Sunday, February 2nd

Sunday, February 2nd – Rev Tim McKenzie will bring the sermon, “Being Salt and Light” from Isaiah 58:6-10 and Matthew 5:13-6.  There will be Communion served.  We will enjoy fellowship after the service.
******************
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION CORNER (we value your prayers & involvement in this vital ministry)  Contact Carrie Bennett for ES, Julie Rogers for MS, Amy Harbaugh for HS or Pastor Teresa at wtucrev@gmail.com with any questions.

Little Kids (1-5) Sunday School: February 2nd during church
Topic:  Jesus Chooses Special Helpers, Jesus Feeds a Crowd      Teacher:  Oliver

NEXT ES Youth Grades 2-5: Wednesday, Feb. 5th, at the Bennett`s home from 5-6:30 p.m.
Topic: The Parable of the Mustard Seed   Teacher: Carrie   Dinner Responsibility:  Loveman

NEXT MS Youth: Wednesday, February 12th from 5-6:30 p.m. at the Rogers` home, Bible study, service project and pizza.

NEXT HS Youth: Sunday, February 9th at the Harbaugh/Norris home from 6 p.m.

NEXT ADULT Sunday School: Sunday, February 9th at the Sacks from 9:30-10:30 a.m
***
Interested in becoming a member at WTUC? – please talk to Pastor Teresa about the upcoming membership class.
***
Upcoming Preaching Ministry
February 2        Rev. Tim McKenzie, Communion
February 9        Pastor Teresa
February 16      Rev. Hikari Kokai Chang, Communion
February 23      Rev. Reita Yazawa
March 2             Pastor Teresa
March 5             Ash Wednesday service at Tang/Lee home, Pastor Teresa
***
Sea Glass necklaces made from broken glass found on the Tohoku seashore after the tsunami are being sold to benefit “2 Criminals” -  a movie produced by Paul Nethercott -  https://vimeo.com/channels/paulnethercott
***
SNACK SIGNUP Sign up for snacks for fellowship time with Ann or on the list on the white board.  We greatly appreciate your contributions to our community life!
***
WTUC  Announcements
*Any questions or concerns?  Feel free to email wtucrev@gmail.com anytime.
*Please enjoy and refer our website and FB page (West Tokyo Union Church) to others.  Please make any suggestions for additions to the Pastor Teresa and/or Steering Committee.  https://wtuc.net/
*If you’d like to be added to the WTUC church email list, please contact Gene Witt ewitt@asij.ac.jp
*If interested in joining the WTUC Prayer Chain, let Pastor Teresa or Prayer Chain Coordinator, Kayo Ozawa, know of your interest. Please submit prayers to wtucrev@gmail.com or Kayo Ozawa.
***
Isaiah 58:6-10
6
Is not this the fast that I choose:
    to loose the bonds of injustice,
    to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
    and to break every yoke?
7
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
    and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
    and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
8
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you,
    the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
    you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.
If you remove the yoke from among you,
    the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
10
if you offer your food to the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness
    and your gloom be like the noonday.

Matthew 5:13-6
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Here’s a responsive prayer inspired by Isaiah 58.  It comes from the Housing Justice website. The authors write: “Below is a scripturally-based prayer for seeking the fulfillment of God’s promise and the Church’s calling to be renewers (and rebuilders) of the world around us (refer especially to Isaiah 58 and Matthew 5:13-16).
Prayer
(inspired by Isaiah 58)

Lord, we pray that you would renew our selfhood as the People of God – we are not to be the remains of a goal-less club, but rather, the Bride of Christ, the King who is over all things.

Holy God, through your power and through your people,
Let your kingdom come.

Help us to show the world the true personality of your Church: by faithfulness to the Master; by love for God and God`s creation; by participating in God`s work of giving flavour to the world.

Holy God, through your power and through your people,
Let your kingdom come.

We ask you to give us the privilege, through your grace, of regaining our role as renewers of our world, as the people who heal our society, who improve our surroundings, who improve circumstances.

Holy God, through your power and through your people,
Let your kingdom come.

Give us the power to obey your will for our lives, to encourage each other to listen to your Spirit, accepting that understanding comes by a spirit of obedience to you, and that the source of life is your light.

Holy God, through your power and through your people,
Let your kingdom come.

Let us learn to make neighbours and how to love them. Let us expect great things from you. Let us always learn; let us persevere through the process of extending and inheriting God’s kingdom; let us be called ‘repairers of the breach’ and ‘restorers of streets to be lived in.’

Holy God, through your power and through your people,
Let your kingdom come.

~ Adapted from The Trampled Vineyard: Worship resources on housing and homelessness edited by Christine Allen and Barbara d’Arcy and published by CHAS and UNLEASH in 1992. This title is now out of print.  Posted on Housing Justice.http://www.housingjustice.org.uk/pages/prayers.html#sthash.BnWj53WL.dpuf

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *