The Labor Day weekend comes in September. We reflect on that which we devote the most time during our lives; that’s, work. We tend to expect to be paid if we work longer, right? Well, that’s not necessarily true in God’s eyes and the real world.
See the pic, Scottie Pippen was #2 basketball player on the Chicago Bulls, but his salary was significantly lower than four other players by about half. Michael Jordan earned more than the team salary combined. Is that just?
Matthew 20:1-16 provides excellent examples. The landowner compensated his workers equally regardless of how long each individual worked.
Why? Mercy! God gives grace and mercy abundantly. It doesn’t depend on our accumulated work effort. He gives His grace and mercy to people who are not able to obtain salvation via self-righteousness. We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. His grace is adequate to save all who believe whenever God calls someone early or late in life for salvation. God has the glory and praises that we credit Him. Similarly, the landowner in the parable had the right to compensate his workers however he decided. God has the right to have mercy on people. Remember, God invites everyone to have eternal life with Him via His mercy, but some people reject Him.
The Pharisees were furious with Jesus because He said that others would enter the heavenly kingdom. Pharisees believed that the heavenly kingdom was reserved for them. Jesus gave poor weak sinners access to the heavenly kingdom, which the Pharisees resented. The main point is that being jealous or envious doesn’t do you good in going to heaven. The workers in the parable who worked the longest should not complain or envy the others. In the same way, we should be joyful when others come to Jesus Christ and celebrate for those serving Him.
God is a perfect judge in rewarding us for our service. How He rewards others should not affect our service to Him negatively. We should focus on Him instead of being jealous or envious. No matter how long or how hard a believer works during their lifetime, the reward will be the same to all. Both Paul, the apostle and the thief on the cross have the same reward of eternal life. Although there are different rewards in heaven for various services, the main reward will be equal for all who are bound for heaven.
~~Pastor Andy
Matthew 20:1-16 provides excellent examples. The landowner compensated his workers equally regardless of how long each individual worked.
Why? Mercy! God gives grace and mercy abundantly. It doesn’t depend on our accumulated work effort. He gives His grace and mercy to people who are not able to obtain salvation via self-righteousness. We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. His grace is adequate to save all who believe whenever God calls someone early or late in life for salvation. God has the glory and praises that we credit Him. Similarly, the landowner in the parable had the right to compensate his workers however he decided. God has the right to have mercy on people. Remember, God invites everyone to have eternal life with Him via His mercy, but some people reject Him.
The Pharisees were furious with Jesus because He said that others would enter the heavenly kingdom. Pharisees believed that the heavenly kingdom was reserved for them. Jesus gave poor weak sinners access to the heavenly kingdom, which the Pharisees resented. The main point is that being jealous or envious doesn’t do you good in going to heaven. The workers in the parable who worked the longest should not complain or envy the others. In the same way, we should be joyful when others come to Jesus Christ and celebrate for those serving Him.
God is a perfect judge in rewarding us for our service. How He rewards others should not affect our service to Him negatively. We should focus on Him instead of being jealous or envious. No matter how long or how hard a believer works during their lifetime, the reward will be the same to all. Both Paul, the apostle and the thief on the cross have the same reward of eternal life. Although there are different rewards in heaven for various services, the main reward will be equal for all who are bound for heaven.
~~Pastor Andy
Should we choose Zoom or in-person worship services?
Pros of Zoom:
Pros of Zoom:
- Accommodates fellow Christians who are not able to travel to church.
- Eliminates long driving distances to church.
- Maximizes both online and in-person participants in the Zoom service.
Pros of in-person worship:
Which approach should we select? We need to balance both to address the diversity of the attendants’ wishes while adhering to God’s will. Dealing with the weak side of Zoom, we can be creative, such as setting up fellowship time among individuals, chat boards, and other methods.
-Pastor Andy
- The last edition of the Mustard Seed elaborates God’s encouragement of in-person worshiping via the Lord’s Supper, fellowship based on Acts 2:42.
- Provides REAL fellowship with everyone. Develops a rapport and depth relationship with God and Christians.
- Allows dining with fellow Christians after service.
Which approach should we select? We need to balance both to address the diversity of the attendants’ wishes while adhering to God’s will. Dealing with the weak side of Zoom, we can be creative, such as setting up fellowship time among individuals, chat boards, and other methods.
-Pastor Andy
Worship & Fellowship at Christ/Deaf
We meet in person the third Sunday of each month 9:30AM in the Chapel at Calvary Lutheran Church, Silver Spring MD
The other Sundays we meet on Zoom 10:00AM.
Wednesday Bible Study 10:00AM
Contact Pastor Andy for log-in information.
We meet in person the third Sunday of each month 9:30AM in the Chapel at Calvary Lutheran Church, Silver Spring MD
The other Sundays we meet on Zoom 10:00AM.
Wednesday Bible Study 10:00AM
Contact Pastor Andy for log-in information.
Communicating with the world outside
One of the challenges prison inmates face is years of separation from friends and families on the outside. It is not easy to stay in close contact with them. Inmates pay for their phone calls, and each call is surprisingly expensive. Time they are allowed to stay on the phone is limited. Each residence unit has a limited number of phones which all the inmates in the unit must share. Deaf inmates in many jails and prisons have access to Video Phones by appointment.
In-person visits are again permitted following the pandemic lockdown. During the pandemic, some institutions allowed inmates to have remote family visits through video services like Skype. Even though in-person visits are allowed again, video visits are still an option, especially for inmates whose families live long distances from the prison.
Prison administrators are understandably nervous about giving inmates access to the internet. A few prison systems are gradually coming into the 21st century by giving inmates access to email services. Folks on the outside cannot receive email directly from inmates; they can only receive and send messages through the prison’s website system. Most prison email services allow transmission of text only – no pictures. Maryland inmates at some State institutions are able to receive both text and photos from loved ones. This service is slow and it’s not free. The system scans and screens all messages and pictures. Even with this delay, messages come through much faster than postal mail, at a much lower cost than a postage stamp. Christian churches are able to take advantage of this service by sending inmates daily encouragement from God’s Word.
In-person visits are again permitted following the pandemic lockdown. During the pandemic, some institutions allowed inmates to have remote family visits through video services like Skype. Even though in-person visits are allowed again, video visits are still an option, especially for inmates whose families live long distances from the prison.
Prison administrators are understandably nervous about giving inmates access to the internet. A few prison systems are gradually coming into the 21st century by giving inmates access to email services. Folks on the outside cannot receive email directly from inmates; they can only receive and send messages through the prison’s website system. Most prison email services allow transmission of text only – no pictures. Maryland inmates at some State institutions are able to receive both text and photos from loved ones. This service is slow and it’s not free. The system scans and screens all messages and pictures. Even with this delay, messages come through much faster than postal mail, at a much lower cost than a postage stamp. Christian churches are able to take advantage of this service by sending inmates daily encouragement from God’s Word.
Remember those who are in prison
as if you were in prison with them.
Hebrews 13:3
as if you were in prison with them.
Hebrews 13:3
Reprinted from October 2003 Mustard Seed
Autumn Glow
Lord, if You will make
The Autumn of my life
As lovely as this
Golden autumn morning
I will not look back to grieve
The passing days of summer.
Of all the regal seasons
Autumn is most brilliant.
Make my life brilliant, too!
~~ Ruth Harms Calkin ~~
Autumn Glow
Lord, if You will make
The Autumn of my life
As lovely as this
Golden autumn morning
I will not look back to grieve
The passing days of summer.
Of all the regal seasons
Autumn is most brilliant.
Make my life brilliant, too!
~~ Ruth Harms Calkin ~~
‘Tis time for the autumn frost to be on the grass, misty dew on grapes of purple, blue and gold. The early mornings will be cold, puddles in the ground will freeze and look like glass -- winter is coming, alas! Bring in your green tomatoes before the heavy frost, lay them on layers of newspaper and cover with a couple layers of newspapers and push the whole thing under your bed. You’ll have ripe tomatoes one, two or three at a time. That’s if you had a good crop this year.
Thanks to Judi Spittle for passing this on as was passed to her and so I pass it on to you...
Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know
Imagine life without His love
Joy would cease to be
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee
Move out of “Camp Complaining”
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone
Quit looking at the future
Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship
To “thank” is a command
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We’ll run the race with gratitude
Xalting God most high
Yes, there’ll be good times and
yes some will be bad, but...
Zion waits in glory...
where none are ever sad!
I am too blessed to be stressed!
The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor.
The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything.
Love and peace be with you forever. Amen.
Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know
Imagine life without His love
Joy would cease to be
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee
Move out of “Camp Complaining”
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone
Quit looking at the future
Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship
To “thank” is a command
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We’ll run the race with gratitude
Xalting God most high
Yes, there’ll be good times and
yes some will be bad, but...
Zion waits in glory...
where none are ever sad!
I am too blessed to be stressed!
The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor.
The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything.
Love and peace be with you forever. Amen.
An atheist’s most embarrassing moment is when he feels profoundly thankful for something and can’t think of anybody to thank for it. ~~ Lives to Live By
I’ll part with this: A child’s letter to God ~~
“Dear God,
How did you know you were God?
Who told you?”
~~ The Joyful Noiseletter
Deaf Culture and History
A new group called Deaf Culture of Many Things American (DCA) was recently formed by Alice L. Hagemeyer at the Riderwood Village in Silver Spring, MD.
DCA membership is open to Riderwood residents with interests in diversity, inclusion, and belonging. The aim is to meet the two needs of residents and staff on the Riderwood Village campus.
(1) to remove communication barriers between Deaf and non-Deaf individuals.
(2) to offer quality “Deaf Culture” resources for observing annual Deaf events during the year (beginning later this year with Clerc-Gallaudet Week, December 3-10, 2023).
FOLDA (Friends of Libraries for Deaf Action) of Maryland would be welcome to work with DCA on its mission which Mrs. Hagemeyer hopes to become a role model for Organizations Serving the Deaf (OSDs) in each state.
Organizational Culture
The three following Maryland OSDs are affiliates of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD).
Maryland Association of the Deaf (Charity).
Maryland School for the Deaf, also a CEASD affiliate( (Education) CEASD stands for Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf.
Maryland Governor’s Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, also a NASADHH Affiliate (Government) NASADHH stands for National Association of State Agencies of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
The Deaf Serving Senior Citizens in Maryland
Maryland Deaf Seniors Citizens, Inc is an affiliate of the Deaf Seniors of America, Inc. an affiliate of the NAD.
Maryland Deaf Senior Citizens, Inc. was founded on November 3, 1976, at a church in Silver Spring, MD. The Mission statement is to improve the quality of life for senior citizens who are Deaf. One of its objectives is to provide seminars, town hall meetings, and conferences dealing with issues impacting their well-being and safety.
MDSC also provides social activities intended to mitigate the isolation experienced by many members.
A new group called Deaf Culture of Many Things American (DCA) was recently formed by Alice L. Hagemeyer at the Riderwood Village in Silver Spring, MD.
DCA membership is open to Riderwood residents with interests in diversity, inclusion, and belonging. The aim is to meet the two needs of residents and staff on the Riderwood Village campus.
(1) to remove communication barriers between Deaf and non-Deaf individuals.
(2) to offer quality “Deaf Culture” resources for observing annual Deaf events during the year (beginning later this year with Clerc-Gallaudet Week, December 3-10, 2023).
FOLDA (Friends of Libraries for Deaf Action) of Maryland would be welcome to work with DCA on its mission which Mrs. Hagemeyer hopes to become a role model for Organizations Serving the Deaf (OSDs) in each state.
Organizational Culture
The three following Maryland OSDs are affiliates of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD).
Maryland Association of the Deaf (Charity).
Maryland School for the Deaf, also a CEASD affiliate( (Education) CEASD stands for Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf.
Maryland Governor’s Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, also a NASADHH Affiliate (Government) NASADHH stands for National Association of State Agencies of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
The Deaf Serving Senior Citizens in Maryland
Maryland Deaf Seniors Citizens, Inc is an affiliate of the Deaf Seniors of America, Inc. an affiliate of the NAD.
Maryland Deaf Senior Citizens, Inc. was founded on November 3, 1976, at a church in Silver Spring, MD. The Mission statement is to improve the quality of life for senior citizens who are Deaf. One of its objectives is to provide seminars, town hall meetings, and conferences dealing with issues impacting their well-being and safety.
MDSC also provides social activities intended to mitigate the isolation experienced by many members.
Knowledge of Deaf Culture is of no value unless you know stories
American Firsts
- Deaf Hero: Laurent Clerc. Born on December 26, 1785 in La Balme-les-Grottes France. Died on July 18, 1869, in Hartford, CT at age 83.
- Public School: American School for the Deaf opened in Hartford, CT – April 15, 1817.
- Higher Education for the Deaf. Gallaudet University – April 8, 1864.
- Civil Rights Victory for the Deaf. Deaf President Now, a student protest at Gallaudet – March 13, 1988.
- Public Event of the Deaf. Colorado Governor and Colorado Association of the Deaf – September 1972
March 13 – April 15 is National Deaf History Month.
Printed with permission, by Alice L. Hagemeyer, FOLDA.
(Friends of Libraries for Deaf Action) 2023.
www.foldadeaf.net
(Friends of Libraries for Deaf Action) 2023.
www.foldadeaf.net