Bethany Lutheran Church

Dr. Richard Carlson serves as the Philip H. and Amanda E. Glatfelter Professor of New Testament Language, Literature, and Theology at the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. His primary area of teaching is New Testament studies as well as Greek. He is also serving as the seminary’s Acting Director of Internship.

A native of Minnesota, Dr. Carlson holds degrees from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota; Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa; and Union Theological Seminary in Virginia. Prior to joining the faculty at Gettysburg in 1990, he served pastorates in northern Minnesota.

Dr. Carlson has published material on the New Testament and its relationship to such areas as New Testament exegesis, preaching, Jewish-Christian relationships, diaconal ministry, evangelism and ministry in the 21st century, and baptism. His books are Preaching 1 Corinthians 13 (co-authored and edited with Dr. Susan Hedahl) and New Proclamation, Year C, 2004, Easter through Pentecost. Dr. Carlson has three children (29, 26, 23), who lead their own very active lives. He is married to the Reverend Dr. Michelle Holley Carlson.

Saturday, January 23rd

October 5, 2009

Dear Bethany Member:

Philippians 4:11-13: “I have learned to be content with whatever I have.  I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty.  In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

What does “contentment” feel like? This is a difficult question in our current culture. When surveys have asked “How much is enough?” responses have consistently been “Twenty percent more than I have now.” If that is true, how do we break the endless circle that this leads us toward—it is always “twenty percent more.” We are told over and over every day—“You don’t have enough…What you have is fragile and could be gone at any moment…You have to go get more!” These messages come from a world focused on scarcity.

In this setting how do we understand our relationship with God? God is creator—we are God’s creatures. How do we live in relationship with our creator? Martin Luther reminds us in his explanation of the First Article of the Apostles’ Creed “that God has created me and all that exists…God daily and abundantly provides…all the necessities and nourishment for this body and life…out of pure, fatherly, and divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness of mine at all!” It is in this relationship that we recognize that God has abundantly provided us with all that we need.

If we focus on the scarcity, we never have enough. When we focus on God’s abundant blessings, there is more than we can ever imagine. Recognizing God’s abundant blessings we experience Paul’s message to the Philippians in our own lives. We can be content with what we have because we know that we are blessed and can “do all things through him who strengthens us.”

In worship on Consecration Sunday, November 1, you will have the opportunity to complete your estimate of giving card indicating your plan for giving to Bethany Lutheran Church for 2010. Following worship, please join other members of Bethany in the Fellowship Hall for the Celebration Brunch (RSVP online).

Make your generous giving on Consecration Sunday be reflective, not on a focus of scarcity, but instead on the abundance of blessings we have already received and continue to receive from God.

Yours in Christ,

The Bethany Stewardship Ministry Team

Ron Bruggeman           Joel Halvorson
Kevin Dempsey            Doug Hock
Marie Friedemann      Sarah Hulslander
Peggy Furgason          Guy Wayman

Make It Simple is our Stewardship program for 2009/10.  As you prepare for Consecration Sunday, you will continue to see and hear additional information about the Make It Simple stewardship program through information in the Beacon and bulletins, through upcoming “temple talks” and sermons, and, through various adult, youth and children’s educational opportunities. In addition, the Bethany website (www.bethany-denver.org) will continue to include information about the various aspects of the Make It Simple program and will provide direct links to resources that can be used as you see fit for you and your family, including videos that highlight the experiences of others.

Sunday October 18 from 8:30am – 10:30am

Seasonal Flu Shot – $23
Pneumococcal Shot – $45

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Front Range Flu Shots Policies:

Note:  Insurance card must be presented at time of service.

SEASONAL FLU SHOT

• Age Policy: Must be 4 years or older to receive a flu shot.
• Insurance: No cost for those covered by one of the following insurance plans:  Medicare Part B or Railroad
  Medicare Part B (when your primary insurance plan), DCSD Cigna, or Rocky Mountain Health Plans. Additional     insurance carriers or networks may be accepted. Please ask the nurse if your insurance or network is accepted.

PNEUMOCOCCAL SHOT

• Age Policy: Must be 18 years or older to receive a pneumonia shot.
• Recommendations: The pneumococcal vaccine is not recommended for everyone. Please check with your doctor or review the Pneumococcal Vaccination Information Sheet to see if the pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for you. CDC recommendations have been updated to include smokers and individuals with asthma.
• Insurance: If you are a DCSD Cigna card holder or if Medicare Part B or Railroad Medicare Part B is your primary     insurance, ask the nurse if you are eligible for a pneumococcal shot at no cost.

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Garrett John Schopp, age 16, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 8, 2009, in Denver, Colorado, surrounded by loving family.

Garrett was the delight and pride of our lives. His creative spirit was an inspiration to many and manifested itself in so many ways. He was a builder of ideas, an encourager of others, and a dreamer of a better world. His childlike ability to embrace the moment was lived out in his love of skiing, mountain biking, scuba diving, hiking “fourteeners”, fishing, camping, building campfires and roasting marshmallows. Garrett was kind, caring and gentle to all. He loved to laugh with his friends and cousins. A sophomore at Cherry Creek High School, he left us while stepping between boyhood and manhood.

Garrett is survived by his loving parents, John and Leslie Schopp; sister Hannah; dog Peanut; grandparents Gerhard and Julia Schopp and John and Linda Sloane; uncles and aunts, Mark and Helen Cluett, Owen and Kristin Sopotiuk, Allan and Marie Slade, Brad and Karen Casey, Jason and Trina Livingston; cousins, Emily and Victoria Cluett, Josephine Sopotiuk, Oliver Slade, Jordan, Malcolm and Sloane Livingston; extended family and so many friends.

Visitation to be held Tuesday, May 12, 5-7 PM at  Horan & McConaty, 1091 S. Colorado Blvd.

Visitation Wednesday, May 13, 11:30-1:00PM followed by a Funeral Service at 1PM, both to be held at Bethany Lutheran Church, (Telephone 303-758-2820) 4500 East Hampden Avenue, Cherry Hills Village, Colorado.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

Bethany Lutheran Church Youth Fund
Garrett Schopp Memorial
4500 East Hampden Avenue
Cherry Hills Village, Colorado  80113

Private interment will take place with family. Please visit www.HoranCares.com to share a memory of Garrett with his family.

Visit the following links to learn more about the ELCA’s stance on stem cell research.

What We Believe

ELCA research papers

Theological and Moral Reflections

The following information has been made public regarding the ELCA’s proposed social statement on human sexulity:

human-sexuality-gift-and-trust

report-and-recommendation-on-ministry-policies

Statement from Bishop Bjornberg

ELCA press release on the statement

ELCA press release on the ministry policies

ELCA press release regarding opposition and support

ELCA press release regarding responses from the synod bishops

ELCA press release regarding Pastoral Word on Task Force Documents

Denver Post article from February 20

The truth is, we all need one. And we all need to put a variety of tools in it to be well. Being healthy physically, emotionally and financially doesn’t usually happen without strong, intentional effort.

Check out the ELCA’s wellness resources.

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