Upcoming Events

Wednesday, Oct 26, Community Dinner. starts at 6:00. Come and meet your neighbors and enjoy a wonderful meal with us. Invite a friend to come with you.

Monday, Oct 31, Trunk or Treat Fall Fest for the Family in Our Community. Pie Testing, Hot Drinks, And opportunity to meet your neighbors.

Lectionary Oct 30, 2011

Joshua 3:7-17

Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37

1 Thessalonians 2:19-13

Matthew 23:1-12

Lectionary Reading Oct 16, 2011

Exodus 33:12-23

Psalm 99

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Matthew 22:15-22

Lectionary Reading October 9, 2011

Exodus 32:1-14

Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23

Philippians 4:1-9

Matthew 22:1-14

Lectionary Readings for Oct 2 2011

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

Psalm 19

Philippians 3:4b-14

Matthew 21:33-46

Thoughts on gleaning

As many of the congregation know, I am a strong supporter of the gleaning efforts of the local unit of the Society of St Andrew led by Betty Heishman. But the concept of gleaning is not my idea, nor is even an invention of the Society of St Andrew. The concept comes from the commandments of God to the people of God through the Ritual and Moral Codes in Leviticus 19.

God calls the people to be holy as God is holy – which means to be separated from others. That is to be obedient to God, not to the world. Part of holiness code is the following instruction:”When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the LORD your God. “

While the ritual laws of holiness from Leviticus do not apply to the Christian in the 21st century, I would argue that we continue to be under the moral code as first given by God to the people of God, the Israelite nation in the Sinai wilderness. I argue this because Jesus, who we claim as our divine Lord, spoke to of feeding the hungry, quenching the thirst of the thirsty, clothing the naked, and more. (Matthew 25) It is through gleaning, or if you would like the modern term of food salvation that we can be obedient in our faith.

For it is a faith issue isn’t it. Faith is a verb that requires a human action by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will and can only obey God. Thus, we are lead by an active faith to be obedient to moral standards set by God, even if it requires the sacrifice of time and energy to go to the fields of our Lord.

For Sunday Sept 25, 2011

This Sunday we will have a special speaker, Harriet Hanke. She and I will be speaking about God’s mission in Christ and in the Church, both abroad and locally.

Revised Common Lectionary for September 18, 2011

Exodus 16:2-15

Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45

Philippians 1:21-30

Matthew 20:1-16

September and October Events

Sept 28th – Community Meal at 6:00 pm, Wesley: The Movie, at 7:15 pm

October 8 – Yard Sale and Youth Car Wash 8:00 am – 3:00 pm

Reflection On Romans 13:8

“Owe no one anything, except to love one another” Romans 13:8

Paul makes a powerful statement here, in line with the 2nd Commandment given by Jesus to the lawyer in the testimony of the evangelist Matthew (22:34-40). If we have any debt to another it is to love another. This is agape love, the love that desires for the well being of another.

We currently live in a world where there is very little concern for the well being of another, both among non-Christians and Christians. Most of the world has placed self aggrandizement and prosperity above another’s well being and freedom, thus exploitation and injustice is rampant, much of it made in the name of progress. The Christian world should be an enclave standing against such injustice and loss of concern for the well being of another, and we can be if we allow the Spirit of Christ to be the source of that love.