The BCMC Reopening Task Force has decided, due to high COVID positivity rates, that there will be no in person worship for the next two Sundays. Please join the worship service on line. We hope to meet for in person worship February 20. Please check the church emails for whether there will be in person or on line only worship.
SAFE SANCTUARY TRAINING FOR SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6
Safe Sanctuary training will be on Sunday, February 6th from 10:30am-11:30am. This training will take place only on zoom. Please email Renee at renee@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.com for a link if you’d like to join. All are welcome but please plan to attend if you are a mentor, youth/child Sunday School teacher, sponsor, or Wednesday night club leader and did not attend a training this past fall.
This week at BCMC
Sunday, February 6, 2022
9:30 am Installation of Pastor Todd Schlosser—worship service will be on line only—Please join us via the live stream
10:30 am Safe Sanctuary Training by Zoom
Tuesday, February 8
9—11 am Community Playschool
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
7 pm Menno Ringers in B7
Thursday, February 10, 2022
9—11 am Community Playschool
4 pm Staff Congregation Relations Committee Meeting—Room 14
6:15 pm Chancel Bells in Room B7
7 pm Finance Committee Meeting by Zoom
Sunday, February 13, 2022
9:30 am Worship service will be live streamed only—No in person worship
If you missed Sunday’s (January 30) congregational meeting you can watch the zoom meeting here: https://youtu.be/x4XOVYHaSV8
We offer sympathy to Betty Schmidt and her family on the death of her son, Kenneth Schmidt, January 24, Salt Lake City, Utah. You can view the full obituary here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/saltlaketribune/name/kenneth-schmidt-obituary?id=32456570
Press the link for a great story featuring BCMC’s own Payne Claassen!
N95 Masks Again Available at BCMC
We again have high quality N95 masks available for those who need them. They are available inside the south entrance of BCMC. These masks are particularly useful if you are at high risk of severe COVID 19 and you need or want to participate in a more high risk activity. While no mask creates absolute safety, wearing a well-fitted N95 mask can reduce your risk and make activities safer. This includes activities such as a trip to the grocery store, watching a basketball game, or going to the doctor’s office. Part of the rationale behind these masks offered at BCMC is to provide N95 masks for those who may not be able to navigate online purchasing options. N95 masks are not readily available in our local stores. If you know of someone who would benefit from an N95 mask, please pass this information on to them, or stop by the church and grab one for them.
Name Tags
As we are returning to church in person (we hope by February 20), we would like to encourage you to once again wear name tags. There will be a clipboard on the table at the back of the sanctuary to sign up if you need a name tag or have lost your name tag. Thank you! Hospitality Commission
Quilts Displayed
The BCMC Mission Quilters will be displaying quilts February 27 at the back of the sanctuary. These quilts will be offered for sale at the Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale, April 8 and 9. If you have quilts you would like to display, the Mission Quilters will need them by February 25. (Call Elaine Schurr for more information.) The quilts are due at Mennonite Central Committee by March 1.
Save the date for the BCMC all church retreat May 7-8th at Camp Mennoscah! Everyone is invited to spend the night, join for the day activities, or come up for Sunday morning. More information will be coming soon!
We are looking for people who would be willing to give rides to BCMC people to medical appointments. If this is something you could do occasionally, please contact the BCMC office.
BETHEL COLLEGE ANNOUNCEMENTS
Now in the Regier Gallery in Luyken Fine Arts Center at Bethel College – Ernest Vincent Wood III, “Redefining,” through Feb. 24. Gallery hours: Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Tues., Feb. 8 – Bethel College Organ Recital Series presents Dr. David Pickering of Kansas State University, 7 p.m., Administration Building chapel, featuring works by Vierne, J.S. Bach and Mendelssohn. Current Bethel COVID protocols require masking indoors regardless of vaccination status.
Fri., Feb. 11– Guest recital with Bethel College Professor Emeritus of Music Don Kehrberg, oboe, English horn and tenor, with Tate Addis, piano, and Kevin Kehrberg, bass guitar, 7 p.m., Administration Building chapel. Current Bethel COVID protocols require masking indoors regardless of vaccination status.
Sat., Feb. 19 – Grand opening of Kauffman Museum’s 125th-anniversary exhibit, “The Magic of Things.” Come-and-go, 2:30-4:30 p.m., with remarks by lead curator Reinhild K. Janzen at 3 p.m. Current Bethel COVID protocols require masking indoors regardless of vaccination status.
EVERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT
Everence® February webinar: Social Security and retirement income
Everence® will hold an informative Social Security and retirement income webinar on Tuesday, Feb. 15, starting at 6:30 p.m. Specifics will include Social Security strategies, including when to begin taking benefits, risks that can impact your retirement savings plus strategies to help your income last throughout retirement. There will also be plenty of time for questions.
Information will be presented by staff from the Everence offices in Central Kansas.
To register contact Everence at 316-283-3800, 877-467-7294 or central.kansas@everence.com.
Advisory services offered through Concourse Financial Group Advisors, a division of Concourse Financial Group Securities, a Registered Investment Advisor. Securities offered through Concourse Financial Group Securities, a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Investments and other products are not NCUA or otherwise federally insured, may involve loss of principal, and have no credit union guarantee.
Products and services offered through Everence Trust Company and other Everence entities are independent of and are not guaranteed or endorsed by Concourse Financial Group Securities, or its affiliates.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. owns the CFP® marks in the U.S.
WESTERN DISTRICT CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
Western District Conference invites you to visit our website to read the latest news, stories and announcements and share them with your congregation!
Join the WDC Resource Library’s Final Thursday Book Discussion on Thursday, February 24 to discuss Been in the Struggle: Pursing an Antiracist Spirituality by Regina Shands Stoltzfus & Tobin Miller Shearer. Discussion will be via Zoom from 7:00-8:00pm. Register by emailing crlib@mennowdc.org Copies of the book available at the library.
The WDC Israel-Palestine Task Force is sponsoring a Zoom book discussion of Jonathan Kuttab’s book, Beyond the Two-State Solution. This event will take place on Tuesday April 5, 2022 from 7-8 pm CT. The first 20 registrants will receive a free copy of the book. To register email wdc@mennowdc.org or call (316) 283-6300 and provide your name, mailing address, and email address. Specific questions about the event may be referred to Bob Atchison, 785-313-2292 or by e-mail to robertleeatchison@gmail.com. Below you will find a flyer with more information about the event.
Have a heart for refugees! The WDC Immigration Task Force encourages your congregation to offer a “love gift” of cleaning supplies between now and February 14 for arriving families. International Rescue Committee Wichita resettled 350 families last month alone! They come with so little. Let’s remember our own immigrant history and be the hands and feet of Christ, bringing good news to our neighbors. You may drop off donations of supplies at the WDC Office (2517 N Main, North Newton) 8 am-4:30 pm Mon-Fri or at Shalom Mennonite Church (800 E First, Newton) from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Mon-Thurs & Sunday mornings. Email office@shalomnewton.org if you cannot drop off supplies during daytime hours. For more information, click IRC Donations List for the Cleaning Supply Kit List and other needed items. To make a monetary donation, go to: rescue.org/united-states/wichita-ks. Thank you!
For the list of needs press here
CAMP MENNOSCAH ANNOUNCEMENTS
Online Registration for the March 18-20 Scrapbook and Crafts Retreat is open! There is only one retreat in spring and only one in fall. Cropping and crafting will happen in the Dining Hall and lodging will be in the Retreat Center. As of Feb. 1, masks are recommended inside per CDC guidelines; guidelines will depend on the state of the pandemic in March. Call 620-297-3290 with questions. Register at www.campmennoscah.org!
Other events and happenings:
- Summer staff positions! We will continue to accept applications until all positions are filled, however, summer staff positions will be offered beginning no later than February 5. Now is the time to complete your application, if you have not yet! Applicants should be 18 years old or older and in agreement with the Camp Mennoscah mission statement. See website for details.Information and the online application can be found here! Call or email with questions.
- Volunteering opportunities continue through the winter months! There are volunteer projects for every group size, skill set and length of project. These items and projects help with the faith formation that happens at Camp Mennoscah. The list has more wishes and there are more projects to do. Email office@campmennoscah.org or call 620-297-3290 to volunteer. See the Wish List for other ways to support Camp Mennoscah!
- Camp Mennoscah has openings for a part-time custodial/housekeeping position (10 hours) and a part-time office/administrative position (30 hours with benefits). Some of the office/administrative tasks can be done from home. Contact Olivia at olivia.bartel@campmennoscah.org for more information.
- Camp Mennoscah Merch! From CamelBaks to tee shirts and stickers, you can find your Camp Mennoscah merchandise at https://camp-mennoscah-store.square.site/s/shop
FOR MENNONITE MISSION NETWORK NEWS AND BEYOND press here
The Rocky Mountain February newsletter is here!
Have a look at the latest/greatest happenings here at RMMC. Below is the return or our Jr. High Snow Camp Retreat. For this and previous newsletters, please visit the camp website and click on the “News” tab under “About Us”.
MENNONITE CHURCH USA ANNOUNCEMENTS
February is Black History Month. Celebrate and learn about Mennonite Church USA’s African American Mennonite history through a timeline that highlights the people, events and the work of the church from 1886 to today. https://www.mennoniteusa.org/black-history-mennonite
Learn about “For Justice in the U.S. Criminal Legal System,” a new study resolution that will be presented at Mennonite Church USA’s Special Session of the Delegate Assembly, May 27-30. Eli Reimer, one of the original authors, and Pastor Isaac Villegas, a supporter of the resolution, will discuss it with other church leaders during a webinar on Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. ET. Read the resolution and register for the webinar on the delegate resource page: mennoniteusa.org/special-delegate
MennoMedia has kicked off the second season of its “~ing Podcast.” Episode 2 features a discussion about Mennonite Church USA’s “Defund the Police? An Abolition Curriculum.” Join host Ben Wideman and three of the writers of the curriculum as they discuss why a project like this makes sense for churches, what they learned during its creation, and how our faith might call us to navigate this topic. Listen here or anywhere podcasts are heard: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/ing-podcast
Mennonite Church USA and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) are cohosting the hybrid Pastors & Leaders | Deep Faith 2022 Conference online and in-person at AMBS Feb. 21-24. Learn more about this year’s event at mennoniteusa.org/leading-hope-deepfaith, and register before the Feb. 14 deadline.
#BeTransformed
Kevin Gasser has experienced transformation through his experiences with people who are different from him. In his blog, “Transformed through friendship,” he expresses how his friendship with a man named Mohamed shined a light on his own religious practices. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/transformed-friendship.
Visit Mennonite Church USA’s employment web page to explore open positions across the denomination. https://www.mennoniteusa.org/employment/
Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: Dave and Rebekka Stutzman, who are jointly serving with Mennonite Mission Network and VMMissions, have requested that people join German Mennonite congregations in praying for church renewal, during the month of February. Pray with them, as they follow a devotional book compiled for this occasion.
Western District Conference Prayer Request: During Black History month (February) and throughout the year, pray for WDC congregations and conference leaders in ongoing work toward racial justice and equity.