September 2016 - Bethany Lutheran School

Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
621 South Orchard Avenue
Vacaville, California 95688
Phone: (707) 451-6675 Fax: (707) 451-1740 www.gobethany.com
Living God’s Word through Caring, Sharing and Teaching
Inside this issue:
Pastor’s Page
2
Pastor cont.../
President’s
Report
3
Ulatis Campus
4
September
Calendar
5
Sunday School /
Bible Study
6
Labor Day
Coloring Page
7
Statistical Report
8
Worship Servers
9
LWML
10
LWML cont...
11
September
Birthdays
12
Back to School
Lunch Ideas
13
From the MAT
14
LWML continued/
Church Services
15
September 2016
Page 2
BETHANY LUTHERAN
CHURCH AND SCHOOLS
Pastor Greg Stringer
Pastor
Paula Rush
Church Administrative Assistant
Cathy Mathews
Business Administrator
Todd Dierking
School Principal
Kristin McCaffrey
Preschool Director
Bethany Church Council
Debbie Duncan
Dave Grundmann
Hew Hesterman
Mike McCall
Cindy Miller
Ron Shively
Carole Wilson
Ministry Team Chairperson
Business Adv. ............ Paul Cantrell
Endowment .............. Marcia Serrao
Fellowship ...........Cathy Hesterman
Life Management .....Dave Bowman
LWML ..................... Carole Wilson
Merciful Services.….
Ministerial Adv. ..... …Don Henrich
Properties .................. Roger Begley
Youth .....................Hew Hesterman
Sunday School Superintendent
...................................... Katy Green
Bethany Lutheran Church—LCMS
As we enter the month of September, we experience an
increase of activity as school has begun and there is
more activity within the various ministries of our
congregation. Our labor for the Lord, Jesus, increases
as we leave the Summer with its recreation and
vacations.
We will be honoring the work and labor that our citizens accomplish
each day on a special day in our country, we call “Labor Day”. It is a
time to remember all the efforts that our citizens do each day to make
our communities and nation strong and prosperous. This work may be
for pay or done as a volunteer, but whatever type of work it is, it is
important and makes a positive contribution to our society. Of course,
as Christians, we know that it is God, Our Heavenly Father, who is
blessing all our efforts.
The Bible reminds us how Christians approach all we do in life,
whether it is a time of play, planning, work, family time, or being an
active citizen in our community and His church. In Colossians 3:17,
God reminds us, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it
all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through him.” It is great to know that whether our work is a great act
or a small act in our eyes, God sees it as done unto Him and elevates all
our labor to be important to Him.
God reminds us again, that all we do in the Name of Jesus, is never in
vain. It bears fruit, as God’s love moves through each of us, as we use
our words and actions, to communicate God’s Great Love and Mercy to
the world in Christ to others. I Corinthians 15:58 states, “Therefore, my
dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor
in the Lord is not in vain.” You see, our acts of love, mercy,
compassion, and sharing the Good News of a Savior to those around us,
is something that stands forever. What a wonderful way of seeing all
our “work” for Jesus wherever we are and whatever we may be doing!
So I say, “Thank You!” to each of you, my brothers and sisters in
Christ, for all your actions that make a difference for Bethany’s
ministry and for how you make a difference in the community for
Jesus!
In that same spirit, I wanted to extend my thanks and gratitude to all the
people who worked on, attended and participated in my Installation
Service on August 14, 2016. Your “labors” were truly blessed by God!
Continued on Next Page
Bethany Lutheran Church—LCMS
Page 3
Continued from Previous Page
Thank you for the beautiful white stole that you gave to me to celebrate this occasion. I will remember
your love each time I see it and put it on as I serve in worship among you. I ask that you would keep all
the members of Bethany in prayer as we “labor” here for the Lord, Jesus. We have much work to do for
Jesus and I look forward to see how He blesses our efforts to His Glory.
As a quick update on the labor of many hands and minds, I would like to thank all Bethany Staff
Members and some of our congregational members, who have worked tirelessly to manage getting the
repair accomplished at our Ulatis Campus after the water damage occurred. We were able to start
school on time as a result of the work of our Staff, some members of the congregation, the Insurance
Company, the licensing agency for our preschool, the City of Vacaville, and all the contractors who
made special efforts to get things accomplished. God was truly moving hearts and minds to accomplish
things in a faster manner, than at first thought. Your prayers made a difference! We even have a local
Christian Businessman, the owner of “The Brass Tap,” who wants to have a fund raiser to help raise
funds to cover our “out of pocket” expenses, due to this needed repair. More information is to come on
this offer, as plans get firmed up. A special thanks goes out to our Staff Members who were very
flexible during this time. I especially want to thank, Our Business Manager, Cathy Mathews; Our
Principal, Todd Dierking; Our K-8th Administrative Assistant, Tanya Begley; Our Preschool Director,
Kristin McCaffrey; Our Maintenance Person, Roger Begley; and of course their family members, who
gave understanding and support to them, during this extra “labor” on behalf of the Lord, Jesus. Please
take some time and offer your thanks to our faithful servants. Never forget, “Your Labor in Christ is not
vain!”
God’s Riches Blessings,
Pastor Greg Stringer
President’s Report
Greeting in Christ from Church Council,
pened just days before the opening of school.
Cathy Mathews
reported how God just kept
The new Church Council convened for its second
providing when things looked bleak for making our
meeting in August. The Council, as directed by the deadline. So with hard work and perseverance and
congregation, started the new year with
God opening doors, school started on
only eight elected members and was dischedule.
rected to continue searching for a ninth
member. I am happy to report that Curt
Please keep Church Council in your
Johnston accepted the ninth position.
prayers as we continue to work through
This is a one-year commitment. Church
the coming year. We have much to do to
Council appointed Curt at the August
grow our school and preschool, to grow
meeting. God does provide, and speakour congregation and to continue to reach
ing of providing, the Council and myself
the unchurched in our community. We
would like to thank Bethany Ministries
must all work together and trust in God to
staff and all the wonderful contractors
provide.
who worked hard to ensure that Bethany
Lutheran School opened on time and
Yours in Christ,
very smoothly after the untimely
sprinkler break and flooding that hapMike McCall, Vice President
Page 4
Bethany Lutheran Church—LCMS
Bethany Lutheran School,
Ulatis Campus Todd Dierking, Principal
We made it to school and it has been a good to see our students
back and excited to learn. We are back on schedule with the B Wing
open and our Fellowship Hall ready for lunch service and the office
open for normal school business. A few items to keep in mind as we go
into our first month of school:




A PTO Meet and Greet takes place Tuesday night, August 23rd at 6:30 PM.
Our Back-to-School night is on Thursday, September 1st. 6 PM for K-4 parents and
7:00 PM for middle school parents.
Friday, September 2nd is a minimum day and a theme dress day, which is school
colors.
No school on Labor Day, September 5th.
As I spoke about at our outdoor chapel service this past Wednesday, things happen in life that
push us out of our comfort zone. God does this so we can rise to the challenges of life and
help others while we discover new truths about ourselves and discover our abilities and
potential. These past few weeks have been a prime example of that here at Bethany Lutheran
School and I appreciate the hard work and flexibility of our teaching staff as we started school.
As we all know, there will be greater obstacles in life than some water damage or school
repairs, but we also know that we can find joy and peace in the Lord. He is ultimately in control
and will guide us through all situations and life experiences. I hope you all have a peaceful and
restful weekend.
God Bless
Bethany Lutheran Church—LCMS
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
Page 5
WEDNESDAY
September
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
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Bethany Lutheran Church—LCMS
Bethany Sunday School and Bible Study
September’s Sunday Bible Studies (For All Ages)
Pre-School – 6th Grade - God provides Judges and a King
Middle – High School Youth – Exodus…It’s not about leaving Egypt
Sunday AM Women’s Bible Class – Golden Fruit, Lessons about the Fruit of the Spirit
Men’s Group – Stuff They Didn’t Teach us in Sunday School – Letters to the New Church
For more information and how to register for classes, please contact Katy Green at [email protected]
Bethany Lutheran Church—LCMS
Happy Labor Day!
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Bethany Lutheran Church—LCMS
July 16, 2016 to August 15, 2016
Week #
Date
Worship
Attendance
Communion
Sunday
School
Adult
Midweek
Bible Class
Offerings
of
Hours
Weekly
Giving
(General
Offering)
30
7/17
152
136
-
19
93
$4151
31
7/24
145
N/A
-
20
32
$4310
32
7/31
151
131
-
21
57
$5424
33
8/7
141
122
-
21
48
$8077
34
8/14
152
N/A
-
23
81
$5039
Average *Weekly Worship Attendance for Current Calendar Year: 168
Total Membership
** Not all Bible Study Classes take attendance
328 Confirmed
368 Baptized
209 Households
Numbers indicate totals for the year. Names refer to recent additions during the past month.
1 Children Baptisms
Isabella Aurora Saputa
0 Received from Other
Lutheran Churches
0 Adult Baptisms
0 Jr Confirmation of Members
0 Adult Confirmations
0 Jr Confirmation of Non-Members
0 Joined Non-Lutheran Church
0 Profession of Faith (Reaffirmation)
2 Funeral of Members
Lorraine Bessemer
Merle Ruzic
7 Removed from Roster at Own
Request
Liashenko fmly
0 Funeral of Family or Friends
of Members
0 Marriages
1 Transfers In
Georgia DeBarr
1 Transfers Out
0 Deceased; Svc not Conducted by
Bethany
0 Funeral for non-member
0 Released to Other Lutheran
Church
10 Moved without Transfer
Bethany Lutheran Church—LCMS
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Bethany Lutheran Church—LCMS
Who We Are…The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) is the official
women’s auxiliary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. For almost 75 years, the
LWML has focused on affirming each woman’s relationship with Christ, encouraging
and equipping women to live out their Christian lives in active mission ministries
and to support global missions.
LWML Receives John of Beverley Award
LWML (national) received the 2016 John of Beverley Award from Lutheran Friends of the Deaf (LFD.)
This award is presented only when a nominee is deemed to have made a significant meritorious
contribution to mission and ministry to the Deaf and in recognition of accomplishments which directly
affect and positively improve the lives of those who live in a world of silence. To date, over the past 57
years, only twenty-eight persons and two organizations have received the award. The medal, named
for an English clergyman who lived at the close of the seventh century, was the first person of record to
teach a Deaf person. Congratulations!!!
Mite Challenge
The challenge to Bethany is $3500. Take a look in the Narthex to see our progress. If you don’t have a
mite box, pick one up, toss your loose change into it. You will be surprised how fast it fills up. These
projects reflect your mites at work in our District, so let’s continue to do our part! Here is a list for our
district mission projects:
1. St. John’s Valley of Faith, S.A.Y. Yes! Center, St. John’ Valley of Faith Lutheran Church, Arvin,
CA—$3,715—Paid
2. Bring Youth and Young Adults to Christ, Grace Lutheran Church, Grass Valley, CA - $17,000
3. Operation Barnabas for Comfort Dog Congregations, LCMS Office of National Mission/Armed
Forces - $2,000
4. Solar Lanterns Brighten African Women's Lives, Lutheran Women in Mission, St. Peters, Lodi,
CA - $5,000
5. Hmong Bibles and Catechisms, Peace Lutheran Church, Fresno. CA $6,300
6. Community Café Rural Outreach: Nourishing Body and Soul, Our Savior's Lutheran LWML,
Caruthers, CA - $6,200
7. Creatively Sharing God's Word with People who have Intellectual and Developmental
disabilities, Bethesda Auxiliary, CNH UNIT, Cupertino, CA (RSO) - $9,000
8. Gospel Hands VBS for Deaf Children, Lutheran Friends of the Deaf (RSO) $3,000
9. Joy of Harvest Hmong Language School, Joy of Harvest Ministry, St Paul, Merced, CA - $10,000
Bethany Lutheran Church—LCMS
Page 11
10. LINC Bay Area Theological Training, Zone 2, LINC Bay Area, Hayward, CA $20,000
11. Vacation Bible Experience with High Enrollment of Children from The Marshall Islands,
Waikoloa Lutheran Church, HI and Our Savior Lutheran Church, Aiea, HI - $2,084
12. Childcare Scholarships for High School Parents, St John’s Lutheran Church, Fallon, NV $6,600
13. Mission Outreach to Children of N/A Single Mothers, First Lutheran Church, Yuba City, CA $3,120
14. Blessings from Heaven Preschool Roofing Project, Messiah Lutheran Church, Ewa Beach, HI $10,000
15. Bringing The Gospel to Muslim Seekers in California-Making Technology Personal, POBLO
International (RSO) - $8,900
16. The Lutheran Church of Nigeria Nursery/Primary School Project, L.W.G. of Lutheran Church of
Our Savior, Cupertino CA (partial payment)- $2,081
TOTAL GRANTS 2016-2018
$115,000
St. James Church in Northrop,
MN.
This picture is the ruins of St.
James Church in Northrop, MN.
It was burned to the ground in
March, caused by a lightning
strike. The pastor lost all of his
books. The church records and
pictures of all the confirmation
classed are gone, too. Last week,
I, along with my sisters, Pat Green and Gayle Kelch, traveled to
Northrop and presented them with a check for $625 from our LWML.
They were thrilled and will use the money to add to their new kitchen
area. Heidi Koeritz is with their Eve Circle. She told us a church in
North Dakota donated 14 stained glass windows and that will help with
the costs in the rebuilding of the church. One of their contractors,
salvaged an I-beam while doing cleanup. He built a cross, mounted it
on a 4,000-pound piece of granite and it is now standing in a grassy
area that will be used as a prayer garden. God is watching over them
and they have a very positive attitude. Keep them in your prayers!
Continue to Page 15 for “Mark Your Calendars!”
Page 12
Bethany Lutheran Church—LCMS
September Birthday
Wishes
Bethany Lutheran Church—LCMS
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Bethany Lutheran Church—LCMS
From the MAT
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I’d like to share a little bit about the recent goings on in my life and the
scriptures that were truly a blessing to me. These past few months have been very trying and continue to
be so as there have been many difficult times in the work place, the recent death of a family member,
family illnesses, and many other things that seem to arise just when I thought a break was coming.
During these times, I have been especially thankful for the promises of our Lord, the gift of his Word,
and the opportunity to talk to a loving God in prayer. All of these things have been a sure footing for me
and a great source of comfort. There are a two scriptures that are very encouraging to me:
Philippians 4.4.7:
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The
Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all
understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (NKJV)
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus for you.” (NKJV)
With all of the distractions in our daily walk, it can become very easy to forget to pray because we don’t
have time or are caught up in other things. But, our prayers don’t have to be long or complicated.
Simply remembering God as we go about our daily business, giving Him a simple word of thanks, or
leaning on Him in a time of need are acts of prayer. Doing these small acts of prayer add up to a lot of
time spent walking with the Lord throughout the day. By constantly praying and keeping the Lord in the
forefront of our thoughts, we are continually encouraged and uplifted during the difficult times. But
more than that, this time with Him is truly transforming of our hearts and minds.
I encourage you to rejoice and pray without ceasing and I leave you with the words of Saint Paul:
Romans 12.1-2
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what
is good and acceptable and perfect.” (ESV)
Nigel Browne
Bethany Lutheran Church—LCMS
Page 15
LWML CONTINUED…
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Our next meeting is scheduled for September 8th, at 10:30 am in room B8.
If you have an idea for a mission project, please come to one of the LWML meetings and let us know
about your ideas. We can always expand our mission for the Lord. Many joyful hands are an asset and
doing the Lord’s work is rewarding.
Carole Wilson – LWML President
Sunday Services:
8:30 am Variety of Traditional and Contemporary (Communion 1st, 3rd & 5th Sundays)
11:15 am Variety of Traditional and Contemporary (Communion 1st, 3rd & 5th Sundays)
Sunday
10:00 am Sunday School—Classes for Everyone
Adult Bible Studies: "Bethany Women; Men’s Bible Study
5:30 pm Youth Groups—Hew Hesterman
Monday
7:00 pm Monday Night Bible Study by Diane Conrad
Wednesday
9:30 am “2 Samuel” Bible Study by Ray Goodson
5:30 pm “Ephesians” by Pastor Rittenbach
Fall Sunday School Begins ............. September 4
Labor Day Holiday ......................... September 5
Visiting Team Mtg ....................... September 14
September 2016