“Words From Kim’s Notebook”
I wonder if you can tell that I struggle with what to write in this space each month. Don’t misunderstand. I don’t consider writing this a burden. I enjoy writing. But in recent months, when I’ve sat down with my computer, I’ve had difficulty focusing my thoughts into something that I could translate into a coherent message. With so much going on in the world today, particularly with the economy and the stresses of my job, it has been quite a challenge to get my mind to settle down. So today I said to myself: What is the first thing that comes to mind? Write about that. And today, on this Sunday, at about 2 in the afternoon, John is on my mind. The apostle John.
John has been in my thoughts since I received a note from my cousin Lisa, who is a missionary living in Asia. Lisa writes a monthly newsletter in which she talks about the work she is doing overseas. In her last newsletter, she mentioned that she had been “hanging out with John.” She said it just like that, very casually. Knowing my dear cousin, I knew that she wasn’t referring to a friend or a boyfriend. I knew that she meant the apostle John. John, one of Jesus’ inner circle of friends and the author of the last of the four Gospels. John, author of three letters in the New Testament. John, who wrote the book in the Bible that since childhood I have considered to be both mysterious and even a little frightening: the book of Revelation.
My cousin Lisa is well-versed in the Bible, much more so than I. Several years ago, she and my Aunt Dianne visited me here in New York. Despite the hustle of our schedule during their brief visit—sightseeing in Manhattan and around Orange County—Lisa always found time to curl up on my couch with a pen, notebook, and the Bible. I admired this because I do not do as good of a job of making time to curl up with the Good Word (as my Southern Baptist cousin refers to it). I remember that when Lisa was here, she was hanging out with Paul—that is, she was reading the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans. Lisa mentioned at the time that Romans was one of her favorite books of the Bible.
And so now, she is spending time with John. Inspired by that, I decided to hang out with John today. Before I share a passage here, I think it’s important to remember that John is someone who actually knew Jesus when Jesus was here on Earth in human form. We all know that, of course, but when we read the Bible—at least this is the case with me—it is easy to forget that these are not the words of just any historian, but the words of someone who lived at the same time as Jesus, who prayed with Jesus, ate with him, hugged him, laughed and cried with him, and experienced the agony of losing him (albeit temporarily) to the horrors of a crucifixion.
The following is from 1 John 1:1-2, 5. This letter is thought to have been written between A.D. 85 and A.D. 95: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
—Kim Paras
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Bellvale October News
Shoprite Cards
Don’t forget that Bellvale is still selling Shoprite gift cards as an ongoing fundraiser. Cards can be purchased in $25, $50 and $100 denominations. Nancy Beatty is the contact person for this project. Take advantage of the Warwick supermarket price wars and help your church at the same time!
Can and Bottle Redemption
Lorraine Otterbein is initiating a fundraiser to earn money for the Bellvale church through the redemption of empty cans and bottles. She is asking people to take the cans and bottles to the store and then donate the money to the church. There is a jar in the fellowship hall to collect these funds. This is a painless way to help your church and at the same time help the environment by recycling all those empty cans and bottles.
Don’t forget that Bellvale is still selling Shoprite gift cards as an ongoing fundraiser. Cards can be purchased in $25, $50 and $100 denominations. Nancy Beatty is the contact person for this project. Take advantage of the Warwick supermarket price wars and help your church at the same time!
Can and Bottle Redemption
Lorraine Otterbein is initiating a fundraiser to earn money for the Bellvale church through the redemption of empty cans and bottles. She is asking people to take the cans and bottles to the store and then donate the money to the church. There is a jar in the fellowship hall to collect these funds. This is a painless way to help your church and at the same time help the environment by recycling all those empty cans and bottles.
Lectionary Readings for October
October 3, 2010 [Green]
Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Lamentations 1:1-6
Psalm 137 (UMH 852)
2 Timothy 1:1-14
Luke 17:5-10
October 10, 2010 [Green]
Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Psalm 66:1-12 (UMH 790)
2 Timothy 2:8-15
Luke 17:11-19
October 17, 2010 [Green]
Twenty-First Sunday After Pentecost
Laity Sunday
Jeremiah 31:27-34
Psalm 119:97-104 or Psalm 19 (UMH 750)
2 Timothy 3:14-4:5
Luke 18:1-8
October 24, 2010 [Green]
Twenty-Second Sunday After Pentecost
Joel 2:23-32
Psalm 65 (UMH 789)
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Luke 18:9-14
October 31, 2010 [White or Red]
Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost
(Readings from All Saints Day may be substituted)
Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Psalm 119:137-144 (UMH 840)
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 19:1-10
Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Lamentations 1:1-6
Psalm 137 (UMH 852)
2 Timothy 1:1-14
Luke 17:5-10
October 10, 2010 [Green]
Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Psalm 66:1-12 (UMH 790)
2 Timothy 2:8-15
Luke 17:11-19
October 17, 2010 [Green]
Twenty-First Sunday After Pentecost
Laity Sunday
Jeremiah 31:27-34
Psalm 119:97-104 or Psalm 19 (UMH 750)
2 Timothy 3:14-4:5
Luke 18:1-8
October 24, 2010 [Green]
Twenty-Second Sunday After Pentecost
Joel 2:23-32
Psalm 65 (UMH 789)
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Luke 18:9-14
October 31, 2010 [White or Red]
Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost
(Readings from All Saints Day may be substituted)
Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Psalm 119:137-144 (UMH 840)
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 19:1-10
Pastor's Letter - October
A few days ago, when I got out of my car I was greeted by the noise of hundreds of starlings gathering in the trees around the parsonage. The noise was simply amazing and LOUD. They were all gathering together to begin their migration south as the colder weather moves in.
How about you? Are you needing to gather with a group of fellow humans to re-connect before the colder weather arrives? Or perhaps some parts of your life already feel cold and a bit deserted. Something seems to be missing, but no matter how hard you work or play or do those things that make for a healthy life there’s still a restlessness that persists.
We are created to need one another and we are created with a deep need for God in our lives. Probably deeper than any instinct we are driven by these two needs. They come very close to the center of our souls. For this reason alone, disagreements or conflicts about religious beliefs become so heated and even violent.
Coming together in Christian community fills both those needs. Be it for worship, for Bible study, to help with the fair or one of the dinners or to help with a mission opportunity, when people come together under the umbrella of Church something more than just a gathering or work party results. Some presence makes itself felt and moves through the group.
The laughter and the joy that emerge are the music of the spirit. The more we gather and the more people that gather, the louder the music of all our spirits joined together becomes. We find our restless spirits quieted. We find a place that feels just right. Warm, safe, sheltered yet ready to over flow with the love that enters our hearts.
Our lives are a long journey. At times, often times, we need to flock together and join our voices in prayer and praise to the Lord. It’s not about being worthy or good enough or having gifts to offer. It is about meeting the basic need of ours to gather together with our fellow brothers and sisters and join together on the journey before us.
Sunday School has started – so there is a place for children and adults alike. Choir returns the first Sunday in October, so there is a place for your voice to lift itself heavenward. The first Youth Group meeting is Sunday the 26th and there will be places for youth in particular, but also helpful adults to work for mission, fellowship and music. Monday evening Bible Study will continue to look at a few Gospel passages each week. (This group will move to a daytime in Nov.) The Crafters are hard at work getting ready for the Columbus week-end Fair.
There’s a place for everyone and anyone to gather with us and find that fellowship and ways to let their voices make a joyful noise to the Lord.
Shalom,
Pastor Lynne
How about you? Are you needing to gather with a group of fellow humans to re-connect before the colder weather arrives? Or perhaps some parts of your life already feel cold and a bit deserted. Something seems to be missing, but no matter how hard you work or play or do those things that make for a healthy life there’s still a restlessness that persists.
We are created to need one another and we are created with a deep need for God in our lives. Probably deeper than any instinct we are driven by these two needs. They come very close to the center of our souls. For this reason alone, disagreements or conflicts about religious beliefs become so heated and even violent.
Coming together in Christian community fills both those needs. Be it for worship, for Bible study, to help with the fair or one of the dinners or to help with a mission opportunity, when people come together under the umbrella of Church something more than just a gathering or work party results. Some presence makes itself felt and moves through the group.
The laughter and the joy that emerge are the music of the spirit. The more we gather and the more people that gather, the louder the music of all our spirits joined together becomes. We find our restless spirits quieted. We find a place that feels just right. Warm, safe, sheltered yet ready to over flow with the love that enters our hearts.
Our lives are a long journey. At times, often times, we need to flock together and join our voices in prayer and praise to the Lord. It’s not about being worthy or good enough or having gifts to offer. It is about meeting the basic need of ours to gather together with our fellow brothers and sisters and join together on the journey before us.
Sunday School has started – so there is a place for children and adults alike. Choir returns the first Sunday in October, so there is a place for your voice to lift itself heavenward. The first Youth Group meeting is Sunday the 26th and there will be places for youth in particular, but also helpful adults to work for mission, fellowship and music. Monday evening Bible Study will continue to look at a few Gospel passages each week. (This group will move to a daytime in Nov.) The Crafters are hard at work getting ready for the Columbus week-end Fair.
There’s a place for everyone and anyone to gather with us and find that fellowship and ways to let their voices make a joyful noise to the Lord.
Shalom,
Pastor Lynne
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