|
|
Our Father Who Art in Heaven...Luke 11:1-4
1 [Jesus] was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”2 So he said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father, may your name be revered as holy. May your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.” Luther writes:
"Our Father in heaven.
WHAT IS THIS? or WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
With these words God wants to attract us, so that we come to believe he is truly our Father and we are truly his children, in order that we may ask him boldly and with complete confidence, just as loving children ask their loving father."
Luther writes in other places that the Lord's prayer is the best prayer ever to be crafted. In part because our Lord and Savior himself prayed this prayer, and if it was worthy of Christ to pray, then certainly we can pray it, and also because it encompasses all that we need in prayer. I mentioned this in my sermon (which I forgot to record... sorry), but I want to dive deeper here in saying that the Lord's Prayer gives us a basis for how we can begin all prayer - in relationship with God.
You see, we begin prayer with understanding this relationship of one that is parental. A relationship of one who cares for one's own children and will not abandon them, but instead, provide them with all that they need. Just in our introduction, in our way we choose to address God, we are establishing an understanding of this relationship and all of the baggage that goes into this relationship, good and bad. We recognize all of the good that has come from God and that God will deliver us because God has done so before.. And we remember all of those times when our prayers seemed to go unanswered for a distant God. But, that too, we are invited to take to God.
Our Father, our Mother, our Divine Parent hears us and all of our laments. All of our Joys. All of our burdens. Because that is what God has promised to do.
|
|
Invitation to PeaceIntroductionPerhaps the church, at its best, is “all ears.” God urges the faithful, again and again, to “listen up!”—to heed the word that gives life. So it was with Abraham and Sarah, Mary and Martha, and the early church at Colossae. So it is today as we join the assembly to hear the word of God, the word of life. Luke 10:38-42
38 Now as [Jesus and his disciples] went on their way, he entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at Jesus’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her, then, to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things, 42 but few things are needed—indeed only one. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
|
|
Unity PicnicDon’t forget about Worship in the Park and the Community Church Picnic on Sunday August 17th! -Social Committee |
|
Bethany Women Gearing up for the Bi-Annual Convention and Gathering!It's time to register for the Bi-Annual Convention and Gathering hosted in Mazomanie! The event is on Saturday, October 4. We'd love to see a good group go and represent Bethany at this event. There will be workshops, vendors, and many other women from ELCA churches to connect or reconnect with. More information and registration can be found at: https://scsw-elca.org/welca/2025gathering/ Alene also has physical copies for those wishing to register by mail. Those can be found on the table in the Narthex. For any questions, please reach out to Alene Olson! |
|
Equal Exchange Coffee and Tea |
|
Synod News
|
