Welcome to the Prime Timers A.B.F!

You are cordially invited to attend the Prime Timers Adult Bible Fellowship. Intended for St. Martin's members in the 50-65 year range, we extend a warm welcome, complete with coffee and donuts, to anyone who can make it to the Payne Education center, second floor, rooms 210-212 each Sunday from 10:10 am until 10:50 am. Hope to see you there.

As I was taking photos of the Marathon, I turned around to come back to the church, backlit by the sun. Isn't it a magnificent building!

Tsunami relief!

Our prayers go out to the victims of the Christmas Day tsunami, a reminder of the awesome power of nature. The Episcopal Church has a relief operation in South Asia, and it is being expanded in response to this disaster. You can learn more by clicking the logo below:

Preparing for the Job

Jackie Rose returned as our speaker this week and as usual presented a nicely researched and well thought out lesson.

The session began with Jackie noting that the book reviews that we enjoyed last year do not fit into this year's highly scheduled lesson plan. She floated the suggestion of a Book review Sunday luncheon, maybe twice a month.

For the background to this week's readings, Jackie told us about the Primacy of the Book of Mark, that is, this gospel was most likely written before Matthew and Luke, and that they in turn were building on the work of Mark. Mark was a student of Peter, and his gospel was written somewhere between 64 and 70 AD. Mark is the shortest gospel and largely depicts Jesus actions in vivid and detailed language.

The reading involved Jesus choosing and commissioning the 12 disciples, giving them authority over "unclean spirits".  As we are all sinners this authority was quite significant! There is much symbolism in the reading, Jesus telling the disciples to wear sandals, because it was going to be a long journey. And the symbolism of choosing 12 disciples, as there were 12 tribes in Israel. The disciples were also to be with Jesus and to proclaim Jesus' message.

Just to be clear, here are the five elements of the proclamation:

There was some discussion of how the apostles are mentioned in different order in different gospels. Some mention was made of how many times Judas Escariot is mentioned in the Bible. Click here to find out!

All of this led up to asking us to consider how we proclaim the message. Are we "girlie men", "hardcore" or somewhere in the middle. Where are you?

Prime Timers Contact names and numbers

Co-Leaders

Houston Marathon

If you've been to St. Martins on Houston Marathon Day, you know that the Rev. Gipson hands out extra gold stars for attending! (Just kidding)

We were especially happy to see Sue and Walter Morrison in class. Walter had been ailing but looks pretty good here!

Coy Lewis returned to the Prime Timers after a brief hiatus.

Yes, it was chilly outside. Just right for the marathoners. This is Elizabeth Sleeper, our refreshments coordinator.

The Lesson for Sunday, January 23 is titled "Giving Your All"

Key Verse:  Mark 8:34

Focus of the Lesson:  We are willing to commit to people and causes we care about. What is the highest commitment we can make? Jesus described the total commitment due to God's Messiah.

The reading is Mark 8:27-38. This text is from the New Revised Standard Version.

27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ 28 And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ 29 He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’