June 18, 2023
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/_8qMdqXAQZc?feature=share
BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
June 18, 2023
Juneteenth Sunday
Prelude—Go Down, Moses (arr. Wilhelmi)
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child (arr. Wilhelmi)
Precious Lord, Take My Hand (arr. Shackley)
Will Wiebe-Friesen
Christ Candle Lighting
Welcome and Prayer—Jim Juhnke
*Hymn—Praise with Joy the World’s Creator—VT 428
Children’s Conversation—Esther Koontz
Worship Music—Steal Away arr. H.T. burleigh)–Matt Schloneger
Land Acknowledgement—Valetta Seymour
Scripture Reading— Psalm 100; Exodus 19:2-6; Romans 5:1-8
Sermon—Lamentation and Celebration—Nathan Koontz
*Hymn of Response—O Healing River—VT 706
Prayers of God’s People
Commissioning of New Leaders—VT 965
*Hymn—Go, My Friends, in Grace—VT 810
*Benediction
Postlude–Adoration (Florence B. Prcie)
* You are invited to stand
VT = Voices Together
Keyboard—Will Wiebe-Friesen
Audio visual—Francis Toews
Offertory at BCMC
As a way of acknowledging our offertory during our Sunday morning worship, the ushers will bring up the offertory trays to the communion table during the Hymn of Response. Then, as we have already been doing, the worship leader will give thanks for the offering during the Prayers of God’s People.
A Note about the prelude piece, Adoration: Florence B. Price (1887-1953) was an African American woman and a prolific composer of high quality keyboard, symphonic, and vocal music works that were only published long after her death, in the last 20 years.
YouTube Link: https://youtube.com/live/_8qMdqXAQZc?feature=share
Land Acknowledgement compiled by Florence Schloneger from words by Mark Charles and VT #878
As we do on a 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.
There will be an orientation for new commission, board, and committee members Sunday, June 18, during the Sunday School hour, in the Fellowship Hall. Continuing members of groups need not attend this orientation, although all those interested are welcome.
This Week at BCMC: June 18-25, 2023
Sun, June 11, 2023
9:30 a.m. Worship YouTube Link for this Sunday is:
https://youtube.com/live/_8qMdqXAQZc?feature=share
The church nursery is staffed during worship and Sunday School
10:45 a.m. Faith Formation—High School (Room 24) Adult Classes: Agape Class meets in the nursery; Catacombs (Rm B5) ; Fellowship (B7); Fine Arts (Rm 22); Issues and Christianity (Rm 23); Open Circle (Room 21) Seekers (Rm 28)
Mon., June 19, 2023—Juneteenth is a holiday for the church staff; building will be locked and office will be closed
Tue., June 20, 2023
11 a.m. Staff meeting in Room 14
Wed., June 21, 2023
7 p.m. Senior High Youth Group
Thurs., June 22, 2023
3:30 p.m. Bethel College Women’s Association Executive Group meets in Fellowship Hall
7 p.m. Deacon Commission meets in Room 14
7 p.m. Hospitality Commission meets in Fellowship Hall
Sun., June 25, 2023
9:30 a.m. Worship with sermon by Nathan Koontz; June birthday recognition
3 p.m. Program in Fellowship Hall with John Stoesz. John Stoesz will talk about the “Repair Network Project” in Mountain Lake, MN
Pastor Nathan Koontz will be on vacation June 19-24.
Congregational Care Coordinator Elizabeth Schmidt will be on vacation June 24-30.
Roger’s Whereabouts : Roger will be returning to Topeka this afternoon, June 18. He will be back at BCMC next Sunday, June 25, for worship and to attend the Casa Betania 15th Anniversary Celebration at First Mennonite Church. He will stay for the regular BCMC staff meeting on Monday, then drive back to Topeka Monday afternoon, June 26. Roger checks his email and phone messages regularly for messages, so feel free to contact him via email or text while he is in Topeka.
Care Connections Opportunity: Volunteers are needed to provide transportation for BCMCers to medical appointments, including appointments in Wichita. If you’re available and can provide loving care for one another in this way at this time, please call Elizabeth at the church office, or send an email to elizabeth@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org. “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35 ESV)
BCMC Pride Month Activities
June is Pride month for LGBTQIA persons and our church plans to celebrate and raise awareness for those who identify as LGBTQIA in the following ways.
-Pride banners are hung outside our church building during the month of June. Thanks to Oscar Gonzalez, Graphic Design Coordinator at Bethel College, for his design!
-Nathan Koontz of BCMC represented the local Supportive Communities Network (SCN) during worship at Faith Mennonite as they celebrated joining SCN. SCN is part of the Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests. Local SCN congregations include BCMC, Shalom, New Creation, and Lorraine Avenue.
-This month the Bethel College Mennonite Church Inclusion Task Group sent a letter to the Mennonite Central Committee encouraging them to eliminate their discriminatory policies towards LGBTQIA persons. If you would like to learn more about MCC’s lifestyle policy (HR 152) and our letter, please contact Karen Ediger, John Kliewer, Nathan Koontz, or Karen Penner of the Inclusion Task Group.
-The congregation is invited to join in various Wichita Pride activities throughout the month of June. Go to the wichitapride.org website for more details. Of special note is the Pride Parade on June 25. The route will begin at the Old Courthouse and end at Century II.
THE premier handbell choir Rezound! out of Kansas City will be performing June 18, 7 p.m. at Calvary United Methodist Church, 2525 N. Rock Rd., Wichita.
Casa Betania’s 15th Anniversary
CASA BETANIA is inviting people from sister congregations to a 15th anniversary service on Sunday, June 25, at 4:00 p.m. in the First Mennonite sanctuary where Casa Betania worships. After the service there will be a time of fellowship with a meal. Casa Betania will provide the main dishes and an anniversary cake. Guests do not need to bring food, but those who would like to bring something are welcome to share a salad or fruit.
Congratulations to BCMC, May was a great month financially! For the 2nd consecutive month we have had a positive monetary balance. With continued effort in June, we will enter the 2nd half of the year in a strong financial position. Finance Committee
BCMC Offering for June 4, 2023: General Fund $4,032.33; Living Stones $200.
June 11, 2023: General Fund $6,040; Caring Fund $250; Living Stones $250; Esther Thieszen Memorial $150; Kitchen Fund $17.
Children and Youth of BCMC: Read a book. Earn a Book. This summer, you can earn a book for the New Hope Shelter for each book checked out, read, and returned. Visit the table outside the door to the children’s room of the BCMC church library for more information. The challenge is to fill a whole shelf of books for homeless children and youth.
The Library Theme for June and July are Library Committee suggestions for Everybody/Junior books for the summer reading contest. As has already been noted, this contest is for any student who checks out a book from our library, reads it independently, reads it with someone or someone reads it to a student, and then returns it. We are excited to see how many books will be purchased for New Hope Shelter. —The Library Committee
MCC School Kit Challenge: Notebooks and pencils are treasures for families around the world who have been forced to flee their homes or struggle to afford basic school supplies. Without these items, many kids in places like Syria, Ukraine and South Sudan can’t get the education they desperately need. Enter, the School Kit Challenge: 10,000 school kits to help 10,000 kids during the month of August. Plus, we’ve got a fun activity for Sunday School and VBS students! Download our free School Kit Challenge activity resource full of challenges for kids to learn how school supplies help children receive a tangible message of God’s love. To learn more about this challenge and to download this free guide, visit mcc.org/school-kit-challenge.
Kauffman Museum is offering an intergenerational Uncle Carl’s Camp called “Pottery Possibilities,” July 10-14 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on the Bethel campus. Campers will start with hand-building before throwing on potter’s wheels, and wrap up the week with glazing and an outdoor firing (weather permitting). Completed artwork may be picked up at a later date. No previous experience is required. To sign up or to explore other Uncle Carl’s Camp offerings, stop by Kauffman Museum (27th & North Main, North Newton) to pick up a brochure or visit https://kauffmanmuseum.org/uncle-carls-camp/
A Gift for You–The WDC Resource Library summer reading program for all ages includes a gift for you. Stop by the library from May 30-August 10 to pick out a wrapped package and a response sheet or request one be mailed to you. The book/DVD/resource inside is yours to keep. Fill out a response sheet and return to the library for a ticket into the prize drawing (gift cards for teens/adults and a prize bag for kids). The WDC Resource Library is located at 2517 N Main in North Newton. For questions and mailing requests, email crlib@mennowdc.org
You are invitied to the Harvey County Circle of Hope Graduation, Tue., June 20, at the First United Methodist Church, 801 N. Main, Newton. Dinner is 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and the Graduation Ceremony is 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare is available. Come see how your gift to Circle of Hope impacts lives throughout our community.
Are you looking for a meaningful volunteer opportunity? New Hope Shelter would happily welcome you. BCMC needs to send 2 volunteers every evening for a week every 9 weeks, and you would be asked if you could serve one of those evenings. But a commitment every 9 weeks is not required. There is a volunteer training June 15 at 7:30. Please contact Valetta Seymour if you are interested or have questions: seymour2314@gmail.com or 620-217-7536. There will be refresher volunteer training on June 22 at 7:30 for those who want to brush up on their volunteer knowledge.
Current donation needs for New Hope:
Lunch meat, sliced cheese, Miracle Whip, salad dressings, milk, pancake syrup, peanut butter and jelly. Paper towels, napkins, toilet paper, saran wrap, sandwich bags, masking tape.
To: WDC church members and friends:
Join us for the WDC Annual Assembly! It’s not just for church leaders! It’s for everybody! August 11-13, 2023 at Tabor Mennonite Church, Newton, KS, we’ll worship, work, eat great, local food, enjoy local music, connect with new and old friends, experience faith formation for all ages, and have many choices of great workshops. We hope you’ll agree Annual Assembly is a great place to learn about and grow in faith in Christ, care for the broader church, and worship our God of love and justice with God’s people in Western District Conference!
Assembly Theme: We will explore listening to God and to each other through our theme, “Holy (Wholly) Listening.” We will stretch ourselves to listen carefully to one another as siblings in Christ who understand scripture differently and can widen our cultural, racial, and identity perspectives as we focus on faith in Christ together. As we hear the concerns and joys of all of us in Western District Conference, we will explore what it means to respond to one another with God’s mercy and justice. Our scripture texts that will guide us are Isaiah 51:1-8 and Numbers 27:1-11.
Two Tracks: This year we’ll have two different “tracks” going on at the same time. The Delegate Track is for those who are sent to Assembly as church representatives to help make decisions on behalf of our conference. The Faith Formation Track is for everybody else (except kids 3 and under). MennoMedia representatives will lead adults, youth, and school aged kids in a fun, creative multigenerational faith formation experience. Yes, there will be games, art, drama, music, bible stories, conversation and more for all ages together! Don’t want to join an active game? Are you wiggly and want more action? There will be fun options and choices available as we learn about following Jesus together. We hope that this experience will encourage you to bring “multigenerational faith formation” home to your congregation as a model to explore.
In-Person Registration is all-inclusive (except for housing)! Your adult registration of $95 includes Saturday continental breakfast, lunch, BBQ supper and snacks, as well as access to workshops, worship and the delegate session or multigenerational faith formation. (If you are a credentialed minister or minister’s immediate family, it includes Friday Appreciation Banquet, too.) Children’s registration (ages 4 to 12) is $45 each. There are scholarships available for those with limited resources. Email wdc@mennowdc.org to request a scholarship.
Assembly Housing Options: Hotel Option: Use the link: https://www.choicehotels.com/groups and type in Group Code: GS27W7 to reserve a room in our reserved block at Comfort Inn and Suites, 1205 E 1st St, Newton, KS 67114, to get the Assembly discount. In-home option: If you would like to be paired with a local family for an in-home stay, please mark that on your registration. If you are willing to host people in your home, please mark that on your registration form. You are also welcome to make your own housing arrangements. If so, please mark that on your registration form.
Virtual Registration of $40 each gives you access to all worship services, virtual or hybrid workshops, and the delegate sessions with Spanish and English interpretation. If your congregation plans to host a “watch party” with everyone joining on one device, please consider sending a group donation (suggestion: $300/group). (virtual delegates must each have their own device). Thank you.
For more assembly information visit: https://mennowdc.org/2023-wdc-annual-assembly/
REGISTRATION is now OPEN! REGISTER HERE
| Western District Conference invites you to visit our website to read the latest news, stories and announcements |
Staff position opening: Western District Conference seeks a quarter-time Fund Development Coordinator beginning July 2023 to cultivate donor relationships and congregational giving, promote planned giving, and generate creative fundraising initiatives. Qualifications include communication, fund-raising and development skills. Position description and application form at https://mennowdc.org/employment/. Please submit application and letter of interest to heidirk@mennowdc.org.
Staff position opening: Western District Conference seeks a half-time Business Manager beginning July 10, at WDC’s North Newton, KS, office (some remote work possible). Responsibilities include financial management, bookkeeping, reporting and payroll. Qualifications include organizational, computer and communication skills, bookkeeping or accounting experience, and willingness to support WDC’s mission and priorities. For position description and application form, see https://mennowdc.org/employment/. Interested applicants please submit application form and letter of interest to the Conference Minister at heidirk@mennowdc.org.
For Mennonite Central Committee In Touch press
For Mennonite Mission Network News and Beyond press hereFor another issue of Mennonite Mission Network News and Beyond press here
For Mennonite Men “Engage” press here
For Mennonite Creation Care Network press here
For Anabaptist Disabilities Network press here
For Anabaptist Disabilities Network Newsletter “Connections” press here
Mennonite Church USA Announcements
#BeTransformed
When Seattle Mennonite Church (SMC) purchased a house in what a member of the church property team described as “a pretty undesirable part of town” about 45 years ago, the Mennonite Church USA congregation never dreamed it would accrue a worth of $2 million. But that’s what happened – and they gave the house away, no strings attached. Read the story here: mennoniteusa.org/news/seattle-redistribution
Menno Snapshots
Melanie Springer Mock, author of “Finding Our Way Forward: When the Children We Love Become Adults,” reflects on her experience releasing her sons into adulthood in her recent Menno Snapshots blog. Her book is the CommonRead selection for April-June. CommonRead is an initiative of MennoMedia and Mennonite Church USA Executive Board. Read Springer Mock’s blog here: mennoniteusa.org/finding-way-forward
As part of Mennonite Church USA’s “I choose to be Mennonite because …” blog series, Nathan Perrin, an emerging writer and pastor of Christian formation, Lombard (Illinois) Mennonite Church, shares about his experience reconciling his Quaker background and his Anabaptist theology here: mennoniteusa.org/friendly-mennonite
“Whether you call them actions, traditions or rituals, congregations, much like nuclear families, have ways of celebrating, mourning or remembering together that act as treasured ways of being family,” reflects Leslie James of Hope Mennonite Church. Read more about how Hope Mennonite Church honored their late pastor in her blog: mennoniteusa.org/beyond-words
Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: Mennonite Mission Network requests prayer for Robin Gingerich, who has served in administrative and academic capacities at LCC International University in Lithuania since 2001. Pray for her as she builds relationships with students, faculty and staff from around the world.
Western District Conference Prayer Request: Pray for pastoral candidates, and for pastoral search committees in WDC congregations, as they discern the guidance of the Holy Spirit for future ministerial leadership.