Dear Friends,
This Labor Day weekend take time to rest and notice the amazing world around you.
If you would like a home visit, conversation, or home communion, please call me at 573-437-2779 (church) or 573-832-2475 (cell).
- Downstairs in the preschool area, there is a table filled with items that were left in the kitchen after church suppers and were never picked up. Please check to see if any of these items are yours before the Community Wide Garage Sale September 7-9. Items that are not claimed will be sold.
- Church Directory Updates may be made by checking the directory on the table in the back of the sanctuary.
- Wednesday, Choir Practice at 7pm
- St. Peter’s will be participating in the Community Wide Garage Sale by having a Basement Sale from September 7, 8 and 9th. We will need volunteers to help from 9am to 5pm. Talk to Kaye West, Vickie Mayberry and/or Carol Nowack, if you could help any day or anytime. Thank you!
- Rally Day Sunday School begins on Sunday, September 10
- All Church Picnic on Sunday, September 10 at 4pm.
Blessings,
Pastor Stephanie DeLong
Scripture: Exodus 3:1-15 and Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b • Romans 12:9-21 • Matthew 16:21-28
Sermon: Sometimes Asks Us to Do Something New
Sometimes God is planning something new, something different, something that we do not expect. Sometimes God appears as a small burning shrub just waiting to be noticed. Sometimes God tells us the new plan and we resist. Sometimes we just need to look around us and notice what is happening.
One day when Moses was herding sheep, he noticed a bush that appeared to be on fire.
Moses said, “What’s going on here? I can’t believe this! Amazing! Why doesn’t the bush burn up?”
God saw that he had stopped to look. God called to him from out of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
He said, “Yes? I’m right here!” (Exodus 3:3-4, The Message)
Moses stopped to look at a burning bush and changed the course of history. If Moses had not stopped to look at the burning bush, He would not have heard God’s call. If he had not stopped in amazement to contemplate a bush that appeared to be burning, he would not have returned to Egypt to confront Pharoah. If Moses had taken time to notice his surroundings, the Hebrews may not have known that God heard their cries.
How many times have we been too busy to notice the world around us? How often are we too caught up in what was or what we expect to be to recognize that God is trying to catch our attention? In a world where we are focused on screens transmitting human created content, how often do we miss what is around us in the physical world? How many burning bushes have we missed?
Sometimes we do not want to hear what God tells us. Peter did that when in a moment of fear and love he said, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” (Matthew 16:22) Hearing Jesus tell of his suffering and death frightened Peter. This plan did not fit Peter’s concept of what a Messiah would do and be. Peter’s protest was met with the strongest rebuke Jesus could give, “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23) Peter needed to comprehend that God planned something new in Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection.
How often do we have trouble letting go of old thoughts and ways when God plans something new? At St. Peter’s God calls us to do something new. By cleaning closets, sorting through things that we no longer use and passing those things onto others we are opening ourselves to God’s new plans for us. Sometimes God wants us to notice the burning bush and to prayerfully discern a new future. Sometimes God asks us to do something new. When we answer God’s call to do a new thing, we change the world.
Prayer: God, sometimes I am so caught up in the past, that I fail to see the amazing world around me. Help me to stop and notice the burning bush and to listen to your call. Amen.
Prayer list: All who have been on our list for a while, Mark’ s brother Billy, Delores W., Tyra, Freya, Vicki B., Barb Z., Jesse, Heath, Tammy. Tammy Vickie’s niece, Jennifer, Richard, Tamara, John, Dixon’s great granddaughter, Ashlely and Cody, Garth, Patty, Linda, Mike, Judy and all who are in need that we do not know about. If you know of anyone who would like a prayer shawl, please let us know.
Special prayers for the family of Vickie Mayberry’s Aunt Mary Ann Binkholder who passed away last week.
