Light snacks & beverages provided! Big screen, A/C, & live game on ESPN3! Come enjoy it and invite some friends!
Maundy Thursday 5:00pm Foot Washing Service in the Formal Lounge–Room 104–at Cannon Chapel (sponsored by University Worship Deacons/Emory Religious Life–light meal afterward) 7:30pm Communion Service at Glenn Memorial UMC Sanctuary (more info here) Good Friday 12noon Good Friday Liturgy at Cannon Chapel (ecumenical/Emory Religious Life) 3:00pm Stations of the Cross (procession begins in front of Cannon Chapel on the Quad) 7:30pm Service of Shadows (Tenebre) at Glenn Memorial UMC Sanctuary Easter Sunday 7:15am Sunrise Service at Glenn Memorial Sanctuary front Lawn (sponsored by Emory Wesley Fellowship) 8:30am Glenn Memorial Easter Service 9:30am Glenn Memorial Easter Brunch 11:00am University Worship at Cannon Chapel with Rev. Dr. Luther Smith Preaching 11:00am Glenn Memorial Easter Service with Rev. Dr. David Jones Preaching 7:00pm Emory Wesley Fellowship Easter Worship Service
Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.’ You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”
Then he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.’ But you say that if anyone tells father or mother, ‘Whatever support you might have had from me is Corban’ (that is, an offering to God)— then you no longer permit doing anything for a father or mother, thus making void the word of God through your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many things like this.”
Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.”
When he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable. He said to them, “Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
This passage deals with the idea of what our moms and dads (at least mine) used to say, “trash in, trash out.” Here Jesus is dealing with the cleanliness laws of the times and traditions, which said that what you put into your body (food wise) was what made someone “clean” or “unclean.” Jesus is challenging that notion and says that all the food we eat goes into our stomachs (not our hearts) and then to the sewer…so how could food change whether we are ritually clean or not? Jesus is highlighting the idea that what comes out of our hearts is what determines our state–that is, whatever we say and do determines our ability to worship and serve God.
I had a third grade sunday school teacher who said “you can tell what is in your heart by what comes out of your mouth when you step on a lego piece at three in the morning.” Now, this is not entirely true as we all have times where we (myself included) are careless with our language (not just swear words) and we do not always show our relationship with God through our words and actions.
In the last part of the passage above, even the disciples don’t get what Jesus is trying to say–so, Jesus makes it plain: “ For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come.” May we not not be led into temptation from within, but respond to God’s love and be empowered by the Spirit as we follow Jesus. Joseph McBrayer Staff
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. 22Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.”
24So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” 31And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32He looked all around to see who had done it. 33But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
35While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” 36But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” 42And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
For me, this scripture reflects two different beliefs of faith. One of prayer and asking and one of turning your faith into action. I think that Jesus shows that both are acceptable to act on one’s faith, but that sometimes it requires both forms of faith to be able to fully trust in God. The woman, while acting on the belief that if she just touched Jesus she would be healed, also had to confront Jesus and explain her faith. The leader tried using conventional methods of healing his daughter and tried to pray for his daughter, but at the end had to take the leap of faith like the woman to follow Jesus and see that his daughter was just sleeping.
Prayer: Lord, we ask that in this time of lent you help us grow in our faith of you and not only pray, but act on our faith. For it is through both that we can grow closer to you. Amen Michael Dale Class of 2011
As we announced this past Wednesday, it is now time for us to begin looking at the Ministry Team for 2010-2011!
The Emory Wesley Fellowship is a community of Christian disciples seeking to grow in the Love of God and Neighbor. Emory Wesley is powered and driven by active student leaders who, with the staff and director, help shape the direction and expressions of our Christian Community and Ministry. This is an exciting time for the Emory Wesley Fellowship as we are looking ahead to see who will be helping lead Wesley to continue to fulfill our mission of “Loving God and Loving Neighbor” in the 2010-2011 school year.
Attached in the Emory Wesley Fellowship Ministry Team 2010-2011 pdf are brief descriptions (& the application) of each Ministry Team position including President, Ministry Team Leaders, and Ministry Team Members. All of these parts are vital to helping our ministry to work together and function in our Community and on Campus. We’re calling it the “Ministry Team” because that’s what it is: Ministry and Team.
Any undergrad student who is involved or wants to become involved in the Emory Wesley Fellowship may apply for one or multiple positions (please fill out 1 app for each position).
If you have any questions over the break, contact Joseph at jmcbray@emory.edu or call at 404.727.6278.
Applications for President (which Wesley members will vote upon by active members of Emory Wesley on Sunday 03.21.10 @ 6:50pm) are due Wednesday 03.17.10 by 5pm (the Wed. after we get back from Spring Break) and all other applications for positions are due on Friday 03.19.10 by 5pm. You can submit them electronically to Joseph or in printed format.
Grace and peace in this exciting time!
Joseph, Staff, & Current Ministry Team Emory Wesley Fellowship
Below are the pertinent dates: 03.03.10 Wednesday: Applications and Descriptions Posted 03.17.10 Wednesday: President apps due in paper/electronic format to Joseph by 5pm. 03.17.10 Wednesday: Presidential Candidate speeches”@6:45pm following Dinner. 03.19.10 Friday: All ministry team leader/member apps due in paper/electronic format to Joseph by 5pm. 03.21.10 Sunday: Presidential Candidate “speeches” again @6:45pm following Dinner. 03.21.10 Sunday: Presidential Vote/Election (written ballot) @6:50pm (announced thereafter) 03.24.10 Wednesday: 2010-2011 Ministry Team Leaders & Members announced (from there until the end of the school year, outgoing members will work closely with incoming team members for training)
the Emory Wesley Fellowship Ministry Team Descriptions & Application 2010-2011 pdf
Late that day he said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.” They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up . Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?” Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and he said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?” They were in absolute awe, staggered, “Who is this, anyway?” they asked. “Wind and sea at his beck and call!” (from the Message paraphrase)
It’s easy for us to look at this scripture and think that the disciples were overreacting. However, I’m fairly certain that had we have been in a sinking boat with Jesus, we would have run to him for help to. In fact, I’m pretty sure that I would have been the one shaking him awake!
This story from Mark challenges us to look inwardly at ourselves. In what ways are you acting cowardly? When do you find yourself in “a sinking boat”? Are there times in your life when you are most susceptible to looking to God to solve your problems? Throughout the day today, I challenge you to think about these questions and the ways in which having FAITH can transform your cowardice into confidence.
Whitney Pennington Class of 2013
“Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. For you have heard my vows, O God; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.”
Often during our happiest moments, when we feel closest to everything important to us, something happens to turn our world on its head. It could be a death, a break up, a bad grade, an injury, a failed commitment, any large or small thing can send us tailspinning. It is easy in those moments to withdraw into ourselves and try to close our eyes to everything around us. In a moment like this, David, the psalmist in this psalm, cries out to God. He not does not quietly ask or acknowledge God’s presence. He calls from the ends of the earth, from the depths of his fainting heart. He cries to his refuge during the storms of life. Like a strong tower, God protects us during the hardest moments. David longs to dwell in the Lord’s tent where he knows there is peace and comfort, that place where he was before tragedy struck, before reality set in. With confidence he boldly states that God hears him. When we are in the depths of sadness we can forget we are children of a great and powerful God.
I urge you to find ways to remind yourself this week that you are a child of the same God who makes the snowy days, the sun to rise every morning, the uncountable stars, the human body in all its complexities. While our problems seem overwhelming, we are children of a God yearning to hear our voice calling out to Him.
Helen Hill Class of 2011
