July 15, 2021
Friends in Faith,
As California, Sacramento County and our own church reopen, we carry with us a host of emotions and questions.
Are we reopening too quickly?
What is to become of the "Delta Variant"?
Should we expect to receive a booster vaccination in the fall?
Will we continue to have Zoom meetings?
How do we catch up on all of our deferred business and projects?
Will we ever return to "normal"?
Unfortunately, I can't answer any of these questions, but we can be confident that we are trying our best to consider them as we look toward the 2021-2022 program year at Bethany. The many issues we face as a worshiping community are substantial—we are not only recovering from the pandemic, but we have many other big problems to reckon with which precede COVID-19—a shrinking congregation, a building in need of many repairs, safety concerns on our campus, etc.
Our hearts can become full of anxiety, but we need to remember that we are in this together—we face each day together, we'll face our problems together, and we trust that God's Holy Spirit is guiding us along each step of the way. In the midst of uncertainty, we cannot forget our spiritual center—that God loves us eternally, that God is doing a new thing in our midst, that all shall be well. This we believe!
The theme of this coming Sunday’s worship service is about prayer. Our text is from Matthew 6:5-15. The option of worshiping from home every Sunday will be continuing on Facebook Live.
This weekend, we are honoring and memorializing two beloved members of Bethany. Bob Powell's service is this Saturday, July 17 at 10:30 a.m. in our sanctuary, and John Darling's service will be at East Lawn Cemetery.
Thank you to everyone who helped with my installation service this past Sunday. The Spirit was present and it feels good to be "official"! You can watch the video of installation service here.
Six ladies attended last weekend’s campout in Lassen National Park - click here for photos!
My e-mail address is pastorjesse@bethpres.com; feel free to contact me via e-mail or phone. I'd love to connect!
PLEASE BE SAFE while at Bethany! There have been several incidents in which staff, church members, or guests have felt uneasy or encountered obvious threats from unwanted visitors. The Sacramento Police Department is aware of these issues and asks that we continue to report problems. While we should ask trespassers to leave the site, we also must not put ourselves at physical risk. If you are in immediate danger, stay in a safe location and call 9-1-1. The non-emergency number is (916) 808-5471. Reports can be made online; click here. Please notify the pastor, the office or a member of Session if you experience any issues or if you file a police report. The more that we document these problems, the more traction we gain in preventing future issues. The continued use of a Sunday morning security person will, we hope, cut down on trespassers. Session is also currently seeking bids for a fence - with a clearer barrier, we hope it will become more difficult for unwanted visitors to hang out on our campus.
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
