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What's in a Name?Luke 10:38-42 38 Now as [Jesus and his disciples] went on their way, he entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at Jesus’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her, then, to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things, 42 but few things are needed—indeed only one. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” A few weeks ago, I preached on Luke 10.
It's the story of Mary, Martha, and Jesus, where Jesus enters into the sisters' home and both go right into their vision of hospitality. And then, just last Tuesday was the commemoration day of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. These figures have been sticking in my mind a lot lately. Not because of who they are or exactly what they did (though this is important and part of what I've been dwelling on as well), but because of where they are from - Bethany. The sisters and their brother Lazarus are from a small village near Jerusalem named Bethany. Bethany, the namesake of the very place where many of us reading this call our 'church home.' So, I've been pondering, in what ways in our Bethany like the Bethany of the bible? In what ways is it different? What does the Bethany from the bible even symbolize?
Well, we can begin with our story from a few weeks ago; Bethany, for Jesus, was a place of hospitality. And this wasn't the only time Jesus had visited Bethany; in fact, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus are cited as friends of Jesus, so it can be assumed that this was a frequent stop for him. Perhaps even a resting point. A place of refuge. A place amid the busyness of his ministry he could share in the love of his beloved.
This is the place for which we have been named. Names mean something. What, dearest Bethany, does it mean today, for us to still be Bethany? |
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CHOIRSing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works. ~Psalm 105:2
The Bethany choir will begin rehearsing again on Sunday, September 21. I hope to welcome back all the fine singers we had last year as well as add some new voices!
I have picked out a wide variety of music, including the joyous "Sussex Carol" ("On Christmas Night"), a jazzy version of hymn #439 "Soon and Very Soon" which has a great men's part, the beautiful "O Lord Most Holy" (Panis Angelicus") and a contemporary song "Glory" composed by my sister, a professional composer, singer, and music director in St. Paul. We will also be singing some familiar favorites from previous years.
My goal for choir is that everyone has an enjoyable music experience learning the music, singing together, and making individual improvement in order to perform and share our music with the Bethany congregation to enhance our worship experience.
I'm excited about making music together and I look forward to our choir season! Lois Kelly-Pieper Choir Director |
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Heaven Meets EarthToday’s texts offer instruction and encouragement for all who are occasionally overwhelmed by the “unhappy business” of life. Jesus urges us to take care and be on guard against all kinds of greed. We who have died with Christ in holy baptism have also been raised with him and are encouraged to elevate our thinking, seeking the “things that are above.” To that end we seek the sustenance of the Lord’s supper and the encouragement of God’s word. Luke 12:13-21
13 Someone in the crowd said to [Jesus,] “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” 16 Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17 And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”
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Unity PicnicDon’t forget about Worship in the Park and the Community Church Picnic on Sunday August 17th! -Social Committee |
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Bethany Women Gearing up for the Bi-Annual Convention and Gathering!It's time to register for the Bi-Annual Convention and Gathering hosted in Mazomanie! The event is on Saturday, October 4. We'd love to see a good group go and represent Bethany at this event. There will be workshops, vendors, and many other women from ELCA churches to connect or reconnect with. More information and registration can be found at: https://scsw-elca.org/welca/2025gathering/ Alene also has physical copies for those wishing to register by mail. Those can be found on the table in the Narthex. For any questions, please reach out to Alene Olson! |
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Equal Exchange Coffee and Tea |
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Synod News
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