BETHANY LUTHERAN CHURCH LEMONT ILLINOIS

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1 JUNE /JULY 2013 The Messenger CONFIRMATION Congratulations to Christopher McAdam, Kyla Owens, Zachary Pacheco and Christian Krakar as they received the Rite of Confirmation On May 19th. May the Holy Spirit keep them as they continue to grow in faith at Bethany Church. CALL COMMITTEE UPDATE The Call Committee conducted Temple Talks on June 16th and June 19th. We have completed the Ministry Site Profile (MSP) and have submitted it to the Church Council for their review and feedback. The Call Committee has been informed that the MSP will be on the agenda at the June 19 th Council meeting After it has been reviewed and approved, it will be sent to the Synod for processing and candidate selection. We will continue to keep you posted on the status and events to follow. Ashton Kwasneski Kara Verhoeven Lucas Hagedorn Zachary Pacheco Jake Ahlberg Autumn Nilles David Jaje SUNDAY SCHOOL AWARDS WERE PRESENTED TO Contratulations to All! Cailin Kwasneski Adam Hagedorn Sam Ahlberg Jakes Nilles Grace Krakar Katelyn Krakar Jessica Stowe

2 Page 2 FOOD PANTRY MINISTRY Over the course of the last several months we have talked about the resources that we have here and need here at Bethany Lutheran Church. We now have a mission statement approved by this congregation that reminds us that: Bethany Lutheran Church works to be a growing, living, faith community focusing on outreach. Following the example of Christ, we will share love, grace and hope and commit the resources of time, talents and wealth to our church, our village and all of God s creation. There is no greater example of this mission than our Food Pantry. We have individuals who have given of their time to this enterprise for many years or in many ways, but at times it can be an overwhelming task. So we have created a plan for staffing the Food Pantry that make it manageable for those involved but allow us to continue this program that so many people depend on in our community. As part of this plan, Lori Olkiewicz is willing to remain as the Director of the Food Pantry. We thank her for her service as well as Bill, Karen, and Jodi, who continue to volunteer their time. However, we have several positions that need to be filled. This division of labor will allow you to give just a few hours a month to help keep the Food Pantry running. In many cases this time is very flexible. The division of labor and job descriptions are found below. If you are willing to volunteer, please contact Marge by calling the church office or via at bethanylmt@aol.com. Please honor our mission, give your resource of time to serve our church, our community, and those who need us the most. DIRECTOR Occasional meetings with township staff and members of United Methodist Church pantry to review procedures and clients. Pick up previous month s receipts from Chipains at the beginning of the month. Review them and pull and copy those receipts that have unauthorized purchases. Fill out a warning letter, keep record of these warnings and give warnings to Marge to review with pantry client. Responsible for denying pantry access to clients for stealing, inappropriate behaviors, etc. Determine when overflow items should be sent to Morningstar Mission in Joliet (when items would not be taken by clients before its expiration date). LEAD SHOPPER Get a list of needed items from the pantry volunteers. Purchase groceries when necessary. This may be twice a month in the summer and once in other months. Oversee assistant shopper volunteers (which may be local students) Ideally, 2-3 people should go at one time as it will fill more than one cart. We may ask Chipains to put the groceries on our monthly bill. Also purchase and pick up paper grocery bags from Chipains (usually every 2 months). (Need 2 volunteer assistants) LEAD PR PERSON Need an individual to continually promote the pantry. Write letters (can be a form letter) to businesses and organizations about the needs of the pantry. Give short speeches about the pantry (history, number of clients, all privately funded) to organizations when necessary. Coordinate and schedule special deliveries when they come during off hours. Arrange with other volunteers to accept deliveries during off hours. (Must have key to accept delivery.) LEAD VOLUNTEER ORGANIZER (We can never have too many volunteers) Determine when groceries need to be purchased. Receive s and calls to schedule new volunteers. Explain duties to new volunteers. Asking for 1 ½ hours per month to check expiration dates, inventory and stock shelves on pantry days (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) from 8:30AM to 10 AM. Keep track of when volunteers are scheduled (can be as simple as using a calendar). (Need multiple regular volunteers and need extra help when large deliveries come in.) (Volunteers must be 18. If younger, two adults must be present.) ***Additional volunteers are needed the first day of the month. *** CLEANING Come in once a month and dust shelves.

3 Page 3 IT S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN! BETHANY CHURCH IS COLLECTING SCHOOL SUPPLIES. ITEMS NEEDED: #2 pencils pink erasers blue or black pens red pens yellow highlighters index cards (3X5 or 4X6) looseleaf paper (wide rule) Elmer s glue sticks Kleenex yellow Post-It notes 3 ring binder (1 inch size) Headphones/earbuds Ziploc freezer bags (quart size) hand wipes Please look for Made in the USA label Please drop off items in the Giving Basket by July 21st. Cash donations are always welcome. Please mark your envelope School Supplies. Thank you to Jodi Taylor for organizing this project. BETHANY CHURCH COUNCIL has a position open and anyone who is interested may contact Sandy Doebert at sandy57@rocketmail.com or by phone at Thanks so much for your cards, calls and the beautiful flowers from church! Most of all, thank you for your prayers. Healing has been steadily taking place and I see progress with each day. God is good...all the time! All the time...god OOPS! There was an error in last month s Messenger. Please extend congratulations to Jackie Jaje upon her graduation from Northern Illinois University. THANK YOU to Sandy Gotlund for crocheting the Bible bookmarks that were presented to the First Communion and Confirmation students. to Gary Gray for installing the whole house exhaust fan in the church to improve our comfort level during the warm summer months (and for learning firsthand just how hot the attic can be!). JUNE LOOSE OFFERING With faith in God and gratitude for the wide and varied ministries of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod and the ELCA, the congregation to support our synod and the ELCA. During the month of June, all loose offering will be directed to this effort. Please give generously!

4 Page 4 DONATIONS TO BETHANY CHURCH Building Care Fund A gift from Virginia & Bob Hoster remembering the May 8th birthday of George Gee. A gift from Leona, Linda and Jean Nelson in memory of Earl Nelson in honor of Father s Day and the anniversary of his birth on June 12th. General Fund A gift from the Lemont 22 Honor Post of the VFW #5819 Ladies Auxiliary in memory of deceased members. A gift from Mrs. Deborah Thoman (sister of Joe Falese) in honor of Rev. Glenn and MariLynn Bergmark. A gift from Mr. & Mrs. Michael Naus in memory of Carl and Eleanor Anderson. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO DONATED FOOD STAPLES TO THE BETHANY OPEN PANTRY St. Patrick Church T.O.P.S #2194 Lemont Police Department St. Alphonsus Church Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis Catholic Mission Lemont High School Band Lemont Park District Lemont S.D. District 113A Starbucks Coffee Lemont Township St. Matthew s Church Pawz and Klawz Pet Salon Hope & Friendship Ministries Slovenian Catholic Mission Cakes for a Cause Rotary Club of Lemont/Homer Glen Front Street Cantina Karen Dirst MONETARY DONATIONS TO THE BETHANY OPEN PANTRY WERE GIVEN BY Stanley & Rhoda Domikaitis The Falese Family Elsie Schultz Lemont Junior Woman s Club Mark & Maureen Skowronski St. Patrick s Friendship Club Julianne Kalata St. Alphonsus Church Ron & Anita Bromberek William Paxson Debra Furlong Michael Kuper Lemont Lions Club John Czech Lemont Township Ralph & Micheline Rocco Timothy Garvey Tim & Amy Schlueter DONATIONS TO THE CEMETERY MEMORIAL GARDEN Ruth Ann & Frank Miller

5 Page 5 IN OUR PRAYERS Ginny Connelly Karen Rae Peyton Kirk Ruth Gotlund Theora Kujawa Tom Pearson Ray Ludwig Bethany Members Friends and Relatives of Bethany Members Jeanne Batchos friend of Jodi Taylor Gary Cobbett friend of the Bergmarks Dolores Doebert mother-in-law of Sandy Doebert Blake Donegan friend of Glenda Anderson Heidi Dupont friend of Nancy Iwan Audrey Gee relative of Virginia & Bob Hoster Pat & Len Genardo friends of the Connellys Debbie Hessert friend of Sue Gray Janet Kuchar daughter of Virginia and Bob Hoster Jane Lippner friend of Glenn and Rosemarie McAdam Rita Ludwig sister-in-law of Fern Epler Nancy Olin aunt of Heather and Mike Nilles Mitchell Sikita friend of Ed and Glenda Anderson Jennifer Tessone friend of Glenda Anderson Ann Wirth sister of Wendy Peebles Diane Reyes mother of Cheryl Sabourin Lillian Schrader mother of Jodi Taylor Jacey Walsh cousin of the Vavruska family Jenny Stricker daughter of E.J. & Marlene Ahlberg Baithin Wiggins friend of the Bergmarks Justin & Stephanie Wormsley friends of Jodi & Bruce Taylor Tom Brown brother of Pam Laasch If you would like to add anyone to the Bethany Prayer List, call or the church office OR drop a note in the offering plate be sure to include your name, too.

6 JUNE/JULY 2013 Pastoral Call Timeline Report The original timeline was an optimistic one -- a best case scenario. Not surprisingly, some things have taken longer than expected for one reason or another. At this point, we are approximately six weeks behind the best case scenario timeline. Not to worry--progress is being made! CALENDAR June 25th, 7PM Call Committee Meeting July 17th, 7:30 PM Church Council Meeting Completed: Council/Call Committee Retreat Call Committee Focus Group Meetings 2012 ELCA Parochial Report Filed Financial Resources Assessment Mission Site Profile In Progress: Mission Site Profile Approval by Council Membership Update Website Development Reminder--As noted in the original timeline, there is generally a 2 month period from the time the Mission Site Profile (the congregation s paperwork) is filed with the synod to the time that pastoral candidates are interviewed. That means that the Call Committee will not begin interviews until late summer or early fall. In the meantime, keep praying for Bethany s new pastor! BETHANY LUTHERAN CHURCH 500 LEMONT STREET LEMONT IL 60439