Welcome to the Prime Timers Adult Bible Fellowship Web Page!

We are currently exploring the gospels - Mark in June; Matthew in July; Luke in August.  You are invited to join us for fellowship, coffee and donuts every Sunday in the Payne Education Center, Rooms 210-212, 10:00 to 10:45am.

Jackie Rose is one of our leaders, and this weeks speaker. That's her at the podium!

The Prime Timers Good News!

At the beginning of class, for $1, you can bring us news of your family, or whatever is on your mind.

Hardly good news, but Katherine Given informed us of her fathers passing after a stroke.

Jackie Rose came back from her two weeks visit to the West Coast with lots to be thankful for. Her niece's wedding was one, and her grand daughter Katie and her learning surfing (!) was another. Also she will begin her classes at the Perkins School in August.

Practicing Genuine Piety: 

This weeks reading dealt with the sticky subject of genuine piety, are we doing things for others just to make ourselves feel good, or are we doing them for others, and for God?

Our mentor, the Rev. Rusty Goldsmith, began our session by reminding us that there are many wonderful prayers in our Book of Common Prayer beginning on page 814. I found this one which applies to our session today, #38, For the Right Use of God's Gifts:

Almighty God, whose loving hand hath given us all that we possess:  Grant us grace that we may honor thee with our substance, and, remembering the account which we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of thy bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Jackie Rose began by providing some context on the book of Matthew. It was most likely written around the years 85-95 AD, and by more than one person, perhaps a school or group of followers. It was written by Jewish Christians, as evidenced by the style and writing techniques. It is the only one of the four main gospels that mentions the word church!  And of course it is the first gospel in the sequence Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It takes the style of a "handbook", linear with the Birth of Christ, John the Baptist and then Jesus teachings and preaching in Galilee.

Jackie then asked the class if the word "piety" evoked a positive or negative response. The class was about 50/50! This led to a discussion of how we perform our religious duties:  alms, prayer and fasting. Fasting was left for another time but the motivation for the first two brought us right into conflict with some modern values.  For instance, recognition is valued today, in fact you won't get anyplace in a modern business unless you "toot your own horn". How many buildings have people's names on them as generous benefactors? Does this mean we are doing things for the wrong reason?

Jackie's answer was that she is only human, that as much as she would like to do things from a totally altruistic motivation, she can't deny that personal gratification is part of the picture.

Prime Timers Contact names and numbers

Mentor

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

Co-Leaders

We light the candle each week as a symbol of our continuing Christian faith and hope. In our current time, it especially signifies our hope and desire for peace in the Middle East. It is a reminder to us, and a small beacon to the world, that we never give up and we continue to pray for peace, knowing even this daunting task is possible with our omnipotent God.

Joyce Crowl (l) is a frequent participant in our discussions. She also has wonderful diction! On the right is her friend Gerry Wilkinson.

Don't forget the A.B.F. classrooms are where the coffee and donuts are at St. Martins Sunday mornings!

 The Lesson for Sunday, July 17rd is titled "Learning to Listen"

Key Verse:  Matthew 13:9

Focus of the Lesson:  Most people's discussions about the meaning of life can seem complex, abstract, and impractical. How can we find a way to communicate and explore that which concerns us most deeply? Jesus taught in parables that drew from the daily life of ordinary people and so made plain the deeper truth to those willing to follow him.

The reading is Matthew 13:9-17. This text is from the New Revised Standard Version.

9 "Let anyone with ears listen!"
10 Then the disciples came and asked him, ‘Why do you speak to them in parables?’ 11 He answered, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 13 The reason I speak to them in parables is that “seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.” 14 With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:
   “You will indeed listen, but never understand,
   and you will indeed look, but never perceive.
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
   and their ears are hard of hearing,
   and they have shut their eyes;
   so that they might not look with their eyes,
   and listen with their ears,
   and understand with their heart and turn--
   and I would heal them.”
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.