Bethany Lutheran Church and

Early Childhood Center Newsletter

Bethany Lutheran Church

1000 W. 26th Street South

Wichita, KS 67217

Church Phone 316-265-7415

BECC Phone 316-265-3033

www.bethanylutheranwichita.org

Worship Service

Sunday 9:00 AM

Sunday School & Adult Bible Study

Lifetree Café’ Sunday 10:30 AM

Pastor: Mark Wenger Deacon:

Mike Parmenter

Early Childhood Center

Serving children ages One through Five

Program Director

Dara Vernia

316-265-3033

“Now this is our boast. Our conscience testifies that we have conducted

ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity

and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on

God’s grace.” 2 Corinthians 1:12

There is a daily struggle for us as Christians to continually rely on God’s grace,

to lean on Him and not rely on our own understanding or strength. The

moment we rely on self, we return to a legalistic attitude and action. It’s so

subtle. Even religious actions like prayer and meditation can slip into a

legalistic mode. If I pray and meditate with the idea that I can manipulate God

to do what I want, then I am engaging in religious activity with wrong motive.

My will and desires become the central motive and legalism is behind it.

We are to pray, worship, and meditate not to get God on our side or to make

Him do what we want. We do these things because God is already on our side

and He has claimed us as His redeemed children through the shed blood of

Jesus Christ. I, we, must continually return to that understanding that God

gifts undeserving humans purely out of love and mercy. There is nothing we

can do or must do to earn His favor.

Daily I want to bask in that good news of grace. D. L. Moody states: “A man

can no more take in a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough

today to last him for the next 6 months, nor can he inhale sufficient air into his

lungs with one breath to sustain life for a week to come. We are permitted to

draw upon God's store of grace from day to day as we need it.”

Worldly wisdom says "x" amount of performance earns "x" amount of

blessings from God. Grace says God just wants our works to be done as an

extension of a grace-based relationship. Once legalism creeps in, the

relationship gets tainted and the unconditional love of God becomes a theory

rather than an experience.

Go to God’s storehouse of grace often. Bask in His grace. Enjoy the

relationship He has established with you as His dear child and He as your dear

Father who loves you unconditionally. And allow your actions to flow from a

heartfelt overflow of gratitude for all He has done for you through Jesus Christ.

Love,

Pastor Mark

August 2016

Women’s Bible Study continues with the study entitled “The Gospel-Centered

Life”. We meet the first and third and fifth Thursday nights at 7:00pm at different

homes. If you are looking for a Bible Study with a great group of women, come

join us. To find out locations contact Emily Schaefer or Jenny Colby or Pam

Kester or Doris Cannon or JoAnn Storck or Renee Schott or Ruth Valdez or Dori

Karnes or Jeanetta Bolin or Mary Morton or Bev Mittlestadt or Lois Brockmeyer

or Amy Salazar. Emily’s email is eand4ls@cox.net.

Meets on 3rd

Wednesday

at 9am at Country Café.—

2804 S. Seneca - This

month - August 17th

The 3rd Tuesday at Mary

Morton’s home. 7:00pm

9:00am-Noon, Saturdays

Quilting at the church

August September

7:Jim Merrick 4: Chuck Payne 14: David & Annetta Albright 11: Katrina & Dana Berish, Jr. 21 Randy Sportn 18: Myreta Lungwitz, Art kuehn 28 Katrina & Dana Berish, Jr. 25: Robert & Barbara Ohmie

August September

7: Corbin Larson 4 :Courtney Anton 14: Andrew Mann 11: Taryn Bolin 21 Aly Ohmie 18 : Caleb Ferrell 28: Gage Shipman 25: Corbin Larson

July & August

Fill Cleanup July 3 & Aug 7 Anita Albright Arleen Pirkey & JoAnn Storck July 10 & Aug 14 Marilynn & Mable Moore Dorisann Vinroe July 17 & Aug 21 Stacy & Bailee Shipman Pam Kester July 24 & Aug 28 Linda Puls Karren Gasche July 31 Robert Ohmie Lois Brockmeyer

Head Usher – Alan Keimig

August September Dana Berish, Jr Dana Berish, Jr. Bill Bolin, Jr. Dale Kester Jim Merrick Art Kuehn

August September 7: Richard Vinroe/ Mark Welty 7: Kevin Chamberlin/ Robert Ohmie 14. Kevin Chamberlin/ Robert Ohmie 14: Robert Bolin/ Dale Kester 21: Robert Bolin/ Dale Kester 21: Richard Vinroe/ Mark Welty 28 Richard Vin roe/ Mark Welty 28: Kevin Chamberlin/ Robert Ohmie

Thank you for being an Acolyte! You are an important part of our worship! If you cannot be acolyte on the day you have been as-signed, please make arrange-ments to switch with someone so the Acolyte roll is filled.

You are the first point of contact for our guests! Welcome them by smiling and shaking their hand. If this is their first visit to our church, invite them to stay for coffee and breakfast in our activity center and where it is located. Also show them where our restrooms and cry rooms are located and thank them for joining us in worship. Alert one of our ushers that they are first time visitors so that any questions regarding our service can be answered. If you cannot be greeter on the Sunday you have, please talk to one of our other greeters to switch. If you are greeter during Lent or Advent, you will be greeter for all services during that week.

If you would like to be a greeter or an usher, please let David Funke know

or sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.

Treasurer: Steve Nienke As of 7/30/2016

Current bank balance $3470.05 Outstanding Bills and payroll $ 6 568.73

Contributions for the second

quarter were $425.87. Thank

you!!!!! If you haven't’ signed

up for Community Rewards

from Dillons, make sure you do.

It is an excellent way to have the Rewards

dollars help with the expenses of

Bethany. If you need help, contact the church

office. 265-7415

BETHANY FOSTER FRIENDS UPDATE

For August, BFF is collecting underwear - any child age and size . Please drop off your donation in the tubs between the office and the prayer center. We collected 64 prs of socks, 62 prs of underwear, 39 shorts, pants & shirts, 25 backpacks, and 1 bag of toiletries & school supplies in July. Thank you for filling a huge need. It may not seem much, but the items you give make life easier for foster care kids and state workers assigned to them\

When you

#StartWithaSmile, Amazon

donates 0.5% of the

purchase price to Bethany

Lutheran Church. Bookmark the link Http://smile.amazon.com/

ch/48-0663701 and support us every time you shop.

BETHANY YOUTH ALIVE—BYA News

Those members of the BYA who went to NYG have a lot of experiences to share with

the congregation. They have not organized everything to get the information in the Au-

gust newsletter. Stay tuned in September for that info and upcoming plans. But always

keep the youth of Bethany in your thoughts and prayers as the navigate through all the

challenges of being a Christian in todays culture in the U.S. If you see one of our youth,

strike up a conversation and get to know them. Talk to the youth leaders and see if you

can be of service to them as they meet the challenges of being youth leaders. Finally,

as always, thank you members of Bethany for all the support that you give to the BYA:

seen and unseen, little or large, but always heartfelt and loving.

1. There will be 2 new children starting in daycare in August—one at the beginning

and one toward the end.

2. A new part-time teacher started on Monday, 7/25. Her name is Lakesha Toles and

she comes with much daycare experience. She will be a very welcome addition to

the Bethany family

3. Bethany received the amended daycare license and is legally certified to take care

of children from the ages of 1 to 5.

4. Thanks be to God for the continued growth., We pray for our ministry to grow and

be a blessing to our neighborhood and community.

Evangelism Ministry– If you want to view the “Healthy Churches Thrive” dvd’s, please contact Alan Keimig,. Convoy of Hope is this Saturday, August 6. If you would like to join Darlene Nuse contact her at 650-2281.

Parish Education Ministry—The fall session of Sunday School will be coming up in September . Look for details and announcements. There are currently 4 Sunday morning adult study classes led by the fol-lowing: Billy Bolin, Sr. in pastor’s study, Robert Bolin in the prayer center, David Funke in the dining room, Robert Ohmie in the lamination/storeroom.

Outreach Ministry-Mark and Debbie Welty lead a LifeTree Café’ session in the classrooms in the back hall on Sunday mornings at 10:30. They also lead a Life Tree Café’ session, along with Jim Merrick, in the OWN? space at 2610 S. Seneca #105 on Thursday evenings at 6:30.

Trustees Ministry– We have enough funds to pay for the installation of the replacement heating units. This should take place in September. They are also looking for additional help with yard and building upkeep.

Stewardship Ministry– All ministries need to begin the process of figuring what their budgetary re-quests will be for 2017.

Technology Ministry-We have purchased a new generation, laser lighted projector for the sanctuary. You should see an improvement in the video when it gets installed in the near future,.

Early Childhood Center Ministry– We have hired a new part-time teacher, Lakesha Toles, to help in the daycare. We are still interviewing for the additional lead teacher position. Dara will be on vacation at the end of August.

Fellowship Ministry-Movie/ Ice cream/ Pie Nite on Saturday, August 6 at 6:30. “ Field of Dreams” with Kevin Costner and Amy Madigan. Enjoy mystical baseball and delicious desserts.

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Bethany Lutheran Church and School

1000 W 26th St. South

Wichita, KS 67217

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