Welcome to the Prime Timers A.B.F!

Class is held each Sunday from 10:10 am until 10:50 on the second floor of the Payne Education Center, Room 210-212. This quarter's theme is Called to be God's People and you are invited to come join us.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

All the St. Martin's A.B.F.'s are taking the week off in celebration of Christmas week, so the next scheduled class is next year, January 2, 2005. Our lesson plan, however, does have material for Christmas Sunday, December 26, and you will find the readings for both Sundays at the bottom of this page. Skip Maryan promises a Super Lesson January 2nd combining both sessions into one.

A Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season from the Prime Timers ABF.

George and Leslie Mims directed the caroling.

The Prime Timers Christmas Party was great fun. Skip and Caroline Maryan hosted. The photos are from the party. Since there are some "crowd scenes" here and web photos are small, all the photos are "clickable" bringing up an enlarged version. Use your browser "back" button to return, or the backspace key on your keyboard.

George got everyone into the act, including host Skip Maryan.

Wendy Fullenweider and Maxie Kech.

This photo is from George Mims position at the synthesizer. He had everyone take a bow!

Caroling at the Christmas Party.

Craig Loomis (l) and George Laigle.

Prime Timers Contact names and numbers

Co-Leaders

From left to right--Maud Ella and Rick Hartley, Lee Ohrt and George Kurk.

I promise you the Rev. Graham was not wearing reindeer antlers!

More carolers!

The Maestro, George Mims, at the synthesizer.

Responding to the Call

Skip Maryan began the session with the first part of The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr. As a web extra, the whole prayer is reprinted here:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen. 

The lesson discussed the birth of Christ as described not by Luke but by Matthew. Skip emphasized how marriage in the time of Jesus was a serious business, "not to be left to the whims of young people". The parents arranged the marriage through a formal period of 1) Engagement, followed by 2) Betrothal, where you were all but married without living together, and finally 3) Marriage itself. This was the context for the reading from Matthew, where Joseph deals with the news that his wife-to-be is pregnant. Of course, things worked out alright for Joseph and Mary, with the dream intervention by an angel.

This led to class discussion of how we get "the word" today, starting with Skip telling us how the Chinese symbols for danger and opportunity usually go together! Contemplative prayer was suggested, one lady described going into the bookstore and how titles "jump out at you". Caroline Maryan described the experience of journaling, when you run out of things to say and yet the next paragraph seems to just "come to you".

The Lesson for Sunday, December 26 is titled "Searching for Hope in the Right Places"

Key Verse:  Luke 2:30-31

Focus of the Lesson:  People need a sense of hope. Where do they find it? According to  Simeon and Anna, hope lies in the Christ child.

The reading is Luke 2:22-38. This text is from the New International Version.

22 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you now dismiss your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”

33 The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

The Lesson for Sunday, January 2 is titled "Spreading the Good News"

Key Verse:  Mark 1:17

Focus of the Lesson:  People are looking for good news. Where can we hear good news? In Mark, we see that Jesus proclaimed God's good news.

The reading is Mark 1:14-28. This text is from the New International Version.

14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit

21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”
25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching–and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.