BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
WORSHIP SERVICE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR SUNDAY,
OCTOBER 13, 2024
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 9:20 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/HSRbcx09B9M?feature=share
BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
October 13, 2024
Christ Candle Lighting
Centering Music—There is no shadow... [VT 419] (Brenda Portman)
Will Wiebe-Friesen
Welcome & Prayer—Payne Claassen and Mary Ellen Hodge—VT 854—Mentee/Mentor
*Hymn —We Long to Know Her—VT 44
Children’s Conversation—Joanna Harader
Worship Music—Et in terra pax hominibus– [excerpted from Vivaldi’s Gloria (ca. 1715)]–
Chancel Choir; Joel Garber, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist
Scripture Reading—Psalm 22:1-15—Hugo Boschmann
*Hymn—My God, My God—VT 696
Scripture Reading—Job 23:1-9—Hugo Boschmann
Sermon—When God Goes Missing—Joanna Harader
*Hymn—Joyful Is the Dark—VT 281
Prayers of God’s People—Emma Gering and Jill Robb— Mentee/Mentor
*Hymn—God, Be the Love—VT 43
*Benediction
Postlude—I Know That My Redeemer Lives [VT 347] (arr. Dale Wood )
Will Wiebe-Friesen
* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Keyboard- Will Wiebe-Friesen
Audio visual—Ben Lichti
Today’s choral and instrumental music features some creative settings of familiar hymns as well as some unfamiliar languages. The anthem, Et in terra pax hominibus, is excerpted from Vivaldi’s Gloria (ca. 1715), a component of the Latin mass. In English, its text reads: and on earth, peace to persons of good will. The organ setting There is no shadow… was written in 2021 by Brenda Portman and is built on the first verse of the hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness. The postlude, an energetic Easter hymn from the Sacred Harp, continues the themes expressed in the anthem and Psalm reading.
The Week at BCMC: October 13—20, 2024
Sunday, October 13, 2024
9:30 a.m. Worship with sermon by Joanna Harader 10:30 a.m. Faith Formation
Volunteer attendants in Nursery today: Megan Kohlman and Margaret Toews
YouTube Link for the worship service this Sunday:
https://youtube.com/live/HSRbcx09B9M?feature=share
Monday, October 14, 2024
11 a.m. Memorial service for Clara Koehn in the Sanctuary
6:30 p.m. Community Playschool Board meets in Fellowship Hall
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
7 p.m. Women’s Fellowship meeting in Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, October 16, 2024—Wednesday Night Suppers Begin
6 p.m. Wednesday night supper in Fellowship Hall—PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN TABLEWARE. Menu is Mexican Bar, Strawberry Margarita IceBox Pie. $6 for individuals; $18 for a family
7:30 p.m. Chancel Choir rehearsal in the Sanctuary
Thursday, October 17, 2024
4 p.m. Witness Commission meeting in Room 14
6:30 p.m. Chancel Bells rehearse in Room B7
Saturday, October 19, 2024
4 p.m. Memorial for Donna Friesen in Kidron Bethel Village—Kidron Hall
Sunday, October 20, 2024
9:30 a.m. Worship with sermon by Joanna Harader; music by Chancel Bells
10:30 a.m. Faith Formation
Please plan to join us for supper and a program on Wednesday nights, October 16-November 20. The meal will begin at 6 p.m., followed by a program on “Exploring our Voices Together.” We will use material from the Voices Together editorial team to explore a variety of themes in our new(ish) hymnals and beyond. There will be opportunities for discussion and plenty of singing!
Be sure to mark your calendar for October 23 when we will have a special Wednesday program: a concert from singer/songwriter Jon Troast. Jon is a folk musician who grew up and lives in the Midwest and gives house concerts across the country. A talented instrumentalist and singer/songwriter, his music is engaging, and his lyrics are deep. A treat for all ages, you won’t want to miss this special concert.
Dates for your calendars
· Women’s Fellowship meets the third Tues., Oct. 15, at 7p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Program by Mary Ellen Hodge, “Autism 101.” Mary Ellen also teaches teachers about autism. Come and learn more.
· Wednesday night suppers at 6 p.m. will be Oct. 16 through Nov. 20. Be sure to read the announcement about the Wednesday programs on the next page.
· Sat., Oct. 19, 4 p.m. Memorial service for Donna M. Friesen at Kidron Bethel Village Kidron Hall
· Faith Formation Commission is sponsoring a visit to the P & M Pumpkin Patch, Sat., Oct. 26, 3-7 p.m. All are invited!
BCMC Offering for Oct. 6: Gen. Fund $6,866; Kitchen Fund $5; Solar Fund $500.
We offer sympathy to the family of Clara Koehn. Clara died Oct. 7 at the age of 99. She had been a resident of Presbyterian Manor in Newton. Her memorial service will be at BCMC on Mon., Oct. 14, 11 a.m. with a faspa immediately following.
The family of Elvera Voth would like to invite interested persons to a service of remembrance for Elvera on Nov. 2, 2 p.m., at Kidron Bethel—Kidron Hall. Her expanded life sketch is on the Petersen Funeral Home website.
Bulletin announcements have to be submitted to the church office no later than Thursday to be included in the following Sunday’s bulletin.
October is Pastor Appreciation Month! On October 20, stop by the table at the back of the sanctuary to pen a thank you note to our pastors. The notes will be delivered on October 27. And remember – Pastors happily receive words of appreciation all year long! Staff Congregation Relations Committee
Monica Lichti will be on vacation the week of October 14-20. The church office will be closed on Monday, and will be closed afternoons for the rest of the week.
Looking ahead to Advent:
This year as we prepare our hearts for Christmas, we will explore the stories of the women from Jesus’ genealogy (Matthew 1:1-17). For our worship in Advent, we will use the book Pastor Joanna has written: Expecting Emmanuel. In addition to worship material, the book contains daily devotional readings and a Sunday School/small group guide. If you would like to order a copy of the book for yourself (at a steep author’s discount) please let the church office know. We will place an order at the end of October
Faith Formation Commission is collecting donations for the Bethel College food pantry. Unopened food items can be placed on the table by the south entrance and will be delivered to the BC food pantry. FFC thanks the congregation for participating.
The Visual Arts Committee has installed “The Migration Series” in the Gathering Space. In 1962 Bob Regier illustrated articles in The Mennonite with five wood block print illustrations. Four of the prints are on display and the fifth “The Mennonite Flight from Russia” is part of a special exhibit at Kauffman Museum through May 25, 2025.
From the Finance Committee on behalf of the Church Board:
As the third quarter of our church year ends, we reflect on the many things for which we are grateful. We give thanks for the gifts that have been given this year by those volunteering time to the church or our benevolences; caring for family, neighbors and friends; raising prayers on behalf of those who are hurting, grieving or fighting injustice; and donating monetary offerings toward our annual budget. Each of these gifts strengthens our community as we work together to be the church right where we are.
A six-week grief support group will be offered through Bethel College Mennonite Church for interested individuals. To indicate interest, or to learn more, please contact Elizabeth Schmidt, Pastor for Congregational Care.
Interested in becoming a member of Bethel College Mennonite Church?
If you are interested in becoming a member, or transferring membership, or learning more about membership at BCMC, please contact Elizabeth Schmidt, Pastor of Congregational Care. She will be happy to visit with you!
Jill Robb and Megan Kohlman will be leading a book study of the book Woven: Nurturing a Faith Your Kid Doesn’t Have to Heal From by Meredith Miller. If you don’t have kids or your kids are grown up, come anyway! We will be discussing this book from the perspective of parents, a faith community that supports parents, and individuals who grew up in a faith community (maybe even one you had to heal from). We plan to begin the book study Oct. 13 and discuss chapters 1, 2, and 3. Meet us in the blue Sunday School room (Room 26) on the 2nd floor. You can purchase Woven from Faith and Life bookstore, Amazon, or your favorite independent bookstore. We look forward to the conversation!
Newton Area church’s Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Meat Canning dates are October 29, 30, and 31. Make checks to BCMC with “MCC Meat Canning” in the memo line. We also need volunteers to help with the canning. The link for work signup is: https://tinyurl.com/MeatCanning2024 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 Meat Canning Representative
Western District Conference (WDC) invites you to subscribe to their weekly Tuesday announcement email “WDC News & Updates” to receive announcements from WDC, WDC Congregations, and their institutional partners as well as weekly articles from WDC staff, credential updates, and upcoming events. To subscribe, visit the following link: http://eepurl.com/hKcbDX or contact the WDC Office at wdc@mennowdc.org or 316-283-6300.
Western District Conference invites you to visit our website to read the latest news, stories and announcements
Up to a million people in Lebanon have been displaced in the last few days due to increasing military attacks. The grave humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues. Mennonite Central Committee continues to respond to the needs of displaced people in Lebanon and Gaza. MCC is providing relief to recently displaced people in Lebanon with food, hygiene, bedding and psychosocial support. Pray for an end to the violence and for a just peace in Israel and Palestine. Donate online at mcc.org/palestine-israel
Bethel College Announcements:
· Thurs., Oct. 24: Bethel College’s 2nd biennial Senses & Aging Symposium, with Tena M. Alonzo and Mollie Heiden, Beatitudes Campus, Phoenix, speaking on “Living with Dementia,” 6-8:30 p.m., Kidron Hall at Kidron Bethel Village
· Fri., Oct. 25: The Bethel College Department of Visual Arts and Design and the Newton Chapter of the AAUW present Phyllis Pease, 11 a.m., Krehbiel Auditorium in Luyken Fine Arts Center.
· Sun., Oct. 27 & Mon., Oct. 28: Annual Menno Simons Lectures, “Russian Mennonite Diasporas on Four Continents in the Age of Empires, Revolutions and Extremes Since the Late 18th Century,” with Dr. Eric Schmaltz, professor at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, 7 p.m. Sun., 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Mon., Krehbiel Auditorium. Lecture 1: “Pioneers in the East: Mennonite Migrations and Settlements in the Former Russian Empire and the Former USSR, 1786-Present”; Lecture 2: “Pioneers in the West: Russian Mennonite Diasporas to North America (Belize, Canada, Mexico and the United States), 1874-Present”; Lecture 3: “Pioneers in the South: Russian Mennonite Diasporas to South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay), 1874-Present”
· Now in the Regier Gallery in Luyken Fine Arts Center: “SMOL,” art by Audra Miller, through Oct. 25. Gallery hours are Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 2-4 p.m. (closed Sun.-Tues., Oct. 13-15, for fall break).
· Life Enrichment program at Bethel College for Wed., Oct. 16. Life Enrichment is for people age 60 and above and is an excellent way to continue learning and meet people from the surrounding area in a relaxed setting.
9:30 a.m. “MCC Meat Canner and Other Stories,” Jason Unruh, Peabody
and Maynard Knepp, Hillsboro
10:50 a.m. “Bridging the Secular with the Sacred: Using Music to Navigate
Life’s Journeys,” the Misguided Professors: Dr. Christine E. Crouse-Dick (Bethel
College) and Dr. Christopher Dick (Tabor College)
Everence® will hold a Social Security and retirement income webinar Tues., Oct. 15, starting at 6:30 p.m. Topics: Social Security strategies, including when to begin taking benefits, risks that can impact your retirement savings plus strategies to help your income last throughout retirement. There will be time for questions. Information presented by staff from the Everence offices in Central Kansas. To register contact Everence at central.kansas@everence.com or 316-283-3800, 877-467-7294. Once you have registered, information to access the webinar will be sent to you.
Gather at the Warkentin House for a hymn sing and faspa on Oct. 27, 4 p.m. Hymn sing will be led by Andrew Voth and accompanied by Karen Bauman-Schlabaugh. Reserve a spot by emailing warkentinmuseum@gmail.com. Suggested donation of $15.00
Camp Mennoscah Announcements
The dam will be taken out on Sunday, October 20, at 2pm. Meet at the shelter area (look for people and things happening). Spectators welcome, as are people to help take out the boards and clean them. Taking the dam out is not for younger ages due to the weight of the boards, but spectators of all ages are most welcome! Be prepared for whatever weather/temperatures there are. It’s a fun time for both those helping and those watching!
Other events and happenings:
- The November 1-3 Scrapbook and Crafts Retreat will be the only retreat for the Fall. There is still space at this retreat. Lodging and crafting will be held at Main Camp in the bunkhouses and dining hall. Register here. We’ll see you for another fun weekend!
- Start tapping shoulders and thinking about the 2025 summer. Camp Mennoscah will be recruiting for summer staff (along with other camps) at Hesston, Tabor and Bethel Colleges from November 11-13, respectively. There will be a pizza meal on November 13 at a location and time yet to be determined for interested applicants. (The application is not yet open.)
- The auction of the first Camp Mennoscah tee shirt quilt was a (silent) race to the end at Bethel College’s Fall Fest. (There are several more quilts yet to come, if you missed out on this bidding war.) Thank you to everyone who stopped by the booth to chat, buy a tee shirt, pull a donation envelope, bid on the quilt or whatever else! It was a hoot to see everyone.
- Volunteers needed–come enjoy the cooler weather! Volunteers for the HVAC work at the Retreat Center are welcome Monday – Friday. A lack of construction skills should not keep you from helping out with this project. Willing hands are what is needed! Let us know when you are available, so we can prepare for you. For anyone interested in working on a weekend, two weeks notice is needed. Contact Isaac at 316-217-5626 to sign up.
| Mennonite Church USA’s Peace and Justice ministry has launched the latest Learn, Pray, Join initiative with a focus on conflict transformation. Learn more here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/news/lpj-conflict-transformation/ |
| Read more about the initiative here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/tag/conflict-transformation/ |
Dear Bethel College Mennonite Church,
October 10 was World Day Against the Death Penalty.
As we remember this day, we are so grateful for the support of the members of BCMC. Thank you for your witness on this important issue!
I’m writing today to invite you to join us on Nov. 16th for “All In For Repeal”, the 2024 Annual Conference. It is being held from 1 to 4:30 p.m. at the Kansas University Memorial Union in Lawrence.
Our keynote is Mr. Herman Lindsey, the Executive Director of Witness to Innocence. He was sentenced to death in Florida and spent three years on death row despite being innocent.
Witness to Innocence is an organization of and for men and women who have been wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death.
If you have any questions or need anything else, just let me know.
Thanks again for your support!
Peace,
Willmar T. Harder
Secretary, Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty
620-899-8918
bmcpastor@gmail.com
chair@ksabolition.org
For Mennonite Central Committee “In Touch” press here
For Mennonite Mission Network “Seeds of Peace” Press here
For Mennonite Mission Network “News and Beyond” press here
For Anabaptist Disabilities Network Fundraiser press here
Mennonite Church USA Announcements
The Mennonite Church USA Executive Board and staff responded with disappointment and significant questions about Mosaic Mennonite Conference’s announcement recommending withdrawal from the denomination. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/mc-usa-says-better-together
Season Two of MC USA’s “Lead/Follow” podcast for pastors and leaders has begun! Watch new episodes on YouTube or listen on Apple or Spotify! Watch or listen here: https://www.mennoniteusa.org/leadfollow/ View the PDF here: mennoniteusa.org/lead-follow-season-2-pdf View the PowerPoint slide here: mennoniteusa.org/lead-follow-season-2-slide
Menno Snapshots
Subscribe to PeaceMail to receive MC USA’s blogs, news and resources in one weekly email. Subscribe to PeaceMail here: mennoniteusa.org/peacemail
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 conference or congregation to submit a health and/or wellbeing story. Submit your wellbeing story here: mennoniteusa.org/tcp-wellbeing-stories
Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: On Tuesday, participants will embark on Mennonite Mission Network’s first Just Peace Pilgrimage to South Africa. Pray for them as, for the next two-plus weeks, they will immerse themselves in the country’s struggle against apartheid and wrestle with the church’s role in upholding racial segregation in South Africa and the United States.
Western District Conference Prayer Request: Give thanks for WDC congregations that are hosting special events during this fall season, as they share food and fellowship with their wider community, and invite participation in ministry and mission projects.
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