August 24, 2023
Matthew 16:13-20 The Message
Scripture readings
for Sunday, August 27
Isaih 51:1-6
Psalm 138
Romans 12:1-8
Matthew 16:13-20
13 When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”
15 He pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17-18 Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.
19 “And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.”
20 He swore the disciples to secrecy. He made them promise they would tell no one that he was the Messiah.
• For our community of faith as we seek to do God’s work in the world.
• For people affected by coronavirus, their families, essential workers, doctors, nurses, aides, those working in nursing homes, etc.
• For Dianne Sloan, Lee and Kay Marker Magneson, Roy Pihl, George Balcom, Thom Shagla, Lianne Edborg, Marty Wittstrom, Sarah VanStaalduin, Charlene Hunter, Joe Gauvin, Emerson Allaby, Karen Brown, John Gingrass, those serving in the military and law enforcement and their families, including Christine Kaffka and Ben Wickerham, 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.
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:
Sunday, August 27 - Worship 10:00 am
August 31 - Tai Chi 9:30 am and 12:00 pm
Bemus Point Church offers Drive In Service
St. Timothy Lutheran Church, 3748 Route 430, Bemus Point, NY is once again offering to the community a Summer Drive In Worship Service. St. Timothy offers a combination traditional and contemporary service which includes a 15 minute prelude from 9:45-10:00 and a 40 minute service at 10:00 a.m. on FM 98.3. Communion is celebrated the first and third Sundays. Join the service in the church parking lot on FM 98.3 or come inside to worship. Casual dress always appropriate.
9:45 - 10:00 Prelude
10:00 - 10:40 Service
Parking Lot on FM 98.3
Indoors
***Church Picnic - Yes, you heard it right. We’re having a church picnic September 10 ‘officially’ at 11:30, but following worship for anyone already at church. SAVE THE DATE and plan to join us. Bring yourself and your family and we’ll do the rest!!
Fun…Food…Games
Dear friend,
The significant loss of life and damage caused by the wildfires in Hawaii have turned our prayers and attention to mourning those lost, supporting the survivors and how Lutheran Disaster Response can assist with recovery.
Exacerbated by strong winds, wildfires on Maui have claimed dozens of lives and have destroyed homes, businesses and lines of communication. The Big Island of Hawaii has also been impacted by wildfires, and more islands remain vulnerable to additional fires this season.
Lutheran Disaster Response is coordinating with the Pacifica Synod and other partners to assess the needs of people impacted by the wildfires. We will work with them to provide for immediate needs and long-term recovery amid the widespread destruction. Lutheran Disaster Response is committed to accompanying recovering communities in the years ahead.
By standing with Maui’s wildfire survivors, we follow Christ’s call to share hope and healing with our neighbors in need.
With gratitude,
The Rev. Daniel Rift
Director, ELCA World Hunger and Lutheran Disaster Response Fund
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Additional Ways to Give
Checks or money orders can be sent to:
Lutheran P.O. Box 1809
Merrifield, VA 22116-8009Give by phone at 800-638-3522 Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Central time or online. Disaster Response
Where is God
Leading Us?
… for such a time as this (Esther 4:14)
Upstate New York Synod Women of the ELCA invites all women to the 2023 Convention Gathering, Friday – Sunday, October 6th – 8th at Notre Dame Retreat House, Canandaigua, New York. Our theme – Just Love ~ Where is God leading us? – explores where we’ve been during these last four years, since our last Synod Women’s Gathering. But the theme also challenges us to explore where we hope to go, trusting in God’s guidance …for such a time as this (Esther 4:14).
Marilyn Dyer, Director of Resource Develop-ment, St. Paul’s Center for homeless mothers and their children, Rensselaer, New York, serves as our keynote speaker. We also plan time to share with one another what God has been doing in our lives during this time of challenge and for some, change.
Our weekend offers opportunities for prayer and worship, studying God’s Word, wonderful fellowship and meeting new Sisters in Christ.
Contact Lois Rumfelt – (716) 664-4409 or at rumfelt@stny.rr.com – for a reservation/ registration form and more info.
(NOTE: Accommodations include all meals while at the retreat center). Scholarship and financial assistance – also available.
Reservation Deadline: Friday, September 15th
5 Loaves & 2 Fish Backpack Ministry
We are well into our routine each month packing 380 bags of food to be distributed to our elementary students. We can always use more hands, so if you're able to give an hour once a month, we can use you.
3rd Tuesday of the month
7-8 pm
Fellowhip Hall
Click this link to volunteer: gales1949@gmail.com
Fighting childhood hunger in our community one child at a time!
5 & 2 Ministry Food Bins Donated to Date: 109
ONLINE GIVING at St. Timothy for Debit/Credit cards
Three 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.
¨ Mailing in your weekly or monthly offering would be greatly
appreciated also..
Anyone have any pictures or stories that they would like to share? Send them to sttimothy2015@gmail.com
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REFLECTION
Pastor Ivy Gauvin
There is a song by contemporary Christian artist, Francesca Battistelli, called “This is the Stuff.” I love the opening lines, “I lost my keys in the great unknown, And call me please 'cause I can't find my phone.” That says it all, doesn't it?
Jesus talks about the keys of the kingdom, which makes me think of the issue of lost or misplaced keys. But, you know, with the keys of Jesus’ day (and today for older Palestinian homes), they are big and heavy. You couldn’t leave someplace without your keys because of their weightiness.
And these are weighty matters of which Jesus speaks, all because of a relationship with him. We are free to explore the kingdom. Every door is open to us as God’s children. God recognizes us as someone who belongs.
It’s kind of like facial recognition. God says, “Yes, this one is mine.” Our identity is established through baptism into the family. God sees the family resemblance.
It all boils down to, “Who do you say the Son of Man is?” We are God’s. Let’s proclaim this to all.
Dimensions: Overall: 3 7/8 x 1 3/8 x 15/16 in.
Ancient Roman key
