| Bethany Lutheran Church Red Lake Falls MN |
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April Newsletter
From the Pastor
I’ve heard some very distressing news from the Methodist Church. I have a nephew who married a Methodist minister. From her reports, the Methodist church is on the verge of a schism. The issue is homosexuality and just how far the church should go to accommodate people of this sexual orientation. Unlike the Lutheran church, the Methodist church is a world wide communion. When they gather to make decisions, it is as a world wide assembly composed of pastors and lay people from all over the world. Many American Methodists, as you might have guessed, are in favor of expanding the norms of acceptable sexual expression and affirming such things as gay marriage and openly gay clergy. African Methodists are more traditional and strongly opposed to such expansion. Both groups are following their Bibles and what they believe to be the call of the spirit. Yet they cannot come to agreement on this very difficult issue. Will their be a schism? Here are some things to think about when considering this issue along with many others within our own church. Practice humility. While everyone knows something about something, and some people seem to know something about everything, no body knows everything about everything! Even our understanding of the Bible is flawed by our limited human understanding and human fallenness. Admit it, you might be wrong! Confine the conflict. Watch out for words like “You always..” “You never..” Nothing makes a conflict worse than making a mountain out of a mole hill. The Christians in the conflict above are actually very similar. It is only one area of justice and sexuality, that they disagree on. Best to keep it that way. Even if we disagree strongly on one issue, there might be much agreement on a whole host of other issues. Look at history. Christians have disagreed over a lot of different issues. At one time, statues and stained glass windows were a big issue. Statues were seen as too much like idols. Stained glass windows were seen as a breaking of the commandment “thou shalt not make graven images” (Ex. 20:4). Early Christian soldiers often delayed baptism until their retirement because of Jesus’ admonishment to “love your enemies”. Christians on both sides of the civil war used the Bible to support or condemn slavery. Quoting Amos 5:24, one theologian put it, “We are called to ‘let justice flow like mighty waters’, but boy do we have trouble with the plumbing!” Seek guidance not law. I remember a fellow who once said, “Pastor I want a rule from the Bible for every single thing I do.” The Bible would have to be a very, very large book to cover that request! But guidance is different. It’s like looking for goals and direction. Guidance is also very biblical. The Biblical word we know as “law” as in “law of Moses” has much more to do with guidance than rules. Listen to this excerpt from the “Dictionary of New Testament Background”. The word Torah is derived from the Hebrew root yrh, meaning “to guide” or “to teach” in the causative conjugation of the Hiphil, as in Exodus 35:34 and Leviticus 10:11. Thus the more precise meaning of the noun would be “teaching” or “doctrine” rather than “law.” Well, nuff said. I hope the Methodists can find some way of moving forward without splitting in two. They need our prayers during this is very painful time in their denomination. Pastor Gary |
Newsletter PDFs
April
Birthdays 2 – Shelby Swenson 5 – Fred Landman 6 – Presley Ellefson Kyle Hurst 7 – Brady Bulger 9 – Phoenix Erickson Alexis Hanson 10 – Jeff Vigstol 11 – Isaac Graff 12 – Susy Herberg 13 – Rebecca Myhre 14 – Amy Broden Peggy Miller 15 – Greta Philipp 16 – Janeen Brule Blane Schmitz 18 – Briggs Narlock Morgan Koshenina 19 – Abigail Seeger 21 – Lars Brevik 22 – Hailey Broden 23 – George Duden 24 – Oscar Duden 26 – Riley Broden Shayla Lallier 27 – Ashley Leines 29 – Jennifer Nord 30 – Joshua Miller April
Anniversaries 7 – Darold & Linda Johnston 11 – Mark & Peggy Gervais 24 – Pete & Bonnie Tydlacka | ||||||||||||
Dates to Look Forward to
April 7th - First Communion Sunday for 5th and 6th Graders
Our 5th Graders are: Marley Benoit, Riley Broden, Shandi Nelson, Mikaleena Bernier, Jana Sletten, and Madilyn Waldal. 6th Graders are: Daphne Harmoning, Morgan Koshenina, and Emma Wiseman. Congratulations on completing your five sessions of communion instruction with Pastor Gary!
April 14th – Palm Sunday/Bible Camp Sunday
We’ll start the Holy Week celebrations off with Palm Sunday. The Sunday School kids will sing during worship, followed by a free-will meal to support our Bible Campers. We already have more than six kids signed up for camp and hope to have more. Money raised by the meal and the basket raffle will provide scholarships for the kids. For more info regarding camp, or to purchase tickets for the basket raffle contact Chris Van Emmerik at 218-289-3780. Thanks Chris for organizing this and to Thrivent action teams for financial support for the baskets, and food for the meal.
April 18th 6:30 pm Maundy Thursday Service
This year we will be doing “Stations of the Cross”– a service reflecting Jesus’ journey to the cross (based on a long standing traditional service found in the Roman Catholic tradition).
April 19th 8:00 pm Good Friday Tenebrae Service
A service of scripture readings and hymns recalling Jesus’ last words from the cross. A remembrance of Good Friday makes Easter all the more special!
April 21st – Easter Sunday
Sunrise Service at 7:30 am and regular service at 10:00 am.
April 28th – Confirmation Sunday
Affirming their faith this year are: Anneke Lacina, Savannah Nelson, Kiara Sauve, and from Black River Lutheran we have invited Pacey Struthers, and Gabrielle Casavan to join us in this celebration. Pacey and Gabrielle have been attending our Wednesday afternoon instruction as part of Black River’s confirmation program.
Holy Week Schedule
April 14th – Palm Sunday Service 10:00 am
April 18th – Maundy Thursday Service 6:30 pm
April 19th – Good Friday Service 8:00 pm
April 21st – Easter Sunday Services 7:30 am and 10:00 am
Confirmation Banquet
A banquet in honor of our Confirmands will be held on Wednesday, April 24th at 6:00 pm. This is for the 8th Grade Confirmation students and their parents. A meal of lasagna, sides, and dessert will be served by the Deacons and the 7th Grade Confirmation students. The speaker will be DeeAnn Leines. Please let us know if you plan to attend.
Confirmation Class Date Changes
Please note that we will have Confirmation on Wednesday, April 17th for both 7th and 8th grades. We will not have Confirmation on Wednesday, April 24th due to the banquet that evening.
Baptisms
We have two baptisms coming up in April: April 14th, Connor Alan Myhre born to Aaron and Becca Myhre.
April 21st, Collins Knott born to Jaclyn Fering and Ben Knott. Congratulations to both of these families on their new babies!
Thank You
To Allen Bertilrud for filling in for Pastor Gary on March 17th. Thank you to all the groups that served delicious supper meals during our Lenten season. Thanks to Darold Johnston and Keith Leines for taking care of the building when Pastor was gone. Thanks to Bruce Piersol and the “Windblown” quintet for providing us with music on March 24th.
Women of Bethany
The Women of Bethany (WELCA) meeting this month will be April 17th at 6:30 pm. All confirmed women of Bethany are invited to join us! Come and See!
Sunday School News
The Sunday School students will sing during worship on Palm Sunday, April 14th and again on May 5th.
No Sunday School on April 21st (Easter).
Bible Camp
Interested in summer Bible camp at Camp Emmaus? Visit their website at Pathways Bible Camps.org for information on programming. There are camps for elementary and high school students, as well as families. Scholarships from Bethany may be available. Contact us for more information.
Mailboxes
We have updated the church mailboxes to accommodate new members. Your mailbox may have moved! If your mailbox is missing, please let us know so we can fix it.
April 7th - First Communion Sunday for 5th and 6th Graders
Our 5th Graders are: Marley Benoit, Riley Broden, Shandi Nelson, Mikaleena Bernier, Jana Sletten, and Madilyn Waldal. 6th Graders are: Daphne Harmoning, Morgan Koshenina, and Emma Wiseman. Congratulations on completing your five sessions of communion instruction with Pastor Gary!
April 14th – Palm Sunday/Bible Camp Sunday
We’ll start the Holy Week celebrations off with Palm Sunday. The Sunday School kids will sing during worship, followed by a free-will meal to support our Bible Campers. We already have more than six kids signed up for camp and hope to have more. Money raised by the meal and the basket raffle will provide scholarships for the kids. For more info regarding camp, or to purchase tickets for the basket raffle contact Chris Van Emmerik at 218-289-3780. Thanks Chris for organizing this and to Thrivent action teams for financial support for the baskets, and food for the meal.
April 18th 6:30 pm Maundy Thursday Service
This year we will be doing “Stations of the Cross”– a service reflecting Jesus’ journey to the cross (based on a long standing traditional service found in the Roman Catholic tradition).
April 19th 8:00 pm Good Friday Tenebrae Service
A service of scripture readings and hymns recalling Jesus’ last words from the cross. A remembrance of Good Friday makes Easter all the more special!
April 21st – Easter Sunday
Sunrise Service at 7:30 am and regular service at 10:00 am.
April 28th – Confirmation Sunday
Affirming their faith this year are: Anneke Lacina, Savannah Nelson, Kiara Sauve, and from Black River Lutheran we have invited Pacey Struthers, and Gabrielle Casavan to join us in this celebration. Pacey and Gabrielle have been attending our Wednesday afternoon instruction as part of Black River’s confirmation program.
Holy Week Schedule
April 14th – Palm Sunday Service 10:00 am
April 18th – Maundy Thursday Service 6:30 pm
April 19th – Good Friday Service 8:00 pm
April 21st – Easter Sunday Services 7:30 am and 10:00 am
Confirmation Banquet
A banquet in honor of our Confirmands will be held on Wednesday, April 24th at 6:00 pm. This is for the 8th Grade Confirmation students and their parents. A meal of lasagna, sides, and dessert will be served by the Deacons and the 7th Grade Confirmation students. The speaker will be DeeAnn Leines. Please let us know if you plan to attend.
Confirmation Class Date Changes
Please note that we will have Confirmation on Wednesday, April 17th for both 7th and 8th grades. We will not have Confirmation on Wednesday, April 24th due to the banquet that evening.
Baptisms
We have two baptisms coming up in April: April 14th, Connor Alan Myhre born to Aaron and Becca Myhre.
April 21st, Collins Knott born to Jaclyn Fering and Ben Knott. Congratulations to both of these families on their new babies!
Thank You
To Allen Bertilrud for filling in for Pastor Gary on March 17th. Thank you to all the groups that served delicious supper meals during our Lenten season. Thanks to Darold Johnston and Keith Leines for taking care of the building when Pastor was gone. Thanks to Bruce Piersol and the “Windblown” quintet for providing us with music on March 24th.
Women of Bethany
The Women of Bethany (WELCA) meeting this month will be April 17th at 6:30 pm. All confirmed women of Bethany are invited to join us! Come and See!
Sunday School News
The Sunday School students will sing during worship on Palm Sunday, April 14th and again on May 5th.
No Sunday School on April 21st (Easter).
Bible Camp
Interested in summer Bible camp at Camp Emmaus? Visit their website at Pathways Bible Camps.org for information on programming. There are camps for elementary and high school students, as well as families. Scholarships from Bethany may be available. Contact us for more information.
Mailboxes
We have updated the church mailboxes to accommodate new members. Your mailbox may have moved! If your mailbox is missing, please let us know so we can fix it.
Additional Information
Bethany Prayer Chain
If you wish to request prayers for yourself or a loved one, contact Pastor Gary, Marion Bjorgan, or Linda Hoffman. We'll send your request on to a team of 26 individuals who have committed themselves to praying for your need.
Like Us on Facebook
We now have a new Facebook Page for Bethany Lutheran Church! The quickest way to get to us is by clicking on the link on the homepage of our website. Like our Page for updates and events happening at our church!
Amazon Smile
You can now donate to Bethany Lutheran Church using Amazon Smile. Be sure you are on the Amazon Smile website (smile.amazon.com) and make your regular purchases. A portion of the sale will be donated directly to Bethany.
Local Food Shelf
We now have a box for donations to our local Red Lake Falls Food Shelf. Items they are looking for include: paper towels, toilet paper, kleenex, tooth paste, toothbrushes, deodorant, laundry soap, dish soap, hand soap, shampoo and conditioner.
RSVP Groceries to Go Program
The RSVP Groceries to Go Program is recruiting volunteers to assist with grocery shopping for qualified seniors. If you like to shop and are willing to provide a little companionship to a homebound senior, this may be the volunteer position for you. All volunteers will receive training prior to being matched with a client. If you are interested in being a RSVP Groceries to Go volunteer, or you need assistance with grocery shopping or know of someone who needs assistance, call RSVP at 281-8288, or tsykes@umn.edu.
RSVP Handyman Program
The RSVP Handyman Program helps homeowners, age 60+ by providing men or women volunteers to perform minor home maintenance work. RSVP handymen are skilled and trained. Background checks are performed on all volunteers. Volunteers may install grab bars, replace light bulbs, fix leaky faucets, install smoke alarms, etc. Clients do not pay for the labor, only for the needed materials. If you are in need of a Handyman, or would like to volunteer as one, please call RSVP at 281-8288, or tsykes@umn.edu.
Grief Support in 2019
Hospice of the Red River Valley offers several grief support services including individual support through home or office visits and calls, support groups, youth grief support, and a grief support resource library that houses topics on caregiving, death and dying, chronic illness, hospice care, dementia, suicide, grief and loss, pet loss, parental loss, children and teen literature, rituals and ceremonies, and inspirational and motivational stories. Support groups include “Grief Journeys for Adults,” “Grief Journeys for Widows,” “Grief Journeys for Men,” and “Pregnancy and Infant Loss.” For a schedule of these meetings and other grief support events visit www.hrrv.org or call (800) 237-4629.
If you wish to request prayers for yourself or a loved one, contact Pastor Gary, Marion Bjorgan, or Linda Hoffman. We'll send your request on to a team of 26 individuals who have committed themselves to praying for your need.
Like Us on Facebook
We now have a new Facebook Page for Bethany Lutheran Church! The quickest way to get to us is by clicking on the link on the homepage of our website. Like our Page for updates and events happening at our church!
Amazon Smile
You can now donate to Bethany Lutheran Church using Amazon Smile. Be sure you are on the Amazon Smile website (smile.amazon.com) and make your regular purchases. A portion of the sale will be donated directly to Bethany.
Local Food Shelf
We now have a box for donations to our local Red Lake Falls Food Shelf. Items they are looking for include: paper towels, toilet paper, kleenex, tooth paste, toothbrushes, deodorant, laundry soap, dish soap, hand soap, shampoo and conditioner.
RSVP Groceries to Go Program
The RSVP Groceries to Go Program is recruiting volunteers to assist with grocery shopping for qualified seniors. If you like to shop and are willing to provide a little companionship to a homebound senior, this may be the volunteer position for you. All volunteers will receive training prior to being matched with a client. If you are interested in being a RSVP Groceries to Go volunteer, or you need assistance with grocery shopping or know of someone who needs assistance, call RSVP at 281-8288, or tsykes@umn.edu.
RSVP Handyman Program
The RSVP Handyman Program helps homeowners, age 60+ by providing men or women volunteers to perform minor home maintenance work. RSVP handymen are skilled and trained. Background checks are performed on all volunteers. Volunteers may install grab bars, replace light bulbs, fix leaky faucets, install smoke alarms, etc. Clients do not pay for the labor, only for the needed materials. If you are in need of a Handyman, or would like to volunteer as one, please call RSVP at 281-8288, or tsykes@umn.edu.
Grief Support in 2019
Hospice of the Red River Valley offers several grief support services including individual support through home or office visits and calls, support groups, youth grief support, and a grief support resource library that houses topics on caregiving, death and dying, chronic illness, hospice care, dementia, suicide, grief and loss, pet loss, parental loss, children and teen literature, rituals and ceremonies, and inspirational and motivational stories. Support groups include “Grief Journeys for Adults,” “Grief Journeys for Widows,” “Grief Journeys for Men,” and “Pregnancy and Infant Loss.” For a schedule of these meetings and other grief support events visit www.hrrv.org or call (800) 237-4629.
Electronic Newsletter
Want this newsletter sent to you via email? Zap us an email stating so at bethanylutheranrlf@gmail.com.
Please include the above address in your email address book or your spam filter will automatically “bump” our mailings into your garbage folder.
Want this newsletter sent to you via email? Zap us an email stating so at bethanylutheranrlf@gmail.com.
Please include the above address in your email address book or your spam filter will automatically “bump” our mailings into your garbage folder.
