Dedication of the Kitchen and Fellowship Hall
Sunday morning we dedicate BCMC’s newly renovated Kitchen, Fellowship Hall, and accessible family restroom. Many thanks to Annette Lamp, project coordinator, and Monica Lichti, staff liaison, who poured many hours and much energy into seeing this project to completion! Following worship today, you are welcome to tour the renovated space and enjoy refreshments on the playground. Thank you to the Hospitality Commission for the refreshments.
Church Office and Building Closed and Staff Absences
· The church office and building will be closed on July 5 in order for the staff to have a holiday (since July 4 is on a Sunday.)
· Monica Lichti will not be in the office July 2 or 6.
· Pastor Nathan Koontz will be gone from July 5 to 10.
· Pastor Renee Reimer will be attending the MC USA Convention from July 6-10.
Group Subscription Renewal Notices
Anabaptist World — If you wish to renew “Anabaptist World” with the church’s group subscription, send or bring $39.00 to the church office by June 29.
Rejoice Devotional Magazine — If you wish to renew the devotional magazine, “Rejoice” send or bring $32.10 to the church office by June 29.
Any graduates out there?! This year BCMC celebrated 5 high school graduates, but we know there are others in our community who have graduated this year too. We’d love to hear from you! Whether you graduated from high school, college, or graduate level please let us know your accomplishment. Email Renee Reimer with name, accomplishment, and school/program name at renee@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org
Summer Sunday School for Children
Outdoor Summer Sunday School for Children and Youth will take place July 4, 11, 18, and 25 on the BCMC playground. All ages are welcome as we will be playing outdoor team building games together.
Vacation Bible School
Bethel College Mennonite Church, Casa Betania, Faith Mennonite Church, First Mennonite Church, New Creation Fellowship, and Shalom Mennonite Church are hosting Vacation Bible School – Bring the Peace – this week (June 28th to July 2nd). Please pray for all the volunteers and participants participating virtually Monday to Thursday and during their in person field day on Friday, July 2nd.
BCMC Offering for June 20, 2021: General Fund $9,355; Plant Fund $200; Library Reserve Fund $28; Living Stones $85; Esther Rinner Memorial $20.
New Addresses for your BCMC Directory
- Richard and Frances Siemens, 3056 Ivy Court, Apt. 16, North Newton, KS 67117
- Tim and Bethany Schrag, 313 SE 5th Street, Newton, KS 67114
The WDC Annual Assembly Delegate Session on July 31 at 8:30-10:30 will be virtual only. BCMC is looking for 15 people to serve as delegates. If you have interest in representing our congregation, please contact Dale Schrag. Registration fees will be covered by BCMC. For more Assembly info, go to: https://mennowdc.org/2021-wdc-annual-assembly/.
Sat., July 3 – Kauffman Museum First-Saturday Bird Walk. Meet at 7 a.m. in the museum parking lot, corner of Main and 27th streets, North Newton – experienced birders will lead a walk of 1 to 1.5 hours. Please be aware this is mostly on an unpaved trail and the terrain is sometimes sloping or steep.
Fireworks Extravaganza at Kidron Bethel Village
Kidron Bethel Village will host its annual Fireworks Extravaganza on Sunday, July 4, at 3001 Ivy Drive in North Newton. There is no admission charge. Fireworks will begin after sundown, and arrival may begin at 8:30 p.m. Due to COVID precautions, the event will be scaled down from previous years and will be outdoors only, featuring just the fireworks show. Salted Creamery ice cream will be available for purchase. Organizers request physical distancing to be observed and for unvaccinated individuals to wear masks. Parking for the event will be marked. Lawn chairs are recommended for fireworks viewing, and flashlights may be helpful for navigating to and from parking areas.
WDC announcements
1. Have you noticed WDC’s website has a new look? Check it out at https://mennowdc.org. While it is still a work in progress, the refreshed website is now THE place to go for all things WDC! Beginning in July, the WDC Sprouts weekly newsletter email will be discontinued. WDC articles, announcements, and other information will be posted exclusively on the website. Email alerts will be sent to let you know when new content has been posted.
2. The WDC Annual Assembly will be held July 30-Aug 1, both virtually and at Faith Mennonite Church, 2100 North Anderson in Newton KS. Saturday, July 31 food options for persons attending onsite: Lunch: pre-order a box lunch (by July 20, please) when you fill out your Assembly registration form, or you are welcome to bring your own lunch. Supper: food trucks will offer a variety of options to purchase, or you are welcome to bring your own supper. For more Assembly info and to register, go to: https://mennowdc.org/2021-wdc-annual-assembly/
3. The WDC Annual Assembly Delegate Session on July 31 at 8:30-10:30 will be virtual only. To participate in discussions and decision-making, each delegate must have their own device – computer, smartphone or tablet. If you don’t have one, call your church, there’s probably someone who’d be willing to share theirs for two hours. For more Assembly info and to register, go to: https://mennowdc.org/2021-wdc-annual-assembly/.
4. Join in this special Annual Assembly storytelling opportunity! WDC’s Assembly theme July 30-August 1 is “Woven into God’s Story.” StoryCorps has invited WDC to partner with their storytelling project, One Small Step, to share and record our own stories within WDC. One Small Step is an initiative to facilitate conversations across differences. (Facilitators are bilingual in Spanish and English.) It’s a chance to spend time virtually with someone different than you and discover the stories behind each other’s beliefs. To join another WDC member for an online conversation, sign up at https://onesmallstep.storycorps.org/wdc/. The registration deadline is June 25 and virtual recordings will be scheduled July 28-30. For more information about One Small Step see attached flyer.
5. A/V Volunteers Needed: A hybrid Annual Assembly has lots of opportunity for you to operate sound and video equipment for an hour or more, as your schedule allows. The onsite coordinator will support your efforts. If you are interested in volunteering, please email our Assembly Coordinator, Kathy Neufeld Dunn, at kathynd@mennowdc.org with your interest? Thanks! Our Technology Coordinator will contact you with details.
6. Join others from across WDC to discuss “Why Do We Suffer and Where is God When We Do?” by Valerie G. Rempel on Thursday, June 24 at 7:00pm via Zoom. Register for the online discussion or to borrow a copy at crlib@mennowdc.org
7. The WDC Immigration Task Force invites you to join a Virtual Borderlands Learning Tour, June 28 – July 2 from 2-5 p.m. CDT each day via Zoom. Engage with the reality of immigration from a different perspective. Through virtual conversations, participants will hear first-hand from folks on the ground about the complexities of the U.S. immigration system, U.S. immigration policies that have worked to dismantle the asylum-seeking process, and the human factor on various sides of the spectrum. For more information and to register: mcc.org/gl-virtual-borderlands.
Camp Mennoscah announcements
1. Family Weekend at Camp Mennoscah on July 17-18! If you’re looking for a weekend to escape, this retreat offers a smorgasbord of camp activities for you to choose from and plenty of time to be with your family and friends. Register at campmennoscah.org and contact 620-297-3290 with questions!
2. Extra help needed for summer youth camps! Camp Mennoscah has paid and volunteer positions for grounds, maintenance and custodial positions. For college age folks, there is a weekly stipend position for a lifeguard, grounds, or custodial position. Contact Camp Mennoscah at 620-297-3290 or olivia.bartel@campmennoscah.org for details. You will make camp an amazing experience for everyone!
3. August 28 is the next Work Day at Camp Mennoscah! We’ll remind you again, but save the date. You make camp great!
Mennonite church announcements
1. Want to be an integral part of a young adult’s life? Become a unit leader for Service Adventure, a gap-year program for ages 17-20 from Mennonite Mission Network. Unit leaders, who are at least 24 years of age, serve as mentors to the young adults in the Service Adventure household. Leaders are needed in Johnstown, PA. Learn more by contacting SusanN@MennoniteMission.net.
2. Iglesia Buenas Nuevas, a Mennonite Church USA congregation in San Juan, Texas, has a long-standing history of being a welcoming, multicultural community, with Black, Latino and white congregants. Learn more about this dynamic church here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/profile-iglesia-buenas-nuevas En español: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/menoticias/iglesia-buenas-nuevas
3. Sarah Augustine, author of “The Land is Not Empty: Following Jesus in Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery,” discussed her new book in a webinar presented by Mennonite Church USA and MennoMedia. Watch the webinar recording here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/webinars/
4. What does peace have to do with Jesus? Or, maybe, what does Jesus have to do with peace? Dr. Meghan Larissa Good explores these questions in her blog, “Jesus and the Work of Peace,” and will speak on this during the July 7 worship service at MennoCon21. https://www.mennoniteusa.org/jesus-work-of-peace
5. When Maribel Ramírez Hinojosa’s parents took her, as an infant, to be baptized, they found out that the priest would not baptize Maribel unless her parents changed her name to María. Read the story of how she and her family have dealt with the repercussions of this priest’s abuse of power here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/menno-snapshots/the-story-behind-my-name/
6. Spiritual Director Jane Roeschley began this year by starting a journey with a spiritual practice called “word of the year.” In her blog, “Give Me a Word,” Roeschley opens up about this journey and how she moved from being skeptical to embracing and recommending the practice. Read more here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/menno-snapshots/give-me-a-word/
Prayers for Mennonite Education – July 2021
This is a monthly prayer resource prepared by Mennonite Education Agency (MEA), the education agency of Mennonite Church USA. These prayer requests were gathered from across Mennonite education, from early childhood – grade 12 schools, undergraduate schools, graduate schools and seminaries, and MEA’s Hispanic Ministries’ Seminary and Bible Institute (SeBAH and IBA). By partnering with these schools and helping them flourish, MEA works to strengthen the church through education. Thank you for supporting the Anabaptist-Mennonite schools through prayer.
The July 2021 Mennonite Mission Network PRAYER VINE is now available for download. The PDF is posted in theprayer resources section of our website and can also be downloaded directly by clicking the link below:
Download this month’s Prayer Vine (PDF)
Mennonite Creation Care Network E-Newsletter link
https://mailchi.mp/1fc8c4964f23/menno-creation-care-e-news-june-wider-world-edition?e=e981fb2fe8