July 31, 2022
Summer Sundays
Worship at 9:30 am
Fellowship Following Worship

Presiding Minister: Pastor Tim Keyl
Assisting Minister: Becky Lerud
Music Director: Stephen Gamboa-Díaz
Lectors: Richard Ford and Rachelle Goto
Cantor: Richard Ford
Altar Guild: John Aden
Ushers: Rachelle Goto and Miles Kirschner
Tellers: Elaine Ramshaw and Chris Wigren
Livestream: Blair Goodlin
Bread Bakers: Franz family
Coffee Hour: Richard Ford

From the Pastor

Get ready for Weird Church

After his first election, New England Synod Bishop held forth at a conference wearing lab goggles to encourage experimentation in the church. Try things! Try things you’ve never tried before. Be ready for failure, and learn from it. 

Now in his second term at the 2022 June New England Assembly, Bishop Hazelwood interviewed various people on comfy chairs on the dais front and center to hear about their collaborations, partnering with other churches, with non-profits, with neighboring schools, etc. The only way forward is to rely on exploring relationships.

Here at Bethesda your leadership, i.e., the Congregation Council is looking to “brand” what’s next for our ministry something like Bethesda’s Sustainable Future, which might be otherwise known as Weird Church. We will need to try things and things we’ve never tried before. We will need to collaborate, partnering with those we know and those we may only just meet.

We have a vital ministry. We have a rich history.  But we cannot keep our current way of doing things, support our big old building, continue with our current model of congregational life indefinitely, and finance our ministry long term.  Instead we have to imagine new models. We have to invite new partnerships. We have to think about what we might give up and what we might welcome.

We’d like input from you. We’d like to listen, tell stories, make new friends in New Haven, and risk venturing like we’ve never done before. It’s exciting. It’s scary. And it will involve prayer, and mutuality.

Come to the August 14 congregational meeting to hear about what the Congregational Council is looking to try, with your approval. See the invitation elsewhere in this enews.

It’s about to get interesting. And weird.

And we pray, blessed.

Pastor Tim

Quite a few of the newer faith communities being planted in America are, in part, Innovation Labs. Much of what they try will be short-lived or never take deep root. But from their learning, we will all profit. Every now and then they will discover a promising new approach to engaging people of in a faith community. There is a maiden voyage for everything. A lot of them get about as far as the Titanic. Several of the paradigms of church that we articulate in this book started as experiments. They were attempted by risk takers who care about the people who did not fit or fell drawn to existing expressions of church.--from Weird Church: Welcome to the Twenty-First Century, by Beth Ann Estock and Paul Nixon

Coming up at Bethesda

Save the Dates

Sunday, August 14 - Congregational Meeting, 10:45 am

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

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.

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 3.

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)

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

Anticipated projects: Landscaping projects around the church, cleaning of the Parish House kitchen, some updates to Bethesda House

We'll provide more details about the projects and what volunteers should bring with them in next week's E-News.

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:

1) 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. 

2) 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.

Welcome, Vicar Gabrielle!

Vicar Gabrielle Brown arrived safely on Wednesday afternoon to a clean Parish House apartment with all her belongings for the year in her car. A small but might crew of Steve Judd, John Aden, and Pastor Keyl carried her stuff in. Pastor Keyl gave her a small tour of New Haven. Vicar Gabrielle officially begins her ministry Monday, August 1. Look for times to meet and greet her beginning Sunday, August 7. And continue to pray for Bethesda’s Student Ministry 

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.

Welcome to those newly arriving to New Haven and Bethesda

Bethesda is pleased to welcome those newly arrived in New Haven and to Bethesda, those who are seeking a spiritual home and a community of friends in faith.  Whether you have a new job, are looking for a place to belong after the height of the pandemic, or are coming to Yale, we are happy to meet you.  Join us weekly in worship. Find a group or a ministry or a service activity to participate in.  Know that fall events will be launch at Fall Fantastic Feast on Sunday, September 11 with a festive worship and a cookout following worship. Make a point to introduce yourselves to Pastor Keyl and others. Sign the “Welcome to Bethesda” pad in each pew with your contact information to get on our mailing list. We welcome all and are a Reconciling in Christ congregation. Learn about Reconciling Works

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

CCA Volunteering Opportunities

Charmain Yun, Director of Administration and Planning at CCA, shares the following message about upcoming volunteer opportunities:

8/4 (Thursday): Organize our ARISE Center Professional Closet and sort through bags of clothes, a few hours at 158 Davenport

Back to School clothes for kids in shelter by 8/19: This is a bigger project, especially if you represent a group who could come together for this. We already have some donors who have adopted some kids, but we could have as many as 20-25 additional kids who will need clothes--ideally a set of 2 shirts, 2 pants/skirts, packs of socks and shoes for each kid ($40-50 each). Let me know if you are interested in organizing this big project and I can give you more specifics.  

You can reach Charmain at [email protected] or (203) 691-0307.

Ann Onton Tag Sale

Ann Onton is holding a tag sale at her home, Saturday, July 30, 50 Old Dairy Land in Shelton. Proceeds go to St. Vincent’s Foundation Swim Across the Sound. 

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

Vicar Kurt Saenger-Heyl's address in North Carolina

1136 Erins Way Lane

Raleigh, NC 27614

Email: [email protected] 

In September, Vicar Kurt will relocate to Wartburg Seminary for his final year of study. Look for that address nearer to September.

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

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus of Bethany

Friday, July 29, 2022

Friends of Jesus, Mary and Martha are remembered for the hospitality of their home that they offered him—Martha focused on serving their guest, and Mary on listening to him. Their brother Lazarus was raised from the dead as a sign of the greater resurrection to come.

Olaf, King of Norway, martyr, died 1030

Friday, July 29, 2022

Considered the patron saint of Norway, Olaf went from a life of piracy to becoming Christian and declaring himself king of Norway. He revised the laws and tried to administer them fairly. Driven from Norway in a rebellion, he was killed in battle trying to regain his kingdom.

Prayer Requests

For healing and strength: George Arndt, father of Lynn Arezzini; Robert Gritz, brother-in-law of Blair Goodlin; Michelle Lee, friend of Christina Castañeda; Rachel Ronnevik, sister of Maggie Astrup; Wayne Wright, father of Laura Wright; 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 Lee family returning from Minnesota; Paul Stuehrenberg and Carole DeVore returning from Amsterdam; Marietta Meyer on a choir trip to St. Albans; and Lily Micale at Calumet (to send a note to Lily Micale, mail it to Calumet PO Box 236, W. Ossipee NH 03890).

For those who mourn: Bethany Canver and Jeff Deeney, at the death of their four-month-old son, Xavier, also on July 9. A Memorial Service will be held at Bethesda on Saturday, August 6 at 4:00 pm, with a reception following. All are invited. If you can assist Pastor Keyl with the service or reception, please contact him at [email protected]. Notes of condolences may be sent to 37 Woodstock Street, Hamden CT 06517.