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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:
[email protected] 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 [email protected]).
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
Child Development Center
Janna Hopkins, Director
214-348-9691
Church Staff
Cheryl Walenta Gorvie, Pastor [email protected]
Terri Guy, Administrator
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: