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Pastor Paul: Distribute your endowment today

Dear Bethanians,

Our Bethany Endowment Committee met yesterday morning, via Zoom, to discuss the 2020 distributions.  There is something nice about engaging in the day-to-day tasks at such a time, although it did take us quite awhile to get everyone “Zooming” on the same page, with audio for everyone. Some of the endowment fund proposals address the immediate coronavirus stress, and the needs of local social service agencies, while others serve our children at Bethany, and still others global concerns.  One was a proposal to help support the ministry (Seekers) that is producing our worship services.  It is nice in a time of social distancing and isolation, to be able to broaden our vision to recognize all the expressions of what it means to be the church.

My assignment was to provide the opening prayer, which I share with you now:

“Grant us health, Gracious God. Strengthen and fortify our bodies, making us immune not from our neighbor, but from disease.  Sustain our spirits, that we may not only be uplifted in difficult times, but supportive of others as well.  Make fertile our minds, that we might absorb the truth and cast off all that is false and misleading.  In our isolation, gather us in your love, and guide us by your grace with your community that transcends our locked doors.  Bless us that we may be generous and wise in our deliberations.  Amen.”

God has endowed us generously as a community, and as baptized individuals.  Go and be about distributing your endowment today.

Pastor Paul

Pastor Paul: With gratitude, for our health

Dear Bethanians,

I am perhaps like everyone else in these days, when I have a quick cough, or a runny nose, or a scratch in my throat, I wonder, “Am I afflicted with the coronavirus?”  While I don’t obsess over it, perhaps I am especially aware in the morning as I arise from bed, of how my body is feeling.  I am also particularly grateful at that time of day, giving thanks for my health at the start of each day.  Moments of gratitude, especially to begin each day, are a helpful remedy for me, especially in these days of isolation and health concerns. 

Martin Luther’s Morning Prayer speaks to this:

“I give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have protected me through the night from all harm and danger.  I ask that you would also protect me today …”

May you today indeed be afflicted … with hope and healing and gratitude.  And may it be contagious.

Pastor Paul