From the Pastor
I thank You God for most this amazing day
For the leaping greenly spirits of trees
And a blue true dream of sky
And for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes
–E.E. Cummings

Easter is an amazing day. We put on joy in defiance of death, sin, and all that threatens. We see images of new life on the earth as it puts on its bright colored clothes in blooming flowers and trees.

We seek to find new life in the overturning of world events that wreak of death, sin, and all that threatens.

We are given the courage through Jesus’ own resurrection to new life after three days.

Bethesda friends: Participate in the new life that Christ brings in your own presence at the Three Days Liturgy, on Easter morning, and throughout Easter’s Fifty Days.

Share your hopes for God making all things new with one another. Look for all ways that Bethesda can make Christ’s life known in our community, city, and world.

Thanks for your ongoing witness, generosity, love, and company.

Particular thanks to staff and volunteers for their part in this Paschal Celebration.

And for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is ye

Pastor Tim Keyl

We welcome students from LuMin Campus Ministry at Yale this Easter morning!

Worship Livestream

Two services this weekend will be available for livestream on Bethesda’s YouTube Channel: Good Friday at 7:30 pm and Easter Sunday at 10:00 am. We will be unable to stream the Easter Vigil.

Good Friday evening bulletin

Easter bulletin

Easter Vigil on Saturday, April 8 will continue with Bethesda’s most creative and dramatic liturgy of the year

All are welcome to gather in the paved circle by 8 pm for the Easter fire and the lighting of the Paschal Candle. Participation at the service will be from a variety of people from the greater Bethesda community: children, Bethesda’s choir, LuMin campus ministry, Yale Divinity School, and Bethesda House. Joining us this will also be friends at St. Thomas’s Episcopal Church and its choir. Following this feast of feasts, a reception will be held in the Paris House Living Room, courtesy of a Thrivent Action Team grant. If you’d like to help set-up beginning at noon, help with stage crew, or help in any other way, contact Pastor Keyl at [email protected]. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Bible Study on Zoom

Bethesda's Bible Study continues to discuss NT Wright's Acts. The next gathering will be Wednesday, April 12 at 8:00 am.

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)

Congregational Watershed Discipleship

Mark your calendars - on Sunday, April 30th at 11:30 am, Bethesda will host Rev. Dr. Nancy Wright, who will preach and lead an interfaith workshop on Congregational Watershed Stewardship. Lunch will be provided, so please register in advance.

Invitation to Participate in a Study on Bethesda

Rev. Norlene Jackson, a student at YDS, is interviewing young adults at Bethesda for a research project. In addition to in-person interviews, Norlene has invited members of Bethesda to participate in a brief (15-question) survey. While the focus of the study is on young adults, all members of Bethesda are invited to share their input! The research summary for the survey is below.

Title: The Participation of Young Adults in Church Ministry

We are asking you to join a research study. The purpose of this research study is to bring awareness to the key factors affecting young adults in the church and identify strategies that can eliminate the decline of young adult participation. You are being asked to participate in this study because you attend the Bethesda Lutheran Church, and you are of the age of 18 and over. Thanks for your participation.

Click here to take the survey

Olive Oil to benefit Lutheran World Federation’s Vocational Training Center in Jerusalem

Thanks to your gifts, we are placing an order for twenty-eight bottles of olive oil with donations totalling $700! Look for an announcement to pick up your order in the next few weeks.

Global Barnyard Boxes

Thanks for your gifts, over $500 has been raised to benefit ELCA Hunger! The New England Synod is currently in the midst of an initiative to raise awareness and funding through a recent grant.

Partners for Sacred Places 

Having completed interviews for a consultation with Partners for Sacred Places feasibility study, we continue to wait for their final report. Stay tuned. 

Masonry Project Begins!

In 2022, Bethesda identified brick and mortar work to be necessary for parts of the Parish House, including two chimneys. One year ago, the congregation approved this work to be completed by Capasso Masonry with a partial grant from the New Haven Preservation Trust. The project was delayed over the winter but now scaffolding will be erected by April 17. Bethesda is funding this with a loan from the ELCA Mission Investment Fund of over $90,000. To contribute to the loan payback, you may donate to Bethesda’s Capital Fund with “masonry work” in the memo.

YDS Lutheran Students
YDS students, along with Lutheran Studies Director Pastor Tim Keyl, will be attending an annual conference with Lutheran students from Princeton Seminary, Union Seminary, and Harvard Divinity School at Harvard this Friday and Saturday. Your prayers for this and the last month of classes are invited. Look for farewell and godspeeds, blessings for student staff and student ministries, and honoring of graduates in May.

Music Director Search Committee
The Music Director Search Committee is beginning its search. Chair is Don Youngberg. Members include: Chris Lee, Richard Ford, Maggie Astrup, Lynn Arezzini, and Pastor Keyl

Restored Vocal Band at Trinity Church on the Green

Saturday, April 15, 2023 at 7:30 pm

Get your tickets here

Support Bethesda's Internship!
Bethesda has been wonderfully served by students -- part-time and full-time -- for decades. Our ministry benefits as they learn. However, support for these partners is not in our budget; it comes from generosity beyond our pledges. Additional support of $14,200 is needed between now and July 15 so our Student Ministry Fund can provide for the final months of Vicar Gabrielle's internship. Please consider a donation or two in gratitude for her service to us.

Bethesda Nursery School Plant Sale

It's Plant Sale time again! Help us fundraise for Bethesda Nursery School by purchasing beautiful hanging baskets, flowers, vegetables and herbs, all available again this year thanks to Hamden’s own Paradise Nursery. Paradise is a high quality, family run business, and we’re sure you’ll love these plants. 

Your plants will be ready for pick up at Bethesda from Wednesday, May 10 through Friday, May 12.

Order here!

Looking for a Calligrapher

Until we get a plaque where we can inscribe the names of those whose ashes are interred in the memorial garden, we’d like to record those names in the memorial book which sits under glass in the narthex. Is there anyone who does calligraphy or has really beautiful handwriting who would be willing to do this small but significant artistic task? If you could do this yourself, or know someone who can, please contact Elaine: [email protected]

Prayer Requests

For healing and strength: Lynn Arezzini; Pastor Kari Henkelmann Keyl; Rachel, daughter of Mary Browne; Pastor Ruth Drews; John Ferreira, nephew of Chris Couture; 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 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 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, Vicar Gabrielle Brown, and Jeff Hazewinkel (in formation for consecration as deacon).

For those preparing for baptism: Karim Ibrahim