Our blog

April 23 Announcements

Blessing of the Quilts Sunday!
This Sunday we will be blessing the quilts and kits that we send to Lutheran World Relief. In preparation for sending them off, Rachel Circle is asking for donations to help with shipping costs. The cost for delivering our donations overseas ranges from $1.80 for fabric kits to $3.10 for baby kits. You can find an envelope in your bulletin or on the table in the narthex. If you wish to write a check, please indicate Rachel Circle or shipping on it. Any amount is welcome.

Assisting Ministers in Worship
If you would are interested helping lead worship as an Assisting Minister, Pastor Martin will hold a brief introduction/training gathering after on Sunday, June 7th, right after worship. If you want to know more about what being an AM entails, chat with Pastor Martin. 

Adult Forum - Estate Planning +YOU=Passion for God, Compassion for Others!!
In addition to overseeing Bethany’s grant program, the Endowment Fund Committee also initiates educational opportunities. One component of stewardship education is estate planning!  With this in mind, the Endowment Fund Committee has arranged for Bainbridge Island attorney Hayes Gori to make a presentation on Sunday, May 3 following worship on the importance of estate planning.  Besides helping families navigate difficult waters after a person’s death, estate planning also provides a unique opportunity to support organizations and ministries that were important in a person’s life! In a very real sense, it can mean demonstrating the truth of Bethany’s calling: “Passion for God, Compassion for Others!”

Amabile Concerts Friday 24th & Saturday 25th!
You are invited to the Amabile Choir Spring Concerts, Songs of Love, Loss & Connection, at Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church on Friday, April 24th at 7 PM, Saturday, April 25th at 3 PM and 7 PM. We will be joined by the Sakai Choir for the Saturday afternoon concert and by KIC, Kids in Concert, for our evening performances. If you want to experience the full Amabile program, please purchase tickets for the evening concerts. General Admission tickets are $24, Kids 13 - 18 are $10 and kids 12 and under are free. Community access tickets are available for $5.  Tickets available at amabilechoir.org Hope to see you there!

Helpline House Food Donations
The Little Red Wagon near the entrance is there to highlight our ministry to our neighbors living with food scarcity. Each first Sunday, our Sunday School will bring up our offerings of food as we bring the financial mission support offerings.

Eagle Scout Induction Ceremony for Allie Paulson-Houser
You are cordially invited to a Court of Honor Ceremony honoring our new Eagle Scout, Allie Paulson-Houser.
Please join us Saturday, May 9th, 2026, at 2:00pm at Bethany for an Eagle Scout induction ceremony. Reception to follow. The Bethany Lutheran community has been a generous supporter of Allie's Eagle project by donating children's books. Allie would like to thank you all for your support over the years, and for your tireless work in the community. It means a lot!

 Seattle PRIDE Parade
Members of the NWW Synod will be marching in the Seattle PRIDE parade on Sunday, June 28. We are limited to 200 people. If you are interested in taking part in this, please let Bethany’s office know.

NW Washington Synod Gathering – Life in God’s Garden: Seeds of Generosity. Saturday, May 30, 9 – 5.
Please consider joining our synod siblings for this full day to celebrate, learn, and connect around the theme of generosity. This is generosity rooted in God's abundant love for creation. Generosity of time, space, talents, and money. Generosity of our hearts.
We will be gathering at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood &  the new Lynnwood Neighborhood Center. We will center our time in worship at 9am with song, communion, preaching by Bishop Shelley, and gratitude and blessing for our Synod VP Kay Edgerton who will be concluding her term this summer. We will welcome our keynote presenter, Rev. Tim Brown, ELCA director for congregational stewardship.

The Bethany Mission Endowment Fund Campaign is Underway!
The Bethany Mission Endowment Fund Campaign is now underway and applications for grants are invited! Application forms and other information are available on the table outside the sanctuary. And, the Endowment Fund Committee has now met and determined that more than $17,000 is available for grants this year. The season for making an application will remain open until Pentecost (May 24), and the expectation is that grants will be made before school is out in June.  Give some serious thought and prayerful consideration to how we can live into our congregation’s mantra to show compassion for others – on Bainbridge Island and beyond!!

Lay Eucharist Ministry
We are looking for volunteers who would like to serve communion to at-home members as well as suggestions for at-home members who would like to be served. If interested, please contact the church office.  

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Want to Join the Bethany Community?
If you would like information about Bethany Lutheran, please talk to Pastor Martin or contact the office during the week. Kelsey, our office administrator’s contact information is below.

This Sunday’s Worship Assistants:
        Altar Duty: Kathy Dudgeon
Greeters/Ushers: Tim Carlsen & Lloyd Pritchett; Lay Reader: Gail Christensen; Communion Assistants: Carol & Ron Fenner; Hospitality Hosts: Kathy & Doug Dudgeon

Next Sunday’s Worship Assistants:
       Altar Duty: Vickie Bech
Greeters: Megan Kennedy & Jonathan Tiller; Ushers: Steve Christenson & Tom Croker; Lay Reader: Noreen Sievertson; Communion Assistants: Linnea Chu & Jeff Sievertson; Hospitality Hosts: Karen Kushner & Kristi Sutton

 Additions to Announcements, Prayer Chain requests, and questions can be directed to Kelsey, Bethany’s Office Administrator: Email or Call 206.842.4241.

April 16 Announcements

Message from Mary Coar
Thank you all so much for the meaningful remembrance of my beloved Dick. He would have overwhelmed by your outpouring of love! We appreciate you all so much.

Hi Mystery Diners
We are looking forward to Saturday evening with those who have signed up to attend as team members or characters.  Please bring a salad/appetizer or a dessert.  Please make desserts that can be placed on a napkin as the kitchen crew would like to cut down on clean up time at the end. There will be a prize for the best 70's era costume. For ideas you can check: https://legacybox.com/blogs/analog/15-top-trends-from-the-70s?_ab=0&_fd=0&_sc=1  and there are many other websites with photos. Costumes are optional, so come as you are if you prefer. & BYOB!
If you signed up to be a character, please send me an email at   so that I will have your email address and can send you an informational note.  Mary Jensen

Rachels Circle – Help Needed Sunday
Rachels Circle would like to request some help after the service today.  They need the boxes of items for the baby kits brought up from the basement so the kits can be put together on Tuesday, April 21.  Please see Marlene Orwiler if you are able to help.  The quilts and kits will be blessed next Sunday.  The Rachel Circle thanks you for your help, both with moving boxes and donations for shipping. 

Thank you for all your help!
Thank you to: Barbara Swartling, Carol Fenner, Nancy Wetzler, Doug Dudgeon, Linnea Chu, and Kathy Dudgeon for the gracious assistance with stripping of the Altar & service assistance on Maundy Thursday.
And Thank you to: Gail Christensen, Linnea Chu, Kathy Dudgeon, Nancy Wetzler, and Doug Dudgeon for setting up the Easter Lillys and sanctuary for Easter service. We could not do any of this without you all!
We are so grateful for all the behind the scenes helpers who make it all look easy!

 Memorial Service for Pastor Paul’s Father, Herman
Herman Deirs Memorial service is going to be held at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church by the Narrows on Saturday April 18 at 11:00am

Blessing of the Quilts April 26
Next Sunday, April 26^th we will be blessing the quilts and kits that we send to Lutheran World Relief.  In preparation for sending them off, Rachel Circle is asking for donations to help with shipping costs. The cost for delivering our donations overseas ranges from $1.80 for fabric kits to $3.10 for baby kits.  You can find an envelope in your bulletin or on the table in the narthex.  If you wish to write a check, please indicate Rachel Circle or shipping on it.  Any amount is welcome.

Amabile Concerts
You are invited to the Amabile Choir Spring Concerts, Songs of Love, Loss & Connection, at Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church on Friday, April 24th at 7 PM, Saturday, April 25th at 3 PM and 7 PM.  We will be joined by the Sakai Choir for the Saturday afternoon concert and by KIC, Kids in Concert, for our evening performances.  If you want to experience the full Amabile program, please purchase tickets for the evening concerts.  General Admission tickets are $24, Kids 13 - 18 are $10 and kids 12 and under are free.  Community access tickets are available for $5.  Tickets available at amabilechoir.org .  Hope to see you there!

Helpline House Food Donations
The Little Red Wagon near the entrance is there to highlight our ministry to our neighbors living with food scarcity. Each first Sunday, our Sunday School will bring up our offerings of food as we bring the financial mission support offerings.

The Bethany Mission Endowment Fund Campaign is Underway!
The Bethany Mission Endowment Fund Campaign is now underway and applications for grants are invited! Application forms and other information are available on the table outside the sanctuary.  And, the Endowment Fund Committee has now met and determined that more than $17,000 is available for grants this year.  The season for making an application will remain open until Pentecost (May 24), and the expectation is that grants will be made before school is out in June.  Give some serious thought and prayerful consideration to how we can live into our congregation’s mantra to show compassion for others – on Bainbridge Island and beyond!!

Seattle PRIDE Parade
Members of the NWW Synod will be marching in the Seattle PRIDE parade on Sunday, June 28. We are limited to200 persons. If you are interested in taking part in this, please let the Bethany’s office know.

NW Washington Synod Gathering – Life in God’s Garden: Seeds of Generosity. Saturday, May 30, 9 – 5.
Please consider joining our synod siblings for this full day to celebrate, learn, and connect around the theme of generosity. This is generosity rooted in God's abundant love for creation. Generosity of time, space, talents, and money. Generosity of our hearts.
We will be gathering at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood &  the new Lynnwood Neighborhood Center. We will center our time in worship at 9am with song, communion, preaching by Bishop Shelley, and gratitude and blessing for our Synod VP Kay Edgerton who will be concluding her term this summer. We will welcome our keynote presenter, Rev. Tim Brown, ELCA director for congregational stewardship.

Lay Eucharist Ministry
We are looking for volunteers who would like to serve communion to at-home members as well as suggestions for at-home members who would like to be served. If interested, please contact the church office.  

 Pre Communion Classes
If you feel that your child is ready to begin taking the Lord's Supper or feel that they could use some further age-appropriate instruction about what it is about, please talk to Pastor Martin or contact the office during the week.

Bethany Facebook and Instagram
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Want to Join the Bethany Community?
If you would like information about Bethany Lutheran, please talk to Pastor Martin or contact the office during the week. Kelsey, our office administrator’s contact information is below.

This Sunday’s Worship Assistants:
        Altar Duty: Barbara Swartling
Greeters/Ushers: Barbara & David Swartling; Lay Reader: Barbara Swartling; Communion Assistants: Rachel Pritchett & Vicki Browning; Hospitality Hosts: Luanne & Tom Croker 

Next Sunday’s Worship Assistants:
        Altar Duty: Kathy Dudgeon
Greeters/Ushers: Tim Carlsen & Lloyd Pritchett; Lay Reader: Gail Christensen; Communion Assistants: Carol & Ron Fenner; Hospitality Hosts: Kathy & Doug Dudgeon 

Additions to Announcements, Prayer Chain requests, and questions can be directed to Kelsey, Bethany’s Office Administrator: Email or Call 206.842.4241.