St. Andrew's Youth News
Bartimaeus Seen & Heard
Greeting friends!!!

This Sunday's Gospel (Mark 10:46-52) marks the 4th Sunday we've spent in the 10th chapter of Mark. In the last four weeks, we've talked about divorce, children, the Kingdom of God, a rich man who chooses his fear over his faith and James and John's interesting request for special treatment in heaven. We've been on a bit of a roller coaster. Finally, this week we have the marvelous story of Bartimaeus, a blind beggar. There are several things that make this story so uniquely powerful that it would be criminal not to share.

-Bartimaeus is named. How many other stories of miraculous healing and grace do we have where we never come to know the main subject's name? The Rich Man, the Good Samaritan, a Deaf Man, the Syrophoenician Woman. For him to be named, Bartimaeus is the son of someone important in this community near Jericho, the community clearly knows him, yet still he is banished to live on the side of the road. In this current 'cancel culture' we live in, who are we banishing to the side of the road?

-Bartimaeus' eagerness, faithfulness and certainty that Jesus is the Messiah and that only Jesus can heal him. I can just see the looks on the community's faces embarrassed by Bartimaeus' outburst. The crowd hushing him, desperately trying to shuffle Jesus onward out of earshot of this 'outcast'. Bartimaeus pays them no mind, and just shouts louder, so certain, so sure, that Jesus is the Savior of not only him, but of them all. And when Jesus hears him, Bartimaeus throws off his old, dirty, worn down coat and springs to his feet. Think about his uninhibited joy in being heard, being seen, with his flaws on display, when for years Bartimaeus has been overlooked, pushed quite literally outside of the town itself, and considered a 'burden' and an 'eye sore' to this community. And upon being healed, immediately joins Jesus as a living testimony to his Glory.


Dear friends I invite you to simultaneously wonder and be in awe of our friend Bartimaeus, how can we be more like him and less like the shush-ers in our story.

Sending my love to all of you.


Please let me know what I can do to help support you and your youth.
Youth Group This Week

We are back to our pre-Covid school year high school youth group routine, meeting every Wednesday from 7-8:30 pm at Bethlehem! Bring a mask in case we go inside!
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No Youth Service This Sunday

We will not have youth service this Sunday, October 24th.
Constance Mithelman
Director of Youth Ministries
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