Today’s Readings:
Isaiah 55: 10-11
Romans 8: 18-23
Matthew 13: 1-23 or 13: 1-9
Isaiah’s poetry and Jesus’ parable tell in complementary ways the power of God’s word. Isaiah extols its fruitfulness, the LORD promising that it will flower just as the fertile earth does when watered by rain and snow. Jesus tells of the sower, whose indiscriminate scattering of the word of the kingdom leads to different outcomes depending on where it lands. May we listen attentively today, soaking up God’s word so that it may bear fruit in us.
Next week’s readings: Wisdom 12: 13, 16-19
Romans 8: 26-27 & Matthew 13: 24-43 or 13: 24-30
Ministry Schedule
July 18th & 19th: 5:00pm— Eucharistic Ministers: Russ Reisdorf, Pete Schnitzler Cantor: Carol Schnitzler Lector: Diane Hart Altar Server: N/A
8:00pm— Eucharistic Ministers: Autumn George, John Meyer Lector: Becky George Altar Server: N/A
8:00am-- Eucharistic Ministers: Bill Perl, Alice Hyman Lector: Michael Skrzypek Altar Server: N/A
10:30am-- Eucharistic Ministers: Ron George, Peggy McCormick Lector: Michelle Homac Altar Server: N/A
Please arrange for substitute if you are unable to make your scheduled ministry—Ministers, please make sure you have a substitute if needed, as Father will not be distributing communion during this period of reopening. ****************************************
ATTN: Faith Formation Parents
We will be holding a meeting on
Monday July 13th @ 6:30 pm in the church
at the Strykersville site.
We will be discussing and looking at how the program will work during this time of Covid-19. We have ideas and are looking for suggestions that will work for the majority! Please come and join us! ---Masks will be required when entering and exiting the church, please remember to sanitize your hands before entering and exiting the church and wipe down the area where you were seated—THANK YOU. ****************************************************
New Polish American Radio Program: A new radio show called The Polish American Program, will debut on WEBR 1440 AM at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 11.
The show will be presented in English and Polish, and feature a wide variety of music from Poland, as well as cultural information.
It will air 11-Noon every Saturday, and be replayed on Sundays at 6 p.m.
Pastor's Pen
All Lives Matter to God
You’ve heard the slogans in recent months — “Black lives matter”, “All lives matter”, “Police lives matter,” “Blue Lives Matter” “White lives matter.” Racial conflict, and its sometimes-deadly consequences, has unfortunately led to increased division in our country. This is evident even in the belief of some that one of the aforementioned slogans should be used to the exclusion of all others.
Whatever position you take on issues of race, police brutality, and injustice in this country, I can tell you without a doubt that All lives matter to God. You may not feel like your life or the lives of a certain group of people matter to the government or to society at large, but I can say without hesitation that every life matter to God. In God’s eyes, every person is deserving of being treated with respect, honor, fairness, and dignity because every human being even unborn babies are made in God’s image. Most importantly, all lives matter to God because every life (even unborn babies with original sin) represents a soul worth saving from sin and the punishment of sin.
No matter your race, ethnicity, or socio-economic background, God cares about you and wants to save you. The Apostle John wrote that, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, people “out of every kindred, and tongue, and nation” are being redeemed and reconciled to God. In one of his visions, he saw an “angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people…” (Rev. 14: 6).
John 3:16-17 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” Did you notice how the word “world” is used three times in these two verses? That word refers to everybody in the world — all lives. God sent Jesus to save all lives. “Whosoever” is another great word; it means anybody at anytime. If you are alive today, you are a part of the world and a part of whosoever. God cares about all people and He cares about you.
God has clearly indicated in His Word that all lives matter to Him.
Your life matters to Him. He doesn’t want you to live without knowing Him as your Heavenly Father. And He doesn’t want you to die without making sure that you will be with Him in Heaven for eternity. You can get to know Him only by accepting Jesus Christ — the Way, the Truth, and the Life — as your Lord and Savior.
Pastor’s Pen
Local Fire Company BBQs
North Java Fire Co. Drive-thru Chicken BBQ
Sunday July 19th noon til 4:00pm or sold out
Also look for drive thru soft ice cream cones!
Sheldon
Sheldon Fire Co. @Weber Hall “Take-out only” Chicken BBQ & 50/50
Sunday July 26, 2020 10:30am until sold out “No pre-sale tickets