Weekly News & Updates for Bethel Lutheran Church

In Our Prayers

Bethel's Ongoing Prayer List

John and Brenda Adair

Bill Bailey

Pat Blevins

Gene Borror

Pat Clevenger

Martha Copenhaver

John Gavitt

George & Linda Hoenig

Brenda Johnson

Carolyn McTague

Betty Nichols

Carol O'Brien

Michelle Perone

Allen Pierce

Mel & Bert Poling

Melissa Siebert (ALS)

Paul Van Doren

Pastor Bob Young

and

The people of Ukraine

The people of Israel & Palestine

Transportation Needed

Friends,

Ashley Miller, a longtime Bethel member, lives in a group home on the east side of Winchester/Frederick County (Wickham Terrace, 22602). She has Down Syndrome and does not drive. Upon the sickness and death of her mother, Judy, she has been unable to attend worship regularly for a while now. She really misses us! Heidi and I had dinner with her recently, and she would really love to be able to worship again regularly. Hence, this email.

I would like to have a team of people who'd be willing to offer Ashley a ride to worship and other church events. She is delightful and loves being a part of the Bethel community. Her sister, Hillary, is unavailable many Sundays because of work and her aunt is also unavailable most Sundays, although on occasion she has been able to bring her. Hillary, her legal power of attorney and guardian, is more than happy to help us facilitate such an arrangement.

So, my hope is that we could put together a team of folks who would be part of the "A Team" (Ashley team) and help her find support and comfort here with her church family. 

Even if you can only offer help on occasion, let me know. Please respond to this email with your willingness and availability. I will then gather those of us together who are willing and able to help Ashley to put together a regular transportation plan.

Thank you all for your prayerful consideration!

Blessings and Peace,

Pastor Dave 

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Bethel will be hosting WATTS (Winchester Area Temporary Transitional Shelter) February 24 - March 2, 2024.

There are two sign ups - one for donations and the other for volunteer opportunities. Please check out both of these lists! I hope everyone will take the opportunity to join us at least once. It is a fantastic week of serving the homeless in our community. A bin for donations will be in the hall outside the office.

Please contact Diane Milburn at 540-664-1365 or tdmilburn94@gmail.com if you have any questions.

SAVE THE DATE

"Tie, Dye and Pie" Quilt Celebration

Saturday, March 16, 10-Noon, Fellowship Hall

Bethel's quilters are inviting the congregation to a celebration of National Quilting Day and Lutheran World Relief's 75th year of comforting the world with quilts.  

We will be demonstrating the quilt making process, tying pieced quilt tops to batting and backing as well as dyeing light-colored sheets needed for future quilt projects. Come and learn about Bethel's mission quilt ministry. We'll be celebrating with homemade pie for everyone!

Save the Date

Join us for our Easter Potluck Brunch

Sunday, March 31st 11am-12:30pm

More information coming soon!

2024 Lenten Themes, Worship and Learning Opportunities

What Does It Mean to Welcome Others in the Name of Jesus?

Sunday worship at 9:30am (Sanctuary) and Adult Forum at 11:00am (Fellowship Hall)



On Sunday mornings, we will prayerfully discern together “what it means to be welcoming in the name of Jesus”? We will explore this theme in worship and during our Adult Forum time with Pastor Dave and several guest speakers. See the schedule for Adult Forum below.

Sunday, February 18 – Access Independence (People with Disabilities)

Sunday, February 25 – Indigenous People and Land Acknowledgement Conversation

Sunday, March 3 – NAACP

Sunday, March 10 – ARE LGBTQ Center

Sunday, March 17 – National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI)

Sunday, March 24 – English Language Learners (ELL)

Prayer-Full Pause

Thursdays at 6:00pm (Martin Luther Library)

Beginning on the Thursday, February 15 and continuing throughout Lent, Pastor Dave will be offering a new opportunity for prayer and conversation called “Prayer-Full Pause.” We will meet at Bethel at 6:00pm and everyone is welcome. We will simply pray for and seek God’s presence and guidance in our lives as we navigate the often-turbulent waters of life and living. Additionally, we hope this can be a time and space where, in what could be a very divisive and difficult year, we can promote relationships and intentional community with one another, even if we don’t agree

with each other.

BETHEL BULLETIN BOARD

The new bulletin board outside the Office is where we are posting community events as well as handouts of interest from Edie McGoff, our Parish Nurse.

We also will be promoting our supply drives and the items needed for them. Collection bins are underneath the bulletin board.

Want to post something? Please contact the office.

Kynlee and mom Kristy Sikora featured in Winchester Star

Pokey, a Russian tortoise, is held by Orchard View Elementary School librarian Kristy Sikora as her daughter and fifth-grader Kynlee stands beside her. Kynlee suggested the idea of having a school pet to the OVES principal. After doing the research required by the principal, Kynlee decided Pokey would be a good fit. See the full story in the February 2nd Winchester Star or visit their website.

2024 Worship Assistants Needed

We are looking for people to help with Sunday morning worship. We are scheduling teams monthly, no more than once per quarter (ideally once per year). We especially need volunteers for January & February as many of our volunteers served in the past few months.

Greeters (4) - arrive by no later than 9am Sunday morning. 2 will be stationed at the doors to open doors & welcome people to Bethel. 2 will be stationed one on each side of the AV Booth to hand out bulletins and point out any flyers or signups.

Ushers (2) - arrive no later than 9:15 on Sunday morning. Stand near the AV Booth to help worshipers find seats as needed. Collect the Offering and assist with directing people to Communion.

Communion Assistants (3) - can also Greet on their selected day if they choose. Pastor Dave assigns people to teams just before Communion begins. One team stands in the center and the other starts on the choir side then moves to the baptismal side.

If you are willing to volunteer in any of these roles, please contact Kim Williams, Church Administrator, administrator@bethelwinchester.com or 540-662-3245 ext 103

Scripture Readers are scheduled by Pastor Dave pastordave@bethelwinchester.com

Bread Bakers are scheduled by Vonda Wilt vonda@wiltway.com

Worship Technology Team Members Needed!

Are you tech savvy? Are you feeling called to help bring our worship gatherings to life behind the scenes? Bethel’s Worship Technology Team has a place and a need for you!

Volunteers are needed on rotation for the following individual roles:

- Sound System Operators 

- Visual Media Display Screen Operators

- Camera Operators

If you can click or press a button on cue, you can help in any of these roles. Training is provided and a stress free, flexible schedule can be made. 

If you feel the Holy Spirit tugging at you to serve in any of these roles, please contact or see George Donovan, Jr., Minister of Music and Worship. (george@bethelwinchester.com)

We are blessed with amazing technology and talent at Bethel! Come be a part of this growing ministry with us! 

Safety/Medical Team Volunteers Needed

Members that would like to become part of the Safety/Medical Team. You will need CPR. However, if you don't have a current card, I will be arranging a class

Please let me know your interest via email:: emcgoff@gmail.com

I will be arranging a quick meeting after church one day soon and after I get some names so we can start to develop and structure a TEAM.

NEW BETHEL LOGO WEAR

By popular demand, we now have Bethel Logo Wear available! You can order directly from Logo Sportswear using the link below. There are multiple options for both men, women & children and includes hats, jackets, fleece & shirts.

Bethel will receive 15% of all sales.

MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH MEETINGS FOR WINTER 2024

Luther League Jr. (5-8 grades)

6:00-7:30pm

On the following dates:

2024 Dates Coming Soon!

We will meet in the Underground. If you have any questions please contact Pastor Dave at pastordave@bethelwinchester.com

Electronic Giving to Bethel

Please consider setting up electronic giving so Bethel will receive your gift, even when you cannot join us in person.

You can also mail your check to Bethel Lutheran Church, 2077 N Frederick Pike, Winchester VA 22603.

Picture Share

Calling all amateur photographers and social media posters:

We would like to be able to share your photos of Bethel activities. Are you:

Attending a Women's Ministry function?- send us a picture

Attending Men's Breakfast?-send us a picture

Quilting with friends at the Quilting Group?-send us a picture

Having fun with friends at Youth Ministry?- send us a picture

We would like to share all of these events as well as any trips or other "get togethers" on our social media and our website. So please take pictures (make sure that you ask permission to post them) and send them to bethelpictureshare@gmail.com so that we can show everyone what a wonderful family we have at Bethel!

Email Pict

We are asking our Women's Ministry for monetary donations to help feed dinner to the WATTS program on Tuesday, February 27th

(during the week Bethel is hosting WATTS)

Donations can be given directly to Karen Nguyen by cash, check or Venmo and the plan is to provide them with a chicken dinner that is prepared by the Peruvian Chicken restaurant in Winchester. The entire meal will need to feed 60 people and the restaurant has made it amazingly affordable as an offering for us to donate.  It will cost $250-$300 for the meal for all to have dinner and Karen will pick up and deliver the meals to WATTS on the 27th.

Please reach out to Karen Nguyen if you would like to donate.