BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
June 2, 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.
VBS Worship on the green, June 2: On Sunday Morning, June 2, all participating VBS congregations are invited to a joint worship service on the Bethel College green. Come worship with the VBS participants and celebrate everything we learned together! Please bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on, and a dish or two to share for the potluck to follow. Worship will begin at 10:30 am. In case of rain, we will gather in Memorial Hall. See you at worship!
There will be no worship service at the Bethel College Mennonite Church building this Sunday June 2.
You are invited to a congregational potluck picnic on Monday, June 3, 5:30 p.m. hosted by Hugo and Mary Ann Boschmann and Ron and Carol Peters, in the Boschmann backyard at 304 Witmarsum West, North Newton. The main entree (with a gluten free option) and beverage will be provided as well as tableware Bring your lawn chair or blanket and a “dish to share”.
This week at Bethel College Mennonite Church
Sunday, June 2, 2024
10:30 a.m. Vacation Bible School Worship on the Bethel College Green–No worship service in the BCMC building
Monday, June 3, 2024
5:30 p.m. Potluck Picnic at Hugo and Mary Ann Boschmann’s home, 304 Witmarsum West, North Newton.
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
11 a.m. Staff Meeting
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
5:30 p.m. Grief Group in the BCMC Nursery
Thursday, June 6, 2024
7 p.m. Church Board meeting in Room 14
Sunday, June 9, 2024
9:30 a.m. Worship with sermon by Roger Neufeld Smith; music by Rebecca Schloneger; Kin-dom report by Mennonite Mission Network
Roger Neufeld Smith will be back in Newton on June 5. Roger checks his email and phone regularly. Feel free to contact him via email, text or phone (785-220-1968.)
In regards to a recent announcement in the Western District Conference News & Updates email , the WDC Israel Palestine Task Force wants to pass along the following:
Tareq Abuhalima was recently awarded a volunteer internship with Churches for Middle East Peace in Washington, DC. A week after he accepted this internship, Tareq was offered another paid internship with an auto-parts manufacturing company called SumiRiko, in Bluffton, Ohio. The internship with SumiRiko, will sponsor his H1b visa application when his current visa expires in 2025. For this reason, Tareq will not be working for Churches for Middle East Peace in DC this summer.
We apologize for the confusion this creates regarding contributions made to Tareq’s initial internship in DC. Those who have already contributed to the Churches for Middle East Peace internship will be contacted by Tareq. You will have the option of a refund or to donate the funding to his family in Gaza who are currently living in tents on one of the beaches.
Thank you for your on-going support for Tareq and his family.
Western District Conference invites you to visit our website to read the latest news, stories and announcements.
Greeters urgently needed: An easy way to help people feel welcome at BCMC is to be a greeter. Greeters provide a cheery “good morning” at one of the church doors as people enter for Sunday morning worship, directing them to the sanctuary and helping visitors with other simple questions they might have. You don’t have to know everyone by name – just be ready to share a smile and be helpful. If you would be willing to serve (even once every couple of months) please call (316-283-3342), email (marlene.violet@gmail.com) or talk to Marlene Faul, chair of the Hospitality Commission.
If you like coffee on Sunday mornings (and who doesn’t), help ensure that the coffee keeps perking through the summer months. Sign up on the clipboard on the coffee table to make or serve coffee once or twice this summer, or call (316-283-3342), email (marlene.violet@gmail.com) or talk to Marlene Faul, chair of the Hospitality Commission. Instructions on how to use the coffee makers, etc., will be provided.
BCMC Prayer Network: The Prayer Network is an email-based prayer network comprised of Deacon Commission members and BCMC congregants. Participants make a one-year commitment to this prayer ministry which is coordinated by Pastors and the Office and Facilities Manager. Pastors respond to prayer requests and determine when and how these requests are distributed. Specific prayer requests are shared only with the permission of the person(s) involved. If you would like to join the BCMC prayer network, please email your interest to office@bethelcollegemennonitechurch.org. Thanks to all who serve BCMC in the Prayer Network.
CARE CONNECTIONS, sponsored by Deacon Commission, offers a variety of opportunities for extending care. Do you enjoy conversation? In-person visiting? Visiting by phone? Writing caring messages in cards, email or text? Preparing food or care packages? Delivering food or care packages? Individualized creative care possibilities? To learn more, express interest, or share ideas, please contact Elizabeth Schmidt, Pastor for Congregational Care.
If you have read Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing, Dehumanizing of The Doctrine Of Discovery by Mark Charles, you are invited to participate in a Zoom meeting with the author, Mark Charles, June 13, at Kidron Bethel Village, Classroom A, at 7 p.m. A small group of readers have developed a BIG question for Mark to answer — “How do we use and become the four elements—earth, fire, water, and air—to facilitate change?” Since Mark Charles ran for president in 2020, we hope he will focus his suggestions for change in the political system. If you have questions contact Naomi Krause at naomikrause@gmail.com
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 let by well known author, academic, and presenter, David P. Gushee (https://davidpgushee.com).
Gushee will be providing the sermon and Sunday school discussion at BCMC on Sunday morning, September 15. The afternoon events at Memorial Hall include a keynote address, question and dialogue panel response, table discussion groups, and a closing keynote address. On Sept.16, Gushee will present at Convocation at BC followed by a lunch with area pastors and time with BC in the classroom in the afternoon. Funding for this event is provided by excess benevolences from the 2023 BCMC budget.
Please reserve this date on your calendar and spread the word! You are also encouraged to obtain Gushee’s most recent book, Defending Democracy from its Christian Enemies. Read it, study it in Sunday School, discuss it with friends and neighbors. Let’s help to bring important aspects of democracy in focus as we near the presidential election and proceed with faithfulness. As Gushee writes,“The Baptists [Anabaptists] insisted that the way Jesus made disciples was by teaching and persuasion, not by coercion. They held that government has no competence in religion, and when it seeks to enforce faith it creates wars of religion and hypocrites who claim a faith they do not actually hold.” We hope that we can be a witness to peace in these times where it seems like the confluence of religion and government are leading to death and destruction.
Bluestem Communities will host a Vintage and Antique Car Show at Kidron Bethel Village (3001 Ivy Dr., North Newton) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Friday June 7, and at Schowalter Villa’s Mullet Place parking lot )445 S. Main St., Hesston) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, June 15. Admission is free. Come enjoy memories and reminiscing with friends and family. Refreshments will be available for purchase.
Bethel College Announcements
· Sat., June 1 – An outdoor trifecta! 6 a.m.-8 p.m., the public is invited to Walk Sand Creek Trail Day, part of National Trails Day®. Water will be available for people and leashed dogs at the trailhead at Memorial Grove on the Bethel College campus, courtesy of the Sand Creek Trail Committee, with members there to answer any questions about the trail. At 7 a.m. the Kauffman Museum monthly bird walk, led by experienced local birders; At 9 a.m. the Kauffman Museum-sponsored wildflower walk with Brad Guhr of Dyck Arboretum in Hesston. The bird walk begins at the kiosk in the museum parking lot at the corner of North Main and 27th streets in North Newton, the wildflower walk begins at the museum, and both walks will follow part of Sand Creek Trail.
· Enrollment is open for Uncle Carl’s Camp at Kauffman Museum at Bethel College. Half-day camps are offered in art, history and nature for kids ages 4-18. New this year is Creative Writing Camp for students finishing grades 7-12, with instructor Lydia Chappell Deckert. The writing camp starts June 3, so sign up soon! Go to www.kauffmanmuseum.org/uncle-carls-camp/ for more information about this and other camps with space still available, and to register online.
Hesston College Announcements
| June 6 and 20 – Dyck Arboretum of the Plains Summer Music Nights You are invited to bring your friends and family, lawn chairs or picnic blankets and join us for Summer Music Nights at Dyck Arboretum! This event is free to the public – donations are welcome. Water and lemonade will be provided. Bring your own picnic, if you like. Everyone is welcome to walk the arboretum grounds and enjoy the summer evening. Music will begin at 7 p.m. Performers will be located on the covered patio on the west side of the Prairie Pavilion and the public is invited to gather on the lawn areas nearby.June 6: Hearts 4 Him is a dynamic Gospel ensemble based in central Kansas. The nine-member group was formed in 2001 and has performed on stages large and small in the central states area.June 20: The Sassanachs are a high energy band with a heavy Irish influence. When you come to a show, you will be taken on a journey around the world with polka, country, mariachi and Ukrainian tunes mixed in.June 16 to 22 – Summer Theatre Camp Student actors ages 11 to 18 are invited to stage a live theatre performance at Hesston College’s annual summer theatre camp June 16 to 22. The weeklong theatre immersion will culminate in a public performance of the musical “Mean Girls” at 2 p.m., Saturday, June 22, in the Hesston Mennonite Church sanctuary on the Hesston College campus. Theatre camp registration is $335 per person and includes lodging and meals for seven days and six nights, or $285 for day camp only. A discount is available for families registering more than one student. Participants can visit hesston.edu/theatrecamp to register online. Registration is due June 10. |
You are invited to attend the dedication and celebration of the new Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) Cabinet Shop and Warehouse, Sun., June 9 at 604 E. Main St., Goessel, KS from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free. During the celebration, we will offer tours of the cabinet shop and warehouse, and an opportunity to learn more about this innovative MDS initiative to draft and distribute kitchen cabinets to be installed in MDS volunteer-built homes across the U.S. We have already distributed cabinets to more than 75 homes. Also featured will be a fundraising concert at 5:30 p.m. by September River, a family band featuring Jude and Doug Krehbiel and daughter Stefanie (Krehbiel) Giffin. The band incorporates elements of bluegrass, gospel, blues, acoustic rock, Irish, and folk music. The MDS Storm Encounter will also be on hand for those who want to experience a simulated tornado—then see how MDS volunteers respond to bring hope to communities impacted by disaster.
For Mennonite Mission Network “News from around the world” press here
For Mennonite Mission Network “Seeds of Peace” press here
For Mennonite Mission Network “We are better together” press here
For Mennonite Mission Network “News and Beyond” press here
For Mennonite World Conference “Info” press here
| Prairie View’s FIRST EVER Day of Giving! |
| On June 6, 2024, Prairie View is having its first Day of Giving! A 24-hour online giving day to raise funds for current projects. Every action, no matter how small, can make a HUGE impact on the lives of those we serve. Support our current projects:1. Sanctuary on the Prairie: A new crisis stabilization community at the Newton Campus.2. The Behavioral Urgent Care Hospital to aid in crisis stabilization and early intervention.3. Infrastructure maintenance to ensure the safety, comfort and effectiveness of care for patients. Make a gift today and become a Mental Health Champion at Prairie View! |
Mennonite Mission Network Prayer Request: In California, where Mennonite Mission Network’s San Francisco MVS unit is located, many people who have full-time jobs are not able to pay rent on a one-bedroom apartment. Most of the MVS participants are working with agencies that provide low-income housing. They ask that we pray and work to transform the unjust systems that cause homelessness.
Western District Conference Prayer Request; Pray for the WDC Annual Assembly planning team, as they prepare for our annual conference gathering August 2-4 at First Mennonite Church in Beatrice, NE on the theme Nos Transformamos en Comunidad / In Community We Transform.
Mennonite Church USA Announcements
Peaceful Options for Training and Careers (POTC) has launched a website where young adults across the U.S. can find information about non-military careers, service and training opportunities. Learn more here: mennoniteusa.org/news/potc-website/
On June 18 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, join Nancy Kauffmann, Mennonite Church USA interim denominational minister of Church Safety, Michael Danner, MC USA associate executive director for Church Vitality and Ben Woodward-Breckbill, associate pastor at Shalom Mennonite Church, Newton, Kansas, as they address topics related to Safe Church protection policies and navigating through a crisis. Register here: mennoniteusa.org/webinar/registration-safe-jun18 View the PowerPoint slide here: mennoniteusa.org/slide/safe-webinar-june View the PDF here: mennoniteusa.org/pdf/safe-webinar-june
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.