November 8, 2021

Friends in Faith, 

The four Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus Christ—found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—all offer a variety of powerful stories that reflect insights into the nature of Christ and his ministry. Interestingly, one of the few stories that is found in all four Gospels is the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Jesus asked his disciples to feed a crowd of 5000.  Five loaves and two fish managed to feed this massive gathering, so much so that there were leftovers! 

This story speaks about our abundant life in Jesus Christ; we are fed, in body, mind, heart, and soul, when we come to Christ. 

And, in turn, we are called to feed others so that they, too, are blessed by the love of God.  

Bethany’s Budget and Stewardship Commission felt, then, that this call to feed others, both inside and outside of Bethany, would be an appropriate theme for this year’s stewardship campaign:

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we recognize the many ways that we have been fed and blessed by God, and so we also strive to feed others—so that they may know that they are beloved children of God. 

Our church commissions have been creating programming in hope of providing meaningful sustenance for our bodies, minds, hearts, and souls. 

We’ll be providing food for bodies in need via our support of the SSIP Food Closet through financial gifts and monthly donations of food items, as well as our participation in the “Run to Feed the Hungry.” 

We also feed bodies and hearts with fellowship events like our “Lunch and Learn” program, ice cream socials, and concerts. 

Book studies, discussions, art projects and outings, and retreats nourish our minds and souls on the journey of discipleship. 

Souls are fed weekly through worship by building upon some of our traditions at Bethany, as well as forming new ones. 

There is a lot going on at Bethany and we hope you’ll join us in the life of our church in this next chapter.  

Pledging financial support to Bethany is helpful to the Session (board of directors) in preparing an operating budget for 2022. A healthy budget helps us to determine what ministries will be feasible for the coming year. 

In addition, we would love to hear about what feeds you at Bethany or how you find meaning in feeding others. 

• Please return your brief responses to these questions into the office, via e-mail, or submit here by Friday, November 12. 

• And all are encouraged to bring your completed pledge forms to worship on Sunday, November 21—Pledge Sunday—where they will be consecrated (blessed)..You can always turn in your completed pledge form to the office, as well.    

Your support is vital as we continue to creatively feed God’s people in an era of substantial change and decreasing resources. We are grateful for the generosity of Bethany’s members and friends, and we thank you for participating in the life of this blessed community! 

Miracles still abound, so may we trust in God as Bethany looks towards the future in 2022.   

Thankfully, 

Rev. Jesse B. Larson
Pastor