BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR
July 14, 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/zAHo9TlJbac?feature=share
BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
July 14, 2024
Reflections on the Past, Hopes for BCMC’s Future
with Western District Conference Listening Team
Christ Candle LIghting
Centering Music—Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above (Portman)
Karen Unruh
Welcome and Prayer—Roger Neufeld Smith
*Hymn—Listen, God is Calling—VT 765
Children’s Conversation—Adam Robb
Kin_dom Report—WDC Listening Process—WDC Team member
Scripture Reading—I Thessalonians 1:1-3, 5:11-24—Coralee Shenk and Jeanette Stucky
Reflection on Scripture—Kathy Neufeld Dunn
*Hymn—Christ Be in Your Senses—VT 721
Prayers of God’s People
*Hymn—God of Grace and God of Glory—VT 716
Benediction
Postlude— Give To Our God Immortal Praise (Cherwien)
Karen Unruh
* You are invited to stand
VT–Voices Together
Audio visual—Ken Lamp
The Next Week at BCMC: July 14—21, 2024
Sunday, July 14, 2024—Western District Conference Listening Tour
9:30 a.m. Worship
YouTube Link for this Sunday:
https://youtube.com/live/zAHo9TlJbac?feature=share
10:45 a.m. WDC Listening Team leads table discussions in Fellowship Hall
Sunday, July 21, 2024
9:30 a.m. Sermon by Pastor Sara Dick; worship music by Ben Lichti
10:45 a.m. Book discussion on Judith Herman’s book Truth and Repair led by the Abuse Prevention and Response Committee—in Fellowship Hall
Western District Conference Listening Tour: Sun., July 14, three representatives from Western District Conference – Kathy Neufeld Dunn, Dave Wiebe and Wendy Funk Schrag – are visiting our congregation as part of WDC’s conference-wide Listening Tour. The purpose of the Listening Tour is to empower the vitality of WDC congregations by hearing their stories, offering ongoing relationship, and supporting congregational witness and mission. For BCMC, this will also be an opportunity to share important stories and hopes for the future (in written form) with our soon-to-be pastor, Joanna Harader.
During BCMC worship July 14, a representative from the WDC Listening Team will share a brief meditation, then the team will introduce the process for learning about BCMC ministries and hopes for the future. All adults and youth will then be invited to Fellowship Hall during the Sunday School hour to share responses around tables to the following questions.
1. When have you felt most alive and vibrant as a congregation, or as a participant at BCMC?
2. What is foundational and reassuring about BCMC that has helped in difficult times (COVID, pastoral transition, etc.)?
3. What do you hope for the future for your church and what resources from WDC would be helpful for that?
Responses from the table discussions will be shared with all participants at the end of the SS hour. A summary of themes will be compiled by WDC to share with WDC constituency and used to guide ongoing resourcing for congregations in WDC. A summary will also be shared with Joanna Harader and other members of BCMC leadership. This listening process can be a very valuable resource, both for WDC and for our new BCMC pastors and leaders. Please plan to participate Sunday, July 14!
Save the Date: Peace Witness Event, Sept. 15-16
The BCMC Witness Commission is very pleased to announce plans for a peace witness event around Peace Sunday on September 15-16. Our church along with the Bible and Religion Dept. Bethel College and in collaboration with area churches invites you engage with Christianity and Democracy led by well known author, academic, and presenter, David P. Gushee (https://davidpgushee.com).
Roger will be in the BCMC office Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week (July 10, 11, 12). He will be driving back to Topeka Sunday afternoon (7/14). Roger will be back in Newton on Wednesday, July 24. Roger checks his email and phone regularly. Feel free to contact him via email, text or phone (785-220-1968.)
Pastor Nathan Koontz is on vacation July 8—August 10.
BCMC Offering for July 7, 2024 General Fund $8,840; Library Reserve Fund $6; Kitchen Fund $18; Solar Fund $1,250.
Abuse Prevention and Response Committee (APRC) will be hosting an education time to discuss how we can continue the journey of being a survivor centered congregation. This education opportunity will be held during the Sunday School hour July 21 in Fellowship Hall. Chapter discussion of Judith Herman’s book Truth and Repair will be led by members of the APRC committee. The video How Trauma Survivors Envision Justice can be found on YouTube. This is approximately a 40 minute video. Judith Herman’s book Truth and Repair can be found at your favorite local bookstore or local library inter library loan. Please contact Bethany Schrag at bethanyjoyschrag@gmail.com if you have questions. We look forward to continuing learning more of how we can best support trauma survivors in our church with you! — APRC Committee
BCMC Library Announcements:
· Looking ahead to November, the Library theme for the next few months will be Religion and Politics. We have pulled a few that might help answer questions about our current political climate. A partial display is behind the library desk.
· BOOK SALE June 30 to July 14: The Library Committee has culled books from our collection for several reasons: some to be replaced since they are no longer in good enough shape; some because they no longer fit the needs of our library and some because they were donated books that are already in our collection. Please stop by the table outside of the library and take as many as you are interested in. A donation basket will be available for any size donation that seems appropriate to you. Happy Summer Reading!!
· BCMC children and youth summer book promotion: What’s new for children and youth in the BCMC library this summer? What’s new is old. Your library committee has sorted through the shelves and uncovered some classics.
These books may look drab, but they have been loved by many, many children over many years. They are waiting for you on a special shelf in the children’s room. Come check them out. Read them with parents or grandparents who remember reading them. Create new memories. Inside each book you will find a certificate good for one book at “Book Reviews” (Newton’s Main Street used book store). Go to “Book Reviews”. Pick out a book that has been loved by another kid. Read it. Share it. Create more memories.
Western District Conference Annual Assembly: Delegates will process recommendations to receive three congregations into membership in WDC (Crystal Springs Mennonite Church, Harper, KS; New Life Christian Center, San Benito, TX; and Hesston Mennonite Church, Hesston, KS), and to release West Zion Mennonite Church from membership in WDC. Delegate agenda also includes approving a financial budget for WDC ministries in 2025, and affirming new leaders for elected positions. Join us at the WDC Annual Assembly, August 2-4, at First Mennonite Church, Beatrice, NE. Register on the WDC website: https://mennowdc.org/ Registration deadline is July 21. If you are interested in being a delegate to the Assembly, contact Jeanette Stucky, Roger Neufeld-Smith or Monica Lichti in the BCMC office.
Western District Conference invites you to visit our website to read the latest news, stories and announcements.
The nursery is staffed with approved volunteers again! If you’ve been a nursery volunteer in the past or would like to become a new nursery volunteer so you can sign up, please notify Sara Dick, new nursery schedule coordinator, at saradick1@gmail.com. The schedule is posted in the nursery and will be updated as folks volunteer. Please notify Sara rather than sign yourself up for shifts directly on the schedule, so she knows where we need helpers and where we’re all set. Thank you for caring for our youngest attenders and their families!
Bluestem Communities will host its annual Dementia Forum at 6:30 p.m., Wed., July 17, at Kidron Bethel Village’s Kidron Hall, 3001 Ivy Dr. This event, free and open to the public, features Amy Siple, APRN, presenting “Under- standing Dementia and Caring for Those Who Have It.” The forum is designed to be beneficial for anyone providing care for someone living with dementia, both professional caregivers and family or friends. One Continuing Education (CE) hour available for $15. Those wanting the CE must register for it prior to the forum at bluestemks.org/events.
See the schedule of what is coming up August 23-25 at the 150th Celebration of Ancestors coming to U.S. to be held at Eden Mennonite Church, rural Moundridge, 401 18th Ave.
Interested persons can register on www.swissmennonite.org website under “Reservations and Celebration Information” Step 1 and sign up for an ethnic meal on step 2 (pay credit card or pay at the door). If persons need help in registering, they can call Kathy Goering 316-371-6189.
And
Hopefield Church will be open for visitation 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, even serving coffee, lemonade, and cookies.
The Moundridge Museum will be open for visitors 1:30-4:30 Saturday afternoon.
–Kathy Goering
What was it like to travel from the home you knew across a vast ocean to start all over on a treeless prairie. The presentation on Fri., Aug. 2, 7 p.m. “From Russia to Kansas: A Story of the 1874 Mennonite Immigration” will help give some insight. A narrated pictorial presentation, with firsthand accounts, will describe the journey of the Alexanderwohl immigrants leaving South Russia and finding a new home in Kansas. The event will be at the Goessel High School Auditorium, 100 E. Main, Goessel. This is a benefit event for the Mennonite Heritage & Agricultural Museum. Donations gratefully accepted.
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Announcements
· Colorado Peaches are coming! Peaches can be ordered July 1-31 by contacting the MCC Central States Office at patsydirksen@mcc.org or calling 316-283-2720. Two sizes are available: 9 lbs. for $30 and 18 lbs. for $41. Payment for peaches in the form of cash or checks is due by Aug. 1 to Mennonite Central Committee. Checks should be made payable to Beth-El Mennonite Church with “peaches” in the memo line. Peaches will be available for pickup from the MCC Office, 121 East 30th, North Newton, Mon., Aug. 19 (tentative date). This is a fundraiser for the Rocky Mountain Mennonite Relief Sale held in Castle Rock, Colorado, October 18-19.
· The MCC Sale Quilter’s Corner is looking for donations of quilts, quilt tops, fabric, books, magazines and vintage linens for our next sale. We hope to have an October sale if we receive enough donations. Donations can be dropped off at the MCC Center in North Newton labeled for Quilter’s Corner or at Stitches Quilt Shop in McPherson. If you have questions, please contact Ann Yoder Smith at 919-604-3282.
· Mennonite Central Committee Material Resources Center in North Newton critically low on inventory: An MCC kit cannot be distributed until each item for the kit is assembled, but some supplies in the Material Resources Center are so low that kits cannot be processed for shipping. You can help by filling the following needs: new infant sleepers (6-12 month sizes); hand towels (dark colored); bar soap; bath towels (dark colored, light to medium weight); wide toothed combs (6-8 inches long); laundry soap (such as Fels Naptha or Zote brands); and shampoo (20 oz min). Buy online and ship it to MCC or bring items to MCC in North Newton (121 E. 30th St, North Newton, KS 67117). Questions: phone 316-836-5045 or email brociamueller@mcc.org A full list of MCC kit contents can be found at mcc.org/kits.
Open to new participants. A confidential group of women meets to seek healing and hope as they support each other in the experience of betrayal trauma (a spouse or partner’s use of pornography, affair, or sexual addiction). Bimonthly meetings are held Wednesday evenings via Zoom. This group is sponsored by First Mennonite Church of Newton and facilitated by Audrey Ratzlaff, M.Div. Contact Audrey at aaratzlaff@yahoo.com or 316-619-4580 for more information.
To view the Prairie View Inc. Newsletter press here It is also posted on the BCMC bulletin board
For Mennonite Mission Network “News and Beyond” press here
For Mennonite Men “Engage” press here
For Mennonite Central Committee “In Touch” press here
Mennonite Church USA Announcements
Mennonite Church USA’s Women in Leadership Steering Committee recently bid farewell to two of the founding members, Linda Gehman Peachey and Erica Littlewolf, after more than a decade of service. Read more here: mennoniteusa.org/news/wil-founding
Equipping, Mennonite Church USA’s quarterly email newsletter for pastors and leaders, features resources submitted by MC USA conferences, congregations, agencies, ministry partners, constituency groups, and affiliated schools and colleges. View the most recent issue here: mennoniteusa.org/equipping-newsletter-april Subscribe to Equipping here: mennoniteusa.org/equipping-subscribe
Menno Snapshots
Camille Dager shares highlights from “My Life Story,” the autobiography of James Liu. The memoir is part of the MC USA Archives’ Mennonite World Conference collection. Read her blog here: mennoniteusa.org/menno-snapshots/james-liu
Veronica Horst has spent the past six months traveling the country and living on communal farms. One thing that all the farms they have spent time on have in common is an abundance mentality and the desire to share the fruits of their labor. Read their blog here: mennoniteusa.org/symbiosis-communal-farming
Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: Mennonite Mission Network’s workers in Asia and the Middle East recently completed a five-day retreat in Thailand. Pray that the refreshing times of worship, fellowship and encouragement will help them return to their ministries renewed.
Western District Conference Prayer Request: Pray for all who are preparing to lead and participate in WDC Annual Assembly on August 2-4, as we open ourselves to the transforming presence of Christ in this gathering of the church.
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.