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July 1, 2007 "Doing the Right
Thing" |
Its almost July 4th and you are looking for inspiration? Welcome to the St. Martin's Prime Timers Adult Bible Fellowship.
Prime Timers is geared towards people aged fifty to sixty-four but don't let that stop you! We always welcome new members and whatever your age you are invited. We meet in the Payne Education Center, rooms 207-209, Sunday from 10:10 to 10:50am.
This summer until the end of August our class is studying the Prophets: Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Lamentations (traditionally ascribed to Jeremiah), Ezekiel, Zechariah and Malachi. These prophets proclaimed God's word over several hundred years, but their message was consistent: A faithful relationship with God entails specific requirements, one of which is to do right. What do you think? We'd be honored to have you join our class!
Finding Satisfaction
Our teacher for today's scheduled class with the prophet Isaiah was supposed to be our Vice-Rector, the Rev. Massey Gentry, but wouldn't you know he was on vacation. Instead of playing hookey the class turned into an extended Henny Penney session, with members telling stories about their recent experiences.
Randy Riddell is a member whose sons, despite being grown up and in their twenties, still manage to be an adventure for Dad. Today's episode began with a call, just after it was time to go to bed, from one of the younger son's friends! When was the last time you remember one of your children's friends, calling you? The call said that Randy's son had had a seizure, but don't worry, everything is all right!
Very shortly later both the Riddell's were at the hospital with their son, who was recovering nicely from the evenings unfortunate event. The son's friends told Randy that they couldn't find a pulse earlier and were trying to revive his son with CPR. Luckily Randy's son had played football and was in quite good health. His resting pulse rate is around fifty, so its possible that the friends simply didn't interpret the pulse rate correctly.
So what began as a long evening and could have turned terribly wrong became a family event and a great story. Praise the Lord!
From here someone related a airline horror story, and the class was off and running. It seems everyone has an airline story, and not all bad mind you. I'll bet you have one too so rather than tell you ours, you can re-live yours! Hopefully they all have happy endings.
There is no class next week, all the St. Martin's ABF's will instead participate in "God and Country Sunday" in the Bagby Parish Hall, Room C. Our speaker will be the Honorable Edith H. Jones, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Prime Timers Contact names and numbers
Mentor
Rev. B. Massey Gentry
mgentry@stmartinsepiscopal.org
Leaders
Anne Berry
832/251-8868 H
atberry@proctor-law.com
Max Kech
713/802-0690 H
maxkech2003@yahoo.com
Marty Smith
713/464-6737 H
martys@houston.rr.com
Teachers
Richard Cruse
Chris Hershberger
Pete Seale
Ben Welmaker
bhwjr@flash.net
Outreach (inviting and welcoming new members)
Anne Berry
832/251-8868 H
atberry@proctor-law.com
Elizabeth Sleeper
jsleeperjr@houston.rr.com
Caring (prayers, follow-up w/class members who have been ill or have other needs)
Max Kech
713/802-0690 H
maxkech2003@yahoo.com
A view from the newly dedicated St. Martin's Columbarium.
Sunday's Dedication Ceremony for the newly finished St. Martin's Columbarium. Our Rector, the Rev. Larry Gipson is surrounded by the trustee's for the project.
The Lesson for Sunday, July 1st is titled "Doing the Right Thing"
Key Verse: Micah 6:8
Focus of the Lesson: Most people want to do what is right. How do we know what the right thing is? Micah gives us solid help by highlighting justice, kindness, and the love of God as standards to guide our actions.
The reading is Micah 3:1-4; 6:6-8. This text is from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).
Background Scripture: Micah 2:1-4; 3:1-5, 8-12; 6:6-8
1And I said:
Listen, you heads of Jacob
and rulers of the house of Israel!
Should you not know justice?—
2 you who hate the good and love the evil,
who tear the skin off my people,
and the flesh off their bones;
3who eat the flesh of my people,
flay their skin off them,
break their bones in pieces,
and chop them up like meat in a kettle,
like flesh in a cauldron.
4Then they will cry to the Lord,
but he will not answer them;
he will hide his face from them at that time,
because they have acted wickedly
Micah 6:6-8
6‘With what shall I come before the Lord,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings,
with calves a year old?
7Will the Lord be pleased with thousands
of rams,
with tens of thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’
8He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
NRSV
717 Sage Road | Houston, Texas 77056-2199 | (713) 621-3040 | (713) 622-5701 Fax