The St. Martins Prime Timers Adult Bible Fellowship welcomes you to our web page!

You are invited to visit us each Sunday from 10:10am to 10:50 in rooms 207-207 of the Payne Education Center. The lesson plan from the National Council of Churches just started a new season September 4th. Its a great time to join us! And remember, we have coffee and donuts in addition to fellowship!

After Hurricane Rita a sigh of relief and lots of Good News!

At the beginning of our sessions, time is set aside for members to bring us news about what is happening in our lives. For contributing $1 to our Good News chicken, Henny Penny, you get the floor!

Dr. Bill Moore reported it was wife Grace's birthday!

The Rev. Bob Brown told us that today he celebrates eight years to the day that he got his heart transplant! If this doesn't qualify as a miracle I don't know what does.

Janie Putnam has a new home in Galveston and the wonderful news that everything is in good shape after Hurricane Rita.

Our teacher Skip Maryan has a boat in Galveston and it too was unharmed.

Faithful Servant

Today's vocabulary word is martyr, one of the definitions being one who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty for refusing to renounce their religion.

Our reading from Acts today is the story of Stephen, who was stoned to death for bringing the message of Jesus. As background, our teacher Skip Maryan gave us some facts about the book of Acts. It is believed that this book was written by Luke, and that it fits in between the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and the various letters of Paul. As history, the book of Acts does not provide enough information, and as literature the stories are too disjointed to hold together. Then again, the book of Acts recounts many of the events of biblical times from a unique perspective.

Stephen was chosen as one of seven helpers, or deacons, by the apostles to resolve a conflict between the Greek-speaking Jews and the native Jews about their widows being neglected in the distribution of funds. Stephen then begins to perform miracles himself, and as happens many times in the Bible, draws negative attention from other members of the synagogue, who then begin to make false testimony against him.

The Sanhedrin council could not sentence someone to death, so the people had to either get someone else to put someone to death, like Jesus by Pontius Pilate, or take matters into their own hands, like the stoning of Stephen.

Stephen delivers a long speech, finishing it with (Acts 7:51-53) 51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— 53 you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."

The next line refers to the people "gnashing their teeth" and this expression in the Bible usually signifies the presence of evil. They then rushed Stephen, stoned and killed him.

The character of Saul is introduced here, with the people laying their clothes at his feet, or giving him respect, as they went off to stone Stephen.

Our discussion centered around what makes a good leader. Dr. Bill suggested that sometimes it is someone with no good features at all, a reprobate even, who gets the call from God and goes on to lead others. Rick Hartley took a longer view, suggesting we are all "conduits" or leaders who pass down the good news to our children and others.

Max Kech was very busy this past week, what with the hurricane, a mother in New Jersey with a broken hip, and the demands of working in real estate and rental properties at this time, and was unable to lead the healing prayer. Leader Jackie Rose "got the call" and concluded our session by leading the prayer herself.

Prime Timers Contact names and numbers

Mentor

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

Leader

The Rev. Rusty Goldsmith, Prime Timers mentor, prepares the class.

Our teacher for October Skip Maryan prepares to work his magic!

Grace and Dr. Bill Moore celebrated a birthday!

Not just good news, a genuine miracle to report.

You probably guessed Janie Putnam is bringing some good news, along with a dollar for the chicken!

 The Lesson for Sunday, October 9th is titled "Christians Without Borders"

Key Verse:  Acts 8:14

Focus of the Lesson:  People of all cultures and races need to hear the good news of God's love. How can cultural and racial barriers be overcome? Evangelists like Philip extended to gospel beyond Judea to Samaria, welcoming others as brothers and sisters in Christ and setting an example for us.

The reading is Acts 8:4-17. This text is from the New International Version.

   4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

   9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, "This man is the divine power known as the Great Power." 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

   14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.


NIV®