May 14, 2015

Love and Salvation for YOU

Greetings in the name of our risen Lord and Savior JESUS!

That name is so powerful – it has caused changes in history; kings have bowed at the mention of the name; and lives have been changed! It speaks of LOVE and SALVATION! This weeks scriptures continues not only with the theme of God’s love for us, but also about sharing our testimony and salvation with others. Please take time to read and reflect and SHARE!

Please take the time to read the articles and information in this week’s “GOOD NEWS”. There are some new links on the left column for ECC news – so check them out too! Feel free to forward this newsletter to a family member or friend, or share it on your facebook page or twitter by using the “like” and “share” icons at the top of the page. MANY BLESSINGS!

This weeks readings and question of the week:

Take time to mediate on God’s word and prepare for worship this Sunday. And as you meditate on them, consider the question of the week: “Jesus prayer to his Father is about us, “that they may be one just as we are one”. How will we fulfill this mission? What can you do to make this a reality here at All Souls?”

Acts 1:15-17, 21-29

Psalm 1

1 John 5:9-13

John 17: 11-19

1 John 5:9-13

If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

This section of I John draws on themes that are familiar to us from the Gospel of John — witness, faith, and eternal life.

Witness

We are called as Witnesses….but we have other witnesses as well including God the Father. Thats pretty good company to have.

Faith

The way in which believers lay claim to their part in this personal relationship is through faith (cf. John 3:16, 20:31).

Often in the New Testament, “faith” is primarily a matter of trust or commitment. But in John’s Gospel and in this epistle, faith is primarily a matter of “belief.” However, it is not so much “belief that” as it is “belief in;” belief in Jesus as God’s own Son.

At all Souls, we appropriately rejoice in the gifts of an inclusive church and an open table.

And yet this epistle, like John’s Gospel, reminds us that right belief does matter for full life.

Eternal Life

In the Fourth Gospel and in this epistle, eternal life does not refer exclusively to life beyond the grave (cf. John 3:16, 6:54). Eternal life is full life, now and in the world to come.

When the epistle says that those who “believe in the name of the Son of God may know that they have eternal life” (1 John 5:13), it does not mean that the faithful believe now and have eternal life later. Those who believe know that they have eternal life because the belief, the faith, is itself eternal life, real life

*Adopted and edited from commentary by David Barlett

TONIGHT! TONIGHT ! TONIGHT! TONIGHT!

“Virtual Happy Hour” with the Presiding Bishop Elect. This will be a news conference-type format exchange between Bishop Frances and anyone who cares to join the conversation. We will be using the ECC conference line (712-432-0750; Code: 549473#) Thursday, May 14 at 7 pm.

(See new links in the left column under the ECC logo for more news from the ECC)

THIS WEEKEND! THIS WEEKEND! THIS WEEKEND!

Saturday, May 16

6:00 pm – Pine Room

Future Dates to Save!

May 16 – Potluck
June 27– Opportunity House Breakfast
July 19 – Reading Pride – HELP NEEDED AT ALL SOULS BOOTH
August – Opportunity House Lunch TBD

News about our Lenten Ministry – Opportunity House

The offering from Lent will go toward buying supplies to cook breakfast for the residents of Opportunity House on Saturday, June 27. We will be doing prep work on Friday evenings in the Pine Room.

We can use volunteers on Friday night (tentatively 6 pm – 9 pm) and Saturdaymorning (6:30 am – 9 am). You can help with both, or just one or the other. Sign up sheets will be available soon – but please mark the dates.

We will also be collecting donations for personal hygiene kits (for men, women, and children), kitchen supplies, and children fun kits soon. More information to follow soon.