Hope Center Christmas Assistance

This year instead of a “giving tree” to support one or two families from the Hope Center during Christmas, we will try to support much more than that. You can give cash donations or gift cards (in increments of $10). If you plan to write a check, please make sure it is written out to “The Hope Center.” Donations can be dropped off in the church office or mailed in to 530 W. Parkway Blvd, Appleton, WI 54911.

The Hope Center serves more than 100 families.

December 2020 Food Pantry Collection

This weekend, Bethany is collecting items for the Apple Valley Food Pantry. Here is a list of what they are in need of: Canned vegetables (corn, green beans, peas), jam, cookies, all crackers, canned tomato products, cake and brownie mixes and frostings, hamburger, tuna and chicken helper meals, hand and body lotions men's and women's deodorants, household cleaning products (toilet bowl cleaners and kitchen and bathroom cleaning products), Kleenex and paper towels.

The pantry would like to thank everyone who donated or prayed for the pantry this year. Without you we would never have had the generous outpouring of love from our congregations to take care o the people on the pantry who need our help.

Early Christmas Sign-Ups

In order to help us plan for our Christmas services, please consider helping us by signing-up to attend Christmas worship as soon as you are able to! We want to keep our members who choose to attend in-person as safe as possible. By signing up early and doing your best to attend when you say you are planning to will help us to do that!

Christmas Eve Sign-Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050e4dada929a0f85-christmas

Christmas Day Sign-Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050e4dada929a0f85-christmas1

Guest Preacher This Weekend - Pastor Mark Henke

Pastor Henke will be guest preaching here at Bethany November 28-30. He will kick off our new sermon series entitled, “Proceed with Caution & Confidence.”

Our initial steps into the season of His coming (advent), are taken under the theme- Proceed With Caution and Confidence. Our first message in the series (Nov 28-30) will focus on the story of Noah, the flood, and God's dramatic rescue of Noah and his family. Perhaps your first recollection is of God's "rainbow promise" following the flood that brings a welcome sense of security to your life. But the truth is that right now, we, too, are living in a world that is destined for destruction. At the end of all things, all who have not focused their faith and life on Jesus will be caught in God's threatened destruction of our world as we know it. But just as that ark sheltered Noah from the pounding waves, cold wind, and driving rain, so at the cross, God put into effect His rescue plan for us, by allowing Jesus to take the pounding we deserve for our sins, safely sheltering us from the consequences of our shame and guilt. No one loves you more than Jesus -- how important it is to proceed in life with caution and confidence -- set apart by grace as His people of faith

Call Meeting - Monday, November 23 at 7PM

Join us either in-person in the Parkway Campus Sanctuary after our 6PM worship service on Monday, November 23rd. To continue to provide a safe in-person environment for our members, we ask that everyone in attendance wear masks.

If you aren’t able to join us in-person, there will also be a Zoom option to join in the meeting as well. If you didn’t already receive that link to the Zoom meeting, send an email to churchoffice@bethanyappleton.org.

Looking Ahead: Midweek Advent Services

Our Wednesday, Midweek Advent Services will be held on December 2, 9, and 16. Services will be at 10AM and 6PM on our Parkway Campus - which is a change from recent years.

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born, I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”       (Jeremiah 1:5)

God spoke those words to a young man named Jeremiah when he called him to point people to the coming Savior. Everyday God calls children to faith in him and into service for him.

For many of us, God called us to faith when we were children. This Advent season we will look at three “Children of the Promise.” Three children who were called by God in a special way to prepare people for the Savior: John the Baptist, Samuel, and Moses.  These children would grow up to be leaders, pointing and leading people to Christ.  We’ll see how God prepares us to trust his message and his messengers, how he speaks to us through his word, and how he protects and delivers his people. Throughout Scripture, God used children in his plan of salvation.  Child or adult, we pray that this series will help prepare your heart for the ultimate “Promised Child” this Advent season.

A Prayer for Pastor Steve Waldschmidt

Lord Jesus, you instituted the office of the public ministry and have given your people the privilege of extending calls to serve us through that ministry. Having asked for your help and guidance, our congregation has called Steve Waldschmidt to serve us as pastor. We ask that as he prayerfully considers this call, you would guide him to a decision that is in the best interest of your kingdom. As we await his decision, bless our congregation and its ministry so that your kingdom may continue to grow and flourish among us. We ask this in your name, for you are the Good Shepherd and head of the church. Amen.

Member Phone Calls

Members of our elder’s team will be making phone calls to touch base with those who have not been in worship since COVID began. We know that as cases rise in this area, many are worshiping online - so we hope to just let you know that we are thinking of you and praying for you during this time. We also want to see if you have any needs that we may be able to help meet, and encourage you to stay connected even as you mostly stay at home through our Livestream services.

If anyone would seek to have private communion with Pastor Brown or one of our visiting elders either in your home or in the church office, please email churchoffice@bethanyappleton.org or let your caller know!

New Sermon Series - Faithful Through the End

There are a few things in life that promise to be faithful to the end. A spouse. An insurance policy. A Craftsman wrench. Some of these things keep their promise. Some don’t. But they all expire when we expire.

God gives his people a promise that comes with not just a lifetime warranty but an eternal guarantee. Long after our bodies turn to dust, God’s promise will still stand. And therefore, so will we. 

Faithful Through the End is a series that identifies what God gives us to keep us close to him while on earth and then how he continues to be faithful to his promise after earth.

Call Extended to Pastor Steve Waldschmidt

On Monday, October 12, the voters of Bethany Lutheran Church issued a divine call to Pastor Steve Waldschmidt, who currently serves at Christ Alone Lutheran Church in Dardenne Prairie, Missouri. He wrote the following letter to acknowledge this call:

Dear Brothers and Sisters of Bethany Lutheran Church,

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that I have received your call to serve as pastor at Bethany.

I am prayerfully considering the call that you have extended to me. During this time I will ask that you pray for me, my family, and for your brothers and sisters at Christ Alone in Dardenne Prairie as well. I am confident that the Lord will use this opportunity to bless all involved and that we will thank and praise him for his wisdom. As I consider how the Lord might best use me and the gifts he has given to me for the good of his kingdom, I pray that his will be done.

May the grace and power of our living Savior be upon us as we continue to carry out his kingdom work in our daily lives!

In Christ,

Pastor Steve Waldschmidt

Christian Education Weekend - FVL Guests

The weekend of October 24-26 we will celebrate the gift of Christian education in our worship services. Pastor Aaron Dolan (son of Pastor John Dolan, who served here at Bethany from 1984-1990) from Fox Valley Lutheran High School will be our guest preacher. Mr. Jeff Loberger, FVL President, and Mr. Jay Wendland, FVL Mission Advancement Director, will give a brief update on all things Fox Valley Lutheran High School after our worship services on Saturday and Sunday. We hope you can join us!

Covid Update

We will continue to meet with the Appleton Health Department and monitor the coronavirus situation here at Bethany. Should things regarding in-person worship change, we will be sure to let you all know via email and Facebook as soon as possible.

For now, please re-familiarize yourself with our covid guidelines https://www.bethanyappleton.org/reopen, and continue to watch worship on our Facebook page - @Bethanyappleton if you so choose.

Bethany Lutheran Church

920.733.9561

Parkway Campus - 530 W. Parkway Blvd. Appleton, WI 54911