THE BETHANY LETTEROctober 16, 2007 Volume 2007, Issue No. 33 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sabbath Economics The Environment Personal and family practices most directly and concretely express our actual economic and spiritual values. We sing "This is my Father's world" but do we always or even usually behave like this world is only ours in trust to preserve and protect or do we behave as if it is ours to degrade to support our own selfish needs? Sabbath economics asks us to covenant, to take some steps to behave in a more responsible way toward "our Father's world", to protect and preserve our environment. Trying to live a greener life is something we should feel called to try. Dealing with a global phenomenon like the degradation of the environment can seem too overwhelming a task, but we must always remember a tenant of practicing Sabbath economics is that small consistent steps are worthwhile and meaningful. There are several things the individual and a family can do to live greener short of building an "earth" home powered by passive solar (although such steps are certainly laudable). The first thing to do in making small steps toward greener living is to think about reducing solid wastes and recycling. The query at the supermarket "plastic or paper" might elicit the response "neither, please use my reusable cloth sac". Hundreds of trees and barrels of oil are used to provide those sacs that we could easily do without. The catalogs we receive (but don't want) in large numbers especially as the Christmas season approaches require entire forests be leveled to produce the pulp that makes the paper that we don't look at. You can register with the Direct Market Association mail preferences program to remove your name from catalog mailing lists (www.dmachoice.org/consumerassistance.html or 212-768-7277). We all want water to drink which is pure and healthy but we might want to consider a charcoal filter system rather than filtered water in plastic bottles made from petroleum products. Sometimes we can't avoid using materials that utilize paper or plastic products; we then have to remember to recycle. Bethany and many of our local communities have recycle programs that allow us to reuse precious resources. Sabbath economic practitioners need always to consider "reduce, reuse and recycle". The second thing we need to do is to consider our personal or family energy use. We can turn thermostats down in the winter and up in the summer. In Japan an edict to set air conditioning at 76 degrees has resulted in an estimated 20% decrease in electricity use in the summer months. We can improve insulation in our homes and chalk those leaky doors and windows. When we replace appliances we should be smart consumers by looking for appliances with "energy-saver" labels that identify products that not only save the environment but also can save us money. Replacing light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs save energy and provide longer bulb life. Several states and cities have already adopted this approach and have noted a definite benefit. Purchasing and using locally grown fruits and vegetables saves on fuel to transport produce. The third thing we can do is to practice civic responsibility and let our elected officials know that we want policies that protect the environment and promote clean and renewable energy. We need to help them lead responsibly. Sincerely, Bob Novak ************* Sunday ~ October 21, 2007 Sunday Morning Opportunities . . . 8:30 a.m. Worship (Healing and Reconciliation)/ Special Music 9:15 a.m. Church School for Children and Adults 10:30 a.m. Worship/ Chancel Choir/ Children's Sunday School 11:30 a.m. Social Hour - Adult Classes please meet in the social hall for brunch.
Men's Volunteer Breakfast It is a great time for men of the church to get together to share faith, food, and fellowship together; as well as a few chores with which the custodians could use some help. The men gather the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 8:00 a.m. (Next breakfast October 17th) Can you help make this time possible by providing breakfast for 8-10 men once during the year? If so, call Nancy Read.
Red Cross Disaster Training The American Red Cross has asked us if we would like to recruit volunteers to be trained to open and run our church as a shelter if needed. The three-hour training will take place THIS Wednesday, October 17th from 6-9 pm at Bethany. This is a one-time training not yearly. If you are interested in being a part of this training, please contact Carolyn B. Hofmann. Open to all!
Confirmation Schedule
Falls Cancer Club CHILI SUPPER First Christian Church ~ October 18th 4:00 to 7:00 PM $6.00 PER PERSON, take-out available. All proceeds benefit Falls Cancer Club Patients
Youth Fellowship Schedule
Bible Discoveries Class Please read pages 27-50 in the book Desire of the Everlasting Hills for Sunday, October 21st.
An Invitation . . . "You are invited to hear Thula Sizwe: The Group Zulu in a concert of traditional song and dance from South Africa, Sunday, November 4th at 4:00 p.m. at Trinity UCC, 215 High St., Wadsworth OH." This concert features an a cappella singing group of 11 men from South Africa. Thula Sizwe means "hush and listen". They have performed concert tours throughout the world.
Election Day Bake Sale Our annual Election Day Bake Sale will be held on Tuesday, November 6th. Can you help us by making a baked good to sell? Please drop off your donations in the kitchen at Bethany on Monday, November 5th or in the morning on November 6th. We are in need of help at the sales table on the 6th. If you are able to take a 2-hour shift and sell baked goods for us, please contact Carolyn B. Hofmann. Thanks for supporting Bethany's mission projects.
Building Improvement Possibilities The new windows installed last year are helping save considerable energy, which in turn reduces the pollution we create and the funds we have to spend on things other than ministry and mission. This means gifts to the window fund create multiple benefits: warmth for us, care for God's world, savings for our work in God's world. If you'd like to help spread these multiple benefits, just make a donation to the Window Fund. If you've seen how wonderful the newly remodeled restroom by the nursery looks, you may be interested in helping us remodel another one in the church school wing. If so, your contribution would be most welcome; just make your gift and designate it: restroom remodeling.
Please remember in your prayers . . . Jenny Bisesi, home Dorothy Draper, Rockynol Albert Jensen, Altercare Geraldine Hunter, Briarwood Margaret Martin – Falls Village Peg Leiter, Seattle WA 98103
How We're Doing. . .
Thank You Thanks to everyone who came to the Sunday Brunch and contributed to the EOA's Disaster Relief. We raised $131, which will be matched by Missions. If you haven't seen the restroom by the nursery since it's been remodeled, you owe yourself a look. It's terrific. Thanks to Holly Keenan for developing the plan, Caitlin Zeller for creating the mural and mirror, members of the Property Committee for doing much of the work, George Jensen for installing the new sink and toilet, and an anonymous Memorial Fund donor for providing the funds to make it all possible. Thanks to Bart Clemente and Ernie Albert for installing vents in the doors of our outside storage area. It will keep fumes from the lawn equipment from drifting into the social hall, which we all greatly appreciate! "Thank you" everyone who helped make our Homecoming Celebration a success: to the Sunday School classes that helped make the "Bread of Life" baskets; the C.E. Committee that provided a wonderful Social Hour; and to the Mission Committee who was a great help as they were still around from their brunch and helped us clean up and shared some of their muffins. Blessings to all.
FORE ~ IHN The first ever "100 Holes For the Homeless" event was a resounding success. On Monday September 24th seven golf fanatics teed it up at 8:00 AM and played golf till about 5:00 PM and each played 100 holes. This super seven had obtained pledges from a wide range of individuals and businesses to raise money to support the mission of IHN. The golfers had each been challenged with raising $2,500 for IHN. The results were very impressive as about $22,000 was pledged in total. Bethany's Rollie Seguin was one of those hearty soles and was able to raise $6,000 for IHN. The golfers had a great time and enjoyed a well-deserved dinner after their efforts on the links. Thanks for all the support that our Bethany members provided to this worthwhile event.
Calendar for October 17TH to October 28TH 10/17 8:00a Men's Breakfast 9:30a Bible Study (C.E.) 5:00p Red Cross Training Session (S. Hall) 8:00p Bell Practice 10/18 6:15p Confirmation Meal, Music, Class (Library) 7:30p Choir Practice 10/20 11:30a Bethany Kitchen (S. Hall) Sunday ~ October 21, 2007 Nursery Available ~ 9:15 – 11:30 a.m. 8:30a Worship (Healing & Reconciliation) 9:15a Church School for Children and Adults 10:30a Worship/ Children's Sunday School 11:30a Social Hour Host 11:45a 7th Day Choir Practice 6:30p YF 10/22 9:00a Quilters 9:30a Shawl Ministry (Lounge) 10:00a Newsletter Deadline 10/23 8:15p Staff Meeting (Lounge) 10/24 9:30a Bible Study (C.E.) 7:00p COMMITTEE NIGHT 8:00p Bell Practice 10/25 7:30p Choir Practice 10/27 10:00a Lunch on Us, Miller Ave. – Confirmands Family Sunday ~ October 28, 2007 Nursery Available ~ 9:15 – 11:30 a.m. 8:30a Worship (Story and Song) 9:15a Church School for Children and Adults 10:30a Worship/ Children's Sunday School - Celebration of Congregational Life 11:30a Social Hour 11:30a YF Final Prep for Party 11:45a 7th Day Practice 6:00p HALLOWEEN PARTY
Names of Sunday Volunteers are published AHEAD of the scheduled Sunday as a kindly reminder & an early thank you! If you are unable to volunteer the day you are scheduled, please remember to find someone to take your place and then call the church office so we may make necessary changes.Volunteers for October 21st Esperanza Cup Washing: T. Giffen, E. Jensen Greeters: J. &. P. Mansfield/ T. & B. Hermann Lay Reader: K. McDevitt Music: Special Music/ Chancel Choir Nursery: T. Jensen, B. Read, C. Pletzer, H. Alberson Social Hour Host: Lounge Class Ushers: L. Luginbill, B. Charton, M. & R. Bowmaster, A. McVan, H. Bowman, E. Frederick, L. Sheppard Van Driver: C. Frederick Visitor Outlook: O. Devine Volunteers for October 28th Esperanza Cup Washing: K. McDevitt, A. Myers Greeters: Karen Mellott and Sally Mellott, Douglas and Carolyn Shroyer Music: Donna and Tim/ Son Singers and Young Shepherds Nursery: T. Jensen, E. Zeller, N. Zeller, C. Eberhardt Social Hour Host: Seekers Class Ushers: C. Hofmann, H. Walker, S. Truby, S. Ward, S. &. R. Alberson, T. Malorni, H. Nagel Van Driver: E. Frederick Visitor Outlook: L. Goodwin ***************** United Church of Christ What Matters – We are a People of Extravagent Welcome (Part of a Series) "Jesus didn't turn people away, neither do we." When you're gutsy enough to make such a claim, it's not always easy to make good on it. Following Jesus' lead, the United Church of Christ strives to keep doors open to all. By God's grace—in the past and today—we do what needs to be done to be bold people of God's welcome. Jesus lived and breathed gracious hospitality. Even though there were powerful people who opposed Jesus' extravagant welcome, he still embraced those who were often shunned. In the reign of God that Jesus spoke of, he declared there is room for all—children (Luke 18:15-17) and those who are hungry, thirsty, homeless, ill, poor, grieving, persecuted, and in prison (Matthew 25: 31-46 and Luke 6:20-26). Jesus put faith and hospitality together: "Whoever receives one whom I send receives me" and those who received Jesus, embraced God (John 13:20). This kind of hospitality is characteristic of both God's faithfulness and, at our best, our faithfulness. God welcomes, and also feeds the hungry, forgives sins, stands with those who are poor and oppressed, comforts the suffering, and becomes home for those who wander. In gratitude, faithful people welcome strangers. A surprise in the Bible is the way you welcome a stranger expresses how you embrace the very presence of God (Genesis 18:1-8 and Luke 23:28-35). The church, since its beginning, continues to "extend hospitality to strangers (Roman 12:13)." The church, after all, is a blessed company of strangers held together by the grace of God. UCC churches express God's extravagant welcome in a variety of ways. Our welcome embraces both those we invite to participate in our congregations, as well as those outside the church, with whom we work for God's justice and compassion. That is our prayer, our hope. Who is welcome? Our churches are among those whose doors are open to God's children of different cultures, races, genders, ages, sexual orientations, abilities, economic situations, and theological traditions. It isn't always easy to be so open. Each UCC congregation prayerfully discerns and expresses how wide their doors and arms are open. Some state it this way, "We are a multicultural and multiracial, open and affirming, accessible to all, and just peace church." Wow, that's a mouthful, but check out the links to those words to discover the meaning, heart, and history behind the terms. Once one enters the door, it's not a matter of "sit back, be quiet, speak only as we do." You, your heart's questions and your gifts, are vital to the congregation. Both we and you grow together in faith and witness. Your distinct story of faith joins with centuries of stories that make up the Church, and specifically the United Church of Christ. In God's grace, you change: we change. We make a holy difference in each other's lives, and, together, in the world. In gratitude, because God welcomes us, we are called to make bold stands. In behalf of and along with those who remain oppressed, suffering, alienated, and poor in God's world, we speak and act . "It's not an extravagant welcome to an ‘anything-goes' religion, a comfortable form of Christianity, but to a costly form of discipleship," says John Thomas, current president and general minister of the UCC. Thomas calls this kind of discipleship "evangelical courage." It's the other side of the "extravagant welcome" coin. You see this risky faith expressed throughout our history that at times has been hidden. Inspired by God's gift of hospitality, we work for God's welcoming world of love and justice.
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