A SEDER MEAL IN LENT

Volume 58 Issue 3 March, 2018 Bethany Lutheran Church Mission Statement Reaching out in Worship, Fellowship, Learning, and Love - We Are God s People. A SEDER MEAL IN LENT A year ago I began asking people at Bethany if they had ever experienced a Seder Meal. In the responses I received it became apparent that this was new to everyone! What is a Seder meal? A Seder meal is a religious observance of practicing Jews that goes back to the time of Moses. Another name for the Seder is the Passover. Originally this meal was intended to remind God s people of the suffering they endured as slaves in Egypt and how God rescued them by parting the Red Sea and bringing them into the wilderness safe from the Egyptian army. Practicing Jews celebrate The Seder every year around the same time as Holy Week for Christians. This year Passover happens on the same night as Maundy Thursday. This Passover meal was the meal Jesus was sharing with His disciples at the Last Supper. Because of the importance of knowing and understanding this sacred meal for Jews, and for Jesus in particular, we will have an actual Seder Meal at Bethany on March 29 at 7:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall. I am inviting other churches to join us. We will have two women from our local Jewish community who will present this experience to us. There will be a sign-up sheet so we can plan ahead on the number attending. The format of this Seder event will be solely from the Jewish perspective. Usually Seder meals presented in churches are Christianized. This will not be the case for us. Plan on a very moving and informative night. Invite someone to come with you. As I have stated many times, now that you know why you come, you can invite people by telling them why you go to Bethany. Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church 2515 Madison Ave. Burlington, Iowa Phone: (319) 752-3621 www.bethanyburlington.org Pastor s Cell: (360) 623-2184 Our Staff Rev. Paul Hermansen, Pastor Cory Byrne, Choir Director/Organist Amanda Stevenson-Cosgrove, Dir. of Youth & Family Sue Hermansen, Admin. Asst. Dennis Wohlers, Financial Sec y Mike & Tammy Morris, Custodians

SPRING AHEAD MARCH 10 Following our colder than normal winter, spring s arrival is a blessing we welcome. One of the things I look forward to is gaining an extra hour of sunlight. On March 10 we need to set our clocks ahead by one hour before going to sleep. Perhaps this might be a good Sunday to try the 10:55 a.m. service. You can sleep in and still make it to worship! There are a lot of spots to sign up for altar flowers for this year. Please take a look at the flower chart on the bulletin board in the hallway. HOMEBOUND CARD MINISTRY Please help remember Bethany s members who are in nursing homes or homebound by sending them a card. A birthday or a thinking of you card is a special way of showing God s love. During the summer months, take a minute to send a card with a short note - these folks would love to hear from you. Names and addresses are available on the table in the fellowship hall. Please remember to mark the spreadsheet if you send a card. EXODUS BIBLE STUDY The Exodus Bible study meets on Sunday nights at 7:00 p.m. Exodus is one of the most fascinating books in the Bible. The Israelites have crossed through the Red Sea! Please join us to learn what happens next. EXTRA PICTORIAL DIRECTORIES AVAILABLE We have a few extra directories to give to people who did not have their picture taken. Check with the office if you would like one. RIDE-ON LAWN MOWER FOR SALE The Property Committee was blessed to purchase a new lawn mower thanks to the generosity of the Remembrance Committee. This leaves them with a Cub Cadet lawn mower in good working condition that they are offering for sale. There are descriptions of the Cub Cadet posted through the church building. If interested, call the office or talk to a member of the Property Committee. BLOOD DRIVE We have an opportunity to give the gift of life. There is always a need for blood donors. You can donate blood from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on March 12 here at Bethany. If you have any questions, call the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center at 754-4611 MARCH ACTIVITIES The Retired Nurses will be meeting on Friday, March 2, at 9:00 a.m. in the fellowship hall.. Boy Scout Troop #25 has their regular weekly meetings on Tuesdays.

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SCHEDULE As stated earlier, our Holy Week program starts on March 29th at 7:00 p.m. with the Seder Meal. This will be at Bethany in the fellowship hall. We are inviting our sister congregations to this event. On Good Friday we are tentatively planning on a service at Trinity at 6:00 p.m. This will be a multi-church experience as well. We will have a Saturday night service at 5:30 p.m. on March 31 at Bethany that will celebrate the Resurrection. On Easter Sunday, April 1, our choir will sing and we will rejoice in Christ s Resurrection. CENTERING PRAYER - MARCH 10 Every day I am learning more and more about new resources in Burlington that are most beneficial. One of these blessings is a weekly centering prayer group that meets on Monday nights. Every year our fellowship has a day retreat where we connect with God and experience His direction for our lives. You are invited to join us for this retreat on Saturday, March 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. A lunch will be provided. There is no charge but free-will offerings are appreciated. We meet at Christ Episcopal Church, 623 N. Fifth Street. If you are interested, talk to me ASAP. TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO INVITE FOLKS TO BETHANY In January you participated in a survey where you told us why you come to Bethany. As I have stated many times, now that you know why you come, you can invite people by telling them why you go to Bethany. One potential reason that I just realized for inviting people to be with us is because we have two unique services. We have our traditional 9:00 a.m. worship and we also have our 10:55 a.m. Hope service. We also have our last Saturday of the month evening service at 5:30 p.m. Inviting people to Jesus is more than just a voluntary activity. We are commanded by Christ to go to our neighbors, friends, co-workers, and relatives and invite them to our beloved Bethany where they will hear about and experience Christ. Remember, when we invite people to Jesus, it is a blessing to them. BROWN BAG GROCERIES FOR FOOD PANTRIES Thank you for responding to our brown bag groceries outreach. Your response was tremendous and very life-giving. Last year our social outreach ministry was very active. We will soon be meeting again to do more in our community. REVIEW OF CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS As mentioned at the annual congregational meeting, a task force has been formed to review the Bethany constitution and bylaws. It is in the process of making some changes to the current constitution (which was last revised in 2002) as required by the ELCA, as well as considering additional changes to make the document more closely reflect Bethany s structure and functioning. If you have suggestions for items for change, inclusion, or exclusion from our current constitution and bylaws, please contact one of the members of the task force: Todd Chelf, Jackie Chubb, Dan Harken, Teresa Morehead, Bonnie Rosenberg, Pam Taylor, Amy Unglaub, and Chris Wallace. The congregation will have at least two opportunities to review and discuss the proposed changes prior to their being adopted. We ask that you pray for this task force, that we may do good work that will strengthen Bethany Lutheran Church now and as we move into the future.

LUTHERAN MISSION TRIP TO DETROIT, JULY 15-21 The following is an article from Pastor Susanne at Messiah Lutheran Church: A group of us plan to spend a week this summer, July 15-21, working on urban preservation and community gardens in inner city Detroit. Detroit was a bustling auto manufacturing center when I lived there in the summer of 1967. This will be my first trip back to Detroit since then. The city has changed: the auto industry has flagged, whole neighborhoods are literally gone, some blocks have returned to countryside, and families who have stayed are asking for help. Rippling Hope is a Detroit non-profit that has been collaborating with city neighborhood associations for years, stabilizing homes, cleaning neighborhoods, and supporting urban farming. The week we are there we will stay in Rippling Hope s mission house and work different projects every day. Rippling Hope s staff will feed us, equip us, and supervise our work. And yes, I am calling this a faith venture. Kelly Benz, who took Messiah s youth to the last national youth gathering in Detroit, says that, when they did a day s service work in the city, they were safe, they were appreciated, and they got at least as much of a boost in faith as did the people they were sent to help. Mission trips have a way of doing this--they are remarkable faith journeys! The more of ourselves we give away, the more we receive from God and from our companions in faith. Detroit s neighborhood associations make the decision about what work needs doing and Rippling Hope selects the projects and invests in making mission accompaniment a good experience for volunteers. Pastor Brice Hughes from Zion UCC in Burlington is on Rippling Hope s board and Zion s group is going to Detroit the week of June 7-13. Some members of the Zion group will be coming to meet with us on Sunday evening, March 25, at 5:00 p.m., in Messiah s conference room. We are inviting members from all the area Lutheran churches to join us. The cost for each participant is $300 and we will find ways to reduce the cost for all participants. Would you like to know more? Come to the March 25 information meeting. Talk with me, Dennis Wohlers in the church office, or Messiah member, Joe de Jesus. And check out Rippling Hope s website, www.ripplinghope.org.

One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter s brother. He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, We have found the Messiah (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. John 1:40-42a EVANGELISM FOR MARCH 11 As your pastor I certainly strive to do what I can to help Bethany be its best in the here and now. I wish everyone could know what a blessing Bethany is. But Bethany is more than just the here and now. I think about Bethany s tomorrow. This is why God has put it on my heart to encourage us to invite people to our church. I think that, if we make an effort to reach out to others about our church, it will get easier and even become a Godly habit. Recently I listened to an incredible message about sharing Christ with others. As I absorbed this sermon I realized that hearing about the importance of evangelism from another voice could be very helpful. I believe that there is a non-biblical assumption by many that it is the pastor s job to bring new people into our church. In reality, it is everyone s responsibility! Therefore, on March 11, at the 9:00 a.m. service, we will hear about inviting people to Jesus from another voice. Pray for God to touch your heart while watching this presentation so we will all become evangelists for Jesus. Bear in mind that congregations are like people. They have a life span. Like people, congregations have a birth and death. I do not believe it is time for our church to conclude its life. Who is waiting for your invitation? In Christ, Pastor Paul

March 2018 Lay Leaders Head Ushers: Dan & Julie Wischmeier March Team Captain: Dan Wischmeier Ushers 4 - The Mike Morris Family 11 - Jeff & Kim Engle; Pam & Bill Taylor 18 - Ron Kastner; Tim Ruberg; Bill Mundt; Dan Wischmeier 25 - Jeff & Kim Engle; Dan & Julia Wischmeier Communion Assistants 4 - Mark Rosenberg; Joe Gerdes; Amy Unglaub 11 - Bob Hoxie; Dan Harken; Mike Hopp 18 - Jim Martindale; Bill Mundt; Mike Morris 25 - Amy Unglaub; Sue Hermansen; Todd Chelf Fellowship 4-11 - 18-25 - Missionary Support 4-11 - 18 - Barb West 25 - Acolytes 4 - Madison McClurg 11 - Tyler Burch 18 - Jonathon Chelf; David King 25 - Benjamin Chelf Lector 4 - Jeff Engle 11 - Carlene Woodside 18 - Bill Mundt 25 - Sue Hermansen Greeters 4 - Jeff & Kim Engle 11 - Sharon Martindale 18 - Lynda Johnson 25 - Marlys McClurg; Vanette Wooldridge Flowers 4-11 - 18-25 - Altar Guild Bonnie Rosenberg; Lori Cox; Marlys McClurg; Michelle Cox March Birthdays 1 - Jacob Cox; Paul Ervin; Robert Voigt 2 - Richard House; Tina Savage 3 - Flora Specht 5 - Marlene Benninghoven 6 - Amy Unglaub 7 - Daniel Wischmeier 8 - Sterling Tharp 9 - Laurie Chelf; Ron Woodside 10 - Marian Chaddock; Steve Quam 14 - Rylee Morris; Mike Reichelt 15 - Robert Shirley 17 - Lori Cox; Darrin Timberlake 18 - Doreen Roy 19 - Isaac Morehead 20 - Tiffany Huppenbauer 24 - Rachel Lindeen; Alexis Oetken; Tony Stanley 25 - Shawn Adam; Robert Etchison 27 - Cameo Mundt 29 - Joe Engle; Elizabeth Loots; Aaron Morehead 31 - Michael Hopp; Tyler Schramm

L.I.F.T. L.I.F.T. is up and running! L.I.F.T. is always held on the second Sunday of the month at 5:00 p.m. at Trinity. L.I.F.T. is open to ages three to 6th grade. This is a great ministry and is open to everyone. We have a Bible story, do a craft, sing some songs...all AFTER WE EAT!! Invite your nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and their friends! Registration forms are available. If you are interested in helping with L.I.F.T., speak to Amanda. CONFIRMATION Will resume in April Questions: See Amanda or Pastor Paul Mark your calendars! Our annual 345 Lock-in will be March 15-17 for students in grades 3, 4, and 5. This year it will be held at Messiah Lutheran Church. Our annual LutherFast lock-in for junior and senior high students will be March 9-10. We will be gathering with our brothers and sisters at Messiah Lutheran to learn about hunger and homelessness and how we can be the hands and feet of Jesus to people in need. Contact Amanda for more details.

The meetings for March that have been scheduled as of the publishing of this newsletter are listed below. Watch the bulletins for any date and time changes or additional meetings scheduled. Social Ministry Committee TBA Men s Breakfast Saturday, March 17, 8:00 a.m. Executive Committee Tuesday, March 13, 6:30 p.m. Church Council Sunday, March 18, 10:15 a.m. Property Committee Monday, March 12, 6:30 p.m. Remembrance Committee TBA Worship & Music Committee TBA Fellowship Committee TBA FINANCIAL UPDATE FEBRUARY ATTENDANCE February 4 94 February 11 86 Ash Wednesday 35 February 18 95 February 24 8 February 25 85 FEBRUARY GIVING February 4 $ 2,582.58 February 11 1,880.80 February 18 4,015.70 February 25 2,148.00 Total $10,627.08 If you change your mailing address, please let the office know ASAP. For every returned piece of mail we get for an incorrect address, we are charged 75 cents. PLEASE NOTE The deadline to submit information for the monthly Chimes is the 25th of the month. You re welcome to email your submissions, leave a note on the desk in the office, or call the church office. Thank you for your generosity and faithful trust in God to provide your needs! God believes in you and has a great future planned for Bethany. ALSO! Because of Federal Privacy laws, if you or a member of your family are hospitalized and would like the Pastor to visit, you must contact the church and let us know.