| BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS DECEMBER 15, 2024 — Third SUNDAY OF ADVENT Our faith in a God of love leads us, by the power of the Spirit, to follow Jesus in doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God. To livestream the worship service: On Sunday morning, around 9:00 a.m., (preludes during Advent begin at 9:15 a.m.) 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 below 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/IH7yVSyDHq8?feature=share BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH December 15, 2024 Third Sunday of Advent Prelude Music— O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Dobrinski) Carol of the Bells (Morris) Mary Did You Know (Wagner) Chancel Bells, Verlene Garber, director Advent Candle Lighting—Marlin & Monica Lichti, Faith & Lucy Burch Scripture Reading—I John 4:7-9 Litany: Beloved, we gather in love for God and love for each other. We gather to experience God’s love for us. God’s love is revealed in the stories we hear, In the songs we sing, in the prayers we offer, In the Spirit we feel moving within and among us. God’s love is revealed most deeply through Jesus, Whose coming we anticipate and celebrate, Who was sent by God so that we might have life. Beloved, we gather together for worship. Lighting the candle of Love Welcome & Prayer—Nathan Koontz *Hymn—Hark! The Glad Sound—VT 217 Children’s Conversation—Esther Koontz Worship Music— Glad Tidings of Joy (Larson) Chancel Bells, Verlene Garber, director Scripture Reading—Ruth 1:1-18—Esther Kreider Eash, Raylene Hinz Penner, Brad Kohlman, Kevin Neufeld *Hymn—Bless the Arms that Comfort—VT 527 Sermon—Ruth: A Journey of Love—Joanna Harader *Hymn—Bless’d Be the God of Israel—VT 223 Prayers of God’s People—Nathan Koontz *Hymn—My Soul Cries Out—VT 412—Grace Harader-Ellett, violin; Lucy Burch, piccolo *Benediction Postlude— Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying (Paul Manz) Karen Schlabaugh * You are invited to stand VT—Voices Together Keyboard- Karen Schlabaugh Audio visual—Ken Lamp Thank you to the Chancel Bells for bringing us the prelude and worship music Sunday morning! Members are: Suzy Burch, Ben Lichti, Carol Gerbrand, Marlene Ewert, Marlene Faul, Virginia Mininger, Brenda Turner, Janet Lubbers, Nathan Garber, Caleb Garber and director Verlene Garber. Join Fine Arts Class in the Chapel for Advent sessions following Pastor Joanna’s book, Expecting Emmanuel. The Week at BCMC: December 15—22, 2024 Sunday, December 15, 2024—Advent 3 9:15 a.m. Prelude 9:30 a.m. Worship: sermon by Joanna Harader 10:30 a.m. Faith Formation YouTube Link for the worship service this Sunday: https://youtube.com/live/IH7yVSyDHq8?feature=share Tuesday, December 17, 2024 7 p.m. Women’s Fellowship Christmas Program in the Sanctuary followed by refreshments in the Gathering Place — All are invited! Wednesday, December 18, 2024 7:30 p.m. Chancel Choir Rehearsal in the Sanctuary Thursday, December 19, 2024 5:30 p.m. Faith Formation meeting in Fellowship Hall 6 p.m. Chancel Bells Rehearsal in Room B7 Sunday, December 22, 2024—Fourth Sunday of Advent 9:15 a.m. Advent Prelude by Youth 9:30 a.m. Christmas Program Worship 10:30 a.m. Faith Formation The Deacons Commission is working on a “Thinking of You” campaign for people who are isolated due to health concerns. We will have a table under the dove banner in the Gathering Place with pages for your comments to members of our church whom we haven’t been able to see for a while. Stop by and write a short greeting or sign your name to let them know we are thinking about them. For those of you who are unable to attend worship but can stop by the church during the week, these letters will remain on the table during the week for anyone to write a note before we send them out. Thank you! Birthday calendars, great gifts and work well for keeping track of birthdays of family and friends—with photos of BCMC by Weldon Schloneger—are available in the back of the sanctuary for a suggested donation of $10. Checks may be written to BCMC with Women’s Fellowship written in the memo line. Donations will be used for WF ministries. Pastor Elizabeth Schmidt will be on vacation December 16-22. Christmas Program for everyone, sponsored by Women’s Fellowship, will be Tues., Dec. 17, at 7 p.m., in the sanctuary. Will Wiebe-Friesen will provide both organ and piano music plus personal sharing. A reading by Judy Harder. Refreshments following the program in the Gathering Place. BCMC Offering for Dec. 8: Gen. Fund $10,026; Sr Hi Youth $100; Gen Fund 2025 $25; Caring Fund $100; Jr Hi Fund $100; Flower Fund $10; Kitchen Fund $9.68; Solar Fund $530. The following is a BCMC financial report of the general fund income and expenses on November 30, 2024 (91.7% of the year). Total income $427,969 80% of budget Total expense $454,305 85% of budget Net income -$26,336 From BCMC Finance Committee We offer sympathy to the family of Dorothea Janzen. Dorothea (Dotty) died December 12 at Kidron Bethel Village. Dotty was a pastor at BCMC from 1990 to 1997. A memorial for Dotty will likely be held in January at BCMC. Thank you for all your support, food, flowers, cards/notes, hugs, and love. This has been a heart wrenching experience we wouldn’t wish on anyone. Knowing we are not alone helps us through our first Christmas without Kurt. Gwen Neufeld and the Friesen Family The Witness Commission has donated money from the excess funds we were given to use for projects beyond our walls to Max Ediger’s School for Peace in Myanmar. Max joined our church several years ago and was instrumental in the foundation of this school. Here is an update on the progress of this school. Attached are photos of the first Max Help classroom which is under construction. Thanks to the contribution of many friends, it is now about 90% complete. With the money Max Help has received, we can soon begin construction of the first dormitory. This classroom and dormitory are for the high school students who will be graduating in 2026. Once the dormitory is completed, the high school students and their teachers will move to the school site and classes will begin. Soon we also hope to begin construction of the middle school and primary school buildings. We know that beginning a physical school takes much time and money, but we also know how important it is for students, starting in Kindergarten, to have an education that will help them build a new, unified, and peaceful country. |
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| The congregation is invited to send uplifting notes to be included in the gift bags distributed on Dec. 22. These notes need to be turned in by Dec. 15 in the church mailbox of either Brad Kohlman or Jill Robb. They can also be emailed to Brad at bradkohlman32@gmail.com Thank you for supporting, encouraging, and loving the children of our congregation! There will be a congregational meeting on Sun., Jan. 26, during the Sunday School hour in the sanctuary. The meeting will be available through streaming options. An agenda will be available in the near future. The following items will be included on the agenda: The Church Board recommends the approval of Melanie Mueller to the Witness Commission and approval of the 2025 BCMC Budget. Newton Community for Racial Justice will hold its annual anti-racism training Feb. 13-15, 2025. This is a date change from previous years. Training will be held at the Newton Recreation Center from Thurs. evening, Feb. 13 through Sat. afternoon, Feb. 15. Early Bird registration (until Jan. 3): $300 per participant. Regular registration (after Jan. 3): $350 per participant. Some scholarships are available. REGISTER HERE: https://forms.gle/pXViB4fzH8y3u7WM7 Payment can be made online: https://www.convergepay.com/hosted-payments?ssl_txn_auth_token=%2Bd%2Fr1xrRRCaZybUyv2z%2FeAAAAZON0fyjV The current Library Theme is Advent/Christmas. Come on in and find ideas for Christmas activities, devotions, even fiction books set around the holidays. And, if you’re looking for a unique Christmas gift, our committee always has a Wish List. Why not consider giving a book in their honor/memory or purchase one of our puzzles for a suggested donation of $5? As always, Happy Reading/Puzzling! Let Central Kansas Master Chorale be a part of your Christmas tradition! Please join us for Christmas with the Chorale, a festive concert with CKMC under the direction of Dr. Joel Garber, and featuring the Prairie Bronze Handbell Ensemble. This free event will be held Sunday, Dec. 15, 3 p.m., at Hesston Mennonite Church, 309 S Main St., Hesston. For more information, visit the chorale website at www.centralkansasmasterchorale.org. Night in the Barn December 21 & 22: All are welcome to come and experience the wonder of the Christmas story through its characters, animals, lights, and sounds in an interactive walking tour and live nativity. Come and go from 5-7 p.m. on Sat., Dec. 21 and Sun., Dec. 22 at PatchWork Farms (373 E. 70th, Newton). Hot drinks and Christmas goodies are provided. Donations are welcome. Call 620-345-6867 for more information. Kauffman Museum invites you to visit during the holidays. The museum is closed Mondays, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day; open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve; open regular hours Thurs.-Sun. (9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays, 1:30-4:30 p.m. weekends). The current special exhibit is “Unlocking the Past: Immigrant Artifacts and the Stories They Tell.” Permanent exhibits “Of Land and People,” “Mirror of the Martyrs” and “Mennonite Immigrant Furniture.” The museum store is also open during those hours, with books, games, art and other gift items (including from Ten Thousand Villages) for sale; see https://www.kauffmanmuseum.org/museum-store Music On Site presents Amahl and the Night Visitors, a classic Christmas opera, performed live with singers from around the country. This heartwarming story of a young boy who gives everything to the promised Child will be sure to inspire your holiday season. Free admission, ticket required. Performances: Thurs., Dec. 19, 7 p.m. McPherson Opera House, 219 S. Main St. Fri., Dec. 20, 7 p.m. Whitestone Mennonite Church, 629 Crescent Dr., Hesston Sat., Dec. 21, 2 p.m. Kidron Bethel Village 3001 Ivy Dr., North Newton Sun., Dec. 22, 2 p.m. Westwood Presbyterian Church, 8007 W Maple St., Wichita See the church bulletin board for ticket information. Or go to: https://www.musiconsite.org/2024-season (Music On Site, Inc. is a Kansas-based 501(c)(3) music production company that works to close opera’s opportunity gap across socioeconomic divisions by cultivating opera education and appreciation in K-12 students in rural communities, and advancing and promoting the careers of those pursuing a career in opera.)Hesston College Music Department will host a program called Anabaptism at Five Hundred: Hymn Festival Sun., Jan. 19, 2025, 3 p.m., at Hesston Mennonite Church. The Hymn Festival coincides with the 500th anniversary of the first Anabaptist adult baptisms in Zurich, Switzerland in 1525. This event will also celebrate the release of the Anabaptist Community Bible. The public is invited to this community wide celebration that involves singers from surrounding churches, as well as audience participation in the singing of hymns, led by Russell Adrian and Karen Unruh. The core of the program will be historical narrative by Ken Rodgers tracing important hymns and texts throughout the past five centuries. Western District Conference invites you to visit our website to read the latest news, stories and announcements. MC USA Climate Justice | Zoom book study Join MC USA in imagining a sustainable future for ourselves, our children and our planet by participating in an online book study of the compelling and timely book, “So We and Our Children May Live” by Sarah Augustine and Sheri Hostetler. In five sessions (Jan. 16 through Feb.13, 2025), we will engage in discussions in both large and small groups, interact with the authors, and explore how we – and our communities – are called to contribute to creating a more just and vibrant world. Register today! For the Kansas Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution Newsletter press here For Mennonite Mission Network “News and Beyond” press here Mennonite Mission Network Urgent Prayer Request press here Camp Mennoscah AnnouncementsThe 2025 Summer Youth Camp Schedule for Camp Mennoscah is on the website! There has been a change in age groups for the camps. There are two Junior Camps for those going into grades 6, 7and 8 in the fall of 2025. There is one Junior High Camp for grades 8 and 9. Other age groups remain the same. Registration will open in February 2025. The theme for the 2025 summer is Another Way, looking at how Jesus invites us to re-imagine who we are and to live in another way. Other events and happenings: Not-here-for-Christmas hoodies! Camp Mennoscah will be selling hoodies available early 2025 by order only. An online order form will be available soon. The Board of Directors has written a letter regarding the challenges Camp Mennoscah is facing. The letter can be found here . There are currently materials on hand for 18 of 35 projects remaining on the HVAC renovation at the Retreat Center. Work groups can be of any size (within reason). Contact Isaac at 316-217-5626 or Olivia at 316-293-7313 to set up a time for you or your group. If you are interested in working on a weekend, advance notice of two weeks is needed. A lack of construction skills should not keep you from helping. Willing hands and the ability to follow directions are the only requirements. (Activities for those under 18 are limited and likely not at the Retreat Center.) Mennonite Church USA Announcements Peaceful Options for Training & Careers, a collaboration between Mennonite Central Committee U.S. and MC USA, presents a pre-recorded webinar resource. In this webinar, hear more about the project from our panelists: Glen Guyton, executive director of MC USA; Joe Roos, chair of POTC and pastor at Peace Mennonite Fellowship; Melissa Atchison, pastor at Manhattan Mennonite Church and a spiritual director, and Titus Peachey, retired peace educator for MCC US and current counselor on the GI Rights hotline. Watch it here: mennoniteusa.org/potc-pre-recorded-webinar In recognition and celebration of our 15 years of service, Mennonite Church USA’s The Corinthian Plan invites all interested persons who are part of an MC USA congregation to submit a health and/or wellbeing story. Learn more and submit your wellbeing story here: mennoniteusa.org/tcp-wellbeing-stories Menno Snapshots Naomi Klassen, a summer 2024 intern with the MC USA Historical Archives, writes about her internship with the MC USA Historical Archives and how she was impacted by the letters written by Lynn Liechty, a Mennonite and World War II non-combatant. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/archives/lynn-liechty Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz, Mennonite Church USA’s denominational minister for Peace and Justice, shares God’s call for us to be peacemakers in the midst of uncertainty, division and a heated election. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/a-season-of-hope Following the 2024 presidential election, Executive Director Glen Guyton calls us to live out our citizenship in heaven with courage and faith. Read his blog here: mennoniteusa.org/glen-guyton-2024-election Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: Mennonite Mission Network requests prayer for the Tanzania Mennonite Church, as they begin three days of Sister Care/Compassionate Care seminars on Wednesday. Church leaders Rev. Esther Muhagachi and Rev. John Wambura ask that we join them in praying for God’s spirit to move in powerful ways, to heal trauma and broken relationships. Western District Conference Prayer Request: Pray for refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers who are part of WDC congregations and their communities, that they would experience the presence of Christ through the gifts of hospitality and sharing together. Bethel College Mennonite Church is an open and affirming congregation centered in the life and teachings of Jesus. Embracing the divine within each person, we warmly welcome any and all into fellowship without regard to race, ethnic background, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, economic status, marital status, or age. |