Worship service and announcements for July 28–August 4, 2028

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR 
July 28, 2024

Our faith in a God of love leads us, by the power of the Spirit,
to follow Jesus in doing justice, loving mercy, 
and walking humbly with God.
 

To livestream the worship service:
On Sunday morning, around 9:20 a.m., 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 below 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/R3I49ES4Fzw?feature=share
 

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
July 28, 2024
 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music—Ave Maria— (Saint-Saens, arr. Van Camp)—Doyle Preheim & Ron Garber; Verlene Garber, accompanist
 
Welcome and Prayer—Mary Ann Boschmann
 
*Hymn—I Sing the Mighty Power of God— VT 182
 
Children’s Conversation—Adam Robb
 
Worship Music—Agnus Dei—(Bizet, arr. DeCesare)—Doyle Preheim & Ron Garber
 
Scripture Reading selected verses from Exodus 20, Matthew 5, John 8 & 18, and Ephesians 4—Jill Robb & Adam Robb
 
Sermon—To Tell the Truth—Roger Neufeld Smith
 
*Hymn—You Are Salt for the Earth—VT 297
 
Prayers of God’s People
 
*Hymn—Heart With Loving Heart United— VT 813
People with July birthdays come forward for a blessing, please bring a hymnal
 
*Birthday Blessing and Benediction
 
Postlude—Postlude on Llanfair (Robert J. Powell)—Karen Schlabaugh
 
* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Audio visual—Ben Lichti
 

The Next Week at BCMC:  July 28—August 4, 2024
 
Sunday, July 28, 2024
9:30 a.m.   Worship
YouTube Link for this Sunday:
https://youtube.com/live/R3I49ES4Fzw?feature=share
 
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
4 p.m.   Worship Commission meeting by Zoom
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
11 a.m. Staff meeting
Thursday, August 1, 2024
7 p.m.    Church Board meeting in Room 14
Sunday, August 4, 2024
9:30 a.m.  Worship with sermon by Trent Voth

Please remember Jon Gering, president of Bethel College and Gretchen Schrag, KIPCOR Office Assistant, and their family as they grieve the death of their mother, Diane L. (Stucky) Gering.  Diane died unexpectedly July 22, at the family farm near Ritzville, WA.  She was 79 years old. Diane grew up in the McPherson and Moundridge communities before relocating to Washington to raise her family.  Funeral arrangements are pending. 

A reminder that the next Women’s Fellowship  Executive Board meeting will be Wednesday, August 21, at 9 a.m. in Room 14 for a planning meeting.

Those who enjoy singing are invited to join as the Chancel Choir begins the year with the August 11 worship service. The anthem includes parts for choir, handbells, and congregation, and will be a meaningful way to both bid farewell to Roger Neufeld Smith and welcome to Joanna Harader. Rehearsal will take place on August 7 at 7:30 PM. 

For those who subscribe to the devotional Rejoice through the BCMC group subscription, the last issue of Rejoice (Sept.-Oct.-Nov.) will be coming soon.  Therefore, it is time to renew for the coming year.  The bulk subscription price is $35.93.  The devotional is mailed to BCMC and your copy will be either placed in your mailbox here at church, or mailed to you.  If you wish to subscribe (even if you have not subscribed before) place your check in the offering plate or bring or mail to the office with “Rejoice subscription” in the memo line.

Roger Neufeld Smith will be driving back to Topeka Sunday (July 28) afternoon and will return to Newton Wed., July 31. He will then go to Beatrice, NE to attend the WDC Assembly Aug. 2-4.  He will return to Newton, Tues., Aug. 6, remaining in Newton until Aug. 11.  August 11 will be a special day as it is the Bethel College New Student Sunday, Roger’s last day at BCMC, and Pastor Joanna Harader’s first day at BCMC.  And….there will be cake to say farewell to Pastor Roger and to welcome Pastor Joanna!  Roger checks his email and phone regularly.  Feel free to contact him via email, text or phone (785-220-1968.)
 
Pastor Nathan Koontz is on vacation July 8—August 10.
Pastor Elizabeth Schmidt will be on vacation August  5-11.
 
BCMC Offering for July 21, 2024 General Fund $5,742; Caring Fund $50; Library Reserve Fund $17; Kitchen Fund $9; Evelyn Lehman Mem. $100.

You are invited to an open house to celebrate Raymond Regier’s 100th birthday on Friday, August 2, from 3 – 4 p.m.  The open house will be at Kidron Bethel Assisted Living, 3056 Ivy Court.  Please stop by to wish him happy birthday and enjoy some refreshments.  If you cannot come to the open house, you can also send him a card at this address:  3056 Ivy Court, Room 18, North Newton, KS 67117.   — Ray’s Family

If you’ve been a nursery volunteer in the past or would like to become a new nursery volunteer, please notify Sara Dick, new nursery schedule coordinator, at saradick1@gmail.com. The schedule is posted in the nursery and will be updated as folks volunteer. Please notify Sara rather than sign yourself up for shifts directly on the schedule, so she knows where we need helpers and where we’re all set. Thank you for caring for our youngest attenders and their families!

It’s School Kit Challenge Time! 
Lincoln and Lawrence Kohlman and Gabby and Jake Robb are participating in the MCC School Kit Challenge again this year. You can help with donations of money, school kit supplies, or school kit bags. Please give monetary donations to Lincoln, Lawrence, Gabby, or Jake by Wed., Aug. 7. School kit supplies and bags can be left on the tables on the Fellowship Hall stage. A list of school kit supplies and directions for sewing bags can be found on the MCC website. Last year we packed 311 school kits. Can you help us beat our record?! We will pack school kits on Sun., Aug. 11, after Fellowship Time. Please join us!

Comforter tying
We had 134 women work at Mennonite Central Committee last week for a mini-blitz. 94 comforters were tied during the two day event.  BCMC women are invited to join Carol Peters and Janet Friesen tie more comforters at MCC on Monday morning July 29 from 9 a.m. until noon.

BCMC Library Announcements: 
· Looking ahead to November, the Library theme for the next few months will be Religion and Politics. We’ve pulled some books that might help answer questions about our current political climate. A partial display is behind the library desk.
· BCMC children and youth summer book promotion: What’s new for children and youth in the BCMC library this summer?  What’s new is old.  Your library committee has sorted through the shelves  and uncovered some classics. These books may look drab, but they have been loved by many, many children over many years.  They are waiting for you on a special shelf in the children’s room.  Come check them out.  Read them with parents or grandparents who remember reading them.  Create new memories.  Inside each book you will find a certificate good for one book at “Book Reviews” (Newton’s Main Street used book store).  Go to “Book Reviews”.  Pick out a book that has been loved by another kid.  Read it.  Share it.  Create more memories.
 
A new book, THE CHURCH BY THE PLAYGROUND: THE STORY OF THE SHARING COMMUNITY IN ROSEDALE, by Dorothy Nickel Friesen, has been published by Rainbow Mennonite Church.  The book will be launched at Rainbow Aug. 10 and 11 and at Kidron Bethel/Kidron Hall on Thurs., Aug. 15 at 2 p.m. (Faith and Life Bookstore will sell books.) The public is invited to hear Dorothy share, sign books, and tell this unique urban ecumenical ministry history.

Western District Conference Annual Assembly: We hope you join us in-person or virtually. If you haven’t registered yet, our registration deadline has been extended to July 25. After this date, you may still register by contacting the WDC Office (316-283-6300), but you will need to provide your own meals as meal counts will already be turned in. Join us at the WDC Annual Assembly, August 2-4, 2024 at First Mennonite Church, Beatrice, NE! Register HERE through July 25.

Western District Conference invites you to visit our website to read the latest news, stories and announcements.

    • FreedUp: Everence® is offering a new stewardship training program. The FreedUp program is a way for everyone to get their finances in order – and gain a deeper faith perspective on your money. Everence facilitators will lead the group sessions, including the first get-acquainted session.

      There are two upcoming options for participants to choose from:
      • Tuesdays at 2 p.m. ET beginning Aug. 20; ending Oct. 1
      • Mondays at 8 p.m. ET beginning Oct. 7; ending Nov. 18

                     Register at everence.com/partners.
 

The Camp Mennoscah annual Camp Sing Event will be Sat., Aug. 3, 3 p.m. at Faith Mennonite Church, Newton.  All are welcome to come for a gathering of the Camp Mennoscah community to sing camp songs led by the Summer Staff, enjoy a recap of the summer, and hear testimony to the great work camp is doing. There will also be a donation raffle for baked goods, camp merch, and more! Following the singing we will have popcorn and generic pop together! We would love to see you there.

The presentation “From Russia to Kansas: A Story of the 1874 Mennonite Immigration” Fri., Aug. 2, 7 p.m. at the Goessel High School Auditorium 100 E. Main, Goessel, will give some insight on what it was like to travel across a vast ocean to start all over on the Kansas prairie.  A narrated pictorial presentation, with firsthand accounts, will describe the journey of the Alexanderwohl immigrants leaving South Russia. This is a benefit event for the Mennonite Heritage & Agricultural Museum.  Donations gratefully accepted.

What a wonderful array of speakers and topics will be waiting for you at the 150th Celebration of Mennonite ancestors coming to the US. in 1874, to be held at Eden Mennonite Church, 401 18th Ave., Moundridge, Kansas.  The “Schweitzers and Friends” theme invites you and all to take advantage of a very full weekend of speakers, singing, learning, harvesting wheat, and visiting with friends. Activities for children. Attached is the list of Seminars.  Be sure to register if you want to eat the cafeteria style Ethnic Meal $25/plate) at Eden, 5:00-6:30 catered by Bread Basket, Newton KS. – swissmennonite.org “Registration and Celebration Information.”
–Kathy Goering, Publicity for 150th Celebration

Bethel College Announcements:
· Sunday July 28, “A Day with the Birds: Community Science & the Audubon Christmas Bird Count” closes at Kauffman Museum; 1:30-4:30 p.m., come-and-go reception, with remarks by museum director Andi Schmidt Andres at 3 p.m. 
·  Sat., Aug. 3 – Kauffman Museum bird walk, 7 a.m. start time in the museum parking lot at the corner of Main and 27th streets (2801 N. Main St., North Newton). Experienced birders lead a walk of 1-1.5 hours in Chisholm Park and on Sand Creek Trail. 
· The 2024 issue of Bethel College’s online journal Mennonite Life can now be viewed at ml.bethelks.edu The issue includes articles by Rod Ratzlaff, Mark Jantzen and Rachel Pannabecker related to the 150th anniversary of Mennonite immigration to North America from the Russian Empire, as well as the text from last spring’s Bible Lectures by César García and Sandra Báez, several other articles, and book reviews.

Western District Women in Mission invites women and girls to the annual retreat Sept. 7-8 at Camp Mennoscah. Theme: Peaceful Practices; Kristine Regehr keynote speaker. Girls’ Programming for 5th grade-high school with Janna Duerksen.  Registration is due Aug. 30. Retreat brochure and registration form are available at:  https://www.westerndistrictwomeninMission.org/register   Come early at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning to tie Camp Mennoscah  t-shirt comforters which will also be available to tie throughout retreat. We hope to get 6 comforters tied and give them to Camp to sell as fundraisers. At least 15 years of past camp T-shirts are in the comforters!  

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Announcements
· Colorado Peaches can be ordered July 1-31 by contacting the MCC Central States Office at patsydirksen@mcc.org or calling 316-283-2720.  Two sizes are available:  9 lbs. for $30 and 18 lbs. for $41.  Payment for peaches in the form of cash or checks is due by Aug. 1 to MCC.
Checks should be made payable to Beth-El Mennonite Church with “peaches” in the memo line.  Peaches will be available for pickup from the MCC Office, 121 East 30th, North Newton, Mon., Aug. 19 (tentative date).  This is a fundraiser for the Rocky Mountain Mennonite Relief Sale held in Castle Rock, Colorado, October 18-19. 
· The MCC Sale Quilter’s Corner is looking for donations of quilts, quilt tops, fabric, books, magazines and vintage linens for our next sale.  We hope to have an October sale if we receive enough donations.  Donations can be dropped off at the MCC Center in North Newton labeled for Quilter’s Corner or at Stitches Quilt Shop in McPherson.  If you have questions, please contact
   Ann Yoder Smith at 919-604-3282.  
· Mennonite Central Committee Material Resources Center in North Newton critically low on inventory: An MCC kit cannot be distributed until each item for the kit is assembled, but some supplies in the Material Resources Center are so low that kits cannot be processed for shipping. You can help by filling the following needs: new infant sleepers (6-12 month sizes); hand towels (dark colored); bar soap; bath towels (dark colored, light to medium weight); wide toothed combs (6-8 inches long); laundry soap (such as Fels Naptha or Zote brands); and shampoo (20 oz min). Buy online and ship it to MCC or bring items to MCC in North Newton (121 E. 30th St, North Newton, KS 67117). Questions: phone 316-836-5045 or email brociamueller@mcc.org  A full list of MCC kit contents can be found at mcc.org/kits.
· WANTED:  Cars, Tractors, Pickups, Farm Machinery, Motorcycles, etc.  We are collecting items for next year’s KS Mennonite Central Committee Sale.  Your donations are tax deductible and help feed and clothe thousands of people in need around the world.  Call Jerry Toews at 620-367-8257 for more info.
· MCC immigration-focused learning tour in South Texas, Aug. 18-23: MCC learning tours are an opportunity to engage directly with the work done by MCC and partner organizations. The tour gives participants the chance to meet with law enforcement officials from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), gain insights into the complexity of immigration enforcement, including deportation and apprehensions, and visiting migrant response shelters. It will shed light on the challenges faced by migrants on their journey and raise awareness about the asylum process, and conditions faced by displaced and uprooted individuals. Find out more and register for the trip by Aug. 9.  Questions, contact Abraham Diaz Alonso, MCC Central States Immigration Program Coordinator at abrahamdiazalonso@mcc.org

For Mennonite Mission Network “News and Beyond” press here
For Mennonite Mission Network “News from Around the World” press here 
For Mennonite World Conference “Info” press here 

Mennonite Church USA Announcements
The management board of the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO) held its annual meeting both in person, in Goshen and Elkhart, Indiana, and by Zoom, on May 24, 2024. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/news/gameo

Menno Snapshots
 
Olivia Krall, archives coordinator for Mennonite Church USA, writes about the MC USA Archives’ MEDA collection and a new donation of archival materials from Dan Sauder, grandson of MEDA founder, Erie Sauder. Read her blog here: mennoniteusa.org/archives/meda

What is deep listening? Spiritual director Ruth Johnston discusses the benefits of having a spiritual director who really listens. Read her blog here: mennoniteusa.org/deep-listening-essential 

Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request:  Mennonite Mission Network requests prayer for the Mennonite Bible School in South Africa. Pray for the participants in five locations as they study the Bible together and engage in church leadership training. Pray also for wisdom and energy for director Dr. Reuben Mgodeli.

Western District Conference Prayer Request:  Pray for the church planting initiative and emerging faith communities seeking God’s guidance and provision. -WDC Church Planting Commission

Bethel College Mennonite Church is an open and affirming congregation
centered in the life and teachings of Jesus. Embracing the divine within each person, we warmly welcome any and all into fellowship without regard to race, ethnic background, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability,
economic status, marital status, or age.