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December 22, 2023 Announcements

Christmas Eve Services: Bethany will have two worship services on Christmas Eve. Both services will include music and candlelight. The earlier 5:00pm service will feature a special message and gift for children. This early service will be slightly shorter. The later 10:00pm service will feature the Bethany Choir and include the Service of Holy Communion. There will not be a service the morning of December 24 or Christmas morning.

2023 Year-end Donations: Year-end giving statements will be mailed by the end of January, 2024. Please note: any year-end donations that you want to count towards your 2023 giving statement must be received in the office by December 28th so that it can be deposited on December 29th. 

 

Donation without a Name: We received a donation through Wells Fargo Advisors that did not indicate the name of the donor. If you think this may be your donation, please confirm the amount with Debbie in the office so that the donation is noted on your year-end giving statement.

Gratitude for a Generous Bethany Community: A huge thank you to the Bethany community for your generous response in support of Helpline House and Martha & Mary. We were able to provide more than 25 gift cards to Helpline House and give over $400 to Martha & Mary for purchasing holiday gifts for their residents. The residents were truly touched by the gifts and generosity shown. Please see the note of appreciation from Martha & Mary below.

 

Service of Remembrance: The annual Service of Remembrance is an opportunity to remember, honor and pray for those who have died on the streets or as a result of being homeless. The service will take place on Friday, January 5 at 4:00pm at Immanual Lutheran Church, 1215 Thomas St. Seattle. The event will also be live-streamed at hhtps://www.youtube.com/c/ImmanuelLutheranChurch.

 

Altar Flowers: The altar flowers this weekend are provided by the Altar Guild in celebration of Christmas. As 2023 draws to a close, please consider signing up to provide altar flowers in 2024 in honor or memory of a special person or occasion. This can be done by providing the arrangement or making a contribution and having the Altar Guild flower team provide the arrangement. The 2024 Altar Flowers sign-up sheet is on the hallway bulletin board. 

Thank You to our Worship Assistants:

Christmas Eve Worship Assistants:
          Altar Duty: Gail Christensen
          5:00pm Early Service – Greeters/Ushers: Rachel & Lloyd Pritchett; Lay Reader: Rachel Pritchett
          10:00pm Late Service – Greeters/Ushers: Eve & Mike Curtis; Lay Reader: Carol Fenner; Communion Assistants: Vicki Browning & Barbara Swartling              

Next Weekend’s Worship Assistants:
          Altar Duty: Nancy Wetzler
          Saturday 5:00pm – No 5:00pm service
          Sunday 10:00am – Greeters/Ushers: Stephen Deines & Doug Dudgeon; Lay Reader: Barbara Deines; Communion Assistant: Barbara Deines; Hospitality Host: Kathy & Doug Dudgeon

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Daily Advent Devotional

Please find below today's Advent poem, followed by a brief reflection prompt. You may want to journal, reflect in silence and/or prayer, or share your thoughts in conversation with another. Many thanks to Fred Truitt for selecting the poems for our devotional.

December 22

Annunciation to Mary
by Rainer Maria Rilke

The angel’s entrance (you must realize)
was not what made her frightened. The surprise
he gave her by his coming was no more
than sun or moon-beam stirring on the floor
would give another, — she had long since grown
used to the form that angels wear, descending;
never imaging this coming-down
was hard for them. (O it’s past comprehending,
how pure she was. Did not one day, a hind
that rested in a wood, watchfully staring,
feel her deep influence, and did it not
conceive the unicorn, then, without pairing,
the pure beast, beast which light begot, — )
No, not to see him enter, but to find
the youthful angel’s countenance inclined
so near to her; that when he looked, and she
looked up at him, their looks so merged in one
the world outside grew vacant, suddenly,
and all things being seen, endured and done
were crowded into them: just she and he
eye and its pasture, visions and its view,
here at the point and at this point alone:-
see, this arouses fear. Such fear both knew.

REFLECTION: What fears are you facing right now? Does being “seen” and known”—fears and all—feel risky?

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