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Bulletin for Sunday, October 13, 2019

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Luke 3:1-14
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar — when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene — 2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. 6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’”

7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.

11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”

12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.

14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Leader: The word of the Lord.
Congregation: Thanks be to God.

A Liturgy for Dating or Courtship

… an excerpt

Let me remember that this relationship
does not affect only the two of us.
It exists in that greater web of loving and
sacrificial bonds of parents and grandparents,
family and friends, who had already invested
years of nurture and care and love and prayer
and tears and delight in this person
long before I ever met them.

So let me act now,
and always in this relationship,
in ways that would honor and affirm
the tender investment of all
who love this person. Let me build
on that good foundation,
that whatever the two of us create together
would be a blessing to all who know us.

A Liturgy for One Battling a Destructive Desire

… an excerpt

Jesus, here I am again,
desiring a thing
that were I to indulge in it
would war against my own heart,
and the hearts of those I love.

O Christ, rather let my life be thine!
Take my desires. Let them be subsumed
in still greater desire for you, until there remains
no room for these lesser cravings.

In this moment I might choose
to indulge a fleeting hunger,
or I might choose to love you more.

Faced with this temptation,
I would rather choose you, Jesus
but I am weak. So be my strength.
I am shadowed. Be my light.
I am selfish. Unmake me now.
and refashion my desires
according to the better designs of your love.

A Liturgy Before Giving II

… an excerpt

Ah Lord, let that best love
which shapes my life
be evident even in my accountings.

Let that which I most treasure
be revealed in long columns
of expenditures

that month to month and
year to year accrue like the clues
of a treasure map, revealing
where my heart and my hope are hidden.

Let me give – neither as begrudging
duty nor from some blasphemous belief
that you might be manipulated – but let
me give in sincerity and cheerfulness,
as a means of making evident the infinite
implications of the gospel. Let me give
to that which moves your heart. Let me give
to give food to the hungry,
water to the thirsty,
shelter to the homeless,
relief to the refugee,
aid to the orphan,
freedom to the captive,
justice to the oppressed,
mercy to the broken,
good news to the poor,
healing to the sick,
comfort to the distressed,
consolation to the lonely,
sight to the blind,
hope to the hopeless,
peace to the war-weary,
reconciliation to those in conflict,
and the liberating story of your love
to those who hunger for it.

Ah Lord, let that best love
which shapes my life
be evident in this and in all my
small acts of giving.

Amen.

This week’s worship.

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      New Coed Small Group (Preview Night 10/13)

      Katie and Scott Anderson are starting up a new small group! Details are still forming, but if you would like to be part of the decision making process for days/times/topics, join Katie and Scott for a casual get together on Sunday, October 13 at 7:30 to hang out, eat pizza and come up with a plan. [CLICK HERE for more information.]

      S.O.S. Serve Our School Sunday! 10/27

      Join us after worship on Sunday, October 27, for lunch followed by a chance to love and serve our Athens Drive High School Community led by our Children’s Ministry. The plan includes planting flowers, making goody bags for the teachers, and picking up trash around the campus. This is great opportunity for families to serve together!

      Meals for the McGowan Family

      Please keep Jaycee and Rusty McGowan in your thoughts and prayers. Jaycee’s daughter, Brianna, lost her battle with cancer this past Tuesday. Jaycee and Rusty have been SO grateful and overwhelmed with the meal support that has come their way. It has been their saving grace. They have asked if we, their church family, could provide meals for just a bit longer. If you are able to help, sign up here at foodtidings.com.

      Last Week’s Newsletter

      In case you missed it, here’s a link to last week’s newsletter … complete with all the latest news and updates. [Read now]

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