Paul commends the faith of previous generations in the witness of Timothy.  May we also be strong examples of faith for those who come after us.

Worship this week with Holy Communion

Saturday – 5:00 p.m. in the chapel

Sunday – 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship

10:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship

Devotions for this week:  Eunice/Lois

SHARE:   What was a high point of your day? What was a low point?

 READ: Read the following daily readings to deepen your understanding

Sunday, Hebrews 12:1-2 The Cloud of witnesses

Monday, Psalm 100:1-2  Praise for God

Tuesday, Psalm 100:3-5  God’s faithfulness

Wednesday, 2 Timothy 1:1-2 Paul’s Prayer for Timothy

Thursday, 2 Timothy 1:3-4 Paul’s thankfulness

Friday, 2 Timothy 1:5 The example of Eunice and Lois

Saturday, 2 Timothy 1:6-7  Rekindling the gift of the Spirit

 TALK:  Consider some of these ideas:

 ⁵I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you                                                2 Timothy 1:5

As Paul charges young Timothy with a call to ministry, he evokes the witness of faith of the generations before.  Faith is not inherited, but the loving witness of family can impact generations to come.

 What do you remember of your parents’ and grandparents’ witness to their faith?

• Do your family members, your children or grandchildren know what it is that you believe?
• What heritage of faith is passed in your family?
• What are you willing to do to share your faith with a generation to come?

 PRAY:  Gracious God, help us to honor the witness of those who’ve gone before us in faith, and act in the boldness of the faith shared with us.      Amen.

 BLESS:  May you know the Spirit of power, not cowardice.  Amen.

Christian service to others was modeled by Jesus in his ministry and carried on by the early church.   May we also joyfully give of our seemingly ordinary, but extraordinary, selves to others.

Worship this week:  Saturday at 5:00 p.m. in the chapel

Sunday at 8:30 a.m. Traditional worship

10:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship

Devotions for this week:  Dorcas/Tabitha

SHARE:   What was a high point of your day? What was a low point?

 

READ:  Read the following daily readings to deepen your understanding

Sunday,  John 14:7-10  Jesus shows us the Father

Monday, John 14:11-14  Jesus’ followers share his power

Tuesday,  Psalm  22:26-31  God’s compassion for the least

Wednesday, Acts 9:36 Tabitha/Dorcas the disciple

Thursday, Acts 9:37-38 Dorcas Dies/Peter summoned

Friday, Acts 9:39 Peter arrives/people share Dorcas’ gifts

Saturday, Acts 9:40-43 Raising of Dorcas

 TALK:  Consider some of these ideas:

So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. ⁴⁰Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ — Acts 9:39-40

 

Dorcas was beloved in her community for her service to others.  Peter, by the power of God’s Spirit, calls her back to life.

 

• Who are those you’ve known who have impacted a whole community?
• Do those people realize how they have impacted others?
• Do we dare act in faith that God’s Spirit will work through us?

 

PRAY:  Holy God, thank you for the saints whose lives impact so many.  Help us to act boldly, trusting your Spirit’s power.   In Jesus’ name Amen.

 BLESS:  May you hear the Spirit’s call to life.  Amen.

It was often women who served as the supporters of the early ministry, and we need to acknowledge the diversity of unexpected leaders throughout our history and in the
church today.

Worship this week –  No Saturday worship due to installation of Bishop Viviane Thomas-Breitfeld.

Sunday worship with Holy Communion

8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship

10:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship

Devotions for this week:   Rhoda/ Joanna /Lydia

SHARE:   What was a high point of your day? What was a low point?

READ: Read the following daily readings to deepen your understanding

Sunday, Acts 12:13-14  Rhoda, the maid

Monday, Luke 8:1-3  The women who provided for the disciples

Tuesday, Romans 16:6-16 The many who assisted Paul

Wednesday, Acts 16:13-14  Lydia hears Paul’s witness

Thursday, Acts 16:15 Lydia invites Paul to stay

Friday, Acts 16:35-37 Paul in Jail

Saturday, Acts 16:38-40 Paul released to Lydia’s home

TALK:  Consider some of these ideas:

¹⁴A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul.                                      Acts 16:14

 Lydia, Rhoda, and Joanna are but three of the many women who aided the ministry of the apostles in the early years of the church, and each in their own way played a vital role in advancing the gospel.

•  Do we recognize the importance of the ‘everyday’ gifts for ministry — feeding, hospitality, serving?
• Have you acknowledged those gifts in others?
• Where do you share your gifts for ministry?

 PRAY:  Gracious God, thank you for the many gifts of ministry, help us to value all gifts, and use our gifts for your ministry.   Amen.

BLESS:  May God bless you in your sharing in this ministry. Amen.

Often we think of ‘mission’ as something we go somewhere else to do, but we need to remember we are called to be in mission in our daily tasks.  This week we share the story of Priscilla and her husband, who work together with Paul both in making tents, but also working together to host a church in their home.  Do we consider our homes to be a church, a gathering place for God’s people?

Worship this week:  Saturday – 5:oo  p.m. in the chapel

Sunday – 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship

10:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship

Devotions for this week:  August 12 – Prisca/Priscilla

SHARE:   What was a high point of your day? What was a low point?

READ: Read the following daily readings to deepen your understanding

Sunday, Acts 18:1-4 Paul meets the tentmakers of Corinth

Monday, Acts 18:18-19Priscilla & Aquilla accompany Paul

Tuesday, 1 Corinthians 16:13-19 Encouragement and greetings

Wednesday, 2 Timothy 4:16-22  Paul’s defense and greetings

Thursday, Romans 16:1-2 Commendation of Phoebe

Friday,  Romans 16:3-7 Partnership in ministry

Saturday, Acts 18:24-28  Priscilla instructs Apollos

TALK:  Consider some of these ideas:

3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, who work with me in Christ Jesus, ⁴and who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. ⁵Greet also the church in their house.

                                                                   Romans 16:3-5

Paul singles out Prisca (other places Priscilla) as someone who worked with him, risked for him, and nurtured the church within her own home.

• Who has helped you on your journey?
• Who has taken risks for you?
• Do you think of church as a place you go, or do you remember that it exists wherever God’s people gather, including your own home?

PRAY:  God help us to be your witnesses in our work, and in our homes.  Help us give thanks for those who help us, and strengthen us to be a help to others.  Amen.

BLESS:  May God be known in our work, and in our homes. Amen.

Whether in parable, or in narrative, the gospel of Luke plays particular attention to the  impact of the faith and witness of those women who would be otherwise often ignored by the larger society.  

Worship this week with Holy Communion:

Saturday – 5:00 p.m. in the chapel

Sunday – 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship

10:00 a.m Contemporary worship

Devotions for this week:   The Widows in Luke

SHARE:   What was a high point of your day? What was a low point?

READ: Read the following daily readings to deepen your understanding

Sunday, Luke 2:36-40  Anna prophesies

Monday, Luke 20:45 – 21:4    The widow’s gift

Tuesday, Luke 7:11-17  The widow at Nain

Wednesday, Luke 24:1-12  The women go to the tomb

Thursday, Luke 4:20-30  Elijah and widow at Zarephath

Friday, Acts 6:1S-6 The widows in the early church

Saturday, Luke 18:1-8  The widow and the unjust judge

TALK:  Consider some of these ideas:

³⁸At that moment she came and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.               Luke 2:38

³In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, “Grant me justice against my opponent.”  

                                                                           Luke 18:3

While Anna announces the coming of this child as messiah, Jesus uses the example of an unfairly treated widow as a comparison to the justice and mercy of God.                                                                                                                                                                    

• Have you waiting for an opportunity to praise like Anna?
• Have you felt ignored like the widow with the unjust judge?
• What does it mean that God promises to listen and respond?

PRAY:  Holy God, help us to continually come to you both in times of trouble, and in times of rejoicing.  Let us know that you are with us in every season of our lives.    Amen.

BLESS:  May you know that God hears your prayer today. Amen.