Heavenly Perks March 2023

Welcome back to our "after-church-service" fellowship tradition. This is the Place To Be!
Try it after next service! April 2, 2023

Phil Dillman Cartoon 2-27-23

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Scripture Scribble from Phil

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January 12 Women With Jesus

Newly released Study Notes  01 12 21

In researching Scripture for our Bible study on Women In Scripture, I was absolutely amazed at the relationship Jesus had with women, and how devoted they were to him.  No wonder.  He did not judge, rather, he forgave and encouraged.  I would like to share the following references in which Jesus interacted with a woman, and have us take note of (1) her relationship with Jesus, if any; and (2) What happened afterwards.

The Canaanite Woman (Mt 15:22-28)
Peter's Mother-in-Law (Lu 4:38-39)
Anna  (Lu 2:36-38)
The Woman at the Well  (Jn 4:4-42)
Dorcas (with Peter)     (Ac 9:36-42)
The Woman at the Pharisee's House  Lu 7:36-48
Mary of Magdala     ( Lu 8:1-8; Mk 16:1; Mt 28:1)
Mary, the Mother of Jesus  (Lu 2:51;  Jo 2:2-5)

Calendar

Calendar from March 

November 2020

Laura Photo

Good Story

A few days ago a Kentucky garbage man noticed no trash cans were being put out at an elderly woman's house on his route for two straight weeks. He was concerned enough to share the address with his supervisor. She found the name of the woman at the address and called her: "Ms. Smith, we noticed you haven't put out your cans for a while. Are you ok?" Ms. Smith replied: "I'm ok. But my caretaker was so afraid of the virus that she stopped coming. I can't get to the store. I don't have any trash because I've run out of food. And I don't have any family to help me." After a long pause, the caller said: "You do now. We are your family."

She let her truck driver know of the sad news. The next day, on his day off, he knocked on her door and asked her to make up a grocery list. "Ms. Smith— the list is too short." She added a few more items. "Ms. Smith, this list is still too short. Would you mind if I looked into your fridge?" She relented. He opened the fridge and it was bare. Empty.

An hour later, he brought in dozens of bags of groceries for a woman he hardly knew.

Tears. An air-hug that met social distancing protocol. And the garbage man walked out of the house of this woman who was physically immobile, but levitating. A garbage man decided he'd reach out to someone and church broke out. His supervisor shared the creed with this elderly woman: "You have a family now."

I miss our services of worship. I miss that it's silent now. I'm sick to my stomach we had to push back are start-back date to gather.

But church? Church is happening all around us. It's a phone-call. It's a bag of groceries. It happens anytime someone tells another person who is Jesus in his best disguise: "You have a family now." Real church is not defined by a service of worship, but by servants of Christ.

Keep being church. That's all you have to do.

It’s A Sign

Psalm 92:12-15

12 The righteous will spring up like a palm tree. They will grow strong like a cedar of Lebanon.

13 Those who have been replanted in the Lord's house will spring up in the courtyards of our God.

14 They will bear fruit even when old and gray;they will remain lush and fresh

 15 in order to proclaim:"The Lord is righteous. He's my rock.There's nothing unrighteous in him."

Psalm 49:1-7. Common English Bible (CEB)

1  Listen to this, all you people! Listen closely, all you citizens of the world-

2   people of every kind, rich and poor alike!

3   My mouth speaks wisdom;  my heart's meditation is full of insight.

4   I will pay close attention to a proverb; I will explain my riddle on the lyre.

5   Why should I be afraid in times of  trouble, when the wrongdoing of my bullies  engulfs me—

6   those people who trust in their fortunes and boast of their fantastic wealth?

7   Wealth? It can't save a single person!  It can't pay a life's ransom-price to God.

Psalm 68:1-6

1 Let God rise up; let his enemies scatter; let those who hate him run scared before him!

2 Like smoke is driven away, drive them away! Like wax melting before fire, let the wicked perish before God!

3 But let the righteous be glad and celebrate before God. Let them rejoice with gladness!

4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Exalt the one who rides the clouds! The Lord is his name.Celebrate before him!

5 Father of orphans and defender of  widows is God in his holy habitation.

6 God settles the lonely in their homes; he sets prisoners free with happiness, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

Psalm 9:11-12

11 Sing praises to the Lord, who lives in Zion. Proclaim his mighty acts among all people!

12 Because the one who avenges bloodshed remembers those who suffer; the Lord hasn't forgotten their cries for help.

Psalm 66:10-13

10 But you, God, have tested us you've refined us like silver,

11 trapped us in a net, laid burdens on our backs,

12 let other people run right over our heads— we've been through fire and water. But you brought us out to freedom!

13 So I'll enter your house with entirely burned offerings. I'll keep the promises I made to you.

Psalm 92:1-8

1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High;

2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,

3 to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre.

4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

5 How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep!

6 The dullard cannot know, the stupid cannot understand this:

7 though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever,

8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever.

Psalm 138:1-3

1 I give thanks to you with all my heart, Lord. I sing your praise before all other gods.

2 I bow toward your holy temple and thank your name for your loyal love and faithfulness because you have made your name and word greater than everything else.

3 On the day I cried out, you answered me. You encouraged me with inner strength.  From Pastor Dudley

Psalm 99

1 The Lord rules—   the nations shake! He sits enthroned on the winged heavenly creatures—the earth quakes!

2 The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations.

3 Let them thank your great and awesome name. He is holy!

4  Strong king[a] who loves justice, you are the one who established what is fair. You worked justice and righteousness in Jacob.

5  Magnify the Lord, our God! Bow low at his footstool! He is holy!

6  Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel too among those who called on his name. They cried out to the Lord, and he himself answered them—

7  he spoke to them from a pillar of cloud. They kept the laws and the rules God gave to them.

8  Lord our God, you answered them. To them you were a God who forgives but also the one who avenged their wrong deeds.

9 Magnify the Lord our God! Bow low at his holy mountain because the Lord our God is holy.

Psalm 118:5-9

5 In tight circumstances, I cried out to the Lord. The Lord answered me with wide-open spaces.

6 The Lord is for me[a]—I won't be afraid. What can anyone do to me?

7 The Lord is for me—as my helper. I look in victory on those who hate me.

8 It's far better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust any human.

9 It's far better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust any human leader.

Psalm 145:1-5

1 I will lift you up high, my God, the true king; I will bless your name forever and always.

2 I will bless you every day. I will praise your name forever and always.

3 The Lord is great and so worthy of praise! God's greatness can't be grasped.

4 One generation will praise your works to the next one, proclaiming your mighty acts.

5 They will talk all about the glorious splendor of your majesty; I will contemplate your wondrous works.

Psalm 136

1 Give thanks to the Lord because he is good.

    God's faithful love lasts forever!

2 Give thanks to the God of all gods—
    God's faithful love lasts forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of all lords—
    God's faithful love lasts forever.
4 Give thanks to the only one
   who makes great wonders—
    God's faithful love lasts forever.
5 Give thanks to the one who made the skies with skill—
    God's faithful love lasts forever.
6 Give thanks to the one who shaped the earth on the water—
    God's faithful love lasts forever.
7 Give thanks to the one who made the great lights—
    God's faithful love lasts forever.
8 The sun to rule the day—
    God's faithful love lasts forever.
9 The moon and the stars to rule the night—
    God's faithful love lasts forever!

Psalm 49:1-2, 5-7

1 Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world,

2 both low and high rich and poor together.

 

5 Why should I fear in times of trouble when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,

6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?

7 Truly, no ransom avails for one's life, there is no price one can give to