Welcome to the St. Martin's Prime Timers Webpage.

We meet each Sunday in the Payne Education Center from 10:10am to 10:50 in rooms 207-209.  Coffee and breakfast snacks are provided. Currently we are exploring the Wisdom literature of the Bible, with readings from the Book of Proverbs.

Prime Timers Good News

For just $1 you can take over the podium at the Prime Timers and tell us your good news.

This week Max Kech gave thanks to St. Martins! This is her second anniversary, she joined on Mother's Day two years ago.

Anna Jofrion brought more good news today. She is celebrating her son's second year at NYU with trip to New York City to see him.

Elizabeth Sleeper is our "snack department." For the last year or so she recruited Prime Timers to bring in the snacks we enjoy at the beginning of our class. As many of you know Elizabeth's husband Lockert is out of the hospital and now makes it to church, but not to class. Elizabeth would like another Prime Timer to take over for her at the end of May. The job consists of circulating the paper calendar to sign people up for "snack duty." Then you follow up to make sure the snacks actually show up on the appointed week. You can contact Elizabeth at her email, listed below in our roster, or you can call Max Kech or Caroline Maryan, her phone is the same as Skip's!

Wisdom's Invitation

Mother's Day is the day the St. Martin's annual photograph is taken so class is shorter than normal. Teacher Ben Welmaker filled in for Skip Maryan, who will be in Korea the next three months!

Ben Welmaker began our lesson reminding us that in the Bible wisdom is often equated with women. Our reading for today consists of three sections, beginning with (Proverbs 8:1) "Does not wisdom call out?
   Does not understanding raise her voice?"

The second section Proverbs 8:22-29 describes wisdom as existing eternally, while the last section proclaims wisdom's delight at the world and being by God's side.

Ben then asked "How can we acquire wisdom?" He answered this with passages from Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 7 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." and Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

Our readings are part of the first nine chapters of Proverbs, which mostly deal with values. We make choices, and there are consequences.

Ben's research found places in the Bible that refer to Proverbs. For instance Romans 12:20 "On the contrary:  If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." draws from Proverbs 25:21-22 "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. 22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you."

Or James 4:6 "But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." refers to Proverbs 3:34 "He mocks proud mockers
but gives grace to the humble."

And 1 Peter 4:8 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." matches Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs."

Ben asked who is invited to be wise, answering that all mankind is invited, Proverbs 8:35-36 "For whoever finds me finds life
and receives favor from the LORD. 36 But whoever fails to find me harms himself;
all who hate me love death."

Class dismissed so that we could all assemble for the church picture, taken in front of the new church.

Prime Timers Contact names and numbers

Mentor

Rev. B. Massey Gentry
mgentry@stmartinsepiscopal.org

Leader

Prime Timer Skip Allen teaches class this Sunday.

Jesus said to his disciples (John 14:15) "If you love me you will keep my commandments."

Max Kech celebrates her second anniversary at St. Martins!

The Lesson for Sunday, May 21st is titled "Choosing the Path of Integrity"

Key Verse:  Proverbs 11:3

Focus of the Lesson:  Personal integrity is destroyed by pride and dishonesty. How can we overcome these negative traits? Proverbs teaches that pride and dishonesty must be replaced by wisdom and right behavior.

The reading is Proverbs 11:1-14. This text is from the New International Version^®.

1 The LORD abhors dishonest scales,
   but accurate weights are his delight.

2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
   but with humility comes wisdom.

3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
   but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

4 Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
   but righteousness delivers from death.

5 The righteousness of the blameless makes a
   straight way for them,
 but the wicked are brought down by their own
  wickedness.

6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
   but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.

7 When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes;
   all he expected from his power comes to nothing.

8 The righteous man is rescued from trouble,
   and it comes on the wicked instead.

9 With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor,
   but through knowledge the righteous escape.

10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;
   when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

11 Through the blessing of the upright a city is
    exalted,
 but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.

12 A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor,
   but a man of understanding holds his tongue.

13 A gossip betrays a confidence,
   but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

14 For lack of guidance a nation falls,
   but many advisers make victory sure.

NIV®