Nineveh Ahead
Jonah 31-5, 10, Psalm 62, Mark 1:14-20
January 22, 2006
Rev. Marcia J. Hauer

I’d bet that almost no one here is unfamiliar with the book of Jonah. You remember the story. God called Jonah and told him to go to Nineveh to preach repentance. So Jonah decided that Tarshish was the place for him, went to Joppa, got on a boat and set off. As soon as the boat was at sea, God sent a massive storm which almost capsized the boat. The sailors were afraid, and, after casting lots, made Jonah tell his story. He admitted that his disobedience was the cause of the storm and told the sailors to throw him overboard. They were reluctant to do it and tried to row back to land. They couldn’t do it and finally cast Jonah into the sea. The scripture says that God provided a big fish to swallow Jonah and that he stayed in the belly of the fish for 3 days and 3 nights. While he was in the belly of the fish, Jonah prayed long and hard and God had the fish spit him out on the beach. I always think that Jonah caused the fish a great bellyache. Then God called Jonah a second time to go to Nineveh to preach repentance to the people. This time Jonah went, did what God asked him to do and the people repented. The king decreed a fast for all the people, the men, women and children and for all of the animals. All of them were to clothe themselves in sackcloth and cover themselves with ashes. All of the animals as well as all of the people. No one was to eat or drink because this would show God the sincerity of their vows and, perhaps, keep God’s punishment from coming their way. Indeed, God relented and did not punish these Assyrian people (Nineveh was the capital of Assyria). Meanwhile, Jonah was an unhappy man. The people had repented and God relented. This was not what Jonah had in mind. He thought that if he went and preached as God had asked, the people of Nineveh would be too hard hearted to repent and God would surely punish them and even if they did turn from their wicked ways, God would punish them anyway. Jonah was angry and took himself outside the city gates, built himself a shelter and stayed there waiting for God to do what Jonah wanted and expected. God then caused a bush to grow up and give him shelter from the sun and then caused a worm to eat the bush the following night. When Jonah was angry about this, God responded, “You are concerned about the bush for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?� (Jonah 4:10-11)

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Called To Be God’s People
1 Samuel 3:1-20, Psalm 139:1-18, John 1: 43-50
January 15, 2006
Rev. Marcia J. Hauer

Elkanah, Peninah and Hannah were devout people. Each year they traveled to Shiloh to sacrifice and pray. On one such trip Hannah poured her heart out to God. You see, she had no children, the only mark of worth for a woman in her culture. Penina had many children and she taunted Han nah with this face. Elkana told her not to take the taunts so hard because he loved her and said that he was more to her than a whole bunch of children. As Hannah prayed that day, Eli the head priest at Shiloh thought she was drunk and told her to leave. Hannah protested. She said that she was not drunk but that she was troubled and then she told him her problems. Eli backed down and blessed her saying, “Go in peace. The God of Israel grant the petition you have made…�

In due time Hannah conceived and Samuel was born. For the next 3 years, Hannah refused to go on the annual trip to Shiloh saying that when Samuel was weaned, she would take him there and give him to the priest Eli, and that she would dedicate him to God as a Nazirite—a man who would serve God all his life and who would never cut his hair or drink alcohol. When Samuel was old enough for this to happen, Hannah made good on her vow. Each year, when this family went to Shiloh to sacrifice, Hannah took clothing that she had made to Samuel. She was a woman who loved her child and who loved her God.

And so it was that Samuel began to serve at Shiloh. He served well there. He preformed his duties and learned what Eli had to teach him. It was no surprise to Samuel that fateful night when he heard a voice call his name. So he went to where Eli was sleeping and asked what he deeded.

Eli: “What do you mean waking me up? I didn’t call you. Now, go back to bed!�
Samuel: “OK—Sorry—I thought you called.�

Then God called Samuel a second time, “Samuel! Samuel!� So Samuel went to Eli again.

Samuel: “You called? What do you need?�
Eli: Can’t you see I’m sleeping and don’t need anything? Go back to bed!�

Then God called a third time. This time Eli realized that it was God calling Samuel and told him that it was God’s voice that Samuel had heard. Eli told Samuel to go back to bed and when he heard God call him, he should say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening>“ Then he said that Samuel should pay close attention to what God was telling him and then he should tell Eli everything that God had said. What God said, however, was harsh, marking the end of Eli’s priestly lineage and the beginning of Samuel’s authority. Something had changed. God wanted a change of leadership for the good of all Israel.

You know, call is a funny thing. God calls unlikely people:
Samuel was a boy
Jesus’ inner circle were fishermen
Isaiah called himself “A man of unclean lips�
Peter called himself “A sinful man�
Amos was a shepherd—the lowest rung of Judean society
None of these men were people we’d expecting God to call. They were not scholars. They didn’t have much prestige or many political connections. They weren’t rich or powerful. They were people just like you and me. We see them as special only because their stories have been written down.

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CONNECTIONS
THIS WEEK AT UPUMC
• Trustees meet Tuesday, January 17 at 7pm.
• Wednesday Dinner and Movie will continue on January 11 at 6:30 for dinner and 7pm for the next episode of Joan of Arcadia. There will be soup and bread provided.

THE LARGER CHURCH
• Metro District Leadership Event, Saturday, January 21, 9am-3pm, Portland First UMC, 1838 SW Jefferson. This event is open to everyone and church officers are especially encouraged. If we register by Jan. 15, the fee for the day, including lunch, is $10.

WEEKLY AT UPUMC
• Choir practices Sundays at 9:30am, Tuesdays at 6:00pm, Sanctuary.
• Men’s Group, Tuesdays, 10am, Narthex.
• Alcoholics Anonymous, Narthex, Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays at 8pm, weekly.
• Supper and Movie, Joan of Arcadia episodes, Wednesdays, 6:30pm, weekly.
• Overeaters Anonymous, Wednesdays at 7pm, Saturdays at 3pm.


FUTURE EVENTS, FOR YOUR CALENDAR


Service of Prayer for Peace with Iraq will be held Jan. 22, 2006, at Augustana Lutheran Church, 2710 NE 14th Avenue, Portland at 4pm. It will be the first of five interfaith peace services sponsored by Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon and a number of peace fellowship groups in the Metro Area. For information, contact Augustana Lutheran at 503-288-6174 or EMO at 503-221-1054.

MFSA's Annual Spring Event will be held Saturday, Mar. 4, beginning at 9 a.m. at Portland First UMC. The featured speaker is the Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and the theme is "Faithful Witness in a Troubled World." Cost for the event, which includes lunch, is $25.

Emerging Church Learning Party: A Hitch-hiker’s Guide. A new movement called the “emerging church� is making a major impact on the landscape of North American Christianity and around the world. Find out what “emerging church� is about, and its significance for re-shaping church and mission in today's culture. The Learning Party is Feb. 18 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., hosted at Sts. Peter and Paul Episcopal Church, 8147 SE Pine Street, Portland, and includes, talks, panels, small group Q and A, lunch and two emerging worship experiences. If you have questions, contact the Rev. Kurt Neilson at 503-254-8168. Cost is $23-$33.

THE NURSERY IS STAFFED DURING WORSHIP FOR CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN SCHOOL AGE. SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN ARE INVITED INTO THE SANCTUARY UNTIL THE ‘PASSING OF THE PEACE’; THEN THEY GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL.

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CONNECTIONS
THIS WEEK AT UPUMC
• Staff/Parish Relations Committee meets at 6:30pm on Monday, January 9.
• Administrative Council meets at 7:30pm on Monday, January 9.
• Outreach Committee meets at 7pm on Tuesday, January 10.
• Wednesday Dinner and Movie will continue on January 11 at 6:30 for dinner and 7pm for the next episode of Joan of Arcadia. There will be soup and bread provided.

WEEKLY AT UPUMC
• Choir practices Sundays at 9:30am, Tuesdays at 6:00pm, Sanctuary.
• Men’s Group, Tuesdays, 10am, Narthex.
• Alcoholics Anonymous, Narthex, Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays at 8pm, weekly.
• Supper and Movie, Joan of Arcadia episodes, Wednesdays, 6:30pm, weekly.
• Overeaters Anonymous, Wednesdays at 7pm, Saturdays at 3pm.

THE LARGER CHURCH
• Metro District Leadership Event, Saturday, January 21, 9am-3pm, Portland First UMC, 1838 SW Jefferson. This event is open to everyone and church officers are especially encouraged. If we register by Jan. 10, the fee for the day, including lunch, is $10.

THE NURSERY IS STAFFED DURING WORSHIP FOR CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN SCHOOL AGE. SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN ARE INVITED INTO THE SANCTUARY UNTIL THE PASSING OF THE PEACE; THEN THEY GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL.

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CONNECTIONS
UPUMC
.
• No children’s Sunday School on December 25 or January 1.
• Supper and Movie on Wednesday, January 4.
• New Year’s Day Food and Games, today, Noon, Errol Stephenson Hall.
• Communion will be celebrated on Sunday, January 8.

THE LARGER CHURCH
• Metro District Leadership Event, Saturday, January 21, 9am-3pm, Portland First UMC, 1838 SW Jefferson. This event is open to everyone and church officers are especially encouraged. If we register by Jan. 10, the fee for the day, including lunch, is $10.
• The grand opening of the Tualatin Heritage Center (former Methodist church) has been rescheduled to Saturday, Feb 11. at 1-4 p.m. because of construction delays.

THE COMMUNITY
• Portsmouth Neighborhood Association Forum, Tuesday, January 3, 7pm, Columbia Cottage.

FUTURE EVENTS, FOR YOUR CALENDAR
WEEKLY AT UPUMC
• Choir practices Sundays at 9:30am, Tuesdays at 6:00pm, Sanctuary.
• Men’s Group, Tuesdays, 10am, Narthex.
• Alcoholics Anonymous, Narthex, Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays at 8pm, weekly.
• Morrison Child and Family Center, Wednesdays, 4-6, weekly.
• Supper and Movie, Joan of Arcadia episodes, Wednesdays, 6:30pm, weekly.
• Overeaters Anonymous, Wednesdays at 7pm, Saturdays at 3pm.

THE NURSERY IS STAFFED DURING WORSHIP FOR CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN SCHOOL AGE. SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN ARE INVITED INTO THE SANCTUARY UNTIL THE PASSING OF THE PEACE; THEN THEY GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL.

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