Inside this newsletter are photographs of an important night. On New Year’s Eve, many Bethany folks gathered at the home of Wanda Adams. The hospitality ministry planned a party to burn (a copy of) the mortgage! In 2010, we paid off the mortgage after the sale of the acre to our south. To say this debt-free reality is a blessing is an understatement. Instead of focusing on paying off anything, we can devote ourselves to God’s call on our congregation. But, what is that call? What is our purpose? Not long after coming to Bethany, I asked to change our website address. So many churches have a bunch of letters with their city behind it as their website. We need our website to be unique because we are unique. Our web address became Bethanybelieves.com Without the skip of a beat, the next word was “what” as in “what does Bethany believe.” It’s a fair question; one that I was unwilling to answer until we all had spent some time together. Each person that comes into contact with Bethany Christian Church has his or her own answer to that question. Some discern what we believe by simply walking around our building. Some discover what we believe by investigating our website. Some perceive what we believe by walking past our booth at Tulsa Pride. People are learning about Bethany and seeing for themselves what we believe. And, yet, it may feel like we haven’t answered that for ourselves. At the end of worship and sharing on New Year’s Eve, we revealed hopes and dreams for our church. One particular dream was that we discern a mission and proclaim it. Others reminded us of a way, an approach that is a part of Bethany’s identity from the very beginning of the church nearly 50 years ago. Starting with this Sunday, Epiphany, we will explore our 3 important gifts. These 3 Gifts are the foundation for everything this community of faith does and are desperately needed in the world. The Magi, who we celebrate on Epiphany, aren’t the only ones bearing gifts. Bethany believes… Kelli’s Kiln Kelli Vol. 21 Issue 1 January 4, 2012
Transcript
Inside this newsletter are photographs of an important night. On New Year’s
Eve, many Bethany folks gathered at the home of Wanda Adams. The hospitality
ministry planned a party to burn (a copy of) the mortgage! In 2010, we paid off
the mortgage after the sale of the acre to our south. To say this debt-free reality is a blessing is
an understatement. Instead of focusing on paying off anything, we can devote ourselves to
God’s call on our congregation. But, what is that call? What is our purpose?
Not long after coming to Bethany, I asked to change our website address. So many churches
have a bunch of letters with their city behind it as their website. We need our website to be
unique because we are unique. Our web address became Bethanybelieves.com
Without the skip of a beat, the next word was “what” as in “what does Bethany believe.” It’s a
fair question; one that I was unwilling to answer until we all had spent some time together. Each
person that comes into contact with Bethany Christian Church has his or her own answer to that
question. Some discern what we believe by simply walking around our building. Some discover
what we believe by investigating our website. Some perceive what we believe by walking past
our booth at Tulsa Pride. People are learning about Bethany and seeing for themselves what we
believe. And, yet, it may feel like we haven’t answered that for ourselves.
At the end of worship and sharing on New Year’s Eve, we revealed hopes and dreams for our
church. One particular dream was that we discern a mission and proclaim it. Others reminded
us of a way, an approach that is a part of Bethany’s identity from the very beginning of the
church nearly 50 years ago.
Starting with this Sunday, Epiphany, we will explore our 3 important gifts. These 3 Gifts are the
foundation for everything this community of faith does and are desperately needed in the
world. The Magi, who we celebrate on Epiphany, aren’t the only ones bearing gifts.
Bethany believes…
Kelli’s Kiln
Kelli
Vol. 21 Issue 1 January 4, 2012
The Beginning of Christianity
If someone should ask you, "When did Christianity begin," what would you say? Some would
answer "at the birth of Jesus, which we believe was about four years B.C.E. (Before the Com-
mon Era). Others may say, "When Jesus gathered his disciples and began teaching."
If either of those is your answer then you
should come to our Bible Study Class, Sun-
day, at 9:30. That's when we will discover
that perhaps a better answer is, "When Je-
sus was raised from the Tomb."
Our class is learning a lot from our DVD
teacher, Dr. Timothy Luke Johnson. For the
past three Sundays he has explain the
world into which Jesus was born. We have
looked at the Greek, Roman, and Jewish
influences that shaped the religious and secular cultures of the time when Jesus
was born.
This week Dr. Johnson takes us to "The Jesus Movement and the Birth of Christian-
ity." It's an engrossing study. Please join us.
The Northeast Active Timers (NEATs), a faith based agency that provides
programs for "the chronologically gifted" (55+), will meet on Wednesday,
Jan. 9, at 10:30 am at Yale Ave. Christian Church, 36th & Yale, where its monthly gatherings
will be held each second Wed. during 2013.
The program on "Cultures Comes to Tulsa" , given by Michelle Place, executive director of
Tulsa Historical Society, launches a theme series for the year on "Oklahoma & The Arts". Musi-
cal entertainment by Hyechka Club members includes Paul Stefan Ort, Pope E. Kingsley, and
Ted Vestal. Rev. Mike Albert, pastor of YACC, will give the welcome and devotion.
The NEATs Board of Directors will provide a catered meal of soup, salads, cornbread and
drinks for $8 each. In celebration of Tulsa's 115th birthday, a cake is being given by Sharon
King Davis.
On Thursday, Jan. 10, a NEATs Excursion will be at 5 pm for dinner at Holiday Inn Downtown and concert at 7:30 pm at Holy Family Cathedral, given by Memorial High School Choir under
the direction of Dr. Don Armstrong.
For more information and reservations, call 918-743-1303.
Announcing the 2013
Bethany Lunch Bunch Bethany Christian Hospitality committee will
start planning a last Sunday of every month
“luncheon out” for everyone.
Please make a notation in your 2013 calen-
dars that the Bethany Lunch Bunch will meet
following Sunday service January 27th at Senior Tequilas on 71st, just East of Sheridan.
We have a sign-up sheet posted on the bul-
letin board for those wanting to attend and
so reservations can be made. Jennae Mullins
Mark your calendars for a Chili Cook-off, Sunday,
Jan. 20, at 5:30 p.m. It will be a fund raiser for Habitat
for Humanity, and the bragging rights for "Chili
Champ of BCC."
We will vote for the best chili by putting money in a cup be-
side our favorite. Allison Fate is making a surprise award for the
winner.
Our goal is $1,000. The cost of a Habitat for Humanity house
this year is $60,000, so we are joining with other Disciples in the
Tulsa metro area to build a home for a needy family.
If you can't attend the Jan. 20 cook-off, you can contribute
through Bethany. Indicate on your check that your gift is for "Habitat." Plans are to begin con-
struction this spring along with other Disciple congregations in our area.
As of today, Bethany has already contributed $1,448 to Habitat, partially from the landfill
funds.
DISCIPLE WOMEN
Happy New Year! This is your friendly reminder of our Disciples Women meeting at
10:00 Saturday, January 12, at Bethany Christian Church.
Christy Moore, will lead our study on the topic of "The Help", which is based on I Peter 2:11-
25. Our understanding of this topic in the days of the early Church will be enhanced if we read the
scripture before hearing Christy's lesson.
Our service project, for January is helping to provide funds for the start up of StoneSoup, the
ministry to help relieve food insecurity that Christy has initiated. Last month we decided to contribute
$100 from Disciples Women's funds toward StoneSoup, and to plan a fundraising breakfast at Apple-
bee's on behalf of the organization. At our meeting next week, Allison Fatre will report on what is
needed to plan the Applebee's event, which will probably be held in March. Our offerings for January
will also be contributed to StoneSoup.
Hostesses for January are Bettye Jackson and Maria Taveau.
I look forward to seeing you next Saturday, Myrna
Here are some pictures of
Bethany Christian Church’s
mortgage burning at Wanda Ad-
ams’ home on New Year’s eve.
The “burning” was accom-
panied by a service of worship
led by Kelli Driscoll and Barney McLaughlin. Besides some
moments of worship, the service also allowed many to
share their memories of how our newest addition was be-
gun. Memories of the past 40+ years of why Bethany is so
important to us came flooding back .
What does civil conversation look like? I like theologian Bernard Lonergan's words. He
names "transcendental imperatives": rules without which genuine conversation and under-
standing are not possible. "Be attentive, be intelligent, be responsible, be loving, and, if nec-
essary, change." (Method in Theology, 1972, p. 231) In my opinion, civil conversations re-
quire rules such as these.
We've accepted 9 proposals for presentations of 25 minutes each, to address the confer-
ence question, What should people of religious faith do to contribute to civil discourse in the
United States? Visit the Re-Mind & Re-New Speaker page for the selected speakers and
their topics. In between the presentations, participants will engage in conversation. The
conversation moderator will be the Rev. Dr. Gary Blaine. Blaine is a pastor, educator, writer,
and is currently the leader of a new worship community in Wichita and serves as a hospital
chaplain. He has taught several courses for PTS in the past as well.
To register, view the full schedule, learn more about presenters and find additional information, visit the Re-Mind & Re-New Conference web pages, at www/ptstulsa.edu/remindrenew.
For questions contact Mary McGilvray at [email protected] or 918-270-6405.
