Friends in Faith,
I wanted to let you all know that Jerry Miranda, our office manager at Bethany for the past 10 months, has taken a new job. His last day with us will be this coming Friday. We are excited for this new opportunity for Jerry, but we'll be sad to see him go. Thank you, Jerry, for your service and dedication at Bethany, and we pray that God blesses you in all of your future endeavors.
Our lives seem to be composed of a host of chapters—jobs end and new ones begin, we sell old homes so we can afford new ones, we make new friends and say goodbye to other ones, we celebrate new births and weep at the passing of our loved ones. Some chapters are short while others are long, and some are joyful while others are marked by pain. The COVID-19 pandemic is a chapter that all of us will now share together. Like 9/11 and other infamous dates, 2020 is a year that none of us will soon forget. This virus has ushered in the close of several chapters, but it will also bring with it new chapters and new ways of being.
Despite the quarantine, folks continue to find ways to stay involved in mission. We continue to support the South Sacramento Interfaith Partnership Food Closet and its mission of feeding local folks in need. Bethany’s own Sammi Fernandez continues to minister to the homeless in our neighborhood, praying with them and giving them water and snacks. If you would like to drop off some individually packaged snacks or drinks, such as chips, cookies, granola bars, etc., at Sammi’s home, that would be great. Or contact the church office to make arrangements to deliver items to the church.
I also know that several of our members have been sewing masks and donating them to various organizations. We also have many members who call and write to one another regularly, just to keep tabs on one another.
All of these deeds of kindness shine brightly as a beacon of hope in difficult days.
It’s important to mourn and lament what we have lost and all that used to be, but it is also crucial for us to keep our eyes and ears and hearts open to the many new opportunities being presented all around us. If we dwell too much in the past, we miss all of the “new things” that God is doing in the here and now. It requires much faith and trust, but it’s always worth it!
Even as the pandemic rages on, the Bethany community is still striving to be an agent of love in our community. As always, your support, your participation, and your prayers as Bethany navigates these uncharted waters together are most appreciated.
Blessings,
Jesse
UPDATES:
We are continuing to worship virtually—our Facebook Live worship service begins at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays and is followed by our Zoom worship service at 11 a.m. We gather virtually for our Tuesday Bible studies at 11 a.m. and on Wednesdays for our Zoom check-ins at 11:00 a.m. The link for all of these gatherings can be found on on our news page.
The Personnel Commission, chaired by Trisha Uhrhammer, has begun the process of searching for a new office manager and accountant. If you know of someone who you think would be a good candidate for this position, please let myself or Trisha know. In the same way, Bethany’s Session (board of directors) and our commissions/committees/project work groups are working hard to adapt to this new chapter in the life of Bethany Presbyterian Church. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as plans are made.
