Windows broken during the past week in vandalism incidents at the church …
Friends in Faith,
It has been a challenging week at Bethany. Some of you may have heard that an individual struggling with mental health issues and homelessness caused damage to our building on three different occasions. We are currently working on repairing three smashed colored windows in the sanctuary, a smashed window in the kitchen, and a kicked-in exterior door to the sanctuary.
The police have been called on several occasions and we are looking for a lasting solution to this problem. Such experiences are frightening and traumatic for all involved. Furthermore, homelessness is a sad and complicated issue with few lasting solutions—we know that Sacramento has been overwhelmed with so many people without work or homes, and mental health resources are scarce and even more difficult to obtain during the pandemic.
Please know that Session [our board of elders] is working to make our campus safer; we are discussing fencing, lighting, cameras, and we'll soon have a plan in place. In the event that any member/volunteer/staff should encounter an individual who appears at all belligerent, Session stresses to all of us to seek safety immediately and call the police.
In the midst of so many phone calls, e-mails and high anxiety, I received a message from an old acquaintance from my college days (I had made an inquiry on Facebook concerning suggestions for how to find some resolution to this problem at Bethany). She shared that her church, "Tabernacle of the Lord Jesus Christ" in Troy, New York, would be holding us in their prayers. She also added that she had contacted the local Presbyterian churches in Troy to ask them to add Bethany to their prayer lists. I was so touched by this act of kindness. And I was reminded of the great power of prayer. May we trust that God's Spirit is present with us as we navigate these challenging situations. Please keep Bethany in your prayers—for our congregation, our leaders, our staff, our partners, and especially this troubled man in urgent need of a new path.
We hope you'll join us for our Facebook Live service this Sunday at 10:20 a.m. Our Zoom worship service then begins shortly thereafter; usually around 11:10 a.m. The links for these worship services (as well as for our Tuesday 11 a.m. Zoom Bible study and our Wednesday 11 a.m. Zoom Check-in can all be found here. Normally, our Zoom worship service is more informal—we like to discuss a faith question or two, and then spend time in prayer. This coming Sunday, Jim Guida will be leading worship, and I believe he'll be speaking about love; after all, Valentine's Day is coming up! Thanks to Jim for giving me a Sunday off.
For those interested in our Zoom conversations concerning Ibrahim X. Kendi's book How to Be an Antiracist, our final three sessions will be on March 3, March 17, and March 31 (all Wednesdays at 7pm). Click here to learn more about the discussion series. We have found this time to be very meaningful and we'd like to encourage everyone to attend.
As we celebrate Black History Month together, many members of our book study group are excited about a PBS documentary airing soon about the Black Church. It's sure to be an excellent show—click here for more info and showtimes.
If you have news for our church family that you would like to share, please reach out to me or Office Manager Maria and let us know. Also, whenever you share a joy or a concern, please be sure to tell us if the information is confidential or not; we never want to inadvertently share anything that wasn't supposed to be shared.
Our prayers are with a few members, friends, and loved ones who are struggling with health concerns, loss, and grief:
Loving God, hear our prayers for healing, care, and hope in the midst of anguish for all.
God's peace to you all,
Jesse
