BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
WORSHIP SERVICE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
July 5, 2026
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 for Sunday, July 5:
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/t2V5ldPwsZE?feature=share
BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
July 5, 2026
Christ Candle Lighting
Centering Music—Rejoice, Rejoice Evermore [VT 402] (arr. D. Paxton) Will Wiebe-Friesen
Land Acknowledgement, Welcome & Prayer—VT 1043—Tim Hodge
*Hymn—For the Fruit of All Creation—VT 124
Children and Youth Conversation—Kevin Neufeld
*Hymn—Rain Down—VT 703
Scripture Reading—Genesis 24:34-51; 58; 61-67
Ron Sawatsky
Sermon—Showing Hospitality—Nathan Koontz
*Hymn—Seek the Peace of the City—VT 206
Offering Invitation & Prayers of God’s People—VT 1043
*Hymn—This is My Song—VT 710
*Benediction
Postlude–Partita on “Foundation” (Alice Jordan)
III. Fantasy-Toccata [VT 592]
*You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Keyboard—Will Wiebe-Friesen
Audio visual—Ben Lichti
Choosing music for an Anabaptist congregation on July 5 on the 250th anniversary of this country is an interesting task. Our centering music today is an arrangement of an early American tune by the name of Dunlap’s Creek or Awful Majesty, which was first published in Joseph Funk’s Harmonia Sacra in Singer’s Glen near Harrisonburg, Virginia, with an Isaac Watts text. In our hymnal it has been paired with a text by early Anabaptist Balthasar (VT 402). Like many historical figures held in high esteem today, Hubmaier, too, has a fraught history worth reading about and wrestling with. The postlude features another tune from Joseph Funk’s hymnals. — Will Wiebe-Friesen
Land Acknowledgement from words by Mark Charles and VT #878
As we do on the first Sunday of each month, we acknowledge that we worship
on the land of the Kanza, Osage, and Wichita.
We thank them for their care and respect for this land and acknowledge the
injustice of their forced removal.
We ask the Spirit to heal our histories and find new paths of right relationships
with them and all of creation.
Going Beyond Land Acknowledgement (from Raylene Hinz-Penner–Indigenous Justice Task Force)
| Tuesday July 7, 2026 12-1:30PM PT / 1-2:30PM MT / 2-3:30PM CT / 3-4:30PM ETJoin Land Justice Futures’ upcoming webinar on Tuesday July 7 as they apply a critical, historical lens to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Learn about the Indigenous roots of American democracy and discuss the unfinished work of truth-telling, repair, and right relationship for the next 250 years.This conversation will include Condoled Mohawk Clanmother “Mommabear” Louise Herne, How To Citizen host Baratunde Thurston, and Reverend Sara Jolena Wolcott, a theologian and descendent of one of the signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.Register for Unmasking the 250th |
OAK FLAT:
| In a recent American Bar Association webinar titled “First on the Land, Last in Court? The Apache Stronghold Case,” a panel of lawyers and legal scholars explored the legal, constitutional, and moral stakes of the fight to protect Oak Flat (Chi’chil Bildagoteel). Panelists discussed the long and complex legal history of the Oak Flat case and jurisprudence that led up to it — as well as, more broadly, sacred-site protection and the future of Native religious freedom in the U.S.The San Carlos Apache, in Arizona, have been fighting for years to save their most sacred land from complete destruction by a foreign-owned copper mine. In what panelists called a “tragic” record, both Congress and the federal courts (including the U.S Supreme Court), have failed to protect the Apaches from this existential threat.Panelist Lauren van Schilfgaarde (Cochiti Pueblo), assistant professor at UCLA School of Law and assistant director of its Native Nations Law and Policy Center, called this a “powerful moment that does show the potential impact of civil society and legal activism — in part because the outrage that is shared, with this decision, is not exclusive to Indigenous communities. And frankly that’s brand new,” she said. “Native communities have simply not enjoyed this type of consensus any time in American history. Any time before, this type of decision would have been understood as part of the course, Manifest Destiny, ‘this is a necessary tragedy.’ That’s not the response right now.“I think that reflects a good renormalization of tribes, not just as a historical anomaly but as contemporaryparts of American society that can and should be respected, but also that sacred places can and should be respected. There’s a lot of potential there, and we should further that. The more that the average American is exposed to these issues, the more they’re persuaded that they [native rights] are worth protecting. That’s incredibly powerful, and something we simply haven’t enjoyed before.”A recording of the 90-minute webinar is available on YouTube. The Oak Flat Buddhist Working Group recommends it to anyone interested in Oak Flat and the fight to save sacred Indigenous sites across the country: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFo3jqo9Lxg |
The Week at BCMC: July 5—12, 2026
Sunday, July 5—Worship with sermon by Nathan Koontz
livestream link: https://youtube.com/live/t2V5ldPwsZE?feature=share
Monday, July 6—The Church Office Will be Closed
Tuesday, July 7
2 p.m. Facilities Committee meeting in Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, July 8
6 p.m. Vacation Bible School (VBS) Meeting in Fellowship Hall
7 p.m. Senior High Youth Group Activity
Sunday, July 12 9:30 a.m. Worship with sermon by Joanna Harader; music by Carolyn Voth & Kathleen Rich
Save the Date for a Brass and Organ Concert on July 29, 7 p.m. at BCMC. The concert will feature Christopher Shaw at the organ and Intrepid Brass, a brass quintet from Wichita.
BCMC Offering for June 28: Gen. Fund $12,489.34; Plant Fund $50; Caring Fund $100; Kitchen Fund $10; Peace Garden $1,000; Women’s Fellowship $80.
Pastor Nathan will be on vacation from July 13 through August 3.
Pastor Joanna will be on retreat from July 22 through July 27.
Sermon notes from Pastor Joanna:
I realize it’s been a bit of a bumpy ride through Genesis lately. I find that a lot of the biblical stories I loved as a child in Sunday School seem highly problematic when I go back and read them as an adult. We’ve been through a few stories about Hagar, Sarah, and Abraham, and this coming Sunday we will move on to the next generation, looking at Isaac and Rebekah, before we spend a few weeks with Jacob (of ladder-climbing and angel-wrestling fame).
For any given sermon, you can assume Nathan or I have left out a lot of resources we referenced and insights we had for the sake of a clear focus and (hopefully) engaged listeners. This week I thought I’d share a few pieces I’ve appreciated in my sermon preparations recently :
From June 21, sermon on Hagar and Ishmael in the wilderness (Genesis 21:8-21)A poem “Hagar and Ishmael, Jean Charles Cazin 1880” by Margaret Mackinnon
- The painting on which the poem is based
- Links to historic Anabaptist confessions, statements, and resolutions
From June 28, sermon on the binding of Isaac (Genesis 22:1-14)
- Commentary on this passage from biblical scholar Kathryn Shifferdecker
- Article about the Stanford study on AI advice
I welcome your questions and insights on the Sunday texts as we continue this journey through Genesis together. May these sacred and confounding stories draw us closer to the heart of God and guide us towards deeper faithfulness.
Thanks,
Joanna
International Students at Bethel College Request help to fill gift baskets for new international students
Dear Friends of Bethel,For decades, Bethel College has been a home away from home for students from around the world. While studying in a new country is exciting, arriving in the United States also brings many challenges. New international students must adjust to a new culture, college life, and life far from family—often with only a few personal belongings.
You can help make that transition a little easier.
The International Students Club has created a registry of essential items to help welcome new international students and provide some of the everyday necessities they’ll need during their first weeks at Bethel. These items will be included in welcome baskets to help students feel cared for and at home from the moment they arrive.
You can view the registry here. Purchased items can be shipped to:
Bethel College
300 E. 27th St.
North Newton, KS 67117
Attn: Karin Kaufman Wall, International Students Club AdvisorItems may also be dropped off at the Leisy House (24th & College Ave).
Please mark any purchased items on the gift registry so we can keep track of what is still needed. If you would prefer to give financially, donations may be made to Bethel College with “International Students Fund” in the memo line.
Thank you for helping create a warm and welcoming beginning for our newest international students. Every gift—whether large or small—helps students feel supported and reminds them that they are already part of the Bethel community.
With gratitude,
The International Students Club
Elena Jugović
Co-President
International Students Club
We are seeking delegates from Bethel College Mennonite Church to attend the Western District Conference Annual Assembly, August 7-9, in Dallas TX. This is an important time for us to form connections with the broader church as we pray, learn, and worship together! For those unable to make the trip, there is also an option to participate virtually. If you are interested in serving as a delegate, please contact Pastor Joanna or a member of the Gifts Discernment Committee (Dale Schrag, Barb Koontz, Dorothy Nickel Friesen).
Western District Conference Annual Assembly – Registration is now open! Please register by July 26! Visit our Assembly webpage to learn more about Assembly at https://mennowdc.org/2026-annual-assembly/ It is up to registrants to make their own lodging arrangements. The reservation deadline for WDC’s block of rooms is July 24 so move fast to make your reservation! Join us at Iglesia Luz del Evangelio, Dallas, TX August 7-9, 2026.
Western District Conference invites you to visit our website to read the latest news, stories and announcements.
Pastors’ note about changes in bulletin announcements:
Based on feedback from church members and visitors, we are experimenting with a reduced bulletin announcement format this summer. We will eliminate the announcement insert and include as many Bethel College Mennonite Church announcements in the bulletin as space allows. Priority will be given to announcements that are new and those pertaining to events that will occur in the coming week. Announcements from other organizations (Western District Conference, Mennonite Mission Network, etc.) and overflow BCMC announcements will still be included in the weekly email and will be available in a printed handout available at the back of the sanctuary each Sunday. Pastors Joanna and Nathan welcome your feedback about this change.
BCMC Library Announcements
This Summer share your love of reading by recommending a book you’ve checked out of our library. Blank recommendation forms are available at the checkout desk. Your short review will be attached to the book and featured on a table outside the library to entice other readers.
The library’s loss is your gain. We have weeded books out of the library that don’t fit our needs anymore. They are on the top shelf of the cart outside of the library. Please help yourself and add a donation of your choice to the envelope provided on the right. (This helps fund our online catalog!) Happy Summer Reading!
The Worship Commission is planning for a hymn sing service on July 26. If you have a hymn request, you can send it to Pastor Joanna by July 13. Please include a sentence or two about why you appreciate the requested hymn.
The Worship Commission still has some summer openings for worship leading scripture reading, and children’s conversation volunteers. Please contact a pastor or Adam Robb if you would like to volunteer.
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.
Fri., July 17: The Bethel College alumni office invites alumni and friends to a cookout (hamburgers, hot dogs, sides, fixings, beverages and homemade ice cream; vegetarian and gluten-free options available), 6-8 p.m., around the Friesen fountain on the campus Green. There will also be live music by Jesse Graber, Ben Regier and Erin Mae. This free event is a welcome to campus for Interim President Wynn Goering, with remarks from him and others at 7 p.m. There will be a few tables and chairs on-site, but you’re welcome to bring your own lawn chairs and blankets, along with yard games to share (a few will be available).
Buhler Mennonite Church & Hoffnungsau Mennonite Church invite local farmers and ag professionals to a Gathering for Farmers, Ranchers and the Ag Community Fri., July 31 at Hilton Garden Inn, Hutchinson; 8:30 a.m. is coffee and donuts and 9 a.m.—1 p.m. is the Program and Lunch. Soil & Soul brings together the people who support agriculture every day to strengthen relationships, share resources, and build support systems that help producers thrive. As the first in a two-part series, this gathering is designed for agriculture’s “front-line” professionals – bankers, lenders, implement dealers, agronomists, veterinarians, insurance and Co-op employees, healthcare providers, congregation members, and others who work closely with producers. Through shared conversation, learning, connection, and a meal, we hope to build understanding around stress and well-being while strengthening a more supportive ag community. A larger, producer-focused event will follow on Nov. 14, 2026. We hope you join us in July! For more information contact bmcpastor@gmail.com or 620-899-8918
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Announcements
Mennonite Central Committee’s School Kit Challenge is back. Join the 2026 School Kit Challenge and help MCC provide 30,000 school kits for 30,000 kids this summer. School kits provide access and essential supplies to children and families navigating war, displacement or financial struggles. MCC is collecting school kits from June through August. Look for School Kit Challenge signs when you drop kits off at MCC so staff can be sure to get your kits counted! To learn more about this challenge and to download a free activity guide, visit mcc.org/school-kit-challenge. Questions? Contact brociamueller@mcc.org or 316-836-5045. Kits can be dropped off at MCC Central States, 121 E. 30th in North Newton, KS.
MCC Grandparent Days, July 13 & 14, 9:30-11:30 a.m. each day. Gather your grandchild(ren) to pack MCC school kits at the Material Resources Center in North Newton. You’ll be helping MCC reach our 2026 School Kit Challenge goal of 30,000 school kits this summer! There is more information at mcc.org/grandparent-days or you can contact brociamueller@mcc.org or call her at 316.836.5045.
Colorado peaches are coming! Palisade peaches from western Colorado are available for pre-order. Two sizes available: 9 lb. for $31 and 18 lb. for $43. An additional $1 per box has been added as fuel expenses will be higher this summer. All orders must be received and paid in full by July 15. No orders will be accepted after this date. Place orders by emailing the MCC Central States Office at patsydirksen@mcc.org or calling 316-283-2720. Cash and checks are accepted. Make checks payable to Beth-El Mennonite Church with “peaches” in the memo line. Send payments to MCC, PO Box 235, North Newton KS 67117 or drop off at the MCC office, 121 East 30th, North Newton. Estimated pick-up date is Mon., Aug. 10 at the MCC warehouse. This date will be confirmed later in July. Beth-El Mennonite Church in Colorado Springs sells the peaches as a fundraiser for bierocks ingredients that are sold at the Rocky Mountain Mennonite Relief Sale, Oct. 17 in Castle Rock, CO.
ONLINE REGISTRATION IS OPEN for the annual Mennonite Women in Mission Womens & Girls (ages 8 – high school) Retreat at Camp Mennoscah on September 12-13. Forms are available on the website for printing for mail in registration, although online is preferred and easy! Detailed schedule information and registration is at www.mennonitewomeninmission.org. Retreat starts at 10 a.m. Saturday with SoulCollage™ with Elizabeth Eells, comforter tying for MCC, and the Faith & Life bookstore open. The retreat theme is “My Time is in Your Hands” with session speakers Melissa Atchison & Audrey Ratzlaff. Girls leaders are Schyler Entz and Emily Brandt with an additional girls tie dye bandana session with Marla Sawatzky Rowe. Come join us for fun, fellowship, and inspiration! Questions? Email mennonitewomeninmission@gmail.com.
For Mennonite Mission Network “News and Beyond” press here
From Mennonite Mission Network “Mobilize for Peace” press here
For Mennonite World Conference “Info” press here
From Menno Media – Celebrate 50 years of “More With Less” with a bake sale – press here
For Mennonite Men “Engage” Press here
From Mennonite Church USA
“Our faith calls us to stand with those whose voices are systemically marginalized,” wrote Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz, MC USA’s denominational minister of Peace and Justice, in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling weakening the Voting Rights Act. Read her lament here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/lament-ruling-on-voting-rights/
Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: Pray for the high school students from all over the world who will be learning English communication skills this week through the Summer Language Institute program at LCC International University, a Mission Network partner in Klaipėda, Lithuania.
Western District Conference Prayer Request: On this 4th of July weekend, pray for WDC congregations as they discern how to faithfully bear witness to God’s good news of peace, justice and shalom for all people – both in this country and around the world.
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, immigration status, gender identity,
sexual orientation, ability, economic status, marital status, or age.