The first Monday of every month is my CWF meeting. That acronym stand for Christian Women’s Fellowship. We have a visitation portion while everyone gets settled, a short business section, including an offering, then a lesson. The lessons vary greatly. For several previous years we used a Bible study guide called Just Women (embracing life). It was interesting, but we frequently found it difficult to apply the lessons to our own daily life. This year our Leader, Mary Haylee Hancock, suggested we find our own way. She began the year with an extensive dig into Esther that culminated, after several weeks of study, in a Purim celebration. Encouraged by the success of this, we have continued to find our own way.
This month, she turned the lesson over to Mary Zimmer. Mary brought us to consideration of the difference between Mary and Martha in the book of Luke 10:38-42. Martha is the doer, she worries about cooking, cleanup, all the preparations for guests. Mary is the worshiper who sits at Jesus’ feet listening and learning His ways. She then asked who, in our own lives, were examples for us of Mary and Martha, of the two different attitudes toward life. Everyone had good examples and the discussion flowed well. Finally, Mary Zimmer suggested we think about starting a Women’s Retreat to turn our thoughts more toward a Mary type of situation.
Next month, we will assemble in the church library to learn more about what books are available and choose one to report to the group about in August. It sounds like another good discussion lesson.
I forgot to do my daily exercise by walking while I was in town, so I walked around the yard a couple of times when I got home and plan to do a Yoga session this afternoon. I’m trying really hard to keep up the exercise routines I’ve scheduled. I need to develop more stamina if I’m going to be able to indulge in hiking during our vacation. Less than two weeks to go. I am very excited.
We did online church only for most of the year. We’re back to Hybrid services now. Two in-person services to keep our numbers within state guidelines, plus we’re still online (we actually have online services all the time anyway) and on the radio. On Easter Sunday, we had an outdoor service and we hope to be able to do that again soon.
I thought I was done with the Privilege topic, but then I read about the churches being attacked in Egypt. This is Holy Week. We’ve gone to worship every day and twice on Maundy Thursday. Not once did any of us worry that we might be targeted. I know that Muslims, Jews and even Black Christians in this country can’t always say the same. I am grateful for my Privilege in knowing that I can worship in safety. On this Good Friday, as we remember Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, I pray the day will come when all God’s people will have such Privilege.
To truly understand God’s Word requires more than simply reading a convenient copy of it as though it were a history or biography. Ideally, to delve deep and truly understand, we would read the texts in their original languages. For most of us, that is impossible. Even if such copies were readily available to us all, we simply don’t have the necessary language skills.