If you placed an order for a t-shirt for the upcoming service day, they are HERE! You can stop by tomorrow to pick yours up, or else pick it up on Sunday and wear it to your service site.
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Thursday, September 5, 2013
[Bethany Lutheran Church] ELCA "God's Work, Our Hands" details!
Did you sign up to do a service project this Sunday? If so, here is a little more information about each site. NOTE: If you signed up for the Gable Point site, there will be lunch provided for you, and you should arrive a bit early (noon-12:30) to eat before the service times.
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Wednesday, September 4, 2013
[Bethany Lutheran Church] Wednesday Words & Newsletter
Wednesday Words for September 4, 2013
From Pastor Carrie Smith
Thought for the Day: A Christian response to war
Eternal God
Save us from weak resignation to violence
Teach us that restraint is the highest expression of power
That thoughtfulness and tenderness are marks of the strong.
Help us to love our enemies
Not by countenancing their sins,
But by remembering our own
And may we never for a moment forget
That they are fed by the same food,
Hurt by the same weapons,
Have children for whom they have the same high hopes as we do.
Grant us the ability
To find joy and strength not in the strident call to arms
To grasp our fellow creatures
In the striving for justice and truth.
1991 NCC Australia & Australia Catholic relief.
Prepared by a Christian, a Jew and a Muslim (Aug. 1990)
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It’s Wednesday! Attached to this email is your Bethany Weekly Newsletter. Please scroll down to the bottom of the message to find the link to the newsletter. You can also pick up a printed copy at church on Sunday.
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In our prayers: Remember to open up your newsletter to read about members who are in our prayers this week. Do you have a prayer request? Remember that you can submit a request for the prayer chain any time by emailing churchoffice@bethanylc.com You can also send them directly to one of the pastors: carrie.smith@Bethanylc.com or paul.cannon@bethanylc.com
Would you like to be on the prayer chain, sharing the ministry of prayer with this community? Please let us know that as well!
Saturday at Bethany: at 7:30 am, join the Men’s Group for a special FREE pancake breakfast and a guest speaker! Contact Dave Sweet at 815-455-1949 if you plan to attend.
Also on Saturday: It’s the Youth BBQ Kick-Off party from 4-7 pm at the home of David Sweet. Again, RSVP to Pr. Paul at paul.cannon@bethanylc.com or to Dave at 815-455-1949
Sunday at Bethany: It’s RALLY DAY! Come one, come all! Special music will be provided by Timothy Brinkman on the guitar (some of his original compositions and some favorite hymns). You can expect to sing “For the Beauty of the Earth” and “Lift High the Cross” as well as “Amazing Grace”. I can’t wait to hear the sound of all your voices, back in worship after summer vacations!
SCHEDULE:
8:30 a.m. worship
9:30 a.m. Fellowship
10:15 a.m. Sunday School opening
10:30 a.m. worship
1-4 p.m. “God’s Work, Our Hands” service projects
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This Week’s Texts: Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Prayer of the Day:
|
|
Direct us, O Lord God, in all our doings with your continual help,
that in all our works, begun, continued, and ended in you,
we may glorify your holy name;
and finally, by your mercy, bring us to everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
| First Reading | Deuteronomy 30:15–20 |
Moses speaks to the Israelites, who are about to enter the land promised to their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In this passage, he lays out the stark choice before them: choose life by loving and obeying the Lord; or choose death by following other gods.
15See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. 16If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the LORD your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. 17But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, 18I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, 20loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the LORD swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
| Psalm (ELW) | Psalm 1 |
They are like trees planted by streams of water. (Ps. 1:3)
1Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel | of the wicked,
nor lingered in the way of sinners,
nor sat in the seats | of the scornful!
2Their delight is in the law | of the LORD,
and they meditate on God's teaching | day and night. R
3They are like trees planted by streams of water,
bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that | do not wither;
everything they | do shall prosper.
4It is not so | with the wicked;
they are like chaff which the wind | blows away.
5Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when | judgment comes,
nor the sinner in the council | of the righteous.
6For the LORD knows the way | of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked shall | be destroyed. R
| Second Reading | Philemon 1:1–21 |
While Paul was in prison, he was aided by a runaway slave named Onesimus. The slave's master, Philemon, was a Christian friend of Paul. Paul told Onesimus to return to his master and encouraged Philemon to receive Onesimus back as a Christian brother.
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker, 2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God 5because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus. 6I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ. 7I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.
8For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, 9yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love — and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. 10I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. 11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me. 12I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. 13I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel; 14but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. 15Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back forever, 16no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother — especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. 20Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. 21Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
| Gospel | Luke 14:25–33 |
Jesus speaks frankly about the fearsome costs of discipleship. Those who follow him should know from the outset that completing the course of discipleship will finally mean renouncing all other allegiances.
25Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, 26"Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. 27Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? 29Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, 30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' 31Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. 33So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.
Peace,
+ Pr. Carrie Smith
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Tuesday, September 3, 2013
[Bethany Lutheran Church] Special Meeting of the Men's Group!
Calling all Bethany men! The Men's Group is seeking new members. There will be a special meeting this Saturday, September 7th, at 7:30 a.m. in Luther Hall. There will be a FREE pancake breakfast and a guest speaker!
If you will be attending, please call Dave Sweet at 815-455-1949 by Friday.
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Friday, August 30, 2013
[Bethany Lutheran Church] E-Giving statements arriving! Check your Junk mail
Dear Bethany Members,
I am pleased to announce that we now have a way to send you your financial giving statements by e-mail! This will save the church quite a bit of money in postage, and allows us to send you statements in a way that is environmentally friendly (we are proud to be a "green church" which won the 2012 McHenry County Green Award last year, after all!)
Please check your inbox for this first statement. If you don't see it, please check your Junk Mail Box.
If you experience any trouble with this at all, please contact the church office and we will try to help.
Thank you for your faithful giving!
Pr. Carrie Smith
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Wednesday, August 28, 2013
[Bethany Lutheran Church] Wednesday Words & Bethany Newsletter for August 28, 2013
Wednesday Words for August 28, 2013
from Pastor Carrie Smith
Thought for the Day:
On Aug. 28, 1963, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Today is the 50th anniversary of this historic event. Here are a few highlights from this famous speech:
“Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.”
“We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.”
“Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.”
“And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
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Happy Wednesday, Saints!
Attached is your Bethany Weekly Newsletter. Please scroll down to the bottom of this email to find the link to the attachment. Feel free also to print it or forward it to friends!
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Today we mourn the passing of Buck Pearson, a longtime Bethany member who died Monday at age 97. Buck moved to Minnesota last year to live with family, and we’ve missed seeing him sitting out on the couches in the gathering area, greeting his friends. A memorial service will be held here at Bethany on Monday, September 16th at 10:30 a.m. More details to come. Please pray for Buck’s family.
Sunday at Bethany: On Sunday at 8:30 am we will have a special prayer of blessing and sending for Mavis Bagby, who is moving soon to southern Illinois, and for high school student Christopher Vito, who leaves soon for a semester as a U.S. Senate Page in Washington, D.C.!
We are blessed to welcome a guest at both services, the Rev. Neema Ndooki Swai from Tanzania, who happens to be the 2nd Maassai woman to be ordained and is an adopted “daughter” of the Henning family. We look forward to hearing about the Lutheran Church in Tanzania!
At both services we will also have a Blessing of the Hands, in which you will be invited to come forward and have your hands blessed for the work of the coming season –whatever work that happens to be.
Music will be fun this week. Prelude music will be offered by Joyce Meier on clarinet and her sister on flute! And the “Bethany Gospel Singers” will be singing during the offering. We’ll have a chance to sing in Spanish during our opening hymn, “Let Us Go Now to the Banquet”, and then during communion we’ll sing “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”. We’ll be sent back out into the world singing “Guide Me Ever, Great Redeemer”.
Fire trucks at Bethany! Yesterday was an exciting one at Bethany. Our new preschool director, Pam, alerted us that the preschool hallway was filling up with smoke. The church was evacuated, and the fire department arrived quickly. They determined it was a problem with one of our air conditioning units, which was blowing smelly smoke into the building. All is well, however, and we even took the opportunity for the firemen to check our fire alarms! Hoping for a less drama-filled day today.
Rally Day is almost here! Here are the highlights:
- Worship is at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
- Fellowship is from 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. in Luther Hall
- Sunday School begins at 10:15 a.m. in the Community Room
- Special guest musician is Timothy Brinkman. You can hear a bit of his music here: http://www.fishers.com/timothy/
- From 1-4 pm we’ll be celebrating “God’s Work, Our Hands” day with the rest of the ELCA! There’s still time to sign up for one of the service opportunities in our area. Check out the worship bulletin inserts on Sunday. Or…come up with your own way of serving your neighbors, and then tell us how you will be doing God’s work with YOUR hands!
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This Week’s Texts: 15th Sunday after Pentecost
Prayer of the Day:
O God, you resist those who are proud
and give grace to those who are humble.
Give us the humility of your Son,
that we may embody the generosity of Jesus Christ,
our Savior and Lord. Amen.
| FIRST READING | Proverbs 25:6–7 |
The book of Proverbs is part of a collection of writings known as wisdom literature. Wisdom literature gave directions to Israel's leaders and people for the conduct of daily life. Today's reading is about humility.
6Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence
or stand in the place of the great;
7for it is better to be told, "Come up here,"
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
What your eyes have seen
| PSALM (ELW) | Psalm 112 |
The righteous are merciful and full of compassion. (Ps. 112:4)
1Hallelujah! Happy are they who | fear the LORD
and have great delight in | God's commandments!
2Their descendants will be mighty | in the land;
the generation of the upright | will be blessed. R
3Wealth and riches will be | in their house,
and their righteousness will | last forever.
4Light shines in the darkness | for the upright;
the righteous are merciful and full | of compassion.
5It is good for them to be gener- | ous in lending
and to manage their af- | fairs with justice.
6For they will nev- | er be shaken;
the righteous will be kept in everlast- | ing remembrance. R
7They will not be afraid of any | evil rumors;
their heart is steadfast, trusting | in the LORD.
8Their heart is established and | will not shrink,
until they see their desire up- | on their enemies.
9They have given freely to the poor, and their righteousness
stands | fast forever;
they will hold up their | head with honor.
10The wicked will see it and be angry;
they will gnash their teeth and | pine away;
the desires of the wick- | ed will perish. R
| SECOND READING | Hebrews 13:1–8, 15–16 |
The conclusion of the letter to the Hebrews contains suggestions for the conduct of a holy life, all of which are shaped by God's love toward us in Jesus Christ.
Let mutual love continue. 2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. 4Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. 5Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." 6So we can say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?"
7Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 15Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
| GOSPEL | Luke 14:1, 7–14 |
Jesus observes guests jockeying for position at the table. He uses the opportunity to teach his hearers to choose humility rather than self-exaltation. Jesus also makes an appeal for hosts to mimic God's gracious hospitality to the poor and the broken.
On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. 7When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, 'Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
12He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
Peace,
+ Pastor Carrie Smith
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