Welcome to the St. Martin's Prime Timers A.B.F. Web Page!

We are beginning an exploration of the Old Testament and you are welcome to join us in the Payne Education Center, rooms 207-209.  We meet each Sunday in between the 9am and 11am services from 10:10am to 10:50. Coffee and snacks and this week the Book of Exodus are waiting for you.

Pete Seale is one of the four Prime Timer teachers. This week he guided us through God's covenant with Abraham.

Prime Timers Good News

Henny Penny, the Prime Timers chicken asks for a contribution of $1 and the floor is yours to tell us your good news.

George Laigle was happy to report that it finally rained at his place in the country. This season was rough regarding rain for many places in Texas and George's farm is no exception.

Max Kech brought news that the Rusk Elementary School reading program is starting up for the fall season and so far is a wonderful success! If you would like to volunteer like Max, or find out more, click here. You could also contact Max at her number or email address, listed below.

Trusting Promises

Pete Seale began teaching at the Prime Timers this week, and what a biblical event he got to teach about! No less than thirteen covenants from God to Abraham. This is the story of God giving Abraham and his wife Sarah both their names and their future, promising that he would be (Genesis 17:5) "a father of many nations" with many kings coming from him. His son Ishmael will be the father of twelve rulers (Genesis 17:20) but a new son, Isaac will be born and God will establish his eternal covenant with him.

Pete asked what would you do if God came to you with such an announcement! How difficult would it be to trust a promise that is so fantastic, so out of our normal realm? He then gave us a list of characteristics to deal with the situation: 

• Knowledge
• Study
• Trust
• Patience
• Obedience
• Radical
•    Faithfulness

God in this case is making a radical gesture, and it requires faithfulness from Abraham to accept the covenant.

Left out of our reading was the section on circumcision (Genesis 17:9-14). This is an outward manifestation of accepting the covenant with God, although Pete read the passage from Romans 2:28-29 "A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. ²⁹No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God." He also reminded us that it is way before the time of Jesus. Also Colossians 3:11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

In Galatians 4:21-31 we have the story or Sarah and Hagar, the former a free woman and the latter a slave woman. The children of Hagar are to be slaves, while the children of Sarah are born of a promise.

Pete concluded reminding us of Matthew 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it." Abrahams faith was a total faith.

Pete then dismissed the class.

Prime Timers Contact names and numbers

Mentor

Rev. B. Massey Gentry
mgentry@stmartinsepiscopal.org

Leader

Yes it finally rained at George Laigle's (l) ranch! He's the one throwing up his hands.

Max Kech tells us the St. Martins reading program at Rusk Elementary School is a wonderful success!

Abraham, Sarah and the Angel. By Jan Provost, oil on wood, at the Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Hagar and the Angel, by Giovanni Battista Spinelli. Oil on canvas, private collection.

The Lesson for Sunday, September 17th is titled "Being Mutually Responsible"

Key Verse:  Exodus 24:3

Focus of the Lesson:  Healthy, successful relationships depend on mutual commitment and responsibility. What does it mean to bear mutual responsibility for one another? God's promise in this text called for commitment and respect on both sides:  If the people would honor God through obedience, God would treasure the people and set them apart.

The reading is Exodus 19:1-6; 24:3-8. This text is from the New International Version^®.

   ¹In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on the very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. ²After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.

   ³Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ⁴'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. ⁵Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, ⁶you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."

Exodus 24:3-8

   ³When Moses went and told the people all the LORD's words and laws, they responded with one voice, "Everything the LORD has said we will do." ⁴Moses then wrote down everything the LORD had said.
   He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁵Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the LORD. ⁶Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar. ⁷Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, "We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey."

   ⁸Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words."

NIV®