The St. Martin's Advent Altar

It's almost Thanksgiving, where did the year go?

Join us at 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, and you are invited!

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.

Lynn contributed a dollar to give thanks for all the new people we have seen at Prime Timers lately. If this keeps up we'll have to get a bigger room! One of our new members found a new townhouse through a meeting with yet another Prime Timer. Donn praised the Lord for the beautiful morning, clear as a bell and bracing.

Communion with God in the Midst of Struggle

Our teacher today was Donn Fullenweider, the subject:  Paul's letters to the Philippians. As we learned earlier, it is now thought that not all the letters attributed to Paul were actually written by Paul. The letter to the Philippians, however, is thought to be the real thing. Donn introduced today's reading by reading the passages just before, where Paul is reminding the Philippians to (Philippians 3:2) "Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh!"  Paul is reminding his followers that the church includes the people of God by a gift of the spirit, rather than by the rite's insisted on by the Judaizers, who wanted Gentiles who accepted Christ to live according to Jewish teachings and rituals.

Paul invites his parishioners to share in Christ's sufferings. The word for sharing in Greek is koinonia, translated elsewhere as fellowship or community. Remember that Paul wrote this letter while he was imprisoned for his beliefs. Paul is renewing his koinonia with the church at Philippi he helped found. He criticizes those whose "God is the belly" while reminding his followers that their citizenship is in heaven. Philippi was a Roman colony, with some of the Roman gods and the emperors themselves accorded the title of "savior." Paul is once again reminding his followers that their savior is Jesus.

In Philippians 4:7 we have the source of part of the Episcopal liturgy: "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Paul makes many references in our reading to the mind. This led Donn to contrast Mark 12:30 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." with Deuteronomy 6:4-5 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. ⁵Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Note how Jesus adds "mind" to the command. Paul's use of mind in his letter here is a reminder that we need to be stewards of our minds as well as our hearts.

Paul urges two women, Euodia and Syntyche, leaders in the Philippian church whose disagreements had split the church, to come of the same mind in the Lord. This is the major concern of the letter and Donn commented that its another reminder of the importance of women in the early church. They weren't just baking cookies!

The reading concludes with some thoughts of Paul that really didn't fit into Christian theology, but rather were taken from Stoic philosophy (Philipians 4:8-9) "Finally, 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."

Donn wrapped up his lesson by reading the 46th Psalm:

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
   an ever-present help in trouble.

² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

³ though its waters roar and foam
   and the mountains quake with their surging.
   Selah

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
   the holy place where the Most High dwells.

⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
   God will help her at break of day.

⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
   he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

⁷ The LORD Almighty is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our fortress.
   Selah

⁸ Come and see the works of the LORD,
   the desolations he has brought on the earth.

⁹ He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
   he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
   he burns the shields with fire.

¹⁰ "Be still, and know that I am God;
   I will be exalted among the nations,
   I will be exalted in the earth."

¹¹ The LORD Almighty is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our fortress.
   Selah

Donn concluded class with a short benediction.

The Lesson for Sunday, November 23rd is "Witness of the Community"

Key Verse:  2 Timothy 2:2

Focus of the Lesson: Through constructive living, people have a positive influence on and set a good example for others in their community. What characterizes a good example? Paul wrote that living as Jesus did was a strong witness for others to follow in good times and bad and that this message should be shared with all who would listen.

The reading is 2 Timothy 2:1-3; 4:1-5. This text is from the New International Version. (NIV)

   ¹You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ²And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. ³Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

   ¹In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: ²Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. ³For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. ⁵But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

NIV