BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR AUGUST 13, 2023
THE WORSHIP SERVICE THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, WILL BEGIN AT 10 A.M. FOLLOWED BY A RECEPTION ON THE CHURCH FRONT LAWN. THERE WILL BE NO SUNDAY SCHOOL.
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/0YMMXD_D4Y4?feature=share
BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
August 13, 2023
Welcome Bethel College!
Prelude—The Spacious Firmament on High (arr. DeCou); I Sing the Mighty Power of God (arr. Payne)—Will Wiebe-Friesen
Christ Candle Lighting
Welcome—Brad Kohlman
Opening Prayer—Tobin Wise
*Hymn—Could It Be That God Is Singing—VT 42
Children’s Conversation—Julianna Schrag, Jacob Schrag, Timothy Schrag
*Hymn—My Soul Proclaims with Wonder—VT 222
Scripture Reading—Numbers 27:1-11— Aaliyah Hunt
Message—Intersecting Lines—Nathan Koontz
*Hymn of Response—There Is a Line of Women—VT 546
Prayers of God’s People
*Hymn—I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say—VT 536
*Benediction
Postlude—Jesus, Lover of My Soul (arr. Hustad)—Will Wiebe-Friesen
* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Keyboard—Will Wiebe-Friesen
Audio visual— Ben Lichti
YouTube Link: https://youtube.com/live/0YMMXD_D4Y4?feature=share
This Week at BCMC: August 13—20, 2023
Sun., August 13, 2023—BCMC Worship will be at 10 a.m. with Bethel
College New Students
We welcome new students from Bethel College to BCMC. Come join in a time of fellowship afterwards on the church front lawn and welcome our new neighbors! No Sunday school this Sunday
YouTube Link for this Sunday is:
https://youtube.com/live/0YMMXD_D4Y4?feature=share
Mon., August 14, 2023
11 a.m. Worship Commission meeting by Zoom
Wed., August 15, 2023
7 p.m. Youth Group meeting
Thurs., August 16, 2023
4 p.m. Witness Commission meeting in Room 14
Sun., August 20, 2023
9:30 a.m. Worship with sermon by Pastor Nathan Koontz
10:45 a.m. The Indigenous Justice Task Group in Fellowship Hall
AUGUST 20/AUGUST 27 Repair Network Discussions:
The BCMC Task Group for Indigenous Justice, in its continuing work on dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery as a call for the Christian Church, invites the congregation to two post-worship discussions in the Fellowship Hall on August 20 and August 27. We will discuss the Repair Network, a coalition of 30 churches across the U.S. that supports church communities in education, solidarity and reparative action alongside Indigenous Peoples. We will share the seven steps recommended by the Repair Network to join and how BCMC has been working on those the past couple of years. We will also talk about what it would mean for BCMC to become a part of the Coalition. Please join our discussions with your ideas, comments, and questions.
Chancel Choir: BCMC’s Voluntary adult Chancel Choir will begin our 2023-24 season with the first practice on August 30. The choir will meet in the sanctuary at 7:30 pm. If you like to sing and like to sing with others, come and help to “Make a Joyful” noise.
Chancel Bell Choir: The BCMC Bell Choir will begin practicing on August 24. We meet at 6:30 p.m. in Room B7. If your music abilities include reading music and know how to count, you are invited.
BCMC Offering for July 30, 2023: General Fund $9,287.33; Living Stones $250.
We had hoped to make it “4 in a row” but ;unfortunately July was a down month. Our receipts were $4000 below expenses for the month and are currently about $12000 below expenses ‘’year to date. As we go into the later parts of the year, we need to make the church budget a priority in our thoughts and prayers. We all know the challenges and we certainly have the ability to accomplish the goal. As usual, thank you so much for your efforts. —Finance Committee
Roger’s Whereabouts : Pastor Roger (and Cynthia) are helping their daughter move from Durham, North Carolina to Los Angeles, CA. Roger will be “on the road” for a couple of weeks. He will probably NOT have internet access for much of this time. But he will try to check his email and text messages when he can. Email roger@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org or text or call (785-220-1968.) Roger plans to be back in the BCMC office on Wed., Aug. 23.
Congratulations to Pastor Elizabeth Schmidt
Elizabeth Schmidt, Congregational Care Coordinator here at BCMC, received a License for Special Ministry from the Western District Conference Ministerial Leadership Commission on August 2. We will be celebrating this milestone of pastoral ministry on September 3 during worship. We are so thankful for Elizabeth’s call and gifts in ministry.
A Celebration of Life/Memorial service for Frances Siemens will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 9, at Bethel College Mennonite Church. Frances Eleanor (Schultz) Siemens died July 25, 2023 at Kidron Bethel Village. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Bethel College.
You’ll want to mark your calendars for the BCMC/Bethel College Ice Cream Social set for September 17, 6:30 p.m. on the BCMC front lawn. Come to enjoy ice cream with Bethel students and faculty. The Bethel College Relations Team (Darlene Dick, Ron Flickinger, Tim Hodge, Matt Koontz) ask that you bring a dessert or toppings to go with the ice cream.
Senior High Youth Group 23-24. As we begin a new year of youth group activities, our first task is to renovate our meeting space (room 24). Plans include painting the walls, increasing/improving the seating, and adding technology. We need your help. We are searching for good quality two person love seats. If you have a love seat to donate, please contact George at 316-587-6910 or george@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org, or catch me in person. Thank you.
Children and Youth of BCMC: Read a book. Earn a Book on or before August 27: Summer vacation is almost over, but you can still earn a book for the New Hope Shelter for each BCMC library book you check out, read, and return. And parents, grandparents, and friends of youth, you can help by checking out a book from the children’s collection and reading it too, or with a child. The challenge is to fill a whole shelf of books for homeless children and youth. Visit the table outside the door to the children’s room of the BCMC church library for more information.
On the advice of the Faith Formation Commission, the BCMC board renewed contracts for Jill Robb, our Faith Formation Coordinator (.2 FTE), and George Leary, our Youth Coordinator (.3 FTE), for an additional year. The contracts offer continuity through the summer as well as the coming program year. The church is so fortunate to have the inspired and dedicated work of each of these fine staff; please offer your appreciation to them!
The August/September Library theme is called “What’s For Dinner?” In the doldrums of this extreme heat, come check out one of the library’s books on food: either to find a new dish to prepare or sit back and enjoy a new read in the cool comfort of your own home. We’d love to help you find your next read.
Kidron Bethel Village and Bethel College will host “Can Our Actions Cool the Planet?”, an interactive presentation and discussion on variables that impact global temperature change, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 17 in Kidron Bethel Village’s Kidron Hall, 3001 Ivy Dr., North Newton. The presentation will be given by Josh Kennell, a senior biology major at Bethel College. The presentation is free and open to the public.
It is time to renew the BCMC group subscription to Anabaptist World, a monthly magazine featuring voices from across the Anabaptist-Mennonite world. If you sign up with the congregation’s plan, you receive this publication at the discounted rate of $39. If interested in joining the group plan, please contact Monica Lichti in the church office by August 18. New subscribers can also receive a one-year subscription for the discounted rate of $39. To subscribe: email the church office: office@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org
Bring in or mail your $39.00 payment to the office or place it in the offering plate on Sunday. Be sure to mark your checks with “Anabaptist World” in the memo line. If you are currently receiving Anabaptist World through the BCMC group subscription plan it will expire November 25, 2023. Anabaptist World would like us to renew the subscription now so that you will receive the magazine without interruption.
Prairie View is offering free youth mental health first aid training on Aug. 16 and 30, 8:30 a.m.—5 p.m. It is also offering free mental health first aid training (for adults) on Aug. 18 and 23, 8:30 a.m.—5 p.m. Both trainings are at the Prairie View Auditorium, 1901 E. 1st St., Newton. See the church bulletin board for more details.
The Mennonite Central Committee School Kit Challenge is going strong, thank you for helping us meet our goal of gathering 10,000 school kits in the month of August! School kits now include four new blue or black ballpoint pens. The MCC material resources center in North Newton is very low on pens and notebooks. Please keep these needs in mind as you see these items for sale this month. Buy online and ship it to MCC or bring items to MCC in North Newton (121 E. 30th St, North Newton, KS 67117). Questions are always welcome, please contact katemast@mcc.org or 316-283-2720. A full list of MCC kit contents and other challenge resources can be found at mcc.org/school-kit-challenge.
The Women’s & Girls Retreat will be Sept. 9 & 10 at Camp Mennoscah sponsored by Western District Women in Mission. Retreat theme is “Women Talking, Listening and Creating.” Come for a time of friendship, fellowship, and story-telling with Tammy Duvanel Unruh, Wendy Funk Schrag and others. Registration information and more details will be on the Western District Conference website, in the church bulletin, on the church bulletin board. Follow the Western District Women in Mission on Facebook.
LABOR DAY WORK & PLAY RETREAT at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp – If you, your family or a group of friends want to enjoy the holiday weekend at RMMC, there are 16 spaces available to register. The weekend is offered as a day of work and play (Sat. or Sun.) with a Monday morning sendoff after breakfast. This year (September 1-4, 2023), we’ll be serving (foodservice & HK) along with additional work projects in preparing our facilities/grounds for the coming winter.
FALL FAMILY FUN RETREAT – Young families and children (activities orientated for 2-8 year olds) are invited to RMMC this fall offering the perfect opportunity for your family to enjoy quality time, together, in the mountains. This is the age group that are too young to attend summer camps at RMMC, but ready to be introduced to the RMMC experience. The weekend is inviting all young families that have connections with the Mennonite Community and beyond. The weekend is coming Sept. 29-31, 2022 so visit the camp web page (rmmc.org) for additional information and to register online.
Western District Conference invites you to visit our website to read the latest news, stories and announcements.
Tabor Mennonite Church’s annual MennoGrass Concert will be on Saturday, August 12 as a part of WDC’s Annual Assembly! Everyone is welcome to come (even if you’re not registered for the Assembly)! The meal will begin at 5:30 and will be catered by Carlos’ Kitchen & Cater. Musical performances by Michelle & Friends, The Hopeful Blues and The Flannelbacks will begin at 6pm. Please bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on. Donations to help cover the cost of the meal are welcome.
For Mennonite Mission Network Seeds of Peace press here
For Mennonite Mission Network News and Beyond press here
For Mennonite Central Committee In Touch press here
Mennonite Church USA Announcements
Mennonite Church USA has named Nancy Kauffmann, former board president of Dove’s Nest and longtime Mennonite church leader, as the interim denominational minister of Church Safety for MC USA’s Church Vitality office. This new position was created so that the denomination could address the need for continued abuse education and prevention work. Read the announcement here: mennoniteusa.org/news/interim-minister-church-safety
Approximately 300 youth, young adults and their sponsors gathered in Kansas City at the Kansas City Convention Center on July 7, 2023, for the Youth & Young Adult Climate Summit. The summit focused on climate change, including climate anxiety, social justice and advocacy themes. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/news/encouraged-challenged-climate-summit
Follow Jesus
In this Menno Snapshots blog, Glen Guyton, executive director of MC USA, introduces and reflects on the new theme for the next biennium, “Follow Jesus.” “MC USA’s role in our society is more critical than ever. Our message of peace, love, community and reconciliation is needed in this hurting world,” Guyton said. Read more about the new theme here: mennoniteusa.org/follow-jesus View the slide graphic here: mennoniteusa.org/fj-qr
Menno Snapshots
The pandemic was a time of great anxiety but also a time for reflection and healing. Jesica Lynn Nichols, a member of Lowville (New York) Mennonite Church, reflects on how and why she became a Mennonite during the pandemic. Read more of her story here: mennoniteusa.org/blessings-amid-pandemic
Lisa Longacher, a development officer for Hesston College shares about how her art can be used for positive change. Longacher co-led a youth seminar, “Art for Change: Exploring Your Creativity,” at MennoCon23. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/art-for-change
Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: Everett and Miriam Ramer are serving with Mennonite Mission Network’s SOOP program in Quebec, Canada, for more than two months. Pray for them as they work at Maison de l’Amitié (Friendship House) in Montréal and Camp Péniel, which offers a Jesus-centered experience for children and youth.
Western District Conference Prayer Request: Give thanks for the gracious hospitality shared by Tabor Mennonite Church in hosting WDC Annual Assembly this weekend, with a closing worship service and seminars this morning.