And the bulletin for January 29

Fourth Sunday of Epiphany

January 29, 2017                   Service of The Word

                                    GUIDE TO WORSHIP

Prelude		Ringing the Bell
Blessed be God,		Both now and forever
Announcements
Confession & Forgiveness *		Pg. 211`
Gathering Hymn *		#717  Let Justice Flow like Streams
The Apostolic Greeting		Pg. 213     (Service of the Word)
Kyrie *		Pg. 213
Hymn of Praise *		Pg. 213ff
Prayer of the Day *		Celebrate Pg. 1 -  Pray together
First Reading		Micah 6:1-8                (Celebrate Pg. 1)
Responsorial		Psalm 15   (Spoken)    (Celebrate Pg. 2)
Second Reading		1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (Celebrate Pg. 3)
Gospel Acclamation *		Pg. 216  “Alleluia”
HOLY GOSPEL *		Matthew 5:1-12           (Celebrate Pg.3)
Sermon
Hymn of the Day *		#728   Blest Are They
The Apostles’ Creed *		Pg.217
Prayers of Intercession *		(Celebrate  Pg. 4)
The Sharing of the Peace *
Presentation of  the Offering *		#509   God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage
Canticle of Thanksgiving *		Pg. 219
Thanksgiving for the Word *		Pg. 220
The Lord’s Prayer *		Pg. 221     {prayed together}
Benediction & Sending *		Pg. 221
Closing Hymn *		#551       The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve
Dismissal *		Pg. 222 (Rsp:“Thanks be to God”)
Postlude

* = congregation stands (as able)

St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

448 Talbot Street West,  Aylmer, Ontario  N5H 1L1

P & F:  519-773-2175     E-mail:  info@stjohnsaylmer.ca

Rev. John Goldsworthy  519 -207-2224

E-mail:  Jgoldsw00@aol.com

Organist:  Karin Barrie

  

Matthew`s version of Jesus` sermon (on the Mount) declares a large number of people to be ``blessed``, many of whom are not considered `blessed` by most of the world – the poor, the meek, the mourning, the peacemakers.  Once again, Jesus shows us that God`s ways are not our ways.  He also shows us how to `walk humbly with our God` as the prophet Micah said… and even this might not be what we expect.

  

Welcome!

Everyone is invited to stay for fellowship after the service.

We pray today for all the sick in our congregation, especially Colin & Elfriede Hayes, Else Kalmbach and her son, Nancy Mayberry, Hilda Moritz, George & Astrid Simonis and John Weninger.  May God grant all of them His healing grace in Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Our deepest sympathies go out to the Mike Ungar and family.  Helga Ungar passed away on January 21, 2017.  Even in their sorrow, may they know the comfort of the Lord's Resurrection and the church's prayers.

Offering Envelopes - Everyone has unnumbered envelopes, so please remember to put your name, date and donation amount on the front of each envelope so you get credit for your donations.  If you need more envelopes, there are some in the Fellowship Hall. 

PAR – Pre-Authorized Remittance – Your church needs you!  Signing up for PAR allows you to make donations on a monthly basis even if you’re not in church.  Application forms are available on the table in the Fellowship Hall.  All you have to do is complete the form, attach a VOID cheque and put it in the offering plate or in the church office.

Communion Cards are required to be completed once per year per person.  If you have not completed one yet this year, please ask the usher for one.

Corner Cupboard

The Corner Cupboard is always in need.  Please help by bringing in non-perishable goods and placing them in the box outside the Sacristy.  Monetary donations are also accepted.

Annual Report Submissions – submit to Trudy ASAP

LCW Meeting – Tuesday, February 7 @ 2:00 p.m.

Church Council Meeting – Wednesday, February 22 @ 7:00 p.m.

Annual Meeting – Sunday, February 26 @ 1:00 p.m.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake & Sausage Supper

Tuesday, February 28 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm

A free will offering will be taken!  Volunteers are needed to help set up, cook and clean up.  If you are able to help, please speak with Pastor John.

Ash Wednesday Service

Wednesday, March 1 @ 7:30 p.m. at St. John’s.  This is a joint service between St. John’s and Trinity Anglican.

World Day of Prayer – Friday, March 3 @ 7:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Sorrow’s Catholic Church. 

Annual Church Supper – Sunday, April 9 @ 5:00 p.m.

Volunteers are needed for selling tickets, cooking, serving, making fruit flans, setting tables, cleaning up.  Mark your calendar and plan to attend and help.  Tickets are available at The Flower Fountain, Campbell’s, Kebbel’s Funeral Home @ 519-773-8400 and Frieda Neukamm @ 519-773-8895.  Get your tickets early before they’re sold out!  For more information, contact Karin Barrie.

Maundy Thursday – Thursday, April 13

Good Friday – Friday, April 14

Easter Vigil – Saturday, April 15

Easter Sunday – Sunday, April 16

The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany ---- 29 January 2017

Matthew 5:1-12

1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 

Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying… "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

·        Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is an outline of what a disciple is. Matthew’s Gospel centers a lot on discipleship, who the disciples are and what makes them a disciple.

·        What we call the Beatitudes is a list of people Jesus calls blessed. The odd part is that this is not the list of people we would call blessed.

·        The poor, the mourners, the meek, those hungry for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, the persecuted… not people on the top of the world. Actually these people are usually someone’s target.

·        Have you heard these phrases?

o   The poor are lazy.

o   Mourners should just get over it.

o   The meek should stand up for themselves!

o   Righteousness is too much work.

o   Mercy invites abuse.

o   The pure are just hiding something.

o   Peacemakers are always caught in a cross-fire.

o   Persecution is deserved (by them, but not by me.)

·        I’d like to look at one of these statements, one that is often misunderstood - "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

·        We see meekness as a vice, as in someone who won’t stand up for themselves. Our culture celebrates those who go out and get what they want, who strive to achieve their goals, despite difficulties and opposition. Sad to say, this often includes the desire to succeed at any cost, including damaging relationships and destroying others.

·        In the Scriptures, “meekness” is often translated as “gentleness”, as in “Blessed are the gentle.” In this case, as in many other cases, a single word can have a number of meanings or a great depth in meaning. Here meekness can also mean “restrained” as in how a running horse is reined in. Applied to a person, it can mean a person is able to do a thing, but chooses not to. It becomes a conscious decision, a way of acting that can eventually become a habit. A person who will not take advantage of another’s misfortune or a person who is, by nature or by habit, unwilling to damage another could be called “meek.” They are not weak; Quite the opposite, they have taken a different path. Meekness is power under constraint.

·        Naturally this leads to misunderstanding. People who are called “meek” are seen as ineffectual, powerless, and weak… especially in today’s political climate. Meek people squeak like mice while the powerful roar like lions. It is strength displayed that is respected.

·        Meekness is a different sort of strength, one that is applied to the self. The way the word is used in Matthew’s Gospel can also imply the virtue of humility. Humility is something the Christian writer, C.S. Lewis wrote about in these words: “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”

·        We’ve looked at one example today. All of the “blesseds” found in the Beatitudes are virtues that may be found to some degree in the life of a disciple. It isn’t a check-list or a magic formula, but it is essentially a notice that all things that were thought to be holy and best have been turned on their heads.

·        We don’t always think about it but Jesus’ message – the Good News – is a revolutionary message. If we look at it that way, we see that what was considered un-Godly is seen as holy and blessed.

·        The poor. who were seen as cursed by God, are now the first addressed as blessed. Mourning, a situation all humans have in common, is not declared good, but those who mourn are told that comfort will be theirs. The humble will receive what the proud have claimed as their own for so long. Those who see what is wrong with the world and who hope and work for better will find themselves satisfied. The merciful and the pure of heart will find God’s grace poured out on them. Those who work for peace and those who find themselves in suffering for the Kingdom will receive it.

·        The world will be turned upside-down and the unexpected will be raised up.

·        No sign of this reversal is greater than the sign of the Cross in which death leads to life and evil in the world is laid bare for all to see… if they have eyes to see,

·        Do the Beatitudes of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount fit us? They might. As an example, they remind us and proclaim to us that being poor is no sin and being humble has a definite reward, even that reward is true self-knowledge.

·        So then, do we fit the Beatitudes? As a way of being a disciple, fitting our lives to the blessings found in this passage makes sense. Such a life is also a gift of grace… and as we’ve heard many times, it is the grace of God that has the last word.
Remember the words of the prophet Micah: He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying… "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

and the bulletin for January 22

(Somehow the announcements have been misplaced. My apologies.)

The Third Sunday after Epiphany January 22, 2017                   Service of the Word

 

GUIDE TO WORSHIP

Prelude		Ringing the Bell
Our help is in the name of the Lord,		Who made heaven and earth
Announcements
Confession & Forgiveness *		Pg. 211`
Gathering Hymn *		#511  Thy Strong Word
The Apostolic Greeting		Pg. 213     (Service of the Word)
Kyrie *		Pg. 213
Hymn of Praise *		Pg. 213ff
Prayer of the Day *		Celebrate Pg. 1 -  Pray together
First Reading		Isaiah 9:1-4                (Celebrate Pg. 1)
Responsorial		Psalm 27:1, 4-9         (Spoken)             (Celebrate Pg. 2)
Second Reading		1 Corinthians 1:10-18                                    (Celebrate Pg. 3)
Gospel Acclamation *		Pg. 216  “Alleluia”
HOLY GOSPEL *		Matthew 4:12-23        (Celebrate Pg.3)
Sermon
Hymn of the Day *		#798   Will You Come and Follow Me
The Apostles’ Creed *		Pg.217
Prayers of Intercession *		(Celebrate  Pg. 4)
The Sharing of the Peace *
Presentation of  the Offering *		#509   God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage
Canticle of Thanksgiving *		Pg. 219
Thanksgiving for the Word *		Pg. 220
The Lord’s Prayer *		Pg. 221     {prayed together}
Benediction & Sending *		Pg. 221
Closing Hymn *		#815  I Want to Walk           as a Child of the Light
Dismissal *		Pg. 222 (Rsp:“Thanks be to God”)
Postlude

  

The beginning of Jesus’ ministry appears to be a sudden thing in today’s Gospel reading. Whether or not it took place just that quickly is not really important. The impact his preaching and his person had on people – like Peter, Andrew, James, and John – cannot be denied. His preaching of the Kingdom of God and his healing of the sick remind us that his message is for all people and for the entire person as well.