OnLine Enews Aug 28-Sept 4, 2024

Rev. Tom Willetts

WORSHIP TIMES

Saturday Worship 4:45pm - CHAPEL

Sunday Worship 10am

Choir Rehearsals - Thursdays at 3pm - CHAPEL

UPCOMING DATES/MEETINGS/EVENTS

Sat, Aug 31st - 9am to 2pm - Lay Servants Class - Conf A

Sat, Aug 31st & Sunday, Sept 1 - Communion Weekend

Mon, Sept 2, OFFICE CLOSED FOR LABOR DAY

Tue, Sept 3 at 11am - Staff Meeting - Conf B

Thur, Sept 5th at 10am - GriefShare - Conf B

Sat, Sept 7th KAIROS meeting in Ministry Center

Mon, Sept 9th at 11:30am - Brown Bag Luncheon for Women of Good Shepherd

Tues, Sept 10th at 1pm - Outreach/Mission mtg - Conf B

Tues, Sept 10th at 3pm - Prayer Shawl Ministry- Conf A

Wed, Sept 11th at 8:30am -Sip'n Scripture at Rosie's Cafe - Men's Fellowship

Wed, Sep 11th at 1pm - Alzheimer's Caregivers Support Group - Conf B

Thur, Sept 12th at 9am Laundry Love

Thur, Sept 12th at 10am - GriefShare - Conf B

Sept 14 & 15 - MEMBERSHIP WEEKEND - be sure and join and you will be a voting member at Church Conf in November- See Audrey Martin or mark yellow card

DEVOTION

OPENING PRAYER

Almighty God, you have sent Jesus to take our nature upon himself and to be for us sign and Savior. Grant that by the power of your spirit Christ may be born within us today to the end that our ministry may be pleasing to you and helpful to your people. We pray in the name spirit of Christ. AMEN.

INTRODUCTION

This week marks a big pivot back to the Gospel of Mark for the months of September, October and November. We will start with the 7^th chapter of Mark and move through the beginning of the 13^th chapter.

Food continues to be a central theme this week as for the past five weeks in John. While John focused on Jesus as the Bread of Life, Mark focuses on how we receive and share Jesus with others. Let’s read Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23.

That Which Defiles

7 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus ² and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. ³ (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. ⁴ When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)

⁵ So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

⁶ He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

⁷ They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’

⁸ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

¹⁴ Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. ¹⁵ Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”

²¹ For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³ All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

REFLECTION

The Pharisees are offended at the poor table manners of the disciples and are seeking to discredit them and Jesus by pointing this out. Jesus calls them hypocrites and makes a powerful countercharge, “⁸ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” Don’t miss the real point. Jesus is not setting up a simply either / or perspective. He is not diminishing the value of human tradition in favor of the commands of God. He is saying that we all must be most aware of the commands of God as we construct and follow human traditions. We must also keep our eyes on what God sees and realize that there is more at stake in our relationships than just simple manners.

I found some helpful advice in A Guide to Prayer for All God’s Children, by Rueben Job and Norman Shawchuck, UpperRoom Nashville, 1990, pg. 271.

Just allow people to see Jesus in you

to see how you pray

to see how you lead a pure life to see how you deal with your family

to see how much peace there is in your family.

Then you can look straight into their eyes and say,

“This is the way.” 

You speak from life, you speak from experience.

-         From Words to Love By by Mother Teresa

We should all be well aware of the great Christian life and example of Mother Teresa. She disobeyed many “table manners” in her tireless love, care and compassion for the outcast and despised members of Indian society. She held that in all faces, no matter their appearance, situation, or attitude, she would seek to see the face of Jesus on theirs. That perspective enabled her to respond with the love of Jesus to their need and not be impeded or burdened by their “table manners”.

Jesus knows all our inward thoughts, attitudes and preferences for our outward actions and appearances. Do we have similar awareness? Other people see our actions, but also our inward thoughts, attitudes and preferences. As Jesus’ disciples Jesus calls us all to FOLLOW HIM and To Love as he loves. Let’s be sure that as disciples for Jesus we allow people to see Jesus in us as we see Jesus in them.

CLOSING PRAYER

And now may the spirit which was in Jesus Christ be in me, enabling me to know God’s will and empowering me to do God’s will. AMEN.

Blessings,

Pastor Tom

SOUTHWEST DISTRICT ZOE Empowers Vision Trip

This past June, twenty people from the Florida Conference went to visit with our various Zoe family groups. The Southwest District family group chose the name Blessed because they said they felt so blessed to have this opportunity to be part of ZOE Empowers.

Each group consists of 20 youth and their siblings which they are raising for a total of approximately 90-100 children that are changed by participation in ZOE. Our Blessed group has only been together for 4-5 months so they are still in the first year of learning how to be a family together, to trust and make better decisions collectively, learn hygiene and health measures that improves their quality of life as well as healing from the grief and trauma they have experienced.

At the end of this first year they will begin to work on establishing their business choices. Several of the youth had already started a business which I included pictures of - Givens learning how to be a seamstress as well as selling used shoes and Ann who has started a Butchery and restaurant.

Several of the churches here had responded to my request for a card of encouragement to take to the youth who were amazed that people were really praying for them here in Florida! When we first met our group they were quiet until the cards were shared with them and then the smiles burst out. Such loving and beautiful youth! The group picture shows all of them holding up a card that was sent. A fingerprint tree was made to send back to the district with each one placing their fingerprint on the tree.

It was an amazing experience to meet our Zoe family group as well as other groups sponsored by churches in the Florida conference at various stages in the three year program. I can tell all of you that the commitment by our district to the Blessed Family Group will truly change their lives. I came away from this experience certain that ZOE Empowers changes youth's lives in three years in ways we have a hard time understanding here. I honestly have never seen one organization that brings about this kind of change with love and care for each person in such a short time. On the last day, we visited a community interested in having a group formed there. Three hundred youth came to apply for 20 slots! The need for sponsorship is great! Thank you to each church that has made the three year commitment to our Blessed group. You are changing lives in Jesus' name!

Blessings, 

Linda Tice

THE PHOTO DIRECTORIES

ARE HERE!



If you were photographed or submitted a photo for the directory

please pick up your copy of the directory. (SLICK COVER)

We have found a couple of errors and apologize in advance!!

Prayer Card for this week.

Men’s Sip ‘n Scripture Breakfast Fellowship Group:

Once monthly we’ll meet at Rosie’s Breakfast Café at Merchant’s Crossing at 8:30 a.m. Our next meeting will be on September 11^th. While enjoying breakfast together we’ll go “around the table” and each of us will have the opportunity to share with the group a scripture passage or bible verses that we find meaningful. We’ll all be able to share our thoughts on and discuss all of everyone’s passages in turn. It’s a wonderful opportunity for fellowship and to share God’s word. Rosie’s also has a great menu.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Hope to see you on September 11^th. Jeff Waeger 614-579-1272 jeffrey.waeger@yahoo.com