May 22, 2022

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Worship at 9:30 am

Fellowship and Learning Hour Following Worship

Presiding Minister: Pastor Tim Keyl

Assisting Ministers: Calli Micale and Vicar Kurt Saenger-Heyl

Music Director: Stephen Gamboa-Díaz

Lectors: Blair Goodlin and Lily Micale

Altar Guild: Linda Cortright

Ushers: Ray Bussolini and Christina Castaneda

Acolyte: Lily Micale

Tellers: Rachelle Goto and Becky Lerud

Bread Baker: Matthew Judd

Water. What comes to mind for you when you think of water?

Perhaps a shower or a bath

Perhaps washing your hands.

Perhaps rain or the ocean.

Perhaps cooking.

It is a simple element found in nature but also has great significance in our life of faith.

After all, it is what we baptize with. Jesus doesn't make any distinction about what type of water we must use. Just water. Usually the closest water source. The one we would drink from or use to wash or cook with. That’s the water we use.

This Sunday we will hear the story of Lydia and her family’s baptism after hearing the stories of Good News from Paul and his fellow disciples some 2000 years ago. The children read this story during Learning Hour this past Sunday and we all made self-portraits related to our baptism. Be sure to check them out in the Education Building hallway outside of the Muhlenberg Room!

On our drawings, we wrote, “I am Baptized.” We learned about the significance of the middle word: “am.” Our baptisms are indeed a singular event in time and space but they are also something that stays with us our whole lives and serves as a constant reminder of God’s very first action towards us: love.

As my pastor growing up used to say: “Walk wet!” We move and live in the world, always wet with the waters of our baptism as a reminder of God’s love for us.

In Christ +

Vicar Kurt

Pastor Tim and Vicar Kurt each will be away next week Thursday, May 26 to Monday, May 30. For pastoral care, contact Pastor Josh Sullivan of Christ the Good Shepherd in Hamden at (860) 748-3837.

Get Your Hands Dirty - Saturday, May 21, 9:00 to noon

Spring is in full bloom and now is the time to prepare the Bethesda Community Garden for planting. Please join our amazing caretaker and master gardener Wendy Mallette, with garden tools in tow, to beautify our garden space and rich soil to accept the seeds for our future abundant harvest. Refreshments will be served and we will work our garden come rain or come shine - Saturday, May 21, 9:00 to noon

Lutheran Studies Prayer at the end of the semester Saturday, May 21 at 2:00 pm in Bethesda’s Chapel

Pastor Keyl will lead prayer on graduation weekend this Saturday with the Lutheran community and friends from Yale Divinity School in his role as director of Lutheran Studies. Particular thanks will be given for graduating students Natalie Benson and Kyle Sorkness.

Forum on Planning Funerals and Memorial Services this Sunday

Planning ahead for your own funeral or memorial services is a form of witness and can be a gift to your loved ones. Join Pastor Keyl and Elaine Ramshaw on Sunday, May 22, at 11:00 am to learn about the rituals surrounding death and dying. You will also have the opportunity to create a document to keep on file.

New Member Session May 22 at noon

New Members received June 5 at 9:30 am worship

New to Bethesda? Interested in learning more about our ministries, our core values, and community? Come to a session at noon today, Sunday, May 22. Meet others who are new and others who call Bethesda “home.” New Members will be received on Pentecost Sunday, June 4 at worship. Contact Pastor Keyl at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Bible Study on Zoom

Bethesda's Bible Study meets every other Wednesday at 8:00 am on Zoom. The series on Women in the Bible continues with the following topics:

-May 25: Abigail

-June 8: Rahab

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)

Ascension Day (transferred) Worship and Bratfry Wednesday, May 25 at 6:00 pm outdoors (weather permitting)

Come to the paved circle by the Whitney Avenue entrance to mark the 40th day of Easter (transferred from Thursday) with a brief eucharist followed by a bratfry (there will be burgers, dogs, and veggie option). Bring your own food to share and round out the menu. This has been an annual custom at Bethesda since Pastor Keyl experienced the same practice at the Ascension Lutheran Church in Jerusalem, where the German community cooks brats for the Arabic-speaking and English-speaking congregations in our companion synod.

Sunday, June 5, 2022 is a BIG Sunday for Bethesda

-We will celebrate the fiftieth day of Easter, Pentecost at worship at 9:30 am. The color of the day is red, so you are invited to wear something red, or a Bethesda t-shirt (even though it’s blue)

-Wendy Mallette, completing her PhD in religion at Yale and affiliated with Bethesda throughout her studies, is preaching

-We will offer recognition for Learning Ministries and Music Ministries

-It will be Music Sunday, with an opportunity to give toward Bethesda’s Music Series

-We will hold a cookout outdoors (weather permitting), with food that you bring (otherwise known as a potluck) to round out the luncheon following worship at the paved circle

Canning Hunger – Bethesda’s Can Sculpture

Bethesda is participating in a canning fundraiser and competition to benefit DESK. A dedicated and talented team from Bethesda has begun planning a can sculpture on this year’s theme of “Connect.” The team decided that a sculpture of a table with bread and cup would represent Bethesda’s commitment to fostering connection in terms of sharing in meals (potlucks!) and communion. Martin Gehner has drawn up a detailed and impressive design that will involve 940 cans! The sculpture will be constructed on the New Haven Green on Saturday, June 11, 11a-2p, and all cans will be donated to DESK after the exhibit.

To ensure structural integrity, we are asking for donations of specific brands and sizes of cans. There will be a sign-up sheet available at church this Sunday, May 18, and we are also accepting monetary donations which will enable us to purchase cans in bulk. These 940 cans could cost up to $3,000 (though less if bought in bulk), so we’re grateful for Bethesda’s generosity in helping us make this sculpture possible. Please consider making a donation of cans or money to help Bethesda participate in this exciting fundraiser and community event. We will need these donations by June 1 at the latest.

Anyone who wants to get involved with this team to help with planning, logistics, and sculpture construction can reach out to Wendy Mallette at [email protected]. Thanks for your generosity!

Youth Trip Update

The youth and adult leaders have been busy planning the youth trip over the past few weeks! The organization that was planning our week in Milwaukee (Serve Boldly) unfortunately was not able to hire enough staff to run their trips and so they had to cancel all of their trips. But, we are committed to making this trip happen and so at a meeting last Sunday, the youth decided they wanted to spend the trip in Chicago instead of going to Milwaukee (we are flying into Chicago)! So, we have been busy planning lodging, service activities, and fun activities for the week there. We will communicate more as things finalize in the coming weeks but everyone is excited for this new, revised (for the second time) trip! Thanks to you all for your continued support of the youth!

Congregation Council Retreat

This past Saturday, Bethesda’s Congregation Council gathered for a retreat during which they explored ideas and possibilities for the future of this community of faith. It was a time of much creativity, productivity, and thought-provoking insights. We are grateful to all the members of Council and look forward to where the Sprit is leading Bethesda to next!

Thanks to the Yale Institute of Sacred Music for the beautiful space to meet in!

Global Barnyard Donations

Bethesda has raised $556 for God's Global Barnyard! Thank you to everyone who filled out a coin box or donated online.

2023 Companion Synod Trip

Join pastors Tim Keyl, Wendy Anderson, and Scott Howard on a life-transforming New England Synod Companion Trip to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) 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. 

Ask Becky Lerud, Richard, Ford, Dianne Witte, Blair Goodlin, Carole DeVore, Paul Stuehrenberg, or Marietta Meyer about their experience on trips with Pastor Tim. Sign-ups will be provided soon, but look for this initial flyer to tease your interest in seeing the living stones of the Holy Land.

The ELCJHL video here will be shown at the New England Synod Assembly June 9-11 in Worcester, Massachusetts. You are the first to see it as a sneak preview!

Incoming Vicar 2022-2023!

After a delay in placement (long story), Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa (where Vicar Kurt is studying) has placed Gabrielle Brown at Bethesda as our next vicar. Gabrielle is originally from Colorado, has extensive work experience, and is particularly interested in chaplaincy. Look for fuller introduction to Vicar Gabrielle later, look to prepare for her coming in August even as we also say farewell and godspeed to Vicar Kurt, and continue to contribute to Bethesda’s Student Ministry Fund.

Save the Date!

Arts & Ideas on Saturday, June 11

Join Bethesda friends on the New Haven Green for a free concert of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, with special guests Harolyn Blackwell, Albert R. Lee, and Brian Stokes Mitchell as part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas. The concert begins at 7 and you may look for the Lee family (who may have procured some helium balloons to be found more easily) after 6:30pm. Bring chairs, blankets, food, beverages, and know there are often food trucks along Temple Street. Most of all, bring yourselves to this very family-friendly event in the heart of our Elm City!

Updated Recommendations from the COVID Task Force

Based on our meeting on 20 Apr 2022, the COVID Task Force makes the following amendments to our Mar 2022 guidance:

-Masks should be worn during worship services or large public gatherings until May 31

-Effective Jun 1-Sept 15, 2022, masks are recommended, but optional for all indoor activities.

-Recommend that Council recruit new members to serve on the Task Force to replace those members who are unable or unwilling to serve in time for our next meeting Wed, 7 Sept 2022

Thanksgiving for Baptism at Easter

Use this prayer throughout the Fifty Days of Easter

We give you praise, O God,

that in baptism you have led us from the night of sin

to the dawning of a new day.

We give you praise that, buried with Christ in baptism,

we too shall rise with Christ and walk in the light as your children.

Receive our praise through Jesus Christ,

the resurrection and the life,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever. Amen.

-from Welcome Home: Scripture, Prayers, and Blessings for the Household: Year of Luke

Sermons online

View recorded sermons online at Bethesda New Haven’s YouTube Channel, by clicking the button at the bottom of the eNews, and posted on Bethesda New Haven’s Facebook Page.

Click here to view this Sunday's bulletin.

Upcoming Commemorations

Helena, mother of Constantine, died around 330

Saturday, May 21, 2022

Influenced by her son to become Christian, Helena (or Helen) lived an exemplary life of faith. She is also remembered for traveling through Palestine building churches on the sites she believed to be associated with Christ's life.

Nicolaus Copernicus, died 1543; Leonhard Euler, died 1783; scientists

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

These two men were both scientists who helped to explain the wonders of God's universe. Copernicus is best known for promoting the idea that the sun, not the earth, is at the center of our solar system. Euler was one of the founders of pure mathematics, and contributed to many other fields.

John Calvin, renewer of the church, died 1564

Friday, May 27, 2022

Gifted both as a systematic theologian and as an interpreter of scriptures, Calvin embraced the Reformation, and as a preacher in Geneva, Switzerland, brought a theocratic government to it. He is regarded as the father of the Reformed churches.

For healing and strength: Michelle Lee, friend of Christina Castañeda; Rachel Ronnevik, Maggie Astrup’s sister; Wayne Wright, father of Laura Wright’s; John Hively; 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.

Prayer Request

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 peace in Ukraine. 

For those from Bethesda graduating from Yale University and Yale Divinity School this weekend: Wendy Mallette (PhD), Natalie Benson (MDiv), Claire Kemmerer (MAR), and Abigail Kromminga (MAR).

For Henry Marchand and Miles Lavoie at the anniversary of their baptisms.

For Logan McLean and Paul Strike on the occasion of their “second wedding” in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Saturday, May 28. Logan and Paul were married “first” one year ago in Billings, Montana.

For Maeve Schurz (Bethesda’s Vicar 2021-2022), in a first call process in the Southeast Pennsylvania Synod.