Beacon Newsletter for March 22, 2020
“Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.
Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees, the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting — over and over announcing your place in the family of things
ONLINE OFFERINGS FOR THIS WEEK
Friday, March 19, 10-11:30 a.m. – Coffee Chats with Pastor Sarah. Join Pastor Sarah for relaxed conversation and catching up every Friday morning from 10 to 11:30 a.m. CT. You may drop in and leave when its convenient. This will be a weekly occurrence until the building opens again. Same time, same Zoom information. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/117491031
Meeting ID: 117 491 031
One tap mobile: +13126266799,,117491031# US (Chicago)
Sunday, March 22, 10 a.m. – Musical Offering with Danny and Dulcie. Danny and Dulcie will be providing musical offerings this Sunday at 10 a.m. via Facebook Live. To see them, go to our church’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bayshorelutheran Danny and Dulcie will do this as long as both remain healthy and able to get together.
Sunday, March 22, 10:30 a.m. – Service of Word and Prayer with Pastor Sarah. Pastor Sarah will lead a condensed service of the Word and prayer every Sunday until our church resumes services in our sanctuary. The service will include the readings of the day, prayers and a short reflection on the texts. Same time, same Zoom information.
Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/602272570
Meeting ID: 602 272 570
One tap mobile: +13126266799,,602272570# US (Chicago)
Monday, March 23, 7 p.m. – Outreach Committee to meet via Zoom
Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 318 452 211
Tuesday, March 24, noon – Staff Meeting via Zoom
Tuesday, March 24, 7 p.m. – High School Youth Bible Study via Zoom All high schoolers are invited to this “no-prep, no knowledge” needed Bible Study with Pastor Sarah! Join in via Zoom! https://zoom.us/j/336578646
Wednesday, March 25, 9:30 a.m. – Pastor’s Bible Study on James. Join us as we gather weekly via Zoom as we walk through the epistle from James. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/568102184
Meeting ID: 568 102 184
One tap mobile: +13126266799,,568102184# US (Chicago)
Thursday, March 26, 10 a.m. – Prayer Time via Zoom. Pastor Sarah will lead a brief time of prayer every Thursday at 10 a.m. via Zoom. Perfect for those of you at home or work who need a quick “lift” for the rest of the day. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/529280391
Meeting ID: 529 280 391
One tap mobile: +13126266799,,529280391# US (Chicago)
Thursday, March 26, 7 p.m. – Personnel Committee to meet via Zoom
Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/633926370
Meeting ID: 633 926 370
Friday, March 27, 10-11:30 a.m. – Coffee Chats with Pastor Sarah. Join Pastor Sarah for relaxed conversation and catching up every Friday morning from 10 to 11:30 a.m. CT. You may drop in and leave when its convenient. This will be a weekly occurrence until the building opens again. Same time, same Zoom information. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/117491031
Meeting ID: 117 491 031
One tap mobile: +13126266799,,117491031# US (Chicago)
Sunday, March 29, 10 a.m. – Musical Offering with Danny and Dulcie. Danny and Dulcie will be providing musical offerings this Sunday at 10 a.m. via Facebook Live. To see them, go to our church’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bayshorelutheran Danny and Dulcie will do this as long as both remain healthy and able to get together.
Sunday, March 29, 10:30 a.m. – Service of Word and Prayer with Pastor Sarah. Pastor Sarah will lead a condensed service of the Word and prayer every Sunday until our church resumes services in our sanctuary. The service will include the readings of the day, prayers and a short reflection on the texts. Same time, same Zoom information.
Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/602272570
Meeting ID: 602 272 570
One tap mobile: +13126266799,,602272570# US (Chicago)
Remember in Prayer, or send a card to members and friends convalescing, especially:
Jo Ellen Witt: 9100 N. White Oak Ln. #104 Bayside, WI 53217
Ways to Grow At Home
As you study the readings for the Sunday, you may enjoy this musical video. Michael Card wrote a beautiful song many years ago about our Scripture for this Sunday, and there are many versions on You Tube. The song is “The Gentle Healer.” Here is a link to one of the options to hear the song. https://youtu.be/NEVCHVUoXfE
This Sunday’s scripture lessons are:
First Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Samuel anointed David even though he was the eighth-oldest son of Jesse and did not match his brothers in height or other physical characteristics. With the anointing came endowment with the Spirit of the LORD, designating David as the LORD’s chosen successor to Saul.
16The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” 4Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” 5He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.” 7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” [1]Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” 12He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” 13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.
Psalm 23
1The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
3he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
4Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
Gospel: John 9:1-41
Jesus heals a man born blind, provoking a hostile reaction that he regards as spiritual blindness to the things of God.
9As he walked along he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. 4We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, 7saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.
8The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” 12They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”
13They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” 16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. 17So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.” 18The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19and asked them,
“Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” 25He answered,
“I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. 32Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.
35Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” 37Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” 38He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him.
39Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” 40Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” 41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.
Lenten Devotions are available in a variety of places. Outreach for Hope has provided a Lenten Devotional for our community. You may access that here and download it to your computer. If you prefer a daily email, God Pause may be the thing for you! God Pause is a ministry of Luther Seminary, and you may sign up for a daily email from them here.
Faith Formation News from Kate Yelvington:
One of the favorite songs we have sung in Sunday School over the years is “I am the church, you are the church, we are the church together…the church is not a building, the church is not a steeple, the church is not a resting place, the church is a people!”
Greetings to all of God’s people today! Each week I will check in with an idea or two to continue the conversation with your children about God in our lives and the world today. I know our families are trying to adjust to this new normal of being home. We all need to remember that God is with us every day, every step, every breath. We need not fear.
I will be sending a separate email to all the families with a scripture to read, an idea for discussion, hopefully a short video to watch together, and at the end, you can bless each other with making the sign of the cross on each other’s forehead. Your children are familiar with this practice. They will show you how! This time can be one of growth in our faith in a brand new way.
I continue to pray for good health for you and your families. I miss you all!
Kate
Ways to Serve and Give
Want to give and assist those in need now? While Hephatha Lutheran is closed, its community is reaching out to many agencies in the area (some listed on the attachment provided by MICAH). You can also give to Outreach for Hope, which not only provides assistance to Hephatha but many others in our community. You may help them here. To assist globally, Lutheran World Relief is on the front lines in many places across the globe. You may help globally here.
Bay Shore continues to receive mail and receives offerings. We will collect our mail every Monday from the post office. Please continue to send in your offerings if you are not signed up for Simply Giving. To make an offering online, you may do so here.
Don’t let social distancing keep you from purchasing your Mt Meru Premium Coffee! Please remember that coffee can be ordered online at our website. It is also a great source for project information. www.mtmerucoffee.org
You can stay up to date at our Facebook page
Facebook.com/MtMeruCoffeeProject
Council News from Our President:
Fellow Members of the Bay Shore Lutheran Church community,
As President of your Church Council, I want to provide a just couple of thoughts, in addition to the communications from Pastor Sarah and everything you are hearing from various government authorities and media.
First, I want to thank Pastor Sarah for her leadership on behalf of our church. I can assure you she has been tireless in seeking information and in taking actions in the best interest of this community of faith.
Second, I ask all of you to continue to take appropriate measures to keep yourself healthy and safe; and I pray for you and your families.
Finally, I ask you all to continue to find ways to support our important faith community. This includes help in service and care for others, helping to make us a virtual community for this time and help with ongoing financial support.
Many of us have been blessed in many ways to have Bay Shore Lutheran as an important part of our lives. This is a time for us to rally together to stay strong and set the foundation for our future mission.
On behalf of your Church Council,
David Nestingen
Reader Interactions