August 30, 2024
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
The Message
Scripture readings
for Sunday, Sept. 1
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9
Psalm 15
James 1:17-27
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
REFLECTIONS
Pastor Ivy Gauvin
The Message tends to make this passage easier tocomprehend, especially when you get to the concluding verses. I’ve highlighted a verse from Jesus’ quotation from Isaiah. I think it is the crux of what Jesus is addressing.
What the Jewish people were doing was following the law given them by Moses. However, their understanding of the law became more important to them than the God of the law. It’s all a heart matter.
After the list of things that pollute humanity, are these few words: “…from the heart.” There is the source of your pollution.” It’s all about our heart relationship with God, each other, and our world.
The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible translates Isaiah’s ending words as, “You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition” (v. 8). “Mark recognizes the commandment of God, but disputes arise over which remain binding (v. 9) and which are merely tradition” (The Jewish Annotated New Testament, Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler Editors).
Who are we going to follow and serve? God is calling us as his people to be change makers in God’s world. The good news of God speaks to us, drawing us not only into relationship with God, but with all God’s people and God’s creation.
7 1-4 The Pharisees, along with some religion scholars who had come from Jerusalem, gathered around him. They noticed that some of his disciples weren’t being careful with ritual washings before meals. The Pharisees—Jews in general, in fact—would never eat a meal without going through the motions of a ritual hand-washing, with an especially vigorous scrubbing if they had just come from the market (to say nothing of the scourings they’d give jugs and pots and pans).
5 The Pharisees and religion scholars asked, “Why do your disciples brush off the rules, showing up at meals without washing their hands?”
6-8 Jesus answered, “Isaiah was right about frauds like you, hit the bull’s-eye in fact:
These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn’t in it. They act like they are worshiping me, but they don’t mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy,
Ditching God’s command and taking up the latest fads.”
14-15 Jesus called the crowd together again and said, “Listen now, all of you—take this to heart. It’s not what you swallow that pollutes your life; it’s what you vomit—that’s the real pollution.”
20-23 He went on: “It’s what comes out of a person that pollutes: obscenities, lusts, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, depravity, deceptive dealings, carousing, mean looks, slander, arrogance, foolishness—all these are vomit from the heart. There is the source of your pollution.”
• 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, Karen Brown, and 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 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.
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
This week…
Sept. 1 Worship at 10:00 am with communion
Sept. 5 Tai Chi 9 :30 am and 12:00 pm Tai Chi
Choir 5:00 pm
Sept. 6 Tai Chi 11:00 am
Friday Night at the Movies
We are going to take advantage of our new big-screen TV to have a monthly movie night. Our movie this month is ABBA. Join us on Friday, August 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the fellowship uhall.
PANCAKE BREAKFAST
There will be a Pancake Breakfast following the regular church service on Sunday, September 15th! Come and enjoy pancakes, eggs, sausage, juice, and coffee, as well as great fellowship and conversation! See You There!
Caring and Sharing
Ministry
NEXT LEVEL LOVE- We NEED YOUR HELP!
This fall St Timothy, with the Caring and Sharing Ministry Group, will embark on an exciting project to partner with Love INC, in helping area “Neighbors in Need.” (Love INC, stands for Love In the Name of Christ, and is a non profit agency located in Jamestown that assists people in vulnerable positions to establish housing.)
St Timothy Church will be gathering items to put together “Next Level Love Kits” which will help the neighbors in need know they are valued, important, and most importantly, loved by God and by others.
On Sunday, September 8, 2024, which is also God’s Work Our Hands Sunday, we will kick off this newest project at St Timothy and share lists and examples of the items we are collecting. Between September 8 and September 22, we are hoping you will help us collect enough items to put together 10-20 Next Level Love kits. We will then assemble the kits and deliver them to Love INC in Jamestown by the beginning of October! The lists will be distributed in bulletins and included in the e-ministry during the next several weeks. Monetary Donations are always very welcome to help us purchase the items as well!
If you have any questions please contact Kristie Bloomquist or Trish Pecuch (716-673-5510). Thank you in advance for your help in this project! We are blessed to be able to help others feel blessed!
5 & 2 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 contiuously 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 below. Thank you!!
What does it mean to be Lutheran in
a crucial election year?
As our faith informs our day-to-day lives, Lutherans recognize that “faith is active in love [and] love calls for justice in relationships and structures of society” (ELCA, Social Statement on Church in Society, 1991). We also know the church is called to be a community that prays, deliberates, and
acts together when it comes to complex social issues. In this election year, how might our Lutheran faith shape our thinking, acting, and voting on major issues? Join us to learn and ponder timely social teachings of the ELCA and to learn tips for leading discussions in your own community.
Beginning Sunday, September 22, at 11, we will be viewing together videos to help us during this season. Bring your coffee and join us at the big screen tv.
Pastor Ivy Gauvin
St. Timothy Lutheran Church, Bemus Point, NY
THE WOMEN OF THE ELCA ANNOUNCEMENT
The leadership Team of the Women of the ELCA, Upstate New York Synod, Southwestern Conference is excited to announce an upcoming event for all women of our Conference.
The Women of the Southwestern and Niagara Frontier Conferences will be gathering for a Joint Fall Assembly on October 5, 2024, beginning at 9:30am in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Ellicottville.
The theme is based on the book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Mark your calendars and watch for more details and registration information.
All women are invited!
Southwestern Conference Leadership Team:
Gloria Anderson, Jann Ball, Stephanie Buccola, Co-Coordinators
Lois Rumfelt, Secretary
Debbie Youngberg, Treasurer
Anyone that has any pictures or stories that they would like to share? Send them to sttimothy2015@gmail.com
Pastor Ivy Gauvin
