This Sunday: Pentecost is the Birthday of the Church.  Birthday parties should be fun!  So come wearing your red, orange or blue party clothes. Please bring red and orange finger foods to share during fellowship time.  Worship will include some fun “flying-dove” prayers.  Come and see what we mean!  (Scripture text is below)

May 27th   10:55 Worship, Rev. Teresa preaching. PENTECOST!

June 3rd    10:55 Worship, Communion. Church School Celebration. Kids will lead the service – come and see their Scripture recitation too!

Following worship:  Congregational meeting.

June 10th   10:55 Worship, Rev. Susan preaching.

June 17th   10:55 Worship, Rev. Teresa preaching. Communion.

June 24th   10:55 Worship, Rev. Teresa preaching.

During July and August WTUC breaks for the summer.  A list of nearby churches is available from the pastors.  WTUC services will resume on September 2, 2012.

Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.

And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

2Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem.  And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.  Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?  And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?  Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,  Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,  Cretans and Arabs–in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.  All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say.  Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.  Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.  And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist.  The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day  Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

This Sunday:  Rev. Dr. Alice Knotts speaks from Acts 1:21-26 on the topic of “What does it mean to be a disciple?”   

The Rev. Dr. Alice Knotts is a United Methodist minister from San Diego, California.  She studied at ICU as an exchange student in 1964 and attended WTUC at that time.  She returns to visit the Sacon family and see how things have changed.  She reflects on history, religion, and cultural changes in books she has written.  With a passion for justice, she has been in ministry and mission with small congregations, marginalized groups and campus ministry in Oregon, Colorado, Montana, and California.

Acts 1:21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” 23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed,“Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.” 

May 27th   10:55 Worship,  Rev. Susan and Rev. Teresa preaching. PENTECOST! Bring red and orange finger foods to share during fellowship time. Wear red, orange or blue to celebrate the Holy Spirit.

June 3rd   10:55 Worship, Rev. Susan preaching. Communion. Church School Celebration. Congregational meeting.

June 10th   10:55 Worship, Rev. Susan preaching.

June 17th   10:55 Worship, Rev. Teresa preaching.  Communion.

June 24th   10:55 Worship, Rev. Teresa preaching.

During July and August WTUC breaks for the summer.  A list of nearby churches is available from the pastors.  WTUC services will resume on September 2, 2012.

Do all the good you can, by all the means you can,
in all the ways you can, in all the places you can,
at all the times you can, to all the people you can, 
as long as ever you can.

…John Wesley

WTUC Weekly Message for Sunday, May 13th

This Sunday:  Pastor Teresa looks at Jesus` simple yet profound commandment ”Love one another as I have loved you.”  Text John 15:9-17  

We are doing a “spring fling” bible study for adults.  Two weeks looking at Romans 12:2: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God — what is good and acceptable and perfect.  Last week, we considered the ways in which we find ourselves conforming, this 2nd week we will look at the ways we are being transformed. Even if you were not able to attend the !st week, you are welcome to attend this week`s.  It will be held in the Sack`s garden (next to Trinity Hall on the Lutheran College Campus) with their delicious coffee to boot!

May 13th   9:40 Adult Sunday School on Romans 12:2 – Transformation;
10:55 Worship, Rev. Teresa preaching.  Mother’s Day.

May 20th   10:55 Worship,  Rev. Dr. Alice Knotts preaching.  Ascension Sunday.

May 27th   10:55 Worship,  Rev. Susan and Rev. Teresa preaching. PENTECOST! Bring red and orange finger foods to share during fellowship time. Wear red, orange or blue to celebrate the Holy Spirit.

June 3rd   10:55 Worship, Rev. Susan preaching.  Church School Celebration. Congregational meeting.

This Sunday:  We consider the word “abide.”  …Not so often used in everyday speech anymore; still a word with biblical staying power.  Text John 15:1-8

We are doing a “spring fling” bible study for adults.  Two weeks looking at Romans 12:2: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God — what is good and acceptable and perfect.  This week, we’ll consider the ways in which we find ourselves conforming.

May 13th   9:40 Adult Sunday School on Romans 12:2 – Transformation;
10:55 Worship, Rev. Teresa preaching.  Mother’s Day.

May 20th   10:55 Worship,  Rev. Dr. Alice Knotts preaching.  Ascension Sunday.

May 27th   10:55 Worship,  Rev. Susan and Rev. Teresa preaching. PENTECOST! Bring red and orange finger foods to share during fellowship time. Wear red, orange or blue to celebrate the Holy Spirit.

The Morning-Watch
O joys! infinite sweetness! with what flow’rs
And shoots of glory my soul breaks and buds!

All the long hours
Of night, and rest,
Through the still shrouds
Of sleep, and clouds,
This dew fell on my breast;
Oh, how it bloods

And spirits all my earth! Hark! In what rings
And hymning circulations the quick world

Awakes and sings;
The rising winds
And falling springs,
Birds, beasts, all things
Adore him in their kinds.
Thus all is hurl’

In sacred hymns and order, the great chime
And symphony of nature. Prayer is

The world in tune,
A spirit voice,
And vocal joys
Whose echo is heav’n’s bliss.
O let me climb

When I lie down! The pious soul by night
Is like a clouded star whose beams, though said

To shed their light
Under some cloud,
Yet are above,
And shine and move
Beyond that misty shroud.
So in my bed,

That curtain’d grave, though sleep, like ashes, hide
My lamp and life, both shall in thee abide.

BY HENRY VAUGHAN 1621–1695, Welsh poet