Based on CDC Guidelines Harvey County is in red status indicating high risk for COVID. To care for each other we require that we wear masks at BCMC while in the presence of others in the church building and in worship. While the county is in red status we will not have coffee fellowship time. This is reviewed weekly and will be adjusted accordingly; check your emails from BCMC.
The Memorial Service for Jim Gaeddert is Saturday, July 23, 3 pm, at BCMC —you are invited to attend in person or by live-stream. You can go to the BCMC website for the live stream or click on this link: https://youtu.be/Vgce5HDAVuw
This Week at BCMC: July 24—31, 2022
Sunday, July 24—Live stream (YouTube) link for this Sunday is:
https://youtu.be/huGKrwojS3s
10:30 am Faith Formation—Visitors welcome!
Adult Classes (If meeting): Agape Class (Rm B8) Bible Study (Rm 14); Catacombs (Rm B5); Fellowship (B7); Fine Arts (Rm 22); Issues and Christianity (Rm 23);
Mosaic (Rm 20); Open Circle (Room 21); Seekers (Rm 28);
Sojourners (Chapel)
Monday, July 25
10 am Library Committee meeting in the library
Sunday, July 31
9:30 am Worship with sermon by Nathan Koontz
10:15 am Fellowship Time with coffee and water served in the
Gathering Place
10:30 am Faith Formation—Visitors welcome!
BCMC July 17 Offering: General Fund $9,212; Plant Fund $120; Living Stones $1,088.33; Kitchen Fund (Coffee) $14.
BCMC Budget Update: For June 2022, income was $35,070 and expenses were $39,637. For the year-to-date, income is $211,450 and expenses are $254,017. – The Finance Committee
Adam, Jill, Al, Nadine, Jake, and Gabby would like to invite the BCMC congregation to the Robb house (193 20th Ave., Moundridge – two miles west of the blinking light, then turn south) on Sunday, July 24 at 6 PM for a wiener roast and social time! We’ll provide the hotdogs and fixins, along with chips and beverages, and hope that you can join us in fellowship. If you come, and would like to bring a side or dessert, please feel free to – but nothing is required! We will also have a few chairs, but would ask that if you have your own, that you bring those. And, if you’ll be able to join us, please let us know (email Adam and Jill at adamandjillrobb@gmail.com or catch us in church) by Thursday, July 21 so that we can plan accordingly to make sure there are enough supplies! We look forward to hopefully seeing you for some fellowship in the Moundridge countryside! The weather will be hot on Sunday, so both indoor and outdoor seating spaces will be available for guests!
The Abuse Prevention and Response Committee will take the months of July and part of August to read the book, #Church Too. On Sunday August 21 will be spent sharing reactions to the book, and on August 28 guiding questions will be used to help us discuss how we as a congregation can use the information from the book to help us create a healthy culture around sexuality at BCMC that supports survivors, our children/youth and ourselves. The book can be purchased through Amazon, requested through Faith and Life bookstore, or your favorite local independent bookstore of your choice. If demand is high we will pivot and figure out a way to have copies available in the church office for purchase. – Jill Robb, APRC chair
Update from the Church Board:
BCMC is in a time of transition, an “in-between” time of waiting and working in the boundary between what was and what will be. These times are rich with possibility for new understanding of our past and current status and for re-envisioning and planning our future. The following are updates on Church Board work during these transitional times:
Credence and Company Consultants:
BCMC has contracted with Credence to help us assess congregational strengths and challenges and review our current leadership structures as we consider the future with new pastors. A congregational survey has been completed. The consultants are currently in the process of interviewing 35 individual members of the congregation, gathering additional information from outside sources, and analyzing survey results. A preliminary report for congregational feedback will be shared with the congregation on a Sunday morning sometime in September or October. The final report will be completed before Advent. The reference group of David Linscheid, Lois Preheim, Megan Kohlman, Ada Schmidt-Tieszen, and Todd Schlosser has been offering feedback to the consultants. Thank you for taking on this important work!
The letter from the BCMC Church Board expressing affirmation and encouragement to denominational leadership at Mennonite Church USA regarding the recent approval of the Resolution for Repentance and Transformation at the Special Delegate Assembly at the end of May will be underneath the balcony at the back of the church on Sunday, July 24. Denomination leadership is hearing from various perspectives in the wake of this resolution. We want them to know that we are filled with hope and gratitude for our denomination moving forward toward healing and repair, and toward equity and justice, despite the hard work ahead.
If you are interested in signing this letter come to the back of the sanctuary on Sunday. Thanks from the Inclusion Task Group,
Megan Kohlman, Karen Ediger, Karen Penner, John Kliewer, & Nathan Koontz
New Task Group:
The Church Board has approved the formation of a task group to lead the church in finding ways for our congregation to move beyond land acknowledgement to tangible actions seeking justice for the harms which Indigenous peoples have suffered and continue to suffer today. We will discuss joining the Repair Network of Mennonite congregations for education, solidarity and reparative action alongside Indigenous peoples. The first action of the BCMC task group will be to help support MCC’s “Loss of Turtle Island” experience for members of our congregation. If you would like to join the task group, contact Nathan Koontz or Ada Schmidt-Tieszen. Raylene Hinz-Penner will convene the task group.
Bethel College Connections:
We continue our outreach to Bethel College, our sister institution. The Church Board has chosen to again invite new students to attend our service on August 14 as part of their orientation. We will welcome 100 or more students from many parts of the country and world. Masks will be required for all on that day. Look for announcements about a possible coffee reception for students after the service. Fall Fest Sunday will again be held in our church building on October 9
Welcome to Riley King who will begin this fall as our Chancel Choir Director! Singers from high school age on up are invited to join the choir when rehearsals begin this fall.
Faith Formation Staff Positions and Survey
Two quarter time staff positions are open to help ease the load of Faith Formation in the wake of Pastor Renee’s departure. The Youth Coordinator is primarily responsible for the high school youth group. The Faith Formation Coordinator is responsible for coordinating children and youth Sunday School and Wednesday evening programming for children up to high school age. These positions will go through the end of the school year. These positions could be combined into one half time position for the right candidate. If you or someone you know might be interested, please contact Kathy Stucky at kathystucky57@yahoo.com. The full job descriptions are attached at the bottom of this email.
For Faith Formation Coordinator Description click here
For Youth Coordinator Description click here
Faith Formation would like for everyone to fill out a short survey regarding interest in attending an intergenerational Sunday School class this coming school year with our children and youth. We are looking for adults who are interested in joining the class for one month out of the year. Please take a look at the survey and see if any of the areas of opportunity to help will interest you.
https://forms.gle/v5q4uWeY4XE8w6vX7
Assistant Treasurer Transitions:
Over the last months there have been several transitions in the volunteer role of assistant treasurer, an important position appointed by the Board. It is with deep gratitude that we recognize and thank Nancy Hilty and Lois Goertzen for their competence, dedication, and long service in this role. The Church Board was pleased to approve Mary Ann Boschman and Bonnie Epp as our new assistant treasurers and recognize and thank Richard Friesen for his ongoing work as a volunteer assistant treasurer who manages software that tracks congregational giving, produces quarterly contribution reports, helps analyze giving patterns, and trains new assistant treasurers. Thanks to all these invaluable volunteers!
Reopening Task Group—Release and Thanks! The church board voted to release the Reopening Task Group from their duties. We owe a huge thank you to the group for steering our congregation through the last several years with consistency and wisdom! We recognize that Covid is not gone, but at this time Covid management will become decentralized with commissions and committees managing Covid precautions and decisions for events and activities in their charge. Individuals are expected to take whatever precautions each deems appropriate. The church will continue to livestream services for those who choose to view services from home. Masks will be available for in-person worship and events.
The Library theme for June and July is Caldecott and John Newbery Award Winners. We have many of these award winning books that would be of interest to both adults and children. We are also continuing to accept and sell puzzles. Not only are they on the cart, but also below the new book section on the west wall. Just leave a suggested donation of $5 in the envelope and enjoy. We have a long list of books that we would like to add to our collection and this is a great way to support our efforts.
The Library Committee has processed almost 20 new books, 10 of them purchased and donated by The Abuse Prevention and Response Committee. The APRC books can be found on the Pastor’s Corner shelf which is now located on the west wall with the other recent purchases. Another new purchase is “The Land Is Not Empty” by Sarah Augustine which was recommended by the Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery group. Please stop by and see what we have to offer and continue to browse and donate from our puzzle collection.—The
Library Committee
The 2022 issue of Mennonite Life, Bethel College’s annual online journal, is now live at ml.bethelks.edu, with articles and reviews by Daniel Shank Cruz, Chris Dick, June Mears Driedger, Susan Kennel Harrison, Raylene Hinz-Penner, Gordon Houser, Reinhild K. Janzen, Gayle Gerber Koontz, Steve Nolt, Rachel Pannabecker, Karen Reimer, Ben Woodward-Breckbill and Melanie Zuercher.
Life Enrichment returns to Bethel College with the start of the fall 2022 semester – but It will be on a different day. Life Enrichment resumes Thursday, Aug. 25, and will be on Thursdays thereafter. Place and time remain the same: Krehbiel Auditorium, 9:30 am. See https://www.bethelks.edu/academics/convocation-lectures/life-enrichment for more information.
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!
Colorado peaches are back! Place your order for fresh Colorado peaches, $27 for 10 lb. box and $38 for 18 lb. box by calling Mennonite Central Committee at 316-283-2720 or emailing patsydirksen@mcc.org. Peaches must be ordered and paid for by July 25. The peaches are offered as a fundraiser for the Colorado MCC Relief Sale, please make payment by check to Beth-El Mennonite Church with “peaches” in the memo line. Generous volunteers Jerry and Leann Toews will bring the peaches from Colorado to MCC in North Newton for you to pick-up around August 22.
WDC Final Thursday Book Discussion July 28: When a near-fatal illness led his doctors to prescribe narcotics, Timothy McMahan King ended up as millions of others have: addicted. Join us in reading and discussing King’s book Addiction Nation which “nudges us toward healing from the ravages of addiction and draws us toward a spirituality studied enough to sate our deepest longings.” Discussion: July 28, @ 7:00pm via Zoom. Register: email the library at crlib@mennowdc.org
Fall Book Study on Healing Haunted Histories Sept. 8-Dec. 1, 2022
Elaine Enns, co-author of Healing Haunted Histories: A Settler Discipleship of Decolonization, will be leading an online, intensive book study this fall for the Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery Coalition. Two-hour sessions will be every other Thursday, 6-8 pm Central Time, on Sept 8 and 22, Oct 6 and 20, Nov 3 and 17, and Dec 1. This book encourages personal and collective work toward decolonization. It asks those of us who are settlers, immigrants and displaced peoples to do our own pre-work of integrating our ancestral stories, so we can see more clearly and show up in solidarity with Indigenous peoples. There is a suggested donation of $150-$250 for the online book study. Scholarships are available. Register here by August 1.
Note to Western District Conference members: You are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity and register for the Healing Haunted Histories book study! If you do so, please inform the WDC office at wdc@mennowdc.org or 316-283-6300. This will allow us to facilitate networking between WDC participants, and plan for further engagement with Elaine Enns within the WDC context, as follow-up to the book study. If you seek some financial support to help meet expenses for the book study, please inform WDC. Requests for assistance will be considered by the WDC Resource Commission at their next meeting in September.
Bluestem U, a lifelong learning program for individuals age 55 and better, is enrolling now for its first semester that will begin in September. The fall 2022 semester will feature three courses hosted by Hesston College and Schowalter Villa – “Prairie Landscaping 101” taught by Brad Guhr, “Happy Habits from Positive Psychology” taught by Kevin Wilder, and “Buggies, Bonnets and Boundaries: A Study of Amish Faith, Life and Culture” taught by John Sharp. Each course is $50. For more information and registration, go to bluestemu.org or call 316-836-4846. Bluestem U is a partnership between Bluestem Communities, Bethel College and Hesston College.
Camp Mennoscah Announcements
Camp Sing on Saturday, August 6, at 2:30pm at Hope Mennonite Church in Wichita! Camp Mennoscah will be celebrating a wonderful summer through song! Everyone is invited to come and sing camp songs (both “traditional” ones from across the years and newer Praise & Worship ones). The final details are yet to be determined, but there will be soda pop–generic or otherwise! Put it on your calendar and come be part of the fun!
Other events and happenings:
- Work & Play Day on August 20! Camp Mennoscah has projects to complete and plenty to do after a busy, fun summer. You are invited to be part of this camping ministry through fellowship and service! Projects for all ages and weather are available. Let us know you’re coming so we can be prepared for you! Bring your lunch and a water bottle. The day will start at 8:30 at the maintenance shed. End your day with a leisurely kayak ride or stroll to the sandbar. Contact Olivia at 620-297-3290 or olivia.bartel@campmennoscah.org to sign up. Want to volunteer either before or after August 20? Give us a call!
- Pardon the Mess! Camp Mennoscah is cleaning out and organizing maintenance sheds and other buildings. Items in the front “yard” will slowly find new homes. Thank you for your understanding!
- Groups are invited to set their own precautions based on the comfort level of their group. Please note the RV electrical hookups are not available due to safety concerns.
- Camp staff work hours vary depending on scheduled events for the week. The office assistant also works part-time from home. (Whenever a group is at camp, a staff person will be on duty.) Thank you for understanding! We will be in touch as soon as possible.
For Mennonite Mission Network News and Beyond click here
For Mennonite Mission Network webinar click here
This webinar series is with Minister Al Motley Jr., aka rapper Iz-Real, July 27-29 – a 3 day event from 12 to 1 pm ET. He will share about his spiritual journey, offer inspiration, and talk about how to get involved, explore leadership development, and engage in Mission Network service opportunities.
For Mennonite Disaster Service On the Level click
here
Mennonite Mission Network Announcements
This week, please pray for Western District Conference congregations as they gather for their annual delegate assembly on July 29-31.
Learn, Pray, Join: Welcoming EveryBODY
What if we celebrated our wounded bodies — scars, wrinkles, prosthetics and all? Erica Lea-Simka questions if we would look at Jesus, and ourselves, differently if we celebrated his wounds, abilities and disabilities. Her blog is part of Mennonite Church USA’s “Learn, Pray, Join: Welcoming EveryBODY” initiative. Read it here: mennoniteusa.org/bending-stretching
Menno Snapshots
The effects of the Doctrine of Discovery (DoD) are far-reaching. Because of the DoD, Indigenous people’s lands have been stolen, polluted and destroyed for centuries. In her blog, “The land is not empty,” author Sarah Augustine calls on all of us in Mennonite Church USA to join her in fighting against the DoD. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/not-empty
Delegate Assembly
John L. Rush has a passion for justice and has spent most of his life working in prison ministry. Read why the “For Justice in the Criminal Legal System” resolution, which has been adopted for denominational study, is so important to him in his blog, “One response to the MC USA ‘For Justice’ Resolution.” mennoniteusa.org/response-justice-resolution
Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: Alisha and Josh Garber, serving with Mennonite Mission Network, are currently based in Phoenix, Arizona, where they are engaged in North American ministry. Pray for a time of spiritual and physical renewal, as the Garbers visit family, friends and supporting congregations. Pray for them, also, as they discern what God is calling them to next.
Western District Conference Prayer Request: Pray for the WDC Annual Assembly next weekend at Camp Copass near Denton, TX, that in this gathering God will encourage and strengthen WDC congregations through the assembly theme, “United in Purpose, Together in Love.”
