4th Sunday of Lent, March 27, 2022

Emma lighting the candles.

 

Readings:  

 Jeremiah 23, 1-6,  Woe to the shepherds who mislead the flock.

 Psalm 23,   The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.   (a good one!)

 Ephesians 2, 13-18, He is our peace.

Mark 6, 30-34,  They were like sheep without a shepherd.

 

The Offertory with Cindy, Bill and Marlene.

 

 

Homily:

 

I was asked by my older brother’s extended family to lead them in a Memorial Service at the National Cemetery in Keokuk, Iowa this past week.   It was special; binding us together from coast to coast.

                                                                          

John at the Consecration.

 

In last Sunday’s gospel reading, when Jesus gave his apostles power over unclean spirits, he sent them forth. They were to stay with those who welcomed the Good News, preaching to them to repent and receive the Holy Spirit.  Those who chose to be led by the Holy Spirit were anointed with oil receiving forgiveness from their transgressions.

 

The Eucharistic Ministers, Patricia, Jan, Claire, Lynda, Tom and Geri.

 

Recall that the twelve were told to take nothing with them on their journey, except for one thing. Do you remember what it was? I propose to you that it was obviously a tradition of the Early Church which still exists. For example, if our Bishop Edward Burns would have come to our community, this morning, his purpose would have been made known to us by the fact that he carried a staff on his journey here; It signified that he came as the Good Shepherd, who would spread this table before us, with the fish and bread, the Liturgy of Word and Eucharist.  

                                                                                                                            

Mike sharing his Homily with us.

 

At the end of the celebration, he would have also anointed each of us with oil, to become Christ in the world, to be the Anointed One, who not only receives; but bestows spiritual healing, to those in need. The spiritual health we grant to one another with the anointing at the end of Mass engenders a faith to be healed not only spiritually but physically, too.

                                                                                                                   

Communion.

 

I encourage you to take a few minutes to read and think about the very short story between last week’s reading from the Mark Gospel and this week’s reading.  The story gives an example of the worldly power that made John the Baptist collateral damage.

                                                                                                                                       

 

 

 

The Our Father.

 

Note:  Because of popular demand and because I am still congested, no spin class for me at the J Monday morning.  John

 

 

 

Hi, Dearest Emma, Welcome in.

 

 

Readings:

Exodus 20, 1-17,  Yahweh gives the 10 Commandments to Moses

Psalm 19,  Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.

 1 Corinthians 1, 22-25,  God is stronger

John  2,  13-25, Jesus cleans out the temple.

 

 

 

 

Tori & Zoe at work lighting our candles.
 

 

 

Exodus: 2nd book of the Bible & of the Torah, the first 5 books of the Bible.

 

Date of Composition: put together ca 450-400 BCE, though elements come from 1000 BCE at least.

 

Author(s):  Moses, no.  At least 3 sources, maybe 4, e.g., the Yahweh (J) source, the Elohim (E) source, the Priestly (P) source, and even the Deuteronomy Source. 

 

 

 

 

 

While Zoe & Tori light the candles, Georgie reads the Candle Blessing.

 

 

Subject:  The 10 Commandments–observations:

1. Academics see 3 maybe 4 versions of the 10 commandments, Exodus 34 (the oldest), Exodus 20 (our selection), Deuteronomy 5 (the last)
2. The versions come from the sources composing at different times, for example these 4

• The Yahweh Source, 10th Century BCE, therefore, Exodus 34    
• The Elohim Source, 9th Century BCE, therefore Exodus 20
• The Deuteronomy Source, 7th Century BCE, therefore Deuteronomy 5    
• The Priestly Source, edited all the sources in 6th Century BCE (450-400 BCE, at the end of the Babylonian Captivity).  The 7 Day Creation Story comes from this source at this time.

 

Source:  Bishop (Episcopal) John Shelby Spong (Excellent Biblical Scholar)

 

Side Note:  it is interesting to realize that the 10 Commandments are not considered the first set of laws.  For instance, the famous Code of Hamurabi .  Hamurabi was the ruler of Babylon (good old Babylon again) 18-20 centuries even before the Christ event.

 

 

 

 

Good Morning to the Kerns, Michael, Candy, Ben, and Holly around here somewhere.

 

 

The Week's Blessings (3)

Two Sundays before Ash Wednesday we had a first reading from the Book of Job.  Job was the man over whom Yahweh and Satan had a little wager.  

Job was a prosperous man.  So Satan bet that Job would curse Yahweh if Yahweh allowed Satan to send into his life a whole lot of afflictions.

 

 

 

 

And Good Morning to you, also, Vanessa and Stella.

 

 

The line that Job is famous for comes after Job has been flattened.  He says to his tormentors, “The Lord gives.  The Lord takes away.  Blessed be the Lord.” 

This has been one of those rare Job weeks in my life.  Things started going down Thursday about 2:00.  I felt a slight whisper in my chest.    I know my physical system well enough to spot when something different is happening.

 

 

 

 

The Team, Georgie & Buddy.

 

 

Rosemary & I had just spent Monday to Thursday with Kay Reddick in the small Ontario town of Lindsay.  We were just departing to drive into Toronto to share dinner with Renee, one of the Reddick kids. 

When we arrived at Renee’s house, I knew I was coming down with something.  It turned out to be Influenza Type B.  I struggled with that all the way home and through Saturday & Sunday until I saw my favorite internist Monday.  Initially, he thought I had severe chest congestion.  Only on a just to be sure did he do an influenza test.  In ten minutes my doctor said, “You got it.”

 

 

 

Ladies' Luncheon, Friday.

 

I felt immediate improvement once I got on Tamaflu.  What a gift.   But, as far as I was concerned this diagnosis complicated my life.  I had hoped to join the Dickinson team.  I never made it.  “The Lord gives.  The Lord takes away.  Blessed be the Lord.”

I truly have no significant reason to be anything other than grateful—for my health. 

 

 

 

Who let these people out on the streets?

 

I had a five day menu of Tamaflu and every morning I felt better until Saturday morning I woke up and knew I was healed.  I am grateful for my health.  I am disappointed I did not get to take part in Dickinson, but I am touched and proud of our community which contributed so much.

What are you grateful for this third Sunday of Lent?

 

 

 

This could be dangerous.

Sirach 50:  May he grant you joy of heart and may peace abide among you.

1 Corinthians 1: God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Luke 17:  And one of them,  realizing he had been healed, returned glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.  He was a Samaritan.

 

 

Exodus 17:  As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight.

2 Timothy 3:  …proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.

Luke 17:  For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, "While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me."

 

 

 

Carrie reading from Exodus

 

                                                  

 

Thanks…      

Music,    Ben & Shonda

Readers,  Carrie & Paul

Gospel,   John Cade

Homily,  John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue & Richard & Kevin

Final Blessing, Rosemary

         

                                 

Paul reading from Paul's letter to Timothy
               

       

                                                                  

Readings:  Download 10-16-22- Readings – 29th Sunday Ord

Homily:   Download 10-16-22- Homily – 29th Sunday Ord

 

 

 

Remember these special people:

For Jan; For Sandra who has been diagnosed with Large B Cell Lymphoma;   For Lambrini, John Cade's wife, who is dealing with cancer and Kaliope, John Cade's Mother-in-law;  For Madeleine, Richard Eshelbrenner's granddaughter;  For Donna and the Dinsmore Family after her brother, Dennis died  from pancreatic cancer;   For Hue; For Jackie;  For John's sister, Kathey recovering from a fall;    For Tom Good;  For a young man, 19 struggling with a brain tumor and cancer;     For Mary Hall's friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition;   For Sir Charlie & Jan; 

                                                                     

 

Ben, Tom, Becky and Richard got cookies today
    

 

 

Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.;   For Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Dee, and for her daughters, Lisa & Lauren;     For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's daughter, Joey, with cancer; from Barbara, a little baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation & friends, Annie, a mom of 3 kids and Michael ;    for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

 

Lynda reading the blessing

 

   

 

Birthdays:   Richard Eshelbrenner 10/15,  Donna Dinsmore 10/18

Anniversaries:   Ben & Candice 10/18, Ed and Christine Kless 10/22

      

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $   835.00

Outreach: $  100.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

                 

 

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:  

Rosemary's Blessing:  

May the blessing of the rain be on you—
the soft sweet rain.
May it fall upon your spirit
so that all the little flowers may spring up,
and shed their sweetness on the air.
May the blessing of the great rains be on you,
may they beat upon your spirit
and wash it fair and clean,
and leave there many a shining pool
where the blue of heaven shines,
and sometimes a star.

Irish Blessing

Special Thanks: 

• For Reading: Julie & Donna

• For the Communion Bread:  Cindy Cramer & Kim Crossk

• For Serving:   Sabrina

• For the Books & Wine Cups & Cross: John & Alison 

• For the Music: Ray & Shonda & Celeste & Wendy

• For the Pictures: Taylor 

• For the altar & sound:  Margie & Hue

• For the donuts & coffee:  Jackie & Tony & Gayle

• For all his work as The Board Secretary, George Elwell

Happy Birthday:  Georgie Brown (8), Sabrina (14 yesterday), Lacee (today) & her mom, Lisa, Angela Kemp, Amy Carey (20), Celeste, & Dick Eshelbrenner

 

 

Please Remember:   Celeste's niece, Lexi Colmenero; Alice Alt;   Christine Drescher's Grandmother;   David Hoover's mom who is failing;  Ann Bivona with her broken leg;  Rita Dore; Jackie's friend Jack Brown with various cancers;  Julie Johnston;  Margie Weynant;  Hugh Bivona's sick friends Bob & Bonnie; Rick Urbanczyk’s mom, Irene;  Richard Froebe's dad who had a stroke;  Warren & Barb's friends Jerry & and Mark, and a little baby, Reese who has tuberous sclerosis complex;   Mary Ellen's Christopher, Margaret, & Jim;  Tom & Teresa's friend Neva Flynn with cancer & Teresa's niece Angel;  Diane's dad Butch Uderman  & cousin Judy;  Margie's mom ; Donna & Cathy Goode's mom; our friends, sons, & daughters in the military, including Trey Bailey, Ryan McClurg, Matt Gardner, Chebino, Roy's son Chris, Lisa's nephew Kristopher on his 2nd Iraq trip;  George & Marianne's sons & Linda's son and Marianne's mom Marguerite, plus Stacie & Ben White & their niece just diagnosed with leukemia; a cure for autism from Laura Chollick;  Dawn's friend Jessica & Aunt Ann & Hector; Fred's friend John with cancer; Casey & Rob plus Cameron  & Reid, Trey and Brady; for our President  that he have great success and someday hold his grandchildren in his lap.  

 

             

Picture 1:  Communion: Jackie, Mabel & Curtis

Picture 2:  Financial Report by Tom

Picture 3:  Maggie

 

Picture 4:  Georgie  (the birthday girl) with her parents Michelle & Randolph

 

Check out the Quads: http://gerwerbabies.blogspot.com   

Next Week we will be at Wilson Middle School (on Custer, North of Plano Pkwy)

 

 

Your Finances: October 11

• Income for Running   Expenses: $  809.00 
• Income for Outreach Expenses: $  710.00 

 

 Thanks for your Generosity!

 Have a Great Week, J.S    (214-783-0443)

Job 7: Job spoke, saying: Is not man's life on earth a drudgery?  Are not his days those of hirelings?

1 Corinthians 9: I have become all things to all, to save at lease some.  All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.

Mark 1:  He told them, "Let us go to the nearby villages that I may preach there also.  For this purpose have I come."