Church Rat

I’m one of those who has basically been part of church my whole life. As a pastor’s kid, I guess you could call me a “church rat,” like kids of parents who serve in the military are sometimes called “army brats.”

Now thirty-six years into ministry as a pastor, I’m still immersed in what ideally is a loving community centered in the good news of Jesus Christ. This congregation lives out that good news in building relationships, being formed primarily on Sunday mornings in worship, and rippling outward toward participating with God’s justice and mercy toward all.

I’ll be at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Columbus, Ohio next week as an observer. See Churchwide Assembly 2022. Churchwide is one of three expressions of the church in our Lutheran World. The ELCA, or Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is the largest Lutheran denomination and of the largest denominations of all Christian churches in the United States numbering 3.3 million, and is headquartered in Chicago. At the assembly, I’ll be particularly pleased that the bishop of our companion synod will present at a plenary and will be hosted at a dessert reception with ELCA partners like our New England Synod.

Synod is another of the three expressions of the church in our Lutheran world. From the Greek which means coming together, this is the regional expression of the ELCA. Bethesda is part of the New England Synod, which is headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts. See New England Synod. There are about 150 congregations throughout New England plus a couple in New York in the Adirondacks. I serve as chair of the Global Mission Team of our synod, which connects with global Lutherans particularly in our companion synods in the Middle East Holy Land Lutherans and Honduras. You are invited to a trip to visit our companion synod in February 2023. See Trip to the Holy Land with Pastor Tim 2023.

Are you a church rat? If you are on the journey to follow Jesus, I’m happy to be on that road with you regardless how you feel about that title. And you know that congregation or local is the third expression of the church in our Lutheran world. That’s Bethesda!

Join me in praying for our church.

Pastor Tim Keyl

Save the Dates

Sunday, August 28 - Ice Cream Social, 4-6 pm

Sunday, September 11 - Fall Fantastic Feast: Festive Worship, Introducing student staff and Bethesda House residents, with a cookout outdoors following worship

Sunday, September 18 - Learning Ministries following worship resumes

Pastor Tim is away

Pastor Tim will be attending the ELCA Churchwide Assembly (CWA) in Columbus, Ohio from August 8-11 as an observer, and will attend a reception with ELCJHL Bishop Azar hosted by Peace Not Walls. To follow the activities of the CWA, go to ELCA CWA 2022. For pastoral care, contact Vicar Gabrielle at (719) 352-8918 or Pastor Kari at (603) 533-5274.

Sunday Worship Livestream

We are now streaming Sunday worship services live on Bethesda’s YouTube Channel. Join us live at 9:30 am every Sunday or watch the recording afterward.

Click here to view this Sunday's bulletin.

Volunteer Work Day at Bethesda - Saturday, August 6 at 9am

This Saturday, August 6, from 9am-12pm, there will be a clean-up day in the morning at Bethesda Lutheran Church to clear clutter and tackle projects. The group will plan to gather in the Parish House Living Room before dividing up for indoor and outdoor projects. If you’re coming for outdoor projects, you can bring trimmers, loppers, rakes, gloves, and other materials for yard work. We are also looking for someone to bring a New Haven Dump Pass and a tree saw. Leah Snavely, Bethesda’s Caretaker, and the facilities team are hosting. 

Honoring Martin Gehner's 90th Birthday

After worship on Sunday, August 7, come to the Campanius Room for refreshments. There will be a birthday cake in honor of Martin Gehner’s 90th birthday. No gifts, please.

Meet and Greet Vicar Gabrielle on Sunday

At the end of coffee hour this Sunday, you are invited to meet Vicar Gabrielle in the Parish House Living Room to introduce yourselves and hear a little bit about her. Vicar Gabrielle will also be available for a meet and greet after coffee hour on August 21 and via Zoom on August 24 at 7:00 pm.

NOTICE: Congregational Meeting Sunday, August 14, 2022 following worship

The Congregation Council is calling for a congregational meeting with this two-week notice required by Bethesda’s constitution for Sunday, August 7 after worship. The agenda is to deliberate and vote on these recommendations:

To contract with Capasso Structural Restoration Contractors who has issued quotes for two additional masonry repair projects for the Parish House beyond the already approved chimney work from the April 3, 2022 Congregational Meeting:

-$14,550 for repointing the north wall of the parish house

-$32,550 for repointing and repairing the boiler room chimney

Monies for payment will be drawn in part from Special Funds and in part from a loan from the Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA. 

To contract with Partners for Sacred Places to conduct a Feasibility Study in order to “increase funding and community impact” for Bethesda’s future, at a cost of $18,000.

Monies for payment will be drawn from Special Funds and in part from a loan from the Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA.

Bible Study on Zoom

Bethesda's Bible Study meets every other Wednesday at 8:00 am on Zoom. The series on the Book of Acts continues on Wednesday, August 17.

When? Every other Wednesday at 8:00 am

Where? On Zoom, click here to join (or join by telephone: 203-432-9666; Meeting ID: 961 0888 6279)

Ice Cream Social Sunday, August 28

Bethesda will host the neighborhood, new students, and all comers for Ice Cream from 4 pm to 6 pm on Sunday, August 28. Vicar Gabrielle and the new Bethesda House community. There will be musical entertainment throughout. This has been a longstanding Bethesda event bridging summer’s end to fall’s beginning.

Plan to wear your Bethesda t-shirt. If you need one, please see the display in the narthex and help yourselves.

Volunteers are needed to:

-Set up at 3 pm

-Pick-up the ice cream at Ashley’s in Hamden by 3:15

-Bring cookies and dessert bars to share

-Clean up at 6 pm or a bit earlier

Love to sing? Consider joining Bethesda Lutheran Church’s choir!

Fall rehearsals resume in a few weeks, beginning Wednesday, Aug.31 from 7:30–9 p.m. in the Campanius Room. Worship services with choir begin Sunday, Sept. 4.

The ability to read music is helpful but not essential. Come to rehearsals to join as a regular member or talk to music director Stephen Gamboa-Diaz ([email protected]) about more occasional choral opportunities at Bethesda.

The choir typically sings on Sundays from September through the first half of June, including Christmas Eve and Holy Week services. In addition to weekly services, on October 30th the choir will perform Bach’s cantata BWV 33 “Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ” and other choral music with instrumentalists as part of Bethesda’s annual Reformation Concert. Join us!

Lisa Fischer-Woudstra, Bethesda House Ministry Liaison/House Manager

Lisa Fischer-Woudstra will begin her Bethesda House ministry after arriving August 20 in the large Parish House apartment. With her husband Jonny, who is an exchange student from Heidelberg, Germany, Lisa will join the three other residents for the 2022-2023 academic year. Look to greet her and others scooping ice cream at the August 28 Ice Cream Social.

DESK Volunteer Picnic (Date Change)

Calling all DESK Volunteers, Family, & Friends!

Join us for DESK's Annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic on Saturday, August 13, 2022 from 2:00-5:00 pm at the Edgewood Park Pavilion (near the corner of Whalley Ave & West Rock Ave).

RSVP Here

Traveling this summer?

We would like to pray for you during your time away. Please look for the white binder in the Narthex and add your travel plans to it.

2023 Companion Synod Trip

Join pastors Tim Keyl, Wendy Anderson, and Scott Howard on a life-transforming New England Synod Companion Trip to the 2023 Companion Synod Trip on February 2-17, 2023. Our theme is Sitting Under the Vine and Fig Tree, an image of peace and unity among nations found in Micah 4.

Upcoming Commemorations

Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), died 1221

Monday, August 8, 2022

Dominic was a Spanish priest who saw the wealth of the clergy as a stumbling block for the church, so he formed a movement, the Order of Preachers (commonly called Dominicans) devoted to itinerant preaching and living in poverty.

Lawrence, deacon, martyr, died 258

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

As one of the seven deacons of the church at Rome, Lawrence was responsible for the church's financial matters and for the care of the poor. Asked by the emperor to gather the church's treasure, he presented a collection of orphans, lepers, and the like. The enraged emperor had him put to death.

Clare, Abbess of San Damiano, died 1253

Thursday, August 11, 2022

A contemporary of Francis of Assisi, Clare and a growing number of companions established a women's Franciscan community, called the Order of Poor Ladies, or Poor Clares. She inspired other women to pursue spiritual goals.

Florence Nightingale, died 1910; Clara Maass, died 1901; renewers of society

Saturday, August 13, 2022

Nightingale was born in England, and horrified her wealthy family by deciding to become a nurse. She led a group of nurses in ministering in the midst of the Crimean War, and worked for hospital reform. Maass, a native of New Jersey, was also a war nurse, and volunteered as a subject for research on yellow fever. She died of the disease.

Prayer Requests

For healing and strength: Kathryn and Karolyn Lee, aunts of Chris Lee; George Arndt, father of Lynn Arezzini; Robert Gritz, brother-in-law of Blair Goodlin; Michelle Lee, friend of Christina Castañeda; Mark Barnett, nephew of Becky Lerud; Marie Gray; Sonja Krummrey; Maureen Anderson; Natalie Denardis, granddaughter of Gail Denardis; Shirley Farm; Linda Johnson; Anne and Lee Keck; Kay Leone; Molly Dinneen; Karen (Starbranch) Blitch, daughter of Chuck Starbranch.

For those serving in the military.

For our partners in the Gospel: the congregations and schools of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) and LuMin Campus Ministry.

For Bethesda New Haven: that God continues to guide us into the future with ministries of witness, service, hospitality, and care while building up our community in all its diversity.

For those in candidacy for rostered leadership in the ELCA: Natalie Benson and Calli Micale.

For those traveling this week: the Franz family to Oregon; Marietta Meyer to St. Albans; Blair Goodlin to Crown Point and Walloomsac, NY; and Pastor Tim to Churchwide Assembly, Columbus, OH

For those who mourn: Bethany Canver and Jeff Deeney, at the death of their four-month-old son, Xavier, on July 9.