Peace be with you! Welcome from the St. Martin's Prime Timers.

You are invited to join us each Sunday in the Payne Education Center, rooms 207-209, in between the 9 and 11am services from 10:10 to 10:50. We are studying the gospel of John with teacher/parishioner Ben Welmaker. Hope to see you this Sunday!

Ben Welmaker is our Prime Timer teacher for January.

Prime Timer News

Former Prime Timer leader Jackie Rose will speak to the Daughters of the King at their monthly meeting on Saturday, February 3 at 10:00am in Rooms 210-212 of the Payne Education Center. This was our classroom when Jackie led the Prime Timers! Everyone is invited to hear Jackie speak on Seminary — What Was I Thinking? Reflections of a Second Year “Mature” Female Student.

The Prime Timers allow time at the beginning of each class to hear members Good News. Linda Thompson is celebrating her Fortieth Wedding Anniversary. Bill Shepherd reports his son just got married and that his wife will finally be moving to Houston. The Shepherd's are recent transplants from Connecticut. Lynn Swofford has a twenty-three year old daughter in Nairobi, Kenya. If you've been following the news in that area you know that the Ethiopians recently removed Muslim radicals from Somalia (next door to Kenya) and that many feared that Al-Qaeda operatives might move into Kenya. Lynn heard from her daughter and she is ok.

Lasting Results

Ben Welmaker began class by asking us what is the Bread and Drink Jesus is talking about in today's reading. He answered that its salvation, or the grace of God. Jesus says He will keep you and never drive you away; He will keep you and raise you up on the last day; and it is the will of the Father that those who look to the Son will have eternal life.

George Laigle mentioned how we have to eat and drink and Jesus is using this metaphor to emphasize the importance of the spiritual side of life. As we accept Jesus into our lives His saving grace can make significant changes to our lives, reordering all other needs, and bringing things into perspective.

Ben decried the frantic search many of us pursue in search of entertainment, happiness and self-fulfillment. Jesus' peace can help us realize that the search is ended, giving us calm and the peace of knowing who we are, how we are supposed to act, what our values are and where we are going.

Jesus grace makes the difference between having a context in which to live and the chains of living without meaning.

Ben concluded by tying together our last three weeks lessons with the "key verse" from our lesson plan. (Its always highlighted in bold in the reading on this site.) We started with John 8:31-32 "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³²Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  Being free from sin is the source of the deepest joy and meaning that a human can experience. Jesus message is not political, he addresses the issues of the human heart. Ben reminded us that it is not truth alone that sets you free!

Then we read John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." This highlights the special relationship between God the Father and Jesus. We can make our Christian belief work in our lives by following the Seven Christian Habits, reproduced here on the right column.

Ben then read our intercessory prayer and dismissed the class.

Prime Timers Contact names and numbers

Mentor

Rev. B. Massey Gentry
mgentry@stmartinsepiscopal.org

Leaders

Our Rector, the Rev. Larry Gipson made a promise to dress up like a chicken and cluck if the church made its pledge goal by the end of the year. Well, guess what, we made the goal! Larry is standing with Lee Hunnell (she's on the right).

Just after the 11am service this Sunday the clouds parted, leaving this beautiful view.

Seven Christian Habits:

1.  A personal, intimate relationship (through the Holy Spirit) with God as He is revealed in Jesus Christ in which I believe and trust in Him and His love for me and for my salvation in this life and the life to come.

2.  Daily personal prayer and weekly worship of God in His Church by which I receive the renewal of my emotional-spiritual energy which I need to live my life.

3.  Regular study of the Bible to understand how God has related to His people and what His will has been.

4.  Adjusting my will to the will of God for me as revealed in Scripture, prayer, worship and my relationship with Him.

5.  Service (which is ministry, which is love, which is doing good to God, others and self):

a. At home to family and friends.
b. At work to co-workers.
c. At Church.
d. In the world, especially by leading others to God in Christ.

6.  Fellowship (renewing relationship) with Christian people.

7.  Stewardship of my resources:

a. Of my relationships.
b. Of my time and talent.
c. Of my money, giving to God and His work my tithe (as I calculate it).

The Lesson for Sunday, February 4th is titled "Protection from Evil"

Key Verse:  John 10:11

Focus of the Lesson:  People seek protection from those elements that pose a threat to their well-being. Is it possible to find protection in our fearful world? Jesus uses the image of a shepherd to imply that he provides spiritual protection for people.

The reading is John 10:1-5, 7-18. This text is from the New International Version^®.

Background scripture:  John 10:1-18

   ¹"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ²The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. ³The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."   ⁷Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

   ¹¹"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹²The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

   ¹⁴"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. ¹⁷The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

NIV®