Gospel in 40 Days: Day 19

Jan van Eyck
 - http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/art-object-page.46.html#bibliography

 Luke 1-2

Introduction

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

To continue today's reading, click here.

Gospel in 40 Days: Day 18

 Mark 14-16

New International Version

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

 Unknown author - This image is available from the National Library of Wales You can view this image in its original context on the NLW Catalogue   circa 1503

14 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”

3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages[a] and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you,[b] and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

Click here for the rest of today's reading.

CARING FOR OUR FLOCK

Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash

The Caregiving Committee shows tangible love and concern to our church members in their time of need. We coordinate meals, send cards, assist during funeral/memorial services. Covid-19 brought about a lot of challenges and the committee worked hard to continue to share Gods love and St. Mark love to our church family. Our committee moved to Zoom for our meetings beginning in May. The beautiful October and November weather allowed for outdoor, in-person meetings. Due to the church building closure, we were unable to use the kitchen for our We Care meals this year. 

The Caregiving Committee provided the following: ● 65 care packages to our college-age students. Each package included some combination of gum, mints, cookies, candy, and a note. (30 sent in February, 35 sent in September) ● 35 flower bouquets ● 40 mums ● 25 Advent Bags ● 50 Birthday Cards ● 40 Get Well/Thinking of You Cards ● 28 Sympathy Cards ● Helped connect members to assist with transportation as needed

 -- Christy Brewer, Chair 

The Membership committee at St Mark is responsible for welcoming visitors and assisting new members to find their place in the church family. The committee also strives to keep the member list up to date. Our membership rolls were reviewed and calls were made to members who have not attended nor supported the church for at least two years. Members who requested to remain on the rolls were retained. 

Another responsibility of the committee is to reach out to members who have not been attending worship. This became our main focus during the pandemic. With the assistance of forty-three members, weekly phone calls were made to members and friends to check on their well-being and to offer assistance with grocery shopping and transportation to medical appointments. We began by calling every family in the congregation. Currently, nineteen callers continue to make weekly phone calls to ninety-two families. The response to our calls has been positive. If you wish to be added to our calling lists, either as a recipient or as a caller, please contact Bette Nuzum.

We have been able to identify those people without access to a computer and to provide printed sermons, newsletters, and important notifications via mail. We also identified some church members and friends needing extra attention and began sending cards and notes to 23 members. The membership committee is exploring ways to continue this important outreach to our St. Mark family. 

--Bette Nuzum, chair

Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash

Worship March 7

March 7, 2021

 10:00 am Virtual Service 

ORDER OF WORSHIP

  CENTERING PRAYER* *J. Birch, www.faithandworship.com

 

May we look at others as if through your eyes, less judging, more loving, and seeing them, like us, as not perfect or finished but as a work in progress that will be completed in due time by your hands.

PRELUDE     Suite on “Angel’s Story”     Fruedenburg 

WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

CALL TO WORSHIP (Psalm 19)

 

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;

the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple;

the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes;

the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever;

the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

They are more desirable than gold and sweeter than honey. In keeping them is great reward.

† HYMN      “For the Beauty of the Earth”        Hymnal #14 

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

 

Merciful God, how fickle we are; we sin against you without even knowing it. Clear us, we pray, of any unknown sin, and save us from willfully ignoring your way. Let your commandments rule and guide us. Forgive us for worshiping anyone or anything except you; keep us faithful. Forgive us for failing to honor all our relationships – with those closest to us and those distant neighbors. Help us to speak words of blessing and kindness, rather than words that belittle or destroy. Turn us away from violence, falsehood, and selfishness. Help us to depend on you alone and to rest in your peace. (Silent Confession)

ASSURANCE OF GRACE 

† SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST 

The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. 

SCRIPTURE     John 2:13-22 

SERMON     “Dead Malls and Living Faith”      Rev. Dr. Dave Burgess 

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Westminster Confession of Faith Shorter Catechism  Question One 

Q. What is our chief end? 

A. Our chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy God forever.

 OFFERING SPECIAL MUSIC      Beneath the Cross of Jesus       arr. Pethal 

Nicole Lesh, Clarinet 

† THE DOXOLOGY THE CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION 

Invitation to the Table 

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving and the Lord’s Prayer 

Words of Institution   

Sharing of the Bread & Cup   

Prayer After Communion 

† HYMN      “Your Only Son”       Hymnal #518

† CHARGE AND BLESSING 

† BENEDICTION RESPONSE “Shalom to You” Eslinger 

POSTLUDE      Trumpet Tune on "Angel’s Story"      Fruedenburg 

†You are invited to stand, as you are able.  

 

Scripture for March 7

 John 2:13-22

Christ Driving the Money Changers
from the Temple 
(El Greco, Washington)

Jesus Clears the Temple Courts

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”[a]

18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

Read full chapter

Daily Prayer March 5

 

The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe the good news.

Daily Readings for Friday, March 5, 2021

• Morning Psalms 22; 148
  
  
  
• First Reading Jeremiah 5:1-9
• Second Reading Romans 2:25-3:18
• Gospel Reading John 5:30-47
• Evening Psalms 105; 130

Loving God, through your Son you have called us to repent of our sin, to believe the good news, and to celebrate the coming of your kingdom. Like Christ‘s first apostles, may we hear his call to discipleship, and, forsaking old ways, proclaim the gospel of new life to a broken world. Great God, you are one God, and you bring together what is scattered and mend what is broken. Unite us with the scattered peoples of the earth that we may be one family of your children. Bind up all our wounds, and heal us in spirit, that we may be renewed as disciples of Jesus Christ, our Master and Savior. God of all who stand in awe of you, make us one with all your saints and with any who are in need. Teach us to befriend the weak, and welcome the outcast, that we may serve the Lord and live to offer him glory. (Add your prayers.) Amen.

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord be kind and gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.

(Opening sentences, prayers, and blessings are from the Book of Common Worship. Readings are from the daily lectionary in Daily Prayer. Both are published by Westminster/John Knox Press.)

Star Word: Justice

  My 2020 star word  was "Unwind"

Looking forward for something

 I could do at home---

Just me—-

I asked for 2021 word hoping for just the same. . . 

But no.  “Justice”

How can I do this at home alone? 

I can't go out in crowds, 

non-fiction makes my mind wander,

Blood pressure can't handle disagreements.

Listening to Amanda, I began to understand:

"Justice" can be my platform, my stand.

It's not just me or just them but just us.

Working together, even while living my alone life.

If my foundation is "Justice”, I can stand,

And I can fight at home with words. 

Don't need to justify or argue— just stand

for what is just and true—Justice.

Jaclyn Morgan

Leviticus 19: 14 “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord.

15 “‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

16 “‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people.

“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.

Gospel in 40 days: Day 13

 Mark 1-3

New International Version

The Baptism of Christ 
by Andrea del Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1475

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,[a] the Son of God,[b] 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”[c]—
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[d]

4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with[e] water, but he will baptize you with[f] the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted[g] by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Click here for the rest of the reading.

The Light Still Shines

Nikki Douglas

I knew it would happen. Or maybe it was my expectation that made it happen. Honestly, it happens every year. As the days grew shorter, sunlight fading before dinnertime, my anxiousness grew. Eight months into the pandemic and I still hadn’t experienced the panic or depression I had read about in friends’ facebook posts or random articles circulating through social media. No doubt, my way of life had drastically changed just like everyone else, but I didn’t feel a heaviness. As long as I could get outside and my kids were able to enjoy playing in the front yard with the neighbors, we were okay. And then the daylight savings ended. 

Sunlight has always been a source of comfort for me. As a kid, in the summer my mom would take us to the pool for hours, often the entire day. Now, having kids of my own, I realize that the long days at the pool is probably what kept my mom’s sanity with three girls at home for summer break. But for me, it was the light - the warmth, the water, the smell of sunscreen - and the days that seemed to go on and on until it was well past our bedtime and fireflies began to light up our backyard. More sunlight means more time to live. More sunlight means more opportunity to play. More sunlight lifts my spirit to a place that only light can. When the sun is shining, so is my mood. 

When we purchased the house we live in now, the abundance of windows greatly appealed to me. I like natural light and I like to let as much of it into our house as possible. As evening approaches, Clay & I have an ongoing debate about when to pull the curtains closed. If left to my preference, the curtains remain open until the last bit of sunlight is no longer visible. Clay prefers to close the curtains and turn on all the lamps at dusk. Covering up the windows makes me feel confined, especially when the clock on the wall reads 5:00pm. 

Just as the days gradually grew shorter, my contentedness began to wane. When I saw darkness outside my kitchen window while I made dinner, I would long for the days just months before when 5:30pm meant we were on our way home from the community pool with at least two more hours of daylight ahead. This comparison of seasons plagues my thoughts every year. And every year I succumb to the darkness and let it drag my spirit down. But this year the darkness felt bigger. In a time of pandemic when outside gatherings and activities are deemed safer, the dark and the cold threatened those options. What I failed to acknowledge is that, just as we got creative with how we did life in the summer, we had the choice to be creative in the darkness of winter. So I decided instead of letting my spirit darken, I’m learning to embrace the winter and what it brings. Afterall, the sun still shines each day, giving light to new opportunities and possibilities.

Photo by Jaime Dantas on Unsplash

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

 

St. Mark Presbyterian Women is an organization for women within our church. We enjoy fellowship, Bible study and supporting local, national and international missions. Our challenge is to accept the gifts God has given us and to use those gifts to assist in the life and work of the Church. The Board of Presbyterian Women meets the first Wednesday of each month and is made up of women who serve as officers, Circle leaders, and project chairs. Presbyterian Women has 6 Circles with a total membership of approximately 80 active Women. September to May most Circles meet on the third Wednesday or Thursday of the month; 3 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon and 2 in the evening One circle meets monthly on dates determined by its members. Ruth Circle meets year round. Most Circles are using Horizon’s Bible Study. Presbyterian women continue to participate in the monthly book club. Members meet on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 9:30 am for discussion of a book selected by the group, with no meetings in July or November. Due to the COVID situation the PW Board, Circles and Book Club are continuing to meet via Zoom. 

The mission work of PW is funded through individual gifts, the annual Christmas Boutique and Angel Street Café, an Easter candy sale, the Schnucks e-Scrip program, and circle pledges and offerings. In 2020 over $12,000 in profits from 2019 fundraisers were made to: Mound Ridge Camp and Conference Center, Presbyterian Children’s Home and Services, Lydia House, Isaiah 58 Ministries, Newborns in Need, Third Presbyterian Church, Arch City Defenders, Children’s Ministries, Circle of Concern, Fellowship Committee of St. Mark, St. Mark Major Repairs, and Youth Ministries of St. Mark. Sadly, due to COVID-19, we were unable to hold our yearly fundraisers in 2020, but through generous donations from our congregation we will be able to distribute about $3000 in 2021. On the national and international levels, PW contributed to the work of the Presbyterian Church USA through our annual pledge and offerings. PW held layette drives in both the spring and fall collected an estimated $3,000 in donated items for Newborns in Need.

 In January PW invited St. Mark women to our Annual Tea. The subject was the first national vote in which women could participate in 1920. Unfortunately, that was the only “live” program PW could hold in 2020. However, PW remained committed to provide all of our other 2020 programs in a virtual format. Our very creative Mary Beth Powell and Pastor MP organized and presented the first ever virtual brunch on September 12: “Flamingle with PW”. It was pre-recorded and made available on YouTube so that women who missed the “premiere” could view it at a later time. Our November fall outing once again relied upon the creative genius of Mary Beth and the talents of the women of the board to present a virtual tour of historic West Count cabins. Both the brunch and cabin tour got very high ratings from our congregation. The annual St. Mark Women’s Retreat at Toddhall in Columbia, Illinois had to be cancelled due to COVID in 2020, but we will hold a virtual retreat in 2021 on February 26 and 27. 

A very special thanks to Pastor MP who has been invaluable in keeping our women connected and spiritually healthy by assisting technically with Zoom, providing a devotional each week, assisting with programming and in many other ways. We are so very blessed to have her. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Sharon Tharp, Moderator