24 Bethania Lutheran Church 4120 Wright Avenue Racine, WI 53405 Place Stamps here 1 The Bethania Blade “As a called people of God and as members of Bethania, we will grow in our faith and share it with others” September 2018 (continued on page 2) As I look out my window at the green grass so recently refreshed by the rain and watch the breeze make the green leaves dance on the trees, it’s hard to imagine those trees soon turning into a riot of Autumn colors and dropping those leaves to the ground. But, as these last days of August dwindle down, I know they will. Some of our youth have already gone back to school and most of the rest will return soon yellow school buses join - and gradually begin to outnumber - the motorcycles on the road. It’s been years (okay, DECADES) since I was a student, but part of me still thinks of September as the beginning of the year, not January. This brings me to a favorite theme of mine: Beginnings. We usually associate Children, Teens, and Young Adults with opportunities for new beginnings because, in the natural course of life, they have so many of them. They are not the only ones who get those opportunities, however. God is constantly providing and supporting opportunities for new beginnings. We know that “if anyone is in Christ there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (II Corinthians 5:17) Christ seeks to bless us and help us grow into the abundant life he promised us. This means he stands ready to help us make all sorts of new beginnings, large and small. Do you want to
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September 2018 The Bethania Blade...e 24 5 s e 1 The Bethania Blade “As a called people of God and as members of Bethania, we will grow in our faith and share it with others” September
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The Bethania Blade “As a called people of God and as members of Bethania,
we will grow in our faith and share it with others”
September 2018
(continued on page 2)
As I look out my window at the green grass so recently refreshed
by the rain and watch the breeze make the green leaves dance
on the trees, it’s hard to imagine those trees soon turning into a
riot of Autumn colors and dropping those leaves to the ground.
But, as these last days of August dwindle down, I know they will.
Some of our youth have already gone back to school and most
of the rest will return soon yellow school buses join - and
gradually begin to outnumber - the motorcycles on the road.
It’s been years (okay, DECADES) since I was a student, but part of
me still thinks of September as the beginning of the year, not
January. This brings me to a favorite theme of mine: Beginnings.
We usually associate Children, Teens, and Young Adults with
opportunities for new beginnings because, in the natural course
of life, they have so many of them. They are not the only ones
who get those opportunities, however. God is constantly
providing and supporting opportunities for new beginnings.
We know that “if anyone is in Christ there is a new creation:
everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!”
(II Corinthians 5:17)
Christ seeks to bless us and help us grow into the abundant life
he promised us. This means he stands ready to help us make all
sorts of new beginnings, large and small. Do you want to
2
( the continuation of the pastor’s page )
change a habit? Explore a different career? Mend a
relationship? Try a new pastime? Heal a hurt? Change your
perspective on things? All these desires are opportunities
for new beginnings and all of them are part of that which
Jesus taught and encouraged.
Of course nothing is instant and anything worth having
takes effort. Important beginnings and changes often take
persistence. Just as a toddlers first steps are uncertain and
usually end up with a flop to the floor, so we also stumble
and even trip ourselves up in new beginnings. But, just as
there is often a parent there to catch or pick up the child, so
too our Lord is there to do the same for us.
They say “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” but they’re
wrong. Professional animal trainers teach old dogs new
tricks all the time (the dog who played “Eddie” on the t.v.
show, Fraiser, was a teenager by the time the show ended
and he was trained to do something different nearly every
week). So if Fido can make a new beginning, imagine how
much more able the Children of God are to do so!
So as you watch buses go by full of kids with all kinds of
shiny new school stuff, I encourage you to remember that
they aren’t the only ones gifted with lots of new
beginnings… Christ gives all his children new beginnings
It’s been a glorious summer! Beautiful gar-dens, picnics, cookouts, bike rides, vaca-
tions, just enjoying the warm sun. We wait so long for it and it’s over in a flash. Soon the leaves on the trees will begin to change. Speaking of change, our guests at Thread by Thread will soon be asking us when we will have clothing for Fall and Winter available for their families.
So, please keep open Sunday, September 23rd after Service to help us unpack boxes and totes so we will be ready for Fall. We certainly appreciate everyone who gives us a hand with this task. It’s quite fun, we have great conversation with great people!!
And of course pizza afterwards. Look for the signup sheet outside the Hearth Room.
Jacci Young
On Sunday September 9, Bethania Hosts Community
Meal which is also -God’s Work Our Hands. We need people
to bring side dishes, salads, dessert Milk as well as to volun-
teer to serve. If you can help in anyway please sign up on
the bulletin board outside the hearth room. Or if you can
help monetarily drop your donation into the offering plate
and make it community meal. Thank YOU!
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DART BALL TEAM WANTED
Dartball is a game that is played by throwing
darts at a dartboard that is designed in the
shape of a baseball field. Players try t o get
hits and score runs, and the baseball rules are
followed. ( 9 innings, 3 outs per inning, etc. )
Currently there are 6 teams in the league.
They represent Epiphany Lutheran Church, St. Joseph, St Patrick,
St John Nepomuk, Christ United Methodist, The Knights of Colum-
bus. Teams are comprised of Men and women over 16, although
the average age is about 60. No Skill is required. Teams are made
up of 6 players to 9 players.
Games start the second Tuesday in September (9/11) at 7:00 p.m.
There are 10 games from September –November and then 10
more from January—March. The teams take turns hosting a fame
so that on any given game night, games are being played at 3 dif-
ferent locations. Host teams provides snacks, usually coffee and
cookies. Each team hosts 10 times a year.
If interested please sign up on the long blue sheet or the bulleting
board outside the hearth room.
We would like to welcome
NEW members to our faith
family here at Bethania on
Sunday, September 30, 2018 at
the 9:00 a.m. service. If you
are interested in joining our
church on that day please let
Cathi or Pastor Heather know.
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BOOK REVIEWS:
The Rock That is Higher by Madeleine L’Engle
Story captures our hearts and feeds our
imaginations. It reminds us who we are
and where we came from. Story gives
meaning and direction to our lives as we
learn to see it as an affirmation of God’s
love and truth–an acknowledgment of our longing for a rock in
the midst of life’s wilderness.
Drawing upon her own experiences, well-known tales in litera-
ture, and selected narratives from Scripture, Madeleine L’Engle
gently leads the way into the glorious world of story in The
Rock That Is Higher. Here she acknowledges universal human
longings and considers how literature, Scripture, personal sto-
ries, and life experiences all point us toward our true home.
Potato Branch: Sketches of Mountain Memories by Joe
Richard Morgan
In this collection of poignant and richly detailed stories, Joe Morgan re-
veals the wonders and realities of growing up in the Blue Ridge Moun-
tains in the 1930s and 40s. With neighbors and family so well character-
ized you d think they were your own, Joe shows us the heart of
Appalachian life in a place called Potato Branch
My Father’s House by Philip B. Kunhardt, Jr.
This book is about a father and a son. But it is more than that.
It is about family life as many Americans remember it. It is
about a child's world and finally having to leave it. With love . 9
Kyle & Amy Gray
2713 Galway Court
Hudson, WI 54016-5858
HELP SUPPORT HOLY COMMUNION’S FOOD PANTRY BY BRINGING
Deodorant on Sunday, September 2.
Canned Meals on Sunday, September 9.
(Spaghetti O’s, Beef Stew, Beefaroni, etc.)
Canned Meats on Sunday, September 16.
(Ham, dried beef, tuna, chicken, etc.
Toilet Paper on Sunday, September 23.
Canned Vegetables on Sunday,
September 30.
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A Member of the Thrivent Team, Shelly Kuroski, will be at
Bethania visiting us on Sunday October 7 at the 9:00 a.m.
worship service.
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Some of Anita’s family
took her to see this
lighthouse which has
some very interesting
history that she wanted
to share with us. It is in
a very beautiful place in
Denmark.
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During Ani-
tas trip to
Denmark
she visited
the home
that her and
her mother
moved into
when they
moved to
Denmark in 1947. Anita was 7 years old at that time. The
home belonged to Anita’s Grandpa.
Anita’s Cousin Borghil and her
husband took Anita to a big mu-
seum with a store where they
make Amber. Anita bought a
ring, Earrings and a bracelet.
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On Rally Day, September 16 we would like to take a special offer-
ing for the
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION FUND APPEAL DIOCESE OF MERU
PASTORS & EDUCATORS
Suggestion, ADD UP If you finished …
Elementary school + $1
Junior High/Middle School + $1
High School + $1
Plus $1 for every year of higher education.
Example:
Pastor Heather’s schooling is as follows:
Elementary school $1
Middle School $1
High School $1
College $4
Seminary $4
She would give $11
See the bulletin board in the Narthex to learn more about the Professional Education