St. Timothy Lutheran Church

                              

                                                                          April 9, 2020


                                                             Acts 10:34-43

                                                            

Scripture readings

for Sunday, April 12

Acts 10:34-43

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

Colossians 3:1-4

Matthew 28:1-10

REFLECTION

Pr. Ivy Gauvin


Peter is on a journey, one of learning that God’s love and redemption in Christ Jesus extend to all, even Gentiles! Prior to this passage, Peter had a vision showing him God’s love for all. This does not mean that he doesn’t stumble and fall at times. We find this later in the New Testament when he was with Paul and refused to eat with Gentiles.

 

I have bolded all the phrases emphasizing the universality of salvation in Christ Jesus. God’s love is not just for the Jewish people or the Catholics or the Protestants. Lutherans are not going to be the only ones in heaven.

 

This is what the phrases look like together:

·         God shows no partiality,

·         in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him

·         he is Lord of all (not only of a chosen few)

·         [Jesus] went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil

·         everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

 

This message of God’s love and care for all literally runs throughout this passage.

 

That’s very nice, but what do we do about it? I highlighted the two places where Peter refers to being witnesses. There are two aspects to being a witness here. The first is in verse 30, as in being a witnesses to all that happened. Secondly, Peter emphasizes the importance of God choosing witnesses to share the good news of Jesus. In this case, he was referring to the apostles.

 

We too can experience the wonders of our Lord Jesus, seeing him actively at work in our own lives and the lives of others. Then, the onus is on us to share that good news. That is how Christ’s church grows.

 

Do you hear echoes of the Creed in this passage? The gist of the gospel is here and that is what we see in both the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. Sundaysandseasons.com nicely summarizes this passage, “Peter’s sermon, delivered at the home of Cornelius, a Roman army officer, is a summary of the essential message of Christianity: Everyone who believes in Jesus, whose life, death, and resurrection fulfilled the words of the prophets, “receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

 

34Peter began to speak to [the people]: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 37That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

PRAYER REQUESTS

Names will remain of the Prayer List for a month - at which

time it will be taken off unless, or course, there is still a continued need

for our prayers and we’re asked to keep the name on.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Join us tonight, Thursday April 9th, Maundy Thursday via the link.



***ONLINE GIVING now available at St. Timothy for Debit/Credit cards.   3 ways to give:

   - Go directly to our website at www.sttimothybemus.com

   - Use our QR code with the QR reader on your smartphone

   - Download the app ‘GivePlus Church’. Create an account.   

 

For further information, contact Kathy Carlson at 485-1316.








We continuously collect food items for the 5 & 2 Ministry.  Bring your donations and place in the black bin in church narthex.  Lists detailing items needed are also available in the narthex.  Monetary donations welcome! Contact Gale-Svenson-Campbell for details gales1949@gmail.com.



Donated to date

77 BINS







v  Don’t forget fill out the census form. To do it online, go to https://2020census.gov/.


If anyone is interested in making masks to donate, here is the link to the pattern/instructions on how to make the masks. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-A0X_35jQmkH6VfKBgd1WN5Ebv2btJ-n/view?usp=sharing 


Here is a link where the completed masks can be dropped off:  

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YbOmWEr2Jou8n3v_YGo0PUJN_SSl1Ix5/view?usp=sharing 


Thanks for your support in this important moment.  

 

Faithfully,

 

Luke

 

The Rev. Luke Fodor
Rector, St. Luke's Church
410 N Main St
Jamestown, NY 14701 
(716) 483-6405 (office)
(347) 495-1482 (cell)
luke.fodor@stlukesjamestown.org






Dear Faith leaders, 

 Let me first say how thankful I am that we can come together and serve our community through this challenging time.  I know that is it not easy right now trying to support your congregations through virtual means, as well as managing your own needs and households.  However, I deeply believe that this is now, (more than ever)  an amazing time to show our community in a real and significant way what it means to live out our faith.

 

There are many needs that have come up as a result of COVID-19, some which we have little to no ability to impact. However there are some needs that we can help with right away!  I wanted to share four ideas that have come up this week and ask that you please prayerfully consider how your church can be part of these efforts!

 UCAN City Mission is looking for groups that are willing to provide one hot meal for their 19 residents.  Obviously, that would be a lot of cooking for a single person, but if you could sign up for a date to provide a meal and coordinate volunteers to each bring one component of a meal, then the task is much more manageable!  Please contact UCAN City mission at: (716) 488-7480 to help out.

     1     Utilize your church body sewing talent and create facemasks. I have several patterns, and I have talked to several local ladies who are happy to meet over zoom to teach others how to sew facemasks.  Now that our federal and state government are recommending everybody wear a mask….. the need is huge.  Once you have the masks being made there are  several ways to get them out into the community 1) Set up a clothes line at your church (similar to the mitten and hat lines around the community).  2) Donate them to food pantries to be given out to residents to go for food  3) Donate them to the United Way and we will get them to local agencies who are working directly with residents in need like the Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels and Mental Health Association.

     2     Consider holding a Diaper or Personal Hygiene drive.  Ask members of your church to donate to this effort and place a bucket out front of your building. I will help you work out the details of delivering the donations as they come in.

     3     Volunteer to help the Salvation Army and other food pantries.  These groups need lots of help every day! There are also many other volunteers opportunities.  Please go to the United Way website at https://www.uwayscc.org/look-current-volunteer-opportunities-register-future-opportunities. 

 

Thank you for all you do to share the love of God in our community!  I pray this Easter will bring each of you a deeper faith; restored peace and an re-energized passion to serve!  If I can be of help in any way please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Sincerely,

 

Nicole Drozdiel

Director of Community Impact

 

208 Pine Street

Jamestown, NY 14701

Phone: (716) 483-1561 


 

·         For our community of faith as we seek to do God’s work in the world.

·         For those in our congregation and community who suffer silently with illness, financial burdens, and family obligation.

·         For victims of violence and their families in all places.

·         For victims of wildfires, flooding and earthquakes.

·         For Avis West, Dan Kelly, George and Janet Balcom, Maj-Britt Traynor, Beverly Klang, Thom Shagla, Matt Isaacson, Mabel Tranum, Jerry Bruinsma, Lori Erickson, John Gingrass, David Johnson, Shirley Meyers, Inara Ledder,  Dick Starks, Tim O’Brien, Gretta Kettle,  Pat & Maureen Kibbe, Sarah Van Staalduinen, Bryan Brown, Jim Doherty, Karen Brown, and Bonnie Christoferson.

·         For people serving in the military, including Ben Wickerham and Jeffrey Clauson, and their families, those caught up in persecution, violence and war.

·         For all children, that the love of Christ may reach them through all of us who have resources to love, protect, pray and provide for them.

·         For:  The ELCZ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe and ELCZ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia.

All services and activities cancelled until the end of the month.

Follow the link below each Sunday at 9:30 to Worship in Spirit .

 

St. Timothy Updates due to Coronavirus Pandemic.  Heres the link:

http://www.sttimothybemus.com/coronavirus-updates.html