September 10, 2023
Fall Fantastic Feast
Worship at 9:30 am

Presiding Minister: Pastor Tim Keyl

Preacher: Bishop Jim Hazelwood

Assisting Minister: Eleanor Lee

Lectors: Jarrett Watson & Paul Stuehrenberg

Altar Guild: Tyler Fair

Livestream: Miles Kirschner

Tellers: Rebecca Lerud & Anna Franz

Ushers: Ray Bussolini

Bread Baker: Lee Family

Coffee Set-Up: Michaela Natal

Organist & Music Director: Isaac Lee

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 access this Sunday's bulletin.


Coming Up at Bethesda

From the Pastor

My dear late father taught confirmation effectively, drumming it into my class that the church is the people of God.  Rather than a place, it is a community.

We are connected as the church (the people of God, remember?) throughout the world. The New England Synod is the people of God who are Lutherans in one region, comprised of 150+ congregations, one camp, and an affiliate Social Service Organization. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America is the people of God in the United States and the Caribbean, comprised of 52 synods and is the largest Lutheran denomination in the U.S.

Our partnerships are many: from our global companion synod in the Holy Land and Jordan to our local partner LuMin Campus at Yale, ELCA Hunger, The Lutheran World Federation, and Lutheran World Relief.

On Sunday, September 10, at worship and the cookout following, we welcome Bishop Jim Hazelwood. Bishop Hazelwood is not the church, we are the church together with him.

Please bring your best welcoming selves on Sunday beginning at 9:30 am as we offer blessings for new beginnings, staff, student ministry, and yes our bishop. But mostly as we worship, which is one example of the public ministry of the church. Bring a dish to share at the cookout. Wear a name tag so we can better know one another. And rejoice that God, in Christ, through the Holy Spirit, makes us together the church.


Monthly CCA Need Update

Christian Community Action (CCA) is requesting Bethesda donate the following items:

Canned goods
Ramen noodle soup.

CCA's Director of Administration and Planning, Charmain Yun, says everything Bethesda sends is always helpful and sends gratitude.

Sue Berube, Alex Labadia, Martin Gehner, and Bethesda got a "shout out" in Christian Community Action's printed August newsletter in their blurb about the food pantry! Wohoo! Keep it up Bethesda.


Fall Fantastic Feast

Fall Fantastic Feast is this Sunday! Beginning with 9:30 am worship and followed by a cookout and potluck outdoors (weather permitting)

New England Synod Bishop Jim Hazelwood will be our guest and preacher for this year's Fall Fantastic Feast. We will offer blessing for new staff and Bethesda's ministries.

Following worship, we will eat a shared meal with grilled items at Bethesda's paved circles. You are invited to bring food to share.

Volunteers are invited to set-up and clean up, staff the tables of food, and work the grill.


Council Corner Sept. 2023

At the August Council meeting we welcomed back Pastor Keyl and received reports outlining our many vibrant ministries, especially Learning as we begin a new academic year. We rejoice with Pastor Kurt and are grateful to host his ordination on September 2.

We also received reports of increased and ongoing repairs throughout the summer, further taxing our staff and finances.

As a reminder, we historically approve a deficit budget and this year we predict that that deficit will need to be covered by funds from principal rather than earnings in our invested funds.

We continue to encourage Bethesda members and friends to contribute to the Bethesda’s Sustainable Future Fund to pay back our Mission Investment Fund Loan.

We voted unanimously to decline the second offer from Partners for Sacred Places to engage in their strategic visioning product, and to not pay the remaining balance from the feasibility study due to their failure to deliver in a timely manner according to the contract.

We are buoyed and hopeful for an opportunity to enter into a partnership with IRIS as a way to be able to continue our ministries in this place.  

The council is grateful for your continued prayers and we invite your questions and suggestions at any time.


Blessing of Animals, Sunday, October 8, 4:00 pm on the grass in front of the Parish House.

Near the commemoration of the great lover of animals and creation, St. Francis (October 4), Bethesda offers blessings for your pet on the grass in front of the Parish House. Bring your cat, dog, iguana, fish, or what have you to hear stories, share our love for animal companions, sing a song, and receive a blessing.

Meet Bethesda Staff and Bethesda House

A new year has brought a completely new house of Bethesda House residents. Check out this link to meet the Bethesda Lutheran Church staff and new Bethesda Residents.

    
Call to join the choir!

The Bethesda choir is open to all who love to worship and sing! We meet on Thursdays at 7pm in the choir room. No audition is required but musical training is appreciated. We are committed to learning, improving, and growing as a community.

Whether you are new to the church or a seasoned congregant, I encourage you to take the plunge and lend your voice to enhance our collective worship experience. Instrumentalists are also welcome to offer your musical talents.

The first Thursday of every month is our “Join-the-choir” welcome session. Do drop by and try it out for a night. No commitment required. Come and meet kindred spirits who share a love for music!

For more information or queries, please write to Isaac Lee, Music Director, at [email protected]


We Need Volunteers for September

The following roles need filled for September 17th: assisting minister, two ushers, two tellers, livestream, coffee hour.


Apple-picking Sunday, October 1 following Learning/Fellowship Hour

Bethesda’s somewhat annual apple-picking will follow learning/fellowship hour on Sunday, October 1, and is for any and all who want to come. Bring your own lunch and eat it with others in the Campanius Room after learning/fellowship hour at noon. We will leave around 12:30 pm and car pool to Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, a half an hour drive from Bethesda.  You pay per bag which is provided. If there is time and interest, we can hang outside the farm store where there are cider donuts and kettle corn, and other things to eat for sale.  There is also a corn maze for an additional cost. RSVP’s will be helpful, but not necessary. Send them to Leigh at [email protected].


1 in 3 families in Connecticut struggles to provide clean diapers for their baby... One in three.

The Diaper Bank of Connecticut provides clean diapers as well as period supplies and incontinence products to families in our state each week. We can help!

Bethesda will be participating in the ELCA “God’s Work. Our Hands.” This Sunday along with Lutheran churches nationwide. We will be collecting diapers, period supplies, and incontinence products that day to deliver to the Diaper Bank in North Haven. Please bring your donated items to church - any size, any brand - or make a donation (checks may be written to Bethesda with The Diaper Bank in the memo line). This is a one day only drive - so mark your calendars and update your shopping lists! Diapers on September 10! God’s work. Our Hands.


Learning Hour Begins Sunday, September 17 following worship:

- Sunday School for young children features Bible stories, singing, and hands on learning. Led by Nora Lee, Elaine Ramshaw, and Priscilla Meléndez (with snacks!) Yellow Classroom
- Confirmation for middle school students features Bible stories and group-building activities Led by Dan Cortright and Pastor Keyl Muhlenberg Room
- Forum includes presentations from those back from transformational travels this summer, updates on Bethesda’s Sustainable Future, and Stewardship Conversations coordinated by Pastor Keyl Parish House Living Room


Climate March Sept 17th

The March to End Fossil Fuels - organized in NYC at the beginning of the UN Climate Ambition Summit - is almost upon us! Join Dan Pflueger and the organization GreenFaith in this march on Sunday, September 17th from 1:00-3:30pm in Manhattan for an opportunity to put faith and conviction in action. Showing up as people of faith, we will march about 20 blocks to the UN Headquarters in order to call on our own national leaders and president to lead our country away from continued investment in fossil fuels.

If you are interested in joining, please contact Dan Pflueger at [email protected] or 567-215-3409


Prayer Requests

For healing and strength: Paul Denardis, stepson of Gail Denardis; John Ferreira, nephew of Chris Couture; George Arndt, father of Lynn Arezzini; Marie Gray; Sonja Krummrey; Maureen Anderson; Shirley Farm; Anne and Lee Keck; Donna Nardciso, friend of Michaela Natal; Kay Leone; Molly Dinneen; Matthew H., cousin of Tyler Fair

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 House and Yale Divinity School students.

For our Ecumenical Partners Worldwide: We pray for Ghana and Nigeria. The Ecumenical Prayer Cycle takes us through every region of the world over the course of a year.

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 or seeking candidacy for rostered leadership in the ELCA: Natalie Benson, Tyler Fair, Calli Micale, Tim Bergeland