Welcome to the Houston Marathon Edition of St. Martin's Prime Timers Web Page!

You are invited to join us each Sunday in the Payne Education Center from 10:10am to 10:50 in rooms 207-209. We are following a series entitled "God's Gifts of Leadership" this fall. The coffee and donuts are in the A.B.F. classrooms so come on down!

Our leader Jackie Rose is stepping down, but she will still be part of our group.

Announcements

Sadly, Jackie Rose will be stepping down from her duties as the Prime Timers leader. Family concerns and the extra stress of going back to school brought about this decision. The good news is that she will still be in our class.

Co-Leader and teacher Skip Maryan assumes the leadership role effective immediately. Now lets see, when its 10am here its 6pm in Johannesburg...

The Redoubtable Henny Penny!

At the beginning of a Prime Timers class, time is set aside to hear good news from our members. The catch is that it costs $1 you need to feed our chicken, Henny Penny.

Skip Allen reported that his sister's husband George underwent successful kidney transplant surgery with his sister as a donor. Both are doing fine. This must have been a very stressful time for the whole family and we should all say a prayer for their continued good health.

Leading God's People

Rita Junker-Pickar began her class today with three vocabulary words for us, actually Greek words referring to our reading. The first is episkope, or Greek word for Bishop or overseer. The second is diakonus, or deacon. Originally this meant a servant who waited tables! And third is ekklesia, or calling out, an assembly of citizens summoned by the crier, the legislative assembly.

Leadership in 1 Timothy 3 is described as a blend of "being" and "doing". That is, we want our
leaders to be able to "do" certain things and we also want them to "be" certain things. 1
Timothy 3 measures leadership from a "being" standpoint. This may be partly because the development of separate church "offices" of bishop, deacon and elder had only begun and
the duties of each were not clearly defined. The list of characteristics required of each office were designed to be acted upon by the bishop or deacon. So, for example, "being" hospitable (one of the characteristics) could only be demonstrated by "doing" what was necessary to welcome others; and a person would not "be" "not violent, but gentle" by simply thinking good thoughts, but by "doing" something like not exploding when "push comes to shove". The difficulty in these early efforts to outline the requirements for church offices was in stating what constitutes the skill of hospitality or gentleness.

One of the requirements of a deacon set out in 1 Timothy 3:9 is that they must keep hold of the
"deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience." The "deep truths of the faith" may refer to the apostolic faith found in our modern day apostle's creed. According to the apostle's creed, Christ will judge each person according to our deeds. This is called the "judgement seat of Christ". Often we do not think that we as Christian will be judged, but this is not according to our creed or scripture. 2 Corinthians 5:10 states that we will be judged by Christ for the things done while "in the body". This idea is also found in Romans 2:6: "God will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good, seek glory, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life. But for those who are self seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger."

In 1 Timothy 3:14-15, reference is made to the church as the "household of God" In the New
Testament, the Christian community was referred to as God's household. This household has
been "called out" (ekklesia) to be the foundation and pillar of truth.

Instead of a list of character traits, Jesus gives guidance on leadership qualities by saying: "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last and the servant of all." Mark 9:33-37. The focus is on humility. Jesus sets an example of humble servanthood when he washed the disciples feet at the last supper. He encourages us to serve each other saying: " I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the
truth, no servant is greater than his master nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." Thus Jesus encourages us to action in serving one another. The first seven verses of our reading describe what makes a good Bishop, verses eight to twelve the qualifications for a good deacon.

Mark 9:33-37  They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

In the discussion that followed the tendency of religion to descend into entertainment was mentioned, as was the catholic saying "give me your child up to the age of six" referring to the importance of early development.

Max Kech led the class in the healing prayer, and Jackie Rose then dismissed the class.


Prime Timers Contact names and numbers

Mentor

To be announced in February!

Leader

Yes, its that time of year already. The Houston Marathon ran this Sunday. And the Rev. Gipson did give out Gold Stars for attendance.

Skip Allen was thankful for a medical miracle.

This was the church on the morning of the Houston Marathon. Quiet, services are in session.

Its pop quiz time! Where do you find this statue at St. Martin's? (And the answer is not "outside.")

John 13:5-15 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

7 Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

8 "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

9 "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

10 Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

 The Lesson for Sunday, January 22nd is titled "Set an Example"

Key Verse:  1 Timothy 4:16

Focus of the Lesson:  People need to be taught the truth. What rules can guide us in what and how we teach? Paul admonishes Timothy to teach godliness and the good news of Jesus Christ.

The reading is 1 Timothy 4. This text is from the New International Version^®.

   1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

   6 If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

   9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance 10 (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

   11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

   15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

NIV®

Answer to the Pop Quiz:  The modern statue of Jesus is located in the courtyard of the St. Martin's complex.