Welcome to the First Presbyterian Church of Bedford Indiana.

Established 1819

Spiritual Formation Class:  9:30 a.m.

Worship:  10:30 a.m.

    Welcome in God’s name!  Wherever you are on life’s journey, whether you are filled with faith or bursting with doubt, a disciple of Jesus or visiting church for the very first time, there is a place for you here.  You are a beloved child of God and you are welcome here.

Please join us for worship at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday morning.  You are also welcome to come at 9:30 for a Spiritual Formation Opportunity in the church library.
And if you can't come, watch our livestream!:  www.youtube.com/@officechurch336 

Friday Email, November 6, 2026

"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten young women took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps they took no oil with them, but the wise took masks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there came a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those young women got up and timid their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves. And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. Later the other young women came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."

Matthew 25.1-13

To the Saints engaged in God's mission in the world through the Bedford First Presbyterian Church, greetings;

We will be spending the next three weeks in the 25th chapter of Matthew's Gospel. As is customary during these concluding times of ordinary time that mark the end of another church year, the lectionary texts reflect an end-of-time, or apocalyptic, image. There is a parallel parable to this in Matthew 24.36-44, involving a master and a slave whom the former puts in charge of his household while he is away. Both of these stories emphasize that the time of the victorious return of Christ is unknown.

These, and other stories within the Bible, reflect a concern how Jesus has not returned as Christ to usher in the new age. This parable imagines the new age--the kingdom of heaven--as a wedding banquet, a time when there is great feasting and celebrating in communities. The tradition was that the groom-to-be would come to the bride-to-be's house where she awaited him. Upon his arrival, she would join him in going to his home where the celebration would begin, a party that could last a full week.

Interesting note: there is no portrayal of an actual wedding in all of Scripture. What is recorded is the relating of the celebration that follows. It has caused some to wonder if, in fact, there were actual ceremonies of weddings, given the lack of such stories. Others caution that scripture records that if a couple is to be divorced, there needs to be a certificate of such, which implies (at least for them) that there was also a certificate of marriage that was a part of the process.

So, the story is about waiting, about being prepared for what one can be concerned about, manifested in extra oil for the lamps, and not what we can't, illustrated by when the end will come. The assumption is that there will be an "end" or a "beginning" with the return of the exalted Christ to either end or transform the world for those who trust in God. Persons who followed Jesus in the first century (persons such as Matthew) had been led to believe that the return would be sooner or later, but each passing day added to their angst. Stories like this in Matthew 25 seek to name the anxiety without being controlled by it.

The story is an ancient one and in many ways it doesn't make much sense to our modern ears. "Keep awake" can not mean do not slumber, for each of the ten maidens (virgins in Greek) dozes off. Five of the women had prepared for the need for additional oil if needed, five had not. The five who didn't ask their colleagues to share their supply and they are told no. What kind of story is this, after all? One that perhaps invites us to focus on what is known: today, and how life is to be lived today.

Questions to ponder: What do you think Matthew thought that Jesus meant when he quotes him as saying, "Keep awake, therefore..."? What kind of "Christian" behavior is illustrated in those who have resources not sharing with those that don't? Why would Jesus (if indeed he is the 'bridegroom' in the story) refuse to allow the other five women to enter the celebration?

Perhaps a way to enter in to reflecting on the latter would be to wonder what the five women who did depart to find more oil missed in the procession from the bride's home to the groom's. You're invited to join us in worship on Sunday, either online or in person, as we explore this parable further.

THIS WEEK AT BFPC AND BEYOND

   Sunday, November 8

          Spiritual Formation, 9.30am, Library

          Worship, 10.30am, Sanctuary

               In person or online at www.youtube.com/@officechurch336

          Fellowship following Worship, Fellowship Hall

   Tuesday, November 10

          Session Meeting, 5.30pm, Library

   Saturday, November 14

          Women of the Church, 10am, Fellowship Hall

   Sunday, November 15

          Spiritual Formation, 9.30am, Library

          Worship, 10.30am, Sanctuary

               In person or online at www.youtube.com/@officechurch336

Thank you to the person(s) who changed the clocks within the BFPC building ahead of last Sunday! How very kind and thoughtful!!

The Session will meet for its stated November meeting on Tuesday at 5.30pm in the Library. Session meetings are open meetings unless the Session chooses to go into executive session.

If you know someone who is or has been in the hospital, please share this with Timm. Thank You!

Timm desires to offer home communion as well as other home visits. Please contact him to schedule. Thank You!

The first Sunday of the new church year, the first Sunday of Advent, is November 29th. Look for opportunities for Spiritual Formation during Advent.

Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes will be collected the week of November 16-23.

Timm's contact info: timm.high27@gmail.com; 814.873.1910; 812 24th Street

Prayer for Veterans

   Righteous God, ruler of the nations, we thank you for those persons who have served in the military, for the sacrifices they made and for the sacrifices that their families made while supporting them. We thank you also for those who served as conscientious objectors, who were supporters of their colleagues in various ways. We give you thanks for the veterans who were able to make it safely home and for those who care for those whose wounds linger, while acknowledging that there have been many young men and women who never got the opportunity to live life as fully and long as they would have wished. We recognize that those who have been our enemies are persons who also fight for patriotic causes and Jesus has instructed us to love them as well. We pray in the name of the Prince of Peace, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Blessings and Be Well...

Timm

Contact Information      First Presbyterian Church of Bedford,   1504 L Street, Bedford, IN 47421

 Phone: 812-275-5853

 YouTube Livestream:  www.youtube.com/@officechurch336 

Email: office@bedfordpresby.org

 Clerks of Session:  Betsey Makximenko, vbat62@comcast.net

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FirstPresbyBedford/  Be sure to like us!