Second Sunday of Lent

 

 

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." But Abram said, "O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir." But the word of the Lord came to him, "This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir." He brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be." And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Then he said to him, "I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess." But he said, "O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?" He said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.

When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates...."

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Look Toward the Heavens

He Qi

contemporary

China

Dr. He Qi was among the many people sent to the countryside during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. As a young man, he escaped hard labor by painting pictures of chairman Mao Zedong. During those years, he once found a copy of Renaissance artist Raphael’s Madonna and Child in a magazine, and was so moved by it, that he began to paint copies of it at night.

He Qi earned a doctorate in religious art from Nanjing Art Institute, having studied medieval art in Hamburg, Germany. He was a professor of Christian Art at Nanjing Theological Seminary before moving to St. Paul, Minnesota in 2004. He is a member of the Chinese Art Association, and a council member of the ACAA (Asia Christian Art Association). His work has been seen in many international journals and media outlets, and he has exhibited in Asia, Europe and the United States. His wife is a musician, and his son is a student at Augsburg College in St. Paul.

We are living in a time where there is much violence. There is little peace. We need to listen to the voice of heaven.

— He Qi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.omsc.org/artist-he-qi

 

 

 

 

 

The moments when we meet and reckon 

with contradictions are turning points

 where we either enter or evade 

the mystery of God.

~ Parker Palmer

 

 

 

 

Just remember, there's a right way and a wrong way 

to do everything and the wrong way 

is to keep trying to make everybody 

else do it the right way. 

   ~ Colonel Potter, M*A*S*H

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image result for nunsense evergreen colorado

 

Nunsense

Center Stage

Evergreen, Colorado

Sondra Kellogg and I saw Elaine Sohrweid (on the right) before the show.

Elaine played Mother Superior.  What a show!  What a cast!!!

image

 

 

Our Rotary Club met at

Evergreen Audubon Education Center

 

 

Bill Manning, Larry Caine

 

 

 

Image result for st. baldrick's logo

Tim Eagan again organized head and beard shaving

to raise funds for St. Baldrick’s Foundation

to conquer childhood cancers.

 

 

Ron Catterson showed some trepidation.

 

 

Annette Bradley in the center with Winston and Mel from 

the Winston and Mel Morning Show

on KOOL105.com . 

Winston and Mel emceed the event.

 

 

A Farewell Reception for Bob Meade at The Wild Game.

Bob will soon be moving to Oregon closer to a son and his family.

 

 

Bob was greeted royally!

 

 

 

 

 

If you change the way you look at things,

the things you look at change.

~ Wayne Dyer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 17, 2019   Second Sunday in Lent Year C    

 

Previous OPQs may be found at: 

     http://www.dotjack.com/opq.htm

 

 

At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." He said to them, "Go and tell that fox for me, 'Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.' Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

Luke 13:31-35

Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein

Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

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Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
Psalm 27
Philippians 3:17–4:1
Luke 13:31-35

 

 

 

 

 

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." But Abram said, "O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir." But the word of the Lord came to him, "This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir." He brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be." And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Then he said to him, "I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess." But he said, "O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?" He said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.

When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates...."

Psalm 27

God is my light 
   and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?

God is the stronghold 
   of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me
   to devour my flesh —
my adversaries and foes —
   they shall stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp 
   against me,
my heart shall not fear.

Though war rise up 
   against me,
yet I will be confident.

One thing I asked of God,
   that will I seek after:
to live in the house of God
   all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of God,
   and to inquire in God's temple.
For God will hide me 
   in God's shelter
in the day of trouble;

God will conceal me
   under the cover of God's tent;
God will set me high 
   on a rock.

Now my head is lifted up 
   above my enemies
all around me,

and I will offer in God's tent 
   sacrifices 
with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make melody
   to God.
Hear, O God, 
   when I cry aloud,
be gracious to me 
   and answer me!

"Come," my heart says, 
   "seek God's face!"
Your face, O God, 
   do I seek.

Do not hide your face
   from me.
Do not turn your servant away 
   in anger,
you who have been my help.

Do not cast me off, 
   do not forsake me,
O God of my salvation!

If my father and mother forsake me,
   God will take me up.

Teach me your way,
   O God,
and lead me on a level path
   because of my enemies.

Do not give me up
   to the will of my adversaries,
for false witnesses have risen 
   against me,
and they are breathing out 
   violence.

I believe that I shall see
   the goodness of God
in the land of the living.

Wait for God;
   be strong,
let your heart take courage;
   wait for God!

Philippians 3:17–4:1

Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

Luke 13:31-35

At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." He said to them, "Go and tell that fox for me, 'Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.' Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'"