Tuesday, August 11, 2009

OUR WEEK—AUGUST 16TH - 22ND

R • E • M • I • N • D • E • R • S ~
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12TH —
Prayer Breakfast at Happy Chef at 7 A.M.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 13TH —
IOWA STATE FAIR BEGINS
FREE ADMISSION BETWEEN 5 AND 7 A.M.
WITH TWO CANNED FOOD ITEMS OR $2

FOR THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA.

THE STATE FAIR RUNS FROM AUGUST 13
TO AUGUST 23
SEE YOU AT THE FAIR.
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SUNDAY, AUGUST 16, 2009
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
COLOR: GREEN
This Sunday we have a Sacrament of
Baptism to be
performed at Casey U.M.C.
Our Scripture Readings are:
1 KINGS 2:10-12; 3:3-14
Concerning the David-Solomon saga,
our reading from I Kings shows us
the difference between "image" and
"reality." The text presents an image
of "ALL IS WELL." But the verses
NOT included today present an entirely
different picture; one of threat, upheaval,
moral and religious ambiguity, corruption
and a state-sponsored assassination as
the primary means of dealing with it all.
The lie promoted by "SPIN DOCTORS" is
to assume that any public figure can or
should be covered or veneered in the most
attractive personal and public package
possible. The truth is that our positive
"public image" and the often very chaotic
personal relationships "behind the scenes"
are both real, and inescapable parts of who
we really are.

We experience triumph one moment and
defeat the next. We behave gallantly and
respectfully at once, and abominably &
despicably later. We may help others,
but have very selfish motives.
Solomon succeeds his father David as King
and follows David's advice.Secure power by
isolating or ordering the death of our most
powerful adversaries. Many years later, he
has a dream in which he asks the Lord for
perception in the absence of judgment to
govern. God promises wisdom beyond that
of any before or since.

1 KINGS 2:10-12; 3:3-14
New Living Translation (NLT)
10 Then David died and was buried with his
ancestors in the City of David.

11 David had reigned over Israel for forty
years, seven of them in Hebron and thirty-three
in Jerusalem.

12 Solomon became king and sat on the throne
of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly
established.

1 KINGS 2:3:3-14
3 Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the
decrees of his father, David, except Solomon,
too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at
the local places of worship.
4 The most important of these places of worship
was at Gibeon, so the king went there and
sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings.
5 That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in
a dream, and God said, “What do you want?
Ask, and I will give it to you!
6 Solomon replied, “You showed faithful love
to your servant my father, David, because
he was honest and true and faithful to you.
And you have continued your faithful love to
him today by giving him a son to sit on his
throne.

7 “Now, O Lord my God, you have made me
king instead of my father, David, but I am like
a little child who doesn’t know his way around.
8 And here I am in the midst of your own
chosen people, a nation so great and
numerous they cannot be counted!
9 Give me an understanding heart so that I
can govern your people well and know the
difference between right and wrong. For
who by himself is able to govern this great
people of yours?”

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had
asked for wisdom.

11 So God replied, “Because you have asked
for wisdom in governing my people with justice
and have not asked for a long life or wealth
or the death of your enemies—

12 I will give you what you asked for! I will give
you a wise and understanding heart such as
no one else has had or ever will have!

13 And I will also give you what you did not ask
for—riches and fame! No other king in all the
world will compare to you for the rest of your life!
14 And if you follow me and obey my decrees
and my commands as your father, David, did,
I will give you a long life.”

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PSALM 111 (UMH 832)
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
A psalm of praise in a time of national and
religious stability and prosperity.
The last verse is the reason this psalm was
chosen as a response to the first reading.

1 Praise the Lord. I will praise the Lord with all
my heart.
I will praise him where honest
people gather for worship.

2 The Lord has done great things. All who take
delight in what he has done will spend time
thinking about it.
3 What he does shows his glory and majesty.
He will always do what is right.

4 The Lord causes his miracles to be recalled.
He is kind and tender.
5 He provides food for those who respect him.

He remembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people what his power
can do.
He has given them the lands of
other nations.

7 He is faithful and right in everything he does.

All his rules can be trusted.
8 They will stand firm for ever and ever.
They
were given by the Lord.
He is faithful
and honest.

9 He set his people free.
He made a covenant
with them that will last forever.
His name is holy
and wonderful.

10 If you really want to become wise,
you must
begin by having respect for the Lord.
All those
who follow his rules have good understanding.

People should praise him forever.
C
EPHESIANS 5:15-20; New Living Translation (NLT)
The church is advised to be clear minded and
grounded in the Holy Spirit and commends the
singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.


LIVING BY THE SPIRIT'S POWER
15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools,
but like people who are wise.
16 Make the most of every moment in these evil days.
17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the
Lord wants you to do.
18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin
your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,
19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs
among yourselves, and making music to the Lord
in your hearts.
20 Give thanks for everything to God the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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JOHN 6:51-58
Contemporary English Version (CEV) The
language of eating the flesh and drinking
the
blood of Christ is graphic and specific.

We hear the most explicit references to
Holy
Communion as sharing in the body and

blood of Christ.
This bread is Christ's human nature, which
he took to give to the Father, as a sacrifice
for the sins of the world.
51 I am that bread from heaven! Everyone who
eats it will live forever. My flesh is the life-giving
bread that I give to the people of this world.
52 They started arguing with each other and
asked, "How can he give us his flesh to eat?"
53 Jesus answered:
I tell you for certain that you won't live unless
you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the
Son of Man.
54 But if you do eat my flesh and drink my
blood, you will have eternal life, and I will
raise you to life on the last day.
55 My flesh is the true food, and my blood
is the true drink.
56 If you eat my flesh and drink my blood,
you are one with me, and I am one with you.

57 The living Father sent me, and I have life
because of him. Now everyone who eats
my flesh will live because of me.
58 The bread that comes down from heaven
isn't like what your ancestors ate. They died,
but whoever eats this bread will live forever.
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MONDAY, AUGUST 17TH —
Office is Closed.
This is Naomi's day off.
Pastor Lynn is on vacation. She will return
August 31st.
• If there is an emergency in Adair U.M.C.,
call Dean Heckman - 641-742-3396
• For an emergency in Casey U.M.C., call
Bill Elgin - 641-746-2634
THANK YOU GUYS for being On Call during
this time.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20TH —
Deborah/Mary Circle will meet at 2 P.M.
in Casey U.M.C.
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SATURDAY, AUGUST 22ND — ANGEL FOOD DISTRIBUTION
11 A.M. TO NOON IN CASEY U.M.C.
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FUTURE FOCUS —
SUNDAY, AUGUST 23RD —
Our lay leader for that day will be Tom Cline.
He is going to enlighten us on the programs and
services provided by Bethel Mission in Des Moines
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IN SEPTEMBER —
There will be a "NEW MEMBER" Class. Date and
time will be posted when we discover the best
time for everyone involved.
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Thank you for the major contributions of your
assets -
(including Monetary, Muscular and
Moments.) Does
anyone else think the summer
hurtled wildly by?
See you on the 31st.

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Lynn