For Such A Time As This 042720 – Tim Speicher
To the Good Folk of the Palmyra Church of the Brethren,
Let’s Do the Wave Video! Expanded Edition!
Thank you to all who have participated in making this video! Thank you to Bethany, Andy and Victor Hoffer, our roving video crew! Now, enjoy by clicking here: https://youtu.be/G0Z_YWPView
Grocery Delivery Project – Volunteers Needed!
This project is now also working with the Caring Cupboard to deliver groceries to sheltered families. The number of households receiving groceries is now at 15, with more expected by this Thursday's deliveries. The total number of people served is now at 36. Many of these people have been affected directly by COVID, but also by other tragedies including other illnesses, cars which are not working, and even a house fire. These deliveries almost completely utilize our current volunteer drivers, three of whom are PCOB’ers. We could use another 2-4 drivers in the next week or so.
If you need groceries from area stores or the Caring Cupboard, or if you can volunteer to help with deliveries, please call Don Martin (717-838-0211) or Cindy Weatherholtz (717-421-0403).
Joys and Concerns
If you have a joy or concern you would like us to share and pray about, please call, text or email it to me. If you would like it included in our Sunday Worship sharing and prayer time, please share it with me that week by Friday morning.
Prayers:
To all who call others to check in on them and share our emails and devotions.
Today’s Devotion:
I am thankful to Tim Speicher for providing today’s devotion. Tim invites us into a deeper understanding of and experience with the 23rd Psalm. If you wish to respond to Tim directly, his email address is pastorspeicher@gmail.com.
Shalom,
Dennis
Scripture – Psalm 23
Psalm 23 is printed at the conclusion for use as your prayer.
Thoughts:
This beloved psalm begins “The Lord is my shepherd…” For many, just saying these words can conjure up warm feelings of assurance even if one does not know all the words by heart. For the Hebrew author, though, the Lord as shepherd is not the most important affirmation.
Psalm 23 is a poem written in chiastic fashion. This means there are statements leading up a main point at the center of the poem followed by a parallel set of statements to conclude. The main point in the center of Psalm 23 is “For You Are With Me!” Note that the first part of the psalm is written in third person “he” and beginning with the center, the rest is written in the more intimate second person “you.” The purpose of Psalm 23 is proclamation of God’s presence through all the ups and downs of life’s journey.
I offer you two exercises. First, using the printed version below, the parallel statements are numbered 1-6 to start and 6-1 to end. Meditate on each pair of parallel phrases. What elements are similar and how are they used differently? Which references are calming and which ones refer to challenges? I am interested in receiving any observations you may wish to share on insights you glean from Psalm 23.
Second, I invite you to pray the psalm in your preferred translation. Are there times in your life that connect with any of the phrases? Does emphasis on the center statement make a difference for you? Allow this prayerful experience of Psalm 23 to deepen your faith as you also find a deeper freshness of this beloved poem for your ongoing Bible study.
Prayer:
Psalm 23 (selected from various translations)
1. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2. He lets me rest in green pastures;
3. he leads me to still waters;
4. he restores my soul.
5. He guides me in right paths for the sake of his good name.
6. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil,
because you are with me!
6. Your rod and your staff — they comfort me.
5. You prepare a table for me right in front of my enemies.
4. You anoint my head with oil;
3. my cup overflows!
2. Surely goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life,
1. and I will dwell, forever, in the house of the Lord.
Let’s Do the Wave Video! Expanded Edition!
Thank you to all who have participated in making this video! Thank you to Bethany, Andy and Victor Hoffer, our roving video crew! Now, enjoy by clicking here: https://youtu.be/G0Z_YWPView
Grocery Delivery Project – Volunteers Needed!
This project is now also working with the Caring Cupboard to deliver groceries to sheltered families. The number of households receiving groceries is now at 15, with more expected by this Thursday's deliveries. The total number of people served is now at 36. Many of these people have been affected directly by COVID, but also by other tragedies including other illnesses, cars which are not working, and even a house fire. These deliveries almost completely utilize our current volunteer drivers, three of whom are PCOB’ers. We could use another 2-4 drivers in the next week or so.
If you need groceries from area stores or the Caring Cupboard, or if you can volunteer to help with deliveries, please call Don Martin (717-838-0211) or Cindy Weatherholtz (717-421-0403).
Joys and Concerns
If you have a joy or concern you would like us to share and pray about, please call, text or email it to me. If you would like it included in our Sunday Worship sharing and prayer time, please share it with me that week by Friday morning.
Prayers:
- Terry Baker is home from the hospital. His surgery was successful. Please pray for continued healing.
- Carolyn and Jay Buffenmyer ask for prayers for Mike and Linda Weller. Mike has recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.
To all who call others to check in on them and share our emails and devotions.
Today’s Devotion:
I am thankful to Tim Speicher for providing today’s devotion. Tim invites us into a deeper understanding of and experience with the 23rd Psalm. If you wish to respond to Tim directly, his email address is pastorspeicher@gmail.com.
Shalom,
Dennis
Scripture – Psalm 23
Psalm 23 is printed at the conclusion for use as your prayer.
Thoughts:
This beloved psalm begins “The Lord is my shepherd…” For many, just saying these words can conjure up warm feelings of assurance even if one does not know all the words by heart. For the Hebrew author, though, the Lord as shepherd is not the most important affirmation.
Psalm 23 is a poem written in chiastic fashion. This means there are statements leading up a main point at the center of the poem followed by a parallel set of statements to conclude. The main point in the center of Psalm 23 is “For You Are With Me!” Note that the first part of the psalm is written in third person “he” and beginning with the center, the rest is written in the more intimate second person “you.” The purpose of Psalm 23 is proclamation of God’s presence through all the ups and downs of life’s journey.
I offer you two exercises. First, using the printed version below, the parallel statements are numbered 1-6 to start and 6-1 to end. Meditate on each pair of parallel phrases. What elements are similar and how are they used differently? Which references are calming and which ones refer to challenges? I am interested in receiving any observations you may wish to share on insights you glean from Psalm 23.
Second, I invite you to pray the psalm in your preferred translation. Are there times in your life that connect with any of the phrases? Does emphasis on the center statement make a difference for you? Allow this prayerful experience of Psalm 23 to deepen your faith as you also find a deeper freshness of this beloved poem for your ongoing Bible study.
Prayer:
Psalm 23 (selected from various translations)
1. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2. He lets me rest in green pastures;
3. he leads me to still waters;
4. he restores my soul.
5. He guides me in right paths for the sake of his good name.
6. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil,
because you are with me!
6. Your rod and your staff — they comfort me.
5. You prepare a table for me right in front of my enemies.
4. You anoint my head with oil;
3. my cup overflows!
2. Surely goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life,
1. and I will dwell, forever, in the house of the Lord.
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