Bozeman United Methodist Church

Community Conversation Panel: Rev. Eric Amanda Komoto-Hendrix Jordan Komoto Charlie Billy Allie Zanieri-Hale Scripture Reading Intro: James was the brother of Jesus, so it is reasonable to assume he experienced the challenges of a family where God was the favorite child. No discrepant to Mary and Jospeh, but life will always be unfair when your brother can turn water into wine at a party. And so it is even more powerful that James invites us NOT to have partiality or favorites in ministry and life. James 2: 1-4 My dear friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith. If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, and you say to the man in the suit, “Sit here, sir; this is the best seat in the house!” and either ignore the street person or say, “Better sit here in the back row,” haven’t you segregated God’s children and proved that you are judges who can’t be trusted?

John 4:1-42 (CEB) Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was making more disciples and baptizing more than John (although Jesus’ disciples were baptizing, not Jesus himself). Therefore, he left Judea and went back to Galilee. Jesus had to go through Samaria. He came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, which was near the land Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus was tired from his journey, so he sat down at the well. It was about noon. A Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me some water to drink.” His disciples had gone into the city to buy him some food. The Samaritan woman asked, “Why do you, a Jewish man, ask for something to drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (Jews and Samaritans didn’t associate with each other.) Jesus responded, “If you recognized God’s gift and who is saying to you, ‘Give me some water to drink,’ you would be asking him and he would give you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you don’t have a bucket and

Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:23-24 Intro: This teaching from Jesus challenging our revenge-oriented world to seek reconciliation. And in Matthew's gospel, it means immediately, we never know what tomorrow brings, Christ’s return or our arrival into eternity. "Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift at the altar and go. First make things right with your brother or sister and then come back and offer your gift."   A word of God for a people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Mark 7:24-30 Jesus left that place and went into the region of Tyre. He didn’t want anyone to know that he had entered a house, but he couldn’t hide. In fact, a woman whose young daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit heard about him right away. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was Greek, Syrophoenician by birth. She begged Jesus to throw the demon out of her daughter. He responded, “The children have to be fed first. It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” But she answered, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” “Good answer!” he said. “Go on home. The demon has already left your daughter.” When she returned to her house, she found the child lying on the bed and the demon gone.

Eric Hastings shared his understanding and hopes for the BUMC Legacy.

Galatians 6:2,18 Intro: Living a Christian life is not a solo act, we come here to be together, worship is how we affirm we need others on the journey of life. Hope is built as a communal act, not an individual belief. We affirm hope for one another. Every Paul letter ends with his blessing of hope, that there is enough grace for the journey of life. 6:2 Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.  6:18 Brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Scripture Reading Galatians 4:1-5   Intro: Paul is reinforcing his point from last week’s scripture, that all are welcomed into the body of Christ, whether they are minors or slaves.   The church in Galatia should be compared to a new church start, focused on a mission to a specific people, in this case the Gentiles. Bringing gentiles into a Jewish church has now caused conflict, and Paul is writing to point out how truly untied they are.   I’m saying that as long as the heirs are minors, they are no different from slaves, though they really are the owners of everything. 2 However, they are placed under trustees and guardians until the date set by the parents. 3 In the same way, when we were minors, we were also enslaved by this world’s system. 4 But when the fulfillment of the time came, God sent his Son, born through a woman, and born under the Law. 5 This was so he could redeem those under the Law so that we could be adopted. 6 Because you are sons and daughters, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hea

Scripture: Galatians 3: 26-29 (Read by Carolyn Simser.) "You are all God’s children through faith in Christ Jesus. All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Now if you belong to Christ, then indeed you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise." -- Children's Time: "Prayer Shawls" (Pastor Eric Strader) -- Sermon: “Canoeing the Mountain" (Pastor Eric Strader)

Mission moment included details on how to support those suffering after repeated earthquakes in Puerto Rico. An update on the UMC team from the Mountain Sky Area that went to Puerto Rico last week. And some upcoming mission opportunities this spring.

While Pastor Amy is out of town, Brenda Anderson-Baker leads the prayers. 

Pastor Amy is out of town, so Fred (wearing his Fred Rogers cardigan) delivers the children/youth message on legacy and history.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-9 (CEB) The words of the Teacher of the Assembly, David’s son, king in Jerusalem: Perfectly pointless, says the Teacher, perfectly pointless.     Everything is pointless. What do people gain from all the hard work     that they work so hard at under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes,     but the earth remains as it always has. The sun rises, the sun sets;     it returns panting to the place where it dawns. The wind blows to the south,     goes around to the north;     around and around blows the wind;     the wind returns to its rounds again. All streams flow to the sea,     but the sea is never full;     to the place where the rivers flow,     there they continue to flow. All words are tiring;     no one is able to speak.     The eye isn’t satisfied with seeing,     neither is the ear filled up by hearing. Whatever has happened—that’s what will happen again;     whatever has occurred—that’s what will occur again. There’s nothing new under the sun.