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Hello, Lisa Rygiel here with this week’s e-formation.  

The Sunday after Pentecost is celebrated each year as Trinity Sunday.  This is a day on which the church meditates on the mystery of our triune God in three persons.  God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, all God three in one but still three distinct presences. Any way that we speak about the Trinity is inadequate and as the e-formation points out, a God we could understand wouldn’t be much of a God.” But the Bible has given us some insight as to attributes of the Trinity.  

Genesis 1:1 tells us that “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. James 1:17 tells us that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” And of course, John 3:16 tells us that he loved us so much that “he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  

One of the most powerfully reassuring Bible passages talks about Jesus saying’ “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

And what does it say about the Holy Spirit?  Romans 8:26 tells us that “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

Our God is Creator, Lover of Mankind, Perfect Gift Giver, Savior, Interpreter, and so on.  I know that these verses can in no way explain the mystery of the Trinity.  But they do provide a small yet inspiring glimpse of the God we serve, Halleluiah AMEN!

Announcements:

This week (other meetings/gatherings will be taking place as well but here are some things to note):

Sunday June 12, The 1st Sunday after Pentecost/Holy Trinity Sunday

· 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning Bible study 

We are studying "The Wesley Challenge".  This is a study intended to develop our spiritual lives and help us become more deeply committed Christians.  

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/907628370?pwd=eFVCTEVhb0xqMXcxY2xaUG5JMUZEdz09 Or Dial 1 312 626 6799 Meeting ID: 907 628 370  Passcode: 332397.

· 10 a.m. Worship with Holy Communion 

Please join us, either in person OR via ZOOM ('hybrid' worship). If you will be worshiping via Zoom, log on or call in using these links: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/91739214242?pwd=b1QrZzk0QzBtM1RXZnZuaVFVMDNmZz09 -- or Dial: 1 301 715 8592 -- Meeting ID: 917 3921 4242 -- Password: 731771. For those of you who will be worshiping in person, masks will now be at the discretion of each individual. We continue to be mindful all the different ways people are compromised that may not be known and so please continue to practice healthy community habits such as staying home when you are sick etc. 

Worship leader: Pastor Becky McNeil; 

Assistant: Lisa Rygiel; 

Organist: Connie Pallone; 

Ushering: John Rygiel & Mike McNeil; 

Reading: Mike McNeil; 

Communion prep/cleanup: Dr. David Serafini & Pamela Nelson-Serafini

Flowers: Presented by Joni Jones for Bailee and Joni’s Birthdays

· Fellowship time at approximately 11:15 a.m. to share a cup of coffee/soda and conversation!

· Bread and Belonging on summer hiatus.

Other important stuff of note:

If you want to access the recording from our Sunday, June 5, worship service, it will be available soon in the "News" tab of Zion's website, under the most recent E-Formation article.

  1. Women's Bible Study: The Women's Bible Study series on the Psalms. The next session will be held at 9:30 a.m.  Friday, June 17 We will meet in person in the fellowship hall downstairs and will also be on Zoom. Any questions can be directed to Becky McNeil or Carol Smith. All are welcome! To Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83136424723?pwd=TkxsQVllMmo2bVlSekN0dGZqbzF1Zz09 Meeting ID: 831 3642 4723 -- Passcode: 865505 (or call in 1-312-626-6799).

  1. The flower ministry blesses our worship space, and they bring such joy to our sanctuary.  Please coordinate with Lynn Chase to sponsor the flowers.
  2. Prayer Shawl Ministry: Are you interested in knitting one/some to share? Join the knitters who bless so many.

 

E-formation

The Sunday after Pentecost is celebrated each year as Trinity Sunday, a day on which the church meditates on the mystery of our God, one divine unity of three distinct presences. Each way that we speak about the Trinity is inadequate. Indeed, a God we could understand wouldn’t be much of a God. This Sunday we will be helped by a poem in Proverbs, a psalm, Paul, John, our prayers, several hymn writers, the text of our liturgy, a sermon, and the gift of bread and wine, as in worship we are gathered into the life of our unfathomable God.

The Readings in the Bible

John 16:12-15

John’s gospel, written in the late first century, alternates narratives that are usually referred to as “signs” (see 2:11) with “discourses,” long speeches that declare the christological intent of the sign. Today’s gospel comes from the longest discourse, chapters 14–17, which precedes the greatest sign, Christ’s death and resurrection. Jesus promises that the Father will disclose the truth, which comes in the Spirit of the Son. In this early Johannine proclamation of the Trinity, the Father and the Spirit both attest to the truth of Christ. The evangelist is assuring the Christian communities that they have received the truth, despite the controversies that were dividing the unity of early believers.

Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31

Coming to its present form in about the fourth century bce, the book of Proverbs belongs to the Old Testament wisdom tradition. The collection of sayings, compiled over several centuries, makes no reference to Israelite history or to the theology of election. Originally used in boys’ schools, Proverbs includes passages in which wisdom is described as a good woman who offers knowledge, and evil is pictured as a foolish woman who tempts people away from the correct path. In this poem, Wisdom is God’s first creation who then assists in the creation of the world. It may be that this poetic imagery developed in reaction to the myths of Israel’s neighbors in which a goddess assists a god in creation. For Israelites, the Lord is the only god.

Romans 5:1-5

This selection from Paul’s letter of 57ce to the Christians in Rome begins his explication of the meaning of Christ’s suffering and death. Paul declares that suffering, which he and others in Rome have experienced, is like the cross in that it leads to God’s love given us through the Spirit. Stereotypical advice about enduring suffering opens up to Trinitarian theology.

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Zion's Lutheran Church

zionsluth@gmail.com

719-846-7785