Welcome to the Prime Timers A.B.F.

The Prime Timers meet every Sunday in the Payne Education center, second floor, rooms 210-212 from 10:10 am until 10:50 am. You are invited to join this quarter's program from the National Council of Churches entitled, "Making Effective Christians". Come early for fellowship, coffee and donuts!

Linda Thompson brought news of her son's birthday.

Previously on the Prime Timers...

This was the week after Faith Alive 2005 and attendance was up here and in the services. Maarit Harp, who hosted some of the out-of-town Faith Alive people, described her experience with them and the event in general in glowing terms. This was an event that many will remember for a long time.

This week abounded with blessings for Henny Penny, the Prime Timers Good News Chicken. Max Kech described her grand-daughter's first communion at the 9:00am service. Anna Jefferson's 19 year old daughter is coming home from school for Spring Break. Linda Thompson gave thanks for her son's 37th birthday. Anne Berry's daughter is celebrating her "30 Something" birthday.

Prime Timers Contact names and numbers

Co-Leaders

Prime Timers getting ready for the lesson.

Henny Penny was overflowing this week!

The message of Paul

This month we are spending much of our lesson time on the writings of Paul. Jackie Rose, our speaker, calls Paul "the polarizer". People either like his message, or as Jackie described it, "Paul makes me squirm." Her example is the reading for last week from Romans, with the key verse, Romans 3:10 "There is no one who is righteous, not even one." The first part of the passage talks about sin as an active choice, and God's wrath to those who practice it. Then in the next passage we have sin as intrinsic; we are all sinners by nature.

Someone in the audience said its a situation where you "can't have your cake, nor can you eat it!"

Discussion from the group suggested that this is another reason why the gift of salvation is so great. Someone then added that sin is a reason to turn to God. Every week in the Eucharist we are reminded of this sin, during the Confession "by what we have done, and by what we have left undone." Another spoke of how in business you can make money by appealing to people's baser side. And how history is full of evidence of the sinful side of Mankind. The subject of free choice was also mentioned.

The Lesson for Sunday, March 13 is titled "God Judges All People"

Key Verse:  Romans 2:16

Focus of the Lesson:  People are sometimes tempted to pass judgment on others and to consider themselves superior. Do we have a valid basis to judge others in this way? Paul says that we do not because we all stand under God's judgment and are found wanting. The good news is that God can help us to do what is pleasing to God.

The reading is Romans 2:1-16. This text is from the New Revised Standard Version.

1 Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. 2 You say, ‘We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is in accordance with truth.’ 3 Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 For he will repay according to each one’s deeds: 7 to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 while for those who are self-seeking and who obey not the truth but wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be anguish and distress for everyone who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

12 All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. 15 They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all.