February 23 Announcements
Sunday school: On Sunday, Feb 26, we won't have Sunday school as usual, instead we invite our youth (of all ages) to be part of the worship service in various ways. There are many creative ways to participate--and there are NO hard parts! It's the first Sunday of Lent, and youth participation in worship enriches our collective experience by helping us to remember that we do not journey alone--we're in it together! We have companions of all ages and life stages who walk with us. If you are interested in participating, please contact Pastor Erin for more details!
Adult Education: Mark your calendars for an exciting Lenten Adult Education offering! Starting March 5 after worship, we'll begin a four session study led by Fred Truitt and Pastor Erin that will explore the events and characters of Holy week. We'll discuss historical context and literary perspective as we compare and contrast the Gospel accounts of the last days of Jesus' ministry. Come as you are! No prior knowledge is required to join the conversation and no special materials are needed. And if you've ever wondered about a certain event or character in the Holy week narrative but haven't had a chance to ask, you're in luck! We'll dedicate one session to your questions and suggestions. The dates of the study are March 5, March 12, March 26, and April 2. Please note that we will not meet on March 19. Please join us for this unique opportunity to explore the Gospel stories through different lenses. You might be surprised by how much your faith is deepened by learning from different perspectives. Everyone is welcome!
New to Bethany Orientation: Bethany is blessed by a number of visitors, including many who have expressed interest in joining the Bethany congregation. A dinner and conversation for all who want to learn more about Bethany will be held tonight, Thursday, February 23 from 6:00-7:30pm. Please contact Pastor Erin or Pastor Paul for more information.
IMPACT: Our second youth and family IMPACT gathering is on Sunday, March 5 from 4:00pm-5:30pm in Fellowship Hall. We'll enjoy chili and cornbread followed by a game (or two) of...corn hole! We'll also discuss ways we can help our neighbors in Turkey and Syria in the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake.
"What's IMPACT?" you wonder? IMPACT is a new monthly gathering of young people and their families and friends of all ages. We share a meal and have lots of fun in the form of games and activities and just being together. We meet for fellowship AND to serve each other and our neighbors. We learn together about a different organization that serves our community and/or our world and how we can support their efforts in a respectful and loving way, reflective of our faith. Everyone is invited, young or young-at-heart. It's a great intergenerational opportunity to form deeper relationships within our congregation. Feel free to bring friends, and share the invitation with others. All are welcome! Contact Pastor Erin with questions and to RSVP; or sign up on the sheet on the Youth and Family bulletin board in the Narthex. pastorerin@bethanyofbainbridge.org/860-705-8212 (texts are fine too). Future dates are April 16 and May 7.
Save the Date: Bethany members are planning a special fundraiser in response to the earthquakes in Türkiye (Turkey) and Syria. This is scheduled for Sunday, March 12 at 2:00pm, and monies raised will go to support the work of White Helmets and the ACT Alliance (Lutheran Disaster Response) in those two nations. Musical acts from the area will participate (Bethany Choir, members of Schola and Amabile, AND MANY MORE…), as well as assembly singing. We are hoping this will be a big event! Details are still being formed, but the hope is to make this a meaningful fundraiser. Already the Bethany Endowment Fund committee has elected to distribute $1,500 to this effort. Please let Pastor Paul know if you would like to be a donor who might want to seed this event with an advanced gift, so as to have a sense of momentum going into this event.
Lent – “Companions for the Journey”: For the five Wednesdays in Lent (March 1 – March 29) we will once again observe Lent with soup and bread suppers. The suppers will begin at 6pm and include a time of devotion centering around our Lenten theme of “Companions for the Journey”. The meals will be simple – just soup and bread – in recognition of this time of preparation, prayer and reflection. We are still looking for a few more volunteers to bring a soup or bake some bread for the five soup suppers. Please see the sign-up sheets on the hallway bulletin board.
Holy Communion Instruction: Here at Bethany, children are encouraged to come up for a blessing or participate in the Service of Holy Communion from a young age. As they get older, they may have questions or wonder about our practice of Holy Communion. Holy Communion instruction, primarily geared for those in mid-elementary grades and above, will be held on Sunday, March 12 from 11:00am-12:30pm. A pizza lunch will be served. Contact Pastor Erin or Pastor Paul if you are interested in having your child included, or for more information. A second session focusing on bread baking will be held at 4:00pm on Sunday, March 26.
Altar Flowers: There are no altar flowers for the season of Lent.
Prayer Requests: Please pray for Mabel Keeney as she undergoes care at Swedish for the removal of kidney stones; Mary Toepel Coar as she continues to recover from a broken hip at Martha & Mary; Wayne Richmond as he begins to gain strength at Northwoods in Silverdale.
Thank You to this weekend's Worship Assistants:
Altar Duty: Barbara Swartling
Saturday 5:00pm – Greeter/Usher: Jim Rohrscheib; Lay Reader: Gail Christensen: Hospitality Host: Jennie Harris
Sunday 10:00am – Greeters/Ushers: Eve Curtis & Lynn Nordby; Lay Reader: Linnea Chu; Communion Assistant: Linnea Chu; Hospitality Hosts: Benay & Lynn Nordby
Next weekend's Worship Assistants:
Altar Duty: Carol Fenner
Saturday 5:00pm – Greeter/Usher: Dick Coar; Lay Reader: Barbara Michael: Hospitality Host: Luanne & Tom Croker
Sunday 10:00am – Greeters/Ushers: Eve Curtis & Mike Curtis; Lay Reader: Noreen Sievertson; Communion Assistant: Vicki Browning; Hospitality Hosts: Noreen & Jeff Sievertson