March 12, 2023 – Lent 2: Shaped Through Thirst
Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday, March 12. Set your clocks forward one hour.
Based on CDC Guidelines Harvey County is still in green status indicating
low risk for COVID. You are invited to choose whether you wear a mask or social distance. Both are optional.
To livestream the worship service:
On Sunday morning, around 9:20, go to BCMC’s webpage at bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org and click the green button labeled LIVE STREAM on the right side of the screen, which will take you to the worship service. If you get a message in the black box that the video is unavailable, click the gray box belows that says “View Live Stream on YouTube”. Anytime after the service concludes, you can watch a recording of the service at your convenience by clicking the same green LIVE STREAM button. Again, you will probably have to go to the gray box that says “View Live Stream on YouTube”. That will transfer you to the BCMC YouTube Channel. You will have to click on the tab “Videos” to see all of the BCMC videos. Click the red button to see the bulletin/order of service.
OR – click on this link for this Sunday:https://youtube.com/live/QKY3CCrZGZ4?feature=share
BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
March 12, 2023
Lent 3: Shaped Through Thirst
Prelude—As the Deer Runs to the River (Uehlein)—Karen Unruh, organ
Gather Us In (Michael Helman)—Chancel Bells, Verlene Garber, director
Christ Candle Lighting—Darlene Dick
Call to Worship
Leader: Come, let us bow down in worship.
People: Let us kneel before the Lord our maker;
Leader: for the Lord is our God,
People: we are the people of God’s pasture,
All: we are the flock under God’s care.
Welcome and Prayer
*Hymn—Come Away from Rush and Hurry—VT 9
Children’s Conversation—Carol Flickinger
Anthem—O Sacred Head, Now Wounded (Hans Leo Hassler; arr. by Arnold B. Sherman)— Chancel Bells
Welcoming Max Ediger into Church Membership—Elizabeth Schmidt, Hugo Boschmann—VT 961
Scripture Reading—Exodus 17:1-7; John 4:5-42— Nadine & Al Peters
Sermon—Belonging—Nathan Koontz
*Hymn— Rain Down—VT 703
Prayers of God’s People
*Hymn—I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say—VT 536
*Benediction
Leader: Like water poured out on a thirsty land,
People: may the Lord pour out the Holy Spirit on us.
Leader: May we blossom with new life.
All: May we bring refreshment and joy to others.
Postlude—I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (Burkhardt)—Karen Unruh
* You are invited to stand
VT = Voices Together
Audio visual— John Thiesen
YouTube Link: https://youtube.com/live/QKY3CCrZGZ4?feature=share
The Women’s Fellowship Executive Board will meet Monday, Mar. 13, 9 a.m., in Fellowship Hall.
This Week at BCMC: March 12-19, 2023
Sun, Mar. 12, 2023—Lent 3: Shaped through thirst
9:30 am Worship
YouTube Link for this Sunday is: https://youtube.com/live/QKY3CCrZGZ4?feature=share
The church nursery is staffed during worship and Sunday School
10:30 am Faith Formation—Intergenerational class meets in Fellowship Hall; High School – Room 24
Adult Classes: Agape Class meets in the nursery; Bible Study (Rm 14); Catacombs (Rm B5); Fellowship (B7); Fine Arts (Rm 22); Issues and Christianity (Rm 23); Open Circle (Room 21)
Seekers (Rm 28) [They are doing an “Ecclesiastes study” presented by Weldon Schloneger]
Mon., Mar. 13, 2023
9 am Women’s Fellowship Executive Board meeting in Fellowship Hall
Wed., Mar. 15, 2023—Youth Group will not meet tonight due to Spring Break
5 pm Repair Task Group meeting in Room 14
6 pm Wednesday night meal in Fellowship Hall-Menu is: Chicken Enchilada casserole, salad, cinnamon dessert. Please bring your own table service.
7:30 pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal in the Sanctuary
Thurs., Mar. 16, 2023
6:30 pm Chancel Bell rehearsal in Room B7
7 pm Bethel College Women’s Association meets in Fellowship Hall
Sun, Mar. 19, 2023—Lent 4: Called to the Light
9:30 am Worship with sermon by Dorothy Nickel Friesen; music by Chancel Choir
Watch next week for an announcement about purchasing lillies for Easter.
BCMC Offering for March 5, 2023: General Fund $15,719.33; Wed. Night Supper $635; Living Stones $325; Kitchen Fund $9; Vel Teichroew Memorial $50.
Roger Neufeld Smith returned to Newton Friday, March 10, and will remain in Newton until Tuesday, March 14.
Pastor Nathan Koontz will be on vacation March 13-17. If something arises that needs immediate attention, contact the church office, Roger Neufeld Smith, or Elizabeth Schmidt.
Wednesday night suppers , 6 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Menus:
March 15: Chicken Enchilada casserole, salad, cinnamon dessert
March 22: Baked potato bar with all the fixings, dessert
March 29: Beef vegetable curry with rice, ice cream
April 5: Ham loaf, macaroni and cheese, peas, lemon dessert
Please bring your own table service. Not doing so adds significant effort for the cleanup crew. – Hospitality Commission
Sign up for the March 15 supper on the bulletin board or by emailing office@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org
Becoming a Member at BCMC.
We welcome Max Ediger of Pursat Province, Kingdom of Cambodia into wider fellowship membership at Bethel College Mennonite Church. Max is transferring his membership from Turpin Mennonite Church in Turpin, Oklahoma. To help us get better acquainted at a distance, Max has shared photos from his current life in Cambodia and recent School of Peace events, which may be viewed in the Gathering Place.
Interested in becoming a member or transferring membership to BCMC? Please contact Elizabeth Schmidt, Congregational Care Coordinator
BCMC Care Connections – we are starting some new ways of care connections at BCMC! Please let Elizabeth know if you are interested in any of the following ways of showing care for BCMC’ers: in-person visits, phone call visits, email connections, post-mail cards/letters, making care packages, delivering care packages. Yes, you may reply as an individual, or a couple, or a household, or a family, or any/all of the above! Additional ideas are also welcome.
Email your interest and ideas to: elizabeth@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org
Bethel College Mennonite Church has recently installed a new system to aid persons with hearing loss. The new system includes a small receiver with a “hearing loop” which amplifies the sound in the church and transfers it directly to hearing aids without distortion or delay. Most hearing aids are equipped with “t-coil” software which receives the amplified signal. Users can check with their hearing professional to ensure that the software is installed on their hearing aid. Usually, a software upgrade, if needed, is provided at no charge.
Instructions for using the system can be found at the rear of the sanctuary. Contact Bill Swartley or an usher for additional information.
Update and request from the Funeral Committee. Thanks for understanding as we flexed during COVID, doing meals in varied ways, and thanks to those who have already volunteered to bake cookies for meals and receptions. Now, with COVID waning and Breadbasket able to deliver most food items, we can offer either a faspa or sandwich buffet lunch, but may need help at large events. To be an on-call volunteer, please contact the church office: office@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org. (Committee members are Dennis and Kathy Campbell, Tom Jackson, Kathryn Simmons, Dave Linscheid, and Doris Whillock.) Thank you.
Join the BCMC Creation Care Task Group!
God calls the church to participate in the redemption of individuals, all of humanity and creation. Therefore ministries of environmental stewardship and environmental justice are important here at BCMC. The Creation Care Task Group has been on hiatus for a few years and is now beginning again. Areas of focus to promote creation care for this task group include worship, education, lifestyle practices, and community, national, and global environmental activities. If you are interested in participating with this group, please contact the church office at office@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org. You can also contact Duane Friesen from the Witness Commission if you have questions regarding the work of this group.
Life Enrichment for March 16—Krehbiel Auditorium in Luyken Fine Arts Center, Bethel College
9:30 “Russia, Ukraine, and Our World of Competing Visions: Can Civil Society counter Oligarchic Capitalism?,” Janine Wedel, professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Washington, DC
10:50 “Can We Sing the Darkness to Light?,“ Henry S. Waters, DMA, director of choral music/associate professor music, with the Bethel College Chamber Singers, Open Road, and Woven
Bethel College Announcements:
· Sun., March 12 – Sunday-Afternoon-at-the-Museum program, 3 p.m., Kauffman Museum. Nationally recognized local artist Phil Epp will present “Images of Art and Design in Central Asia,” a program related to the museum’s current special exhibit, “Reeds & Wool: Patterned Screens of Central Asia.”
· Mon., March 20 – Bethel College presents the 3rd annual Ada Schmidt-Tieszen Lecture, 11 a.m., Krehbiel Auditorium in Luyken Fine Arts Center (regular convocation). Dr. Tonya Hansel, faculty at the Tulane University School of Social Work, will speak on “Climate Change and Severe Weather Events: Social Workers’ Present and Future Roles in Disaster Relief and Recovery.”
· SAVE THE DATE: March 24-26, spring musical at Bethel College: tick, tick … BOOM! by Jonathan Larson
· Sun., March 26 and Mon., March 27 – Staley Lecture at Bethel College with Phuc Luu, a theologian, philosopher and artist based in Houston, author of Jesus of the East. Sunday: 7 p.m., Administration Building chapel; Monday: 11 a.m., Krehbiel Auditorium in Luyken Fine Arts Center.
Western District Conference invites you to visit our website to read the latest news, stories and announcements.
Dismantling racism in WDC: The WDC Executive Board is working on next steps following an anti-racism audit of WDC’s organizational culture and leadership structure https://mennowdc.org/wdc-anti-racism-report-announcement-summary/. If you – or another WDC member you know of – has interest, training or gifts to share in dismantling racism and nurturing intercultural competency, and would like to participate in WDC’s ongoing work in this area, the Board invites you to contact WDC at 316-283-6300 or wdc@mennowdc.org. The Board will consider these suggestions as it discerns leadership and specific ways to implement the commitment stated in the WDC Constitution: WDC “seeks to foster a biblical, multicultural vision of the missional church by being inclusive of, walking with and learning from many cultural and racial/ethnic groups. Desiring to follow the way of Jesus, we seek to dismantle racism and prejudice in our congregations, conference, institutions and communities.”
The WDC Gifts Discernment Committee is at work again seeking to identify leaders for the conference. While we always welcome any nominations or suggestions of people who might have leadership gifts to share, this year we are specifically asking for help in discerning nominees for the role of Moderator-elect. Please prayerfully consider if there is someone in your community (or yourself) who might be called to this important leadership role in the conference. Suggestions or nominations can be shared here or emailed to wdc@mennowdc.org!
The WDC Resource Library is looking for wrapping paper donations to be used in the summer reading program. Any holiday, any style–we’d be happy to use up some “vintage” odds and ends from your house. 🙂 Email Jennie at crlib@mennowdc.org if you have some to donate.
The January 12, 1888, blizzard will be the focus for Lois Preheim, author and educator, who will be the speaker at the annual meeting of the Swiss Mennonite Cultural and Historical Association. Her book, “Trailing the Schoolchildren’s Blizzard” chronicles experiences of families living in ten locations along the storm’s route extending from Canada down through the United States. Dr. Preheim has degrees from Freeman Junior College, the University of Nebraska and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. She is a retired kindergarten-twelve principal having taught pre-school through college age students. Currently she resides in Newton. The annual meeting will be March 12, 2:30 p.m. at the First Mennonite Church of Christian in Moundridge.
Everence will hold its Medicare workshop at its office, 3179 N. Main St. Suite 1B, North Newton on Thurs., Mar. 23, 6:30 p.m. Topics are: when and where to sign up for Medicare, what Medicare covers, plus an explanation of Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D. Those interested in attending should contact the Everence office at 316-283-3800, 877-467-7294 or central.kansas@everence.com.
New Hope Shelter, Inc. will celebrate a groundbreaking on Friday, March 24 at 4 p.m. As a friend of the Shelter, New Hope invites you to join in this event. This will be the permanent home of the New Hope Shelter.
New Hope Shelter is in need of the following: Pinesol, Scotch Tape, Laundry Pods, Dishwasher Pods, Dishwashing Soap, 8 1/2 x 11 copy paper, 55+ gallon trash bags, Coffee, Creamer, Sugar, Bread, Napkins, Mayonnaise, Granola bars, Pudding Cups. If you can provide some of these supplies, they can be taken to New Hope, 900 West Broadway, Bldg. #7.
Pray with Apache Stronghold on March 19th!
The Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery invites our community to join in prayer for Indigenous land justice with the Apache Stronghold on March 19th. On March 21st, a federal appeals court will hear a pivotal case about Apache religious freedom that centers around a proposed copper mine, which would destroy the Western Apache sacred site of Oak Flat, Chi’chil Biłdagoteel. Mennonite Church USA and Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference signed onto an amicus brief (a letter to the court) in support of the Apache Stronghold, along with other religious groups. The Apache Stronghold are rallying all people of faith and conscience under the call of “One Drum, One Prayer, One Circle,” to seek unity in protection of Earth and in resistance to ongoing colonization. They will be dedicating March 19th to prayer before their court case and ask us to join them.
Every year, more than 150 volunteers make more than 20,000 verenika before the relief sale. We have jobs for all physical abilities from light weight to heavy weight. Come be a part of the annual history of the Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale.
To sign up, pick which shift (morning or afternoon), select an open slot for the party size you are signing up, select the signup button for the desired shift(s), and then click the SUBMIT AND SIGN UP button at the bottom of the page. The goal is 100 people per shift.
—LOCATION: Parkview MB Church, 610 S Main St., Hillsboro, KS 67063|
—DATE: Saturday, April 1, 2023
—SHIFTS: Morning 8:00-12:00 Afternoon 12:00-4:00 (will include cleanup after we make the target # of Verenika-if you are able and willing to stay and help)
—CHECK-IN: East side of church, close to the gymnasium/activity center
–Long hair should be tied back. Bring a hat to wear.
–Children are welcome to help with parental supervision
–Jobs will be assigned upon arrival. Jobs vary in physical demand – some very light and others much heavier. Most jobs include mostly standing/walking.
Please come help make the annual MCC Sale a huge success with your gift of time.
If you have any questions, please email karenhiebert@gmail.com.
Thank you!! The Verenika Making Committee
Sign up Here:
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Bohne berrogie bake day for the Mennonite Central Committee Sale is April 8 at Moundridge High School. Volunteers wanting to help, can sign up on the Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale website.
For Mennonite Central Committee In Touch press here
For Mennonite Creation Care Network press hereFor Mennonite Mission Network News and Beyond press here
From Camp Mennoscah
The dam will be put back in on March 12 at approx. 2:30pm. Everyone is welcome to join in or to watch. Gather at the shelter. (The actual putting in of the boards is not for young ages.) The event will go forward, whatever the weather, unless deemed unsafe. Call Camp Mennoscah at 620-297-3290, if uncertain.
Other events and happenings:
- Scholarship funds for campers are needed. If Camp Mennoscah gives the same amount in scholarships as last year, the account will be depleted. Donations to the Scholarship Fund are most welcome. Gifts can be made online or sent to Camp Mennoscah, PO Box 65, Murdock, KS, 67111 with “Scholarship Fund” in the memo. Share the gift of faith formation and friends with others!
- You may have heard the HVAC in the Retreat Center is not working. Never fear! There will be portable A/C or window A/C units this summer in the Retreat Center.
- Welcome, Summer Staff 2023! While we may be adding to the number of summer staff, here is the crew as of March 1: Peter Buller, Schyler Entz, Daniel Miller, Edel Miller, and Jacob Schrag. Additional staff are needed for lifeguarding and grounds. Apply here. We are excited to have them at camp this summer!
- Kitchen staff and nurses needed for summer youth camps from June 4 through July 28. Most people come out for a camp week, but we will also schedule partial weeks, as needed. Kitchen staff receive a camper discount for up to full camp fees and need to be able to follow directions with a willing spirit. Nurses must be an RN and can receive either a stipend or a camper discount. Contact us at 620-297-3290 or olivia.bartel@campmennoscah.org!
- Click to register! Summer youth camp registration is open and Camp Mennoscah is receiving registrations. The summer theme is FruitFULL Faith. Get ready to learn and sing about the Fruit of the Spirit this summer–it’s not a coconut!
From Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp
See The RMMC News & Stories From January & February
Take a look at the latest/greatest happenings here at RMMC. This information can be viewed on:
- RMMC Web Page – News & Stories (under “About Us”)
- RMMC Facebook Page
- RMMC Instagram Page
Mennonite Church USA Announcements
Mennonite Church USA has hired a climate justice intern, Sarah Werner, as part of an effort to provide a continual emphasis on creation care. This internship is funded by a Schowalter Foundation charitable funding distribution awarded to MC USA in late 2021. Read more about her work here: mennoniteusa.org/news/climate-justice-intern
“What time is it in the Mennonite Church?” Keynote speaker Frank Scoffield Sánchez posed this question at Mennonite Church USA’s 10th Hope for the Future conference on Feb. 3-5. More than 70 Black, Indigenous and people of color gathered for “Such a Time as This,” which was the weekend’s theme. Read more about the conference here: mennoniteusa.org/news/hope-for-the-future Read more about the honorees here: mennoniteusa.org/news/hope-for-the-future-honorees
Menno Snapshots
Mennonite Church USA is proud to acknowledge Clara Weybright’s peacebuilding work with the 2022 #BringthePeace Young Peacemaker award, sponsored by the denomination’s Church Peace Tax Fund. Clara is a graduate of Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, where she studied environmental science. She is currently a Juris Doctor candidate at Temple University Beasley School of Law, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. See her interview here: mennoniteusa.org/menno-snapshots/clara-weybright
As one of the two keynote speakers for the Pastors and Leaders Conference: Reimagining Ministry, that took place on Feb. 13-16, 2023, April Yamasaki is imagining a way forward for ministry in the church. Her congregation was challenged by the many adaptations of living during a pandemic, and she reflects on what she learned through their unimagined time of change. Read more of her thoughts here: mennoniteusa.org/reimagining-ministry
#BeTransformed
In March 2022, members from Central District Conference visited Americus Mennonite Fellowship, as part of the Sacred Listening Project, and the story of Nashua “Nash” Chantal stood out as epitomizing the Mennonite imperative to live a life that works to bring love and justice to a hurting world. Learn more about The Sacred Listening Project and “Nash’s” story here: mennoniteusa.org/want-to-make-difference
Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: From her home in Burkina Faso, Anicka Fast serves with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Mennonite Mission Network and Mennonite World Conference. One of her ministries is to amplify the voices of African Christian historians. Pray for her as she helps facilitate a history-writing workshop for Congolese Mennonites in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, this month.
Western District Conference Prayer Request: Pray for interim and transitional pastors in WDC, as they accompany congregations navigating change and discerning future pastoral leadership.