Table of Remembrance

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

This Sunday, we will worship God by celebrating All Saints Sunday.  This Sunday reminds us that we are not alone in confessing our faith in God through Jesus Christ.  Rather, we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us.  We stand on the shoulder of famous witnesses to the Christian faith who, in some cases, have paid with their own life for clinging to the gospel of love and mercy and forgiveness; and we stand on the shoulders of many ordinary people who have passed on their values and beliefs to us.  Without their witness to us, our faith in God’s grace, goodness, and love may have crumbled a long time ago. 

As in years past, we commemorate those in our midst who have passed away since All Saints Day 2010.  We will solemnly read their names out lout; and with gratitude we will remember the goodness they have brought into our lives. 

We will also remember this year, in a different way, countless other individuals who have died either recently or some time ago.  When you enter the Bethel sanctuary this Sunday via the narthex (church entry), you will encounter a beautiful display of candles, photos, flowers, and other objects.  I invite you to come to church and help us build this “table or remembrance” by bringing in photos or other objects that remind you of someone dear to you who has died.  We also will have paper available to you to write down names of individuals whom you wish to remember and to celebrate this Sunday.

The idea for this “table of remembrance” is borrowed from the “dia de los muertos” (Day of the Dead) which is celebrated in Mexico and other countries, but with a slight Lutheran twist.   Lutherans, as you may know, refrain from venerating saints in the Roman Catholic or Christian Orthodox manner.  We don’t believe that saints have attained a higher standing before God than other Christians, we don’t believe that they have earned God’s love in a special way, and we don’t pray to saints asking them to intercede for us with God.  

We do, however, believe that there is a strong bond between the church on earth and the church triumphant.  We believe that there is a strong bond between Christians who are confronted daily with negotiating the demands of the world and the demands of faith and Christians who now see god face-to-face in all of God’s heavenly glory.  We also believe that it can be very beneficial to us to listen to the stories of people who, in the midst of conflicting priorities, chose to be on the side of Jesus Christ.  Their stories can strengthen and embolden our own faith, no matter whether they were famous in their own day or not.

Thus – please bring photos or objects to church that remind you of deceased individuals who have been influential in your own life and add them to the “table of remembrance” in the narthex.

Looking back at Yesterday's Oktoberfest Celebration

Ok·to·ber·fest  [ok-toh-ber-fest] noun

1. a traditional festival held each October in Munich, Germany.

2. any similar festival held usually in the autumn.

3. a strong lager made originally in Germany for the Oktoberfest celebration; sweet and copper-colored.

4. an autumn festival that involves merrymaking and drinking beer.

Also, Octoberfest.

Origin: < German; see October, -fest

This Wednesday night, I (rather reluctantly!) participated in my first-ever root beer chugging contest.  The occasion was Bethel’s first-in-many-years Oktoberfest.  Up until a few hours before the event, I had only faint ideas as to what to expect.  While the flyer and map that I had seen, listed an impressive number of entertainment activities, I did not anticipate that the event would turn out this spectacular. 

The festivities began with a delicious potluck dinner consisting of such German staple foods as potato salad, sauerkraut, red cabbage, sausage, and pretzels, followed by “scary desserts,”  followed by an apple pie contest, sponsored Labor Day Retreat Team (MC’d by Molly Schrey and Liz Barton).  The winning pie (out of seven wonderful entries) was Barbara Misch’s delicious creation—judge by all three clergy judges as superior in terms of visual appeal, texture, and taste.  Runner-up winners were Maggie Emmert (2^nd prize) Kathy Arnold (3^rd prize). 

After the apple pie contest, the Oktoberfest activities spilled out from Torvend Hall onto most of the Bethel campus.  There were children’s crafts (corn husk dolls making sponsored by Maggie Emmert), games for younger children (various bean bag tossing games ), games for teenagers and adults (root beer chugging contest sponsored by Bethel’s young adult group, the Network; pie throwing sponsored by Ed Fox; Kathy & Dave Arnold’s home-made  electronic game; various jr. high games sponsored by Robyn Winegardner and Susan Leavitt), children’s book donations (sponsored by Bethel’s library team), card writing (sponsored by Bethel’s Stephen’s ministry group), apple tasting (sponsored by Liz Tribby), and printing on an amazing little letter press (sponsored by Dave Tribby).  For many of these activities, participants could earn raffle tickets.   At the close of these activities, flower arrangements (donated by Sue Jacobus) and gift bags were raffled off in Torvend Hall.  The evening concluded with a closing prayer. 

Thank you to all who made this celebration such a wonderful event that brought together Bethel members and friends of all ages.  In addition to all those who organized games and activities, set up, clean up, and potluck items, a special thank you goes to Patricia Myerholtz, who thought up activities and recruited volunteers for the event. May the fun and joviality of this night bring us closer to each other and help knit the bonds of Christian friendship and love.

P.S.: One question, though, remains for me – given that the Munich Oktoberfest revolves around beer, rather than root beer, was this really an Oktoberfest?

On the Value of Giving

What are the two most frequent topics that Jesus talked about? Was either of the two “love”, “faith”, or “Sabbath”?  No.  The two topics that Jesus addressed most frequently were the Kingdom of God and … money.  Compare that to us modern Christians, and you’ll soon notice that we are confused, at best, about the meaning of God’s Kingdom, and that we are reluctant, to say the least, to talk to one another about money—how we regard it, how we earn it, how we manage it, and how we spend it.  For that reason, I want to do now just that – talk about God’s kingdom and about money.

Two Scripture passages come to my mind – Leviticus 1 and Luke 22.  The former describes in great detail the manner in which the ancient Israelites were to make burnt offerings to God.  The latter retells Jesus’ celebration of the Lord’s Supper with his disciples.  Both are very different passages, both in style and substance.  But both have in common that they present us with acts of giving, acts in which the giver doesn’t expect to receive anything material in return.  In Leviticus, animals, grain, and incense is burnt on God’s altar as a form of thanksgiving to God.  In Luke, Jesus gives himself away – his body, his blood, his very life – without expecting to receive anything in return.  Grain, meat, oil –they were the ancient equivalent of money. When people burnt them on God’s altar, it was as if we were to take our offering plates, place them on the altar, and then tossed in match, burning up everyone’s money or checks (o.k., I know that that’s illegal for us to do in the U.S.).

Offering the grain, the meat, and the oil was an act of worship in ancient Israel, an instance in which the Israelites were invited to give up something of value as a sacrifice to God.  When we are invited to put our money into the offering plates … that’s an act of worship, too.  Contrary to what many may think, we are invited to put our money into the offering plate not because the church needs our money, but because we want and need to give it.  Mark Allan Power writes that “we have a spiritual need to worship God and through our offerings we are able to express our love and devotion to God in a way that is simple and sincere.”[i]

Jesus, however, teaches us that the giving of money or its equivalents is not all that is required of those whom he called to participate in the building of God’s Kingdom.  Jesus did not merely give away his possessions (and asked others to do the same); rather, Jesus gave himself away and his very life in service to others, in service to the salvation of the world. While most of us are not willing nor able to make such a profound sacrifice, Jesus reminds us that those who give themselves away in service to others in the name of Jesus will gain eternal life (Matthew 16:25). 

To me, our service worship last Sunday was a token of such giving away.  The point of the service worship was not so much that the “haves” do something nice for the “have-nots.”  If that were the main point, our service worship would leave the social hierarchies between the well-off and the poor unchallenged and leave unquestioned the economic system that makes the poor poorer and the rich richer. 

I hope and pray that this service worship may strengthen in us the firm belief that Jesus has abolished the dividing line between the rich and the poor, as well as the housed and the homeless.  Jesus has come to remind us that we all are one and need one another.  We are all guests in God’s “kin-dom.”  We are one body of Christ, and together we can do work toward eradicating hunger and abolishing poverty. 

During our service worship Sunday, many among the Bethel community had opportunities to work alongside others, to encounter folks who have less than we, and to learn from them, and be changed in the process.  To me, being changed by God through the act of service is a goal that is just as important as to feed the hungry.  True change, true justice and peace won’t come about until we learn that we all need one another, that we each have something of value that we can share with the human community.

---

[i] Mark Allann Powell, Giving to God: The Bible’s Good News about Living a Generous Life (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006, p. 12.

Some Thoughts Occasioned by Bethel's First Service Worship

A few years ago, on October 14, 2008, a story was published in the British newspaper The Telegraph about a Methodist pastor in North Wales, the Rev. Derek Rigby, who shamed his own congregation by dressing up as a homeless man and sitting on the front steps of his own church on a Sunday morning dressed in old clothes, dirty, hidden beneath a wig, smelling from beer which he had poured all over his clothes.   Rev. Rigby then settled on a pew in the church, surrounded by syringes and began drinking from a can of beer.  None of the worshippers at his church spoke to him or offered him any help.  Eventually, the 51-year-old pastor then took off his wig to reveal his true identity, before delivering a sermon based on the failure of the disciples to recognize Jesus Christ on the road to Emmaus after his resurrection.   Rev. Rigby later commented on the incident, saying, “It was interesting to see the reaction from people - I was totally ignored.  It showed that we don't recognize God at work and in each other.”

At Bethel, we talk a lot these days about radical hospitality.  We strive to be more welcoming to visitors, to have a more appealing welcome zone, to be more competent in our knowledge about other cultures, and to more intentionally serve the needs of the community around us.  But how radical is our hospitality really?  And is our hospitality about being nice and kind or is it connected to justice?

In biblical times, hospitality and justice went hand in hand; radical, justice-oriented hospitality was a foundation of all morality in biblical times.  Take for example, the following verses from the prophet Isaiah: 

"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?  Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am."  (Isaiah 58:6-9)

Serving the poor, sharing our bread with the hungry and helping the homeless to secure housing, are – according to God – the kind of religious ritual (“fast”) that he prefers.  When we are following his word in such a way, God’s glory will reveal itself to us. 

Jesus, too, modeled such radical hospitality when he opened the banquet table to all.  Everyone is welcome to the wedding feast; all are entitled to feast abundantly at God’s banquet table and not just gather the crumbs that fall off the table.

My hope for our first service worship is that we may not simply serve other less fortunate individuals, but that we truly allow God to change us in the process of such service.  My hope is that we serve AND listen and that we hear God’s voice in the voices spoken to us throughout the day. 

Let my close by quoting Seattle pastor to the homeless mentally ill community, Craig Rennebohm, who wrote that “we care for the soul of the world by caring for the souls of our neighbor, for each life that touches ours” (Craig Rennebohm and David Paul, Souls in the Hands of a Tender God:  Stories of the Search for Home and Healing on the Street, p.175).  May we be truly touched this Sunday by God and we serve God’s children!

How to Be Fully Alive

"The glory of God is a human being who is fully alive.”
(Bishop Irenaeus of Lyons, 2nd century A.D.)

The above quote is one of my favorite quotes out of the annals of church history.  It reminds me that I don’t have to work at being extraordinarily beautiful in order to reflect God’s breathtaking beauty.  In fact, animals, plants, and rocks all have in common that they don't have to work at being beautiful; they just EXIST and that’s what makes them beautiful and that's what gives meaning and purpose to their being.  Likewise, God created each and every one of us with a unique purpose that only we can fulfill.  There is nothing complicated or stress-filled about being who we truly are. “Tapping into our inner desires, dreams and God’s special will for us enables us to have the same kind of freedom that all of creation basks in. When we grasp this truth and claim it for ourselves God is glorified and we enter into the life that we were truly meant to live!”[1]

I spent the last weekend not in the US, but in Tijuana, Mexico, as some among you may  know.  When I first read about Bethel’s adult mission trip to Mexico, I jumped at the opportunity to participate.  Little did I expect then that I might be the least fit, the least strong, and the least adept at Mexican construction techniques among the group.  Alas! I am really glad that I went – as one of 4 “newbies” to this ministry; and I hope that some among the Bethel community who have never gone on this trip, would consider participating next year.

In working alongside the new home owners, a group of Mexican college students, and the group of Bethel volunteers, I felt truly alive.  Not only did I feel everyone of my muscles, not only did I ache, pant, and sweat, but I was elated.  I immediately saw the impact of my labor (which I often don't get to see as a pastor), I watched the pride of the new home owners, I watched how their work, their sacrifices, and their life choices empowered them.  I witnessed "raw" emotions -- tears, joy, exhaustion, laughter, shame, guilt, forgiveness -- emotions that we North Americans so often hide behind a happy facade or masque.  I was blessed to feel the heat of the sun, the joy of friendship, and the refreshing chill of drinking  water.

Saint Irenaeus reminds us that as we find our purpose, as we practice God's love, as we promote mercy and compassion, we implicitly also witness to God's glory. God's glory inhabits us, makes its home within us, as we seek to love others as he first loved us.

I had departed on the journey to Tijuana with a bit of skepticism: Was the purpose of this trip that we end up feeling a bit better about ourselves and our excess affluence?  Was this more a feel-good mission --  making me feel good about myself similar to the way I may feel after giving money to a homeless person? I have come away from this journey, though, with a great sense of appreciation for this project.

Early on during the mission trip I heard about other organizations working to build homes in Tijuana.  One of them - Amor Ministries - has developed a model where, in only three days, a group of international volunteers builds a wooden house for a Tijuana family.  The advantage of this model, obviously, is that the volunteers are able to immediately see the gratifying outcome of their work -- a completed home.  The disadvantages include, in my mind, that the house will deteriorate faster than a concrete structure and that the receiving family has less involvement in the process of constructing their new home.

Bethel works with a Mexican partner organization named "Fundacion Esperanza de Mexico."  Esperanza's philosophy entails that international volunteers work alongside marginalized people in Mexico.  The organization's mission is to build dignified, sustainable homes, mutually accountable communities in the "colonies" surrounding Tijuana, and respect and solidarity among US and Mexican participant.  Once a family has been accepted into the program, the have to prove that they own the plot, they have to raise 10% of the cost of the construction materials (the remainder will be loaned to them by Esperanza or a micro loan bank), and they will manufacture all the cement blocks used for the foundation and walls of their home-to-be (communities often work together on this).  In addition, Esperanza teaches money management, hygiene, and other skills.

In result of this approach families in the Esperanza program are deeply invested in the construction process.  They are also expected to provide lunch for the volunteers working at their site.  While building dignified homes for marginalized people is the primary mission of Esperanza, the organization's secondary mission is to foster solidarity and cultural awareness across the US-Mexico border.

Building homes with Esperanza is not an act of charity, where one party is the giver and the other the recipient of aid.  The Esperanza process involves truth telling (i.e., breaking down cultural stereotypes and learning to see the true face, hopes, and reality of the "other"), empowerment (the families entering the Esperanza program take pride in learning new construction, money management, and health-care skills; they learn to set their hopes high and work towards goals), and justice (marginalized people get to live under less precarious conditions; the privileged share some of their resources).

To me, this mission trip embodies my favorite passage from Psalm 85:
     Mercy and truth meet,
     justice and peace will kiss each other.

     Truth will spring up from the ground,
     and justice will look down from the sky.  (Psalm 85:10-11)

Here are 10 things I learnt over the last weekend:

1. Houses in Mexico are MUCH smaller.
2. Often, they are constructed from a hodgepodge of materials.
3. 19 people working together can pour one entire concrete roof in a day.
4. One can communicate very well without many words across the cultures; smiling helps a lot.
5. I made a new best friend by the name of Advil.
6. My iPhone makes pretty decent photos and can be stored in a pocket of my work shorts.
7. Concrete splatters all over you, even if all you do is to catch empty buckets.
8. Home-made Mexican food is very different from food we eat in US Mexican restaurants.  It is MUCH better.
9. It feels oh sooo good to enjoy a cold beer at the end of a hard day.
10. Most Mexicans would prefer to live in their own country, rather than to come to the US in search for work.

Thank you for reading my reflections.  May god bless the three families on whose future homes we worked with peace, good health, and prosperity.

[1]  This quote comes from an article written by Canadian /songwriter and author Barb Elyett.  www.barbelyett.com.      

“My Beautiful Broken Shell: Words of Hope to Refresh the Soul” by Carol Hamblet Adams (Harvest House Publishers, 2002)

In celebration of the theme of Bethel's women's retreat, here are excerpts from a book appropriate tot he theme of the retreat (SeaSide Escape):

This is My first morning at the ocean, and as I walk to the beach, feeling the rich, warm sand beneath my feet, I decide to collect a few shells ... I walk by a broken scallop shell ... and leave it to search for more perfect ones.   But then I stop ... go back ... and pick up the broken shell. I realize that this shell is me with my broken heart.  This shell is people who are hurting ... people who have lost loved ones ... people who are frightened or alone ... people with unfulfilled dreams.   This shell has had to fight so hard to keep from being totally crushed by the pounding surf ... just as I have had to. Yet this shell is still out on the beautiful sandy shore ... just as I am.

Thank you, Lord, that I haven't been completely crushed by the heaviness in my heart... by the pounding of the surf.

If our world were only filled with perfect shells, we would miss some of life's most important lessons along the way. We would never learn from adversity... from pain.. from sorrow.

Thank you, Lord, for all that I learn from my brokenness ... for the courage it takes to live with my pain ... and for the strength it takes to remain on the shore.

Broken shells teach us not to look at our imperfections ... but to look at the beauty ... the great beauty ... of what is left.   If anything is still left of me or my loved ones, then that is enough to grab hold of.. to keep me going... to thank God for.   Broken shells mean lots of tears ... lots of pain.. lots of struggle.. but they are also valuable for teaching faith, courage, and strength.  Broken shells inspire others and demonstrate the will to go on in a way that no perfect shell could ever do.   Broken shells are shells that have been tested ... and tried.. and hurt ... yet they don't quit. They continue to be.

Thank you, Lord, for the great strength it takes to simply be... even when I hurt so deeply that there seems to be nothing left of me.

As I walk along the beach picking up shells, I see that each one has its own special beauty... its own unique pattern.

Lord, help me to see my own beautiful pattern ... and to remember that each line and each color on my shell was put there by You. Help me not to compare myself to others, so that I may appreciate my own uniqueness.   Help me to truly accept myself just as I am, so that I may sing the song in my heart ... for no one else has my song to sing ... my gift to give.

I watch the tolling surf toss new shells onto the shore, and I am reminded of the many times that I, too, have been tossed bu the storms of life and worn down by the sands of time, just life my beautiful broken shell. But I am reminded that broken shells don't stand alone.

Thank you, Lord, for being with me to share my life ... to help me carry my burdens.   Thank you for the precious gift of faith that keeps me strong when I am weak ... that keeps me going when it would be easier to quit.   Thank you, Lord, for hope in times of despair... for light in times of darkness ... for patience in times of suffering ... for assuring me that with You all things are possible.

A wave crashes, sending tiny sand crabs scurrying for safety... and I am reminded that even the smallest creatures depend on each other. Especially in our brokenness, we need the Lord, and we need one another.

Thank you Lord, for filling my life with people who care. Thank you for my family ... for my friends ... for those who are always there for me.

As I look at my beautiful broken shell, I see that it has nothing to hide. It doesn't pretend to be perfect or whole ... its brokenness is clear for everyone to see.

Lord, may I be strong enough to sow my pain and brokenness like this shell. May I give myself permission to hurt ... to cry ... to be human. May I have the courage to risk sharing my feelings with others so that I may receive support and encouragement along the way.

Lord, help me to reach out to others... especially to the broken and discouraged ... not only to love then but to learn from them as well. May I listen... comfort... and give unconditional love to all who pass my way. Lord, help me to realize that I am not the only one hurting... that we all have pain in out lives. Help me remember that in my brokenness I am still whole and complete in Your sight.

As I walk among the many washed-up shells, I suddenly spot a broken conch shell ... which is ordinary on the outside ... yet brilliant coral inside.

Lord, help me to see inside the hearts of people who touch my life ... and to see their true colors.

Somehow, here at the ocean, I receive so many gifts. I am grateful for the inner peace that fills my soul. I take time to notice sandpipers playing along the shore ... beach grasses swaying in the salty breezes. I delight in finding simple treasures ... a piece of smooth green glass polished by the waves ... a transparent white stone ... a starfish.

Lord, help me to remain childlike in my appreciation for life. Please slow me down... that I may always see the extraordinary in the ordinary. That I may always wonder at the shell in sand ... the dawn of a new day ... the beauty of a flower... the blessing of a friend ... the love of a child. May I always take the time to watch a kite dance in the sky ... to sing ... to pick daisies ... to love ... to take risk ... to believe in my dreams.

As I look once more at the broken scallop shell in my hand, I am reminded of all the beautiful shells God has placed around me.

Lord, may I truly value every moment spent with my loved ones while this life is so briefly mine. Let me not destroy the beauty of today bu grieving over yesterday ... or worrying about tomorrow. May I cherish and appreciate my shell collection each and every day ... for I know not when the tide will come and wash my treasures away. Thank you Lord, for embracing my shell ... whether I am whole or broken. Thank You for sending me loved ones who care. Thank You for holding me in the palm of Your hand ... for keeping me safe from the pounding surf.

For now, I'll just continue walking and add to my collection of beautiful shells.

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit He saves".
Psalm 34:18

Bethel’s 2011 Labor Day Retreat @ Mount Cross Camp, Felton

The leaking Bethel water pipes, the September 11 peace prayer, and the ministry fair – they all came and went; and in the turmoil of all these events we haven’t paid much tribute to the work of the Labor Day retreat and to the team that made this retreat happen.  Other first-time attendees have been asked to reflect on the retreat as well, but I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you some of my thoughts.

This year’s theme, “Bethel’s Modern Family,” had been intentionally chosen to underscore and reinforce our congregation’s current emphasis on radical hospitality.  All too often, when we think of hospitality, we may think of a host or a group of (“inside”) hosts inviting (“outside”) guests to an event – be it a dinner at someone’s home or an educational lecture, a political rally, a fundraiser for a non-profit group, or a worship service. 

Most often, churches, too, think of hospitality that way – a group of members invites others on the outside or periphery of the church to participate in some activity or event.  In the history of Bethel and the Labor Day Retreat, this may have meant in the past that this three-day weekend was geared more towards more traditional families – mom, dad, and one or more school-age children. 

This year’s theme – “Bethel’s Modern Family,” was different, as I have learnt from talking to a variety of individuals.  Singles, empty-nest parents, divorcees, teen-agers, young adults, retirees – there was room for all of us at this retreat.  There were activities and presentations that engaged people from all sorts of ages and abilities.  This year’s Labor Day Retreat felt more like a group effort than other such retreats in recent years; it was palpable that this year’s event had been planned and coordinated by a diverse group of Bethel folks for a much broader spectrum of the congregation. 

Much planning went into making sure that the program leaders included both the young and the old and everybody in-between.  Activities were designed to include not only those who spent the entire weekend at Mt. Cross, but also those who came up just for one day.  An especially convenient feature this year was that the Bethel bus, driven by Jamie Jacobson, drove repeatedly to and from the camp. 

Another highlight of the retreat was the main speaker, West Valley College communication professor Randy Fujishin, and the skilled manner in which he got retreat participants to talk to each other and to practice newly-learnt communication and to overcome our fear of praying with other people.   Each of us, Randy grippingly reminded us, has only a limited number of years to live.  Thus, we better use our time wisely and practice our God-given ministry of communication now, instead of waiting for a future time.  Now is the time for us to respond to God’s love, by consciously sharing it with others!

With his emphasis on faith-sharing and ten-second prayers, Randy’s presentations help each one of us to practice the same kind of radical hospitality in our own lives, which we have pledged to make a hallmark of out congregation as a whole.

On behalf of our entire congregation, I’d like to take this opportunity to warmly thank all who designed and lead this wonderful retreat: Liz Barton, Dan Dixon, Tyler Freckman, Rich Hahn, Anna Hoegel, Tom Hoegel, Jamie Jacobson, Chris Larsen, Susan Leavitt, Holly Lofgren, Mike Lorenzen, Patricia Meyerholtz, Rhonda & Dave Nyberg, Tiffany Radig, Molly & Charlie Schrey, Brian Schuette, Patrice Sera, and Sam Sudarsanam. 

The team met on Sunday night to listen to and to reflect on the comments left on evaluation forms, to discuss the future direction of the retreat, and to brainstorm about ways that this year’s emphasis on faith sharing  can be extended beyond the Labor Day Retreat.  This much is for sure, this is not the last time you will have heard at Bethel about meta-communication, smiling at others, showing appreciations, and offering 10-second prayers!

Bethel's Corroding Pipes

As many of you know already, Bethel’s water pipes are in a sad condition.  On Friday, September 9, significant leaks were discovered in the pipes, which made extensive repairs necessary in order to provide for uninterrupted safe water delivery to all parts of our church and school campus. 

In an effort to aid in the fundraising efforts, I am reprinting the text of a letter sent our by our congregational president, Mark Evashenk, and Pr. Randy:

+++++++++++++++++++= 

Dear Friends and Participants at Bethel:

On Friday afternoon, September 9,a water leak was detected coming from the main waterline onto our property.  It was determined that the leak was on our side of the city water valve and therefore our responsibility.  A plumbing contractor was called and we began the process of determining the extent of the leak and residual damage to our water lines.

Unfortunately, what we discovered was badly corroded galvanized pipe that dated to the early 1950s.  Along with the initial leak (under the sidewalk along Finch Ave. in front of the pre-school building),we discovered that there was over 100 feet of pipe in significant need of replacement due to age, rust, and corrosion.  As more pipes were exposed, other leaks developed and it became clear that the entire system east of the pre-school building had to be replaced.

Thanks to the fast action of Ed Fox our Facilities Supervisor along with Fara Brock our Business Administrator as well as the plumbing contractor, we were able to secure repairs and the system is up and running with the loss of only one day (Monday, September 12)when the entire campus was closed.  Ed’s creative ingenuity allowed us to have a full week-end of activity with a badly damaged system and yet with enough water to safely operate.

Now, the challenging news:  the cost of repairs and replacement has exceeded $44,000.00!  Although we have enough money in savings to cover these costs, it does leave us with a dramatically reduced reserve.  So, we are coming to you for your assistance.  We are initiating a SPECIAL APPEAL to help recover the costs of the repair and replacement of this part of our water system. Please make your donation to Bethel Lutheran Church with WATER REPAIR FUND in the memo line.  (Please note, this is an appeal above and beyond your regular giving to the work of this congregation to help us maintain a solid financial footing as we continue to grow this ministry).

Please prayerfully consider how you can help – and please know, no contribution is too small!  Bethel needs your help and we know that through God’s grace your generosity has been and will continue to be able to keep us financially sound.  Thank You for your continued support of this vital ministry through Jesus Christ.

Yours in Christ,

Mark Evashenk  

Mark Evashenk, Congregational President

Randal J. Pabst
Randal J. Pabst, Lead Pastor

2011 Ministry Fair

Doors, doors, doors, and then some more….  On September 11, the Bethel campus was filled with colorfully decorated doors.  Each of the 12 doors represented one or more ministries at Bethel.  There were doors for Building & Grounds, Worship & Music, Caring Ministries, Youth Ministry, Bethel’s Young Adult Group, Mission Outreach, Congregational Life, Children’s Ministries, Stewardship, the Library Team, Communications, and Bethel Lutheran School.

Don’t be deceived, though.  Bethel has far more than 12 active groups engaged in ministry..  Most of the 12 doors represented a wide array of individual ministry groups.  Take Mission Outreach, for example.  The Mission Outreach door introduced you to all kinds of ministry opportunities, ranging from local groups serving the hungry and homeless and our upcoming Service Worship and national organizations (Lutheran World Relief, Bread for the World) to several Christian groups working in Tanzania, and even the annual Adult Mission to Mexico trip. 

Why doors?  Bethel, like any Christian congregation, does not exist for its own sake.  Bethel’s primary purpose is not edification, education, or even fellowship among its members.  Bethel’s first and foremost purpose is to proclaim to the world Christ’s life-giving and transforming Good News.  As Christians, we have been called into ministry as God’s partners, so that the world may know him and be changed by him.  We exist not for our own sake, but for the sake of a suffering world, a world in deep need of peace, healing, justice, forgiveness, grace, and love.

Churches can provide opportunities for Christians to live out their faith.  At Bethel, more than 60 of such opportunities exists and the purpose of the ministry fair was to introduce you to the amazing ministries led by members of the Bethel community.

It takes all sorts of people and all kinds of talents to share God’s Good News. There is room for everyone … and there is always room for one more person, for one more opinion, one more faith perspective, once more voice, and one more pair of hands! This person could be you! This opinion, faith perspective, voice, or hand could be YOURS!

Don’t be sad, if you have missed the ministry fair.  At the ministry fair, Bethel’s new ministry guide (“Opening Doors – A Guide to Christ-Centered Service & Spiritual Growth”) was revealed and made available.  If you don’t have a copy yet, please contact Patricia Myerholtz, Bethel’s Adult Ministry Coordinator, to have her set aside your very own copy of the ministry guide.

I look forward to partnering with you in ministry and mission!

Peace Pole Dedication

In the morning of September 11, at 8 o’clock in the morning, some 40 members of the Bethel community gathered on the church lawn, taking a break from their ministry fair set-up activities.   We gathered to solemnly remember those who died in New York City, Arlington, VA, and Shanksville, PA; we gathered to find comfort in listening to God’s voice; and we gathered to strengthen one another in our hope and trust in God’s promises.  

This peace prayer was sponsored by Bethel’s Mission Outreach Committee, and members of the committee took turns in reading scripture passages and prayer petitions.  The peace prayer ended with the dedication of the peace pole that now greets church-goes and passers-by from the rose bed outside the welcome zone with the phrase, “May Peace Prevail on Earth" in four languages (English, Classical Chinese, Arabic, and Hebrew). 

One member of our congregation commented a few days after the peace prayer at a meeting (I am paraphrasing her comment), “I wish that events like this won’t be just one-time occasions that are forgotten soon after, but that we will keep referring to the peace pole in worship, in prayers, and in sermons.” 

The real significance of this event is, at least in my mind, that we did not just dedicate an otherwise life-less object, in this case an new ten-foot tall cedar beam, but that we dedicated ourselves to not only wish for peace, but to pray for it, and to actively pursue it with our own actions.”

Let me quote with some words from former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt which sums up well my thoughts about our peace prayer and peace pole dedication: “It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it” (Voice of America broadcast, 11 November 1951).