June 18 – September 3

Life is busy. This is not breaking news. Our lives are full of important

responsibilities: work that needs to be done, people to care for, bills to pay, homes to maintain, meetings at church, medical visits to attend, kids to visit in far off places, and a culture that always expects MORE. When time is of the essence, what can we do to integrate our faith meaningfully into our daily lives? Let’s start small. This summer our worship at BCMC will focus on a different “small” spiritual practice or idea each Sunday that is relevant to the here and now and connected to the roots of our faith. Come and join the conversation!

June 18: In Tune With God / Dawn Yoder Harms /

SS hour:  discussion of “Seeking Peace in Israel and Palestine:  A

Resolution for Mennonite Church USA”

June 25: Just Living / Rev. Oscar Siwali

July 2: Hill Climbing / Dawn Yoder Harms

July 9: Covenantal Friendship / John Tyson

July 16: Planted in Community / Dawn Yoder Harms /

SS Elective: MCUSA Convention Reporting

July 23: Stuff / John Tyson / SS Elective: What is Faith Formation?

July 30: Sustaining Creation / Dawn Yoder Harms/SS Elective: What is Creation Care?

August 6: Unselfish Self-Care / Susan Wheeler

August 13: Dying Well / Dawn Yoder Harms

August 20: Entering a Strange Land / John Tyson;  Welcoming New Bethel College Students; Children/Youth Sunday School resumes

August 27:  Holy Time / Eric Massanari

Sept 3:  Work / Dawn Yoder Harms

Additional Reading:

The Year of Small Things: Radical Faith for the Rest of Us by Sarah Arthur and Erin Wasinger 

Seamless Faith: Simple Practices for Daily Family Life (The Young Clergy Women Project) by Traci Smith 

In the Midst of Chaos: Caring for Children as Spiritual Practice (The Practices of Faith Series) by Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore 

Practicing our Faith (The Practices of Faith Series), edited by Dorothy C. Bass

The 2017 Western District Conference Annual Assembly with the theme, Rooted and Built Up in Christ (Colossians 2:6-7), held Aug. 4-6 at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Arlington DFW South, in Arlington, TX. Information about Annual Assembly is posted at: http://mennowdc.org/annual-assembly/#2017annualAssembly.  BCMC is eligible for 18 delegates; registration fee is reimbursed to delegates. The WDC is considering chartering a bus for transportation to the assembly.  The Gifts Discernment Committee has appointed nine delegates but needs nine more!  If interested in serving as a delegate, contact Vern Preheim, Gifts Discernment Committee chair, as soon as possible, at vpreheim3527@gmail.com or 316-283-4018.

All children and emerging youth are invited to a week-long VBS each summer!

The theme of VBS this year is Digging for Treasure: Parables Revealed! 

At VBS, children and emerging youth learn more about the Bible through creative teaching, arts, music, and active play. All participants enjoy spending time with one another and making new friends!

Please fill out the registration form: Registration-Form-2017.docx. It is due to the church office by May 15.

Camp Mennoscah Church Retreat 2017

Date: Saturday, May 6 – Sunday, May 7

Times: Arrive anytime after 1 PM on Saturday; Departure following lunch on Sunday afternoon

Location: Camp Mennoscah (9458 SE 40 St, Murdock, KS 67111)

Lodging and cost: Information about lodging and costs are available on the registration forms in the Gathering Place and in mailboxes.

To register on-line, click on this link:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexXkllgh6AqpLSD5Tr2lrtlomoHmm-GKm68XL-RdYWWnmTBw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Retreat Schedule

Saturday, May 6:

1 – 5:30 PM: Arrive, settle in, optional activities (canoeing, fishing, disc golf, archery)

2 – 4:00 PM: Optional service activity

5:30 – 6:30 PM: Cookout

6:50 – 8:15 PM: Hayrack Ride

8:30 PM: Popcorn under the shelter

9:00 PM: Camp songs under the shelter

9:30 PM: Campfire @ Campfire Pit

Sunday, May 7:

8 – 9:00 AM: Breakfast

9:45 AM: Hymn sing prelude

10 – 11:00 AM: Worship

12:00 PM: Lunch

1:00 PM: Clean up and head home (or stay and play disc golf)!

 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

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 18 is the Fourth Sunday in Advent 

The Holy Way
Walking in the Way of God’s Heart
Advent 2016 – Epiphany 2017
Bethel College Mennonite Church

As we move into this season of Advent-Christmas-Epiphany, we prepare to celebrate the arrival of Jesus, the One who embodies God’s heart.  Week by week, we will listen for where this heart invites us—toward peace, harmony, healing, and restoration in our world.  May the stories we hear, the music we savor, and the offerings we share during this season draw us into the way of God’s heart. 

Sunday scripture readings and worship schedule:  

Nov. 27, Advent 1 God’s peace is at hand
Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Matthew 24:36-44; Romans 13:11-14

9:00 a.m. Prelude by Bethel College Brass Quintet

9:30 a.m. Worship with Communion, music by Chancel Choir
and Cherub Choir

Dec. 4, Advent 2 God’s harmony is at hand
Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Matthew 3:1-12;
Romans 15:4-13

9:00 a.m. Prelude by Chancel Bells; Karen Loucks and Vada Snider

9:30 a.m. Worship with music by Chancel Bells

Dec. 11, Advent 3 God’s healing is at hand
Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 146:5-10 or Luke 1:46-55; Matthew 11:2-11; James 5:7-10    

9:00 a.m. Prelude by Erich Boschmann; Alahna Wheat; Maggie Dungan and Brent Dungan; Nancy Hilty

9:30 a.m. Worship with music by Chancel Choir

Dec. 18, Advent 4 God’s restoration is at hand
Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; Matthew 1:18-25
Romans 1:1-7

9:00 a.m. Prelude by Menno Ringers; Verlene Garber, organ

9:30 a.m. Worship with music by Junior Choir

Dec. 25, Christmas (note schedule) Jesus is born!
Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 148; Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

9:45 a.m. Prelude by Verlene Garber, organ

10:00 a.m.  Worship with Christmas carol singing

No Sunday School

Jan. 1, 2017, Epiphany God’s day of radiance is at hand

Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Matthew 2:1-12; Ephesians 3:1-12

9:45 a.m.   Prelude Mark Kreider, piano

10:00 a.m. Worship; music by Andrew Thiesen, trombone

11:00 a.m.  Fellowship and coffee—bring goodies to share

No Sunday School

Advent giving project:

You are invited to participate in this year’s Advent giving project of relief kits for Mennonite Central Committee to distribute throughout the world. This is a major need for MCC right now!  Children and youth are invited to donate: large bars of bath soap (3 or more oz.), plastic bottle shampoo (13-24 oz.), and adult-size toothbrushes. Adults are invited to

donate: large bars of laundry soap, bath towels, wide-tooth combs, fingernail clippers, adhesive bandages, and sanitary pads. Donations will be collected in the back of the sanctuary. Thanks to Faith Formation and Witness Commissions for coordinating this project. All donations will be dedicated on Christmas Sunday.

SPECIAL EVENTS AT BCMC

• Saturday, December 24, Christmas Eve

* 7 p.m.   Peace Before Us—Worship led by children and youth

BCMC Sanctuary

* 11 p.m. Candlelight service of Lessons and Carols with anthems by  Chancel Choir, Chancel Bells and congregational singing

BCMC Sanctuary 

• Sunday, January 8, 2016

4 p.m.  Candle-lighting in memory of BCMC members and friends who died in 2016 — BCMC Sanctuary

Welcome to Wednesday Night Suppers at BCMC! 

October 5—November 16, 2016

Join with others from the BCMC church community for food, fellowship and conversation.  Invite a new friend and meet long-time friends for the meal together in Fellowship Hall.  Bethel College students are welcome!

Suppers are sponsored by Hospitality Commission. Chefs Ben Lichti, Brenda Turner and Marty Warkentine will again cook from scratch to prepare delicious food, and Sunday school classes will each be asked to help serve and clean up one of the evenings.   Refer to the Wednesday Night Supper tab for a full Wednesday night schedule and menus.

• At 6 p.m. the meal serving line will be open to get your food, be seated and begin eating. There will be one basket at the food line to receive donations for supper. Suggested donation is $4 per person or $12 per family. (Proceeds above food expenses go to the Kitchen Fund for supplies and future improvements).  Please bring your own table service if possible.  At 6:15 p.m. There will be a welcome, announcements and a meal blessing.
• Reservations are due in the church office by 10 a.m. Monday before that week’s supper in order for our cooks to know how much food to prepare. Email office@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org, turn in form in worship bulletin, or sign up on the prior Wednesday night.

Entrance Ramp Update:  Construction on the new entrance ramp continues.   The front entrance is open!  There are still projects to finish in the front but enjoy the ramp and the new railing and the beautiful new lights.

Entrance Ramp Update:  Construction on the new entrance ramp continues.  Improved lighting in the foyer has been completed.  Carpet and asbestos tiles have been removed in the library and new carpet squares have been installed.  The library will be ready to “check out” this Sunday – September 11.   The church office has fresh paint on the walls and new carpet.   The front entrance will soon be open with a temporary railing. In the meantime,  please plan to use one of the other entrances for the building.  Thanks for your cooperation during this process.