Reformation Sunday

Worship at 9:30 am

Fellowship and Learning Hour Following Worship

Presiding Minister: Pastor Tim Keyl

Assisting Ministers: Chris Wigren and Vicar Gabrielle Brown

Music Director: Stephen Gamboa-Díaz

Music Intern: Ike Harijanto

Lectors: Maggie Astrup and Gabu Keyl

Altar Guild: John Aden

Livestream: Blair Goodlin

Tellers: Martin Gehner and Rachelle Goto

Bread Bakers: Judd family

Coffee Hour: Richard Ford

Acolyte: Eleanor Lee, Greta Lee, Henry Marchand, and Jack Marchand

From the Pastor

What’s a Lithuanian?

“This is the heart of being Lutheran: that is, Word is taken to be an oral thing, an enfleshed event, seeking a voice (vox), longing for fulfillment in song, hymn, or dance.”

–Mark Bangert, Worship and Culture in Dialog

Betty Callahan loved to tell an origin story for Christ the King Lutheran Church (CtK) in Nashua, New Hampshire, where I served as pastor from 2000-2010. Betty was a charter member, as the congregation began in 1960. At that time, looking for a Lutheran Church in that area and using a “search engine” in a book called the Yellow Pages, Christ the King was the only Lutheran Church listed. In conversation with a random person, Betty recalled the person inquiring about the church in this way: “What’s a Lithuanian?” And then she grinned in her remembering.

Betty also loved that congregation and her longtime connection to it. She had good reason. With its substantial granite altar, with its commitment to weekly eucharist at its inception, and with its well-trained lay worship leaders (have I ever told you that the altar guild there was a force to behold?), there was substance to CtK’s Lutheran identity that made it a great place to make the journey of faith.

Bethesda is no slouch when it comes to excellence in worship, a rich history of musical support for the liturgy and the Music Series. As we mark Reformation Sunday and the roots of the church’s renewal through Martin Luther and his followers, we can resound to what Mark Bangert says in the quote above: that in our common life, God’s Word becomes part of us. It comes to us through hearing, through our voices, through our song, in our flesh and bone.

We must be eager, as Bangert says “longing for fulfillment” in our weekly gatherings and in between to hear a good Word, to embody Jesus as the Word Incarnate, to serve and love on behalf of Christ. Luther would approve. I just know it.

See you Sunday. Will you be wearing red? I will.

Pastor Tim Keyl

Coming Up at Bethesda

Save the Dates

Sunday, November 13 - Response Sunday with catered lunch following worship

Sunday, November 13 - Confirmation Youth to the Branford Labyrinth after lunch

Saturday, November 19 - CCA Thanksgiving Baskets

Sunday, December 4 - Service of Lessons and Carols at Battel Chapel, 5:00 pm

January 13-16 - Bethesda at Camp Calumet

Sunday Worship Livestream

We stream 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.

Dinner Church is around a meal in your home over Zoom

Wednesday nights beginning at 6:00 pm

Click here to join on Zoom

From your kitchen or dining room table beginning at 6:00 pm, Dinner Church is framed by prayer, informal and guided conversation, prayers of thanks over bread and wine, and eating together virtually. Have something on hand similar to bread and wine. Come to be with or meet friends from Bethesda and its community. Look to reflect on scripture and spiritual readings. All this provides a kind of communion liturgy over the course of a meal.

The theme for our autumn gatherings is Saints.

Questions? Ask Pastor Keyl.

Sunday Forums: Stewardship Series

We will meet every Sunday at 11:00 am in the Parish House Living Room to discuss our stewardship series book Giving to God: The Bible’s Good News about Living a Generous Life, by Mark Allan Powell. This will be led by Bethesda’s Stewardship Committee: Blair Goodlin, Calli Micale, Dianne Witte, and Pastor Keyl. Books are available for pick-up at the office by emailing Leigh Cromey at [email protected].

Bethesda Music Series: Reformation Concert

The Bethesda Music Series presents its annual Reformation Concert, featuring Bethesda Lutheran Church’s choir with guest vocalists and instrumentalists performing J. S. Bach’s Cantata No. 33 ‘Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ‘ along with works by Ola Gjeilo and Felix Mendelssohn.

FREE; reception to follow. Freewill donations to benefit Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK).

Super Saturday

All Bethesda youth and families are invited to gather on Saturday, November 5 at 4:45 pm for Super Saturday! We will play outside (weather permitting), watch age-appropriate movies, and eat pizza, salad, and ice cream. You are welcome to bring snacks to share.

RSVP with Priscilla ([email protected]) if you can attend, but show up anyway if you forget. And feel free to invite family and friends!

All Saints Sunday is November 6

On All Saints Sunday we will remember those who have died from our community in the past year. You are invited to list names of others who have died whom you wish to remember in the binder at the narthex. They can be from all times and places!

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, November 9.

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)

Empowered by the Spirit Stewardship Emphasis is Underway!

Bethesda is deepening our connection to faith and giving these weeks, culminating in the Response Sunday, November 13th, with a catered lunch following worship. The Stewardship Team is leading forums on the book Giving To God. We are hearing testimony each week during worship. And we have prepared materials in the links describing this year’s theme and process, along with a fillable card with your intention to give during the 2023 year for Worship Offerings. You may input your intention on Breeze, use the pledge card, or indicate your plan via email or postal mail. 

The Breeze pledge form can be accessed here: https://bethesdanewhaven.breezechms.com/form/pledge20225

Questions? Email Blair Goodlin [email protected] or Calli Micale [email protected], Dianne Witte [email protected] or Pastor Tim [email protected].

Council Corner

The Council welcomed Calli Micale from the Stewardship Committee at its October 24 meeting. She asked members to make the first financial commitments to Bethesda’s stewardship effort for 2023. 

Financial reports indicated that, to date, 2022 giving was at 98% of budget; building use income was at 100% of budget; and expenses were at 98% of budget. Donations to the Student Ministry and Capital funds, which are in addition to the budget, are needed. 

Although 2022 has been a difficult year for investments, Bethesda’s portfolio has decreased less than the major indexes. Council was asked to join the Finance Committee in considering the best balance of portfolio risk and growth and appropriate extent of socially responsible investing for Bethesda.

Members received written reports and oral updates. Of note:

- Partners for Sacred Places feasibility study will soon send requests for interviews to a limited number of community leaders and Bethesda members.
- One more volunteer with meeting-coordinating skills is needed to undertake our internal audit.
- Although we have received the $92,100 ELCA Mission Investment Fund loan, a construction snafu has postponed the parish house brickwork until spring.
- Updates to Bethesda’s constitution are being drafted.
- Ministry activities, such as Christian Community Action’s Thanksgiving basket assembly and pie selling to raise funds for the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering, were celebrated.

Bethesda’s Sustainable Future Task Force

Bethesda’s Sustainable Future Task Force has had several ZOOM meetings both independently and with our consultants, Partners for Sacred Places, to begin our Feasibility Study. The task force has compiled a list of potential interviewees from which Partners will select and have conversations with about 45 for input into the study. This list includes local community leaders and stakeholders, and local philanthropists, as well as Bethesda leaders and members.  A letter explaining the purpose of our Feasibility Study to possible non-Bethesda interviewees and asking them to participate will be emailed out this week. A similar letter will soon go out to selected potential Bethesda participants. Shortly, Partners will begin the interview process to gather insight and information about the role of Bethesda in the New Haven community.

Sunday School youth learn about Diwali

On October 23, the youngest Sunday School class welcome Sudheesh, a Yale post-doc and member of the Hindu Life community there. With thanks to Elaine and the Yale Hindu Chaplain, Asha Shipman, for organizing, the children enjoyed hearing about Diwali, the Hindu festival of light. They learned about the five days of Diwali, read a book together, and savored Sudheesh’s many joyful memories of the holiday in India, which was celebrated this year on October 22-26. Hands-on activities included coloring and making Rangoli with colored sand outside. It was beautiful and memorable to spend time with Sudheesh and we are very grateful!

Bethesda's Youth are making pies!

We hope you can help send our confirmation class to the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans! To help us get there, we are making pies just in time for holiday celebrations. Please use this form to order your Apple Crumb or Pumpkin pies (or both!). The last day to order will be November 6. 

Pies will be made by the youth and frozen. Each pie is $20, and payment may be made by cash or check (made out to Bethesda with “Youth Fundraiser” in the memo line), or online by selecting “Youth Fundraiser” from the drop down menu. Pies will be available for pick up on Sundays November 13 and 20.

Thank you!

~ Greta, Henry, Lily, and Louis

CCA FeedNE2022 Update

Wow! As of Monday, October 24, the CCA project supported by Thrivent's incentive challenge has received 663 food items -- well over the minimum of 500 to receive the incentive. The project will continue through October 31st after which a report will be submitted to Thrivent. CCA should then receive the incentive of $500. 

Thank you, Bethesda, for your extraordinary donations. The giver and the receiver of the food are indeed blessed.

Internal Audit Volunteers Needed!

No, you do not have to be a CPA to join a small team to review Bethesda's 2021 books! Most anyone can undertake this volunteer opportunity. The procedure is well defined, has good instructions, and has a clear time frame. Looking to be helpful on this important short-term project? Contact Pastor Keyl or Rachelle Goto for details. 

Bethesda is going to Camp Calumet!

On MLK weekend, January 13-16 Bethesda folks of all ages will head to northern New Hampshire to the ELCA retreat center, Camp Calumet. Our time there will be spent playing in the snow, board games and puzzles by the fire, hiking, eating good food, laughing and lots of great conversation. We are making plans now and would like to finalize our reservation by 12/19. Please contact Natalie Judd at [email protected] or 203-605-9515 if you are interested in learning more or signing up. 

Scholarship monies are available.

Wanted - Your Photos And Videos!

Fantastic photos and videos of Bethesda events parked on your phone? We'd love to share them on Bethesda's social media and website!

Please upload media to this Google Drive folder.

If you do not have a Google profile or cannot access the folder for any reason, feel free to email your photos to John at [email protected].

Upcoming Commemorations

Reformation Day

Monday, October 31, 2022

By the end of the seventeenth century, many Lutheran churches celebrated a festival commemorating Martin Luther's posting of the Ninety-five Theses, a summary of abuses in the church of his time. At the heart of the reform movement was the gospel, the good news that it is by grace through faith that we are justified and set free.

All Saints Day

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

The custom of commemorating all of the saints of the church on a single day goes back at least to the third century. All Saints Day celebrates the baptized people of God, living and dead, who make up the body of Christ. On this day or the following Sunday, many congregations will remember the faithful who have died during the past year.

Martín de Porres, renewer of society, died 1639

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Martín was the son of a Spanish knight and a freed Black woman from Panama. As a lay brother in the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), he engaged in many charitable works in Lima, Peru. He founded an orphanage, a hospital, and a clinic for cats and dogs.

Prayer Requests

For healing and strength: Sue Hartley; John Ferreira, nephew of Chris Couture; Carole DeVore; Mary Ricketts, friend of Chris Wigren; Kathryn and Karolyn Lee, aunts of Chris Lee; George Arndt, father of Lynn Arezzini; 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; 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; Bethesda House and Yale Divinity School students.

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, Calli Micale, and Vicar Gabrielle Brown. 

For those married at Bethesda: Christine Jacobsen and Johannes Bollmann, on Wednesday, October 26. Johannes is an exchange student at YDS from Copenhagen. 

For those who grieve: Gail Denardis, at the death of her sister-in-law Ruth Denardis on October 22.

For Louis Young at the anniversary of his baptism.