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December 23, 2007 "Called to Rejoice!"
No ABF's this week, Merry Christmas!

The St. Martin's Prime Timers A.B.F  wishes you a very Merry Christmas!

Normally we meet in the Payne Education Center, rooms 207-209, right after the 9am Sunday Service, from 10:10 to 10:50am. For the next three weeks, December 23 and 30, and January 6, 2008 the ABF's are suspended for other wonderful events at St. Martin's. During that time this page will update the Bible reading and continue its quest for great art celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and the events surrounding his birth. 

The St. Martin's Adult Bible Fellowships (ABF's) are following a course of study based on the work of the Committee on the Uniform Series, also known as the International Lessons. Bible students around the world are using this same framework, and so can you!

Prime Timers Good News

It just takes a $1 donation to our Good News chicken, Henny Penny to bring us your good news. Currently we are donating the money we collect to the Amistad Mission in Bolivia, a Christian partnership between North Americans and Bolivians for the benefit of children in need.

Ben brings the great news that his youngest son is getting married in June. Our teacher Donn relates a wonderful story of a fourteen year old grandson who wouldn't talk to the "old folks" finally opening up and having a heart to heart with Granddad. Lynn's Mom successfully endured surgery to implant a pacemaker. 

Called to Proclaim!

Donn Fullenweider is teaching the Prime Timers during December. Today's reading is Zechariah's Song from Luke 1:67-80, the story of John the Baptist and the preparation for coming of the Messiah. Donn had us reading from Malachi 4:1-2:  "Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 2But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall."

Also this passage from Isaiah 9:1-2 "Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-
  
2The people walking in darkness
         have seen a great light;
     on those living in the land of the shadow of death
        a light has dawned."

And then from Psalm 107:10-16: 

   10Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom,
      prisoners suffering in iron chains,

  
11for they had rebelled against the words of God
      and despised the counsel of the Most High.

  
12So he subjected them to bitter labor;
      they stumbled, and there was no one to help.

  
13Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
      and he saved them from their distress.

  
14He brought them out of darkness and the
        deepest  gloom
      and broke away their chains.

  
15Let them give thanks to the LORD for his
        unfailing love
      and his wonderful deeds for men,

  
16for he breaks down gates of bronze
     and cuts through bars of iron.


Donn included these passages to show precursors in the Old Testament of the love to come in the New Testament. Remember we had Zechariah speechless after doubting the angel Gabriel's news that his barren wife would bear a child, and that the child would be very important indeed. It was customary in those times to name a child on the eighth day at a circumcision. How was Zechariah to do this without speech? His brothers were about to have the child named after his father when Elizabeth said the child was to be named John, and Zechariah asked for a writing tablet to agree that this was the name. At this moment Zechariah is once again able to speak.

John the Baptist's story and Jesus' are entwined in the chronicle of Luke. John's miraculous birth is quickly followed by the story of Jesus' equally amazing one. This prompted Donn to ask the class if we had experienced an event so profound that we always remember it. Donn told us the birth of his son was one he always remembers; if he needs a reminder of how wonderful life can be he just recalls this. Zechariah is an example of a man who had done everything right, pious and very religious, and yet his wife was barren and he was old and depressed. God uses Zechariah to quite wonderful ends. The class then discussed how the Christmas season can be depressing, after all its supposed to be a wonderful time of year and yet there are murders in the mall and maybe we are worried about things at work. Probably the best way to get the Christmas Spirit going is the give of yourself rather than wonder what you are going to get.

Donn gave us all an assignment for Christmas, maybe you would like to participate with us. Donn asked us to talk to a child about our relationship to God, and to do it using a personal story from our own lives. Sounds like a reasonable task to me.

Donn then concluded class with a short prayer. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!


Prime Timers Contact names and numbers

Mentor

Rev. B. Massey Gentry
mgentry@stmartinsepiscopal.org

Leaders

Anne Berry
832/251-8868 H
anne.berry@comcast.net

Max Kech
713/802-0690 H
maxkech2003@yahoo.com

Marty Smith
713/464-6737 H
martys47@comcast.net

Teachers

Richard Cruse

Donn Fullenweider

Pete Seale

Ben Welmaker
bhwjr@flash.net

Outreach (inviting and welcoming new members)

Anne Berry
832/251-8868 H
anne.berry@comcast.net

 Elizabeth Sleeper
jsleeperjr@comcast.net

Click here for a print friendly version of this page!

This weeks reading from Luke 1:67-80 is called Zechariah's Song. Leading up to this is the birth of John the Baptist. Click on these pictures to see a larger version. Then click the "back" button to return here!

The Circumcision

LIPPI, Fra Filippo Lippi, Circumcision, 1460-65, Panel, at the Santo Spirito, Prato.

The Circumcision by Rembrandt

REMBRANDT Harmenszoon van Rijn, Circumcision, 1669, Oil on canvas, at the National Museum, Stockholm

The Visitation

Dieric the Elder Bouts, The Visitation, c. 1445, Oil on wood, at the Museo del Prado, Madrid

The Visitation

GIOTTO di Bondone, The Visitation, 1310s, Fresco, North transept, Lower Church, San Francesco, Assisi



The Lesson for Sunday, December 23rd is titled "Called to Rejoice!"

Key Verse:  Luke 2:11

Focus of the Lesson: Everyone looks for reasons to rejoice. How can we rejoice in the midst of all life brings? The shepherds, whose lives were hard and often disparaged, received the announcement of God's fulfilled promise of the Messiah and declared their joy to all.

The reading is Luke 2:1-14. This text is from the New International Version. (NIV)

Background Scripture:  Luke 2:1-20

   1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.

   4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

   8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

   13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
   14"Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace to men on whom his
       favor rests."
 
NIV

Many thanks to the Web Gallery of Art for the photos of biblical art by the great masters.


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