School Bulletin #4 September 11, 2018

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1 Bear Facts The Weekly Newsletter of Bethany Lutheran School Long Beach, CA Communication+Responsibility+Organization+Service+Sharing It s Patriot Day, a solemn day of remembrance for Americans. Do you remember where you were or what you were doing on September 11, 2001? I was teaching here at Bethany then and I remember worrying about what and how we would talk to our students about what was happening. It s hard to believe it was 17 years ago! Our school year is off to an amazing start. We are so blessed! The students seem to be enjoying the new playground equipment. We are working on adding more shade to the playground area.stay tuned for more on that in the days to come. Speaking of shade, we also have plans for the lunch area and the preschool playground. Our temporary shade is helping, but our permanent solution will be so much better. Again, stay tuned! Finally, just a note about the school office. Ms. Charette is on a personal leave, but we have a wonderfully-capable former Bethany teacher, Mrs. Werner, filling in for her in the mornings. You can still reach the school office with questions or concerns by dialing extension 11 or ing Ms. Charette (lcharette@bethanylutheran.org) and we will get back to you ASAP. Blessings on your week! Dr. Fink School pictures will be taken this Friday, Sept. 14! Please avoid out-of-school appointments that day. We do have a make-up day for students who must be absent, but those children will not be in included the class photo. Your picture package has been pre-paid with your Registration Fee, and additional prints will also be available. Your children should plan to be in uniform dress. They do not have to wear their school logo shirts, although they are welcome to do so if they wish. The photography company will take sibling pictures at an additional cost. These pictures will be taken between 7:30 and 8:15 AM. You may pick up a sibling picture order form in the school office or call the school office and ask to have one sent home with your children. Raise A Glass! Raise a Glass is our major fundraiser supporting Bethany s Student Success Program. This year our event is on September 29 from 12:00-4:00 at the Gaslamp in Long Beach. Our fundraising goal this year is $25,000! Please return your RSVPs or stop by the School Office to purchase your tickets. Do you own a business or have something of value to donate! Silent Auction and Opportunity Drawing Items are still needed. Please bring your donations to the school office or Room 218. Questions? Please contact Jill Moorman jmoorman@bethanylutheran.org School Bulletin #4 September 11, 2018 Sept. 11-V/JV Volleyball games-home-3:30/4:30 Sept. 12-Astrocamp meeting Gr. 5-6:30 PM Sept. 11-JV Volleyball game-home-3:30 Sept. 14-School Pictures! Sept th Grade to Catalina Sept. 16 Trinity and Troubadour choirs sing-8:00 AM Sept. 25-PTL Meeting-Library- 6:30 PM-Childcare provided Sept th Grade Camp Meeting Sept. 29-Raise a Glass for Student Success It s beginning to look a lot like Christmas already! Each year we participate in this important ministry, packing shoeboxes to send across the world to children in need. This year, we ll participate in one GIGANTIC packing party in November, but we re starting to collect items NOW. In September, we re collecting hygiene products and accessories: We re collecting: Soap, wash cloths, toothbrushes, combs, hair brushes, bandages, nail clippers/files, compact mirrors, bracelets, hair accessories, change purses, sunglasses, hats, socks, bandanas, beanies and flip flops. See the attachment to the Bear Facts for more info!

2 The FISHin Hole Opportunities to Serve HELP! HELP! Our garden could use some new rubber mulch between the boxes. We ll provide Scrip for the mulch we just need someone to pick it up from the store, then spread it between the boxes. Contact Dr. Fink if you can lend a hand. Our chapel offerings this month will go to the California Wildfire Relief fund sponsored by the Lutheran churches in our area. 100% of these funds will be used for disaster relief! Interested in becoming a member of Bethany Lutheran Church? Plan to attend Bethany 101 and Bethany 201 : Bethany 101 is a one-session experience where we talk about the history of Bethany, our vision, our structure and the Bethany blueprint. Bethany 201 covers the core basics of the Christian faith from a Lutheran perspective in 4 sessions. We use discussion, instruction and video presentation in each session. (If you are transferring from another LCMS church, you do not need to attend Bethany 201.) The next Bethany 101 session is Sunday, September 16 th. This session will be held in the Choir Room, 10:55-12:25. Child-care is available with an RSVP. The next Bethany 201 sessions begin on Sunday, September 23 rd and conclude on Sunday, October 21 st. These sessions are also held in the Choir Room, 10:55-12:25. Child-care is available with an RSVP Please RSVP your attendance by ing our Office Administrator, Cindy Morrison at cmorrison@bethanylutheran.org A big Bethany Bear high five to all the families that joined us at the bonfire on Friday night! We had lots of kids, s mores, new Bear friends and family and LOTS of sand. Everyone had a great time getting to know each other, playing by the water and having lots of sticky, sweet s mores! A special thank you to Deb Caine for organizing this event. We have fun events planned all year long. Come join us! Contact me and we will put you in contact with the event chairperson. Jen Carlson, PTL President msjencarlson@gmail.com Using Scrip/gift cards, for large and small purchases, will earn you a Scrip rebate that you can use next May for your Tech Fee or tuition reduction. When your child is in 5 th grade you can start banking your rebates to pay for the 8 th grade Washington DC trip. Every time you purchase Scrip/gift cards 60% of the profit we receive is credited to your rebate account. The other 40% is used to fund campus improvements, or enhance the education of our students. After a brief absence, CHEVRON is now available on the On Hand Order Form. $50 cards will be on hand, and $100 cards are available as a Special Order. Earn bonus rebates on Thank-Scriping-Day, Monday, September 17! Sign up online at in advance, so you can take advantage of the bonus rebates available on this day. Our enrollment code is: 1BL8EE69719L and be sure to sign up for PrestoPay to conveniently pay for your orders. Questions? Come to the school office anytime during school hours and ask Carol Grudt for answers. You may also contact her by phone (562) ex58 or cgrudt@bethanylutheran.org. Camp Meetings Outdoor education is coming up quickly! Parents, please plan to attend these mandatory information meetings: 5 th Grade-Room 222-Sept. 12-6:30 PM 6 th Grade-Room 204-Sept. 26-6:30 PM The CubScouts are holding a movie night openhouse! Come see Lego Aquaman on Sept 21st at 6:45pm in the gym. Kids can come to build and decorate their submarines (boxes). We will have pizza for $2/slice. RSVPs are needed to ensure proper supplies and pizza. Text Tiffany at

3 Operation Christmas Child Mark your calendar for these special events hosted by Bethany Lutheran School: Wednesday, October 31, 2018, School Chapel Service 9:00 a.m. Discovery how God used an Operation Christmas Child shoebox to transform the heart of an elevenyear-old boy living in Togo Africa after his family had fled from the ripple effects of the Rwandan genocide. Hear about God s faithfulness in his life and how his entire community was changed by simple shoebox gifts. Yves Dushime, the shoebox recipient from Togo, will share his story as our guest speaker at chapel.* Friday, November 9, 2018 School Packing Party time to be determined Our school is so excited to host a party that will have a lasting impact in the lives of children around the world. On November 9, our students will transform empty shoeboxes into gifts of hope as part of Bethany s first packing party for Operation Christmas Child. Every Bethany student will have an opportunity to pack a shoebox with school supplies, hygiene items and fun toys. Each shoebox gift sends a message to a needy child that they are loved and not forgotten. For many of these children, it will be the first gift they have ever received. Many boys and girls who receive shoebox gifts also participate in Samaritan s Purse follow-up discipleship program, The Greatest Journey, which teaches them how to faithfully follow Christ and share Him with others. It is our goal to pack 500 shoeboxes and we need your help to gather supplies. We will be assisted by members of our congregation in collecting gift items. In the months to come we will be focusing on specific areas for collection. Of course, any donation at any time will be gladly accepted. Items must be new or unused. In September we will focus on collecting Hygiene Products and Accessories. This includes: soap, washcloths, toothbrush, combs, hair brushes, bandages, nail clippers, compact mirrors, hair accessories (barrettes, headbands, clips, etc.), bracelets, sunglasses, hats, socks, bandanas, beanies, t-shirt (boys/girls), sandals, flipflops (boys/girls), coin purses, and compact tote bags. In October we will focus on collecting Toys and Tools. This includes: soccer ball (deflated) with pump; yo-yo, jump rope, small trucks/cars, balls, spinning topes, dolls, small instruments (flute, harmonica), marbles, dominoes, small stuffed animals (that can fit in a shoebox), jacks/ball, slinky, kaleidoscopes, airplane gliders, cards, hackie sack; tape-measure, small hammer, screwdriver sets, flashlight/batteries, small level, fishing line/hooks, chisels, sewing kits with fabric, etc. In November we will focus on collecting Monetary Donations to cover the $9/per box cost of shipping and transport. There will be collections bins in the school office. If you want more information or are interested in helping with this project, please contact Kahana Smith at or her at: faithksmith911@gmail.com. More than 150,000 U.S. volunteers including families, churches and schools are linking arms across the country to contribute to Operation Christmas Child. In 2018, Samaritan s Purse hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach 11million children. It is rewarding to see people groups come together to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with millions of boys and girls around the world. * Yves will also be speaking at Bethany Lutheran Church on Sunday, September 30, 2018 for a special OCC event from 1:00 3:00 p.m. Children s music artist, Jayna Alayra, will also be featured. All are welcome.

4 Parent Pages RESOURCES FOR CHRISTIAN PARENTS IN THE 21ST CENTURY Real. Present. God. Building Resilient Children God will not give us more than we can handle. Have you heard this before? It is a phrase that urges us to hold on during difficult times because surely God has checked to see if we have the strength to survive. The only problem with this phrase is that it s not true. In fact, if we teach this idea to our children, we will be building the opposite of confidence and resilience. We do not want to teach our children to depend on themselves; that will set them up for failure. It may seem strange, but what we really want to teach is that there is very little, if anything, that they can handle on their own. If we convince our children that they can do anything, they will likely end up disappointed and discouraged with their failures and weaknesses. If we teach them that God will protect them from things that are too difficult, the first time they face something really challenging they will be disappointed in God. We do not build confidence by teaching children that they can do anything. We build confidence by teaching them that there is always help. It is a mistake to think that being resilient means a person can weather any storm and handle any problem. In reality being resilient means a person is not anxious about problems. This lack of anxiety does not happen because one is invincible. Rather it happens because we know that there is available help. Resilient people learn to depend on solutions that are outside of themselves. Those solutions might be found in a parent, a friend, a teacher or someone else who can be trusted. First and foremost, we want our children to trust in God. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling (PS. 46:1 3). God does not promise to refrain from giving us more than what we can handle. Our sin and our sinful world pretty much promise that we will face things that stretch us beyond our abilities. These verses from Psalm 46 teach us that God will not give us more than what He can handle. Now, that is a phrase that encourages and inspires confidence. PARENT PAGES // VOL. 18, NO. 1 // SEPTEMBER PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGE

5 Instead of promising children that they can do anything, teach your children that they belong to God and they are precious to Him. Teach them how God is omnipresent, meaning He is always with us and helping us. Teach that God is omniscient, and therefore He knows everything perfectly, including our fear. And teach that God is omnipotent, having the power to do everything including solutions we cannot imagine. When your children know the power of God, this will inspire confidence in difficult situations precisely because it will discourage your children from depending solely on themselves. When children try to handle everything on their own, they will develop either false confidence or anxiety. Neither of these will build resilience. False confidence will inevitably lead to failure. Anxiety will lead to the inability to act. Resilience comes from knowing there is a solution. True resilience knows that God is the answer and that He often provides the solution in the form of the skills He gives us and the people with whom He surrounds us. Psalm 46 goes on to give us a simple direction that will result in resilience: Be still, and know that I am God (V. 10). This is challenging to teach and even more challenging to follow. When God grants us this stillness, He gives us a heart free of anxiety and a mind able to trust in His solutions. A still heart is able to be resilient through faith in God. Our challenge is to not depend on our own abilities. When your children know the power of God, this will inspire confidence in difficult situations precisely because it will discourage your children from depending solely on themselves. This kind of stillness is not granted in one fell swoop. It is a stillness that God teaches slowly and surely over time. God will work through you as you study His word and pray with your children on a daily basis. God will build resilience as your children worship Him in church every Sunday, cultivating relationships with the people God places in their lives. Talk with your children about problems and make note of how God has offered protection and help. Most importantly, remind your children that God loves them no matter what even when they are weak and distressed. God is real. God is present. God is the author of resilience. Parent Pages Writer: Dr. Kim Marxhausen Designer: Chrissy Thomas VOL. 18, NO. 1 // SEPTEMBER 2018 Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. TO REPRINT: Permission is granted to reprint articles from this newsletter with the credit line Reprinted with permission of LCMS School Ministry. Published by The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod // 1333 S. Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO // // lcms.org 2018 LCMS PHOTO: LCMS/ERIK M. LUNSFORD A RESOURCE OF LCMS SCHOOL MINISTRY