Bethany Lutheran Church » Worship

March 24 Recipe

joel — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 22:23:37 +0000

Recipe: What Kind of Bread are You?
1 Corinthians 12: 12-31

Big Idea: BE BREAD for the WORLD!

Ritual: Take a few minutes to re-connect. Share your highs and lows from the week.

Devotional: Read through 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 Paul uses the image of a body with all it’s parts; foot, ear, nose, hand. All the parts make a whole body. As Christians we are all given different gifts; yet together God uses each of us to get God’s work accomplished! Think about your companion. What gift do they contribute to “the body of Christ”? Are they caring “hands”? Do they listen well with their “ears”?

Caring Conversation: You have in the devotional the last two chapters of Father Dominic’s book, Bake and Be Blessed. Briefly skim the pages with the descriptions of bread types. Figure out what kind of bread you and your companions are. What do you like or dislike about being that kind of bread type? Now think about your parents, siblings or other friends. What kinds of bread are they? What kind of bread is Pastor Ron, Joni, Kevin, Pastor Ruth Ann, or Caitlin?

Service: This week make sure you remember to light your candle and pray for your companion. Also find one other person – and let them know what kind of bread they are. Compliment them on how their ‘bread type’ helps the world go ‘round for Jesus!

March 17 Recipe

joel — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:27:20 +0000

Recipe: Blessed, Broken, Shared
John 6:11-14

Big Idea: Jesus is Wonder Bread and so are YOU!

Ritual: Take a few minutes to re-connect. Share your highs and lows from the week.

Devotional: “Love without sacrifice is merely affection and he chose for himself a greater destiny. When Jesus was lifted up on the cross, he gained a new perspective and from that height he could see every person in history. He looked upon the vast sea of faces – and realized he loved them enough to die for them. And one of the faces he saw was yours.” (B&BB p. 79) Talk about how these words make you feel? What does this make you think about?

Caring Conversation: The world tells us we deserve thanks for our work. God asks us to use our God given gifts. We use these gifts in response to God’s love for us. What are your gifts/talents? Are you using them? Do we use them for personal gain or to glorify God? Read John 6:11-14 Jesus blessed the bread. There was plenty. The disciples gathered up the leftovers. Have you ever felt like a ‘left-over?’ How? When? Why? In God’s eyes no one is crummy. We are baptized children of God and God claims and loves us. How is it hard or easy to hold onto that identity? Do you claim the invisible cross on your forehead every day? Do you “see” it on others?

Service: With your companion, make the sign of the cross on each other’s forehead or hand. Say the words, “God loves you and claims you.” Tonight as we think about each of God’s children, pray together the Five Finger Prayer (use handout).

March 10 Recipe

joel — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:28:31 +0000

Mixing, Rising, & WHUMP!

Luke 10:38-42

Big Idea: “WHUMP HAPPENS!” What happens when you get punched down? Do people punch you down? Sabbath rest is the medicine for that. How can we be 24/6 in a 24/7 world?

Ritual: Take a few minutes to re-connect. Share your highs and lows from the week.

Devotional: Read Luke 10:38-42 Martha has many tasks to do. What are tasks you have to or need to do each day / each week? Jesus said that “there is need of only one thing.” Mary chose to sit at Jesus feet to listen to him teach her – that is the one thing. How is it going with your daily devotions that you talked about on Feb. 24? Are you getting into a routine yet? Does having a recipe of specific time, good chair, Bible, and candle help?

Caring Conversation: (B&BB) Pg 41 “By mixing and kneading the gospel of Christ into our lives through the daily discipline of reading and reflection, a spiritual infrastructure is formed, slowly and invisibly, that helps us to ‘hold our shape,’ that is, maintain our identity as Christians regardless of exterior conditions.” Sabbath rest calls us to stop and “let it rise.” Worship allows us to rest. Daily devotions allows us to rest. What are other times you purposely stop to rest or play? (B&BB) Pg 64-65 The baker must make sure the yeast is distributed evenly through the dough. This requires punching the dough. Fr. Dom throws it down on the counter which makes a solid, whump! He says that we all need whumps in our lives to keep growing spiritually. Think about times you’ve been ‘Whumped’. How did you get punched down? Embarrassed? Sickness? Unemployment? Fight with a friend? Low grade on a test you really studied for? On Monday through Saturdays we get ‘whumped!’ Sunday is Sabbath rest, and we can let the Holy Spirit rise up to heal us all over again.

Service: Review what is happening in your prayer time for each other with your candle light – night light – God’s light! Prayer time for tonight is Lectio Divina.

Recipe – February 24

joel — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:46:01 +0000

Plan to Bake and Grow Spiritually
John 6: 35, 46-59

Big Idea: Get your recipe, ingredients, tools and BAKE!

Ritual: Take a few minutes to connect. Share your highs and lows from the week.

Devotional: Read John 6:35, 46-59 Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Those who eat of me will live forever.” What does that mean to you? Think about this quote by Henri Nouwen: “The great paradox of our time is that many of us are busy and bored at the same time. While running from one event to the next, we wonder in our innermost selves if anything is really happening. While people keep pushing us in all directions, we doubt if anyone really cares.” (B&BB pg. 10) Are you ever busy and bored? Why do you think that is so? The word “companion” comes from the Latin cum pane: “with bread.” A companion is one with whom we share our bread. Who are your “companions?”

Caring Conversation: Mise en place = “put in place” Talk about your plan or routine for spiritual growth. What do you need to “put in place” for spiritual growth to happen?

A quiet place where you are undisturbed, and a comfortable chair?
A time that you are moving but can focus your mind towards God?
Your Bible, a journal, cross, candle, music?
When will you pray? When do you have energy?
If your prayer life is like a diet of food, what are you eating now? How could that look different? (B&BB pg. 25-27)

Service: Your service to each other is prayer. You each have a candle. Decide what time you will each light your candle during the week and pray for the other person. (It can be at the different times, i.e. adult at 7 am, youth at 9 pm). Tonight pray a prayer of Examen (prayerfully examine your day). Think back through your day and name the places where God was present: friends, sunrise, food, etc. Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s presence with your companion.

March 3 Recipe

joel — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:40:37 +0000

Grinding Grain to Mix with Yeast of Life
Matthew 13:33

Big Idea: Holy Spirit YEAST! E Pluribus Unum! ‘From many one.’

Ritual: Take a few minutes to re-connect. Share your highs and lows from the week.

Devotional: Read Matthew 13:33 and talk about this parable. It describes a woman who puts her yeast in with flour to leaven her bread. “Three measures” is a little over one bushel = about 144 cups! This woman wanted to feed the whole village, not just her family. The kingdom of heaven is for everyone! On most days, are we ‘bread’ for many people or just ourselves?

Caring Conversation: Yeast is also called ‘leaven’ which comes from the word, ‘enliven’. The Yeast gives it’s life to the dough. Yeast is effective only when in the dough. Yeast is like the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit permeates our lives. The Good News of Jesus can permeate our lives. Does it live in your life every day or only on Sundays? Put your yeast packet into a bowl of warm water with some sugar and watch what happens. If it bubbles, the yeast is ‘active’ and good yeast. How is that like your faith life? Are you mixing the right yeast into your life; is it life-giving, sarcastic, playful, rude? Do you see God’s yeast in others actions: kindness, patience, and love? Talk about the yeast of your lives and other’s lives. (Make sure you are listening to each other and being AAA Christians (Available, Affirming, Authentic)!

Service: Your prayer type tonight is ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication). With your companion name in prayer what you adore about God, want to confess to God, what you give thanks to God for and what you want to ask of God. Remind each other of your prayer times and candles. Talk about how that went and what happened when you thought about the other person praying for you.

Recipe – March 10

joel — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:31:15 +0000

Mixing, Rising, & WHUMP! Luke 10:38-42

Big Idea: “WHUMP HAPPENS!” What happens when you get punched down? Do people punch you down? Sabbath rest is the medicine for that. How can we be 24/6 in a 24/7 world?

Ritual: Take a few minutes to re-connect. Share your highs and lows from the week.

Caring Conversation: (B&BB) Pg 41 “By mixing and kneading the gospel of Christ into our lives through the daily discipline of reading and reflection, a spiritual infrastructure is formed, slowly and invisibly, that helps us to ‘hold our shape,’ that is, maintain our identity as Christians regardless of exterior conditions.” Sabbath rest calls us to stop and “let it rise.” Worship allows us to rest. Daily devotions allows us to rest. What are other times you purposely stop to rest or play? (B&BB) Pg 64-65 The baker must make sure the yeast is distributed evenly through the dough. This requires punching the dough. Fr. Dom throws it down on the counter which makes a solid, whump! He says that we all need whumps in our lives to keep growing spiritually. Think about times you’ve been ‘Whumped’. How did you get punched down? Embarrasssed? Sickness? Unemployment? Fight with a friend? Low grade on a test you really studied for? On Monday through Saturdays we get ‘whumped!’ Sunday is Sabbath rest, and we can let the Holy Spirit rise up to heal us all over again.

Service: Review what is happening in your prayer time for each other with your candle light – night light – God’s light! Prayer time for tonight is Lectio Divina.

Lenten Resources

joel — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:58:07 +0000

Date	Text	Recipe	Description
Ash Wednesday February 17	Psalm 51	Bread for the Journey	BREAD FOR THE JOURNEY
February 24	John 6	1. Plan to Bake and Grow Spiritually	Get your recipe, ingredients and tools to BAKE!
March 3	Matthew 13:33 Didache 9:4	2. Grinding Grain to Mix with Yeast of Life	Holy Spirit YEAST! E Pluribus Unum!
March 10	Luke 10:38-42	3. Mixing, Rising & WHUMP!	Being 24/6 in a 24/7 world. “WHUMP HAPPENS!”
March 17	Romans 5:8	4. Blessed, Broken Shared	Sermon: Blessed Broken and Shared
March 24	1 Corinthians 12	5. What kind of Bread are you?	Sermon: BE BREAD for the WORLD!

Psalm 51

joel — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:57:00 +0000

Psalm 51 is a Psalm of disorientation. We are all sinners in God’s sight. How have you ‘sinned against God’ and ‘done what is evil’ in God’s sight? Think about this question as you read one or all of the versions of Psalm 51 provided below.

Definitions from Walter Brueggeman, The Message of the Psalms, and Spirituality of the Psalms.

Audio

Listen to Pastor Ron read Psalm-51.

Permalink to this post: http://www.bethany-denver2.org/2010/02/psalm-51/?postTabs=0

ELW

Psalm 51

¹Have mercy on me, O God, according to your ^| steadfast love;
in your great compassion blot out ^| my offenses.

²Wash me through and through ^| from my wickedness,
and cleanse me ^| from my sin.

³For I know ^| my offenses,
and my sin is ev- ^| er before me.

⁴Against you only have I sinned and done what is evil ^| in your sight;
so you are justified when you speak and right ^| in your judgment.

⁵Indeed, I was born ^| steeped in wickedness,
a sinner from my ^| mother’s womb.

⁶Indeed, you delight in truth ^| deep within me,
and would have me know wisdom ^| deep within.

⁷Remove my sins with hyssop, and I ^| shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be pur- ^| er than snow.

⁸Let me hear ^| joy and gladness;
that the body you have broken ^| may rejoice.

⁹Hide your face ^| from my sins,
and blot out ^| all my wickedness.

¹⁰Create in me a clean ^| heart, O God,
and renew a right spir- ^| it within me.

¹¹Cast me not away ^| from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spir- ^| it from me.

¹²Restore to me the joy of ^| your salvation
and sustain me with your boun- ^| tiful Spirit.

¹³Let me teach your ways ^| to offenders,
and sinners shall be re- ^| stored to you.

¹⁴Rescue me from bloodshed, O God of ^| my salvation,
and my tongue shall sing ^| of your righteousness.

¹⁵O Lord, o- ^| pen my lips,
and my mouth shall pro- ^| claim your praise.

¹⁶For you take no delight in sacrifice, or ^| I would give it.
You are not pleased ^| with burnt offering.

¹⁷The sacrifice of God is a ^| troubled spirit;
a troubled and broken heart, O God, you will ^| not despise.

¹⁸Favor Zion with ^| your good pleasure;
build up the walls ^| of Jerusalem.

¹⁹Then you will delight in the appointed sacrifices, in burnt ^| and whole offerings;
then young bulls shall be offered up- ^| on your altar.

Permalink to this post: http://www.bethany-denver2.org/2010/02/psalm-51/?postTabs=1

NRSV

¹Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.

²Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.

³For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.

⁴Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgment.

⁵Indeed, I was born guilty,
a sinner when my mother conceived me.

⁶You desire truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

⁸Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.

⁹Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.

¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.

¹¹Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.

¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.

¹³Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.

¹⁴Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

¹⁵O LORD, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

¹⁶For you have no delight in sacrifice;
if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.

¹⁷The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

¹⁸Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,

¹⁹then you will delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Permalink to this post: http://www.bethany-denver2.org/2010/02/psalm-51/?postTabs=2

The Message

^1-3Generous in love—God, give grace! Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record.
Scrub away my guilt,
soak out my sins in your laundry.
I know how bad I’ve been;
my sins are staring me down.

^4-6 You’re the One I’ve violated, and you’ve seen
it all, seen the full extent of my evil.
You have all the facts before you;
whatever you decide about me is fair.
I’ve been out of step with you for a long time,
in the wrong since before I was born.
What you’re after is truth from the inside out.
Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.

^7-15 Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean,
scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life.
Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,
set these once-broken bones to dancing.
Don’t look too close for blemishes,
give me a clean bill of health.
God, make a fresh start in me,
shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Don’t throw me out with the trash,
or fail to breathe holiness in me.
Bring me back from gray exile,
put a fresh wind in my sails!
Give me a job teaching rebels your ways
so the lost can find their way home.
Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God,
and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.
Unbutton my lips, dear God;
I’ll let loose with your praise.

^16-17 Going through the motions doesn’t please you,
a flawless performance is nothing to you.
I learned God-worship
when my pride was shattered.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love
don’t for a moment escape God’s notice.

^18-19 Make Zion the place you delight in,
repair Jerusalem’s broken-down walls.
Then you’ll get real worship from us,
acts of worship small and large,
Including all the bulls
they can heave onto your altar!

Learn more about The Message.

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Worship Services

joel — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:22:10 +0000

1030am Worship – August 29 2010

9am Worship – August 22 2010

9am Worship – August 15, 2010

8am Worship – August 8, 2010

8am Worship – August 1, 2010

8am Worship – July 25, 2010 Christmas in July

9am Worship – July 18, 2010

8am Worship – July 11, 2010

9am Worship – July 4, 2010

8am worship June 27, 2010

9am worship June 20, 2010

9am worship June 13, 2010

9am Worship – June 6, 2010

1030 Worship – May 30, 2010

8am Worship – May 23, 2010 – Pentecost

9am Worship – May 16, 2010

8am Worship – May 16, 2010

9am Worship – May 9, 2010

9am Worship – May 2, 2010

8am Worship – April 25, 2010

1030am Worship – April 18, 2010

8am Worship – April 18, 2010

9am Worship – April 11, 2010

Easter worship – 1030am April 4, 2010

Easter worship – 900am April 4, 2010

Easter worship – 730am April 4, 2010

Easter Sunrise – 600am April 4, 2010

Good Friday noon worship – April 2, 2010

Maundy Thursday noon worship – April 1 2010

9am Worship – March 28, 2010

Noon worship – March 24, 2010

9am Worship – March 21, 2010

Lenten Worship Service – March 17, 2010

8am Worship – March 14, 2010

Noon worship – March 10, 2010

9am Worship – March 7, 2010

6:30pm Worship – Wednesday March 3, 2010

8am Worship – February 28, 2010

Lenten Worship Service – February 24, 2010

9am Worship – February 21, 2010

Noon Worship – February 17, 2010 – Ash Wednesday

8am Worship – February 14, 2010

9am Worship – February 7, 2010

9am Worship – January 31, 2010

9am Worship – January 24, 2010

8am Worship – January 17, 2010

8am Worship – January 10, 2010

9am Worship – January 3, 2010

1030am Worship – December 27, 2009

9am Worship – December 20, 2009

9am Worship – December 13, 2009

9am Worship – December 6, 2009

1030am Worship – November 29, 2009

Thanksgiving Eve

1030am Worship – November 22, 2009

9am Worship – November 15, 2009

9am Worship – November 8, 2009

8am Worship – November 1, 2009 – All Saints Sunday

8am Worship – October 25, 2009 – Reformation

Service of the Word for Healing

8am Worship – October 18, 2009

Confirmation Service – October 11, 2009

9am Worship – October 11, 2009

8am Worship – October 11, 2009

8am Worship – October 4, 2009

9am Worship – September 27, 2009

9am Worship – September 20, 2009

9am Worship – September 13, 2009

8am Worship – September 6, 2009

*****

8am Worship – August 30 2009

9am Worship – August 23 2009

9am Worship – August 16, 2009

8am Worship – August 9, 2009

9am Worship – August 2, 2009

*****

9am Worship – July 26, 2009

8am Worship – July 19, 2009

9am Worship – July 12, 2009

9am Worship – July 05, 2009

*****

8am Worship – June 28, 2009

8am Worship – June 21, 2009

8am Worship – June 14, 2009

9am Worship – May 31, 2009

Station 1: Jesus is condemned to death

joel — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 17:05:06 +0000

Matthew 27: 15-26
15 Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. 16At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus* Barabbas. 17So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus* Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?’* 18For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. 19While he was sitting on the judgement seat, his wife sent word to him, ‘Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.’ 20Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. 21The governor again said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release for you?’ And they said, ‘Barabbas.’ 22Pilate said to them, ‘Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’* All of them said, ‘Let him be crucified!’ 23Then he asked, ‘Why, what evil has he done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Let him be crucified!’
Pilate Hands Jesus over to Be Crucified

24 So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood;* see to it yourselves.’ 25Then the people as a whole answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’ 26So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

Bethany Lutheran Church » Worship

March 24 Recipe

Recipe: What Kind of Bread are You? 1 Corinthians 12: 12-31

March 17 Recipe

Recipe: Blessed, Broken, Shared John 6:11-14

March 10 Recipe

Mixing, Rising, & WHUMP!

Luke 10:38-42

Recipe – February 24

Plan to Bake and Grow Spiritually John 6: 35, 46-59

March 3 Recipe

Grinding Grain to Mix with Yeast of Life Matthew 13:33

Recipe – March 10

Mixing, Rising, & WHUMP! Luke 10:38-42

Lenten Resources

Ash Wednesday February 17

February 24

March 3

March 10

March 17

March 24

Psalm 51

Worship Services

Station 1: Jesus is condemned to death

Recipe: What Kind of Bread are You?
1 Corinthians 12: 12-31

Recipe: Blessed, Broken, Shared
John 6:11-14

Plan to Bake and Grow Spiritually
John 6: 35, 46-59

Grinding Grain to Mix with Yeast of Life
Matthew 13:33

Ash Wednesday
February 17