Friday Flourish for the Weekend of February 3 & 4

We Encourage You to Read This Reading for This Upcoming Weekend

Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:16-23

If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.

For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

Gospel: Mark 1:29-39

As soon as [Jesus and the disciples] left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Wheels Show - June 2

Register Your Wheels Now

Summer is kicking off with an Ice Cream Social & Wheels Show.

Join us Friday, June 2^nd from 6:30pm-8:30pm for the Ice Cream Social.

Sign up to bring your wheels at www.bit.ly/SOTPwheels23 . They can have 4 or 3 or 2 wheels, maybe someone even has a unicycle!?!?

The best decorated kid’s wheels will win a prize.

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We will also have games, relays, face painting, an ice cream Pinata, and lots of fun!

Let us know you’re coming – register at www.bit.ly/SOTPsocial23

Contact: Jill Gillming jill@sotpmail.com

Altar Flowers This Weekend

For more information on how to donate altar flowers, go to www.bit.ly/SOTPflower

Contact: Diane Mollis dem910@outlook.com

September Note

From Donna Kelly

Let us build a house where love can dwell and all can safely live,

A place where saints and children tell how hearts learn to forgive.

Built of hopes and dreams and visions, rock of faith and vault of grace;

Here the love of Christ shall end divisions:

All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place.

Let us build a house where all are named, their songs and visions heard,

And loved and treasured, taught and claimed as words within the Word.

Built of tears and cries and laughter, prayers of faith and songs of grace,

Let this house proclaim from floor to rafter:

All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place. ELW 641

This is one of, if not the number one favorite hymn of mine. In it we proclaim God’s and our love for all people. Those who sit next to us in the pew, watch online. Longtime members, new members; old, young, and in between. Those who look and dress like us, those who don’t. Those who talk like us, those who speak differently. Those who fit our ideal of who a ‘Christian’ is and those who do not. But does what we proclaim in this song match how we welcome? I found this poem on, of all places, TikTok.

“You got hammered at the bar on Saturday but came to church on Sunday…