—— SEASON OF THE SAINTS ——
OCTOBER 16TH:
We honor:
Christian Saint: Saint Luke
DR. LUKE, PHYSICIAN AND EVANGELIST• • Overall Story: We know little about Luke
personally, except for a few references to him
outside of Luke-Acts by Paul (Colossians 4:14,
Philemon v. 24, and 2 Timothy 4:11) and those
parts of Acts where the narrative shifts to first
person plural, presumably indicating that Luke
was "along for the ride." What we can say with
some confidence is that he was a physician by
trade, a missionary, a composer, an artist, and
a Greek-style historian in his approach to
writing Luke-Acts. Dr. Luke was born in Antioch,
studied philosopy, medicine & art. He was one
of the Seventy and walked with the risen Lord
along with Cleopas on the way to Emmaus(Luke. 24). After Pentecost, Luke returned to
Antioch. It was there that he became a fellow
laborer with Paul. After the Apostle Paul's
martyrdom, Luke worked in Italy, Dalmatia,
Macedonia. He was hung from an olive tree in
Thebes at the age of 84.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
United Methodist Saint: Lizzie Hoffman founder
of Women's Missionary Association of the
United Brethren in Christ Church;FROM: "OUR MISSIONARY WORK FROM
1853 TO 1889" By Daniel Flickinger —
Story: LIZZIE HOFFMAN, a single laywoman,
was instrumental in founding what would
become the Women's Missionary Association
of the United Brethren in Christ Church
beginning in 1872. The story of how she was
involved in this work can be found on pages
5-10. While she did not sense that she could be
a missionary herself, she felt a profound calling
to organize women to support the work of
missionaries through the church. This call led
her to call a meeting of women and ministers in
her conference (Miami Conference in Ohio) in
May 1872 to organize, elect officers, adopt a
constitution, and expand their work into other
conferences. While serving as Corresponding
Secretary (essentially, organizer!) for the work
through summer 1873, she helped to create
and connect 25 societies across the
United Brethren Church with a total membership
of 500. Though she no longer continued in this
role after August 1873, her call and her initial
organization of the work were invaluable to its
expansion to become a fully-fledged mission
auxiliary, formally recognized and organized on
a churchwide basis by the 1875 General
Conference of the United Brethren in Christ.

Lizzie Hoffman (Later Mrs. Derrickson) gave this
account of her experience:
“There was a burden on my heart. I took it to
our Burden Bearer in prayer, and the answer
was a question. ‘Are you willing to go to Africa?’
I felt unqualified.Thus I labored on over a year.
I felt as if I could not endure the weight. One
evening I took my Bible, my best instructor, and
read and prayed in my little room, determined to
conquer or die in the attempt. It was near the
dawn when the Angel of the Lord rolled the
burden off my poor heart.
Abraham was not required to slay Isaac — only
to become willing. I said calmly and peacefully,
‘Lord, use me as seemeth to thee good.’ Soon
there was a prompting in my heart that the
women of our church should be organized in
active and special work for missions.”
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16TH —
EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
NANCY STECKELBERG WILL BE OUR GUEST
SPEAKER TODAY IN BOTH CHURCHES.
COLOR: GREEN
• • LAITY SUNDAY • •
Story for Laity Sunday: Luke was a layperson.
While he worked closely with Paul in a number
of his missionary journeys, he has never been
described as a preacher or a leader of the
congregations. His roles appear to have been
those of companion, helper, healer and
historian. The Order of Saint Luke, an
ecumenical religious order of lay and clergy
centered in the United Methodist Church, has
produced a book about the spirituality of Luke
entitled “FOOD FOR PILGRIMS.”
You may find it a useful resource.
• • • Luke is the author or collector of several
hymns, present in his gospel, Christians have
been singing since the earliest times. These
include:
The Song of Zechariah (UMH 208 and 209)
SCRIPTURE READINGS ARE:
EXODUS 33:12-23
(The Message)
Moses seeks assurance that God is with him
and the people as he continues to lead them.
God responds with the promise of ever-abiding
presence. Moses wants more than words: he
asks to see God's glory. God responds by
allowing Moses to see the "after-glow" of the
Divine Glory as God proclaims the Divine
Name from a safe distance.
12 Moses said to God, "Look, you tell me, 'Lead
this people,' but you don't let me know whom you're
going to send with me. You tell me, 'I know you well
and you are special to me.'
13 If I am so special to you, let me in on your plans.
That way, I will continue being special to you. Don't
forget, this is your people, your responsibility."
14 God said, "My presence will go with you. I'll see
the journey to the end."
15 Moses said, "If your presence doesn't take the
lead here, call this trip off right now. 16 How else
will it be known that you're with me in this, with me
and your people? Are you traveling with us or not?
How else will we know that we're special, I and
your people, among all other people on this
planet Earth?"
17 God said to Moses: "All right. Just as you say;
this also I will do, for I know you well and you are
special to me. I know you by name."
18 Moses said, "Please. Let me see your Glory."
19 God said, "I will make my Goodness pass right
in front of you; I'll call out the name, God, right
before you. I'll treat well whomever I want to treat
well and I'll be kind to whomever I want to be kind."
20 God continued, "But you may not see my face.
No one can see me and live."
21 God said, "Look, here is a place right beside me.
Put yourself on this rock.
22 When my Glory passes by, I'll put you in the cleft
of the rock and cover you with my hand until I've
passed by.23 Then I'll take my hand away and you'll see my
back. But you won't see my face."
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PSALM 99 (UMH 819)
(The Message)
1 God rules. On your toes, everybody! He rules
from his angel throne - take notice!
2 God looms majestic in Zion, He towers in
splendor over all the big names.
3 Great and terrible your beauty: let everyone
praise you! Holy. Yes, holy.
4 Strong King, lover of justice, You laid things
out fair and square; You set down the
foundations in Jacob, Foundation stones of
just and right ways.
5 Honor God, our God; worship his rule! Holy.
Yes, holy.6 Moses and Aaron were his priests, Samuel
among those who prayed to him. They prayed
to God and he answered them;
7 He spoke from the pillar of cloud. And they did what he said;
they kept the law he gave them.
8 And then God, our God, answered them (But
you were never soft on their sins).
9 Lift high God, our God; worship at his holy
mountain. Holy. Yes, holy is God our God.
——————————————————————
1 THESSALONIANS 1:1-10
(The Message)
Thessalonica was a port city about 100 miles
west of Philippi and 190 miles northwest of
Athens. The city was founded about 315 BC
by King Cassander of Macedon, who named
it after his wife Thessalonikeia, half-sister of
Alexander the Great. Thessalonica was the proud capital of the
Roman province of Macedonia.
It had a population of over 100,000.
Paul, Timothy, and Silas preached in the
Thessalonian synagogue over three Sabbaths.
FIRST Thessalonians 1:9–10 suggests that
Paul then spent some weeks ministering
fruitfully to pagan Gentiles there.
Paul greets the Christians in Thessalonica,
expressing gratitude for their example of joyful
faith in the face of persecution.
• • • THESSALONIKI, (THESSALONICA) NOWThessaloniki is the second largest city in
Greece. Founded by Macedonian king
Cassander in 315 BC. It's named for his wife.
Her father, Philip II, called it in honor of his
victory over folkyans with the help of
Thessalian horsemen. Thessalonica is one
of the important commercial centers of
Byzantium.
• • • 52 A.D. • • •
Paul/Silas/Timothy traveled to Troas, Philippi,
Thessalonica and Beroea.
Paul traveled to Corinth to write
First Thessalonians.
1 I, Paul, together here with Silas and Timothy,
send greetings to the church at Thessalonica,
Christians assembled by God the Father and by
the Master, Jesus Christ. God's amazing grace
be with you! God's robust peace! 2 Every time we think of you, we thank God for
you. Day and night you're in our prayers
3 as we call to mind your work of faith, your labor
of love, and your patience of hope in following our
Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father.
4 It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves
you very much but also has put his hand on you
for something special.
5 When the Message we preached came to you,
it wasn't just words. Something happened in you.
The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions.
6 and determined to live that way yourselves. In
imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although
great trouble accompanied the Word, you were
able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit! - taking
the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble.
7 Do you know that all over the provinces of both
Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you?
8 The word has gotten around. Your lives are
echoing the Master's Word, not only in the
provinces but all over the place. The news of your
faith in God is out. We don't even have to say
anything anymore - you're the message!
9 People come up and tell us how you received us
with open arms, how you deserted the dead idols
of your old life so you could embrace and serve
God, the true God.
10 They marvel at how expectantly you await the
arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the dead -
Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom.
——————————————————————
MATTHEW 22:15-22
(The Message)
In the temple, a group of Pharisees try to trap
Jesus, but he traps them in their own hypocrisy
and divided allegiances.
15 That's when the Pharisees plotted a way to trap
him into saying something damaging.
16 They sent their disciples, with a few of Herod's
followers mixed in, to ask, "Teacher, we know you
have integrity, teach the way of God accurately,
are indifferent to popular opinion, and don't pander
to your students.
17 So tell us honestly: Is it right to pay taxes to
Caesar or not?"
18 Jesus knew they were up to no good. He said,
"Why are you playing these games with me? Why
are you trying to trap me?
19 Do you have a coin? Let me see it." They
handed him a silver piece.
20 "This engraving - who does it look like? And
whose name is on it?"
21 They said, "Caesar." "Then give Caesar what is
his, and give God what is his."22 The Pharisees were speechless. They went off
shaking their heads.
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 17TH —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
The office is closed today.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19th —
DORCUS/RUTH CIRCLE 1:30 PM, and
ESTHER CIRCLE 7PM — in Adair U.M.C.
MARTHA CIRCLE 7PM — in Casey U.M.C.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20TH—
DEBORAH/MARY CIRCLE 2 PM - Casey U.M.C
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Bible Study over the book of Mark will start the
second week of October.
There will be an Advent Bible Study.
Dates and times will be determined.
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FUTURE FOCUS —
• Charge Conference in Fontanelle November 1st
• Ingathering is November 5th
• • ADAIR'S FALL DINNER IS NOVEMBER 6TH
• • CASEY'S FALL DINNER IS NOVEMBER 13TH
I will have more information for you on the dinners
as soon as it is available.
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Thank you for all of your hard work this week.
As we learned from St. Luke and from St. Lizzie
Hoffman, there is considerable work to be done
behind the scenes.

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - OCTOBER 9TH TO OCTOBER 15TH

2011-10-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

REMINDERS —
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5TH —
Adair U.M.W. Salad Supper @ 6 P.M.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
SEASON OF THE SAINTS —
October 9th we acknowledge:
United Methodist Saint: MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE
Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955) humanitarian,
U. S. presidential advisor, college president, and
founder of the National Council of Negro Women
was a native of Mayesville, S.C.The cabin where Mary Jane McLeod was born
and grew up in Mayesville, South Carolina.
AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE JOHN WOOLMAN • At age 23 his employer asked him to write a bill
of sale for a slave. Though he told his employer
that he thought slavekeeping was inconsistent
with Christianity, he wrote the bill of sale. Later
he refused to write the part of a will that included
disposing of a slave and in that case, convinced
the man to set the slave free.
• He subsequently refused to draw up wills
transferring slaves. Working on a personal,
nonconfrontational, level, he convinced many
Quaker slaveholders to free their slaves.
• In his lifetime, Woolman did not succeed in
eradicating slavery within the Society of Friends
or in colonial America; however, his personal
efforts changed Quaker viewpoints.
• In 1790 the Society of Friends petitioned the
United States Congress for the abolition of
slavery.
• Woolman showed unusual insight for his time,
living and working among the Indians. He
recognized that the Spirit moved among them.
He showed concern for the poor, for animals
and for the environment. His Quaker witness
qualified as one of the earliest precedents to
modern campaigns and sensibilities to the
equality of life.
“The Journal of John Woolman” is not only
considered an important spiritual document,
but also a classic in English literature.————————————————————————
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2011
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
COLOR: GREEN
OUR SCRIPTURE READINGS:
EXODUS 32:1-14
(The Message)
While Moses was up on the mountain with God,
the people became anxious. Aaron leads them
to fashion a golden calf and to worship it. This
appalled God and Moses. Only through Moses'
intercession was disaster averted. Moses
"talks God down" from utterly obliterating the
people because of their idolatry and from
transferring the promises of descendants
wholly to Moses and his line.
1 When the people realized that Moses was taking
forever in coming down off the mountain, they
rallied around Aaron and said, "Do something.
Make gods for us who will lead us. That Moses,
the man who got us out of Egypt - who knows
what's happened to him?"
2 So Aaron told them, "Take off the gold rings from
the ears of your wives and sons and daughters
and bring them to me."
3 They all did it; they removed the gold rings from
their ears and brought them to Aaron.
4 He took the gold from their hands and cast it in
the form of a calf, shaping it with an engraving tool.The people responded with enthusiasm:
"These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you
up from Egypt!"
5 Aaron, taking in the situation, built an altar before
the calf. Aaron then announced, "Tomorrow is a
feast day to God!"
6 Early the next morning, the people got up and
offered Whole-Burnt-Offerings and brought Peace
Offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink
and then began to party. It turned into a wild party!7 God spoke to Moses, "Go! Get down there! Your
people whom you brought up from the land of Egypt
have fallen to pieces.8 In no time at all they've turned away from the way
I commanded them: They made a molten calf and
worshiped it. They've sacrificed to it and said, 'These
are the gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the
land of Egypt!'"
9 God said to Moses, "I look at this people - oh! what
a stubborn, hard-headed people!
10 Let me alone now, give my anger free reign to
burst into flames and incinerate them. But I'll make a
great nation out of you."
11 Moses tried to calm his God down. He said,
"Why, God, would you lose your temper with your
people? Why, you brought them out of Egypt in a
tremendous demonstration of power and strength.
12 Why let the Egyptians say, 'He had it in for them
— he brought them out so he could kill them in the
mountains, wipe them right off the face of the Earth.'
Stop your anger. Think twice about bringing evil
against your people!
13 Think of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your
servants to whom you gave your word, telling them
'I will give you many children, as many as the stars
in the sky, and I'll give this land to your children as
their land forever.'"
14 And God did think twice. He decided not to do
the evil he had threatened against his people.
————————————————————————
PSALM 106:1-6, 19-23 (UMH 829)
(The Message)
PSALM 106:1-6
1 Hallelujah! Thank God! And why? Because he's
good, because his love lasts.
2 But who on earth can do it - declaim God's mighty
acts, broadcast all his praises?
3 You're one happy man when you do what's right,
one happy woman when you form the habit of justice.
4 Remember me, God, when you enjoy your people;
include me when you save them;
5 I want to see your chosen succeed, celebrate with
your celebrating nation, join the Hallelujahs of your
pride and joy!
6 We've sinned a lot, both we and our parents;
We've fallen short, hurt a lot of people.
PSALM 106:19-23
19 They cast in metal a bull calf at Horeb and
worshiped the statue they'd made.20 They traded the Glory for a cheap piece of
sculpture - a grass-chewing bull!
21 They forgot God, their very own Savior, who
turned things around in Egypt,
22 Who created a world of wonders in the Land
of Ham, who gave that stunning performance at
the Red Sea.
23 Fed up, God decided to get rid of them - and
except for Moses, his chosen, he would have.But Moses stood in the gap and deflected God's
anger, prevented it from destroying them utterly.
————————————————————————
PHILIPPIANS 4:1-9
(The Message)
Paul is realistic about conflict. Conflict will occur.
Paul urges a community that has developed
capacities to handle conflict with confidence and
grace. Paul addresses the specific conflict in the
community at Philippi head-on, calling the two
chief parties in the conflict by name,
Euodia and Syntyche, and asking for assistance
of Syzygos, a bishop whose name means
"yokemate," to help resolve it. The conflict appears
to be led by two influential female leaders in the
church, Euodia and Syntyche. The letter then turns
towards its close, with exhortations to rejoice, trust
God, and focus all thoughts on worthy things.
1 My dear, dear friends! I love you so much. I do want
the very best for you. You make me feel such joy, fill
me with such pride.
Don't waver. Stay on track, steady in God.
2 I urge Euodia and Syntyche to iron out their
differences and make up. God doesn't want his
children holding grudges.
3 And, oh, yes, Syzygus, since you're right there to
help them work things out, do your best with them.
These women worked for the Message hand in
hand with Clement and me, and with the other
veterans - worked as hard as any of us.
Remember, their names are in the book of life.
4 Celebrate God all day, every day.
I mean, revel in him!
5 Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that
you're on their side, working with them and not
against them. Help them see that the Master is
about to arrive. He could show up any minute!
6 Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray.
Let petitions and praises shape your worries into
prayers, letting God know your concerns.
7 Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness,
everything coming together for good, will come and
settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when
Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
8 Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by
filling your minds and meditating on things true,
noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious —
the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly;
things to praise, not things to curse.
9 Put into practice what you learned from me, what
you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God,
who makes everything work together, will work you
into his most excellent harmonies.
————————————————————————
MATTHEW 22:1-14
(The Message)
Jesus tells the parable of the Wedding Banquet.
Those invited did not come, so the king ordered
his servants to hit the streets and alleys to invite
everyone they found to come. One person came
who refused to dress appropriately;
he was promptly thrown out. The conclusion:
many are called, but few are chosen.
1 Jesus responded by telling still more stories.
2 "God's kingdom," he said, "is like a king who threw
a wedding banquet for his son.
3 He sent out servants to call in all the invited guests.
And they wouldn't come!
4 "He sent out another round of servants, instructing
them to tell the guests, 'Look, everything is on the
table, the prime rib is ready for carving.
Come to the feast!'
5 "They only shrugged their shoulders and went off,
one to weed his garden, another to work in his shop.
6 The rest, with nothing better to do, beat up on the
messengers and then killed them.
7 The king was outraged and sent his soldiers to
destroy those thugs and level their city.
8 "Then he told his servants, 'We have a wedding
banquet all prepared but no guests. The ones I
invited weren't up to it.
9 Go out into the busiest intersections in town and
invite anyone you find to the banquet.'
10 The servants went out on the streets and rounded
up everyone they laid eyes on, good and bad,
regardless.
And so the banquet was on - every place filled.
11 "When the king entered and looked over the
scene, he spotted a man who wasn't properly
dressed.12 He said to him, 'Friend, how dare you come in
here looking like that!' The man was speechless.
13 Then the king told his servants, 'Get him out of
here - fast. Tie him up and ship him to hell. And
make sure he doesn't get back in.'
14 "That's what I mean when I say, 'Many get invited;
only a few make it.'"
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 10TH —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
The office is closed today.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12TH —
PRAYER BREAKFAST AT HAPPY CHEF -7 A.M.
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FUTURE FOCUS —
—————— REMEMBER———————
• CHARGE CONFERENCE IS COMING UP
NOVEMBER 1ST IN FONTANELLE: AT 7PM
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• IN GATHERING IS ON NOVEMBER 5TH
˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜
• ADAIR'S FALL DINNER IS NOVEMBER 6TH
• CASEY'S FALL DINNER IS NOVEMBER 13TH
———————————————————————
God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob

OUR WEEK - OCTOBER 2ND-OCTOBER 8TH

2011-09-26T14:36:00.000-07:00

REMINDERS —
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH —
ABC AD Council Meeting: Casey U.M.C. @ 7 P.M.
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OCTOBER 1, 2011
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION MONTH≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2ND —
SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
COLOR: GREEN
HOLY COMMUNION TODAYTODAY IS WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY.
A special offering today supports scholarships
for racial and ethnic minority United Methodists
in the U.S. and worldwide.
At a time when scholarship applications have
been denied because of reduced giving, your
support of this offering this year is particularly
critical. Offerings for World Communion were
$912,720 in 2010, down from $1.2 million in 2007.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
EXODUS 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
(The Message)
In the hearing of the frightened people of Israel,
Moses received the Ten Commandments.
EXODUS 20:1-41 God spoke all these words:
2 I am God, your God, who brought you out of the
land of Egypt, out of a life of slavery.
3 No other gods, only me.
4 No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of
anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk
or swim.
EXODUS 20:7-9
7 No using the name of God, your God, in curses
or silly banter; God won't put up with the irreverent
use of his name.
8 Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Work six days and do everything you need to do.
EXODUS 20:12-20
12 Honor your father and mother so that you'll live
a long time in the land that God, your God, is
giving you.
13 No murder.
14 No adultery.
15 No stealing.
16 No lies about your neighbor.
17 No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife
or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your
heart on anything that is your neighbor's.
18 All the people, experiencing the thunder and
lightning, the trumpet blast and the smoking
mountain, were afraid - they pulled back and
stood at a distance.
19 They said to Moses, "You speak to us and
we will listen, but don't have God speak to us or
we'll die."
20 Moses spoke to the people: "Don't be afraid.
God has come to test you and instill a deep and
reverent awe within you so that you won't sin."
—————————————————————
PSALM 19 (UMH 750)
(The Message)
As thunder and earthquake surround the
giving of the law, the heavens proclaim the
glory of God.
1 God's glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft
on exhibit across the horizon.
2 Madame Day holds classes every morning,
Professor Night lectures each evening.
3 Their words aren't heard, their voices aren't
recorded,
4 But their silence fills the earth: unspoken truth
is spoken everywhere. God makes a huge dome
for the sun - a super dome!5 The morning sun's a new husband leaping from
his honeymoon bed, The day breaking sun an
athlete racing to the tape.
6 That's how God's Word vaults across the skies
from sunrise to sunset, Melting ice, scorching deserts, warming hearts to faith.
7 The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives
together. The signposts of God are clear and point
out the right road.
8 The life-maps of God are right, showing the way
to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy
on the eyes.
9 God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with
a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are
accurate down to the nth degree.
10 God's Word is better than a diamond, better
than a diamond set between emeralds. You'll like
it better than strawberries in spring, better than
red, ripe strawberries.11 There's more: God's Word warns us of danger
and directs us to hidden treasure.
12 Otherwise how will we find our way? Or know
when we play the fool?
13 Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day
fresh! Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I
can take over your work; Then I can start this day
sun-washed, scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
14 These are the words in my mouth; these are
what I chew on and pray. Accept them when I
place them on the morning altar, O God, my
Altar-Rock, God, Priest-of-My-Altar.
——————————————————————
PHILIPPIANS 3:4-14
(The Message)
Paul declares his pedigree and his
accomplishments, but says none of that is
as important to him as knowing Christ.
Apparently, part of the conflict damaging the
community in Philippi involved people seeking
to claim superior credentials. Paul undercuts
that here. The only credential that matters to
him, and, he argues, should matter to any
Christian, is being found in Christ. This is
what Paul recommends: Never claim to have
it all together, forget the past, strain toward
God's future, and keep their eyes on Christ's
calling alone. Everything else is distraction,
destruction, or as Paul calls it in Greek,
"skubala" (dung).
4 even though we can list what many might think
are impressive credentials. You know my pedigree:
5 a legitimate birth, circumcised on the eighth day;
an Israelite from the elite tribe of Benjamin; a strict
and devout adherent to God's law;
6 a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even
to the point of persecuting Christians; a meticulous
observer of everything set down in God's law Book.
7 The very credentials these people are waving
around as something special, I'm tearing up and
throwing out with the trash - along with everything
else I used to take credit for. And why?
Because of Christ.8 Yes, all the things I once thought were so
important are gone from my life. Compared to the
high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my
Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had
going for me is insignificant - dog dung. I've
dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace
Christ
9 and be embraced by him. I didn't want some
petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes
from keeping a list of rules when I could get the
robust kind that comes from trusting Christ -
God's righteousness.
10 I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know
Christ personally, experience his resurrection
power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the
way with him to death itself.
11 If there was any way to get in on the resurrection
from the dead, I wanted to do it.
12 I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I
have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out
for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out
for me.
13 Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I
count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my
eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us
onward - to Jesus.
14 I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.
——————————————————————
MATTHEW 21:33-46
(The Message)
This week we hear the second parable. Jesus
tells of the wicked tenants. After a farmer had
leased his farm to tenants, they refused to
recognize anyone he sent to collect his produce.
They even killed his son when he came to them.
Jesus implies that the tenants' continued and
sometimes violent refusal to release the harvest
to the landowner was because they wanted the
land for themselves. Killing the son was about
the most ridiculous means to try to obtain the
land or the son's inheritance for themselves one
could think of. Jesus tells his detractors that the
"stone that the builders rejected" has become
the cornerstone.
33 "Here's another story. Listen closely. There was
once a man, a wealthy farmer, who planted a
vineyard. He fenced it, dug a wine press, put up a
watchtower, then turned it over to the farmhands
and went off on a trip.
34 When it was time to harvest the grapes, he sent
his servants back to collect his profits.
35 "The farmhands grabbed the first servant and
beat him up. The next one they murdered. They
threw stones at the third but he got away.
36 The owner tried again, sending more servants.
They got the same treatment.
37 The owner was at the end of his rope. He
decided to send his son. 'Surely,' he thought, 'they
will respect my son.'
38 "But when the farmhands saw the son arrive,
they rubbed their hands in greed. 'This is the heir!
Let's kill him and have it all for ourselves.'
39 They grabbed him, threw him out, and killed him.40 "Now, when the owner of the vineyard arrives
home from his trip, what do you think he will do to
the farmhands?"41 "He'll kill them - a rotten bunch, and good
riddance," they answered. "Then he'll assign the
vineyard to farmhands who will hand over the profits
when it's time."
42 Jesus said, "Right - and you can read it for
yourselves in your Bibles: The stone the masons
threw out is now the cornerstone. This is God's
work; we rub our eyes, we can hardly believe it!
43 "This is the way it is with you. God's kingdom
will be taken back from you and handed over to a
people who will live out a kingdom life.
44 Whoever stumbles on this Stone gets shattered;
whoever the Stone falls on gets smashed."
45 When the religious leaders heard this story, they
knew it was aimed at them.
46 They wanted to arrest Jesus and put him in jail,
but, intimidated by public opinion, they held back.
Most people held him to be a prophet of God.
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 3RD —
This is Pastor Bob's and Naomi's day off.
The office is closed today.
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4TH —National Day of Prayer for Mental Illness
Recovery and Understanding.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5TH —
Adair U.M.W. Salad Supper @ 6 P.M.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
Commemorating "Season of Saints,"
October 2nd we acknowledge:
Christian Saint: Francis of Assisi
(died October 4, 1226)October 9th we will acknowledge:
United Methodist Saint: Mary McLeod Bethune
(died May 18, 1955)≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
• • HORN OF AFRICA CRISIS • •Severe drought in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya
has put millions of people and animals at risk.
• UMCOR is working with partners ACT Alliance,
Church World Service, and Global Medic in
SOMALIA, KENYA, and ETHIOPIA to provide
food, clean water, and shelter for those have
been displaced and are living in refugee camps
because of drought and hunger in the
Horn of Africa.
To learn more or to donate, visit UMCOR's
website - - Horn of Africa Crisis.
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PROBLEM: Access to the suffering territories is
very difficult to attain and WFP has had many
workers killed in Somalia ——
giving good reason to exercise great caution.
• Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government
(TFG) is an administration that is so weak and
marginalized, it's initial purpose seems to be
to keep out anyone fighting the famine.The UN’S WORLD FOOD PROGRAM (WFP) is
an organization with the genuine stamina to
bring aid many people, but it has struggled
constantly to secure required guarantees needed
to enter al-Shabab territories. Al-Shabab has
killed many Assistance Workers and has kept
assistance aid from moving in.
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Pray for the people of Ethiopia, Somolia, Kenya,
and all areas of the earth living in famine. Check
with UMCOR to see what we might do.
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God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Bob