March 2018 newsletter

House-to-House

 Family of Hope House Church                             March 2018

The Holy Nativity In Mark’s Gospel

The lectionary texts for the first Sunday of Lent included a part of the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark, which begins not with Christ's birth, but with his baptism.

Might it be that Mark saw this event as the more significant sign of God's "advent"?

In Luke's birth account, the heavens open up with an angel's joyful announcement, followed by a multitude of heavenly hosts proclaiming "Glory to God! On earth peace and to all goodwill"! In the account of Jesus's baptism in Mark, the heavens open up with God"s Spirit breaking in in the form of a dove, accompanied by the inaugural announcement, "This is my Beloved, in whom I am well pleased"!

Jesus is here experiencing his second "birth", not through the water of Mary's womb but in the Spirit-drenched baptismal water of the Jordan River, where his Hebrew ancestors crossed over into their new life and new liberation as God's free-at-last people.

In our present violence-prone world, as then, God hovers over us with Dove-power rather than bursting in with the scream of an eagle. Jesus comes as Lamb, and becomes Spirit-filled as Dove. He comes as prey rather than predator, as Life-giving Redeemer rather than as Warrior and Conqueror. But in the end, it is the power of God's mercy and truth that conquers and prevails.

Such is Advent. Such is Lent. Such is baptism and new birth. Such is the power of divine suffering and resurrection, of Passion Week and Easter.

Feliz Navidad! The Lord has come!                                   - Harvey Yoder

Notes, Prayers and Praises

• JOIN HUNDREDS OF OF YOUR FRIENDS at a special Lenten season performance of The Jesus Stories by Ted & Company set for 7 p.m. Saturday, March 17, at  the Divine Unity Community Church on Country Club Road. Your participation will help raise money for Gemeinschaft Home through a suggested $15 donation, and Ted Swartz will auction off items you can bid on during the course of the evening.
• BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Ruth Stauffer, 3/28!
• WE WILL HAVE A LENTEN COMMUNION SERVICE Sunday, March 18, with a bread, cheese and grape juice only meal.

March Lectionary Texts 

4   Exodus 20:1-17 Psalm 19 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 John 2:13-22

11 Numbers 21:4-9 Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22  Ephesians 2:1-10 John 3:14-21

18 Jeremiah 31:31-34 Psalm 51:1-12  Hebrews 5:5-10  John 12:20-33

25 Isaiah 50:4-9a  Psalm 31:9-16  Philippians 2:5-11 Mark 14:1-15:47

March services, worship at 4, meal at 6 pm

4 Location: Park Place, second floor meeting room                              564-3716

Worship and sharing: Lois Rivera-Wenger

Bible Study: Paul Swarr                                    light salad/fresh fruit meal

11 Location: Guy Vlasits 1260 Parkway Drive                           269-6706

Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer

Bible Study: Dick Dumas                                                      Carry-in meal

18 Location: FLRC, 273 Newman Ave. (ground floor)               432-0531

Worship and Sharing: Elly Nelson

Bible Study: Harvey Yoder Communion Bread, Grape Juice and Cheese Meal 

                                           

25 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Dr, 22802    564-1524                 

Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell

Bible Study: Lewis Overholt                                               Carry-in Meal