Welcome to The Prime Timers Adult Bible Fellowship Web Page!

You are invited to join us for fellowship, coffee, and study every Sunday in the Payne Education Center, Rooms 207-209, 10:10 to 10:50am. The month of August we will be studying the gospel of Luke.

Remember this guy? Its Prime Timer leader Skip Maryan, back from South Africa and teaching the class for the month of August.

The Prime Timers are about Good News!

Tell us news of your family, or whatever is on your mind, for $1! Its a Prime Timers tradition at the beginning of class.

Bobby Griffith-Winner spent a dollar to give thanks that she made it to class on time. Well, Woody Allen said that eighty percent of success in life is just showing up.

Rita Junker gave thanks that she finally got a bid on a property in Rosenberg.

The Prime Timers are Moving

Starting next week the Prime Timers will be meeting across the hall in Rooms 207-209, where the Seekers now meet, and they will meet in our current rooms 210-212. So if you don't see any familiar faces next week you'll know why!

Meeting Human Needs 

This weeks new vocabulary word is parousia. It refers to the second coming of Jesus. It is relevant to the reading for today in that it is the story where Jesus says in Matthew 25:40 “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Jackie Rose referred to this as Jesus' Mission Statement.

She once again reminded us that the gospel of Matthew was written around 85-90AD. Right after his death, people were convinced that Jesus' second coming, and judgment, were coming very soon. Now, three generations later, people were re-thinking the "when" of the second coming, although most still believed it was imminent.

The "Mini-Apocalypse" of Mark 13 was turning more into Pastoral Care for everyone. As the discussion turned to the present, Jackie described a reading from one of the Professors at the Perkins School, (where she will attend this fall), entitled "Word of God and Word of People". It followed a Bible study group as they went and volunteered at a local Soup Kitchen. The group was profoundly affected by this "giving back to the least of God's family".

Bill Linden reminded us that the two great commandments are Love the Lord thy God and Love thy neighbors as Thyself, and that the first is easier to do than the second.

Dr. Bill Moore gave us an real life way to give back with the "Volunteer with Reading Program" for Rusk Elementary school, where you read to the children. The details are in the Star, or you can call Nancy Chickering at 713-787-9835, or email at nanchick@msn.com. Or you can call Julia Butler at 713-523-3659 or email at jbutler53@houston.rr.com.

We concluded with the reminder that Government has taken over many functions of caring for "the least of us". This can be a mixed bag of good and bad, as only Government can take money from everyone to provide help to those in need, but sometimes it bends over backward to take the Soul out of this care.

Prime Timers Contact names and numbers

Mentor

The Rev. Maurice L. "Rusty" Goldsmith. D.D.
713/985-3831
rgoldsmith@stmartinsepiscopal.org

Co-Leaders

Bobby Giffith-Winner had and interesting blessing.

Rita Junker Pickar will be back teaching the Prime Timers in September!

Take a good look at this room, next week we are moving!

If you haven't seen the view from the balcony in the new church, its worth the 49 steps up.

 The Lesson for Sunday, August 7th is titled "What is My Calling?"

Key Verse:  Luke 4:18

Focus of the Lesson:  People of all ages question their ultimate goals and purpose. How and where does one find clear direction for one's life? In exploring that question, Christians must also ask, What is my vocation--what is God calling me to do and be? Jesus provided an example when he declared his calling to be a ministry of compassion to those who live in poverty, in bondage, in oppression, and with disabilities.

The reading is Luke 4:16-24, 28-30. This text is from the New International Version.

   16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
   18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
   because he has anointed me
   to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
   and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
   19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

   20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

   22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked.

   23 Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.' "

   24 "I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown.

   28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.
30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.