Bethany Lutheran Church

Making Christ Known…

Welcoming! Growing! Serving!

BETHANY BEACON

January 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1...Christmas Worship Times 2...Pastor’s Christmas Story 3...Pastor’s Christmas Story Continued 4...Praying for Bethany Families, 5...Caring Callers Coordinator, Wednesday Activities, Thank You 6...Council Meeting, Pass Along Thank You, Elderberries, Women’s Circles, Caring Callers, Christmas Dinner, Serving Free Meals, Wing of Refuge, Thrift Shop 7...Birthdays & Anniversaries 8...Calendar 9...Church Nurse Report, 10th Triennial Gathering of the Women of ELCA 10..ELCA statement, Contact information

January 2017

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christmas Eve Worship Christmas Day Worship 6:00 & 11:00 p.m. 10:45 a.m.

A Christmas Story

It was so long ago, but it seems like only yesterday. It's almost as if it were a

dream, that it didn't really happen. But it did. That’s the incredible part. It did. It

happened. I was there.

That time of my life was such a struggle, fighting each day just to put food on the table for my young family. Waiting in the market just for someone to come and hire me. Sometimes I went all day without work. Finally, I got regular work. It wasn't the best job. Some people think it was the worst job. But it was steady work and I could put food on the table every day. I was a shepherd. Well, I wasn't really the shepherd. I was more of a hired watchman, but I often worried most about my own protection. You see, I had the third watch, the night shift, the most dangerous time to be out with the flock. It was hard work, but my family was cared for. Not used to being awake all night long, it was a struggle to keep my eyes open. Trying to keep alert. Watching for wild animals or wild people who would steal away a sheep, or worse, scatter the flock, giving us a night of hard, back-breaking work trying to gather the sheep together. It was on one of those long nights when my eyelids seemed so heavy that it happened. (I normally don't tell a lot of people about this because they think I'm crazy.) But that night it was so quiet. There was a bright new star in the sky that we were all looking at. The sheep were so calm. It was as if all of nature was standing in silent anticipation. Then it happened. The sky seem to just melt in front of us, the stars dissolv-ing in our sight. Where the sky seemed to melt away, there it stood, or hovered, a being. I…we were terrified. It was so close I could feel it’s wings flapping. It had the shape of a human…it was an angel, a messenger of God. As it spoke, it felt as if my ears were going to explode. “Do not be afraid,” it said. How could we be anything but afraid? It contin-ued to speak, “for see-I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” Then the whole sky melted away and where the stars once shone, were thousands of angels, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those

whom he favors!” As suddenly as they appeared, they were gone! The sky seemed to have swallowed them back up and all the stars returned, including the new star which seem to hang over the city like a beacon, pointing to the place. With the sound of their great voices ringing in our ears, we looked at one another with our eyes wide and mouths agape. I don't know if was me or another that said, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that is taking place, which the Lord has made known to us!” This seemed to wake us from our shock and, leaving the sheep, we ran

with haste to the city. I don't think I ever ran faster in my life! Where the star shone, we found it. A stable. In the stable was a young mother and a young father with the child, a newborn, lying in a manger. The sta-ble was bright with the light of the star, or was it the child? We shepherds all spoke at once. We told them about the angel and what it said about this child, that this child is the Messiah, God's anointed. We told them how the sky was then filled with angels proclaiming glory to God because of this child. Everyone was amazed at what we said. But the young mother and father seemed to know exactly what we were talking about. We returned to our sheep singing praises to God and telling everyone what we had seen both in the sky and in the manger. When we got back to the sheep, they were all there quietly sleep-ing or grazing in the field. Not a single one had wandered. It was as if the angels were taking our place watching the sheep, keeping them there. I worked the night shift for a number of years. Every night I found myself looking up at the sky hoping to experience that sight again, but it never happened. Eventually, I was able to go to the day watch, and now in my old age I am fore-man of a group of shepherds. Whenever I would run into any my old friends who were out with me on the watch that night, we would talk about the amazing thing that God did and how we constantly find ourselves looking to the sky to catch a glimpse of an angel. But we never saw the angels again. Most of my fellow shepherds who were with me that night have since died. But, I still find myself looking up for the angels. Over the past few years, I have heard much about that babe laid in a man-ger. His name is Jesus. Just last week he entered into Jerusalem with great fan-fare and joy. But I hear the people have handed him over to the Romans and his life is in jeopardy. Then today, Friday, the sky seemed to melt again. Not with brightness. No, this time it seems to have melted into darkness… Have a Joy filled Christmas and a blessed New Year, Pastor Tim

REMEMBER THE BETHANY FAMILIES WITH PRAYER

This month, ask God to protect, direct, and show favor to these members. Give thanks for their presence in this community.

January 1-7 Hensing, Linda Hesse, Robert, Katheryn, Ryan & Eric Hickman, Kent, Andrea, Regan & Brooks Hildebrand, Ron & Mary Ann January 8-14 Hill, Matt, Jenn, Mary Jane Halder, Ashley Halder, Ryan Halder Alexis, Makenzie & Caroline Hill, Rolen, Clara Hoffman, Kevin, Nancy, Dylan, & Payton Hoover, Scott, Debra, & Joshua January15-21 Hoversten, Paul, Rita, & Cade Hoversten, Quinn, Kaitlyn, Finley, Kellen, Griffin & Merritt Hufflin, Gary & Marilyn Huibsch, Gladys January 22-31 Hundel, Dean & Corinne Inks, Crystal Izner, Lyle Janes, Kyle, Kari, Logan, Lexa, Harli & Rana

THANK YOU!

For clean non flickering lights! Have you noticed that we no longer have flickering lights in the sanctuary? The lights were cleaned and the ballasts replaced. A big thank you goes out to John & Pete Gehrls for letting us use their scaffolding at no cost to the church. Another big thank you goes out to all who helped set up and tear down the scaffolding , clean the lights, replace the ballasts and vacuum the floor. The workers were Darwin Hamilton, Kent Picht, Gerry Lenguadoro, Gerry Lehtola, Tom Moravec and Ben Bicknese

THANK YOU! For a lighted parking lot!

Have you come to the church after dark? Did you notice the light on the east side parking lot? A big thank you goes out to Wayne Dewey for moving the light, and for those who helped. They were Gerry Lenguadoro, Jerry Lehtola, Darwin & Laura Hamilton, Matt Hill, Ben Bick-nese, and Alliant Energy supervisor, Eric Harms.

Caring Callers Coordinator Just a note to let you know I am stepping down as Caring Callers Coordinator and Peg Bushore will take my place. I have enjoyed working with you all these years, since 2002, when Pastor Brian orga-nized this program to ensure that all our homebound members are communed and cared for in a meaningful way each month. These visits do not take the place of regu-lar pastor visitation, but provide one more means through which our congregation ex-tends its love and care to homebound members and those in our nursing homes. Thank you for your faithful participation in this program, and for your continuation as Peg will be contacting you this week for Caring Callers this weekend. With deep appreciation for all your help through these many years, Doris Harman

WEDNESDAY NIGHT ACTIVITIES

5:15 7 & 8 Grade Youth Group

6:00 Supper

6:30 7 & 8 Grade Confirmation

6:30 Parents Bible Study

7:45 High School Youth Group

CIRCLE EVENTS

The BLCW Board Meeting will be held at 5:15 p.m., January 2. January 4 at 7:00 p.m the Ruth Circle will meet.

January 5 at 9:30 a.m. will be the Rebekah Circle meeting.

ELDERBERRIES We are a group for those 50 years and older. We meet on the third

Sunday of the month at 5 p.m. in the church for a potluck, social time and sometimes have a program. Our January potluck will be Sunday the 15th .

THANK YOU! Thanks goes out to all who helped with the Pass Along Party.

To many families this is a huge help at Christmas time.

Church Council Meeting will be held Sunday, January 8, at 12:30.

CHRISTMAS DINNER We will be serving Christmas Dinner here and need volunteers to help

with this service event. If you can help please sign up. If you want to eat with us,

have a meal delivered, or carry-out your meal, please make a reservation at the church

641-648-3555.

CARING CALLERS

January 15th will be Caring Callers Weekend

WINGS OF REFUGE The Social Concerns and Missions committee will be collecting monthly donations for Wings of Refuge. Each month Wings of Refuge will provide a list of supplies they need. For the month of January we will be collecting hair brushes, hair dryers, al purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, and batteries– 9V, AA and AAA. Donations may be put on the table that is underneath the bulletin board in the fellowship hall Thank you for your support.

THRIFT SHOP Bethany is helping at the Thrift Shop on January 6-7

Please sign up if you can help.

FREE MEALS AT THE METHODIST CHURCH We will be helping serve the free meals at the Methodist Church on Wednesday, January 18.

We need volunteers, to prepare the dinner, servers, and baked goods. Please sign up to help in whatever way you can.

01/02 Cerna-Koehrsen Ariza

01/03 Sharar Lance

01/04 Bell Codi

01/04 Fevold Lynnette

01/04 Hesse Robert

01/05 Albrecht Gary

01/05 Bicknese Joyce

01/05 Janes Kari

01/06 Loewen Jessica

01/07 Ziesman Laura

01/08 Carlberg Dennis

01/09 Robison Keith

01/10 Maybee Bette

01/10 Shahan Billie Jo

01/10 White Jenenne

01/11 Elerding Ryan

01/11 Hoversten Cade

01/12 Kruse Carol

01/14 Tiernan Scott

01/15 Janes Lexa

01/17 Heitland Jason

01/17 Kramer Joseph

01/17 Murray Calli

01/17 Weidemann Abigail

01/17 Weidemann Blair

01/17 Weidemann Maggie

01/19 Fjelland Brooklyn

01/20 Hamilton Darwin

01/23 Cavner Stan

01/23 Krieger Patricia

01/23 Meyer Roberta

01/24 Tystahl Susan

01/26 Hanson Leah

01/26 Heitland Sierra

01/26 McDaniel David

01/28 Muilenburg Barb

01/29 Jones Donald

01/30 Lewey Rachel

01/30 Muller Harold

01/31 Koch Kirby

01/31 Polzin Carol

01/03 Metz, Joe & Shelley

01/05 Cerna, Danielle & Jhon

01/26 Jeffries, Kirk & Jenny

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Article from the Church Nurse

White Whole Wheat Bread—Is It Good For You?

It may seem like it doesn't add up, but white whole-wheat bread is made with whole grains, just as is regular whole-wheat bread. White whole-wheat bread is made from the whole grain — bran, germ and endosperm — similar to that of regular whole-wheat bread. The difference between white whole-wheat bread and regular whole-wheat bread is in the type of wheat used. White whole-wheat bread is made from white wheat, which lacks bran color. It also has a milder flavor and softer texture. In contrast, regular whole-wheat bread is made from red wheat, which is darker in color. It has a slightly bitter taste and a coarser texture. So even though both types of bread are made with whole grains, they have a different color, taste and texture. Regular white bread is made with refined grains, which go through a process that strips out cer-tain parts of the grain including some of the nutrients and fiber. Although refined grains are enriched (some of the nutrients are added back) they may not have exactly the same composi-tion as whole grains. If you prefer the taste and texture of white bread but want the natural nutritional benefits of whole wheat, choose white whole-wheat bread. Be sure to read the label. Choose breads that say "100 percent whole grain" or list "whole wheat" as the first ingredient. If the label doesn't say "whole" first, it isn't a whole-grain product. For example, a product label may simply say "white wheat," which is not the same as white whole wheat.

GREETINGS TO ALL WOMEN OF BETHANY I am promoting the Tenth Triennial Gathering of the Women of the ELCA, July 13-16, 2017, to be held in Minneapolis, MN. This is the nearest triennial to Iowa, ever!! The last triennial was in Charlotte, NC., 2014, and Phoenix, AZ., will hold the next one in 2020. MN is so near. Let’s take advantage of this opportunity and rejoice with hundreds of other like-minded wom-en. WHY ATTEND? SOME GOOD REASONS ARE THE FOLLOWING:

Worship with women from every state, praising our Lord and Savior Join the choir to sing your heart out or listen to the fantastic music produced every day Watch the film, “Dreamcatcher,” the story of a young woman’s life who escaped bondage

as a teenage and adult prostitute and who will be present to talk about her experiences Discuss the documentary, “Beauty of Their Dreams,” which focuses on communities and

individuals motivated by faith to help all girls get a chance to learn Participate in a bible study led by pastor Kelly Fryer, who works toward gender equity,

racial justice, and poverty issues Respond to Vonda Drees’ art as she produces works of art from the words of the preachers

and speakers at the event As the promotional information says: “You’ll enliven your heart, excite your mind, enrich

your spirit, and exercise your body.” Ya can’t go wrong! The theme is: All Anew. You might be surprised by how the Holy Spirit works in and through participation in the many and varied events offered in these three days. I plan on driving—my car can hold three other persons, so contact me if interested in joining me for three interesting and enlightening days. 641-316-1046 granzowj@heartofiowa.net Your Sister in Christ, Jane Granzow, retired pastor

MISSION STATEMENT

Through God’s love as revealed to us in Jesus Christ, it is the purpose of Bethany Lu-theran Church to proclaim the gospel of that love throughout the world by creating and

building a community of worship in the Lutheran tradition of Word and Sacrament, providing fellowship, encouraging growth through learning and reaching out in witness

and service.

WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE THE MARKS OF DISCIPLESHIP

As disciples of Jesus we will strive to:

Pray Daily

O

Worship Weekly

E

Read the Bible daily

Serve at and beyond Bethany Lutheran Church

Unite with and be in

Relationship with others

Give of our time, talents, and resources

E

2016 BETHANY LUTHERAN CHURCH COUNCIL:

R.J. Ford, Matt Hill, Sara Kobe, Amber Lee, Pastor Tim Maybee,

Sarah Moehlman, Tom Moravec, Gene Newgaard, Barb Nuss,

Billie Jo Shahan, Jason Snyder, and Joel Weeks

Church Office Hours 8:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Monday-Friday Church Phone 641-648-3555 Church’s E-Mail bethanyiowafalls@gmail.com Church Address 2712 Washington Ave, Iowa Falls, IA 50126 Pastor Tim’s E-mail bethanyptim@gmail.com Pastor Tim’s Cell Phone 515-745-3683 Bethany Web Site www.bethanyiowafalls.net to visit scan here: Bethany Volunteer Cor. bethanymem@gmail.com