Make a Lenten promise--Join the Prime Timers!

Prime Timers, a St. Martin's Adult Christian Education (A.C.E.) group, also known as an ABF (Adult Bible Fellowship), is for people in the Prime of Life, ages 50-64, but don't worry, we don't check. Class meets in the Parlor near the Church Offices each Sunday from 10:15am to 11:00. We are following a course of study from the United Council of Churches titled The New Testament Community. This is a great time to join our group as we begin the third quarter titled "New Creation in Christ." This month we are spending time with the prophecies of Ezekiel, some of the most fascinating and puzzling writings in the Bible. The 16th century art below comes courtesy of the Web Gallery of Art, a wonderful resource.

Prime Timers Celebrate Good News!

We celebrate our members Good News at Prime Timers with a $1 contribution to Henny Penny, our Good News chicken. Periodically Henny donates the money she collects to a worthy charity, currently the Amistad Mission in Bolivia.  Lynne told us the story of her car battery dying and serendipitously allowing her to have a last good-bye with a dying relative.

Fra Angelico, The Vision of Ezekiel, c. 1450, Tempera on panel, Museo di San Marco, Florence

Isaiah Answers God's Call

Carol Hartland was our "guru" today, leading us in the last segment of our journey through the Old Testament with Isaiah's encounter with the Seraphim. Isaiah's time is the eighth century before Christ. Isaiah was a contemporary of other Old Testament prophets such as Amos, Hosea and Micah. Israel had reached the height of its power and influence during the kingships of David and his son Solomon. After Solomon's death the nation was divided into two kingdoms--Israel in the north with its capital Samaria and Judah in the south with its capital at Jerusalem. The Northern Kingdom fell under the control of the Assyrian Empire in 721 B.C. Judah hung on but was always in danger.

Isaiah encounters the seraph's in the temple Solomon built, and this is evidence that Isaiah was a priest, since only priests were allowed in the Temple. It was the year King Uzziah died. He had ruled wisely and well from age sixteen for over forty years, and his death marked the end of a period of glory and prosperity. God struck Uzziah down with leprosy for a sin of pride. Isaiah was likely depressed and discouraged by the loss of his monarch. In his encounter God is seated on a throne, as is typical in the Bible. God is attended by seraphs, creatures with six wings who are only mentioned here in the Bible. Two wings covered their feet, a symbol of chastity, two over the eyes a symbol of humility and of course two for flying.

The seraphs, also known a fiery serpents in Isaiah 14:29, take a burning coal from the altar, with tongs, and touch Isaiah's lips with the coal, a symbol of purification. Isaiah hears God's call, and in the tradition of Abraham, Moses, Samuel and others in the Old Testament responds:  "Here am I. Send Me" 

Carol asked the class for examples of people making a commitment with their lives. Millard Fuller, who founded Habitat for Humanity in 1976 and recently passed away, was mentioned. Bill and Melinda Gates with their philanthropic work. Someone mentioned Lynne's daughter with her missionary work in Budapest, and someone mentioned a missionary to South Africa. This led to a discussion of how dangerous its become there, the missionary having to live in a walled enclosure with broken glass atop a stone fence!

George mentioned a friend who was a pilot for twenty five years. Pilots have annual physical check-ups that certify whether they are allowed to fly. This year the check-up determined George's friend has a heart condition and just like that he was out of a job. George says the man is coping well with the situation, and others in the class mentioned how many people are having to cope with big changes in the current economic climate. 

Carol concluded class with a short benediction, from  Luke 1:38:  Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.

The Lesson for Sunday, March 15th,  is "God's People Restored Again"

Key Verse:  Ezekiel 36:23

Focus of the Lesson: Although the fruits of action are often visible, the reasons for an action taken in a particular time and at a certain place are more difficult to discern. What motivates actions? According to Ezekiel, God's promise to restore Israel is not motivated by Israel itself but rather for the sake of God's holy name.

The reading is Ezekiel 36:22-32. This text is from the New International Version. (NIV)

   ²²"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. ²³I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.

   ²⁴"'For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. ²⁵I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. ²⁶I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. ²⁸You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. ²⁹I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. ³⁰I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. ³¹Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. ³²I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign LORD. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, O house of Israel!

NIV