Volume 38, Issue 4· April 2017 “Sharing the Bread of Life with a Hungry World” “Sharing the Bread of Life with a Hungry World” “Sharing the Bread of Life with a Hungry World” “Sharing the Bread of Life with a Hungry World” is this congregation’s mission statement. We have faithfully set goals and themes that allow us to take that general mission statement and turn it into the ministries of the congregation. The faith of people is fed through worship, education, fellowship, and service. People are fed with food through the ELCA Hunger Appeal. Our building supports the work of artists, nursing mothers, Girl Scouts, advocacy groups, and others whose missions are in line with our own. Quilts provide warmth and shelter for hundreds of people every year. Health and education kits feed the growth and maturity of people throughout the world. Thousands hear the good news of Jesus because of our support for global and domestic missions. This mission statement acknowledges that we don’t do these things because we are nice people – we do these things because we have been given the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ, and having been fed through God’s Word and the sacraments of Baptism and Communion, we are inspired to be the people who share what we have received with anyone who might hunger in any way. Every so often, we take a look at how we are living out this mission statement. We take a look at our community and the world to see who is hungry, and the ways in which they are hungry, so that we share what is truly needed. We take a look at our resources for sharing, and, most of all, how God is calling us to share those resources. We think about how we need to be Christ’s Body in the future for the sake of the world. We call this strategic planning. You will hear more about this strategic planning soon. It will be a focus of the quarterly meeting Sunday, April 30, at 10am. Perhaps, you will be called to serve on the strategic planning team, or called to assist them in their work. The resulting plan will keep us faithfully “Sharing the Bread of Life with a Hungry World” for years to come. NEW MEMBERS Each spring we joyfully receive new members at Bethlehem. We have three times for conversation between worship services to talk about Christian faith formation, the Lutheran understanding of that faith, and how the Bethlehem community practices that faith. Caring conversation are April 23, 30, and May 7. New members will be received Sunday, May 14, at both worship services. Interested, curious or have questions about membership, contact Pastor Gary, 266-3541 or [email protected]. L ENT ENT ENT ENT WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5 Potluck 6:00pm Worship 7:00pm H OLY OLY OLY OLY WEEK EEK EEK EEK PALM SUNDAY, APRIL 9 Worship 8:30am Fellowship 9:30am Sunday School 9:45am Adult Sunday School 10:00am Worship 11:00am MAUNDY THURSDAY, APRIL 13 Worship 11:30am Lunch Following (Please sign up on the Welcome Table.) Worship 7:00pm with First Communion GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 14 Worship 7:00pm EASTER ASTER ASTER ASTER EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 16 Sunrise Worship 6:30am (No staffed nursery.) Breakfast 7:15-8:15am Traditional Worship 8:30am Contemporary Worship 11:00am
Transcript
Volume 38, Issue 4· April 2017
“Sharing the Bread of Life with a Hungry World” “Sharing the Bread of Life with a Hungry World” “Sharing the Bread of Life with a Hungry World” “Sharing the Bread of Life with a Hungry World” is this congregation’s mission statement. We have faithfully set goals and themes that allow us
to take that general mission statement and turn it into the ministries of
the congregation. The faith of people is fed through worship, education,
fellowship, and service. People are fed with food through the ELCA
Hunger Appeal. Our building supports the work of artists, nursing
mothers, Girl Scouts, advocacy groups, and others whose missions are in
line with our own. Quilts provide warmth and shelter for hundreds of
people every year. Health and education kits feed the growth and
maturity of people throughout the world. Thousands hear the good
news of Jesus because of our support for global and domestic missions.
This mission statement acknowledges that we don’t do these things
because we are nice people – we do these things because we have
been given the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ, and having been fed through
God’s Word and the sacraments of Baptism and Communion, we are
inspired to be the people who share what we have received with
anyone who might hunger in any way.
Every so often, we take a look at how we are living out this mission
statement. We take a look at our community and the world to see who
is hungry, and the ways in which they are hungry, so that we share what
is truly needed. We take a look at our resources for sharing, and, most of
all, how God is calling us to share those resources. We think about how
we need to be Christ’s Body in the future for the sake of the world. We
call this strategic planning. You will hear more about this strategic
planning soon. It will be a focus of the quarterly meeting Sunday, April
30, at 10am. Perhaps, you will be called to serve on the strategic
planning team, or called to assist them in their work. The resulting plan
will keep us faithfully “Sharing the Bread of Life with a Hungry World” for
years to come.
NEW MEMBERS Each spring we joyfully receive new members at
Bethlehem. We have three times for conversation between worship
services to talk about Christian faith formation, the Lutheran
understanding of that faith, and how the Bethlehem community
practices that faith. Caring conversation are April 23, 30, and May 7.
New members will be received Sunday, May 14, at both worship
services. Interested, curious or have questions about membership,
