Please note: The Church Office Will be Closed Monday, February 17th in observance of Presidents Day
Sunday, February 16
8:30am Informal Worship in Epworth Lounge
9:30am Contemporary Worship in the Sanctuary
11:00am Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary
Sunday's Scripture:
Matthew 5:21 “You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not murder;’[a] and ‘Whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause [b] will be in danger of the judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’[c] will be in danger of the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna. [d]
23 “If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him on the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison. 26 Most certainly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there, until you have paid the last penny.[e]
27 “You have heard that it was said,[f] ‘You shall not commit adultery;’[g] 28 but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.[h] 30 If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.[i]
31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,’[j] 32 but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery.
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,’ 34 but I tell you, don’t swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; 35 nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can’t make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 5:21 Exodus 20:13
b. Matthew 5:22 NU omits “without a cause”.
c. Matthew 5:22 “Raca” is an Aramaic insult, related to the word for “empty” and conveying the idea of empty-headedness.
d. Matthew 5:22 or, Hell
e. Matthew 5:26 literally, kodrantes. A kodrantes was a small copper coin worth about 2 lepta (widow’s mites)—not enough to buy very much of anything.
f. Matthew 5:27 TR adds “to the ancients”.
g. Matthew 5:27 Exodus 20:14
h. Matthew 5:29 or, Hell
i. Matthew 5:30 or, Hell
j. Matthew 5:31 Deuteronomy 24:1
-------
John Wesley's Notes/Commentary for Matthew 5:21-37
Verse 21. Ye have heard - From the scribes reciting the law; Thou shalt do no murder - And they interpreted this, as all the other commandments, barely of the outward act. The judgement - The Jews had in every city a court of twenty-three men, who could sentence a criminal to be strangled. But the sanhedrim only (the great council which sat at Jerusalem, consisting of seventy-two men, ) could sentence to the more terrible death of stoning. That was called the judgment, this the council. Exod. xx, 13.
Verse 22. But I say unto you - Which of the prophets ever spake thus? Their language is, Thus saith the Lord. Who hath authority to use this language, but the one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Whosoever is angry with his brother - Some copies add, without a cause - But this is utterly foreign to the whole scope and tenor of our Lord's discourse. If he had only forbidden the being angry without a cause, there was no manner of need of that solemn declaration, I say unto you; for the scribes and Pharisees themselves said as much as this. Even they taught, men ought not to be angry without a cause. So that this righteousness does not exceed theirs. But Christ teaches, that we ought not, for any cause, to be so angry as to call any man Raca, or fool. We ought not, for any cause, to be angry at the person of the sinner, but at his sins only. Happy world, were this plain and necessary distinction thoroughly understood, remembered, practiced! Raca means, a silly man, a trifler. Whosoever shall say, Thou fool - Shall revile, or seriously reproach any man. Our Lord specified three degrees of murder, each liable to a sorer punishment than the other: not indeed from men, but from God. Hell fire - In the valley of Hinnom (whence the word in the original is taken) the children were used to be burnt alive to Moloch. It was afterward made a receptacle for the filth of the city, where continual fires were kept to consume it. And it is probable, if any criminals were burnt alive, it was in this accursed and horrible place. Therefore both as to its former and latter state, it was a fit emblem of hell. It must here signify a degree of future punishment, as much more dreadful than those incurred in the two former cases, as burning alive is more dreadful than either strangling or stoning.
Verse 23. Thy brother hath aught against thee - On any of the preceding accounts: for any unkind thought or word: any that did not spring from love.
Verse 24. Leaving thy gift, go - For neither thy gift nor thy prayer will atone for thy want of love: but this will make them both an abomination before God.
Verse 25. Agree with thine adversary - With any against whom thou hast thus offended: while thou art in the way - Instantly, on the spot; before you part. Lest the adversary deliver thee to the judge - Lest he commit his cause to God. Luke xii, 58.
Verse 26. Till thou hast paid the last farthing - That is, for ever, since thou canst never do this. What has been hitherto said refers to meekness: what follows, to purity of heart.
Verse 27. Thou shalt not commit adultery - And this, as well as the sixth commandment, the scribes and Pharisees interpreted barely of the outward act. Exod. xx, 14.
29, 30. If a person as dear as a right eye, or as useful as a right hand, cause thee thus to offend, though but in heart. Perhaps here may be an instance of a kind of transposition which is frequently found in the sacred writings: so that the 29th verse may refer to 27, 28; and the 30th to ver. 21, 22. As if he had said, Part with any thing, however dear to you, or otherwise useful, if you cannot avoid sin while you keep it. Even cut off your right hand, if you are of so passionate a temper, that you cannot otherwise be restrained from hurting your brother. Pull out your eyes, if you can no otherwise be restrained from lusting after women. Chap. xviii, 8; Mark ix, 43.
Verse 31. Let him give her a writing of divorce - Which the scribes and Pharisees allowed men to do on any trifling occasion. Deut. xxiv, 1; Matt. xix, 7; Mark x, 2; Luke xvi, 18.
Verse 32. Causeth her to commit adultery - If she marry again.
Verse 33. Our Lord here refers to the promise made to the pure in heart of seeing God in all things, and points out a false doctrine of the scribes, which arose from their not thus seeing God. What he forbids is, the swearing at all, 1, by any creature, 2, in our ordinary conversation: both of which the scribes and Pharisees taught to be perfectly innocent. Exod. xx, 7.
Verse 36. For thou canst not make one hair white or black - Whereby it appears, that this also is not thine but God's.
Verse 37. Let your conversation be yea, yea; nay, nay - That is, in your common discourse, barely affirm or deny.
-------
In This Issue:
Sermon on the Mount in Feb.
eScrip
Rummage sale
From the Lay Leader
Lay Looker
Disciple Spotlight
Prayer Quilting
Like us on Facebook
This Week at Church...
www.beachfaith.org
Like us on Facebook
Adult Bible Study
You are welcome to join our regular Thursday Bible Study with Pastor Molly, each week at 11:00am in May Day Parlor.
A Church That Responds to the Needs of the Community
Shared Bread
Every Wednesday, with help from neighbor congregations and many volunteers, we host Shared Bread, a free meal for the community.
(Click the logo for more information.)
escrip
Groceries = $$$ for Church
Looking for an easy way to support our church? Now you can do your grocery shopping and the store will give a percentage back to FUMCRB! Click the image on the left to learn how you can sign up for this easy giving program. Our Stewardship Team can answer any questions!
WANT TO STAY CURRENT ON ANNUAL CONFERENCE NEWS?
CLICK THE IMAGE ON THE RIGHT TO LINK TO THE CAL-PAC WEBSITE.
______________________________
You may also visit the new website for the entire denomination of United Methodist Church here.
Our February Church Council meeting will be Thursday, February 13 at 7pm in May Day Parlor.
"Salvation Mountain" by Leonard Knight
"God Is Love"
Valentine's Day can come with whole lot of things: the joy of giving gifts to a beloved, the sadness of being alone, an occasion to receive signs of deep love, a debilitating and confining sense of obligation and unrealistic expectation. It's all true.Knowing all that, I add one more: it's an occasion to lift our vision toward the love that is at the center of everything. The divine love of God--the love that IS God's very being--is worth celebrating. We followers of Christ have such a beautiful message to proclaim: God is love. (The letter of 1 John 4 proclaims it clearly.) What a beautiful affirmation.
Perhaps you've seen the hillside near the Salton Sea where a man named Leonard Knight had painted and repainted those words for over 30 years. (His work made news again this week, as he passed from this life on Monday.) I find his life's work so compelling--it's like he couldn't add enough adobe or paint to adequately express the magnitude of this good news.
God's love is also what drives our Shared Bread meal every Wednesday night, it's what motivates our prayer quilt makers and rummage sale volunteers, our Sunday School teachers and nursery workers, the people who help neighbors and give homes to foster kids and work to end malaria worldwide. For all of that, I give thanks.
grace and peace,
Pastor Molly
Contact Info
Pastor Molly Vetter
PastorMolly@BeachFaith.com
(310)372-8445 x 102
Intergenerational Mardi Gras Party
Sunday, Feb 23 from 4-5:30, in Fellowship HallLearn the religious significance of this Lenten festival. Enjoy Pancakes, games, a cake-walk contest, crafts, fellowship and good jazz music!
There will also be a chance to sign up for our Lenten Small Groups- see you there!
Bake a Cake to Share in the Party!!!
Make your best dessert and submit for awards & fun!
Really, bring any dessert you like to make--cakes, cupcakes, pies, brownies, whatever. There will be prizes, like:
"Most Unique Cake," "Beautiful Design," "Fun, Fun Fun Cake," "Most Creative," "Kid's Choice," and "Worthy of a 'King Cake'"!
Cakes will be "won" during our Mardi Gras All-Church Family Party's "Cake Walk." (Everyone will be a WINNER)
Sign up with Katherine to RSVP your participation in the contest: Children@beachfaith.com
We need more rummage donations. Just bring your donations to church
during office hours,
Monday - Thursday,
9am-4pm.
AND...If you have a card table we can use during the sale, please bring it to church by the 23rd.
Looking for other ways to help?
AND...If you have a card table we can use during the sale, please bring it to church by the 23rd.
Looking for other ways to help?
Click here for a list of volunteer opportunities.
From our Lay Leader: Radical Hospitality
Laughing with Jesus
Have you ever practiced Radical Hospitality? What does it even mean? Well, last weekend, Nina Dooley and I had a chance to find out when we attended a day of UM ministry training at Holman UMC.Rev. Robert English, from Santa Monica, presented a workshop on Radical Hospitality. Radical Hospitality was not actually defined but I believe it is the practice of meeting Christ in another person. I think we do this by looking for our similarities instead of our differences and extending to them the same love and grace that God extends to us... Click here to continue
Through Pastor Molly’s guidance, we are learning more about Jesus’ words in His Sermon on the Mount. She’s warned that they give us “a whole lot to live up to as we seek to follow his ways.” There’s plenty for me to aspire to in “living up to” Jesus’ words. Yet, I’ve been thinking of another way to be like Jesus.
I read a book about the importance of laughter and it’s caused me to wonder how often Jesus laughed. Did he laugh at all? Did he chuckle? Did he laugh so hard that his eyes watered and his stomach hurt? Did he ever start laughing at something and couldn’t stop laughing? Did he tell jokes? Did he use humor in teachings we don’t know about? Rarely, have I seen a smiling Jesus in a portrait. I find this disappointing. I recall one smiling picture of Jesus and he was playing with children; but, almost everyone smiles when playing with children, right?!
I realize I want Jesus to have smiled with joy and laughed with exuberance. It’s part of being human. Jesus is God but he’s also human and I love that part of him. I connect to that part of him. I’ve found that as I think of a smiling and laughing Jesus, I find it easier to smile and laugh too.
Not only do I want to live up to the words of Jesus as Pastor Molly is encouraging us to do; I also want to live by sharing joy through smiles and laughter, as I believe Jesus once did. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Of course, please smile as you share…or, even better, laugh.
You can read even more of Johnna's thoughts on our website.
Lay Looker by Bob Peterson
"A Few Stories of Interest"
Read Bob Peterson's column here and on our website!
"The other day, while walking on Broadway in front of our church I took a closer look at the church granite cornerstone. It reads: First Methodist Episcopal Church (our denomination's former name) and on the side: Erected 1926. Now, for some reason I had always thought our present sanctuary was built in 1929. Perhaps my friendly church historian Paul Caldwell will clear this up for me. At any rate..."[Read the rest of the Lay Looker by clicking here!]
Sponsored by Children's & Families Ministries...
The other day, while walking on Broadway in front of our church I took a closer look at the church granite cornerstone. It reads: First Methodist Episcopal Church (our denomination’s former name) and on the side: Erected 1926. Now, for some reason I had always thought our present sanctuary was built in 1929. Perhaps my friendly church historian Paul Caldwell will clear this up for me. At any rate, you may see it for yourself by the South side of the North entrance steps to our church.
While mentioning Paul, I should say he has delved into some ancient records, even discovering a portion of a giving envelope dating back to 1928. He’s got a few stories of interest to relate if you can slow him down enough to get the facts.
Our next Men’s Breakfast may prove a bit interesting. The new owners of Billy’s Delicatessen have chosen to change their opening hours to 7:00 AM instead of 6:30. Also, waitress hours have been rescheduled so our long time regular waitress, Theresa will no longer be working Mondays, but exclusively Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. She invites us to drop in and continue the friendship some weekend. See you at Billy’s Monday morning, February 17th, a holiday
-------
Friday, February 28th!
Parents/ Caregivers: enjoy some quality time alone or with your spouse while we (your Sunday School staff) have a pizza party, play games and watch a movie with your kids! It's a "Win-Win"
Parent night out runs from 5:30pm-8:30pm and costs $20 per family.
Please RSVP by 12pm the day PRIOR to the event. children@beachfaith.com
Plan to join us for a special study during Lent
Lent Series 2014
Our study features weekly passages, and the art of John August Swanson. We will share in small group Bible studies, and provide a guide for daily devotions connected to the scripture and art. The 6-week small group study features a DVD with biblical scholars from Emory University. We are currently planning Bible Studies at the following times, and hope to add more options:
-Sundays, at 9:30 (along with Adult Sunday School class)
-Monday evenings from 5:30-7 (We will offer a children's art program during the same hours, as well as dinner for all ages)
-Thursdays from 11-12 (along with the Thursday Bible Study)
The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5, and ends on Easter, April 20. If you are interested in helping host a small group, please contact Pastor Molly.
Holy Conferencing: Homosexuality, Marriage Equality and our Christian Faith
I invite you to join me for a class and conversation about our faith and contemporary issues, as we share in holy conferencing about homosexuality and marriage equality on Sunday, March 9 from 3-5pm in Epworth Lounge. I will share some of the teaching of the church, and we will look into the Bible together, as we learn and pray together. I will share more about why I have come to advocate against our church's policies of exclusion and judgment, and there will be space for you to share your own beliefs and experiences, too.
"Holy Conferencing" is one of our distinctive Methodist traditions--John Wesley used the term "Christian Conferencing" to describe this means of grace in which followers of Christ meet to have real conversation with one another, in a prayerful context. My hope is that our time together will provide an opportunity for some teaching, and for some grace-filled conversation. I expect that we can do so with generous and open spirits.
We scheduled this conversation at the usual meeting time for our youth group, so that young people who wish to participate will be able to be a part of this intergenerational event.
In our church tradition, we invite all believers to work out their beliefs with thoughtfulness and discernment; I look forward to this occasion to spend time together as a community, seeking to better understand one another and God, at a time when the United Methodist Church, our regional church, the culture and our families are too often painfully divided in our beliefs and actions.
Thanks for considering joining us for this event. Peace, Pastor Molly
Disciple Spotlight: Leila Grantz
[About the Spotlight: We want to recognize the disciples in our congregation who are putting their gifts and talents to work in our church and community. We are pleased to share stories about our "Disciple Spotlight" honorees here and in Sunday worship. If you know others in our congregation who should be recognized, please inform Pastor Molly or a member of the Membership Committee.]"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."-Psalm 118:24, is the Scripture that fuels Leila. She likes to begin each morning by thanking God for the new day, and reminds herself to "stop and smell the roses." In the true spirit of discipleship, she helps in many supporting and leading roles in both her church and community to "do what (she) can so that others can appreciate each new day."
Here at FUMCRB, Leila regularly supports our church staff by helping with day-to-day office duties, picking up slack so that they can focus on "important things," as she puts it. She strongly believes in supporting her "church family." She maintains an ongoing prayer list including congregants, their loved ones, and community members in need. "Prayer is the easiest thing we can do for others. God listens..." click here to continue
Mark your Calendar: Ash Wednesday is March 5
Our congregation will join other area churches for a special evening worship service at Torrance First UMC, at 7:30 p.m. Rev. Lee Carlile of El Segundo UMC will be preaching, and Stephen Bullardo of Faith UMC (Torrance) will lead a combined choir. As we begin the journey of Lent, this will be a meaningful time for confession and centering in the Spirit of God.
Prayers and Squares
Sponsor a Free Quilt for Someone in Need of PrayerOur prayer quilt ministry is ready to share prayers and quilts--if you would like to sponsor a free quilt for someone you know, we simply ask that you ask the recipient's permission, and then be here on a Sunday to help people tie knots and say prayers. Request forms are available in the church office or on our website.
Our February quilting meeting will be Friday, February 21--from 10am-noon at the church (hosted by Dorthea Cox). To participate in our February group quilt, we invite you to make a square in hearts and red fabric, using the directions on our website!
Giving to the Church Electronically
There are two new ways for you to make contributions to the church electronically, through electronic funds transfer--via a paper form that is turned into the church office or via a new internet option. Read more here.Online Giving
We are grateful for your one-time and ongoing donations to support the ministry of our church.
We have several ways for you to handle your giving electronically:
-You may print and fill out the EFT authorization form at the bottom of this webapge; turn it in to our office, marked for Finance Secretary, to begin regular, automatic electronic funds transfers from your bank account.
-By logging on through our secure church information system, Realm, you may manage your own one-time or recurring electronic fund transfers. Like the above option, this would transfer funds directly from the bank account of your choosing. If you are not already set up with a Realm account, email the church office for an invitation.
(Both of these options come with very few fees to the church, so we are grateful for your considersation of them!)
-You can also give here using PayPal, via the links below.
If you choose to give electronically, we have new cards for you to drop in the Sunday offering basket, noting your gift and allowing you to still participate in the weekly ritual of the offering. Contact the church office for more information.
Thank You, Work Party Volunteers!
We got a lot of good work done at our Trustees Work Days last weekend. You fixed and replaced lights in Fellowship Hall, organized storage, completed some finishing touches on our sanctuary Sound System, and a whole lot more. Your assistance is greatly appreciated! Like us on FacebookLike us on Facebook!
Visit the page and "like" us so you can see and share the latest photos, news and links from the church.
This Week at Church...
Nursery The Nursery is open all three services for ages 6 weeks to 4 yrs old. Located right off of the parking lot across Epworth Lounge. Any questions email the Nursery Coordinator: Adriana Hwang
Children's Ministry
This week during Sunday School we will explore another Bible Lesson from Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount" and talk about how Jesus felt about "anger"
Church R Us (4th and 5th grade):
Join us for Sunday School at 9:30 am. This week we will be reviewing our lessons on Jesus' early ministry, including baptism, calling the disciples, and teaching with parables.
Youth Group (6th-12th grade):
***NO CONFIRMATION CLASS THIS WEEK***
Tomorrow is Valentine balloon delivery day!
We will not have Middle School Sunday School or Sr. High youth group this week. Enjoy your Presidents Day holiday!!!
Adult Sunday School: Join us every Sunday at 9:30am for study and discussion of this week's scripture lesson. (May Day Parlor)
Men's Breakfast: Our next breakfast is Monday, February 17 at 7AM. All men of the church and their friends are welcome to join us for fellowship. At Billy's Deli, 5160 W 190th St, Torrance, CA 90503.
Church Council: Our February Church Council meeting will be Thursday, February 13, at 7 p.m., in May Day Parlor. For more information, contact Council Chair, Nina Dooley.
Vacation Bible School 2014
June 23 - 27th
(Ages 3- Junior High)
We are collecting items...
Check out the Children's Ministry webpage for a list of items needed.
-------
First United Methodist Church of Redondo Beach
(310)372-8445 main (310)372-5696 fax
Reverend Molly Vetter, Lead & Teaching Pastor PastorMolly@beachfaith.com
Ernie Valenzuela, Administrative Assistant x101 Ernie@beachfaith.com
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment