Bethel College students will soon be arriving!
They will be encouraged to leave parking spaces open around the church on Sundays for BCMC parking. In addition, on Sunday mornings parking is available for BCMCers in 1) the Fine Arts Center parking lot, and 2) the grassy parking lot just south of the paved Warkentin Courts lot. If you can easily walk this distance, we encourage you to use those spaces in consideration of those with mobility issues.
Pastor Dawn will be out of town Aug 6-9.
Thank you to our BCMC family for your support during this past year after losing our daughter and sister, Nancy Jo. Thank you for your cards and emails, for celebrating Nancy’s life with us, whether in person at her memorial service or via live-streaming. Thank you to the pastors, staff and volunteers who helped us with the memorial service and, in the process, helped us feel cared for. We now walk the rest of the way without Nancy (and Maddox), but we know we have your arms to lean on when we lose heart. –Jim, Melanie and Becky Mueller
We, the family of Miner Seymour, are so grateful for this community that has held Miner and us so steadfastly these past months/years. We appreciate the caring, gifts of food, and many other thoughtful gestures of kindness. Thank you! Valetta, Kate, Todd and Roo.
There will be a celebration of life service for Kristin Schmidt’s husband, Archie, on August 14, 2021, at Tabor Mennonite Church at 2:00 pm. (Kristin Schmidt is employed at Bethel College.) A brain tumor ended Archie’s life on January 17, 2021. For the service, masks are required, and social distancing will be observed.
Please continue to offer sympathy and support to Kristin and her family, as they share memories and continue to grieve. Ada Schmidt-Tieszen, Emeritus Professor of Social Work, is Archie’s sister and Wes Schmidt-Tieszen his brother-in-law.
You will find the obituary at this link.
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thekansan/name/archie-schmidt-obituary?pid=199668070
Upcoming memorial service: Rosalind Andreas: Saturday, Aug 21, 1:30 pm, BCMC Sanctuary
You are welcome to attend this service in-person. It will also be recorded and live streamed. You can access the live stream by going to the Bethel College Mennonite Church website and clicking on the green live stream button at the right hand side of the page. Click here to get to the website: BCMC Website
Library News from BCMC
The Library Theme for the next couple of months is Creation Care/Nature. We have many wonderful books to browse through/read. Please come check out our display behind the desk and on the cart in front of the desk. The children’s section’s books are displayed on the book trays on the south side of the room, while the Junior Section have their books displayed around their shelving area. We didn’t pull all of the books on this subject (there are many!), so feel free to look this subject up on our library website. You may just find one that you would like to read.
Play Bells!
Are you interested in participating in Chancel Bell Choir this fall? If so, complete the brief survey here. Both new and experienced players are welcome! Rehearsal time has not yet been set. Please complete the survey by August 8.
Camp Mennoscah Announcements
The next Work Day is August 28 with all sorts of fun projects! Meet at the Maintenance shed at 8:30am and bring your lunch and a water bottle. Come for a partial day, if that’s what works! Call us at 620-297-3290 or email office@campmennoscah.org! You are important to Camp Mennoscah’s ministry!
The Mental Health Spiritual Retreat held over Labor Day Weekend will take a hiatus to review and reflect upon mission. There will be no retreat in the fall of 2021.
Kauffman Museum exhibit, “Vapes: Marketing an Addiction”
This new exhibit examines what is known about e-cigarettes, and includes selections from a previous Kauffman Museum exhibit, “Better Choose Me: Collecting and Creating with Tobacco Fabric Novelties, 1880-1920.” “Vapes” has been on display at NMC Health in Newton since the beginning of June and moves to Kauffman Museum July 29-Jan. 9, 2022.
The 2021 issue of Mennonite Life, Bethel College’s annual online journal, is now live at ml.bethelks.edu, with articles and reviews by Brad Born, Rachel Epp Buller, Peter Goerzen, Raylene Hinz-Penner, Mark Jantzen, Jim Juhnke, Nate Kroeker, Alec Loganbill, Jacob Miller, Bethany Powls, Rich Preheim, Darrin Snyder-Belousek, Tara Schwartz, Anne Marie Stoner-Eby and Melanie Zuercher.
Western District Conference invites you to visit our website at https://mennowdc.org/ to read the latest news, stories and announcements!
Mennonite Central Committee Newsletter “In Touch” – click here
Mennonite Mission Network – Replanting Peace Churches – click here
Mennonite Central Committee Action Alert – click here
Mennonite Mission Network News and Beyond – click here
Mennonite Church USA Announcements
#BeTransformed
At the close of MennoCon21, Glen Guyton, executive director of Mennonite Church USA, announced the new theme for this biennium: “Be Transformed.” Read more about what Guyton had to say here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/news/guyton-call-for-change.
A new video from Mennonite Church USA shows how the Justice Fund is supporting peace and justice work across the denomination through mutual aid. See how Justice Fund grants are helping congregations dismantle racism, uplift the oppressed and promote peace: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/justice-fund-video.
Menno Snapshots
It is too easy for churches to adopt traditions and policies that pull us away from our foundation. In his blog, “The Rock,” Mennonite Church USA Executive Director Glen Guyton urges readers to “set our feet firmly on the rock that is Jesus.” Read his blog here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/menno-snapshots/the-rock/.
Menno Snapshots
In his blog, “The hyphenated Anabaptist and the hyphenated college,” Brad Kohlman explains that in Mennonite colleges, it is common to find students who come from other church traditions. He shares how being able to marry people’s faith traditions with their Anabaptist education creates value for the church and the individual’s faith formation. Read more of Kohlman’s thoughts here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/hyphenated-anabaptist-college/.
Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: This month, the Bokgoni Sporting Club in Botswana is showcasing opportunities for at-risk teenage girls to participate in life-skills training and sports. Mennonite Mission Network requests prayer for increased community participation in this program.
Western District Conference Prayer Request: Give thanks for WDC members who have been affirmed for conference leadership roles this coming year, and pray for God’s guidance as they serve in this way.