Welcome to The Prime Timers Adult Bible Fellowship Web Page!

You are invited to join us for coffee, refreshments, fellowship and Luke during the month of August. We meet in rooms 207-207 in the Payne Education Center, every Sunday from 10:00am to 10:50. Bring a friend!

Jovial Prime Timer Teacher Skip Maryan, leading the class for the month of August through the Gospel According to Luke.

The Prime Timers were moved!

The Prime Timers and the Seekers swapped rooms  August 7. We are now on the South side of the building.

Our room was half filled this week, but for an understandable reason. Jackie Greer, a Texas businesswoman only 96 years old, spoke to our neighbors The Seekers. Click here for some more information about Jackie. It was the second time she spoke to them and she used Luke 17:11-19 as her text. Jesus cleanses the 10 lepers, but only one, a Samaritan, gives thanks to Jesus. Jackie gave these guys a piece of her mind, and it leads nicely into our lesson for the week.

Hope for Healing 

Skip Maryan said this weeks lesson is two desperate stories connected together. The first is the woman bleeding for twelve years, (!) who touches Jesus' cloak and is healed and the second is the synagogue leader Jairus, whose daughter is dying. Jesus tells the man to believe and his daughter would be healed, and she is brought back to life.

In the first story the Jesus tells the woman (Luke 8:48) "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace." In the second, Jesus cautions the family and Peter, John and James not to tell anyone about what had happened.

The idea that faith is more important than miracles drove the rest of our discussion. Why did Jesus not want news of bringing the daughter back to life to spread? George L. brought up World War II reporter Ernie Pyle's  famous statement "There are no atheists in foxholes" after Skip told of praying as a young man in the service for himself, when he was in physical danger, and then promptly forgetting this when he was back safe at home.

Then it was asked, aren't we asking for miracles when we pray. In other words, are we missing Jesus' message during this very basic act? Jackie R. quickly introduced the distinction of healing versus curing and someone else mentioned comforting and acceptance. This would be a good time for you to get out your Book of Common Prayer, as our mentor the Rev. Rusty Goldsmith suggested several weeks ago, turn to page 810 and read some of the many wonderful prayers in that section.

Possibly Jesus was concerned that these miracles he was performing were "spinning out of control." Was he concerned about creating a world of haves and have nots when it came to miracles? Or was he beginning to worry about the attention this brought to him when he really wanted the message to be one of faith?

How do you describe a miracle? It was suggested that each and every child is in fact a miracle. Also, over time what constitutes a miracle can change. Just look a medical technology for an example.

Max Kech then concluded our session with our healing prayer.

Prime Timers Contact names and numbers

Mentor

The Rev. Maurice L. "Rusty" Goldsmith. D.D.
713/985-3831
rgoldsmith@stmartinsepiscopal.org

Leader

A full class! Uh oh, its the Seekers. Click on the photo to see a bigger version and see how many Prime Timers you can count!

Jackie Greer, 96 years young, is the special speaker who drew away half the Prime Timers. To the left is Seekers Leader Tom Miller and to the right is Seekers Mentor the Rev. Ron Morris.

The faithful Prime Timers, with Leader Jackie Rose and mentor the Rev. Rusty Goldsmith at the podium.

The unmistakable spire of St. Martins' Church from the side. Quiet, services are in session.

 The Lesson for Sunday, August 21st is titled "Stretching Our Love"

Key Verse:  Luke 10:27

Focus of the Lesson:  One does not have to look far to find instances of human tragedy that could have been prevented if someone had cared enough to help or intervene. Is there any way to counter this trend toward isolation--if not alienation--from one another? Jesus taught that the way of true life is through love of God and neighbor. Through the story of the good Samaritan, Jesus taught that the neighbor is the one who, ignoring all the racial and ethnic barriers, shows mercy to another.

The reading is Luke 10:25-37. This text is from the New International Version.

   25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

   26 "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

   27 He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "

   28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

   29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

   30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

   36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

   37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
   Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."