October 2, 2017 - Sunday was the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time. The Gospel Lesson for this Sunday was another of Jesus’ parables set in a vineyard. In Matthew 21: 23-32, a vineyard owner asks his first son to go and work in the vineyards. The son refuses but then rethinks what he has said and heads to the vineyards. The second son agrees readily to his father’s request but doesn’t show up for work. Jesus turns the tables on his questioners—the priests and the temple elites—asking them a question: “Who did the father’s bidding?” Of course everyone can see that the reluctant son who actually goes and works did his father’s will. Jesus compares the second son who readily agrees but then does nothing to the religious folks who live and work around the Temple.
We had our usual group at Paxton this morning. We added to our prayer list Hilda’s sister, who has been displaced from her home by Hurricane Harvey. We pray for Linda as she contemplates all that needs to be done. Gene reported that the Salvation Army received our $500 donation for hurricane recovery. Our Charge Conference is tomorrow evening at 6:00. During the month of October our church will be collecting peanut butter and jelly for Community Christian Services.
Fannie’s Sunday school lesson come from Genesis 15, about God’s covenant with Abram. A question the author poses for us is whether we have the courage to examine and to trust in the Word of God. One of the questions toward the end of the lesson asks how we can see the Sacred in the ordinary day-to-day of our lives. I believe that is where we will see the Sacred, but we must open our eyes to that possibility.
I was unable to attend last week’s program at Lakeside Assisted Living. As my sister-in-law says, we’re now in the going-to-the-doctor years. But my wife emceed the program and wrote this: Several of our main participators were unable to come to Lakeside this time, but we had a lovely time anyway. Mrs. Hilda was downright festive on the piano, including some songs we don’t usually sing. Gene sang several pieces: “Little Brown Church in the Wild Wood,” “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and “Morning Has Broken.” He was in such fine fettle that he serenaded some of the ladies afterward, with the accompaniment of Maggie and Jo. Nora favored us with one of her beautiful a capella songs and a book about planting trees all over the world. Sue read funny poems about pet snakes and rotten brothers and sisters. And what else did we do? Sang and sang, talked and laughed.
“Whoever you are, in whatever faith you were born, whatever creed you profess; if you come to this house to find God you are welcome here.” Paxton United Methodist Church is an inviting church that takes to heart the idea of “Open Doors, Open Hearts, Open Minds.” Sunday School starts at 9:30 and Worship begins at 10:00. Our email address is paxtonumc@yahoo.com. If you would like the weekly email newsletter about Paxton Methodist you can send me your email address to the Paxton email address and I will add you to the list. Godspeed.
