Join Us Next Week for St. Martin's Day!

You are invited to join the Prime Timers, a St. Martin's Adult Christian Education (A.C.E.) group geared for people in the Prime of Life, ages 50-64. We meet in the Parlor near the Church Offices from 10:15am to 11:00. We are following a course of study from the United Council of Churches titled The New Testament Community. October was a journey through the book of Acts, for November we are studying some of Paul's letters, we had a week off for St. Martin's Day, but are back in action November 16.

Prime Timers Celebrates 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.

Pete celebrated his six year old granddaughter, who is visiting this week and kept the family very busy! Oakley tells up his 96 year old father just had successful gall bladder surgery, and Lynn read a blog from her daughter, who is on a Christian mission in Budapest, Hungary. She is teaching English and is not allowed to bring up religion in class, but a class question about life in America allowed her to explain her faith.

Fitting Into the Community

Our teacher today was Donn Fullenweider, and Paul's letters to the Ephesians and Corinthians was the subject. The reading from 1 Corinthians was part of the extended reading, but provides a nice introduction to the theme of diversity:

(1 Corinthians 12:4-11) "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

   ⁷Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines."

Following this, Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:12-20 explains the "Body of Christ" in a series of body metaphors, such as this:  ¹⁵'If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.' At this point Donn admitted that he had something of a problem with Paul's writings, and read from Gary Wills book "What Paul Meant" There is a tendency in the modern church to say that Paul distorted Jesus' teachings, that Paul was a misogynist and an anti-Semite. Wills argues that Paul is right in line with Jesus, and backs it up by focusing on the seven letters agreed by scholars to actually be written by Paul. Many of the problems with Paul come from letters ascribed to Paul, but most likely written by others.

Donn asked us to meditate on the nature of grace, what we were given by God and how we can accept or reject this gift. He also asked us the think on the nature of maturation in the Church. Does this go hand in hand with maturity in general or does spiritual maturity have another dimension?

Growing is Christ caused Donn to mention that some people do not start out with the intention of beginning a ministry, and used Rev. Claude Paine, a former St. Martin Rector and Bishop of Texas as an example. Rev. Paine began his career as an engineer. Rev. Graham began as a plastic surgeon. Lastly Donn mentioned a fellow who ended up starting a ministry around golf!!!

Donn concluded class with a short benediction.

The Lesson for Sunday, November 16th is "Communion with God in the Midst of Struggle"

Key Verse:  Philippians 4:7

Focus of the Lesson: During difficult times, people in community support one another and find reasons to give thanks. How do people in community come together in the midst of struggle? Paul exhorted the Philippians to follow examples of those who work together for the common good and to rejoice together.

The reading is Philippians 3:17--4:9 This text is from the New International Version. (NIV)

Background Scripture:  Philippians 3:3--4:9

   ¹⁷Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. ¹⁸For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. ²⁰But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

   ¹Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!

   ²I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. ³Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

   ⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

   ⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

NIV