February 7, 2021
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
WORSHIP SERVICE OF PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING
Rev. Ernest Belisle, Pastor
Thought for the week God calls Christians, not to be effective and happy, not to be successful and powerful, and not to be wealthy and influential; God calls us only to be faithful, the others are a plus. Please re read each day this inventory.
(Adopted from Lectionary Worship Work book, Series II, Year B, by Wayne H. Keller)
Welcome to Chilmark Community Church of Mather’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Our Church family is happy to have you worshiping God with us today. Today we continue our readings from the Gospel according to Saint Mark. Mark continues his rush description of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. The passage we read is a continuation the second half of a carefully formed unit that began at Mark 1:14 – 15, with John the Baptizer’s ministry that came to an end with John ’ s arrest and
the beginning of Jesus ministry with , “Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.” Today’s reading is a summary and conclusion of this section of Mark with verse
39, “ he [Jesus] went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the Good News in their synagogues and casting out demons.”
This summary draws the introduction of Jesus’ ministry to its
close. Please note that all of the key elements of Jesus’ ministry are presented within the unit: a) his preaching (v. 15), b) his call of others to join him in ministry (vs. 16 – 20), c) his teaching ministry (vs. 21 – 22), d) his ministry of exorcism (vs. 23-28), e) his healing ministry (vs. 29 -34), and f) his prayer ministry (periods of prayerful communion with God, v. 35). Jesus used every method to bring the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in
heaven . Paul said that Jesus, “became all things to all people” for the sake of the Good News of God.
Do you think that the church today still has or needs all these elements of Jesus’ ministry for its sake of ministering to the world? If not, then which would you take out and which would you include, and why? Thanks for worshiping with us. We trust
you will be blessed
!
Sincerely,
Ernest Belisle
(Pastor)