February 5 - In Isaiah it is the one God who sits above the earth and numbers the stars—it is that God who strengthens the powerless. So in Jesus’ healing work we see the hand of the creator God, lifting up the sick woman to health and service (diakonia). Like Simon’s mother-in-law, we are lifted up to health and diakonia. Following Jesus, we strengthen the powerless; like Jesus, we seek to renew our own strength in quiet times of prayer. (Sundays and Seasons, Augsburg Fortress)

On Sunday, February 5th, Bethany will once again be participating in the national Souper Bowl of Caring event. After the 8am, 9am, or 10:30am services come to the Fellowship Hall and enjoy a bowl of soup. There will be children holding soup pots designated for the Giants or the Patriots. Drop $1 in your favorite team’s pot and we’ll see who wins!

See www.souperbowl.org for more information. This will be Bethany’s fourth year of participation and we have raised over $8,000 in the last three years. Our donations will go half to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal and half to Metro CareRing, our local food bank.

Bring your family, enjoy a bowl of soup, and help us support these great organizations!

Valentine’s Day just got a whole lot sweeter!  Show your love by giving Fair Trade Divine Chocolate this Valentine’s Day!  Your one purchase will give many gifts – cocoa farmers in Ghana will get a fair price for their crops and their communities will get the opportunity to dig wells, build schools, provide medical benefits and more for those they love.  Chocolate that changes lives! What could be sweeter than that?

• Look for Fair Trade Chocolate at the
  
• Global Mission Task Force Table on Sunday, February 5th.

Here’s a tasty opportunity to help raise funds for Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp!  This FUNdraiser will be hosted by the California Pizza Kitchens along the Colorado Front Range, in Albuquerque, NM and in the Twin Cities, MN.  This is an easy fundraiser, and we are asking for your help to spread the word!

• WHEN: Tuesday, February 7, 2012
• HOURS:  ALL DAY (Lunch through Dinner)
• HOW:  Bring a copy of the advertising flyer (click HERE to download) to your favorite location and present it to your server.  20% of your total bill, including beverages, will be donated to RTLC.  Catering and take-out are included!

Thank you for your help in supporting the ongoing ministry of Rainbow Trail!

“Be bold, take risks on account of the gospel, but believe more boldly still in Christ Jesus!” says Martin Luther.  Bold Women’s Day celebrates all Lutheran women who have acted or are acting boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ. Bold Women’s Day celebrates all Lutheran women who have acted or are acting boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ.

Whether you live out your bold story of faith in your workplace, family or community, let’s celebrate your bold! We know that each woman will act boldly in a way that’s unique to her, so we talk about each of us “finding our bold.”

Some boldness is firm and quiet. Some is bright and loud. We want to help each other find that bold, live it out and celebrate it!  On this day we will honor the retirement of our long-time Bethany Quilters.  Help us celebrate this day by “finding your bold”!

Mark your calendars now:  For our Lenten journey, we will be studying Signs of Belonging: Luther’s Marks of the Church and the Christian Life, by Rev. Dr. Mary Hinkle Shore. Dr. Shore will be our guest on February 25-26, as consultant and preacher. She has written a compelling book about Martin Luther’s signs of being a Christian and our mutual life. We are blessed to belong through Word, Baptism, Holy Communion, Forgiveness, Worship and the Cross.  Her book is available at the Hospitality Desk for $7.

Saturday, January 28, 2012 was a sabbath discussing, arm-raising, faith-forming, spaghetti-eating, umbrella-opening kind of day! 

Special thanks to our guest, Rev. Dr. Paul Hill, director of Vibrant Faith Ministries,  for leading Bethany members and friends in caring conversations about sabbath rest!

The weekend of January 28-29, 2012 was a sabbath discussing, arm-raising, faith-forming, spaghetti-eating, umbrella-opening kind of weekend!

Special thanks to our guest, Rev. Dr. Paul Hill, director of Vibrant Faith Ministries,  for leading Bethany members and friends in caring conversations about sabbath rest! 

Click HERE for reflections about our weekend together!

Merry Christmas!  Enjoy photos of the Children’s Choir Concert, the Sunday School Program, singing children of BECC, Live Nativity and Christmas Eve!  Glory to God in the highest!

• Join us each Sunday for these Adult Learning Opportunities!

• Come once!  Come all 7 times!  As we begin a new year in our faith journey, the Adult Faith Formation Team invites you to “Opening the Book of Faith”, a seven-week study on Lutheran insights for Bible study.  Starting on January 8th at 9:00 am in Room 210, Pastor Dena Williams will lead us through this study about how our Lutheran roots impact and shape our reading of Holy Scripture.  Everyone is welcome!  Whether you know a lot or know very little, join us in this enriching study as we start a new year in our faith journey!  Click here to view details about the seven-week journey!

• Looking Ahead:  Be sure to read all about Pastor Ron’s upcoming sabbatical (January – March 2012) and view videos by visiting guest preachers Dr. Paul Hill (January 28 and 29, 2012) and Dr. Mary Hinkle Shore (February 25 and 26, 2012).
  

As we journey parallel paths with Pastor Ron (on sabbatical in London), we will study Sabbath rest, church and culture and the signs which identify us as a Christian community.  We invite you to add your thoughts about our sabbatical activities.  Pastor Ruth Ann will leave questions for you to ponder.  Rev. Dr. Paul Hill and Rev. Dr. Mary Hinkle Shore will give us much food for thought when they visit.  May God’s Holy Spirit bless and teach us in these three months.

Visit Bethany’s Sabbatical blog,

Blessed to Belong  http://blessedtobelong.wordpress.com

Current Question: Jesus called the disciples to ‘Follow me.’ Where are some of the places Jesus has asked you to ‘follow’? What did you find or discover when you got there? Thanks for your thoughts! Pastor Ruth Ann

Do you have the gift of Hospitality? We need volunteers to staff the Hospitality Desk for each of the services! You don’t need to have all the answers, just be a friendly, welcoming presence for our members and visitors. If you would like to add your name to the list of volunteers, please email Sarah at sarah@bethany-denver.org or sign-up on the sheet at the Hospitality Desk.

If you are interested in being an usher during one of the services, please contact the church office at 303-758-2820. This is a great way to meet members and greet people attending services!

The Carillons are in need of a few ringers. Experience ringing is always helpful, but we’re good at training novice ringers as well. Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings at 7-8:30pm, and the ensemble plays for worship once a month. For further information, contact Lisa Lewis, 303-221-6323, lisajanelewis@comcast.net. We’d love to have you in our family!

The angels said to the shepherds: I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

Indeed this is the news that we await to hear on Christmas Eve, the pronouncement that our Savior, Jesus Christ is born! It is life changing, earth shaking news for the entire world. God’s promise has been fulfilled!

On behalf of the Church Council, the staff and all the members and guests of Bethany, we want to wish you and those you love a blessed, Merry Christmas! It is a time of hope, joy, love and peace.

In recent days we’ve celebrated the MESSIAH concert and laughed with the Sunday School children in “ARREST THESE MERRY GENTLEMEN”. Both excellent reminders of the promise fulfilled in Jesus which brings us merry mirth and abundant joy.

Our theme for 2012 is Blessed to Belong. We are a community of Christians, marked by the cross, gathering in God’s house, Bethany Lutheran Church. Yet, we are also a community gathered with and sent into the world to bear the Good News of Jesus Christ. In our baptisms we are commissioned to “Go and tell it on the mountains and everywhere!” We encourage you to hold in prayer Pastor Ron’s and our sabbatical, our larger community, military personnel and their families.

This coming year we are celebrating the General Fund. We thank you in advance for your generosity and support of all of our ministries. In light of our focus and commitment of the general fund we are closely monitoring special requests for fundraisers during the first quarter of 2012. We will have opportunities to support Souper Bowl of Caring (50% of the funds raised will go to ELCA Hunger and 50% to Metro CareRing). We will have fundraisers for the Youth Group mission trips. We’ll collect items for Hope Totes during Lent; and on Easter Sunday, we’ll ask that you bring disposable diapers for DENUM ministry. We know that you’re always very supportive of requests from the community and participate as you are able.

During these holy days of light and love we pray for you and yours. God’s blessings, and thank you for your partnership in the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Glory to God in the highest and peace to God’s people on earth.
Pastor Ron Glusenkamp, Pastor Ruth Ann Loughry

Our Family Ministries brought holiday cheer through music and smiles to some of Bethany’s home centered members on Sunday, December 11th.  Feel the warmth of the joy shared by viewing some of the happiness below!

• Use this blessing when lighting the fourth candle.
• December 18th is the Fourth Sunday of Advent.

Use this blessing when lighting all four candles.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe.
In your Son, Emmanuel,
you have shown us your light
and saved us from the power of sin.

Bless us as we light the candles on this wreath.
Increase our longing for your presence,
that at the celebration of your Son’s birth
his Spirit might dwell anew in our midst,
for he is our light and our salvation.
Blessed be God forever.

From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2011 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #26681.

Children created Chrismons, ancient Christian symbols during the annual Advent Fair.

First Sunday of Advent:  November 27, 2011



• Liturgical Color: Blue
• 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
• Mark 13:24-37
• Prayer of the Day:  Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection waken us to the threatening dangers of our sins, and keep us blameless until the coming of your new day, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Second Sunday of Advent:  December 4, 2012



• Liturgical Color: Blue
• Isaiah 40:1-11
• Mark 1:1-8
• Prayer of the Day:  Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming strengthen us to serve you with purified lives; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.


 
 Amen.

Third Sunday of Advent:  December 11, 2012



• Liturgical Color: Blue
• Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
• John 1:6-8, 19-28
• Prayer of the Day:  Stir up the wills of your faithful people, Lord God, and open our ears to the words of your prophets, that, anointed by your Spirit, we may testify to your light; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.


 Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Advent:  December 18, 2012



• Liturgical Color: Blue
• 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
• Luke 1:26-38
• Prayer of the Day:  Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that would obstruct your mercy, that willingly we may bear your redeeming love to all the world, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Saturday, November 12:  Family Faith Night at Bethany.  We started the evening with a short, family-friendly worship service and then enjoyed a yummy pasta dinner. After dinner, we celebrated “Christmas in November”, complete with music, decorations, cookies, hot chocolate and lots and lots of wrapping paper to wrap up the shoe boxes donated by our congregation for Operation Christmas Child.

“…When we were baptized in Jesus Christ, we were baptized into His death.  We were buried with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead, we too might live a new life.  For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His.”  (Romans 6:3-5)

A Celebration of Life:  Beverly E. Radi – October 23, 2011

A Celebration of Life:  Paul B. Gleditsch – October 30, 2011

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the lamb through the middle of the street of the city.  On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”  Revelation 22:1-2

During the course of our Blessed to be a Blessing stewardship campaign, we are making ample use of leaves as imagery.  We are connecting leaves to being blessed and to being a blessing in order to help each of us realize our blessedness and its purpose in God’s plan. Blessed to be a Blessing will focus on three sequential themes…three ways to reflect on our abundant blessings. Temple talks, sermons and congregational actions will underline the central lessons of these three themes.

“Being Blessed” – October 23. On this Sunday we will reflect on what it means to be blessed and to recognize those blessings that permeate our lives. This is the Sunday we reflect not just on a glass half full, but overflowing.  Speaker:  Del Hock. Click here to READ or LISTEN to his temple talk.

“Being the Blessing” – October 30. On this Sunday we will reflect on what it means to be a blessing to others. At Bethany we lived this in May and our youth lived it on service trips. This is the Sunday we reflect on emptying our overflowing glasses on behalf of others.  LISTEN:  Micaela Dempsey (8:00am), Kristen Deal (9:00am) and Heather Kekstadt (10:30am).

“Blessed to be a Blessing” – November 6. The mission and ministry of Bethany is fueled by our individual financial commitments that are reflective of our acknowledgment that God has indeed blessed us abundantly.  Speaker:  Ron Bruggeman

Bethany Lutheran Church and its members have been entrusted with the care of the gifts that God has given each of us individually and all of us collectively to do his will. It is our calling to be good stewards of these gifts. Blessed to be a Blessing and its themes address the realities of being blessed and responding to those blessings.

On Consecration Sunday, November 13, you will be asked to commit a portion of your financial blessings to the “healing of all the nations” to the mission and ministry of Bethany Lutheran Church and its benevolent activities.  The General Fund to which you will pledge is the core system that allows us to serve others as we are called to do.  It pays the mortgage, the utilities, the salaries and buys supplies.  In short, it is the heart that pumps the lifeblood of our mission and ministry together.

We thank you and your family for sharing the abundant blessings God has bestowed on us. On November 13, 2011 we look forward to joining you and all of Bethany as we together worship and praise God for all His great blessings and ask Him to consecrate our pledges of time, talent and money: our part in making His Kingdom come.

Your fellow stewards,  The Bethany Stewardship Ministry Team

• Ron Bruggeman, Peggy Furgason, Del Hock, Adam Butler,
• Joel Halvorson, Sarah Hulslander, Laura Weber-Meyers, Ted Ziemann

Click HERE to read a recent article from Café, an online magazine that incorporates a Lutheran perspective into current life issues.

Give Your Sole – a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide less fortunate men, women and children with moderately worn athletic shoes collected at race events.  Bethany helped out GYS the weekend of October 6-8, 2011 at the Denver Rock ‘n Roll Marathon.  Over 222 pairs of shoes were donated!  HOORAY!

Click here to check out Pastor Ron on the evening news!

Blessing of the Animals

October 2, 2011

Welcome to BLC online!  We are currently working through how to post a live stream of video on the web.  This ministry is a work in progress and we thank you for your patience, grace…and feedback!  Let us know how your viewing experience was by e-mailing us here!

Video Archives of BLC Worship Services

• February 2012
• January 2012
• December 2011
• November 2011
• October 2011

LIVE FEED:  Click one of the links below to view BLC online.

• Links are only active if there is a live worship service happening at BLC.
  
• Be sure to bookmark the link that works for your device!

1. http://obsidian-web.streamguys.com/~bethany/live.html
2. rtmp://bethanylc.streamguys.com/live
3. iPhone users:  :  http://bethanylc.streamguys.com/live/streamName/playlist.m3u8
4. Android, Blackberry and other RTSP compatible devices:  rtsp://bethanylc.streamguys.com/live/streamName

• Photos from the WELCA luncheon

• on September 25, 2011.

Volunteers needed to help build Bethany’s next Habitat House!  Our next (first of three in 2012) Holy Hammers/Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver build started on January 27th at 6784 Oneida Street, Commerce City, CO 80022.   This home will be for a woman named Tabatha and her five children – read the family bio HERE.  Volunteer Directions can be downloaded HERE.  Click HERE to sign up for upcoming construction dates, or sign up between services at the table in the Narthex, or contact Kevin Dempsey at 303-699-1629 or kmdmpsy@aol.com.  God’s work.  Our hands!

We invite you to pray for Urban Servant Corps and their volunteers / agencies.  We are praying for the volunteers that will give of their time, skills and talents to share the love of God to those in need.   (click on the logo to see a full-size list of participants)

Over 20 people gathered at a field in north Denver to glean squash and cucumber for Metro CareRing.  God’s work, our hands!

I will praise the name of God with a song;

I will magnify him with thanksgiving.  Psalm 69:30

• What was that hymn we sang last week during Communion?  Want a sneak peek of next week’s sending hymn?  Look no further!  Here are the hymns for each week of worship.  Numbers refer to the hymn number in the Evangelical Lutheran Worship – ELW.

• Gathering (G)
• Hymn of the Day (HOTD)
• Holy Communion (HC)
• Sending (S)

October 2 – Blessing of Animals in Courtyard

• G:   482 I Come with Joy
• HOTD  803 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
• HC:   592 Just As I Am
• S:   645 Christ is Made the Sure Foundation

October 9

• G:  834 Immortal Invisible
• HOTD:  487 What Feast of Love
• HC:  502 The King of Love My Shepherd Is
• S:  873 Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart

10:30am – CONFIRMATION SUNDAY

• G:  423  Shall We Gather
• HOTD:  732 Borning Cry
• HC:  456 Baptized in Water
• S:  836 Joyful Joyful

October 16 - Candlelighting For Mental Health

• G:  532 Gather us In
• HOTD:  685 Take My Life
• HC:  610 O Christ the Healer We Have
• S:  537 On Our Way Rejoicing

October 23

• G:  631 Love Divine All Loves Excelling
• HOTD:  752 Lord, Listen To Your Children Praying (sung three times)
• HC:  773 Precious Lord Take My Hand
• S:  695 As Saints of Old

October 30 – Reformation Day

• G:  504 A Mighty Fortress
• HOTD:  654 The Church is One Foundation
• HC:  520 Dearest Jesus at Your Word
• S:  414 Holy God We Praise