Matthew 9: 18-34

In the scripture readings for today, Jesus is asked to do some remarkable things. He is asked, first of all, to raise a young girl who had died. Then he is approached by a woman who has had a bleeding disease for twelve years, who believes Jesus can heal her. Then it is two blind men, believing he can restore their sight. And finally a man who is possessed by a demon who makes him mute. In each case, Jesus has the power to do what he is asked to do. 

Mark 9:2-9

I was at a meeting the other day when the treasurer handed the secretary an envelope. A bit later in the meeting the chairperson asked the secretary for some information - but the secretary replied that he didn't have that information. At the point the treasurer rose and said, "Yes - you do- it is on the envelope I gave you".
The secretary replied, "Oh, I didn't know what that was - so I threw it away".
Everyone laughed - including me - but I was struck at the time by just how normal the secretary's actions had been.

Matthew 9:9-17

Last night our new Faith, Flicks and Fellowship group got off to a great start with a discussion of the movie End of the Spear. Perhaps some of you saw the movie - it is the story of Christian missionaries in Ecuador in the 1950s, and how they brought the Word of God to some remote jungle tribes. The choice of this movie was good for us not only for the story of the courageous missionaries, but also because one of the key female roles was played by a niece of Dave Bakker's. The story is a great one, and helped us appreciate the dedication of those missionaries.

Matthew 9:1-8

Back in the late 1950s, Payton Jordan, a football coach at Occidental College, pulled aside a young athlete named Jack Kemp, and told him that of all the players on the team, Kemp was the one who really had a chance to go someplace. He had the talent; if he had the discipline and the drive, he might even be a pro football player someday. Many of you will know that not only did Kemp become a star football player - quarterback for the Buffalo Bills - but he also became a Congressman, a Senator, a Cabinet member, and ran for Vice-President of the United States.

I bring greetings from Pam and our family. It was 16 years ago this weekend that our daughter Stephanie was born and her birth celebrated by you our family of faith here at Cicero UMC.

I also bring greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus from Bishop Violet Fisher, resident bishop of the New York West Area of the UMC. We are one of over 400 UM Churches in the North Central NY Annual Conference. Over 70,000 Saint in these churches are our brothers and sisters in Christ.