BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
WORSHIP SERVICE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
July 26, 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 26:
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/1tpFbPee9XM?feature=share
BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
July 26, 2026
Christ Candle Lighting
Centering Music—Be Thou My Vision (arr. Dale Wood)–Karen Schlabaugh
Welcome and Opening Prayer—Dale Schrag
*Hymn—My Jesus I Love Thee—VT 133
Children and Youth Conversation—Jesus Calms the Storm—Carol Flickinger
Hymns: Calm Me, Lord—VT 680
*My Life Flows On—VT 605
*Joy Is Like the Rain—insert
Scripture Reading—Psalm 16:5-11—Marlene Faul
Hymn reflection written by Bill Braun—Dale Schrag
*Hymn—I Owe the Lord a Morning Song—VT 496
Scripture Reading—Isaiah 6:1-3—Marlene Faul
*Hymn—Holy, Holy, Holy—VT 76
Hymn Notes from Voices Together Editors—Dale Schrag
*Hymn—I’m Gonna Eat at the Welcome Table—VT 801
Receiving the Offering and Prayers of God’s People
*Hymn—O, Power of Love—insert
Scripture Reading—I John 4:7-9, 16-19—Marlene Faul
*Hymn—Praise God from Whom—VT 70
*Benediction—Dale Schrag
Postlude–Cwm Rhondda (Wilbur Held)–Karen Schlabaugh
* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Keyboard—Karen Schlabaugh and Verlene Garber
Audio visual—Ken Lamp
Song Leader–Joel Garber
To donate to BCMC go to the website: bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org and click on the red “SUPPORT BCMC” button. BCMC appreciates you and your support of Bethel College Mennonite Church and its ministry!
BCMC Offering for July 19: Gen.$10,502; Library Reserve Fund $5; Kitchen Fund $14.
The Week at BCMC: July 26—August 2, 2026
Sunday, July 26—Hymn Sing
Live-stream link: https://youtube.com/live/1tpFbPee9XM?feature=share
Monday, July 27
10 a.m. Library Committee in Room 14
Wednesday, July 29
7 p.m. Organ and Brass Concert with Christopher Shaw at the organ and Intrepid Brass, a brass quintet from Wichita, in the BCMC Sanctuary.
Thursday, July 30
4:30 p.m. Abuse Prevention and Response Committee in Room 14
Sunday, August 2
9:30 a.m. Worship with sermon by Dorothy Nickel Friesen
Pastor Nathan is on vacation from July 13 to August 3.
Mark your calendars for our church retreat at Camp Mennoscah, Aug. 29-30. All are invited for a supper, festivities, and an overnight at camp on Saturday, Aug. 29. Our worship service will be at Camp Mennoscah on Sunday morning, Aug. 30, and will include several youth being baptized in the river! Breakfast and lunch will be available on Aug. 30. Retreat registration information will be available soon.
This fall, plan to join Joanna for a Bible study on the book of Revelation. We will meet on Thursday mornings at 11 a.m. in Room 14 during the months of September and October (September 3-October 29).
Pastor Nathan will be on vacation from July 13 to August 3.
Pastor Joanna will be on retreat from July 22 through July 27.
Write to BCMC Youth at Camp Mennoscah! Attending July 26-31 for Senior High Camp: Kaiya Anderson, Faith Burch, Brett Gaeddert, Collin Gaeddert, Emerson Gering, Olivia Gonzales, Orlando Gonzales, Naomi Koontz, Adam Oswald, Jude Oswald, Rylee Schmidt Stapleton, Mabel Wall
We have some amazing children who are part of our Bethel College Mennonite Church community, and you have an opportunity to spend some time and share your faith with them on Sunday mornings! We are starting to put together our Fall schedule for children’s Sunday School. If you would like to serve as a teacher or helper for our preschool or elementary-aged groups, please contact Pastor Joanna (joanna@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org).
We offer sympathy to the family of Mildred Voran. Mildred died July 14, at Presbyterian Manor. Please remember her family in prayer: children Jeanette (and George Leary), Barb, and Brent (and Cora); grandchildren Megan and Kevin Leary, Paul Voran and Rachel Unruh; along with great grandchildren and extended family. The memorial service for Mildred will be Tues., Aug. 4, 2 p.m., at BCMC.
AV update – Bill Eash and Jon Zerger met with two audio visual companies and recently BCMC received bids from each focusing primarily on improving sound in the sanctuary and Fellowship Hall. Information sessions about the scope and cost of an AV upgrade will be held in the sanctuary during the SS hour on August 2 and August 23. The content is expected to be the same in both sessions; we scheduled two for more flexibility in dates. All are welcome. – Margaret Toews, Moderator
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.
Max Ediger, a Bethel College Mennonite member living and ministering in Burma, is looking for people who would be willing to offer tutoring via zoom in math and science for a few Burmese students. These students are preparing for their GED exams in anticipation of attending college. If you would like to help, you can contact Max directly via email; his address is available in the church directory and from the church office.
Mennonite Central Committee webinar Welcoming the Stranger: Stories of Faith, Immigration, and Hope – Tues., July 28, 1 p.m. CT/12 p.m. MT (for 1 hour and 15 minutes) In this webinar, we will share stories from 3 churches and leaders like you who are putting faith into action — welcoming and supporting immigrants, facing challenges in their communities, and building congregations that respond with compassion and courage. Speaking from a variety of perspectives across Anabaptist traditions, we’ll talk about themes like faith in action, ministry with immigrant communities, lessons learned, and practical ways churches can respond to the reality’s immigrant families are facing today. Pastors, church leaders, and congregants looking for inspiration and practical ways to get involved are invited to attend. Register today for this event at the following address:
mcc.org/welcoming-stranger or contact abrahamdiazalonso@mcc.org
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 Advisor
Items 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
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!
Sun., July 26: Premiere of the Kauffman Museum short video on the “Unlocking the Past” exhibit, 3 p.m., museum auditorium. David Kreider and Kristine Schmucker will introduce the video and a mini-exhibit of artifacts not on permanent display, which focus on the “Unlocking the Past” exhibition, on display in 2024-25 and sparked by the 150th anniversary of the 1874 migration of Mennonites from the Russian Empire to the Great Plains. Read the article here.
The exhibit of 250-year-old books (in honor of the U.S. semiquincentennial) that the Mennonite Library and Archives at Bethel College put together can now be viewed at Kauffman Museum through the rest of July. These nine books owned by the MLA were published in 1776 in German, Dutch and French. Regular Kauffman Museum hours are Tues.-Fri., 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Sat.-Sun., 1:30-4:30 p.m., closed Mondays. Although there is a charge to visit the museum, the display is just inside the front entrance, and there is no charge to view it.
Sat., Aug. 1: Kauffman Museum first-Saturday bird walk, 7 a.m. start time in the museum parking lot at the corner of Main and 27th streets in North Newton. Experienced birders lead a walk of 1-1.5 hours in Chisholm Park and on Sand Creek Trail (terrain is mostly wood-chip path and sometimes
uneven/sloping).
Labor Day Work and Play@ Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp: September 4-7, 2026. Spend your holiday weekend at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp for the annual Work and Play Retreat and help us prepare for the Winter to come. In exchange for your help with camp projects during the retreat, there is no charge for the weekend. Visit the camp website at rmmc.org “Work and Play Retreats” to learn more about the weekend and to register.
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.
Hey Quilters! As the hot temperatures keep you inside and you decide to sort through your quilting supplies and fabric stash, don’t forget that Quilters corner is seeking your donations year round to help us have another successful KMRS sale in 2027! Donations can be dropped off at MCC Center in North Newton labeled for QC or if you need pick up or help sorting call Ann Yoder Smith 919-604-3282. Thank you!…
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.
| Western District Conference invites you to visit our website to read the latest news, stories and announcements. |
For Mennonite Mission Network “Church Resources” press here
For Mennonite Mission Network “News and Beyond” press here
For Mennonite Mission Network “News from around the world” press here
For Mennonite Church USA “Waging Peace” A Militarism Summit (November 2026) press here
From Mennonite Church USA
Ruth Johnston, wellbeing specialist for MC USA’s The Corinthian Plan, invites pastors and church leaders to reconnect with what makes them come alive and discern God’s ongoing call. Read her Menno Snapshots blog, “The Spirit leads us to come alive,” here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/the-spirit-leads-us/
Be sure to follow MC USA on Facebook and Instagram! In addition to the latest news and blogs, MC USA regularly posts shareable scripture graphics that align with the Narrative Lectionary as well as interesting and informative #ThrowbackThursday images from the MC USA Archives. Follow on Facebook and Instagram @MennonitesUSA.
Western District Conference Prayer Request: Pray for open hearts in the communities where new congregations are forming, that relationships of peace and hope may grow. -WDC Church Planting Commission
Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: Pray for Toni and Matthew Krabill, who are serving in Accra, Ghana, as they launch an initiative to bridge the relationship between French-speaking and English-speaking theological institutions in West Africa.
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.