The Bethlehem Star
Volume 10, Issue 2 February 2011
Bethlehem Elects Leaders
At its Annual Congregation Meeting on January 24, Bethlehem elected, Darla Fields, Al Small and Tim Thiede to 3-year terms as Council members. The congregation also elected Kelly Schroeder to 3-year terms on the Mission Endowment Committee. In other business, the congregation approved a 2011 budget. Surveys were explained and passed out seeking input on steps the congregation might take to develop long-term financial sustainability. Surveys can be completed until February 15. A copy is enclosed in the newsletter. Make copies, if necessary for confirmed members of your family.
Bethlehem Council met later and elected the following officers:
President Brent Ihns
Vice-President John Alden
Secretary Deanne Bennett
Treasurer Kelly Doll
Friendship Party
Bethlehem’s annual Friendship Party will be held Sunday, February 13 at 5:30 at church. Invite some friends and join in the food, fun and fellowship. Sign up on the list on the bulletin board at the church entrance, or phone the office at 678-2301 to let planners know you are coming.
Called Together In Mission (CTIM)
Saturday, March 12
8:45 – 4:00
First Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids
This annual synod-sponsored resource event is for all congregational leaders. The day consists of a keynote address and Bible study on a mission related topic and almost 30 different workshops on a variety of topics related to congregational life and mission. The day concludes with worship. There is a $25 registration fee. Register on line at www.seiasynod.org before February 28, or by contacting pastor before February 21.
Lent/ Easter Are Late This Year
Lent does not begin until Ash Wednesday, March 9, this year. Therefore, Easter is not until Sunday, April 24. Ash Wednesday is always 40 days (plus Sundays) before Easter Sunday.
Easter is a holiday set by the rotations and the revolutions of the sun and the moon rather than by modern calendars. Easter occurs on the first Sunday after the first full moon after March 20. The earliest Easter Sunday can occur is March 22. The latest it can occur is April 25.
Bible Camp Registration Time
The winter chill is on, but it is time to begin thinking about summer camp. Registration forms for Ewalu Bible Camp are available in the office and soon will be distributed to all families with children in grades 3 – 12. Bethlehem WELCA also is providing assistance of $50. Additional assistance may be secured for those who need it.
Contacting Pastor
The telephone at the parsonage will be disconnected at the end of January. To contact pastor, try the office 678-2301, most mornings and some afternoons. You can leave a message there. In case of emergencies needing urgent pastoral attention, you can call him at 652-2599, especially in the evenings. Pastor has what he calls his everywhere number 563-447-0652, which calls the office, his home and his cell phone simultaneously. If he doesn’t answer, leave a message and it will be delivered to him as soon as possible. His cell phone doesn’t work at his home for calls, but text massagers can text him at 563-495-0435 and they get through. So add these to your phone books or address books or dialers.
678-2301 Office
563-652-2599 Pastor’s Home
563-447-0652 Pastor’s “everywhere” #
February Birthdays
1 Robert Beeck
6 Pat Hansen
8 Ryne Gruenwald, AJ Schroeder
9 Betty Rehmke
11 Ed Sheldon
12 Corynn Bennett
13 Darla Fields, Callie Petersen
15 Ruby Ketchum
22 Jenna Holtz
23 Becky Ihns-Petersen
25 Carol Christensen, Ethel Burmeister
26 Clay Ketchum
28 Margaret Betle
February Anniversaries
8 Joan and Bruce Von Sprecken
23 Lola and Clifford Berner
27 Darlene and Ron Christiansen
Attention Worship Leaders: you may pick up a schedule for the 2011 year on the table in the back of church.
Newsletter Inserts
Thank you to all of you who have returned the blue inserts from last month’s Star. Reminder to those who haven’t please send them to the church or email: secretary@bethlehem.mylutheran.org
BWELCA Hilites
Quilting will be on Monday’s from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. A noon potluck will be shared. The ladies have cut and sewed many quilt squares during the year so hopefully we will be off to a good start. See you on Mondays. Invite a friend to come with you.
Cheer Brunch
Our Annual Cheer Bruch will be Sat. Feb. 5 at 9:00 a.m. Alda Buresh from the Domestic Violence Center will be our guest speaker. Come enjoy a great brunch served by the BWELCA board and after the program stick around to pack cheer plates. There is a signup sheet on the bulletin board or call the church at 678-2301 to let them know you plan on attending.
We are also having a PILLOW SHOWER for the crisis center. Bring a pillow with you to the brunch. The need for the crisis center still remains and the following items would be greatly appreciated: Standard size bed pillows (2/$5.00 at Wal-Mart), Twin/full size sheets (new or good used), Blankets (winter use), towel sets, pots/pans-dishes-silverware (needed to help clients set up housekeeping when they leave the facility-may be good used). If you have items to donate and would like a letter for tax purposes, Alda can provide this for you. Alda thanks Bethlehem for their support and considers us a real blessing for her cause.
COMMUNITY ACTION – LAYETTES
It is layette time again!! An ingathering of supplies for the layettes will be held during the month of January. As before, we plan on assembling the kits during mid-week Lenten services. The usual items are needed: Diaper pins-Bars of Ivory soap-Diapers-Washcloths. Last year we completed 100+ kits. We have plenty of clothing items to complete 100 kits this year. If you could help us with this project, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.
BWELCA Board Meeting Tuesday, March 1 at 6 p.m.
Friendship Party
Our annual Friendship Party is Sunday, Feb. 13 at 5:30 p.m. Invite your family, friends and neighbors and join us for a fun filled evening.
LWR Tour Planned
An invitation from Pastor Jane, Calvary Lutheran, Buffalo, IA, is hosting a trip to tour the Global Health Ministries operation in St. Paul, MN and to tour the Lutheran World Relief Warehouse in St. Paul, leaving after worship, Sunday, May 1, 2011. We would stay in a motel Sunday night, and then meet at GHM, 9:00 a.m. Then head across town to the LWR warehouse, returning home after that visit. The cost depends on how many people are interested in this trip. They are trying for enough people to hire a bus. How many quilts has your church made as a part of Lutheran World Relief's on-going need to help people in need? These are Lutheran organizations which are in the Midwest and every Lutheran should/could have the opportunity to visit them. We have a unique opportunity to see how these organizations help to fulfill Christ's command to help those in need. You can contact Pastor Jane at j.granzow@q.com or let Deanne Bennett know if you are interested in going.
Up Coming Event: World Day of Prayer, Friday March 4. Anyone interested in reading please let Deanne Bennett know.
Attention all fellowship people: we have been having problems with the new coffee pot. There have been instructions posted on the wall behind the coffee pot. Please make sure you are familiar with them and that the pot is being cleaned the proper way. Thank You.
The People of God:Race and Culture
February Circle Meetings
Eve – Thursday, Feb. 10 at 7:00 p.m.
Hostess: Rochelle Busch Leader: Pastor
Bethlehem - Saturday, Feb. 12 at 9:00 a.m.
in the conference room
Connie Kleppe (hostess & leader)
All women are invited to attend
Barb’s Message
I have told this story before, but in light of recent events, it bears repeating. One summer, Kim and I visited Washington D.C. On a balmy summer evening we were out on the Capitol Mall, ready to head back to our hotel; when, way off in the distance, we heard music. We started walking the direction of the source of it; and as we got nearer, we could tell the music was voices singing.
When we reached the U.S. Capitol, the steps were filled with people of all ages, singing t hymns. Someone said they were from one of the large African-American churches. That summer they had had an usually high number of innocents killed, mostly caught in the crossfire of a drug deal. The choir and others at the church had decided it was important to address God about the issue. In the face of tragedy and a need to do something, this church did what Christians know they can always do and make a difference, even when things seem hopeless. The church called for an impromptu gathering, and they came in several buses to pray over the city. They impressed me with their sincerity, and I know God could hear them loud and clear.
I hope that the churches of Tucson have been praying over that city. Whenever something so dramatic happens in one of our cities or towns, that place becomes known for its particular tragedy – Oklahoma City, Ruby Ridge, Waco.
The horrible tragedy in Tucson happened only a couple miles from our condo. I do lots of shopping and eating out in that area. It saddened me to see the place that I associate with vacation and fun become a place of such confusion and deep sorrow. These things can happen anywhere. But this didn’t happen anywhere. It happened in Tucson in a part of town where there is very little crime. It is a reminder that every place on earth and every living thing in God’s creation is in dire need of God’s blessing.
Each Sunday in our Prayers, we include prayers for the Church, the Nation, and the World, placing before God the special needs of all people in all places. It is a time-honored liturgical way of praying for ourselves, our loved ones, neighbors, strangers, and even our enemies. We pray about matters that affect us directly; and though they don’t affect us, we pray for those matters that, we wish would never happen anywhere to anyone. And often we ask God to include that for which only God knows we need. As Christians, when we feel helpless in every other way, we know that we can help with prayer, with the certain knowledge that God listens.
Worship Assistants and Weekly Servants
Greeters: Al Small, Dale Rickels
Ushers: Les Paarmann, Scott Doll
Lectors:
6- Ellen Pithan
13- Emma Thiede
20- Tim Thiede
27- Madge White
Communion Servers:
6- Kelly Doll, Deanne Bennett
20- Rochelle Busch, Jessica Ihns
Acolytes:
6- Courtney Current
13- Noah Zeller
20- Ben Geerts
Altar Care: Lola DeMoss, Sue Zeller
Bread Maker: Jo Thiede
Tellers: Tim Thiede, Connie Kleppe
Fellowship Servers:
6- Connie Kleppe, Joan Kleppe, Lynda Humpherys, Cyndi Hartley
13- No Fellowship - Friendship Party
20- Jone Paarmann, Dawn Suthers, Evelyn Petersen
27- Ellen Pithan, Jill Suthers, Betty Rehmke, Corynn Bennett
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
403 Pleasant Street
Lost Nation, Iowa 52254
February 2011
Pastor Keith Larson
Office Phone 678-2301
Home Phone 563-652-2599
Emergency 563-447-0652
pastor@bethlehem.mylutheran.org
Pastoral Associate Barb Tobiason
Office Phone 826-2761
Home Phone 563-487-2116
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. Tues
Phone 678-2302
Sunday Schedule
Worship 9:00 a.m.
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.
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