Banbury Ward of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Message from the Bishopric

Dear Banbury Ward,

This past few weeks we've been reading from Exodus and then a week of Leviticus, studying about deliverance, daily turning to God, and sacrifice. Our family has also been reading the Book of Mormon in the first few chapters of 2nd Nephi at the same time. It's been really interesting to read the story of the Hebrews deliverance from bondage in Egypt twice, first from the Old Testament in an "as it happened" narrative, and then again as Nephi and Jacob use lessons from this nation-defining transformation to teach their people and point them to Christ.

The Israelites lived for decades on manna, which sounds like the graupel we get occasionally in a winter storm, but instead of snow pellets, it was a form of bread, like a coriander seed (3-5mm in diameter). "Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no." (Exodus 16:4)

Every day for forty years!  It probably took some time to gather enough to sustain them. They couldn't gather extra for the morrow, except the day before the Sabbath, or it spoiled and had worms.  I think Jacob was referencing this when he said "come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not," (2 Nephi 9:51), connecting the daily bread of manna with the eternal Bread of Life offered by Jesus Christ.

Then in Leviticus the various sacrificial offerings are explained in great detail: Presenting the animal at the altar, laying one's hands upon it (to transfer sin), killing it, capturing the blood, and the priest then ritually sprinkling the blood on various parts of the altar.  Leviticus 17:11 explains why: "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul."

Speaking of the Savior's atoning sacrifice, Lehi taught Jacob, "Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered." (2 Nephi 2:7).

Every week we have the opportunity to come to an altar, present our broken heart and contrite spirit silently to God, watch the priests as they use their hands to break the bread, and listen to prayers that petition God to sanctify those emblems for all those who partake of them, unto the remission of our sins.  We take the bread, emblem of His body, and remember that those who eat of the Bread of Life he offers will never hunger.  We see in the water an emblem of His blood, shed for us, to make an atonement for our souls.  Living water offered with a promise to never thirst, by qualifying to have His spirit always with us.  And we do this ordinance both one-by-one and together, as a community of saints, seeking individual and collective transformation.

I think the reading these weeks can be a little difficult, but hopefully you can see in these chapters the symbols that point you to Jesus Christ, His great atonement, and help you think of Him during the sacrament.  Ponder what you are doing to turn back to Him, to bind yourself to Him, and to eat and drink the Bread of Life and Living Water, every day.  Remember the deliverance from death and hell, wrought by His great and last sacrifice, and commit to daily acts (like gathering manna) that draw you closer to Him and help you become more like Him.

Love,

Bishop Price

• Mother's Day - This Sunday, May 10 -  All Sisters in Primary are invited to attend Relief Society. YW will meet as usual.

• May is Family History & Fill the Temple Month! - Throughout the month of May our youth have the goal to be in the temple.  We invite everyone to join in, especially on Saturday May 30 for a ward temple day.  Schedule your appointment now.  We'd like everyone to find a name using Ordinances Ready using the Family Search website.  Then bring that family name to the temple, or if you can't attend, share it with someone else.  In addition, you could upload a memory to Family Search or share a memory with your children/grandchildren.  Primary children - We invite you to learn an ancestor's name and a family history story you can share during the ice cream linger longer.  The Bishopric and others want to hear from you!

• Youth Camps this year will be the week of June 22-27.

  • • Young Women's Camp - It will be at Hayfork campground near Idaho City (an hour away)

      • • Girls Camp: YCL's will leave Monday, June 22 to set up camp. The rest of the girls will come up Tuesday morning, June 23rd. Everyone will clean up camp and go home Thursday, June 25th.

    • Young Men's Camp – June 24-27th at Northwest Passage Campground - McCall & Garden Valley.  All Young Men - Deacons, Teachers, and Priests are invited.

• Sunday Youth Assignments

  1. • May Chair Set-Up - Priests.  Please come at 8:30 a.m. to help set up chairs.

     • May Greeters - Young Women 14-18 Class

• Seminary registration for the upcoming school year is now open. All youth entering grades 9-12 are invited to participate. Parents should register their student at myseminary.churchofjesuschrist.org and select Religious Release.

• May 17 - Seminary Graduation - 7:00pm at the Stake Center

• May 19 - Relief Society Activity - Paint and Sip - 7:00pm in the RS room. Come enjoy an evening painting mini watercolor landscapes and enjoying sparkling soda creations.

• May 24 - Regional Single Adult (36+) Fireside - 7:00pm at the Meridian Idaho West Stake Center - 1985 N Black Cat Rd.

• Now through May 28 - Stake Humanitarian DONATIONS - We will be collecting Hygiene items to make kits for the homeless and developing countries at the Stake Humanitarian Workday on May 28th.  We are seeking the following new items: toothbrushes, combs or brushes, washcloths, hand towels, nail clippers, and tweezers (not plastic). We will place a container outside of the Relief Society door for the next few weeks to collect these things. Thank you for your generosity.

• May 28 - Stake Humanitarian Workday - 10:00am-1:00pm at the Stake Center. Everyone is welcome! Bring the whole family!

• May 28-31 - Boise-Nampa YSA Conference (18-25) - Contact the bishopric for details.

• May 31 - Ice Cream Linger Longer - Meet directly after second hour (weather permitting). Join us outside the kitchen for ice cream, socializing, and sharing family history stories.

• June 5 - Stake Primary Activity - At the Stake Center

  1. • Girls: 10:00am - 12:00pm

     • Boys: 1:00pm - 3:00pm

• June 26 - The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square - Watch Party - Friday June 26 at Scentsy Commons (2901 E. Pine Ave., Meridian).  Activities: 5:00-6:30 p.m., Concert 7:00-9:00 p.m. See flyer below.

• The Remember Him Area Initiative, which invites us all to focus on Becoming Lifelong Disciples of Jesus Christ, is featured on the Area website. All members are invited to:

  • • Share the Remember Him Video featured on the Area Website.

    • Invite families and individuals to visit the site and discuss the video message at home.

• Missionary Meals - We can invite the missionaries to dinner any day or night of the week; there is no longer the requirement to have a non-member present. Please reach out to our Ward Missionary Leader, Larry Nelson, if interested, and for further details and options. The missionaries will not be passing a calendar around, you will need to schedule directly with the missionaries. 

• Are you interested in being called as a Temple and Family History Worker with the assignment to work in the Family Search Center? Like a temple worker, this would be a weekly commitment, however each shift is only 2.5 hours. This is an extremely fulfilling calling and an opportunity for anyone to serve the Lord in a meaningful way.  Those who work at the center are witnesses to the miracles that happen there and the joy that the work brings into their lives.  Please reach out to a member of the bishopric if this is something you would like to discuss.

• "To allow for greater access to the words of the living prophets, printed copies of Church magazines are now available at no cost. These magazines include the Liahona, For the Strength of Youth, and Friend. This policy will eventually apply to every area of the Church.

  • • • Members can use their Church account to choose their preferred subscription(s) on a yearly basis at MagazineSubscriptions.ChurchofJesusChrist.org"

      • Please contact a member of the Bishopric, Relief Society Presidency, Elders Quorum Presidency, or your ministering sisters/brothers if you have any questions about this change or if you need assistance with subscribing for no-cost print magazines.

• For temple recommend interviews with the Bishopric and other meetings with the Bishop, please call or text David Swenson at (208) 447-8903.

• All temple recommend interviews with the Stake Presidency must be scheduled ahead of time. There are no walk-in appointments at this time.  For recommend renewal interviews, please visit https://calendly .com/minorth/temple to see available times and schedule an interview with the stake presidency.

Worldwide Church Events

The following link will take you to the church website with a list of all the upcoming and recent church events

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/events/