May 15 Announcements
Trivia Night this Saturday!
Come this Saturday, May 17 at 6:00pm for Trivia Night! We will start with a potluck dinner (no sign up required—dessert provided so please bring main dishes and salads) and form teams to take on questions of every kind. The evening will include live music by our own "Off the Grid" and our Trivia Master will be Lynn Nordby in honor his Norwegian roots on this Norwegian Independence Day.
Come spiff up the premises
Bethany’s Buildings and Grounds Team hosts a morning of varied tasks at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17. Tasks include light hedge-trimming, power-washing, shoveling gravel, wiping windows and very light painting. The commitment is one hour. Tasks are easy. Fresh donuts and hot coffee will be on hand. Please RSVP to Rachel Pritchett at
.
Congregational Meeting on June 1
The Bethany Council has scheduled a special congregational meeting to be held following worship on Sunday, June 1. The purpose of the meeting is to learn about and authorize moving forward with a Clean Energy Grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce to install solar panels on the Bethany buildings, along with batteries to provide electrical backup in an emergency. The grant will fund a project proposed by Cascade Solar in Port Townsend, which will both save Bethany thousands of dollars each year on utility costs and enhance the level of service that Bethany can provide as a Community Resilience Hub in the event of an emergency. Because the grant is awarded on a reimbursement basis, moving forward requires obtaining a line of credit for interim financing purposes. A congregational meeting is being held because the Bethany constitution requires the congregation’s approval whenever unbudgeted expenses of more than $5,000 will be incurred. Barbara Swartling will be presenting additional details during an announcement at worship this Sunday and available to answer questions during coffee hour after the service. Stay tuned as additional information regarding this grant will be provided in the next couple of weeks!
Recognizing PRIDE month
June is PRIDE month and Bethany will begin the month by celebrating PRIDE Sunday on June 1. As a Reconciling in Christ congregation, Bethany members are encouraged to participate in PRIDE events throughout the month in the Kitsap and Seattle area. There are a number of PRIDE events happening throughout the summer across the Northwest Synod. You can find a list of events on the PRIDE page of the synod website: https://www.lutheransnw.org/pages/pride
Save the Date
Our friends at Church of Steadfast Love, including Pastor Kristy, will join Bethany in a work party on Friday, June 6. Our combined group will be doing simple work items starting in the morning and then have a wonderful lunch. More details will come. Save the date now, and please contact Buildings and Grounds Chair Rachel Pritchett if you'd like to be part of the fun. Rachel is at
or (206) 498-0920.
Women’s Retreat
Now that the men have returned from a successful retreat, it's time for the women to plan their own! Check out Pilgrim Firs (https://pilgrim-firs.org/) It's beautiful and easily accessible on Lake Flora near Port Orchard. They only have a few dates available. We are considering Sunday afternoon through Tuesday morning, September 21-23. (No weekends are available in the next year.) If you are interested, please contact Debbie at the office or sign-up on the bulletin board as soon as possible so we can confirm these dates. Questions? Call Mary Jensen (206 913 3236) or Colleen Chupik (206 300 4382)
Eagle Scout Project
Allie Paulson-Houser is a candidate for Eagle Scout and she needs your help! Allie's Eagle Scout Project is building a Little Free Library for children at Helpline House and she is looking for children's books. If you'd like to donate it would be greatly appreciated and donating used books is not only okay but encouraged. The age range of books could be anything from board books through middle grade reader books. Books can be dropped off on the counter outside the office. Let’s all help Allie make this a successful Eagle Scout Project and a wonderful resource for children.
Blood Drive at Bethany
Bloodworks Northwest will be holding a blood drive at Bethany on Friday, May 23, 9:00am – 3:00pm. Every drop you give has the power to save someone’s life. A mom, a dad, a friend, a neighbor—real people are counting on you. Summer blood shortages are real, and you can help save lives in our local hospitals by rolling up your sleeve. To celebrate your blood donation this May, you can enter for a chance to win a $3,000 gift card. Schedule your life-saving appointment here and enter to win at www.bloodworksnw.org/win. Thank you!
Martha and Mary Online Auction
Join Martha and Mary‘s annual Generations of Care online auction, May 30-June 6, 2025. Caring for kids and seniors since 1891, Martha and Mary is a valued Lutheran Services partner. Bethany has pledged to provide two themed baskets for bidding and we need everyone’s help. Envelopes for donations in support of Martha and Mary are available on the table in the narthex. Please make checks out to ‘Bethany Lutheran Church’ with ‘Martha and Mary’ in the memo line. If you have questions or items you would like to donate to the auction catalog, please contact Benay Nordby, Linnea Chu, Noreen Sievertson or Kristi Sutton.
Prayers are requested: for Becci Kerstetter who is undergoing radiation treatment for a recurrence of cancer.
Altar Flowers: The altar flowers for this Sunday are provided by the Altar Guild.
Thank You to this weekend’s Worship Assistants:
Altar Duty: Gail Christensen
Sunday 10:00am – Greeters/Ushers: Stephen Deines & Andy Rimkus; Lay Reader: Barbara Deines; Communion Assistant: Barbara Deines; Hospitality Hosts: Andy Rimkus
Next Weekend’s Worship Assistants:
Altar Duty: Nancy Wetzler
Sunday 10:00am – Greeters/Ushers: Eve & Mike Curtis; Lay Reader: Noreen Sievertson; Communion Assistant: Jeff Sievertson; Hospitality Hosts: Karen Kushner & Becci Kerstetter
