Announcements for October 8-15, 2023 - Bethel College Mennonite Church

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH WORSHIP AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR OCTOBER 8, 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/eYXvKvqVEtA?feature=share

Bethel College Mennonite Church
October 8, 2023

Prelude—Karen Unruh, Keyboard
A Gift to be Simple (Emilin)—Chancel Bells; Verlene Garber, director

Christ Candle Lighting

Welcome and Prayer—Doug Siemens

*Hymn—Like a Mother Who Has Borne Us—verses 1,2,4—VT 518

Child Dedication—Eliza Sarah Tschetter—daughter of Rebecca and Aaron Tschetter and sister of Theodore Alden Tschetter—VT 971

Children’s Conversation—Carol Flickinger

Worship Music—Take it to the Lord (Eithun)—Chancel Bells

Scripture Reading—Deuteronomy 6:1-9, 20-25; Mark 2:13-22—Bill Swartley and Naomi Krause

Sermon—A Curious People—Roger Neufeld Smith

*Hymn—Renew Your Church—VT 717

Prayers of God’s People

*Hymn—Siyahamba (We Are Marching—VT 793

Benediction

Postlude—Karen Unruh, Keyboard

Audio-visual—Francis Toews

THIS SATURDAY: Hear some Wild Words at Kauffman Museum!
Aubrey Streit Krug, director of the Perennial Cultures Lab at The Land Institute, will join us at Kauffman Museum this Saturday, October 7 from 9:30-10:30 a.m to share work and wisdom from Wild Words, a project of poetry and art published by Humanities Kansas.

Aubrey will host a guided tour through Kauffman Museum’s prairie reconstruction and read her work and others. Free copies of Wild Words will be available at the event.

This is a unique opportunity to engage art and its subject—the prairie—simultaneously. Don’t miss it!

This Week at BCMC: October 8—15, 2023
Sun., October 8, 2023
9:30 a.m.   Worship YouTube Link for this Sunday:
https://youtube.com/live/eYXvKvqVEtA?feature=share

The church nursery is staffed during worship and Sunday School
10:45 am Faith Formation—Intergenerational class meets in Fellowship Hall;   High School – Room 24    Adult Classes: Agape Class meets in the nursery; Bible Study (Rm 14); Catacombs (Rm B5); Fellowship (B7); Fine Arts (Rm 22); Issues and Christianity (Rm 23); Open Circle (Room 21) Seekers (Rm 28)

Tues., October 10, 2023
9 a.m.        Women’s Fellowship Executive meeting in Room 14
12 p.m.      Mid-Kansas Investment Club meeting in Fellowship Hall
5 p.m.        Faith Formation Commission meeting in Fellowship Hall
Wed., October 11, 2023—Wednesday Night Suppers Start
10:30 a.m. New member orientation in Room 14
5:30 p.m.   Wednesday night supper in Fellowship Hall—Menu is: Chicken &
                    Noodles, peas, Cherry crunch dessert—Please sign up—see below
6:30 p.m.   Program in Fellowship Hall by the BCMC Task Group for Indigenous
                    Justice Discussion on “Land Stewardship”
7 p.m.         Youth Group meeting
7:30 p.m.   Chancel Choir Rehearsal in the Sanctuary Chancel area
Thurs., October 12, 2023
6:30 p.m.   Chancel Bell rehearsal in Room B7
Sun., October 15, 2023—Fall Fest Sunday
10 a.m.       Note the change of time for worship this Fall Fest Sunday; You are invited to a reception in Fellowship Hall following the service with coffee, water, and cookies. There is no Sunday School October 15.

At 6:30 on Wednesday evening, October 11 after the first fall supper at 5:30 the Task Group for Indigenous Justice will host a discussion on land stewardship, options that address inherited agricultural land, ideas for ways inherited land might serve restorative justice projects.  We have asked several people to present brief lead-off ideas or models, but we envision our time together as a discussion to stimulate our thinking and ask questions. Come join our discussion.

It’s Supper Time at BCMC!  Oct. 11, 5:30 p.m., in Fellowship Hall. The cooks would like an idea of how much food to make so we are asking you to make reservations for supper by completing this form and placing it in the offering plate or emailing the office by Mon., Oct. 9. Cost is $6/person or $18/family per meal. To facilitate the clean-up, please bring your own table service. Menu for Oct. 11 is Chicken & Noodles, Peas, and Cherry Crunch Dessert
Email the office to tell the BCMC Wednesday night cooks how many of you will be attending:  office@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org

Roger’s Whereabouts : Roger will be driving back to Newton on Sunday (10/8). He will be back in Newton on Thursday, October 19. Whether he’s in Newton or Topeka, Roger checks his email and phone regularly, so feel free to contact him via email, text or phone call (785-220-1968).

BCMC Offering for October 1, 2023: General Fund $5,137; Plant Fund $100; Caring Fund $40; Kitchen Fund $8.25; Patty Shelly Memorial $250.

We offer sympathy to RuthAnn Hiebert on the death of RuthAnn’s sister, Elsie Louise Dickerson, Malad, Idaho, Sept. 28. The memorial service for Elsie was Oct. 9 in Malad.

Creation Care Challenge
Most of us are aware of the dangers that plastic bags are doing to our environment. So, let’s take a challenge to address that issue. We are encouraging everyone to participate in collecting clean plastic bags for recycling. These bags can be delivered to BCMC and placed in a receptacle in the south entrance. Our goal is to collect 1,000 pounds in one year with a reward of a composite bench made from plastic. Please combine smaller bags into a larger bag rather than dropping in separate bags.

Our Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Meat Canning dates are October 24 and 25 (Tuesday and Wednesday.) Make checks out to BCMC with “MCC Meat Canning” in the memo line. We also need volunteers to help with the canning. Here’s the link to pass around for meat canning volunteers:

https://tinyurl.com/MeatCanning2023

If your church can provide breakfast items for the volunteers–or supper for the traveling MCC canner operators–please also sign up at this one:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A094AACA828A5F49-44345631-food

If this doesn’t work, just show up—they’ll probably need you. Let’s help feed the hungry people in our world!
—Lowell Stucky, BCMC Meating Canning Representative

Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale QUILTER’S CORNER FALL SALE – Oct. 13-14, Fri. 9-5 and Sat. 9-3, at Mennonite Central Committee, 121 E. 30th St., North Newton. There will be lots of great quilt-related items available for purchase with all the proceeds going to the work of Mennonite Central Committee. Questions? Contact Rose at 316-288-0079 or Ann at 919-604-3282

No Life Enrichment October 11 due to Fall Festival.

Kidron Bethel Village will host its annual Country Breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m., Sat., Oct. 14, in Kidron Hall (3001 Ivy Dr., North Newton). Enjoy pancakes, sausage, eggs, coffee and orange juice by donation. Proceeds benefit the Health Care Benevolent Fund, a ministry of Kidron Bethel Village, assisting residents who are unable to cover the full cost of their care.

Camp Mennoscah Announcements

The dam will be taken out on Sunday, October 8, at 2:30pm, whatever the weather may be, unless deemed dangerous. Meet down by the shelter. Helpers and spectators are welcome. Helping is not for the youngest ages due to the heavy planks and rushing water, but all are welcome to watch the activities. Planks will need to be scraped and pressure-washed once removed. Many hands are welcome!

Other events and happenings:

Camp Mennoscah will be at Bethel College’s Fall Fest on October 14! Put it on your calendar and come say hi!
The Fall Scrapbook and Crafts Retreats will be moving to the Retreat Center. All activities and lodging will be in the Retreat Center. HVAC renovations have not taken place, yet, so space heaters will still be used. The Retreat Center is better insulated and will offer a more comfortable temperature than the dining hall. Cropping and crafting will be downstairs and meals will be upstairs, so attendees need to be prepared to go up and down stairs. If you have already registered and this does not work for you, contact us at 620-297-3290. Register now and bring your friends!

Bethel College Announcements
(Sun., Oct. 8) and Mon., Oct. 9 – Staley Lectures at Bethel College: Fernando Pérez and Rebeca González, 7 p.m., Administration Building chapel, and 11 a.m., Krehbiel Auditorium in Luyken Fine Arts Center (English translation by Linda Shelly). Pérez and González are transition pastors at Iglesia Menonita Casa Betania in Newton, and executive coordinators of the Comunidad de Instituciones Teológicas Anabautistas. The focus of the pair of lectures is “The Responsibility of the Church Facing the Local Context: From a Pastoral Experience,” drawing on pastoral experience in multiple local contexts, including working with asylum seekers and families of disappeared persons. The Sunday evening lecture will be livestreamed at https://youtube.com/live/dp1S-nsXXAw?feature=share

Bethel College’s Fall Festival is Oct. 12-15, with most activities taking place Saturday, Oct. 14, on campus. Features include music, food, class reunions, football, the musical The Addams Family and two different organ performances. See https://www.bethelks.edu/alumni/events/fall-festival for the complete schedule.

Thurs., Oct. 12 – Bethel College Jazz, directed by Joel Boettger, 6 p.m. at Taste of Newton, downtown Newton.

Fri., Oct. 13, 7:30 p.m., Sat., Oct. 14, 3:30 p.m., Sun., Oct. 15, 2 p.m. – Bethel College music and theater present the musical The Addams Family during Fall Festival, Krehbiel Auditorium in Luyken Fine Arts Center. Ticket purchase required, in Thresher Shop in Schultz Student Center weekdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m., online (https://bethelks.hometownticketing.com/embed/all?depts=3) or at the door (subject to availability).

Fri., Oct. 13 – Artist reception for “Bold Color: Acrylic Paintings” and Virgil Penner, 6-8 p.m. in the Regier Art Gallery in Luyken Fine Arts Center at Bethel College. The exhibit is open through Fri., Oct. 20. Gallery hours are Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5p.m., Sun. 2-4 p.m. (extended hours: Sat., Oct. 14, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.).

Sat., Oct. 14 –Kauffman Museum October bird walk, part of Fall Fest; 8 a.m. start time in the museum parking lot at the corner of Main and 27th streets (2801 N. Main St., North Newton). Experienced birders lead a walk of 1-1.5 hours in Chisholm Park and on Sand Creek Trail (terrain is mostly wood-chip path and sometimes uneven/sloping).

Sat., Oct. 14 – Bethel College Organ Recital Series presents a concert with 7 organ alumni and Shirley Sprunger King, 2:30 p.m., Administration Building chapel (part of Fall Festival). Organists are Donna Hetrick, Greta Hiebert, Rosi Penner Kaufman, Heidi Regier Kreider, Christopher Shaw, Karen Schmidt Unruh and Chelsea Vaught.

Sat., Oct. 14 – Fall Fest programs at Kauffman Museum, all in the museum auditorium: 10:30 a.m., “The Organ at Home,” Rosi Penner Kaufman and Donna Hetrick play the Teschemacher cabinet organ; 2 p.m., “Land Trusts Leave a Conservation Legacy,” Jerry Jost of the Kansas Land Trust; 4 p.m., “The Bethel Bell and Brown vs. Board of Education,” Levi Goossen, attorney.

Call for volunteers – The Bethel College Alumni Association is looking for volunteers to help with Fall Festival. Shifts are 1.5-2 hours long and need to be filled on Saturday, Oct. 14, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Contact Brad Schmidt at 316-285-5252 or bschmidt@bethelks.edu, or use the following online forms: burger booth, Fall Fest: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E44AFAF22A1FDCF8-burger1; verenike booth, Fall Fest: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E44AFAF22A1FDCF8-verenike2

Bethel College Women’s Association welcomes donations of baked goods for Market-in-the-Round and pies for Pie-by-the-Slice at Fall Festival. Bring homemade fruit pies, poppyseed roll, zwieback, cinnamon rolls, or other treats to room 140 in Luyken Fine Arts Center from 2-5 p.m. Fri., Oct. 13 or 7-9 a.m. Sat., Oct. 14. Questions? Email bcwa@belthelks.edu. All proceeds will benefit Bethel College.

SAVE THE DATE: Award-winning poet Julia Spicher Kasdorf will be at Bethel College Nov. 6-7, with presentations Monday during convocation and Monday evening.

Mennonite Church USA invites all congregations to deepen their understanding about the complex, intersectional issue of gun violence in the U.S. and to explore how our Anabaptist faith can inform our response. Learn more about MC USA’s “Learn, Pray, Join: End Gun Violence” initiative and upcoming webinars here: mennoniteusa.org/lpj-end-gun-violence.

Western District Conference invites you to visit our website to read the latest news, stories and announcements.

SAVE THE DATE: Oct. 29-30, Dr. Aileen Friesen from the University of Winnipeg will give the annual Menno Simons Lectures at Bethel College.

SAVE THE DATE: Award-winning poet Julia Spicher Kasdorf will be at Bethel College Nov. 6-7, with presentations Monday during convocation and Monday evening.

Mennonite Central Committee is hiring a Peace Education Coordinator. The Peace Education Coordinator leads MCC’s church education efforts nationwide in the U.S. related to peace and nonviolence. This includes peace theology, conflict transformation, and response to violence (including gun violence prevention, anti-militarism, and mass incarceration). Education efforts involve engaging MCC’s constituency on these peace-related topics by working with MCC regional staff and with denominational and other partners. Apply at mcc.org/peace-education-coordinator by October 16.

The Swiss Mennonite Cultural and Historical Association Fall banquet will be at Faith Mennonite Church, 2100 N. Anderson Ave., Thurs., Oct. 26, 6 p.m.
Speaker will be Jerry Juhnke who has been researching Swiss Volhynian Mennonite genealogy and history, with a program entitled “Interesting Happenings Over Our Last 500 Years”. An ethnic German meal will be catered by the Breadbasket. Bohne beroggi will be made by authentic Schweitzer cooks. Cost to attend is $25 per person payable at the door. RSVP by texting or calling Nancy Stucky, 620-532-5693 by October 23.

Hoffnungsau Mennonite Church, 43 13th Avenue, Inman, will hold its annual Sausage Mission Supper Sat., Oct., 21, 5– 6:30 p.m. This is a curbside pick up meal featuring our traditional menu of German sausage, mashed potatoes with gravy, creamed peas, zwiebach, applesauce and pie. This year we will have picnic tables out for anyone wanting to stay and eat their meal. Cost will be a free will offering with all proceeds going to support Camp Mennoscah M & M project. Call or text Barb (620-543-6863) or Eric (620-899-6972) to order meals.

Mennonite Healthcare Fellowship (MHF) invites healthcare providers in all disciplines, including chaplains and allied health, and all who are interested in the intersection of health and faith to our Annual Gathering at Camp Mack in Milford, Indiana October 13th-15th, 2023. The theme is: Nurturing People – Thriving as Providers in Today’s Healthcare Environment. Participants will have the opportunity to explore what it means to nurture themselves in a fast-paced healthcare climate and how Christ calls us to nurture others in our path. Keynote speakers include MHF Director Cate Desjardins presenting her research on faith-based provider resilience, and Malinda Berry, PhD, professor at AMBS. Commuter and one-day registration is available for local participants, lodging is available for those who wish to enjoy Camp Mack. More information and registration at mennohealth.org.

For Mennonite Men press here
For Mennonite Central Committee “In Touch” press here
For Anabaptist Disabilities Network press here
For Mennonite Mission Network “News and Beyond” press here

Mennonite Church USA Announcements
There’s still time to register for the Generation Z Energy and Spirit challenge! Mennonite Church USA is inviting young people to actively care for the planet through the challenge, which runs through April 2024. All high school student participants in graduating classes ’24-’27 are eligible for a $1000 grant toward tuition at one of our Mennonite colleges or universities. Two exceptional group projects will earn a cash prize of $500-$1000 for an outdoor experience. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/news/energy-challenge/

Menno Snapshots

Talitha Amadea Aho, keynote speaker for the Mennonite Church USA Youth & Young Adult Climate Summit on July 8, 2023, wrote a letter to thank the climate summit attendees and follow up on the question, “What can an introvert do about climate justice?” Read her letter here: mennoniteusa.org/climate-justice-introvert

Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: Tomorrow is Indigenous People’s Day. Pray for Mennonite congregations as they acknowledge that many Mennonites of European descent were among the first to move onto land from which Indigenous Peoples were forcibly removed. Mennonite Mission Network encourages congregations to find ways, in conversation with their Indigenous neighbors, to repair the harm done.

Western District Conference Prayer Request: Give thanks for Bethel College as it celebrates its annual Fall Festival next weekend, and pray for WDC members who are students, faculty and staff at the college.