Heard through The OPEN DOOR 17500 Manchester Road Wildwood, Missouri 63038 www.BethelUnitedMethodist.org Volume 17 Number 4 May 2021 Phone: 636.458.2255 FAX: 636.458.2251 Editors: Chylene Daub & Shirley Giebel Grand Reopening on May 2 of Bethel In-Church Service! It’s truly a red letter day! You may be receiving your May newsletter at almost the same time as the scheduled service, but our Pastor and Secretary have made the good news availa- ble by internet and mail—and of course word of mouth as we turn with joy to what is being hailed as the new normal—also known as getting our lives back. The service will observe the safety protocols—facemasks, pews marked apart for social distancing, and hand sanitizer. There will be a 75-person limit in the Sanctuary, with plans for an overflow area. We are a friendly, talkative, hugging and hand shaking group that may need to hold back a bit longer to Pass the Peace and greet friends we’ve only seen on Zoom or internet locations. 1 Grand Reopening on May 2 of Bethel In-Church Service! (continued) Easter II. As promised Pastor Bob says Bethel will be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus live and in person on Sunday May 2 at 10 am. He says to think of it as our Easter Sunday 2.0. We are asked to help get the word out. Call and invite family and friends and new folks. Pastor Bob adds: Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Board Action. On April 7 the Bethel Board met. They received a summary of the recent sur- vey results from members. They also considered A/V proposals to support our online ministry goals. Many questions we are told were asked and a vigorous discussion began. The re- opening was adopted as well as a unanimous approval of the phase 1 upgrade so new wiring may be installed for AV support. The Board delegates the decision to meet to Sunday class and Bible Study leaders, the Craft- ers, exercise and community groups. Breakfast, food service and fellowship time are suspend- ed until further notice from the Board. Teams responsible for fund-raising events such as the Chicken Supper are asked to discuss and make recommendations for the Board. Decisions on nursery and other matters are under review. Give Thanks. It’s Due. Thanks from everyone to the Board for making the decisions, for lis- tening, for acting. Thanks to everyone who has instigated new ways to worship together, kept our flock together, found new directions, given hours of work and planning and instructing. Thanks for fulfilling the promise of the rainbow over Bethel! 2 Easter Traditions at Bethel From the very opening of the Lent Season, until the Holy Week of Easter, Bethel United Methodist has always embraced Easter with much celebration. In the past we have marked Palm Sunday with our children parading into the sanctuary with palm branches, and Maundy Thursday with a service of holy communion, and often with Easter pageants. Easter dramas were presented several years in succession when Pastor Len Krudop served as our pastor. One was entitled “Eleven Frightened Men.” Another was “Is It I?”, a play that drama- tized the fear of the disciples when Jesus told them that one of them would surely betray him. In 2009, we have twelve of our members dressed in elaborate cos- tumes to recreate the eminent painting by Leonardo da Vinci of the Last Supper. We also had services that included actual foot washing as Jesus did for his disciples. On Good Friday, services were held with the cross in the sanctuary draped in black cloth. One year, we hammered nails into a wooden cross, remembering how Jesus took on all of our sins when he was nailed to the cross. Easter Saturday was a joyous time for our children and grandchildren when they were in- vited for an Easter egg hunt in the church yard. On Easter Morning, we began with sunrise service in our Bethel cemetery. Pastor Len re- members one such Easter sunrise that brought snow on the worshipers in the Resurrection Garden. “We had snowdrops as big as a silver dollar,” he said. Helen Krudop said she had to were mittens to play her keyboard for the Praise Team. And, of course, we all remember the beautiful Easter lilies that added beauty to our altar on Easter morning. Soon, we plan to return to our Easter cele- brations. We are reopening our church with what we call “Easter 2.0” on Sunday, May 2. 3 A Little Bird Reports. A car, often seen around Bethel, just pulled up and parked in front of the church doors. A known “Crafty” looking person—one of the Bethel Crafters—retrieved two large round objects from the vehicle and is proceeding to hang them on each of the doors! These just placed welcoming wreaths bring in Spring and a return to Bethel’s in-church services! Forgive this reporter for having a little fun and to call out a thank you for the bird’s little tip. A Fifteen Year Tradition. To the best recollec- tion, Crafters first wreaths were made in their first basement workshop dating back some 15 years—most recently until their move to areas in our Church they were in the basement of our present parsonage. “The first ones we made were Christmas wreaths,” the Crafter’s note--- making Bethel part of the world’s history of Advent wreath making. The word wreath is thought to come from the Middle English word wrethe, the meaning describing any twisted band of leaves or flowers. We hear not to rest on our laurels which re- ferred to the wreaths of laurel leaves won by feats of bravery or accomplishment and worn around the head by the ancient Greeks. Sending a Message. Nothing says more beautifully that Bethel is the church of the Open Door than the eye-catching welcoming wreaths on the door. “We feel it is important to have fresh wreaths on our doors so everyone coming to the Church or the cemetery can enjoy them” is the Crafter’s purpose said simply. The Wreath Project. The wreaths on the door to the elevator lobby and urns are part of the front door wreath project. The Crafter’s strive for four times a year to mark the changing seasons. But sometimes they put up a winter wreath between the Christmas and Easter wreaths. Then there are the summer and fall wreaths and once again the Christmas wreath. Some of the wreaths get used again if they don’t look weather beaten. Since the Crafter’s haven’t been able to meet during the pandemic, winter, spring, and fall wreaths have been purchased and the summer wreaths they made. Wreath dimensions for the front door by necessity must be fairly large. When making the wreaths, Crafter’s use the bases they have on hand unless a particular size is needed and is then purchased. Being Aware of Bethel’s Many Treasures. Bethel’s wreaths are part of a deep history be- hind wreaths around the world. We are thankful for this beautiful year round display. Hats off to the Crafters! 4 The House by the Side of the Road While searching antique shops for unknown treasures, I like to read the various framed samplers that carry messages from the past. These beautiful handmade works of art always catch my eye. Two of my favorites that I have acquired have these phrases: “To a Friend’s House The Way Is Never Long” and “Let Me Live in the House by the Side of the Road And Be a Friend to Man.” I had often heard the “Way to a Friend’s House,” but I was curious about the one about living “In the House by the Side of the Road.” With just a little research, I found that it is from a poem that was popular in the late 19th century, written by Sam Foss. Sam Walter Foss, who was born in Candia, New Hampshire in 1858, was a poet and a librari- an. He was a graduate of Brown University, and served many years as the librarian at Somer- ville Public Library in Massachusetts. He wrote many popular poems about the “common man.” In fact, for a time he wrote a poem every day for a local newspaper, and eventually released five volumes of collected poetry. His poem “The House by the Side of the Road” was published in 1897 and was often used in speeches and sermons. One verse reads: “Let me live in a house by the side of the road Where the race of men go by-- The men who are good, and the men who are bad, As good and as bad as I. I would not sit in the scorner’s seat Nor hurl the cynic’s ban – Let me live in the house by the side of the road And be a friend to man.” What a beautiful sentiment. I picture a quaint white frame house with a fireplace and a welcoming sidewalk to the front door. And there, the traveler who is lost, or cold or hungry, or perhaps just lonely, may knock on the door and be greeted with a friendly smile. Not surprising that I found a picture of the birthplace of Sam Foss and the house looks quite like I described. 5 The House by the Side of the Road (continued) It isn’t easy to find ways to help others through “Random Acts of Kindness” while we are all sequestered in our homes.