Worship Service for July 9, 2023 at Bethel College Mennonite Church
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/eF2TItBTi8A?feature=share
BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
July 9, 2023
MennoCon Youth Sharing
Prelude— As the Wind Song (VT 373) – (Setting, Michael Burkhardt)—Karen Unruh
Maisie Brubacher and Emma Gering
Christ Candle Lighting
Welcome and Prayer—Nathan Koontz
*Hymn—Holy Spirit, Come with Power—VT 57
Children’s Conversation— Adah Hodge and Abram Wall
*Hymn Over My Head—VT 594
Scripture Reading—Isaiah 43:19-21; II Corinthians 5:17—Lucy Burch
BCMC Youth Reflections from MennoCon—Adah Hodge, Ani Koontz, Mara Oswald
*Hymn of Response—New Earth, Heavens New—VT 377
Prayers of God’s People
*Hymn—There’s a Wild Hope in the Wind—VT 828
*Benediction
Postlude
* You are invited to stand
VT = Voices Together
Keyboard—Karen Unruh
Audio visual— Ben Lichti
YouTube Link: https://youtube.com/live/eF2TItBTi8A?feature=share
This Week at BCMC: July 9-16, 2023
Sun., July 9, 2023
9:30 a.m. Worship with Senior High Youth Group reflections on
MennoCon23 (Mennonite Church USA Convention in Kansas City)
YouTube Link for this Sunday is:
https://youtube.com/live/eF2TItBTi8A?feature=share
The church nursery is staffed during worship and Sunday School
10:45 a.m. Faith Formation—High School (Room 24) Adult Classes: Agape Class meets in the nursery; Fellowship (B7); Fine Arts (Rm 22);
Issues and Christianity (Rm 23); Open Circle (Room 21) Seekers (Rm 28)
Tue., July 11, 2023
12 p.m. Mid Kansas Investment Club meets in Fellowship Hall
Thurs., July 13, 2023
7 p.m. Kansas Relief Sale Board of Directors meets in Fellowship Hall
7 p.m. Finance Committee meets in Room 14
Sun., July 16, 2023
9:30 a.m. Worship with reflections by Al and Nadine Peters on their work with prison ministries in Nebraska
Sunday, July 23 – Hymn Sing
Sunday, July 23, our worship will be getting more acquainted with Voices Together. If you have a favorite in VT that you would like to sing, please, contact Monica Lichti in the church office with your request. NOTE: Requests may not all be used because of time limits.
Pastor Nathan Koontz will be on vacation July 12-21, 2023.
BCMC Offering for July 2, 2023: General Fund $2,785; Caring Fund $500; Library Reserve Fund $40; Living Stones $125; Kitchen Fund $6; Women’s Fellowship $50; Metta Lieb Memorial $125.
“Growing Up in Gaza—Bringing Peace and Justice to Israel-Palestine” will be presented by Tareq Abuhalima, Sun., Aug. 6, 10:45-11:45 a.m. at BCMC. The purpose of this event is to create a safe space for education and dialogue about the Israel-Palestine conflict. Tareq, a graduate student with Bluffton University, will share his experiences growing up in Gaza, working for the Youth Vision Society, and his “Gaza Twinning” relationship with Manhattan Mennonite Church. The presentation and following dialogue will also address antisemitism and other issues that surround this intractable conflict.
The Search Committee has been meeting monthly to continue the process of searching for BCMC’s next pastor. There continue to be many congregations within the conference that are experiencing transitions. We ask for your continued prayers for the committee and the congregation, as God prepares the heart of the right candidate for BCMC. The committee remains open to accepting names of possible candidates as well.
Children and Youth of BCMC: Read a book. Earn a Book. This summer, you can earn a book for the New Hope Shelter for each book checked out, read, and returned. Visit the table outside the door to the children’s room of the BCMC church library for more information. The challenge is to fill a whole shelf of books for homeless children and youth.
The Library Theme for June and July are Library Committee suggestions for Everybody/Junior books for the summer reading contest. As has already been noted, this contest is for any student who checks out a book from our library, reads it independently, reads it with someone or someone reads it to a student, and then returns it. We are excited to see how many books will be purchased for New Hope Shelter. —The Library Committee
BCMC Prayer Network: The Prayer Network is an email-based prayer network comprised of Deacon Commission members and BCMC congregants. Participants make a one-year commitment to this prayer ministry which is coordinated by Pastors and the Office and Facilities Manager. Pastors respond to prayer requests and determine when and how these requests are distributed. Specific prayer requests are shared only with the permission of the person(s) involved. If you would like to join the BCMC prayer network, please email your interest to office@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org. Thanks to all who serve BCMC in the Prayer Network.
Care Connections Opportunity: Volunteers are needed to provide transportation for BCMCers to medical appointments, including appointments in Wichita. If you’re available and can provide loving care for one another in this way at this time, please call Elizabeth at the church office, or send an email to elizabeth@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org. “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35 ESV)
Roger’s Whereabouts : On Thursday (7/6) Roger will attend MennoCon23 in Kansas City, then represent BCMC at the MC USA Delegate Sessions on Friday and Saturday. Roger will then be on vacation in Missouri until July 19, when he will be back in the BCMC office. Roger will be checking his email and text messages occasionally during this time.
New Book: Lois Barrett and Dorothy Nickel Friesen has co-edited PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS: MENNONITE WOMEN’S VOICES 1972 – 2006, published by the Institute of Mennonite Studies/AMBS. The book launch at MennoCon23 on July 6 and at Western District Conference Assembly on August 12 will introduce 13 authors including BCMC writers John Esau and Raylene Hinz Penner in addition to Dorothy. Faith and Life Bookstore plans a book-signing later in summer. A book for checkout is now in the BCMC Library and WDC Resource Library. If you would like to purchase a book, contact Dorothy (dorothynf@cox.net); cost is $29.
Greetings from Faith Formation!
Faith Formation is asking that ALL who are interested in being a part of building intergenerational relationships within the church fill out the attached survey.
If you are a parent of a youth who will attend the Intergenerational Sunday school class or who will be a part of Jr High Club or Senior High Youth Group, you may fill out the following Release Form for the 2023-24 school year.
Intergenerational Sunday school will follow this format from week to week. Teachers may decide to switch up the weeks to fit their needs.
Week 1: Introduction of the Bible story. Activity related to the Bible story.
Week 2: Reader’s Theatre or continuation of the Bible story.
Week 3: Craft or games
Week 4: Interview an adult who has joined us for the month (ask the week prior to interview)
The weekly schedule will follow the format below:
Following the service until 10:45 am
- Arrival and snack (groups will be mixed ages at each table)
- Questions of the day to discuss at table groups
- Opening prayer and announcements
10:45 am – 11:15 am
- Bible Story/Activity
11:15 am – 11:30 am
- Clean up, Journal, or other activity with the teachers
- Closing prayer and dismissal
Mark your calendar for the Sunday School Orientation/Safe Sanctuaries Date: August 20 from 12:00-1:00 pm. We will have a pizza lunch.
Intergenerational Survey: https://forms.gle/upn5yizoKEUvqumZ7
Youth Release Form: https://forms.gle/AfyQ7fV5RXHUJZqp7
2023-24 Faith Formation Calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0?cid=ZmFpdGhmb3JtYXRpb25jb21taXNzaW9uQGJldGhlbGNvbGxlZ2VtZW5ub25pdGVjaHVyY2gub3Jn
Thank you and have a wonderful summer!
Faith Formation Sunday School team
Jill Robb, Kathy Stucky, Rebecca Tschetter, Deb Gering, Mary Ellen Hodge
Newton Community Theatre and Bethel College Academy of Performing Arts (BCAPA) will present The Sound of Music musical July 21-23. Join us for this beloved musical and support your community members, including Caleb Garber and Lucy Burch in the orchestra pit, Riley King is the director, and Renee Reimer is one of the actors. Friday, July 21 at 7:30p.m.; Saturday, July 22 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, July 23 at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at https://newton-community-theatre.square.site/ You can also purchase tickets at the door or reserve in advance at the Newton Rec Center (starting July 1). All ticket sales are final. No refunds or exchanges.
Western District Conference invites you to visit our website to read the latest news, stories and announcements.
| WDC Assembly 2023 Registration is now open below! |
For Mennonite Central Committee In Touch press here
Mennonite Church USA Announcements
Each April, the Mennonite Church USA Church Vitality office and Everence collaborate to update the Pastor Salary Guidelines. These guidelines aid pastors, congregations, pastoral search committees and conferences in negotiating fair compensation for pastors and conference ministers. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/news/pastor-salary-guidelines
Menno Snapshots
In celebration of Pentecost Sunday, May 28, Katerina Gea, pastor at Wild Church Fresno (California), an MC USA congregation, celebrates the ways that the Spirit moves and highlights the connection between the Spirit’s outpouring on all of creation. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/pentecost-and-spirits
In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Andi Santoso, Mennonite Mission Network’s regional director for Asia and the Middle East, reflects on his experience as an Asian Mennonite Ministries representative at the Mennonite Church USA Constituency Leaders Council meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/together-on-lords-table
As part of Mennonite Church USA’s “I choose to be Mennonite because …” blog series, Roger Farmer, retired pastor of Sugar Creek Mennonite Church, shares his experience of becoming a Mennonite through a life altering encounter with God and his calling to be a Conscientious Objector during the Vietnam war. Read his story here: mennoniteusa.org/god-knew-who-i-was Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: Mennonite Mission Network requests prayer for Matthew and Toni Krabill’s ministry at the Paris (France) Mennonite Center. Pray for them as they work with others to launch a master’s degree program in conflict transformation that will be housed at Abidjan University of the Christian Missionary Alliance in Ivory Coast.
Western District Conference Prayer Request: Pray for the WDC Gifts Discernment Committee as they seek nominees for elected roles in WDC, and give thanks for those who are called to leadership in our conference.