5th Sunday Festival

You are invited to attend a

5th Sunday Festival

in Green Valley Park

3896 Big Hill Road, Todd, NC

July 29

4:30 - 7:30pm

~Fellowship~    ~Food~    ~Worship~

Come join us for a day of Christian fellowship and games for all ages in the Park!

~Games and activities start at 4:30pm~

Come join us for a FREE picnic in the Park!

~Picnic will begin about 6:00pm with FREE FOOD for everyone!~

Come join us for a time of worship as we pray and sing praises to our Lord!

~Worship will begin around 7:00pm~

Bring a comfy chair and join us for a Day in the Park!

VBS for Kids AND Adults

VBS will run June 24-28 from 6:00-8:30 p.m. and will be held at Grace Lutheran Church.

Sky VBS for kids!
At Sky VBS, kids discover that by trusting God, everything is possible!  For more information, to register your children, and to volunteer please visit, https://www.groupvbspro.com/vbs/ez/graceboone or pick up a registration form from an Education committee member, and let them know about any food allergies.

A nursery will be available nightly.

Good Mourning Study for Adults

We will also offer a nightly VBS adult study on grief coinciding with our theme nothing is impossible with God. We will use the book Good Mourning which will be provided and available to purchase if desired.  This book is good for anyone who has experienced losses of any kind - the death of a loved one, separation or divorce, job loss or change of jobs, or significant life change - which pretty much includes us all.  If you yourself have not experienced one of these losses, but are close to someone who has, this is also a good class for you as well, to help you understand what they are going through and how you can be of support to them.  All are welcome!



*Note: Supper is NOT included in VBS, though there will be a snack for the kids.

One in the Spirit - June 3

“One in the Spirit”

Coalition Summer Gatherings

This summer the churches of the High Country Lutheran Coalition will be gathering once a month in an outdoor space for games, a potluck supper, and outdoor worship. “One in the Spirit” gatherings will be on Sunday evenings from 4:30-7:30pm, and are meant to promote fellowship and unity among the High Country Lutheran Coalition churches through fun and worship.

Our first One in the Spirit gathering will be June 3 at Green Valley Park!

Games will begin at 4:30 (at the June gathering, there will be a tent set up for some knitting/crocheting in the shade!), a potluck meal will start around 6pm, and we'll worship together at 7pm.

Come on out and bring outdoor games, your knitting/crochet work, a comfy chair, and food to share! 

Bring your Bocce Ball set!

Bring your knitting/crocheting and a chair to sit in the shade!

Volleyball, anyone?

Mark your calendars now for these future One in the Spirit events - it's a great chance to get to know the members from the other Lutheran Coalition churches!

· July 8 @ Green Valley Park, hosted by Grace

· August 5 @ Holy Communion, hosted by Holy Communion, St. Mark's, and Church of the Savior

Outdoor Gospel Concert at Grace

Grace is hosting an outdoor Gospel Concert on Saturday, April 28, beginning at 1pm.

This promises to be good music and good times for the whole family, so come on out to enjoy this special occasion!

Holy Week and Easter Services



 Please join us at the foot of the cross for our Holy Week services.

Maundy Thursday, 7pm

a celebration of Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples

and two of our own young people will be receiving

the Sacrament of Holy Communion for the first time this holy night

 

Good Friday Tenebrae Service, 7pm

a service of readings and prayer, remembering Jesus' crucifixion,

which brought salvation for all

Please join us on Easter Sunday for a morning full of celebration!

Easter Sunrise Service, 7:30am

a program led by the children of Bethany

Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Breakfast

following the Sunrise Service, beginning around 8:45am

  

Festival of the Resurrection of our Lord

Easter Holy Communion Service, 10:00am

the day we celebrate Jesus' victory over sin and death

- the most important day in the life of Christians!

Square Dance Fundraiser

You're invited to a

FUNDRAISER!

Sunday, March 25

3-5pm

Green Valley School Cafeteria

189 Big Hill Road, Boone

This is a fun way to raise money for the High School youth from Bethany and Grace Lutheran Churches in Boone who are going to the National Lutheran Youth Gathering in New Orleans this summer.  It's one of our last fundraisers, and we hope to get some Thrivent matching funds, so let's make this one count!

The Laurel Creek String Band will be providing the music.

John Turner and Julie Gurganus will be calling the dance.

Bring your donation with you to the dance and

bring the whole family for an old-fashioned good time!

For more information about the National Youth Gathering - a gathering of Lutheran youth from all over the country to worship God, meet each other, and do acts of service - see the Gathering website: http://www.elca.org/elca/youth-gathering.aspx

Wednesdays in Lent - Study of Luther's Small Catechism

Ever wonder what those crazy Lutherans believe?

Martin Luther, 1483-1546

Print from original German book of Luther's Small Catechism

     During Lent this year, we will be doing a prayerful study of Martin Luther's Small Catechism.  Luther wrote the Small Catechism to be used in churches and in households - for parents and children to learn from each other.  This Lent, we'll be learning the Catechism from each other and praying together as a church community. 

     The Catechism is Luther's teachings on the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Sacraments (Baptism and Holy Communion).  There will be studies for both kids and adults, with a special emphasis on Bible passages and memorization through song for the kids and an emphasis on prayer for adults.  In fact, we will learn how to pray through the Catechism.

Print from German Small Catechism of 5th Commandment: "You shall not kill."

So, bring the whole family and come on out for our 5-week study on Wednesdays during Lent, beginning February 29 and ending March 28.  The meal starts at 6pm and study for children and adults begins at 7pm.

Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper

Tuesday, Feb. 21 from 5:30-7:00pm

       Come out and celebrate this Tuesday: Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras (means "Fat Tuesday" in French).  This is the last day of celebration before the season of Lent begins.  Lent is a season of fasting - of denying ourselves - in order to focus more on our relationship with God.  So "Fat" Tuesday is the day to use up all the sugar and fat from the pantry before Lent.  It's a great celebration! 

       And this year it has another significance for us at Bethany.  This summer three of our youth are going to New Orleans - the city of Mardi Gras! - for a National Youth Gathering.  They will be at the meal helping out, and any donations will go towards their trip.

Ash Wednesday

Imposition of Ashes and Service of Holy Communion

Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 7pm

       Our Ash Wednesday service will be held the very next evening.  Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent.  This service sets the tone for the whole season of Lent, leading up to Easter.  Lent is a penitential season - a time for us to focus on the mystery of the cross and to give thanks that Jesus so willingly chose to suffer and die that we might have life.

So what are the ashes about?

       A couple of things, actually.  The ashes remind us of our beginning.  In the beginning, the Lord God formed humans out of the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7).  After their disobedience and their banishment from the garden, the Lord told Adam and Eve to remember where they came from: "You are dust, and to dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19).  The ashes remind us of the dust from which we were formed - that God created us, and we are totally dependant on God for our lives and everything in them.  The ashes remind us of our very great need for God, and we are greatly humbled as we receive the ashes on our forehead and hear those ancient words: "Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

       The sign of the cross is made on our foreheads out of the ashes made from last year's Palm Sunday palms.  (Pastors Bollinger and Weant burned last year's palms two weeks ago.)  This is a powerful reminder of two things: the fickleness of human nature, and the faithfulness of Christ.

       During Holy Week you can watch the progression of human fickleness.  On Sunday the crowds in Jerusalem waved palm branches and welcomed Jesus with open arms, and by the end of the week they were shouting, "Crucify him!"  We participate in these same actions liturgically each year, but we also flop back and forth in our own lives between praise of God and turning our backs on God.  It is a sobering reminder of how fickle we can be.

       BUT, as fickle as we are, Christ is not.  The sign of the cross on our foreheads reminds us of Christ's faithfulness.  Jesus was faithful to the will of the Father even to the very end - even unto death.  God is faithful to us even when we are unfaithful to God.  The cross is the reminder of that, and the cross was marked on each of our foreheads at our baptisms.  We are marked with the cross of Christ forever, and this ashy version of the cross reminds us that no matter how great our sin, God will always remain faithful to us.

       So we hope you will come out to these two important events in the life of the church this week.  They go together, really, and not only are they ways to share in community, they are also reminders of God's abiding and steadfast love for us.  See you there!

Valentine's Dinner

Make your reservations today and take your sweetie out for a romantic dinner. 

The youth attending the 2012 ELCA National Youth Gathering in New Orleans this summer are sponsoring this special evening out on

Friday February 17 at 6:30 p.m. 
in Grace Lutheran Church fellowship hall. 

Your choice of two entrees, prepared by a local chef:
Southern Pecan Chicken
or
Salmon in a lemon, butter, and thyme sauce
All entrees served with a mixed green salad dressed in champagne vinaigrette, bread and butter, potato croquet, seasonal vegetables, and a chocolaty dessert.

Child care will be provided.

Please make your reservation by emailing bethanyvicar@gmail.com, calling Bethany at 355-9710, or signing up on the sign-up sheet in the Narthex at Bethany.  You don't want to miss this special evening out (with babysitting!). 

Donations for dinner and babysitting will benefit those attending the National Youth Gathering in July.



Sunday, January 22 - Rescheduled Congregational Meeting

We had to postpone our Congregational Meeting from Jan. 15 because of winter weather.   It has been rescheduled for this Sunday, January 22.  So that means, our Sunday morning schedule will be altered once again:

Worship: 10:00am

Congregational Meeting: 11:00am

Council Meeting: 12:00pm

Please join us for Worship at 10am this Sunday only (we'll resume 11am time next week). Then, all Voting Members are encouraged to stay for the Congregational Meeting where electing of new officers will take place and important decisions for the upcoming year will be discussed. Following the Congregational Meeting, all outgoing and incoming Council members will meet together.

See you then!

Congregational Meeting

This Sunday, January 15, Bethany will hold its annual Congregational Meeting.
That means Worship time changes.

Worship: 10:00am

Congregational Meeting: 11:00am

Council Meeting: 12:00pm

Please join us for Worship at 10am this Sunday only (we'll resume 11am time next week).  Then, all Voting Members are encouraged to stay for the Congregational Meeting where electing of new officers will take place and important decisions for the upcoming year will be discussed.  Following the Congregational Meeting, all outgoing and incoming Council members will meet together.

See you then!