The St. Martin's Prime Timers invite you to check our our web page!

We meet each Sunday in the Payne Education Center from 10:10am to 10:50 in rooms 207-209. We have coffee, donuts and fellowship waiting for you!

Joyce Crowl gave thanks to the fact that she is in the Prime Timers! At right is the Rev. Bob Brown.

Would you like to make a float?

All the St. Martin's A.B.F. groups are making "floats" for the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. What looked like a refrigerator box was left in our classroom. Caroline Maryan is leading our group project to decorate our box. Our new mentor, newly appointed Vice-Rector the Rev. B. Massey Gentry, will get to parade the float around. If you would like to help decorate the float, call Caroline at 713/974-1490.

Prime Timers Good News!

At the beginning of our class members can contribute to our chicken Henny Penny and report on good things in their lives.

This week Dr. Bill Moore described his experience at the Labyrinth, a time of silence and discovery sponsored by the Church.

Joyce Crowl said she was not "age appropriate" for our class, but valued the Bible lessons we studied in Prime Timers. We certainly benefit from her presence in class. Hearing her read the Bible passages for class aloud is a treat for us as well! Also, we encourage anyone who wants to attend Prime Timer's ABF, regardless of age!

Randy Riddell, who gave thanks a while ago for a car accident in which his son was uninjured. Today he reminded us that we can do things for ourselves, but doing what God wants us to do can bring a much larger return.

Bobbie Griffith-Winner has children who live in New Orleans and a house there as well, and has given thanks many times over the last months for their being spared the worst of Hurricane Katrina. Today she once again thanked the Lord as a tornado in New Orleans flattened their neighborhood but missed both hers and her children's residences!

A Heritage of Faith

Today's vocabulary words are heritage and entrust. Heritage is something that can be passed down from preceding generations. In our case it is the spiritual heritage Paul is reminding Timothy about. Entrust (or intrust) is to give over to another for care, protection or performance.

Skip Maryan reminded us that Paul's forbearers were Jews and that the heritage or tradition he came from was the Jewish faith. As we read the  passage from Timothy Skip said that there could hardly be a better statement of faith than this. Skip then told the story of his ancestors, Polish immigrants building the railroad from Buffalo to Toledo, saving money along the way and buying property along the way.

Our reading from Timothy says that the Grace we get from God was given "before the beginning of time" 2 Timothy 1:9. It was the Christ that revealed this fact to us.

Class participation brought several more stories of where we came from. Skip told us that seven years after Jesus' death there were about a thousand Christians. Today there are around two billion, almost a third of the earth's population.

Skip Maryan then led the class in prayer and closed with a benediction.

Prime Timers Contact names and numbers

Mentor

Rev. B. Massey Gentry
mgentry@stmartinsepiscopal.org

Leader

Skip Maryan is the Prime Timers leader and current teacher. If you would like to teach our class, contact Skip! He would love to hear from you.

Dr. Bill Moore gave thanks for the Labyrinth!

Randy Riddell reminded us that service to God can have big rewards.

Bobbie Grifitth-Winner gave thanks for a tornado that missed her children in New Orleans!

The Lesson for Sunday, February 12th is titled "Pursue Righteousness"

Key Verse:  2 Timothy 2:22

Focus of the Lesson:  People need to develop Christian character so they may live as people of God. How can church leaders help members develop Christian character? Paul advises Timothy to exercise self-discipline, especially in his speech and attitudes, and to deal gently with those who would start quarrels.

The reading is 2 Timothy 2:14-26. This text is from the New International Version^®.

   14 Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."

   20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

   22 Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

NIV®