Author Archives: Monica Lichti

January 15, 2017

Dear BCMC Members and Friends,
The forecast for weather conditions predicts “severe icing conditions” for overnight and Sunday morning.  With safety as our primary concern we are cancelling Sunday services for this Sunday, January 15.  If you know of friends who do not have email service, please call them with this information.  Stay safe and warm!

Bethel College Mennonite Church Staff

 

January 8, 2017

9:30 a.m.  Worship with sermon by Pastor John Tyson; music by Chancel Bells

10:30 a.m.  Fellowship in the Gathering Place with water, coffee, tea available

10:50 a.m.  Faith Formation — Everyone is welcome!

Hospitality – February 2017

 HOSPITALITY: A Space where change can take place

During month of February, the focus of our worship turns to “hospitality.”  While the word “hospitality” is often associated with images of “entertaining guests,” we will reflect on hospitality as the spiritual practice of welcome.    We begin by remembering that our welcome of “the other” is rooted in God’s unconditional welcome of us.

Anchoring our reflection these coming weeks are these words from Henri Nouwen (in Reaching Out):  “Hospitality means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy.  Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer space where change can take place.”   

Looking ahead…

February 5:  Hospitality:  God’s Welcome

Sermon: Dawn Yoder Harms;  Psalm 36:5-9; Luke 7:36-50;   Romans 15:7

Reflection question:  When have you met God in the stranger?

Communion;   Worship music: Chancel choir

 

February 12:  Life-Changing Hospitality 

Sermon: John Tyson;  Acts 10:1-48

Reflection question:  When have you experienced hospitality as “a space where change takes place?”

Worship music:  Chancel Bells

Noon:  Guess who’s coming to dinner?

 

February 19:  Obstacles to hospitality

Sermon:  Dawn Yoder Harms;  Luke 10:38-42

Reflection question:  What gets in the way of your extending welcome/hospitality to others?

 

February 26:  Welcoming “strangers in the land“

Sermon:  John Tyson;   Deuteronomy 10:12-13, 17-19;  Exodus 23:9

Reflection question:  How might we extend God’s welcome as we interact with migrants in our community?

Worship music:   Jr. Choir

 

December 24, 2016 – Christmas Eve

 

 

Saturday, December 24—Christmas Eve

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH WISHES YOU A JOYOUS CHRISTMAS!  JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE WITH TWO CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

7:00 p.m.   Peace Before Us—Worship led by children and youth—Sanctuary

11:00 p.m.  Candlelight service of Lessons and Carols with anthems by the Chancel Choir, Chancel Bells and congregational singing—Sanctuary

 

December 11, 2016 — 3rd Sunday in Advent

9:00 a.m.  Prelude by Erich Boschmann, piano; Alahna Wheat, solo; Maggie Dungan and Brent Dungan, singing and guitar; and Nancy Hilty, organ

9:30 a.m.  Worship with sermon by Dawn Yoder Harms “The saving work of disillusionment” and music by the Chancel Choir (Kyrie, Mozart;O come, divine Messiah!, arr. Helvey; O come, all ye faithful) Lighting of the 3rd Advent Candle

10:30 a.m.  Fellowship in the Gathering Place with water, coffee and tea available

10:50 a.m.  Faith Formation — Everyone is welcome!