February 1, 2022
Friends in Faith—
Chúc mừng năm mới! Happy New Year—in Vietnamese! On Sunday, members of Grace Presbyterian Church were busy hanging red lanterns on the breezeway, as well as a host of beautiful decorations in the sanctuary and the Social Hall. Today, people around the world of various East Asian descent are celebrating this special holiday. As an undergrad, my major was cultural anthropology; even before I went to college, I have been fascinated by the diversity of cultures in our world. When I was seeking my most recent ministry call, I was very excited about the relationship that Bethany has with Grace Presbyterian Church. Despite some obstacles with COVID, Bethany folks managed to attend one of Grace's services last fall, and we are now planning to have them worship with us this spring. What a special opportunity it is to share holy space with fellow Christians, and to enjoy one another's unique cultural traditions!
Some of you may also know that we also host another worshiping community at Bethany on Saturdays—The Altar of Truth. Like the good people of Grace Presbyterian Church, the members of The Altar of Truth so appreciate sharing our space and are also eager to foster stronger connections with us. Perhaps we can also find a time when we can also bring our two communities together for worship.
I've heard that Sacramento is one of our nation's most diverse cities—and I believe it! We have been richly blessed to live in a city with so many incredible food options and cultural events. And at Bethany, we have the opportunity to build a stronger community right within our own walls! In an era when so much is changing in our churches, we are able to create connections with many special people of a variety of backgrounds. We believe that such connections and relationships are crucial to the construction of the Kingdom of God. It's a new year—thanks be to God—and let's widen our circle!
This coming Sunday, February 6, we'll continue to explore a bit more about the story of Jacob—one of the "patriarchs" of our faith. We'll delve into Genesis 32:22-32—the story of Jacob wrestling with God. We'll also be celebrating the Lord's supper; for those folks worshiping from home, be sure to have some bread and juice on-hand. 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 prior 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.
Our Spiritual Formation Commission is hoping to repurpose some of our space into a quiet area for contemplation and prayer. So some of our elders have been doing some cleaning and reorganizing of various rooms throughout Bethany. We have a couple of tables just outside of the kitchen/Social Hall full of various items that are free to whomever would like them. We have books, t-shirts, office supplies, bags, etc. Please help yourself; the tables will be up for the next several weeks.
A FEW UPDATES:
Tomorrow—Wednesday, February 2—is our "1st Wednesday What's Happening" Zoom. Join us for this opportunity to check-in with members of our Bethany family. Click here for directions how to sign in to the Zoom meeting.
Also on February 6 is when we bring forward our donations for the SSIP Food Closet. Most welcome will be dry goods and canned goods, as well as financial donations.
You can now receive free COVID tests via the mail. Click here to get yours while supplies last!
On Saturday, February 12 at 9 a.m. is our quarterly Presbytery meeting. If you'd like to attend to learn more about what is happening regionally in our denomination, please let me know.
Save the date! On Sunday, February 27, immediately following our worship service, we'll be having our Annual Congregational Meeting. More details to come.
The SSIP Food Closet’s second annual "Full Plates, Full Hearts" virtual auction and fundraiser is scheduled for Wednesday, March 9 at 6 p.m. Mark your calendars now! Also, please note, we are looking for donations for the auction—bottles of wine, art pieces, gift baskets, gift cards, etc. Please reach out to me if you are interested. Here are more details.
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 me or Office Manager Maria Mar. Also, be sure to indicate if you'd like your prayer to be shared, or if you'd like it to be held in confidentiality.
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 to all,
Jesse
