The OPEN DOOR. Pastor Dan. Heard through. Care and Connection Sunday

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1 Heard through The OPEN DOOR Manchester Road Wildwood, Missouri Phone: FAX: Volume 14 Number 4 September 2018 Editors: Chylene Daub & Shirley Giebel Care and Connection Sunday Thank you to the many folks who made our inaugural Care and Connection Sunday a success. After worship on August 5th, six teams of two hit the road to visit with thirteen Bethel members who are currently unable to participate in the Sunday morning worship celebration. These teams shared Communion, delivered African violets, and enjoyed chatting and catching up on what's going on. Another group of folks remained at Bethel to write 25 plus notes of encouragement to folks who have been ill or unable to join us on Sunday mornings. Many of the recipients of the notes and visits expressed their appreciation and how blessed they felt knowing that they were in the thoughts and prayers of the folks at Bethel. The Care and Connection Sunday was such a blessing many insisted we should do it again - soon! And so, October 7th will be our next 'Care and Connection Sunday. It'll be another opportunity for us to put our faith in action by reaching out to share God's love and presence with these beloved Bethel members. See ya Sunday, Pastor Dan

2 Annual Chicken Dinner Celebrates 94 Years September rolls around and Bethel begins to plan our annual Chicken Dinner. Since 1924, the church has hosted a chicken dinner, and it continues to be one of the most popular events held by the church. This year s date is Saturday, Sept. 15. Dinners will be served from 2 until 7 pm, with carry-outs and dining-in available. Complete dinner is $10 for adults, $5 for children, ages 6 to 10, and children age 5 and under are free. The Bethel Crafters will present their Fall Boutique, featuring holiday themed items for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Chicken Dinner gives shoppers their first chance to see what the crafters offer in unique home décor and fall gifts. A tradition that began 94 years ago The year was 1924 when Bethel Methodist members decided to hold the first chicken dinner at the church. There was no church kitchen at the time. In fact, members had to haul water to the church in cream cans for the event, but they were willing to do what was necessary to make the dinner a success. Chairman of the dinner Lillie McLoon described it as a picnic dinner held in the church yard. Ladies brought tablecloths to stretch across tables made with sawhorses. Japanese lanterns were hung for decoration. The work for the dinner began a day or so before when members gathered to kill and clean the chickens and packed them in ice. The next day, they were divided up and fried in people s homes. The women of the church brought the chickens and all the food, including salads, pies and cakes, to the dinner. It was served as a cold supper, in baskets, along with lemonade and coffee. McLoon said the church made $75 that first year. The next year, she said, they acquired a vat from a tinner in Manchester, so that the chickens could be fried outdoors at the church. As the dinner grew, more vats were added. So, here we are 94 years later, continuing the tradition of the Annual Chicken Dinner! BETHEL s CHICKEN DINNER is a team effort. It has been part of the tradition to ask members to participate with a work assignment. Also, each family is asked to donate $5 to cover expenses, and to provide two readyto-serve pies on the day of the dinner. Look for your letter in the mail. If you need to change your work assignment, please let one of the chairpersons know Nina Lantz or Carla DeSalme. Questions? You can call the office at Work assignments are fun and help to make the Bethel Chicken Dinner a success!

3 Bethel Stories Everyone has a story. Bethel UMC is a close-knit community of friends, but it would be nice to get to know folks better. In our new series, beginning with this issue of the Newsletter, we will interview those willing to share, and bring you their stories. Going the Extra Mile We all have received the mailings from Native American Indian schools, asking for donations. They send pictures of the children. Sometimes they offer dream catchers or colorful blankets. We know there is a need there, so sometimes we send a check and use the address labels they send. But one longtime member of Bethel UMC made the decision some time ago to do much more. For the past five to six years, Bob Morice has been going the extra mile, quite literally, to lend a helping hand to the Indians. With his van packed full of donated clothing and household items, he has made numerous trips to St. Joseph s Indian School in Chamberlain, South Dakota. He gathers the items from friends and church members and then transports them to the reservation of the Lakota Sioux. Bob says it was several years ago that he met a friend of a friend who had made it his mission to collect leftover items from garage sales and deliver them to Indian reservations in Arizona. That man was an Indian by birth, and he understood the need. But he became ill, and had to quit the trips. Bob said, I thought, well, that is something that I could do. And so his mission began. He chose the South Dakota reservation, and spread the word that he would appreciate any items people would like to donate. Bob makes the 730-mile trip alone, mainly because his car is packed too full to have room for a passenger. It is about an 15-hour drive, he says. He takes the items to the tribal store in town. They sort the things that can be used by the kids and donate them to the school, he said. Any and all other things are displayed in the thrift store. If they sell, the proceeds go to the tribe. Clothing that just does not move, will actually be bundled and eventually used for fuel for fires. They use everything, Bob says. He explains that some people on the reservation do not have electricity or indoor plumbing in the homes. The children live in family dormitories at the school, and those who continue through the school system have a high probability of going on to college. Many scholarships are awarded, he said. Others choose to join the military. Bob, who was a marine during the Korean War, says the head of the school is Father Anthony who is also an ex-marine. St. Joseph s School was founded in 1927 by the Catholic church and is run by the Priests of the Sacred Heart.

4 Most years, Bob has timed his trip to South Dakota to attend the annual Pow Wow, held in the middle of September. He says the Pow Wow serves as a sort of Homecoming for the school, and many dancers compete in full traditional costumes, making it a spectacular event. Large kettle drums are used as several drummers, one with a long stick and others with shorter sticks, provide the basic beat for the dance. Bob says he will not be able to make it to the Pow Wow this year, because as he has told his friends at Bethel, he will be in the middle of moving. He has decided to move to Lost Valley, near Owensville, and the timing won t allow a trip in September. He promises, however, that he will visit us at Bethel from time to time, and he just might make another trip or two to the Sioux Reservation. Bob and his wife Dolores, whom he called Do (pronounced Doe ), joined Bethel in about Dolores passed away in They had been married for 32 years. Bob has been retired from Norvel Construction for 34 years. On his many trips to South Dakota, Bob has brought back albums of beautiful pictures of the Pow Wow and of the countryside. Mount Rushmore is about 80 miles from the reservation, he says, and the memorial sculpture of Crazy Horse is within driving distance also. Crazy Horse was a famous Oglala Lakota Sioux war chief who participated in the Battle of Little Big Horn. Bob says he has continued making these trips mainly because the people are so appreciative of everything he brings them. Do they have a special name for him? No, they just call me Bob because I have a t-shirt that says: Of course I m right, I m Bob.

5 To the Congregation of Bethel United Methodist Church I m so sorry to have taken so long in sending my Thank You for the lovely shawl. It kept me very warm while getting my infusions. The room is so cold where I get my treatments. It was very thoughtful of you to give me this cozy, lovely gift, and blue is my favorite color. Thank you all very much and God Bless, Mrs. Carolyn Doherty, Bourbon, MO P.S. Ginger s Mom Many, many thanks to my Bethel family for your support after my accident. Your prayers, well-wishes, cards, calls, visits, food, assistance and support have meant the world to me. I am so anxious to heal and return to Bethel. Until then know that I hold each of you in my heart and I am so grateful to be part of such an amazing community. Barb Jacobs Dear Friends at Bethel, What a pleasant surprise it was for me on Sunday to receive greetings from you all with your gift of the perfect little African violet plant and card with song birds praising their creator. Thank you all so much. I wish I could come and worship on Sunday mornings, but since that is not possible, I attend the services available here. I m so sorry you were not able to find me here, I was somewhere on the premises. Thank you again for the words of your greeting, your visit and your gift. God Bless you all, Ruth Schemkes Pastor Dan, Meant to before today, but Rusty was so surprised and pleased with his and Dot s visitors from Bethel on Sunday. He didn t tell me names, but said he knew them, and was so happy they had visited. THANK YOU for this, and for all others whom the membership of Bethel blessed last Sunday. Bruce Hadley

6 DATE A/V BREAKFAST GREETERS USHERS FELLOWSHIP 26-Aug A Strickland n/a 2-Sep G Hayes Dave Strickland & Mike Lantz Jim & Judy Baugus (Front); Sherryl Rohlf (elevator) Brenda Krueger (Front); Tom & Elaine Hellweg (Elev. Area) Tom & Diane Koonce Ron Guentz & Brenda Krueger Helen Krudop & Sheila Olive Ruth Anne Krueger & Katie Schuch 9-Sep M Muthukumaru Carla DeSalme & Alison Verbeck Ruth Anne Krueger & Jewel Dougan (Front) Sheila Olive 16-Sep C DeSalme Gary Hayes & Angie Strickland Jim & Judy Baugus (Front); Tom & Elaine Jim & Judy Baugus Elaine Hellweg & Carla DeSalme 23-Sep J Camden Rick & Diana Camden 30-Sep 7-Oct 14-Oct 21-Oct 28-Oct D Camden G Hayes M Muthukumaru C DeSalme J Camden Sheila Olive - Bagels and/or Pastries Dave Strickland & Mike Lantz Carla DeSalme & Alison Verbeck Gary Hayes & Angie Strickland Rick & Diana Camden Don & Roberta Verbeck (front) Brenda Krueger (Front); Tom & Elaine Hellweg (Elev. Area) Ron Guentz & Brenda Krueger Helen Krudop & Suzi Hladky Elaine Hellweg (60th wedding anniversary celebration) Ruth Anne Krueger & Jewel Dougan (Front) Bert Foster Sheila Olive Jim & Judy Baugus (Front); Tom & Elaine Jim & Judy Elaine Hellweg & Hellweg (Elev. Area) Baugus Carla DeSalme Don & Roberta Verbeck (front) Carol & Jeff Fothergill Helen Krudop & Suzi Hladky We have Sundays with opportunities to serve. If you would like to volunteer, please contact the church office at Try it, you ll like it!

7 We hate blank pages! Try this puzzle on for size.

8 Bethel United Methodist Church Manchester Road Wildwood, MO September News! Bethel United Methodist Church 8:00 8:30 a.m. Contemporary Issues Group 8:30 9:00 a.m. Breakfast Served 9:25 10:30 a.m. Worship 10:30 10:45 a.m. Fellowship Love God, Love Others, Serve All! 10:45 11:45 a.m. Additional Small Groups