St. John’s News and Notes for AUGUST 27, 2023
ST. JOHN THE APOSTLE EPISCOPAL CHURCH  |
| Dear Friends: In the beginning of Exodus, we have the story of Shiphrah and Puah, the Egyptian midwives. Their story is brief, but they helped to prevent the genocide of Jewish male babies, allowing the Moses saga in Exodus to begin. Who are these brave women? They are named, which means they are held in special importance. Shiphrah means “beautiful.” Puah is a Canaanite name meaning “little one.” Their names also sound like how one would comfort an infant – shh, shh, shh, pa – pa – pa. The Jewish Talmud identifies Shiphrah with Jochebed, Moses’ birth mother, and Puah with Miriam, Moses’ sister. So traditionally, they are mother and sister.The Torah has no word for “religion.” The term that is closest is “fear of God.” Exodus tells us that these women “feared God,” and that they believed their moral right to protect life was greater than Pharoah’s direct command to kill all male Jewish babies at birth. Shiphrah and Puah clearly and boldly put their lives on the line to save others because of their knowledge and faith in the Sovereign Lord. They are among history’s first examples of civil disobedience to an evil regime. And Scripture says that the Lord dealt well with the midwives, giving them families and estates of their own.So, in short, what can we learn from Shiphrah and Puah? You know the drill — come on Sunday to find out more! In Christ, The Rev. Dr. Marci Pounders+Rector |
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SCRIPTURES FOR THE THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST EXODUS 1:8-2:20 ROMANS 12:1-8 MATTHEW 16: 13-20 PSALM 124 WATCH US ON FACEBOOK AT WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STJOHNSTEXOMA EMAIL US!STJOHNSTEXOMA@GMAIL.COM WEBSITE:WWW.STJOHNSTEXOMA.ORGTEXOMA.CHURCH PHONE:903-786-4339 FLOWER CALENDAR NEEDS YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS! PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR FLOWERCALENDAR ON THE WALL IN THE PARISH HALL. MANY OF THE DATES ARE EMPTY. FLOWERS BEAUTIFY OUR WORSHIP SPACE AND CAN HONOR A LOVED ONE, A SPECIAL DATE OR JUST BECAUSE. FLOWERS COST $60 PER SUNDAY. ST. JOHN’S GETS CHARGED BY JUDY’S FLORIST WHETHER OR NOT YOU SIGN UP TO HELP COVER THE COST. SO, WE WELCOME YOUR CHECK. LAURA HILL’S LAST SUNDAY AUG. 27 PLEASE JOIN US AS WE SAY GOODBYE TO LAURA HILL AND JOHN AS THEY CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY IN ANOTHER VENUE. THEY HAVE BEEN A BLESSING TO US AND WE WISH THEM ALL THE BEST!   SAVE THE DATES! Tuesday, Sept. 5: 1st Tuesday Men’s Speaker’s Dinner, 6:00 p.m. Our first guest speaker will be Mr. Bert Garcia, Federal Judge (Ret.) He will speak on the OK Corral and the History of the West. Fellowship begins at 6:00 p.m. with drinks off your choice, and dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. Please consider a $10 donation to cover the cost of the meal and drinks. Please invite brothers, friends and neighbors to this fun monthly event!* * * * * * * * * * * *NEW! Sunday Morning Weekly Prayer Project. 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. beginning September 10in the Fellowship Hall. Please join this challenge to journal, pray, reflect and connect with God. Get your Sunday morning started right! NEW! Wednesday Evening Healing Service with prayer and anointing, followed by “Continuing the Journey: A Guide to Spiritual Formation.”Beginning Wednesday, September 13. Healing Service begins at 5:30 p.m. in the sanctuary, with group meeting in the Fellowship Hall at 6:00 p.m. OUR ST. MARTHA’S GUILD INITIATIVE NEEDS MORE VOLUNTEERS! THE FREEZERS ARE EMPTY EXCEPT FOR COOKIES AND CINNAMON ROLLS. WE COULD USE SOME SOUPS, CASSEROLES AND BREADS TO TAKE TO OUR SHUT-INS WHO ARE INFIRM.THANK YOU!  |
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