spaghetti dinner has been postponed until Oct 3rd
REFLECTIONS ON THE CHURCH 3
REFLECTIONS ON THE CHURCH 2
REFLECTIONS ON THE CHURCH:
God Sent Me
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Genesis 45:4-8
New International Version
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.[a]
8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.
What will you draw from the water?
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Exodus 2:1-10
Lexham English Bible
The Birth and Early Life of Moses
2 And a man from the family[a] of Levi went, and he took a descendant of Levi.[b] 2 And the woman conceived, and she gave birth to a son, and she saw him, that he was a fine baby, and she hid him three months. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she got a papyrus basket for him, and she coated it with tar and with pitch, and she placed the boy in it, and she placed it among the reeds on the bank of the Nile. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. 5 And the daughter of Pharaoh went down to wash at the Nile, while her maidservants were walking alongside the Nile, and she saw the basket in the midst of the reeds, and she sent her slave woman for it and took it 6 and opened it and saw him—the boy—and it was a lad weeping, and she had compassion for him and said, “This must be from the boys of the Hebrews.”[c] 7 And his sister said to the daughter of Pharaoh, “Shall I go and call for you a woman from the Hebrews who is nursing so that she will nurse the boy for you?” 8 And the daughter of Pharaoh said to her, “Go.” And the girl went, and she called the mother of the boy. 9 And the daughter of Pharaoh said, “Take this boy and nurse him for me, and I myself will give you wages, and the woman took the boy, and she nursed him. 10 And the boy grew, and she brought him to the daughter of Pharaoh, and he became her son, and she called his name Moses, and she said, “Because I drew him out from the water.”
Footnotes
Exodus 2:1 Literally “house”
Exodus 2:1 Literally “daughter of Levi”
Exodus 2:6 Each instance of the implied “she” in verses 5 and 6 is the daughter of Pharaoh
The Word is Near You
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Matthew 14:22-33 New International Version
Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said. Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Topic: Morgan's Chapel UMC & Stapleton UMC After Church Fellowship Time: Aug 9, 2020 10:30 AM Central Time
Morgan's Chapel UMC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Morgan's Chapel UMC & Stapleton UMC After Church Fellowship
Time: Aug 9, 2020 10:30 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
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You can test connect before the meeting to make sure your settings will work. Let me know if I can help with this.
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Morgan's Chapel UMC
The Struggle Is Real
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Genesis 32:22-31
Jacob Wrestles with God
22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children,[a] and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,[b] for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel,[c] saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.
Give thanks, sing praise & remember
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Psalm 105: 1-11
1 Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
2 Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4 Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.
5 Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
6 you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,
his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
7 He is the Lord our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
8 He remembers his covenant forever,
the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
9 the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
11 “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion you will inherit.”
Covid Touches our Pastors
Letter from Pastor Robert
Dear Morgans Chapel,
As you know, last week I learned that I had been exposed to a Covid patient. On Monday I was tested and my results were positive. The blessing in all of this is that the only symptoms I have experienced have been no worse than normal allergies. Even so, I have quarantined myself for the next week. That being said, even with the extra precautions in masking and distancing that were taken during last weeks service, the Unified Committee has decided that we not have any other gatherings in the sanctuary until it has been thoroughly cleaned. This does not mean that we will not have an on line service, only that it will not originate from the church. That means no FM broadcast to the parking lot. Ron and I have been working on other options to be able to offer a service in spite of this setback. Tammy and I will stream a worship from the house. It will be different (we're really having to get used to different, aren't we?) but it will be a service none the less.
I think the biggest take away we get from these events is that you cannot be too careful. When you cannot see the threat, it is so easy to fall back into the old ways. I urge all of you to take all the precautions you can. Wear a mask, keep your distance, remember you are safer at home, stay away from groups of people, especially those who do not wear a mask. These are some strange and stressful times, but I remember, God is with us. And God is for us. The church has weathered worse storms than this and we will do so again. Keep checking on each other, find ways to connect in spite of the situation. Keep the faith.
God Bless,
Robert
Pleasing God
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Romans 8:1-11 Lexham English Bible (LEB)
Set Free from the Law of Sin and Death
8 Consequently, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what was impossible for the law, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did. By[a] sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the requirement of the law would be fulfilled in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are living according to the flesh are intent on the things of the flesh, but those who are living according to the Spirit are intent on the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mindset of the flesh is enmity toward God, for it is not subjected to the law of God, for it is not able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh are not able to please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him[b]. 10 But if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ Jesus[c] from the dead will also make alive your mortal bodies through his Spirit who lives in you.
You can't please everyone
==>click here to watch sermon on YouTube<===
==>click here for bulletin, prayer request and hymns<===
““To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: “ ‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”” Matthew 11:16-19 NIV https://www.bible.com/111/mat.11.16-19.niv
Letter from Pastor Robert and Sermon Prophesying Peace
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June 27th, 2020
A Letter from the Pastor.
Well, here we are again, just at the point when we think that we will be able to worship in person again, only to see the number of cases going up and we find ourselves disappointed. In case you have not heard, the Bishop has asked that we continue with our current arrangements for the foreseeable future. Of course, we will continue to offer our joint services with the congregation of Stapleton as we have been. We also have our FM broadcasts continuing as well. That means if you really want to get out of the house, you can drive to the church and listen to our service live on 91.7 FM. I must admit, the news of not gathering in person is a disappointment. I miss seeing all of you but have no desire to see anyone become sick because we were in to much of a hurry to get back together. Despite this latest setback, we still know that God is in control.
So, we wait. Our scripture is full of stories of people who were asked to wait. But in every case, the waiting turned into blessing. I have no doubt that such will be the case this time. We have already seen some of those blessings. Our Bread Day ministry has seen growth and blessing. Our services are now streaming and reaching more people than we would have ever been able to reach before. Every time we seem to bump up against an obstacle, God has provided a way for us to overcome. We have all been stretched to step out of our comfort zones and do new things. In all of this, God continues to show us that there is a ministry for us, that we are called, and God will provide the resources and talent we need to do that work. Each day I am reminded that there is a bright future for this family we call Morgan’s Chapel.
With that being said, I have a request. This is actually something that was growing in my mind before the pandemic struck. I would like to ask each of you to reflect on this time and what it has meant to you, specifically how it has changed your relationship with God. Would you write them down so they can be shared with the church? When I was younger, the church had a tradition called “testimony time.” It was when people would stand in the sanctuary and share some moment, some experience, some way that God had helped them grow in their faith. I know this might sound a little scary, but it is when we share, that all in the faith are strengthened. So, I ask that you send these to myself or Katie or Lee and we will then share them with the congregation. Let’s have a good ‘ol testimony time.
To close, let me just say again how blessed I am to be a part of this congregation. You are a special group with a special call. I look forward to seeing what God accomplishes through you. May God bless.
Robert
June 27th, 2020
Jeremiah 28:5-9 New International Version (NIV)
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord. 6 He said, “Amen! May the Lord do so! May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the Lord’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon. 7 Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: 8 From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.”
Wandering in the Wilderness
==>Sermon YouTube Link<==
==>Bulletin link<==
“So Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared food and a container of water, and strapped them on Hagar’s shoulders. Then he sent her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba. When the water was gone, she put the boy in the shade of a bush. Then she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. “I don’t want to watch the boy die,” she said, as she burst into tears. But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.” Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink. And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer, and he settled in the wilderness of Paran. His mother arranged for him to marry a woman from the land of Egypt.” Genesis 21:14-21 NLT https://www.bible.com/116/gen.21.14-21.nlt
Sermon: Laughing at God
==> Youtube link to sermon <===
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Genesis 18:6-15 Lexham English Bible (LEB)
6 Then[a] Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and he said, “Quickly—make three seahs of fine flour for kneading and make bread cakes!” 7 And Abraham ran to the cattle and took a calf,[b] tender and good, and gave it to the servant, and he made haste to prepare it. 8 Then he took curds and milk, and the calf which he prepared, and set it before them. And he was standing by them under the tree while[c] they ate. 9 And they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “Here, in the tent.” 10 And he[d] said, “I will certainly return to you in the spring,[e] and look, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the doorway of the tent, and which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age;[f] the way of women[g] had ceased to be for Sarah. 12 So[h] Sarah laughed to herself saying, “After I am worn out and my husband is old, shall this pleasure be to me?” 13 Then Yahweh said to Abraham, “What is this that Sarah laughed, saying, ‘Is it indeed true that I will bear a child, now that I have grown old?’ 14 Is anything too difficult for Yahweh? At the appointed time I will return to you in the spring[i] and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. He[j] said, “No, but you did laugh.”
Sermon -- From the Chaos
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Link to Bulletin, hymns and prayer request
Genesis 1:1-2:4 Lexham English Bible (LEB)
The Creation
1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth— 2 Now[a] the earth was formless and empty, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light!” And there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good, and God caused there to be a separation between the light and between the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
6 And God said, “Let there be a vaulted dome[b] in the midst of the waters, and let it cause a separation between the waters.”[c] 7 So[d] God made the vaulted dome,[e] and he caused a separation between the waters which were under the vaulted dome[f] and between the waters which were over the vaulted dome.[g] And it was so. 8 And God called the vaulted dome[h] “heaven.”[i] And there was evening, and there was morning, a second day.
9 And God said, “Let the waters under heaven[j] be gathered to one place, and let the dry ground appear.” And it was so. 10 And God called the dry ground “earth,” and he called the collection of the waters “seas.” And God saw that it was good. 11 And God said, “Let the earth produce green plants that will bear seed—fruit trees bearing fruit in which there is seed[k]—according to its[l] kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth green plants bearing seed according to its[m] kind, and trees bearing fruit in which there was seed[n] according to its[o] kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.
14 And God said, “Let there be lights[p] in the vaulted dome[q] of heaven[r] to separate day from night,[s] and let them be as signs and for appointed times, and for days and years, 15 and they shall be as lights[t] in the vaulted dome[u] of heaven[v] to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 And God made two lights,[w] the greater light[x] to rule[y] the day and the smaller light[z] to rule[aa] the night, and the stars. 17 And God placed them in the vaulted dome[ab] of heaven[ac] to give light on the earth 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate light from darkness.[ad] And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly over the earth across the face of the vaulted dome[ae] of heaven.[af] 21 So[ag] God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kind, and every bird with wings according to its[ah] kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening, and there was morning, a fifth day.
24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kind: cattle and moving things, and wild animals[ai] according to their kind.” And it was so. 25 So[aj] God made wild animals[ak] according to their kind and the cattle according to their kind, and every creeping thing of the earth according to its[al] kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 And God said, “Let us make humankind in[am] our image and according to[an] our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of heaven,[ao] and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every moving thing that moves upon the earth.” 27 So[ap] God created humankind in[aq] his image, in[ar] the likeness of God he created him,[as] male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of heaven,[at] and over every animal that moves upon the earth.”
29 And God said, “Look—I am giving to you every plant that bears seed which is on the face of the whole earth, and every kind of tree that bears fruit.[au] They shall be yours as food.” 30 And to every kind of animal of the earth and to every bird of heaven,[av] and to everything that moves upon the earth in which there is life I am giving every green plant as food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning, a sixth day.
2 And heaven[aw] and earth[ax] and all their array[ay] were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and he sanctified[az] it, because on it he rested from all his work of creating that there was to do.[ba]
The Generations of Heaven and Earth
4 These are the generations[bb] of heaven[bc] and earth[bd] when they were created, in the day that Yahweh God made earth and heaven[be]—
A Word from Bishop Graves: 24 Hours, 24 Days: Listen!!!!
5-6 minutes
Dear Alabama-West Florida Church Family,
In recent days following the tragic murder of yet another black male, George Floyd, there have been numerous statements written and reports of protests. Most of these were peaceful, yet some turned violent. Images of the officer’s knee suffocating the life from Mr. Floyd and the emotion that has followed leads to haunting cries that enough is enough. I am outraged at the actions I continue to see against people of color. During these times, it is our instinct to write or post on social media. Perhaps some of you have been asking when I would make a statement.
Over the last few days and weeks, the stirring in my spirit has been to listen! I have listened to the feelings of anger, hurt, and pain of my brothers and sisters of color. Some of their anger lies with white people who continue to talk while they need to listen. I have listened to protestors who desperately beg for the generational trauma of persecution and killing to stop. To my dismay, I have listened to the theological rhetoric and the defensive posture of many. I have listened to those who are frustrated with those who abuse their positions of power. I have heard that we need to give space for forgiveness, acknowledge that racism is a sin, and that we need to acknowledge it when we hear it. I have listened to the lack of support for the black church here in Alabama-West Florida. I have listened to white clergy and laity who ask, “Bishop what can we do? I have so many questions and feel paralyzed to know how to appropriately act.”
As I listen, I hear a consistent theme with COVID-19 and the events of the last week: weariness. Yes Lord, we are weary living in a weary land. We have moved from being tired to weary. It is a hard place to be. As I have listened, these words from 2 Chronicles 7:14 resonate within me, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Many are calling on God to heal our land, yet it will begin when God’s people turn to what we celebrated this past Pentecost Sunday in Acts 2:21, “Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” For God has poured out God’s Holy Spirit on all people for their choosing.
I am asking all people in the Alabama-West Florida Conference to listen and stand in solidarity with people of color! Make no mistake that all lives will in fact matter when black lives matter. This coming Sunday, June 7, is observed as Peace With Justice Sunday in the United Methodist Church. What timing! For as I listen, I hear the cry of where there is no justice there is no peace. I am calling us to listen as we begin this Sunday at 12:00 midnight with a 24-hour prayer vigil, followed by 24 days of prayer.
For the 24-hour prayer vigil, there is an online sign-up with 15-minute prayer slots. Up to five people may register during each time slot. However, as many people who want to pray during a specific time may do so. God will hear our prayers! Please click here to sign up now. I would hope that we would have hundreds of people across this conference to participate and pray over the 24 hours this Sunday.
The remaining days will have focused prayers as you can see on this calendar. During these 24 days of prayer, we are asking people to do virtual prayer walks on their own or with a small group. Additionally, we will be posting daily prayers on social media. Download the prayer sheet so that you can incorporate this focused time of prayer in your daily devotional life.
Next, I would ask us to listen to one another during this time. To be frank with white people, you need to listen much more. Just listen, even when listening is hard. In these remaining days of June, I would ask all of us to talk with one another and to take the posture of listening more than talking. As we listen, God is calling all of us to be a part of ending systemic racism and injustice.
24-hours of prayer and 24 days of prayer are what God has placed on my heart as we listen to what God is calling us to do next. The Holy Spirit is stirring within my heart to take action steps in the coming days. I plan to share that soon, but for now, there is this urging within me that we need to continuously pray and listen. Yes, it will take much more than prayer and listening, as prayer without action leads to death. For today in this Holy Spirit moment, speak Lord, speak!
In loving kindness,
Bishop David Graves
Resident Bishop
Alabama-West Florida Conference
Sermon How to Live
==> Link to Sermon on Youtube <==
Link to Bulletin, hymns and prayer request
Romans 12:9-16 Lexham English Bible (LEB)
Living in Love
9 Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; be attached to what is good, 10 being devoted to one another in brotherly love, esteeming one another more highly in honor, 11 not lagging in diligence, being enthusiastic in spirit, serving the Lord, 12 rejoicing in hope, enduring in affliction, being devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, pursuing hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute,[a] bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Think the same thing toward one another; do not think arrogantly[b], but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own sight[c].
ASCENSION SUNDAY 2020
==> Click for Youtube of sermon <==
==> Click Link for Bulletin, Hymns & Prayer List <==
Acts 1:6-14 Lexham English Bible (LEB)
The Ascension
6 So when[a] they had come together, they began asking[b] him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7 But he said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when[c] the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest part of the earth.” 9 And after he[d] had said these things, while[e] they were watching, he was taken up, and a cloud received him from their sight. 10 And as they were staring into the sky while[f] he was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood by them 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee,[g] why do you stand there looking[h] into the sky? This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven like this will come back in the same way you saw him departing into heaven!”
Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain that is called Olive Grove[i] which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.[j] 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upstairs room where they were staying—Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James. 14 All these were busily engaged with one mind in prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and with[k] his brothers.
