September 5, 2024
Mark 7:24-37
Scripture readings
for Sunday, Sept. 8
Isaiah 35:4-7a
Psalm 146
James 2:1-10, 14-17
Mark 7:24-37
24[Jesus] set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice,25but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. 26Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 28But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” 30So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
31Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. 34Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
• 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, their families, essential workers, doctors, nurses, aides, those working in nursing homes, etc.
• For Ann Saar, Kay Marker Magneson, Roy Pihl, George Balcom, Thom Shagla, Roland Lepier, Norm Wolff, Deb Pierce, Father/Pastor Richard Elberfeld, Lois Rumfelt, Nick Johnson, Eileen Beichner, Tom Dellapenta, Pastor Karen Larson, Pastor Gerry Zimmerman, James Dieter, Joe Gauvin, Emerson Allaby, John Gingrass, those serving in the military and law enforcement and their families, including Sean Pecuch, and Ben Wickerham, those caught up in violence and war who have no safe home in which to live.
• For the ELCZ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe and ELCZa Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia.
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
CALENDAR
Sept. 8 Worship
Church Council following worship
Sept. 9 & 11 Healthy Bones
Sept. 12 Tai Chi 9:30 am & 12:00 pm
Choir
Sept. 13 Tai Chi 11:00 am
5 Loaves & 2 Fish Backpack Ministry
24/25 School Year
Plans are underway to start up our 5 & 2 Packing Nights in September with the start of the new 24/25 school year. If you are currently a volunteer, we would love to have your support again this year. If you're looking for a wonderful way to give back to your community, please consider volunteering 1 time a month packing bags of food for area students.
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
If you can volunteer, please contact
Gale Svenson-Campbell at the link above. Thank you!!
St Timothy is collecting specific items to create "Next Level Love" Kits! Kits will be distributed by Love IINC to "Neighbors in Need" which are transitioning into new apartments or houses. While Love Inc, with other area churches as well, supply basic needs for their clients to get started (such as furniture, toiletries, cleanings supplies, small appliances, etc), our Next Level Love is just that- presenting them with items that go above or beyond the basics, while conveying to them that they are loved and cared for by others and above all, God!
Our Caring and Sharing Ministry has been working with the director of Love Inc to arrange this exciting project and we are asking for your help. For the next few weeks we are collecting items for the Next Level Love Kits , or accepting monetary donations, that will allow us to purchase these items. Then we can assemble these baskets and get them over to Love INC in Jamestown to distribute as appropriate. Items are specific and a list is included below as well as available at church. Feel free to contact Trish Pecuch (673-5510) or Kristie Bloomquist if you have any questions or would like to help us assemble the Kits in mid September!
Items to be Collected 9/8-9/22 for Next Level Love Kits: (All items should be new(or like new!)
*Monetary Donations are VERY WELCOME!
$10 Tim Horton’s Gift Cards
Individual Packets of Gourmet type hot cocoa, teas, etc
Mini flashlight
Night light
Small Manicure set/nail kit for both men and women.
Decorative picture frame ( for pics or with saying) No bigger than 5x7, prefer 4X6, 3x5, 4x4,
Chapstick (sealed, boxed, or in bubble pack) brand name – Chapstick, Burt Bees, etc
Unscented hand cream - Small/medium (not mini) tubes
Set of bag clips (for opened bags of chips, etc ) Ollies, Walmart, TJMaxx, Dollar Stores,Target
Coffee mug/cup -new, Approx 10-14 oz . We need some appropriate for men and women!
Double AA and Triple AAA Batteries (for flashlights)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 - 6:30 PM
JOIN US FOR THE MOVIE 9 TO 5.
Anyone that has any pictures or stories that they would like to share? Send them to sttimothy2015@gmail.com
Thank you
Marge Fiore
Administrative Assistant
REFLECTIONS
Pr. Ivy Gauvin
In both of these healing encounters, Jesus is coloring outside the lines. He is going to places which good Jewish people avoid–areas of the gentiles!
In the first instance, Jesus meets with a woman; strike one. Not only is she a woman, but a gentile, a Syrophoenician; strike two. This time, we find Jesus who hasn’t quite yet gotten with the program of his Father’s grand design—to reach everyone, Jew or gentile; strike three. But instead of being out, Jesus is taught a few things by this woman who was a foreigner. “In Mark’s gospel, encounters with women usually signify turning points in Jesus’ ministry. Here, a conversation with a Syrophoenician woman marks the beginning of his mission to the Gentiles” (sundaysandseasons.com).
Have you ever thought about Jesus in his human state on earth needing to learn? We see this in a few different places in scripture. That was initially a shock to me.
The second story is similar in that again Jesus meets with a gentile, but in a different area. This time, the one in need of healing was a man. The man did not have to convince Jesus to heal him in the way the woman argued for her daughter.
Mark uses one of his favorite words, “immediately,” to describe how the healing occurred. And the people’s response? They were astounded! “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
In both instances, the results are positive as the light of Christ goes throughout the world. May we allow such healing light to shine through us to the world around us.
Pastor Ivy Gauvin
