June 30, 2021
Friends in Faith,
It was so wonderful to be gathered a church family in our sanctuary this past Sunday! We were able to see one another's faces up close and personal! There are still some kinks to work out—we've forgotten how to do a few things after being away for 67 weeks! We still want to make sure that we do our best to maintain a safe environment for everyone who enters through our doors. If you feel more comfortable wearing a mask, please do so. If you prefer to practice social distancing, there will be enough room in our sanctuary to accomplish that goal. And we will continue to offer virtual worship via Facebook Live every Sunday.
Our text for this Sunday, July 4th, will be from Matthew 6:19-34—concerning serving God or wealth. We can't do both! You are encouraged to add some red, white, and blue to your outfit on Sunday in honor of Independence Day!
Bethany Presbyterian Church is now a member of "North Central California Presbytery." Stockton Presbytery has been "absorbed" by the Presbytery of Sacramento, and the new name is "North Central Presbytery." At our recent Presbytery meeting, this past Saturday, we voted on new bylaws for our new body. Rev. Nancy Clegg has retired as our Stated Clerk and our new Stated Clerk is Rev. Jeri Van Dahlke. Presbytery Office Manager Sherry Mitchell is resigning and the search is on for her replacement. And our own Rev. Janice Kamikawa offered a powerful testimony about her family's experience in internment camps of Japanese Americans during World War II. Many were moved to tears. To learn more about the goings-on of our Presbytery, click here.
Last Thursday's "Morning Spirituality" event was so fun and meaningful! Many thanks to Cathy Sapunor, Rev. Janice Kamikawa, and Rev. Judy Davis for organizing and leading this special time of reflection and creativity. You can see some photos and read some poems that were created at the event here.
We encourage everybody to MP3. Each Monday, stop and spend a moment in personal Prayer at 3pm! Bethany maintains an active prayer chain—volunteers on hand to handle urgent prayer requests and concerns (and joys!) Prayers may be requested by contacting the church office or by sending us a prayer request using this form.
Please note, the office will be closed on July 5th for our national holiday. Staff are given this day as a holiday.
We are taking a break from our weekly Zoom Check-ins. For the time being, we'll instead enjoy a "Wednesday What's Happening" on the first Wednesday of each month. The first of these will be Wednesday, July 7, at 11 a.m. Join us here!
Here are some upcoming events:
The "Ladies Camping Trip" is back and scheduled for July 9-11. Here are the details. Saturday, July 3, is the RSVP deadline.
Pastor Jesse's installation service is on Sunday, July 11 at 3 p.m. Here are the details.
The all-church "Friends and Family Retreat" is on August 13-15. There are only a few rooms yet so sign up now.. Here are the costs and other details.
My e-mail address is pastorjesse@bethpres.com; feel free to contact me via e-mail or phone. I'd love to connect!
May we trust that God hears all of our prayers, and in Christ, we find healing, wholeness, and new beginnings. Even in the midst of chaotic days and tremendous change, the Spirit of God is presenting us with new opportunities of love each and everyday. No matter what comes our way, all roads lead to Jesus—thanks be to God!
Blessings to all,
Jesse
