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August 22 Announcements

Transition Discernment Circles
Thank you to everyone who signed up to attend one of the listening circles this weekend, August 24 & 25. The Saturday, August 24 circle will begin at 3:00pm and end at 4:50pm. The Sunday, August 25 circle will begin at 8:30am and end at 9:50am. Those who typically attend Sunday morning worship are welcome to attend the Saturday afternoon circle. The Transition Team hopes everyone will attend one of the circles. This is an opportunity for the Transition Team and the congregation to listen to each other’s views on the State of the Congregation before the Transition Team completes the Bethany Ministry Site Profile. And if you didn’t get a chance to sign up but are able to attend, come to listen and let your voice be heard. Please plan to arrive on time so that we can make the most of this time together.

Guest Pastor
Our transition facilitator, Pr. David Hahn, will be presiding and preaching at both the Saturday and Sunday services this weekend.

Mark Your Calendars
Mark your calendars and plan now to attend worship on Sunday, September 8 when we celebrate Rally Day! Worship that morning will be followed by a picnic lunch. There will be entertainment, games and perhaps a surprise or two. Bethany will provide the main dishes and beverages. You bring a side dish/salad (last name beginning A-G), dessert (last name H-O), or fruit/veggie tray (last name P-Z). Can you help set up, serve food or clean up? See the sign-up sheets on the hallway bulletin board. Please note that there will be no 5pm service on Saturday, September 7 so we can all celebrate Rally Day and the beginning of a new program year together.

September Worship Assistants
With Labor Day around the corner, it is time to set up the September Worship Assistants Schedule for the Sunday morning services. (The Saturday schedule is all set.) The September schedule will be available on the black table in the narthex along with descriptions of the various roles. We have a wonderful core group of volunteers and they are hoping some new faces join them. Please consider reading the descriptions and signing up for a role that works for you.

New Pictorial Directory Coming Soon
Have you thought how handy it would be to have an updated pictorial directory? We think so too! Becci Kerstetter has graciously volunteered to take the photos needed to make this a reality. She will be available to take your photo after worship on Rally Day, September 8, and for the next few Sundays. She will plan on being available after the 5pm service on Saturday, October 5 for the folks that find that time more convenient. Becci will set up in the office area just past the narthex. We will also take this opportunity to verify contact information and whether you want your phone number and/or email address printed in the directory. Get ready to put on your Sunday, or Saturday, best and smile for the camera.

 

Welcome to Women’s Book & Bible Study Group
Are you a woman who is curious about matters of Christian faith? Would you enjoy meeting monthly with a diverse group of women to discuss books related to theology, often written by contemporary authors? Maybe the Women’s Book and Bible Study/WBBS group is for you! “WBBS” meets monthly during the school year, usually at Bethany at 9:30 a.m., on the second Monday of the month.  In this group faith and friendships flourish, conversations abound, and newcomers are always welcome. Coffee, tea and treats are shared at each meeting.

We will begin the year on September 9 discussing Inspired by Rachel Held Evans: “If the Bible isn’t a science book or an instruction manual, then what is it? What do people mean when they say the Bible is inspired? When Rachel Held Evans found herself asking these questions, she began a quest to better understand what the Bible is and how it is meant to be read. What she discovered changed her-and it will change you too.”

If you think you might enjoy WBBS, come and check us out.  Meeting announcements are in the weekly church news. Or you can contact Helen Stoll (360.620.2170), Sonja Selboe (360.979.7985) or Alice McCain (360.328.0920) for more information.

 

LWR School Kit Update
Thanks to all the folks who’ve donated to our school supply drive for LWR, we are getting closer to our goal of filling book bags to send off this fall! The school kits will help children around the world be successful in school. School supply sales continue in August, and we have an ambitious goal of filling 102 bags which were sewn by Selina Johnson and Alice McCain. 102 filled bags would be an all-time record number!

Posted by the door in the Narthex, above the donation bin, is a “score card” to help you know which supplies are most needed (as of August 13). Biggest needs are: spiral notebooks, pencil sharpeners, pencils, and ink pens. We’ll do our best to keep the list updated as supplies come in, so keep checking back. Please take and use the supply list from the envelope on the bulletin board when shopping and donating; we can’t send school supplies that don’t follow the LWR guidelines. For more information about this project go to https://lwr.org/kits/school-kits/instructions .  Later this fall we will have a party filling the bags and sharing snacks-stay tuned for more information.

Check Out Living Lutheran
Did you know that the ELCA magazine Living Lutheran is now published only electronically?! And here’s some news that deserves notice! Our congregation’s own Rachel Pritchet has contributed a wonderful article to the current issue addressing the unique and moving history of three pastors at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Olympia! (Spoiler alert – two became successful synodical bishops in the ELCA!) Not only will you read a wonderful article by our own retired journalist, but you can also see a number of other thoughtful and inspiring articles about what’s happening in the ELCA! Here’s the link:  Home - Living Lutheran. Enjoy, and thanks to Rachel for sharing her skills!

CROP HUNGER DANCE
This year we'll gather at Eagle Harbor Church on September 22, 2024, to participate in fun, easy-to-learn dances and songs led by the Universal Dances of Peace group. No special talent or ability is necessary--just a willingness to have some fun with your neighbors while raising money for a good cause.  

While it is a dance instead of a walk this year, we're still working with Church World Services (CWS) to raise funds to provide meals, clean water, and safe homes for those who need them. A portion of the funds we raise will go to CWS and another to our local social service agencies. This year's community goal is to raise $15,000, which a generous community member has offered to match!

The dance will begin at 2:00 pm, with the registration table open at 1:30pm. Register now for team "Bethany Lutheran of Bainbridge" on the CWS website by clicking here and then selecting "Join or Start a Team." Under Find an Existing Team, type "Bethany Lutheran of Bainbridge" and click on it. The resources on the website are helpful and easy-to-use. Feel free to reach out to Pastor Erin for assistance. Let's set a goal to raise $5000. Can we do it? Yes we can! GO TEAM BETHANY LUTHERAN OF BAINBRIDGE! 

Prayers Are Requested: for Veronika Rohrscheib as she undergoes testing for some health concerns and for Jim as he supports her; for Vickie and Gary Bech’ daughter-in-law’s sister, Tricia who recently received difficult news about her cancer diagnosis; for Vicki Browning’s sister Jerrilynn who is undergoing chemotherapy. Please pray also for our Bethany members who are homebound and unable to make it to worship services. God, in your compassion, hear our prayers.

 

Altar Flowers: The altar flowers this weekend are given by Kristi & Jim Sutton in celebration of their wedding anniversary.

 Thank You to this weekend’s Worship Assistants:
          Altar Duty: Gail Christensen
          Saturday 5:00pm – Greeter/Usher: Lloyd Pritchett; Lay Reader: Rachel Pritchett; Hospitality Host: Christine Lovely
          Sunday 10:00am – Greeters/Ushers: Tim Carlsen & Lynn Nordby; Lay Reader: Linnea Chu; Communion Assistant: Linnea Chu; Hospitality Hosts: Benay & Lynn Nordby                

Next Weekend’s Worship Assistants:
          Altar Duty: Kathy Dudgeon
          Saturday 5:00pm – Greeter/Usher: Jim Rohrscheib; Lay Reader: Gail Christensen; Hospitality Hosts: Jennie Harris
          Sunday 10:00am – Greeters/Ushers: Barbara & David Swartling; Lay Reader: Andy Rimkus; Communion Assistant: Barbara Swartling; Hospitality Hosts: Kristi Sutton & Andy Rimkus

Posted by Bethany office with

August 15 Announcements

Transition Discernment Circles
The Transition Team has been busy compiling and considering the responses they received to the State of Bethany survey. A synopsis of the responses was emailed to the Bethany community earlier this week and is available on the black table in the narthex. The next step is for the full congregation to listen to one another in small groups as we each respond to the summary provided. To accomplish that next step the Transition Team will be offering an opportunity to participate in listening circles before the Saturday and Sunday worship services next weekend, August 24 & 25. The Saturday, August 24 circle will begin at 3:00pm and end at 4:50pm. The Sunday, August 25 circle will begin at 8:30am and end at 9:50am. Those who typically attend Sunday morning worship are welcome to attend the Saturday afternoon circle. The Transition Team hopes everyone will attend one of the circles. This is an opportunity for the Transition Team and the congregation to listen to each other’s views on the State of the Congregation before the Transition Team completes the Bethany Ministry Site Profile. Please let the Transition Team know which circle you plan to attend by emailing Debbie ( ) or by using the sign-up sheet on the hallway bulletin board.

 

Mark Your Calendars!
Mark your calendars and plan now to attend worship on Sunday, September 8 when we celebrate Rally Day! Worship that morning will be followed by a picnic lunch. There will be entertainment, games and perhaps a surprise or two. Please note that there will be no 5pm service on Saturday, September 7 so we can all celebrate Rally Day and the beginning of a new program year together.

September Worship Assistants
With August half over, it is time to set up the September Worship Assistants Schedule for the Sunday morning services. (The Saturday schedule is all set.) The September schedule will be available on the black table in the narthex along with descriptions of the various roles. If you haven’t had an opportunity to support worship before, please consider reading the descriptions and signing up for a role that works for you.

LWR School Kit Update
Thanks to all the folks who’ve donated to our school supply drive for LWR, we are getting closer to our goal of filling book bags to send off this fall! The school kits will help children around the world be successful in school. School supply sales continue in August, and we have an ambitious goal of filling 102 bags which were sewn by Selina Johnson and Alice McCain. 102 filled bags would be an all-time record number!

Posted by the door in the Narthex, above the donation bin, is a “score card” to help you know which supplies are most needed (as of August 13). Biggest needs are: spiral notebooks, pencil sharpeners, pencils, and ink pens. We’ll do our best to keep the list updated as supplies come in, so keep checking back. 

Please take and use the supply list from the envelope on the bulletin board when shopping and donating; we can’t send school supplies that don’t follow the LWR guidelines. For more information about this project go to https://lwr.org/kits/school-kits/instructions .  Later this fall we will have a party filling the bags and sharing snacks-stay tuned for more information.

Prayer Chain
New job? New diagnosis? New living situation? New stressful life circumstances? Need prayer? We've got it covered! One of our calls as Christ-followers is to pray for one another, and as a congregation, we are committed to praying for our members and our world. One way we can do this is by using the prayer chain email which goes out to members of the congregation who have indicated their desire to be on the mailing list. 

When submitting a request, you can choose to include as much or as little information as you'd like, and trust that those who receive it will include you in their personal prayers. You may also indicate whether or not you'd like Pastor Erin to announce your particular prayer requests in worship on Saturday and Sundays for corporate prayer. (Note that not all requests are shared at worship for privacy reasons. A prayer request will only be shared in announcements and during worship if you've given your permission).

Beginning next week, the office will be sending weekly "prayer chain" emails which will include a prayer from the NW Washington Synod, as well as any congregational requests. Even if there are no congregational requests or updates to share, prayer chain recipients will still get a weekly prayer from the synod to guide their personal prayers for the week. If you have a prayer request or wish to be added to the prayer chain, please inform Debbie ( ) or Pastor Erin ( ).

 

NW Washington Synod Offerings
Did you know that in addition to the formation programs offered here at Bethany our synod provides loads of opportunities for learning together and growing our faith? If not, then please take a moment to check out the LiVE (Living into Vocational Engagement) Project's offerings by visiting their website: The LiVE Project | Ministries | Northwest Washington Synod (lutheransnw.org) There you will find a full course catalog including upcoming Fall events such as: 

Consider getting a group together, or participating on your own from home. It's sure to be an enriching experience for all. If you'd like an inside look into the courses, retreats, and cohorts LiVE is offering this year or to learn more about how LiVE can support the ministries and conversations you're already having- you're invited to their Online Open House. Join them at 7pm on either Tues, Aug 20th via this zoom link or 27th via this link. Contact Pastor Erin for more details or to let her know if you are interested in any of the offerings.

 

CROP HUNGER DANCE!
Yep, you read that right! Our community's annual effort to end hunger in our community and world isn't a walk as in years past, but a DANCE! We'll gather at Eagle Harbor Church on September 22, 2024, to participate in fun, easy-to-learn dances and songs led by the Universal Dances of Peace group. No special talent or ability is necessary--just a willingness to have some fun with your neighbors while raising money for a good cause.  

Not everything is changing, though. We're still working with Church World Services (CWS) to raise funds to provide meals, clean water, and safe homes for those who need them. A portion of the funds we raise will go to CWS and another to our local social service agencies. This year's community goal is to raise $15,000, which a generous community member has offered to match!

Registration begins at 1:30 pm and the dance begins at 2:00 pm-but you can register for team "Bethany Lutheran of Bainbridge" in advance on the CWS website by clicking here and then selecting "Join or Start a Team." Under Find an Existing Team, type "Bethany Lutheran of Bainbridge" and click on it. When you get to our team page, you'll see a familiar face-Pastor Erin who's already signed up for this year's team. Fill out your information when prompted and you'll be added to the team. You can begin your own fundraising campaign to raise money for our team, too! Take an envelope to collect the funds from neighbors and friends (on the table in the Narthex) or start a social media campaign like Pastor Erin did. The resources on the CWS website are helpful and easy-to-use. Feel free to reach out to Pastor Erin for assistance. Let's set a goal to raise $5000. Can we do it? Yes we can! GO TEAM BETHANY LUTHERAN OF BAINBRIDGE!

 

Altar Flowers: The altar flowers this weekend are given by Luanne & Tom Croker with thanks to all the Bethany community.

Thank You to this weekend’s Worship Assistants:
          Altar Duty: Nancy Wetzler
          Saturday 5:00pm – Greeter/Usher: Jennie Harris; Lay Reader: Jennie Harris; Hospitality Hosts: Marlene & Al Orwiler
          Sunday 10:00am – Greeters/Ushers: Eve & Mike Curtis; Lay Reader: David Swartling; Communion Assistant: Barbara Swartling; Hospitality Hosts: Miriam Barrenger & Becci Kerstetter                

Next Weekend’s Worship Assistants:
          Altar Duty: Gail Christensen
          Saturday 5:00pm – Greeter/Usher: Lloyd Pritchett; Lay Reader: Rachel Pritchett; Hospitality Hosts: Christine Lovely
          Sunday 10:00am – Greeters/Ushers: Tim Carlsen & Lynn Nordby; Lay Reader: Linnea Chu; Communion Assistant: Linnea Chu; Hospitality Hosts: Benay & Lynn Nordby

Posted by Bethany office with

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