Dear Friends in Faith—
Friends in Faith,
Be sure to set your clocks ahead one hour as Daylight Saving Time begins this Saturday night! And a big thank you to Jim Guida who always has wonderful messages for our community via the message board!
This Sunday, March 10, is the fourth Sunday of Lent. Our scripture lessons for the day will be Luke 10:25-37—the famous story of the "Good Samaritan." We need to consider this story with some fresh perspectives, so we'll also be sharing a skit! Immediately following our service, Session will be hosting an informal congregational meeting (details below).
Natalya begins playing our “gathering music” at 10:20 a.m. You can also join virtually here: Facebook Live. More details about worship can be found here.
Next Sunday, March 10, Session would like to host another informal congregational meeting immediately following worship. We want to continue to discuss some of our updates and options as Bethany begins to work with an administrative commission. Please join us for this time of sharing and conversation as we gather in the library.
This past week, the Presbytery's Stated Clerk, Rev. Jeri Dahlke, shared that the Presbytery Administrative Commission has been approved and are working together to find a time for orientation. During the orientation, a chair and a secretary will be chosen. They will also set up a dedicated e-mail address that church and community members can use.
On Sunday, March 10—Be sure to set your clocks ahead one hour as Daylight Saving Time begins!
On Monday, March 18, we'll be watching the film "A Question of Faith." This film addresses tragedies that call our faith into question and that call upon us to forgive our fellow humans. We gather at 10am and finish with a free lunch.
Sunday, March 24, is Palm Sunday.
Sunday, March 31, is Easter Sunday.
On Monday, April 1 and Monday, April 15, we'll be having a discussion of the book "The Rooster Wound" by Rev. Dr. David Bachelor (the son of Diana Bachelor and the late Ernie Bachelor). Our classes begin at 10 a.m. and conclude with a free lunch. The author has graciously donated ten books to our group. Copies will be available in the sanctuary.
We had such a fun time together seeing "Wonka" that we decided to go and see another movie in March. Join us Tuesday, March 19, at Regal Delta Shores Cinema, 8136 Delta Shores Circle to view the inspiring story "One Life" starring Anthony Hopkins and Helena Bonham Carter. Sir Nicholas “Nicky” Winton was a young London broker who, in the months leading up to World War II, rescued over 600 children from Nazi-threatened Czechoslovakia. Tickets are $8 each. Meet in the theater lobby at 1 p.m.; the movie starts at 1:10 p.m. The film is rated PG. There’s no need to RSVP; just show up. Several people are available to drive if you need transportation; contact Cathy Sapunor for more information.
Bethany is again fielding a team of volunteers to help “spruce up” the Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center (South Lake Tahoe) the weekend of May 10-12, 2024. Tasks include office chores, light carpentry and electrical, building and grounds maintenance (including pruning, weeding and raking) and more. Each volunteer needs to submit a volunteer application and register on the Zephyr Point website here. The participation fee is $105 per adult (age 13+) / $80 per child (age 4-12) which covers housing and meals. NOTE: You can pay $30/person and cook your own meals! Bethany can assist with the participation fee; see Cathy Sapunor or myself if you are interested. Do note the registration deadline is April 10!
In addition to offering retreats, continuing education and other programs for church-goers, Zephyr Point provides low-cost (or free) Christian-based day camp for hundreds of Tahoe-area children and youth each summer. Bethany’s support helps make it possible for this vital outreach to continue.
More than three decades ago, Bethany youth and parents designed and constructed Zephyr Point’s Crawford Memorial Lookout, which is frequently on the list of “sprucing up” projects.
As a church family, we are a community that is committed to caring for one another. One of the ways that we can support one another, loved ones and strangers, near and far, is to offer our prayers on their behalf. We share our prayers because we care for one another, and we know that God listens and cares for all of God's children. If you have a joy or concern to share, please let me know; and if it is a confidential matter, please be sure to let them know. And don't forget that we have a prayer team who is committed to praying for any and all prayer concerns that come forward. You can reach out to Barbara Greene with your prayer concerns and she'll share them with the prayer team.
Prayers for peace in Gaza and throughout the Middle East and in Ukraine and all parts of this big world experience conflict and bloodshed.
Hear our prayers, O Lord!
Peace to all.
—Jesse
A Prayer in Spring
by Robert Frost
Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.
Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.
And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.
For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfil.
