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September 2014

Bethany CONNECTION

Purpose:

To share God’s gifts

with love—

God gives, we share.

A Note From Pastor Cheryl Newsletter September 2014

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. --Hebrews 13: 8

The sound of wind is still blowing in this season of Pentecost! Pentecost sticks with us through the long, hot Texas summer, and that wind of the Holy Spirit is still blowing now, even as vacations have come and gone, students are back to school, and groups return to their regularly scheduled program for the fall. September will be a month of celebrations! On Rally Day, September 7th, we will celebrate the return to Sunday education opportunities (read more about it inside!) as well as putting our hands to work as servants of God! After worshipping together, we will go to Nelson Hall to bag rice and cookies to be given to Mount Olive Lutheran Church’s Food Pantry Ministry, a church with whom we have long been partners. The following Sunday, September 14th, we will gather the Sunday School teachers for a blessing during worship, asking for God’s grace and guidance as we are led to open the Bible and discover there what God has in mind for us as individuals and as a community.

And then on Sunday, September 21st, we will invite the teachers, staff, and kids and families of our

Bethany Lutheran Child Development Center to come to worship for a special blessing. The CDC has begun the year with almost 80 children and 17 teachers and staff to care for them! We are blessed to be in ministry together!

Continued…...

Bethany Lutheran Church “In the heart of Lake Highlands”

Walnut Hill and Ferndale

10101 Walnut Hill Lane Dallas, TX 75238

214.348.9690 www.bethany.net

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A Note From Pastor Cheryl continued...

We have many things for which to give thanks! There is an air of excitement, also, as we anticipate the arrival of Vicar Katharina Behrens, coming to us from Germany. Vicar Katharina will serve half-time here at Bethany Lutheran and half-time at First United Lutheran Church; her husband Michael will serve as vicar at Christ Lutheran Church here in Dallas. After having some trouble arranging a travel visa, Katharina and her husband, Michael, are waiting for word about their departure. Read Katharina’s article inside—what a blessing is her faith! We look forward to meeting her! While fall may mean returning to routines, it may also mean starting something new. Maybe you have never tried singing in the choir or teaching Sunday School or assisting in worship; maybe now is the time! Or maybe it’s time for a break from what you have long been doing, and it’s time to let someone else try. Whatever is true for you, one thing is certain: Jesus Christ never changes. Our faith is built on the gospel of grace, good news for all of us, each of us both sinners and saints at the same time. Let us continue to seek God’s wisdom in our work and play, as well as our service and worship.

Pastor Cheryl Walenta Gorvie

Thrivent Afternoon

at the Perot Museum

Sunday, August 17th

Several Bethany members took

advantage of the outing to the Perot

Museum sponsored by Thrivent’s Dallas

Chapter on August 17th. The outing

included admission to the general exhibits,

the Dinosaur Exhibit, and the 3-D Butterfly

movie. Pictured here, the Bethany kids had a

great time running around outside after the

Butterfly movie.

As you well know, it is not possible to

see everything in one visit, so many of us

will be back...again and again.

Thanks, Thrivent!!

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A Note from Vicar Katharina... This is a devotion written by our incoming vicar, Katharina

Behrens. Let us keep her and her husband Michael in our prayers as they await news about a visa for travel here to the United States to serve as vicars in Dallas! Vicar Katharina will be serving half-time here at Bethany Lutheran and half-time at First United Lutheran Church, while Vicar Michael will be serving at Christ Lutheran Church. We are eagerly awaiting updates about their travel status!

Today is the day my husband and I have to reschedule our flights – again. Since February we’re excited to come to Dallas. Excited to

get to know you all and the American way of congregational life.

In July we really got nervous – will Homeland answer soon enough so that we’ll be able to get the visa stuff in Germany going? We

waited. And prayed. We felt that it is our way to come to you. That God wants us in Dallas. But no answer came. And we had to re-

schedule the first time.

At this time the leap of faith had been made. We had sold our car, we dismissed our flat, all our belongings we’re carted off to Hanno-

ver. And again we waited and hoped and prayed. But still no answer. Since July it’s getting harder every day to trust God. Or to trust in

the fact that he wants us in Dallas – was it his voice that told us so? Or was it our own inner voice that wanted to come to the US?

How do I know? How can we be sure? Aren’t we investing to much energy into something we’re not supposed to do? Is this what God

wants to tell us with all these delays?

So the main question is: how can we distinguish between Gods’ voice and any other? How can we be sure?

Jesus says:

“The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep

follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not

recognize a stranger’s voice.” (John 10,2-5)

Christians know the voice of Jesus. We know his voice because we listen to it through bible study and prayer. He speaks to us through

worship, sermons and other Christians.

That’s why we were sure. At the beginning everything fell easily in place. It felt right. Suddenly Dallas was everywhere – in songs we

listened to, in books; we found out that a lot of people we know have been in Dallas or Texas before, lived there and provided us with

a lot of information. We heard Jesus’ voice through all this.

And today? Yes, we’re frustrated. Yes, we’re still unsure why all this happened, why it all takes so long. But today I heard Jesus’ voice

again. He spoke to me through the Herrenhuter Losung. The verse for today is found in Luke 5,5. Simon has been fishing the whole

night. Nothing happened. He needed the fish to survive. But. Nothing. Happened. He probably was frustrated. Just like us. And then

Jesus speaks. “Let down the nets for a catch.” Sounds silly. Jesus isn’t a fisher. But he is the Son of God. The ruler of the universe. He

holds the whole world in his hands. So Simon says: “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because

you say so, I will let down the nets.”

So that’s what we’re doing today. We’re letting down the nets again. We’re rescheduling the flight. And we’re still praying and hoping.

And we’re still frustrated. But Jesus will do something. And we believe in his power. The nets will be filled. God wants us in Dallas –

that’s what his voice tells us right now. We don’t know when anything will happen – or what will happen. But we’re going out right

now, fishing. Because of the word of Jesus. And till there’s a yes or a no from Homeland we’ll carefully listen to what Jesus says in the

meantime.

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Oikonomia That’s the Greek word for stewardship. It literally means “household management” and it’s the root of the English word economy. So if we look at stewardship literally, a steward is the manager or caretaker of someone else’s property. So, we are all stewards because we are all managing God’s property – all we have belonged to God first. “Our lives as stewards (or oikonomos) involves all aspects of our lives, all the time, in every situation. Everything we have is a gift from God. We aren’t the owner of anything, so we make every decision as a steward of divine gifts.”1

God created each of us in His own image. He gave us gifts, with which we are able to earn a living. So giving ten percent back to God is a real bargain when you look at it that way. The Bible says tithing is a minimum response to the abundance of God’s grace shown to each one of us. When we give one tenth of our income back to God, it reinforces our trust in Him and serves to help others in need. It also reinforces our attitudes of gratitude and humility.

Maybe we have turned the question around. Instead of “How much should I give to others?” we could phrase it “How much should I keep for myself?” Which question is more compelling to you? Which better represents oikonomia?

We would like to thank everyone for being good oikonomos in supporting all the Bethany ministries including assistance in sending our youth to Colorado, providing backpacks and school supplies for both Mt. Olive Lutheran Church and Kids U, assistance to members in need, and support of both the Malaria and Ebola projects over and above our regular tithes and offerings.

Linda Bernauer

Stewardship representative

1 Quote from “Stewardship: Biblical perspectives” by Marty E. Stevens, The Lutheran magazine, September, 2014

From the Stewardship Team

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High School update

Here are the high school youth at the Cadillac Ranch

in Amarillo, on our way to Sky Ranch Lutheran

Camp in Colorado! Thanks to everyone who made

this powerful faith-building trip possible! From L to

R: Madeline Devine, Hayden Pittman, Charlotte

Devine, Carolyn Frost, Thomas Clarke, Rich

Bamanga.

The high school youth above also enjoyed a day at Hurricane

Harbor with Pastor Cheryl. Two weeks later Debra & Doug

Hale hosted a back-to-school swim party for the group.

Carolyn Frost graduated from L.V. Berkner High School this

May and is now a student at North Texas State University.

After attending a class at Briarwood, Pastor Cheryl and Terri

stopped by to bless her dorm room. As you can see, Carolyn

appears happy and is adjusting well to dorm life. I hear she is

especially happy about the jello in the student cafeteria.

Peer Ministry Leadership Event

(youth in grades 9-12) February 20-22

Briarwood Retreat Center

What is Peer Ministry? It’s the story of

the good Samaritan. Only instead of preaching and teaching it, you get the skills you need to live it!

RISE UP ELCA National Youth Gathering

July 15th - 19th

Detroit, Michigan

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Interested in learning more about health care?

Come join in the fun and fellowship…

We will gather in Nelson Fellowship Hall after worship to eat lunch. Please bring a brown bag lunch; drinks and dessert will be provided.

We will have a book swap. Please bring books that you have finished reading to swap for items brought by others. Any books left over will be taken to the Veterans Administration Hospital.

As a service project we will be bagging cookies, pinto beans, and rice for the Mt. Olive Food Pantry again this year.

Rally Day ...September 7th

The Executive Director and Board of the

MISSION ENDOWMENT FUND NTNL Mission Area of the ELCA

Would be honored by your presence at

The Annual “Seeds That Change”

Dinner and Fundraiser with

Silent and Live Auction / Entertainment

Saturday, October 11th

4:00 - 7:00 PM

Christ Lutheran Church

3001 Lover’s Lane, Dallas

Ticket donation: $40

Table of 8: $300

God’s Work, Our Hands

The Mission Endowment Fund has provided a

generous donation for our Briarwood Day

Camp each year allowing us to keep the cost

down for the area children. Won’t you please

consider supporting the MEF by attending the

dinner, providing an item for the auction and/

or making a donation ?

Donations for the auction can include your own

creation, physical items or monetary gifts, etc. Popular

items from past auctions have included:

* Frequent Flyer Tickets, Event Tickets, Trips, Time Share

* Sports Memorabilia, Season Passes, Spa Packages

* Pool Party, Dinner Party, Wine Tasting Events

* Vacation Home, Photo Sessions, Birthday Party Pkg

* Jewelry

Please contact Hattie Hammer for further details:

Hattie.hammer@sbcglobal.net or 972-296-3703

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Welcome Back!

Teachers and Students!

The Fall CDC semester started Wednesday,

September 3rd. Classes are almost completely

full, with only a couple of spaces available in

the two’s class. We now have 15 part time

teachers to handle the load! Stop by to visit;

we would love to show you around.

However, if you stop by the church during

drop-off or pick-up time, you will notice only a

precious few parking spaces available. What a

welcome change to just a few years ago.

Next month we will include a photo to

introduce you to all of the teachers.

Bethany Child Development Center

New CDC signage installed by Mr. Doug, of course….

New CDC signage installed by Mr. Doug, of course….

The new bike track has been installed and it looks great. There is a little maintenance required this

time of year to keep the crepe myrtle blooms off of the track.

Super Handyman Doug is built some more coat / backpack racks to accommodate the influx of kids.

After painting and adding the hooks, they have been installed (with his helper, Debra). Before

school started Doug reinforced the existing sandbox hoping to get a little more life out of it; in-

stalled smoke detectors; installed legs on several tables; repaired shelving and kitchenette; installed

cork boards and a chime / alarm for the back door; and completed many minor repairs/ requests by

the teachers. CDC loves Mr. Doug.

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Briarwood Retreat Center

Invitational Golf Outing

and fundraiser

October 12, 2014

Funds raised for this event are used to make camp affordable for all children and youth and provide camperships for those with specific needs. Registration is $130 per golfer and includes a light breakfast, range balls, 2 drink tickets, 1 raffle ticket, longest drive contest, clos-est to the pin contest and lunch provid-ed by Salerno's Italian Restaurant.

Bridlewood Golf Club

Flower Mound, TX

Lutheran Campus Ministry

Looking for a fun evening out? Like to laugh? Want a great meal? Enjoy testing your knowledge? Care about young adults? These all come together in the LCM Trivia Challenge, November 9, at 4p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church in Dallas. All funds generated go to the NT-NL Campus Ministry Mission Fund, benefitting Lutheran Campus Ministry in the NT-NL Mission Area.

Form your team of 8, design table décor that reflects a ministry of your congregation or some aspect of campus ministry. Or simply go for creativity. Then register for lots of fun. This year’s meal is being catered by Chef Norman Isa of Briarwood Retreat Center. For more information, contact Pastor Celene Welch (817/269-1229 or pastor@lcmdenton.org).

Mt. Olive Lutheran Church Celebrates

Sixty-Six Years in Ministry

“How Great Is Our God”

Join us for both….

4th Ecumenical Musical

Saturday, September 13th at 5:00 PM

Reception Immediately Following

Anniversary Celebration

Sunday, September 14th at 3:00 PM

Guest Speaker: Pastor April Bristow

Dinner Immediately Following

Mt. Olive Lutheran Church

3100 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Dallas, Tx 75215

214-428-2892

Rev. Robert W. Moore, Interim Pastor

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Thank you to our property guys…. I can hear the LH band practicing in the early morning, the Monarchs are flying south to Mexico and the State Fair fried foods are all the news…can Fall be far away?

As summer draws toward a close we should give a big thanks to our lawn crew who put in many hours over the summer…David “Edger” Frost, Ken “Blade Bender” Shivers and Doug “CDC Slave” Hale. Give these guys a big hand when you see them around. Ed Boudreau

Thank you for your generous response to Bishop Kanouse’s request for help for the people in Sierra Leone

devastated by Ebola. Bethany raised over $1800 for the containers headed to Africa. Here is the Bishop’s latest

update:

Another place I continue to see the marks of the Body of Christ is in our ongoing and growing response to the

Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Not only did we help pack and ship two containers of medical supplies to Sierra Leone

a week ago, the Sierra Leone Team met this week and approved a $ 15,000 gift to the ELCSL, our Companion

Church, to be used for a food program. Bishop Barnett requested the funds to address a growing need in Sierra

Leone: hunger. With the quarantine of villages around the country, the movement of food has virtually

stopped. Food is available, but people are afraid to ship it or go out to buy it. Businesses are closed.

The leaders and pastors of the ELCSL can use the cash to purchase food locally and provide 1 bag of rice, 1 gallon

of cooking oil, 1/2 case of tomato paste plus additional groceries to feed a family for a month. With that $ 15,000

the church will feed 252 families. A family in SL, could be 20 people in a village. Once again your gifts are literally

saving peoples' lives... another mark of the Body of Christ. Our next projects are to send chlorine or other, better

cleansing agents, more food, and another container. Offerings to the cause now total over $ 32,000; please keep

encouraging donations!

The ebola crisis continues to grow beyond anything Africa has ever seen. Bishop Jensen, Lutheran Bishop of the

Lutheran Church in Liberia wrote that he buried his 5th pastor in the past week! Not all have died with ebola; but

many are dying because of ebola. What that means is that clinics that could ordinarily handle emergencies are

unable to receive and care for people at all. Basic medicines such as antibiotics to cure illnesses, are not available

because clinics are closed. People are dying from curable illnesses. This weekend the Sierra Leone legislature

declared that hiding an ebola victim is a crime, punishable by two years in prison. People are scared and hiding,

which makes the spread of the disease even worse. The world needs to be talking about this and sending

intervention. Instead, doctors and medical personnel are fleeing for their lives as the disease spreads. Thanks for

your prayers and for lifting up the cause! "Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer." These marks

of the Body of Christ are so needed just now.

Ebola Crisis in Sierra Leone

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Children’s Sunday School

Begins next Sunday September 14th

This year the children will be studying stories of the Old Testament. They will still be meeting in Nelson Fellowship Hall where they will enjoy a DVD presentation of their lesson in addition to participating in activities and working their Holy Moly leaflet. We look forward to this new Sunday School format.

High School Class meets in Pastor Cheryl’s office beginning September 14

Pastor Cheryl will lead the class in discussions of “important stuff”. Don’t miss this class designed especially for you!

There will be

two adult

Sunday School

classes

this Fall.

Christian Education

Meeting in the library, a new discussion

based adult class begins September 14th.

Join this informal gathering as we talk

through a variety of Christian topics.

Leaders will change as well during the

course of this class. Lorraine Dittmer will

lead our first discussion.

The Adult Bible Study class will continue to meet in the Friendship Room.

Lead by Bill Slonecker, this class will begin September 28th for nine sessions.

What is a Lutheran? What do they believe? Would you have a difficult time explaining what we Lutherans are? Come join a study of

“What is Lutheran Christianity.” It is a lively way of seeing, hearing, teaching and following, not necessarily a system of doctrines. Join us as we study and grow through our sharing of our understanding of our faith experiences as a Lutheran Christian.

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Meet the kids at Alista…. This is the new group of children we will be helping through our affiliation with Kids-U and LH4LH. There are over 50 kids in this group, and they were all excited about their new backpacks. They also put on an enthusiastic talent show with lots of singing and dancing at this meeting -- the last before school started up again.

A special thank you to all who donated money, school supplies, and backpacks. Pastor Cheryl and I stuffed 45 backpacks with generous donations from Bethany and the other LH4LH . The children were most appreciative and thanked me as they left. What a blessing to spend some time with such happy and positive kids. ---Terri Guy

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September Birthdays

Cheryl Boudreau September 3

Max Castillo September 3

Sam Castillo September 3

Signe Mickelson September 9

Betty Williams September 16

Bill Slonecker September 22

Luke Bierwagen September 26

Blessing of the CDC Teachers

Birthday Blessings

Join us for

Women’s Fellowship

and Bible Study

1 & 2 Thessalonians

Wednesdays at 6:30 PM

beginning September 17th

Journey with us to the Thessalonian shores, as we walk through the truth of each verse of 1 and 2 Thessalonians. In this study, you'll face crises, afflictions, relationships, doubts, concerns, and fears. Find encouragement for living the Christian life now and hope for when Christ returns.

Susan Harrison or Terri Guy

can answer any questions you may have.

Hope to see you there!

October Birthdays

Chris Dittmer October 2

Mike Repp October 4

Carole Bawcum October 10

Alfred Ngang October 10

Bethany Boudreau October 15

Women’s Bible Study

WE will have a Blessing of the CDC Teachers during worship on September 21st. CDC will send out invitation to not only the teachers and their families, but the students and their families as well. Please plan to attend to show your support. We will have a reception in the Friendship Room following worship.

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Please remember in your prayers:

In need of healing, comfort and strength:

Paul Clements (stage 4 cancer, friend of the Boudreaus);

David Hallmon (back pain, son of Irene);

Margaret (hospice care, Myke Riley’s mother);

Tracey Elofson (Lou Gehrig’s disease, Barbara Cannizzaro’s niece);

Dave Adams (pancreatic cancer, son-in-law of Bill & Jeanne Martin);

Eric Enocksen (continuing recovery at home);

Joan (esophageal cancer, friend of Cheryl Boudreau);

Pr. Jen Obermueller & Andy (brain tumor, Immanuel Lutheran Church,

Killeen )

Family and Friends of Floyd Swanson as they mourn his death (former Bethany member)

Family and friends of Dick Dickson as they mourn his death (former

Bethany member)

The White Rock Center of Hope also serves our neighbors in need.

They can always use your used clothing, linens and household items.

They are in need of food and toiletries to give to the needy.

If you can volunteer your time to help in their resale shop, interviewing

clients or sorting through the donated items, please see Nancy Rynders.

Mount Olive Food Pantry

Mt. Olive’s inventory is growing low.

Please take a look at your pantry to see what you can spare, or what you might pick up for them on

your next trip to the grocery story. Mt. Olive continues to struggle to meet the needs of its community

and depends upon the generosity of others.

Watch for details on our October Share the Harvest Festival as we raise more money for the Mt.

Olive Food Pantry with the help of Thrivent.

Monetary donations are greatly appreciated and needed at this time.

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Bethany Lutheran Church

10101 Walnut Hill Lane Dallas Texas 75238-2166

Office: 214-348-9690 Fax: 214-348-4520

churchoffice@bethany.net

Child Development Center

Janna Hopkins, Director

214-348-9691

cdc@bethany.net

Church Staff

Cheryl Walenta Gorvie, Pastor pastor@bethany.net

Terri Guy, Administrator

churchoffice@bethany.net

Carolyn Johnson, Organist / Pianist

Volunteers

Ellen Frost, Choir / Music Director

Irene Hallmon, Office Volunteer

Steve Rossiter, Financial Secretary to the Treasurer

Marilyn Gillett, Office of the Treasurer

Council Officers

President Lorraine Dittmer

Vice President Kevin Bernauer

Treasurer David Frost

Secretary Irene Hallmon

Council Representatives

CDC Board Rep. Cheryl Boudreau

Education Rep. Debra Hale

Property Ed Boudreau

Stewardship Linda Bernauer

Fellowship Carrie Enocksen

To Share God’s gifts with love –

God gives, we share.

1. Jesus is Lord.

2. Everything we do is worship.

3. We are rooted in God’s Word.

4. Our integrity depends on speaking the Truth.

5. Encourage and welcome all.

6. We share with others what God has given us.

Purpose Statement:

Guiding Principles: