The Bethlehem Star
Volume 7, Issue 11 November 2008
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Help fill harvest table in the narthex with items for the Food Pantry during November. The Food Pantry always needs paper products (toilet tissue, facial tissue, paper towels, for example). Non-perishable food items that are unopened and have not been on your shelf past the expiration dates are welcome.
Angels Available
The Lost Nation Area Food Pantry is again offering local residents in need of assistance the chance to sign their children up to receive “angel tree” gifts. They will provide information about their child/ children’s age, size and Christmas “wishes.” Persons from area churches and from the community who wish to choose an angel will receive that information to help them buy one gift in $15 - $20 range. Angels will be available November 23 and need to be returned to church by December 7. Gifts are not to be wrapped, but you may donate gift bags or wrapping paper.
CROP Walkers Raise Funds
Over 40 walkers from area churches raised over $3000 for Church World Service and the Carroll assistance Center in Wheatland. Bethlehem provided a significant number of walkers (12) and over $700 of the total. Walkers were from Bethlehem, Union Presbyterian, Sacred Heart, St. James Roman Catholic (Toronto), St. Paul United Church of Christ (Wheatland) and Calamus Lutheran Parish.
God’s Blessings to the Confirmands
May God bless Emma Thiede and Meagan Fields and give them strength to fulfill the promises of their baptisms. On October 26, they affirmed their baptisms in the Rite of Confirmation.
Worship in November
As one Christian Church year ends and a new one begins, the focus is more on judgment and the end of time. The year ends November 23 when we celebrate the Festival of Christ the King – the King who sits at the right hand of God in eternity, as well as the King who reigns from the cross.
On All Saints Sunday, November 2, we remember all the saints who have entered eternity through death, especially those saints who have had an impact on our lives. We will light candles for all of our members who have died during the past year and for anyone else special in our life who has died during the year. As we gaze on the lit candles during worship, we will certainly feel surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. We also will celebrate the baptism of a new saint for God’s kingdom.
Commitment Sunday will be on November 16. People are invited to bring commitments for the upcoming year and place them in the special offering plates that day. A letter and commitment forms for financial and time and talent gifts are found on the goldenrod pages later in the newsletter. (These pages will not be found in the newsletters sent to visitors and persons who receive The Star as a courtesy.)
There will not be a worship service on Thanksgiving Eve this year. Thanksgiving is a hybrid holiday that is more of a national, cultural holiday than a specifically religious holiday. There will be resources available by Sunday, November 16 for remembering the Christian aspects of this holiday as you celebrate it with family or friends.
All that being said, the primary reason for not holding a worship service on Thanksgiving Eve is more practical than theological. Pastor and Ginger will be leaving earlier in the week to travel to Colorado to visit son Benjamin and daughter in-law Beth who moved there this past year. Thanksgiving Eve worship will probably resume in the future.
Women of the ELCA Thank Offering Service is November 9.
Adult Learning Opportunities
Keeping Up with the Confirmation Kids
Wednesdays 6:15 – 7:15 p.m. Through November 19
Location: Parsonage living room
Did you ever wonder what confirmation youth are learning? This is a for adults to gather at Pastor and Ginger’s home for conversation and learning based on the Bible stories that the confirmation class will be studying.
Holiday Heritage Sampler – Ewalu’s Fall Adult Enrichment Day is Thursday, November 6, 9:00 – 3:00 at Ewalu main site. The cost is $15.00. Hear stories about origins of holiday traditions, learn to make lefse, spritzeback, pepparkaka and other ethnic treats, and enjoy the fellowship and ambience of our church’s Camp Ewalu. To register phone Ewalu at 563-933-4700 or email to camp@ewalu.org.
Sacred Practices Leadership Series is an intensive course for lay people and clergy, consisting of six 3-day workshops held from April 2009 – Nov. 2010. (Half run from Fri. night – Sun. afternoon, and half are from Sun. evening – Tues. afternoon). This series is to help individuals cultivate the practice of prayer, discernment, service, relationships, and other sacred practices. These workshops will be held at Sinsinawa Center, east of Dubuque in Wisconsin. They feature presentations by prominent thinkers/ writers in church leadership as well as small group webinars between the workshops. For details and applications, talk to Pastor Keith or go to www.sacredpracticeseries.org.
Council News
Bethlehem Congregation Council met for its regular meeting on October 7. In business they:
· Decided to use the November newsletter to share information about making congregational commitments for 2009;
· Agreed not to have Thanksgiving Eve worship service in 2008
· Made plans for dealing with a number of minor property issues;
· Heard the following Treasurer’s report:
Balance 8/31/08 $1273.01
Sept Income $6360.23
Sept Expenses $7586.11
Balance 9/30/08 $47.13
Thanks to Dawn, Clay, TJ, and Ruby for raking and removing leaves from the parsonage yard.
Hay for Horses
EWALU Bible Camp now has a horse program and recently received a generous gift of horses. The horses need to be fed through the winter so EWALU is looking for people willing to donate (or sell at bargain prices) small hay bales. Any number of bales will help. If you can help, contact pastor or the camp.
BWELCA Hi-Lites
Thanks to the Sunday school kids for helping assemble school kits - 91 total! That’s a record!
The Hope Cluster Retreat in September made and tied a dozen fleece quilts with the different churches of Hope Cluster distributing them to various organizations in need.
Watch for a sign-up sheets for treats after the puppet show on December 7 and desserts for the community Christmas concert December 19.
Rebecca Circle is a week earlier this month.
Next BWELCA board meeting is Tuesday, November 4 at 6:00 p.m.
BWELCA Bible Study Leaders will meet Tuesday November 4 at 5:00 p.m.
The BWELCA booklet for 2009 is now in process. If there are any mistakes, additions, or corrections let Madge White know. Also if anyone wishes to switch months on Altar Guild contact Lorraine Wulf.
Hidden Hand of God
Ruth: A Place in Community
This month at BWELCA Circle Meetings
Rebecca – Wed., Nov., 5, 1:30 p.m. at Betty R. home
Eve – Thurs., Nov.13, 7:00 p.m. at Pat H. home
Bethlehem – Sat. Nov.8, 9 a.m. in Conference Room
All women are invited!
It is layette kit time. See the bulletin board for a list of items needed. There is a new list.
Message from Barb
Living in Iowa, it seems as if national election campaigning has gone on forever, but it is nearly over. Very soon, we will go to the polls to vote for a new president of our country and to elect various other public officials.
One of the often heard directives that we have had brought to our attention over the last few years is "separation of church and state." I do understand that it is politically correct to uphold inclusivity in public schools, not offending young people of a variety of faiths by insisting that students participate in classroom activities that single out one certain faith.
But when it comes to voting for those who will govern, I consider "separation of church and state" to be impossible. We know that all that we have comes from God's gracious hands. Therefore, "the state," (government) is but one of God's good gifts to us. Luther considers government God's gift to us to maintain order for our time here. In the Large Catechism, Luther writes, "Moreover he [God] gives us all physical and temporal blessings – good government, peace, security."
Therefore, since government is a gift from God, we must be responsible caretakers just as we are caretakers of all the other wonderful things that God has entrusted humans with in creation. The definitive word in Luther's statement is "good." Certainly, responsible voting ensures that we will have the best possible government.
As Christians, we cannot separate our religion from our choices when we go to the polls. We embody Christ, and our voting should reflect that. To make our decisions, it is fair to ask ourselves such things as, "Who best reflects the values that I cherish; who is fair; who is just; who makes conscientious decisions; who will best care for all people, even the marginalized of society; who is strong and sure enough to take a stand against the evil in the world?"
And very importantly, whoever wins, we as Christians must lift our new president up to God, keeping that new leader and all who will lead us in prayer. So prayerfully go to the polls in November mindful that voting is one of the responsible ways we can care for the gift of government that God has so graciously given us.
Worship and Service Assistants
Greeters: Darrel Hicks, Lynda Humphreys
Ushers: Ron Christiansen, Bob Hendrickson
Lectors
2- Jessica Ihns
9- Connie Kleppe
16- Clay Ketchum
23- Ginger Anderson-Larson
30- Deanne Bennett
Communion Servers:
2- Ginger Anderson-Larson, Deanne Bennett
16- Rochelle Busch, Jone Paarmann
23- Elenor Bentrott, Marlene Hicks
Fellowship Servers:
2- Pat Hendrickson, Leta Dunt, Joan Clapp
9- Diana Ihns, Becky Petersen, Marcia K.
16- Connie Kleppe, Joan Kleppe, Lynda Humphreys, Jill Suthers
23- Jone Paarmann, Evelyn Petersen, Kindy Nissen, Melissa McChesney
30- Ellen Pithan, Shelley Beeck, Betty Rehmke
Acolytes:
2- Samantha Adler
9- Cassandra Suthers
16- Courtney Current
23- Noah Zeller
30- Ben Geerts
Altar Care: Rochelle Busch, Marlene Hicks
Bread Maker:
Tim Thiede
Tellers:
Brent and Jessica Ihns
November Birthdays
2 Les Paarmann
2 Ella Thompson
15 Earletta Mullins
15 Rosemary Stoll
16 Melissa Ford
18 Toby Mullins
24 Clint Bennett
26 Ester Dosland
27 Lisa Fields
November Anniversaries
No anniversaries recorded for November.
Pastor Keith Larson
Office Phone 678-2301
Home Phone 678-2303
E-mail keith.larson@ecunet.org
or pastor@bethlehem.mylutheran.org
Pastoral Associate Barb Tobiason
Office Phone 826-2761
Home Phone 319-465-3124
AIM@bethlehem.mylutheran.org
Office Secretary Deanne Bennett
Church Phone 678-2301
secretary@bethlehem.mylutheran.org
Parish Nurse Carm Schneider
Office Hours 9:00 a.m. -10:30 a.m. Tue
Phone 678-2302
Sunday Schedule
Worship 9:00 a.m.
Sunday School and Fellowship 10:00 a.m..
Office Hours
Pastor Keith is in the office most mornings
Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. – Noon
and Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
If you need to enter the church and do not have a key, always call ahead to be certain he or someone is here.
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