Loving
and Learning in Lodi, for July 5, 2020
Welcome
Pastor Pamela Buzalka!
As I sit to write my first words for “Loving and Learning in
Lodi,” the song “Getting to Know You” from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical,
The King and I keeps running through my mind. Many years ago as a high
school student, I had a chorus role in a production of this and American
theater classic. As a student hoping to be a teacher, the story of this
bold and effective teacher, daring to travel into new and unfamiliar places,
inspired me! Today as a Pastor beginning a new shared ministry with the
Lodi UMC faith community, my spirit still resonates with the joyful hope of the
song; these words speak to my heart of the spiritual journey: “ ...Because of
all the beautiful and new things I am learning about you day by day!”
This week’s scripture lesson “The Good Samaritan” is a “getting to
know you” parable. In this parable, Jesus teaches the “student of the
law”, who wanted to inherit the kingdom of God, a profound lesson in
loving God above all else and loving neighbor as our very self. As the
outsider Samaritan and the unknown victim
came to experience each other in the act of loving and being
loved, they came to know “beautiful and new” things about each other,
themselves, God and kingdom living.
I trust God will bless us abundantly as well in our learning and
loving in Lodi!
Pastor Pamela
Scripture
Luke 10: 26-37
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 On one
occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked,
“what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What
is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He
answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your strength and with all your mind’[c]; and,
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]”
28 “You
have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he
wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In
reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he
was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went
away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened
to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the
other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to
the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But
a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him,
he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged
his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey,
brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The
next day he took out two denarii[e] and
gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I
will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which
of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands
of robbers?”
37 The
expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Hymns “Great is Thy Faithfulness” (verses
1-3) #140
“One Bread, One
Body”
#620
“America the Beautiful” (verses 1-3) #696
Thank you: ~ With a truly
grateful heart I want to thank Lodi UMC SPRC for the warm and supportive welcome,
the Trustees for their hard work in the parsonage bathroom sink renovation, the
UMW for the beautiful new parsonage curtains, the music ministry team, Dottie
Kimble and most of all - the Lord!
Although the Fourth of July fireworks will soon be
over, let us keep our nation, those in the armed services and their
families, veterans and all who serve with selfless dedication for the common
good in our daily prayers. Pastor Pamela
Thank you: WOW!!!! The prayers, cards, calls,
boxes and love that has poured out of our little church for my mom are
amazing!!! The hospital staff commented that they have never seen
anything like it! She will be moving to Burbank for further therapy and
to get stronger, this Thursday. Thank you, so much! She is a very
strong and determined woman! From Dave and the Family of Ruth Anderson
****If you have an extra card or note paper, send a thank you note
to Lodi Hospital East Wing to thank them for all the loving care that they have
given to Ruth. They are amazing people!!! 225 Elyria St., Lodi, 44254
School My Sheep Update: Hello and missing
you all so much--your smiles, your laughter and your hugs. School My
Sheep is still cranking along in the background. It's a huge endeavor and
one we would never pin on our congregation's shoulders entirely. We put
up a Facebook Fundraiser last week and to date, $575.00 has been donated! Isn't
that wonderful? And from people not affiliated with our church but who
rose to the occasion. There are fees involved, but we still have a
lot of the donated monies to go to school items that need purchased. It's
allowed us to purchase 48 of the over-ear headphones. We will concentrate
on the wireless mouse sets for middle school and high school students
next.
If you're out and about and would like to purchase supplies, our
inventory shows we could use index cards, colored pencil sets, 2 pocket folders
with prongs, and book bags. If you'd rather we do the shopping, that's
fine, too. Checks can be made out to the church with School My Sheep in
the memo.
We will sort clothes on Thursday July 2nd from 9 am to 11
am. The third floor is warm, so be prepared. We have one volunteer
and can take 2 more to ensure social distancing.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support for this
wonderful event.
Katrina Morgan
~Best wishes, Rev. Diane! Love and Learn in Steubenville!
Please save your plastic caps & lids for a “buddy bench” at
Sylvia Anderson’s great nephew, Braden’s school.
*****Pastor
Pam is settling into the parsonage and our Lodi community. She does not
have her home office computer set up as of yet, but her phone number and e-mail
(which she gets on her phone) are open to everyone!
Rev.
Pamela Buzalka
(216)-704-0307 pamelab23@hotmail.com
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