December 10, 2020
Mark 1:1-8
Scripture readings
for Sunday, Dec. 13
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8, 19-28
REFLECTION
This week's musing comes from The Rev. Lori Kochanski, Assistant to the Bishop for Faith Formation
Last week we got to explore the opening words of the Gospel of Mark. This week we ponder the powerful beginning of John's gospel account, another Gospel that does not have Jesus entering as a wee baby. Here, Jesus enters as a fully formed truth teller sent from God to live fully human from a core that is divine.
John has the poetic ability to reach back through history to the prophets and forward to Jesus as the fulfillment of promises while placing John the baptizer right down in the middle of it all.
It feels so important to be able to stop and pause at this place in time with John in Bethany. In my rush to get to the Jesus story I sometimes don't take the time I should to be with John and feel the power of the moment.
The tide is about to shift and we stand at the edge, watching. It feels like low tide when the tidal pools are revealed and teem with visible activity that we usually can't see through all the waves.
John gathers the people and speaks out a prophetic vision. The foundation of what was and blueprints for what is to come. Stop and listen. Notice what you hear and feel, imagine what it would be like to be in the crowd. Be present to the expectation.
6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. 14And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.
15(John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") 16From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.
19This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 20He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." 21
And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." 22Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" 23He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said. 24Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" 26John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, 27the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." 28This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
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
Pat Drischell’s Celebration of Life
We have received word from Desmond Drischell that Pat’s Celebration of Life ceremony will be THIS SATURDAY, Dec. 12 at 12:00 noon (our time) and will be live streamed. You can watch this service by clicking on the link below. It will take you to her celebration Wall where you will click on “Live Webcast. Watch Now”.
https://www.stewartbaxter.com/obituaries/Patricia-Drisch”ell?obId=18951860#/celebrationWall
Pat was the wife of the Rev. Starke Drischell, our former pastor. We all have such wonderful, fond memories of Pat during her time with us at St. Timothy. You can also read her obituary by going to the upper part of the page and click on “Obituary and Events”.
***5 & 2 Ministry Food Bins Donated to Date: 71
***The adult bible study at 10:40 Sundays will be on the Christmas story for the next 3 weeks . All invited. Bring a Bible.
***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, see Kathy Carlson on Sundays or call her at 485-1316.
Committee heads – all reports are due into St. Timothy office no later than Monday, Dec. 28th for inclusion in the Annual Report. Reports can be hand written and left on the office desk or emailed to the office at sttimothy2015@gmail.com.
***Thanks to the many folks who have made contributions for our Honduras Promise Children Mission. We have received over $5,500.00 so far, and we are very grateful!
***While Pastor Ivy is out, you can contact Pastor Heather Allport-Cohoon if there is a need for pastoral care. She can be reached at 716-708-6466.
Drive-In Message
With the onset of colder weather, we will be changing how we get communion cups to you. Instead of asking the usher to stand out in the cold, rainy or snowy weather for 20 minutes, we will bring the cups out to you when everyone has arrived, gotten their bulletins and parked.
Also for colder weather, we have a portable charger available in the church JUST IN CASE….J
Stay warm, and stay healthy!!!
Advent: A Season of Waiting
Isaiah 9:2 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined.”
If ever there was a year that made this verse relevant to our daily lives, it's this year. As we continue to wait for so many things to change or get back to normal, may this Advent, the season of waiting, sustain you in peace, patience and light.
Advent blessings from your friends at LCLC.
Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Center
716-386-4125
• 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 people affected by coronavirus, essential workers, doctors, nurses, aides, those working in nursing homes, etc.
• For victims of wildfires, flooding and earthquakes.
• For Pastor Ivy Gauvin, Sandy Carlson, Ron Simpson, Karen Johnson, Roy Pihl, George and Janet Balcom, Maj-Britt Traynor, Beverly Klang, Trudy Fetzner, Thom Shagla, Matt Isaacson, Mabel Tranum, Robert Gauvin, Rick Duzick, Bishop John Macholz, Dan Christoferson, Emerson Allaby, Sarah Van Staalduinen, and Dick Starks
• For those serving in the military and law enforcement and their families, including Ben Wickerham, Jeffrey Clauson, David Bentley and Kris Peterson, those caught up in violence and war who have no safe home in which to live.
• 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 ELCZa Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia.
