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

Paul Van Doren

Pastor Bob Young

Sara Brummel (Sister of Kathryn Carpenter)

Condolences to the family of Dr. Miriam David-Brown

Labyrinth Restoration Project

THANK YOU!

Thank you to Betty Puffinberger, Matt Lyman and Cliff Crowder

NEW MEMBER CLASS

Bethel is in the process of organizing our next "New Member" class for this summer and would love for anyone who is interested in learning more about becoming an "official member" of Bethel to sign up and we will plan our process accordingly. 

 Please sign up either via the QR code below or by sending an email to Pastor Dave (pastordave@bethelwinchester.com) indicating your interest, your contact information, and the best way to contact you to let you know the details. Please sign up for information by May 26^th. We will be in touch during June with our summer plans.

We appreciate your presence with us and truly value your prayerful consideration of joining our fellowship of faith.

Peace and Grace,

Pastor Dave  

Call For Cake

Also pies, cupcakes, cheesecakes ...

Sunday May 12^th we're having a Mother's Day Cake Auction following worship in Fellowship Hall.

 Homemade cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pies and cheesecakes will be available. Some can be purchased directly. There will be a silent auction and a live auction. 

On May 12^th before service bring your baked item up to Fellowship Hall

Come grab some ice cream and help the youth group get to New Orleans for the

ELCA National Youth Gathering in July!

Packs Ice Cream on 522 will donate a portion of their proceeds between the hours of

6pm and 9:30pm on Tuesday, May 14th!

Mel will be there with Bethel swag, and maybe a game or two.

 Hope to see you there!

"Pat's Piecemakers" (LWR mission quilt group) will next meet on

Wednesday May 15, 10-Noon, in Bethel's quilt room.

If you can thread a needle and tie a knot, we'd love to have you join us! 

Contact Susie Beyer 540-664-5260 if you have any questions.

May 19th Coffee with Council

Following Worship 10:30-11am

Enjoy some coffee and casual conversation with council

Sunday May 19th at 7pm

Free Spring Concert

The Apple Valley Flute Choir will present their Spring Concert on

 Sunday, May 19, at 7pm

The Apple Valley Flute Choir was formed in 2012, by flute players who wished to get together

and play as an ensemble. The group consists of Professionals, Music Educators, College

Students, Adult amateurs, Private Teachers and their Students who enjoy getting together once a

week and performing flute music. As the ensemble has grown it now not only contains the usual

C Flute and piccolo which everyone knows, but also two alto flutes and a bass flute. The flute

choir has performed in various venues including numerous times with the Asaph Ballet in the

Merchant Hall at the Hylton Performing arts Center in Manassas, VA. The group recently

premiered a work commissioned for Apple Valley Flute Choir at the Mid-Atlantic Flute

Convention outside Washington, D.C.

June 24th - June 27th

5:30-7:30

5:30-6:00 Kid-friendly Dinner provided

6:00-6:15 Opening Group

6:15-6:45 Session One in small groups

6:45-7:15 Session Two in small groups

7:15-7:30 Closing Large Group

"Compassion Camp: What Every Living Thing Needs" from Illustrated Ministry

Our best-selling Compassion Camp curriculum is back with a brand-new edition. Compassion Camp is a program where participants explore what it means to have compassion for themselves, others, and the world.

While Compassion Camp is geared toward K–5th graders and preschool-aged children, it is highly flexible, adaptable, and fun for the entire church (and includes activities for youth, as well).

Through Compassion Camp: What Every Living Thing Needs, participants will explore what all living

things need to live—shelter, food, water, air, and community—and how we can have compassion for

the living earth. Through awareness, gratitude, wonderment, reciprocity, and kinship, participants will

consider how to become co-sustainers and participants in the work of God’s creation. 

Using Psalm 104 as our grounding text—and supported with additional scripture—participants will take a close look at the interconnectedness of the whole earth, humans alongside the more-than-human world.

Session 1: Every Living Thing Needs Shelter—Shelter Protects Life

Participants will develop their skills of awareness as the first step in compassion by noticing how God provides shelter in the Bible.

Session 2: Every Living Thing Needs Food—Food Energizes Life

Participants will practice gratitude for food by compassionately acknowledging the world God made

(as described in Psalm 104).

Session 3: Every Living Thing Needs Water—Water Hydrates Life

Participants will seek wonderment in the power and vulnerability of water by learning about the cycles of God’s life-giving resource and how we need to protect it compassionately.

Session 4: Every Living Thing Needs Air—Air Sustains Life

Participants will explore reciprocity in the function of air by seeing their own breath as the sign of God’s Spirit that breathes in them and how the world’s influence on the air affects what they receive through it.

Session 5: Every Living Thing Needs Community—Community Produces Life

Participants will identify their kinship with the world by understanding their membership in, and connection with, the diverse “neighborhood” of God’s creation.

If you are willing and able to help please contact Pastor Heidi at heididavidyoung955@gmail.com



Welcoming & Affirming: Supporting LGBTQIA+ Youth in our Families

Why does language matter so much to LGBTQIA+ teens? How can families celebrate milestones in the lives of their LGBTQIA+ teens? How can I create a culture of affirmation in my church? 

On May 6, 13, 20, and June 3 at 7pm on Zoom, the Tapestry Team’s LGBTQIA+ Thread will explore these questions and more in their book study on Welcoming and Affirming: A Guide to Supporting with LGBTQ+ Christian Youth. This is for parents, guardians, rostered ministers, youth leaders, grandparents, and anyone who wants to learn how to better love and care for the LGBTQIA+ teens in their lives. 

The study will be facilitated by George Donovan, Tapestry Co-chair, and Pastor Colleen Montgomery, All Places Together & Director for Digital Ministries - Virginia Synod, along with other voices from the LGBTQIA+ community as well. Each session will include a devotion, time for questions from participants, storytelling from LGBTQIA+ Lutherans in Virginia, and brainstorming of practical steps to care for our youth. 

While participants do not have to attend every session, the content and discussion will build. In order to honor the stories and vulnerability of participants, the sessions will not be recorded. 

Here's the reading schedule for the series.

May 6 - Week 1: Foreword - What Does It Mean to Transition? Pages 8-54

May 13 - Week 2: How Do I Know If a Student Is Struggling with Anxiety or Depression? - Am I the Best Resource? Pages 55-103

May 20 - Week 3: Celebrating Milestones in the Lives of LGBTQ+ Teenagers - What If There Are No Queer Students in My Group? Pages 104-152

June 3 - Week 4: How Do I Recognize and Confront Religious Abuse? - What Else Do I Need to Know? Pages 152-183

The Reconciling in Christ committee is sponsoring a church wide Book Study on The Savvy Ally, Second Edition by Jeannie Gainsburg  during the months of April and May. We have added another Adult Forum date to discuss this book.  The congregation is invited to participate. We will discuss Part One, pages 1 to 56, on Sunday April 28 and Parts Two to Four, pages 59 to 225 on Sunday, May 19, during Adult Forum after the worship service in the Fellowship Hall. The RIC will provide light refreshments.  All are welcome to attend, even if you do not have time to read the book! The book can be ordered on Amazon or on the author’s webpage.

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/153816924X/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Author’s webpage:

https://www.savvyallyaction.com

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.

Nursery Volunteers Needed

Would you like to volunteer in the Nursery?

Please contact Matt Meade at office@bethelwinchester.com

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 the Bethel Office, office@bethelwinchester.com or 540-662-3245

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

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.

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

High School Youth

The high school youth are trying to schedule days/times that they can meet for lunch or dinner as a group. 

If you would like more information on either or to suggest a fundraiser please contact Mel Siebert at melsiebert99@gmail.com or by clicking the link above.

Come grab some ice cream and help the youth group get to New Orleans for the

ELCA National Youth Gathering in July!

Packs Ice Cream on 522 will donate a portion of their proceeds between the hours of

 6pm and 9:30pm on Tuesday, May 14th!

Mel will be there with Bethel swag, and maybe a game or two.

Hope to see you there!