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Grace UM Church Staff Members
Pastor: Rev. Nelson T. Thayer
Director of Lay Ministries: Barb Dittman
Secretary: Brittany Adams
Finance Secretary: Eva Palmer
Custodian: Bill Lamberton
Organist: Joseph Emanuele |
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Sunday School for Adults: New Space
You are invited to the 9:00 Adult Sunday School Class which will now meet in a more convenient space: the former Kindergarten room in the hallway off the sanctuary and just beyond the “Pastor’s Office.”
Looking Ahead
Sunday August 18
10:00 am
Morning Worship
Monday, August 19
10 am – 3 pm
Quilters at the Church (call Cindy Fultz, 814-673-5058 to confirm the meeting times).
6-8 pm
HOPE 21 Boutique open
Tuesday, August 20
2:00-3:30 pm
GUMC-sponsored party at Towne Towers
3:00 pm
Trustees meeting at the church
Wednesday Aug 21
4:30-7:00 pm
T.O.P.S. meets in church basement
Thursday August 22
11 am – 1 pm
HOPE 21 Boutique open
Sunday August 25
10 am
Morning Worship
ATTENTION: Adult Sunday School on summer break.
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PREPARING FOR SUNDAY’S MESSAGE
Worship in person or online!
“Fear of the LORD” – August 18
Ordinary Time
This week’s Sunday worship will begin at 10:00 am (summer hours)
Preaching Text: 1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14 NRSV (UE)
9 Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people,
able to discern between good and evil, for who can govern this great people of yours?”
The verse printed above – 1 Kings 3:9 ‒ is spoken by King David’s heir, Solomon, sometime after he assumed the throne of Israel after his father’s death. There is evidence in 1 Kings 2 to suggest that Solomon’s “prayer” takes place more than three years after his ascension (see 1 Kings 2: 39). In any case, Solomon needs to “take care of some business” before he can assume the throne ‒ like slaying Joab the General of Israel’s army and Adonijah (the fourth son of David) who went to war for the throne after David’s death. Solomon was not “free” to seek wisdom to govern Israel until after he had taken care of his enemies and rivals.
Along with the question of timing, the location of Solomon’s “prayer” is also a bit troublesome. 1 Kings 3:1-2 (which is omitted from the Lectionary reading for this Sunday) tells about the idolatrous practice of the Israelites, who were going to “the high places” to sacrifice, because the Tempe of Yahweh had not yet been built at Jerusalem. These “high places” were notorious in Solomon’s time as sites where the worship of pagan gods (like the Baals) took place. So, it is unclear whether the Israelites were traveling there to worship Yahweh (because this is “where you went” to make sacrifices) or because they were going to worship pagan gods – or both.
Verse 3 tells us that Solomon “loved the LORD”… “except that he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places.” Solomon – like much of the rest of Israel – seems to be conflicted about which God (or gods) he intends to serve. It’s in that context – at Gibeon, one of the famous “high places” – that Solomon has his “dream.”
In the dream, the LORD (Adonai) asks Solomon what he really wants. And Solomon – to his credit – answers (verse 9, above), “I want understanding – the ability to know what is right – so I can govern Your [hard-to-govern] people.” Second Chronicles 1:10 is a parallel passage to this one from 1 Kings. In 2 Chronicles, Solomon is quoted as asking for “wisdom and knowledge.” This request for “wisdom” is the prayer that usually gets attributed to Solomon (instead of 1 Kings, which has him ask for the ability to govern well).
In fact, Solomon’s reign will forever be known as an age where the pursuit of “wisdom” rose to the fore in Israel. By establishing a firm monarchy, David had slain the foreign enemies that threatened Israel’s security and put an end to the irregular governance by the Judges. Solomon had quashed the last remnants of dynastic uncertainty and was eagerly interacting with the neighboring powers (i.e., 1 Kings 3:1). The time was ripe for developing a uniquely Jewish understanding of life – based on an unquestioned allegiance to God and God’s creation. That unique understanding is what the Bible calls “wisdom.” It’s that wisdom that the disciples of Jesus still seek today.
catechizingly,
Nelson |
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Happy Birthday & Anniversary to our Grace Family this week! Although some of these members may have been absent from our lives for a while, let us take a moment to stop and remember them in prayer on their special day.
August 18
Cindy Fultz
August 19
Wil Heffernan
Ray/Cindy Cornelius
August 20
Bonnie Bish
Missy Lloyd
Paul Siler
Alex Womer
August 23
Rina Anderson
Eugene Flockerzi
August 24
Luke Carothers
Randy/Tina Boyd
Jon/Sharon Sterling
August 25
Vicki McDonald
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PASTOR’S PONDERINGS
Today is not just the present moment. We live in an ocean of past events that have impacted the present in ways we both remember and never knew. Most of us understand this. But what we often ignore is the fact that the future permeates our present every bit as much as does the past.
Celebrating communion on Sunday, I spoke briefly about the “in remembrance” phrase that is part of Jesus’ address to His disciples in the upper room. He says, “Eat this in remembrance of Me”… “Drink this in remembrance of Me.” Technically, the Greek word for this “remembering” is anamnesis and it refers to a past action becoming “real” in the present moment. In our celebration of The LORD’s Supper, this means that for us, by faith, the events of 2,000 years ago are as real and impactful as if they were/are occurring right now. We aren’t just “remembering” something that happened a long time ago – we are experiencing that ancient event in the present moment.
As the great American writer, William Faulkner wrote: “The past is never dead. It’s not even past. All of us labor in webs spun long before we were born, webs of heredity and environment, of desire and consequence, of history and eternity.” ― Requiem for a Nun
But the present is also “drawn forward” unavoidably by the future. A toddler struggles to take the next step. A parent longs for the day their toddler will go to preschool (and give them a break!). The preschooler yearns for getting into the “real school” of first grade – and before long turns into a teenager that can’t wait to get out of school and into “real life.” And so on, and so on, et cetera. For the rest of our lives, we dream of the next exciting and challenging thing that will give us reason to “press on toward the goal.”
Human beings are always dreaming and planning (and scheming) for the next best thing. The future is pulling on our present – shaping us by our dreams.
The same can be said for congregations. The past has shaped us and made us who we are. We need to know our past to understand where we are right now. But the past is by no means the only force that is working upon us. Equally important is the tug of possibility – the dream that we can fulfil a purpose for the Kingdom of God that will give our life as a church meaning and value.
Sometime in mid-September I plan to organize a gathering after worship (a potluck?) to discuss together our dream for Grace UMC: Oil City. I am calling a meeting that we’ll call a “Congregational Conversation” for Sunday, September 15. Please plan to attend – and bring your ideas/ dreams/ visions of the future you see for Grace United Methodist Church.
‒ Nelson |
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Barbara Dittman, Director of Lay Ministries
Contact BarB at Grace UM
814-677-3013 Ext. 104
Office hours: Tues., Wed., Thurs. - 9:00 - 1:00 |
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BarB's Blurbs!
Celebrations and Get-togethers - Another get-together is being planned with our friends at Towne Towers! The date is this Tuesday, August 20th from 2:00-3:30! We are going to celebrate the end of summer! The theme is "At the Beach!" Please wear your best Hawaiian clothing or crazy colored shirts! There is a signup sheet on the table at the back of the sanctuary! If you could bring a dozen cookies, that would be great! Also if anyone has a Beach Boys tape that we could use, that would be wonderful! Please come and join the celebration!
People are needed to provide special music for the church services! If you enjoy singing and/or playing an instrument and would be willing to share your talent, please contact me at the church! I would like to have a group of singers do a hymn the 3rd Sunday of each month, starting in September! It would be so nice to have the bell ringers do a song during the service every other month! And you singers who sing solos, or you instrumentalists, we could use your talent, too! Thank you!
Secret Prayer Partner Ministry - There will be a meeting after church today, August 18th for all interested people who want to participate in this group! A form will be given to you to complete which includes name, address, birthdate, anniversary date, and some of your interests! On September 8th, the forms will be collected and on September 15th, after church, the names in envelopes will be exchanged among the participants! Hope to see many of you join in this wonderful ministry! If you have any questions please call me!
More ideas and plans are in the works for August and September, which may include a trip to Wesbury, an ice cream social, a kick- off to Fall, just to name a few activities! If you have any other events you would like to have planned, please let me know! Keep your eyes and ears open!
School will be starting soon! We need to pray for all the students- in Preschool, Elementary or High School, college, and homeschoolers! Always remember to ask God to help the teachers and the parents who are homeschooling their children, Education is an everyday experience! Help each one of us to learn what God is teaching us to be better disciples for Him!
Love, hugs, & prayers to all! BarB
May the Grace and Peace of our Great Teacher be with you all!
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HOPE 21: “A clothing boutique ministry”
Operating Day: Mondays 6:00pm-8:00pm
Thursdays 11:00am-1:00pm
*Please save your old plastic grocery bags and bring them in to the church to be used for bagging clothing.
Still accepting donations of clothing and accessories such as shoes, boots, scarves, hats, belts, gloves, coats, professional clothing, dance wear, uniforms, socks, jewelry,
and school/work bags. |
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Quilting and Fellowship
The Merry Quilters put a beautiful new “old” quilt in the frame on Monday. This appliqué dogwood quilt top was from the 1950’s and was restored and completed recently by Sue Downing. Quilters welcome! Quilters work on many Mondays and other days by chance. Call Cindy Fultz 814-673-5058 to confirm quilting dates and times.
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A Quarter for your Meter
Your thoughts may be worth only a penny, but your presence at the church during weekdays is worth much more. Oil City has metered the parking lot behind the church. Plus, they issue tickets for parking violations.
Here is the church offer. On the secretary’s desk is a small bowl with change for the meter. If short of change, step in, grab a coin, and help the Oil City Parking Authority a dime or quarter at a time, rather than $5.00 as a first-time violator (who was caught). You are loved and worth every penny, dime or quarter. |
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Prayers of Joy and Concern
Health concerns:
Rev. Joe Martin
Jeremiah Grams
Amy, Judy Hards’ sister
Matt Henderson
Jan Angrove
Josh Keebler
Blaine Beers
Bette Magness
Tom Boocks, Gale Boocks' cousin
David Miller
Jason Cox
Deb Rae Miller
Anita Eberle
Josie McMullen
Don and Sherry Emick
Cork and Carol Nelms
Carson Fennick
Chip & Peggy Nunemaker
Rev. Mark and Vickie Fisher
Bonnie Rihel, Marcia Campbell’s sister
Kathy Flockerzi
Kate Shaffer
Sandra Gagolloti and her sister, Laurie
Gracie Singleton
Sandra Gagolloti’s pregnant niece
Ginny Taylor
Marcia Hannan, sister of Rita Hale
Jim Whaley
Lily Williams
Grieving:
Other:
Adrianna – HS student at crossroads.
Praise/Announcements of JOY:
Andy, Judy Hards’ nephew is cancer free.
Ministries:
The ministry of Grace Church in our community and around the world.
Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi and incoming Bishop Sandra Steiner-Ball
District Superintendent Rev. Deborah Ackley-Killian |
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