Bethel BEACON Volume # 2010 Issue # 03 BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH March 2011 5232 Irvine Avenue NW Bemidji, MN 56601
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Monthly Publication Bethel BEACON Volume # 2010 Issue # 03 BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH March 2011 5232 Irvine Avenue NW Bemidji, MN 56601 Bethel Lutheran Church “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1 5232 Irvine Avenue NW, Bemidji, MN 56601 Last month, Garrison Keillor paid a visit to 218-444-4746 Bemidji. He tells a story about the Fax 218-444-4789 choosing‑up of sides for sandlot baseball bethelbemidji.org games. ―After the popular ones got picked, we Rev. Mark Kindem stood in a bunch looking down at the dirt, waiting to see if our rating had Pastor changed. They took their sweet time choosing us; we had plenty of time to Home Phone # 444-8545 study our shoes. They choose the popular ones fast (‗Brian!‘ ‗Bill!‘ ‗Duke!‘ [email protected] ‗John!‘ ‗Bob!‘ ‗Paul!‘ ‗Jim!‘ ‗Lance!‘), and now the choice is hard because we‘re all so much the same: not so hot — They choose the last ones two Patti VanCamp at a time, ‗You and you,‘ because it makes no difference, and the Office Admin./Fin. Manager remaining kids, the scrubs, the excess, they deal for as handicaps (‗If I take [email protected] him, then you gotta take him‘). Sometimes I go as high as sixth, usually lower. Just once I‘d like Daryl to pick me first. ‗Him! I want him! The LaVon Johnson skinny kid with the glasses and the black shoes! You! Come on!‘ But I‘ve Secretary/Receptionist never been chosen with any enthusiasm.‖ [email protected] I believe we all can relate to that story. But listen to what the Lord says: ―I have called you by name.‖ He chooses us on purpose, not as an Abe Hanson afterthought, not as a last resort. He wants each one of us. Just as he Custodian called to Peter, Andrew, James and John, he calls to us. Prayer Chain ―Jesus calls us over the tumult of our life‘s wild, restless, sea; Day by day Day His sweet voice soundeth, Saying, ―Christian, follow Me!‖ Bob & Vi Swanson @ 444-3745 Pastor Kindem Evening Mikky McCullough @ 751-4668 SUNDAY WORSHIP 9:00 AM Contemporary Service 10:00 AM Wednesday Fellowship Hour Wednesday, March 16 12:00 noon 10:30 AM March 09, 2011 Wednesday, March 23 12:00 noon Sunday School 12:00 noon service Wednesday, March 30 12:00 noon 10:30 AM with soup following service Wednesday, April 06 12:00 noon Traditional Service 6:30 pm Wednesday, April 13 12:00 noon with soup following each service Page 2 BETHEL LUTHERAN CHUR CH From the Council "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own President people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called you out of darkness and into His marvelous light." I Peter 2:9 One question that seemed to be lurking at the edges of the annual meeting was the question "What does it mean to be a Lutheran?" For some of us who were born and raised Lutheran, maybe we can recite all those 'what does this mean' answers we learned in confirmation. OR maybe others became Lutheran through marriage but the wedding ceremony didn't really explain what Lutheran was and they have picked it up through worship or study. Others may have become BETHEL Lutherans because of the congregational climate, or the location, or some conflict they experienced elsewhere. And others may have found us in their neighborhood when they were seeking a church. As a result, there are a variety of understandings as to what being Lutheran means. One congregation, after studying the Scriptures and Lutheran doctrine, came up with these 5 principles they felt were central to saying what it means to be Lutheran: 1. Jesus is Lord 2. Everyone is welcome 3. Love changes people 4. Everybody has something to offer 5. The world needs what we have These principles were Scripturally sound and summarized many of Luther's teachings. Do these principles summarize what is essential to you as a Lutheran? What would you add? What would you remove? Why? Could these principles become a starting point for conversations among us as we attempt to say who we are and discover where God is leading us? What would our church look like and be doing if these five principles guided all we did? Pray about it. Think about it. Share your thoughts. Together in Christ, Laurie Buehler, Council ―Think of us this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God‘s mercies.‖ 1 Corinthians 4:1 When I was on Internship one of the parishioners asked Miriam and I to house sit for a long weekend. They lived in Afton, along a bluff that overlooked a river. It was quite a treat to be able to live there, if only for the weekend. We cooked on their stove, sat on their couches, watched their satellite TV; we made ourselves at home. In biblical terms, we were stewards. Stewards are people who live in a place that they do not own, making full use of (but also taking care of) things that do not belong to them. One of the first things to know then about stewardship is that we live as stewards of God; people put in charge to take care of what God has given us. Often, stewards forget that they are stewards and think that the property entrusted to them is actually their own. Suppose that on returning from their travels, the owners found that we had changed the locks on their doors and taken up permanent residence in their home? Suppose we said to them, ―Hey, this is ours, after all, you gave it to us!‖ ―No,‖ they would say. ―We were just allowing you to use what still belongs to us. There was no transfer of ownership.‖ The good news for us is that God proclaims us stewards. It is not something we choose to be, we are. We may choose to be faithful, or not, but we are stewards nonetheless. ―We give thee but thine own; what er‘ the gift may be. All that we have is thine alone, a trust O Lord from thee.‖ Stewardship BETHEL LUTHERAN CHUR CH Page 3 KIDS CLUB Join us at 5:30 p.m. for a Family Dinner! All are welcome to sit and eat together! Pre-school - 6th Grade Age 3 thru 12th Grade Sunday, March 06 10:30—11:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 02 5:30 p.m. Sunday, March 13 10:30—11:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 09 5:30 p.m. Sunday, March 20 10:30—11:30 a.m. Ash Wednesday Service Sunday, March 27 Service Project Wednesday, March 16 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 23 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30 OFF 7th 8th 9th Graders Each March, Minnesota Food Share directs the March Campaign, the largest food drive in the state and restocks 300 March 02 6:30-8:00 p.m. Theme Event food shelves across Minnesota. It March 09 6:30-8:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday recruits thousands of congregations, Service March 16 6:30-8:00 p.m. Theme Event companies, schools and civic groups to March 23 6:30-8:00 p.m. Servant Event run local food and fund drives to aid in March 30 Guide Meeting the effort. Students with their family tonight Let’s do our share in this campaign! Page 4 BETHEL LUTHERAN CHUR CH BETHEL COMMITTEES NEED HELP! March Due to the large turnover of members this past year, a number of our committees are in need of people to step-up and do their part to move the mission of Bethel Lutheran forward. There are particular needs for people on the following committees: Birthdays Youth and Christian Education: Contact Joyce Hoff or Sarah Dreyer 02 Pastor Mark Kindem Stewardship Committee: Contact Paul McIntyre 04 Mark Paulson Personnel Committee: Contact Laurie Buehler 05 Alva Drusch Darrel Lauderbaugh Jerry Molitor 07 Nate Sele 08 Daphne Linnea Urban 09 Margaret McNea 12 Tim Mountain Cherene Sadek Happy 13 Dale Rader 17 Roy Blackwood Kiah Martinson St. Patrick’s 18 Jeanne Muirhead Joseph Sorenson Day 20 Samuel Pfremmer Albert Sadek 21 Sally Becker 24 Louise Hoyum 25 Melvin Miller 27 Dorothy Bakken 29 Gerald Fenske 30 Elexis Jones Tate Martinson Anniversaries 03 Bruce (deceased) & Betty Olsen Don’t forget to turn your clocks 1955 FORWARD on Sunday, March 13, 2011! BETHEL LUTHERAN CHUR CH Page 5 Mission Statement: With a spirit of transparency, accountability, and collaboration we strengthen those in need of home, health and hope. The Wadena Otter Tail Long Term Recovery committee exists to address unmet needs for families and individuals in both counties who are struggling to recover from the impact of the June 17th tornadoes. Our special focus is to utilize donated funds to help persons with uninsured or underinsured losses that need assistance to repair, rebuild or replace homes and personal property. The committee represents over twenty five area service organizations, government agencies, churches and schools. ALL services offered are FREE to anyone impacted by the June storms! The NWMN Synod Council approved an INGATHERING OF FUNDS at their February 5, 2011 meeting. Funds gathered from our churches will help Otter Tail and Wadena Counties in their recovery. The Council suggested each baptized member make a $5 donation. With every $1 comes recovery! To make your tax- deductible donation, please send checks payable to: Wadena Otter Tail Long Term Recovery Committee 119 S.