Seeds and Patience

Happy Fathers’ Day!

 

 

26He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, 27and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”

30He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

33With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; 34he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

Mark 4:26-34

 

(The second parable emphasizes that the kingdom is sown in humility and dishonor, but grows to grandeur and glory ... Since God brings the increase, we should sow seeds of love in small ways, and trust that God will bring them to superabundant fruition.)

 

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The Sower

GOGH, Vincent

1888

Van Gogh Museum

Amsterdam

Netherlands

 

https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/diglib-fulldisplay.pl?SID=20210611874095251&code=act&RC=58327&Row=15

 

A short essay on the artistic and spiritual meaning of this artwork is available from The Visual Commentary on Scripture.

https://thevcs.org/parable-sower/there-went-out-sower-sow

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just one time, walk out

into the field and look

at that towering oak —

an acorn still beating at its heart.

~ Peter Levitt

 

 

 

Too often we underestimate the power of

a touch, a smile, a kind word,

a listening ear, an honest compliment,

or the smallest act of caring,

all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

~ Leo Buscaglia

 

 

 

 

 

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Pollen Season is here!  The ponderosas are prolific in their output.

 

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Kay LaMontagne and Katie Prolow gave us a quick preview of our 

Changing of the Guard party next week.

 

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Rev. Richard Aylor was our speaker at Rotary.  

He spoke about the Homeless Shelter housed at our church for 

EChO (Evergreen Christian Outreach).

 

 

Mirada Fine Art

Opening Reception

June 15, 2024

TUNES

MIRADA FINE ART

1331 15TH STREET

DENVER, CO 80202

https://www.miradafineart.com/show/mirada-fine-art-tunes#works

 

All the artwork in this show has been inspired by a specific song 

or a unique musical artist.IMG_4515.jpeg

The Joy of Absence

By arturo MALLMAN

 

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Songbird Harmonies

By goli MAHALLATI

 

 

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The Jazzman

By cynthia CHARTIER

 

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Anna Marie Nelson with Steve Sonnen, gallery owner

 

'TOP 25 GALLERIES IN THE UNITED STATES'

-AMERICAN ART AWARDS, 2021, 2022 & 2023





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How do you like these wheels?

 

 

 

 

 

Once a father overheard his son pray:

       "Dear God, make me the kind of man my daddy is."

Later that night, the father prayed:

       "Dear God, make me the kind of man my son wants me to be."

~ Anonymous

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 16, 2024  Fourth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 6B]

Previous OPQs may be found at: 

     http://www.dotjack.com/opq.htm

 

6So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord — 7for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.

11Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences. 12We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. 13For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 15And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them. 

16From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17

 

Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein

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

 

 

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We need the tonic of wildness, 

to wade sometimes in marshes 

where the bittern and the meadow-hen lurk, 

and hear the booming of the snipe; …

At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, 

we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable …

We need to witness our own limits transgressed, 

and some life pasturing freely where we never wander.

~ Henry David Thoreau

 

 

 

To all the daddies I know and love!!!

 

 

 

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LECTIONARY

1 Samuel 15:34–16:13 

Psalm 20 

2 Corinthians 5:6–10 (11–13) 14–17 

Mark 4:26–34

 

SUMMARY

In Mark 4, two parables describe how the kingdom of God moves in the world. The first defines the division of labor between God and his people. We plant seeds by prayer, evangelism, and good works, but God is the one who brings success to our efforts, and it often happens very slowly. The preacher may want to use this parable to discourage the congregation from overreliance on expertise in ministry methods, and instead encourage simple acts of charity, trusting the increase to God. In the Kingdom, there is cause and result, but the connection between the two is God’s to effect. Hence, the Kingdom is not advanced in absence of effort on the part of believers, but it is not by the power or skill of those efforts that the church succeeds.


The second parable emphasizes that the kingdom is sown in humility and dishonor, but grows to grandeur and glory. This refers to the humble tree that God exalts in Ezekiel 17. The wood of the Cross, a tree of humiliation and defeat, is taken and planted on the mountain of Israel, and grows into the mighty cedar of the church. The preacher here may want to encourage the congregation not to despise small beginnings in their efforts for the kingdom. Since God brings the increase, we should sow seeds of love, especially with our unbelieving neighbors in small ways, and trust that God will bring them to superabundant fruition, just as he brought forth the mighty tree of the church from the stained wood of the Cross.

https://www.preachingtoday.com/lectionary/

 

 

THE WORD:

https://connectionsmediaworks.com/sundaygospel.html#june16

 

 

First Reading 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13

15:34Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. 35Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel.

16:1The 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.” 8Then 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.

Psalm 20

1   The LORD answer you in the day of trouble! 
          The name of the God of Jacob protect you! 
2   May he send you help from the sanctuary, 
          and give you support from Zion. 
3   May he remember all your offerings, 
          and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices.                    Selah



4   May he grant your heart’s desire 
          and fulfill all your plans. 
5   May we shout for joy over your victory, 
          and in the name of our God set up our banners. 
     May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.



6   Now I know that the LORD will help his anointed; 
          he will answer him from his holy heaven 
          with mighty victories by his right hand. 
7   Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses, 
          but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God. 
8   They will collapse and fall, 
          but we shall rise and stand upright.



9   Give victory to the king, O LORD; 
          answer us when we call.

Second Reading 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17

6So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord — 7for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.

11Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences. 12We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. 13For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 15And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them. 

16From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

Gospel Mark 4:26-34

26He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, 27and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”

30He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

33With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; 34he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.