Friends in Faith—
This coming Sunday, November 21, is "Pledge Sunday." If you are making a pledge for 2022, you are encouraged to bring your completed form with you to worship so that it can be brought forward and consecrated (blessed). We'll also be focusing on gratitude and celebrating the countless blessings we have received from God. We'll explore Psalm 100—a Psalm of Thanksgiving. After worship, all are invited to enjoy some pumpkin pie and whipped cream—in the spirit of the Thanksgiving season! Pianist Natalya Amelchenko begins playing gathering music at 10:20 a.m, with the service starting at 10:30 a.m. Folks can also join from home on Facebook. (You can also watch services at any time here.) Following the guidelines of Sacramento County and the CDC, we continue to practice social distancing and require masks while worshiping while indoors. If you plan to attend a worship service at the church, you can find out more about our safety protocols here.
By now, most of you should have received our Stewardship Campaign mailing—which includes a pledge card for 2022. Your pledges help us to determine a realistic budget for the coming year. You can also pledge online! Details are here. If you are in need of more information, or if you didn't receive a pledge card, please contact Tim and Kathy Lumsden
Bethany has been asked to provide morning beverages and treats for the dozens of volunteers who will be helping distribute Thanksgiving boxes on Saturday, November 20, by the SSIP Food Closet. First, we'll be meeting from 9 a.m.—12 p.m. on Friday, November 19 to bake cookies and banana bread in Bethany's kitchen. Then, show up at 7 a.m. Saturday, November 20, in the church kitchen with your mask so share goodies with the SSIP volunteers until 10 a.m. Plastic gloves will be provided. And please note, on Saturday, you must park in Bethany's north parking lot (near the Dairy Queen). Here are details about both events.
SSIP's annual Thanksgiving holiday distribution will be on Saturday, November 20 from 9-11:30 a.m. Feel free to share this information with friends and family who may be in need of food.
Advent is fast approaching (it kicks off on Sunday, November 28) and we need your help to decorate the sanctuary. Please join us on Saturday, November 27 at 9 a.m. as we prepare for this beautiful season. With many hands making light work, we are usually done before noon. Also, donuts will be provided! See you then. Click here for details about this event, which we call the Hanging of the Greens!
I will be offering a book discussion and a mini-sermon series on Falling Upward by Richard Rohr for Advent. Our book discussions will be on Monday, November 29 and Monday, December 6—both at 10-11:30 a.m. in our Social Hall. You can learn more about the book here and purchase a copy [via Amazon]. However, you can still join in our discussion even if you don't read the book.
A "Celebration of Life" service for Bethany member Agnes Smith will be held this coming Sunday, November 21, starting 2 p.m. at First Christian Church, 3901 Folsom Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95819. A reception will follow in the hall at that church. In lieu of flowers, remembrances in her name may be made to Sutter Care at Home-Hospice; Shriners Hospitals for Children, Northern California; American Heart Association; or charity of choice.
Robert Madrigal, our part-time custodian, has been hired full-time at Westminster Presbyterian Church. We are working on a plan that will still keep Robert in his house and a presence on our campus, but his hours will be greatly reduced. The Personnel Commission is working on bringing on a new custodial team dedicated solely to keeping our facility clean. Hopefully, this will happen soon. As we adjust to the financial realities of our church, some of our expectations need to be modified. Robert will no longer be available for set-ups, and so we are asking all groups to take care of their own set-ups, and then returning the room to it's original set-up. We thank you for your help in pitching in to keep our campus clean, and we thank you for your understanding.
As a faith community, we have the privilege of being able to journey with one another through a chaotic and beautiful world, full of many highs and lows. We celebrate one another's victories, and we hold one another in prayer during those times of pain, fear, and loss. If you have prayers that you would like to share with our community, please contact myself or Maria. Also, be sure to indicate if you'd like your prayer to be shared, or if you'd like it to be held in confidence.
God hears all of our prayers, and in Christ, we find healing, wholeness and new beginnings. With each passing day, the Spirit of God is presenting us with new opportunities of love and grace. No matter what comes our way, all roads lead to Jesus—thanks be to God!
Blessings,
Jesse
