June 1, 2022
Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
This coming Sunday, June 5th, is Pentecost! We'll be celebrating the birth of the church as well as the powerful and mysterious ways that the Holy Spirit continues to challenge us to new ways of being in God's world. We'll be sharing the in the Lord's Supper together—so for those folks worshiping from home, be sure to have some juice and bread on hand. Also, since it is the first Sunday of the month, we are collecting dry/canned goods for the SSIP Food Closet (as well as financial donations) in worship. And don't forget to wear red in honor of the Holy Spirit!
As always, the worship service will begin at 10:30 a.m. Pianist Natalya Amelchenko begins playing gathering music at 10:20 a.m. Folks can join from home on Facebook. (You can also watch prior services at any time here.) Consider asking a friend to join you in person at the service … or start a “watch party” on your Facebook account!
Immediately following our service, we'll be enjoying a cookout together … our first since the COVID pandemic began! Hamburgers/veggie burgers, green salad and beverages will be provided by Bethany—members are invited to bring a dessert or a bag of chips to share. As always, we'll do our best to observe COVID protocols—if you are not feeling well, we ask that you stay home and get tested for COVID. Let's continue to practice social distancing and mask-wearing when we can.
Finally, on Pentecost, we collect one of the four special offerings in our denomination—the Pentecost Offering. This offering is focused on youth and money is shared with international, national, and local efforts to support young people.
UPDATES
Monday, June 6, all are invited to a time of conversation and fellowship at 10 a.m. We will discuss several articles in #Trust Black Woman, an issue of the Presbyterian Outlook edited and written by black women. Please read the articles on pages 16-38 which are: "God of the Black Woman," "Trust Your Voice," and "What We Mean When We say #Trust Black Women," "Are White Christians Ready for Black Women's Voices," and "Rest Can be Resistance." You c an contact Jackie Sneed, our elder who serves as the chair of the Spiritual Formation Commission, if you would like a hard copy of the magazine.
Please note that we'll be taking a break from our "1st Wednesday What's Happening Zooms"—lots of folks are coming and going throughout the summer, so we'll postpone this time of checking-in until the fall.
I will be on vacation next week—June 7 through June 9.
It's never too early to begin making summer plans; our annual "Friends and Family Retreat" at Zephyr Point is August 12-14. Mark your calendars. Click here for information.
On Saturday, June 4th, the "Covenant Network of Presbyterians" is offering a day-long seminar entitled, "Becoming Inclusive and Welcoming: The Journey toward Affirming GLBTQIA+ People in the Church." We know that our denomination, like many others, hasn't always been very welcoming to GLBTQIA+ folks, and Bethany has a particularly painful past regarding this issue. All churches and all of us can always be better informed and better about welcoming people of all backgrounds. For more information about this special live opportunity, click here. You can watch the videocast of an earlier seminar here.
On Sunday, June 5th, Elk Grove Presbyterian Church is resuming its "Jazz & Blues Vespers" services on first Sundays at 4 p.m. Details are below. We have several Bethany members who have enjoyed these services in the past. Mark your calendars now—maybe we can get a group to attend some Sunday?
Over the past several years, Bethany's session (board of elders) has been wrangling with the question of Bethany's future in the face of dwindling membership, finances, and other resources. Easy answers and consensus do not come easy. Many of us are frustrated because we seem to be stuck; we argue over our shared vision for the future. How should we spend our money? What's to become of our building? How do we participate in mission projects when we struggle to cover our own bills? The COVID pandemic has intensified these conversations and brought to the surface many larger questions for congregations. Click here for the latest Session update.
It’s hard to believe that it's already June in the year 2022. The months fly by, and we find ourselves bombarded every week with lots of heavy blows—from mass shootings to wildfires, war in Ukraine to economic uncertainty. It seems so much of life is changing so quickly—it can feel as though we are on an unending roller coaster ride. In order to help us weather the many storms of life, and to better tune ourselves into the many blessings that continue to surround us, I encourage us all to continue to cultivate an active prayer life. Even pausing for a few minutes at the ending or beginning of each day can help us to feel supported in all that we carry with us. Generations of the faithful have prayed to God in good times and in difficult times, and God has promised to hear us and to help bear our burdens.
If you have a prayer concern you'd like to share with our church family, please let me or office manager Maria Mar know. We also have a special page on our web site dedicated to sharing prayer concerns; click here to send a prayer request by e-mail.
Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
May it be so.
Jesse
