August 11, 2021
Friends in Faith:
Last week, our office manager, Maria, took Robert (our custodian) and me to visit Faith Presbyterian Church. Maria used to be a member there, and she was eager to show us the recent renovation that was completed at Faith. We were given a tour and the facility is absolutely incredible—a new social hall, a "welcoming space,” gathering rooms, showers, a patio, signs. It was a huge project that surely cost a lot of money, but it has revitalized their space and modernized it for this new era of ministry. Who knows—maybe Bethany could use some of our endowment money to make some long overdue updates at our building?
Equally important, though, is just how important it is to visit other churches and learn about what they are doing. So many churches are offering all sorts of unique ministries to the community and using their space in different ways as well. Whenever I have the opportunity to visit a church, I find it to be inspirational and I'm filled with possible ideas for Bethany. Maybe we'll have to make a field trip to another church some Sunday morning—I'll look into it!
This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, a group of about 30 of us will be at the "Friends and Family Retreat” at Zephyr Point in Lake Tahoe. Thankfully, Jim Guida will be leading worship on Sunday. We hope to see you then—and you might consider bring a friend! Please remember to wear a mask, as we obey the mandates of Sacramento County and the CDC. If you are not feeling well, or have a fever, we request that you stay home and join with us in worship via Facebook Live.
Also, please note that you can always watch services any time you'd like here. We are also working on securing a few hearing aids for people to use at our services as well.
We are searching for a child care provider for Sunday mornings from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. The position pays minimum wage, and we are looking for someone to begin as soon as possible. Help spread the word and reach out to Jim Guida, chair of the Worship and Arts Commission, if you have any further questions.
Our Annual Congegrational Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, September 12, immediately following the worship service. During this meeting, we vote in new elders and deacons, and we approve the pastor's salary package. September 12 will be "Homecoming Sunday" as we begin a new program year together at Bethany—more details to follow.
Maria is on vacation this week, so the office is closed. It will be open once again on Monday, August 16.
I will be away on vacation from August 17-September 3. Rev. Judy Davis and Rev. Janice Kamikawa will be leading worship while I'm away. Also, if you have a pastoral emergency: please contact a member of session (Janice Douglas, Kathy Frank, Barbara Greene, Jim Guida, Mary Harbison, Debbie Leibrock, Dolores McMackin, Cathy Sapunor or Trisha Uhrhammer). Maria will be on vacation from August 23-27, as will Robert, so the office will be closed that week as well.
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.
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
