Menominee Park Zoo Playdate

Join us Wednesday, August 10th for our final playgroup at Menomonee Park Zoo in Oshkosh! Arrive between 9:45 AM and 10 AM for some free play. We will meet at the playground to the right of the zoo when entering the park from Merritt Ave. (Our regular green table will NOT be set up.) We will begin with a short Bible story at 10 AM at the playground and enter the zoo after that. Admission is free! Bring your own lunch, and we will enjoy a picnic next to the lake after exploring the zoo. Please keep in mind, parking is limited at the playground and you may need to walk in order to get to the playground. Please contact Sammi Stegman at 920-428-2033 or the church office for any questions. Menominee Park/Zoo address: 520 Pratt Trail, Oshkosh, WI 54901

Supporting The Hope Center

The Hope Center provides physical and spiritual support in Christian love to those in need in the Fox Valley. Once per month, they provide cleaning supplies and hygiene items and are a distribution site for the Fox Cities Diaper Bank. The Hope Center is a ministry of WELS United located on the campus of St Matthew. The center is a non-profit, volunteer agency financially supported by members of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). If you’d like to support this ministry – you can send monetary gifts to: 129 S. Mason St., Appleton, WI 54914

Food Pantry Has New Home

The WELS Apple Valley Food Pantry has a new home - 2603 W. College Avenue, Appleton WI. Your continued support with non-perishable food items and monetary donations is very much appreciated to help families in need. Please continue to check your upcoming church bulletins and email blasts for lists of items the Pantry needs to keep the shelves stocked.

Swimming and Supporting the WELS AVFP

The WELS Apple Valley Food Pantry is pleased to invite everyone to participate in a food drive sponsored by Thrivent on Saturday, August 6, 2022, 9:30-11:30am, at Erb swimming pool, 1800 N. Morrison St, Appleton. Bring non-perishable food items for the Pantry to receive a pass to the pool and a free Kona ice. FOR EACH ITEM DONATED, THE PANTRY WILL RECEIVE $3.00 UP TO $3,000 FROM THRIVENT. To swim, please register in advance at Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/Aug6Pool. You are still welcome to donate and join us for a Kona Ice if you prefer not to swim. In the event of inclement weather, the pool may be closed, but Thrivent will still collect donations under the Thrivent Tent at Erb Park and all donors will receive Kona Ice.

Christian Education Tuition Assistance Fund

Bethany supports the Christian education of our members in a variety of ways. There is our early childhood ministry, Our Shepherd Childcare, on our Lynndale Campus. There are the various adult and youth Bible classes that we offer here at Bethany throughout the year. There is our partnership with and annual commitment to Fox Valley Lutheran High School.

There is also the tuition support that we provide to member children who are attending one of our area Lutheran Elementary Schools. Beyond the separate operating budget for Our Shepherd Childcare, each year more than 20% of our budgeted expenses at Bethany are directed to supporting Christian education in one form or another, which demonstrates the value we have placed on this part of our ministry. But with the number of students from Bethany who are attending area Lutheran schools (almost 30 for next year), the need for support regularly exceeds what our budget allows. In order to supplement this, we have established a separate Christian Education Tuition Assistance Fund so that we may be able to continue to support this worthy effort in the years ahead. If you are looking for a place to direct a special gift, please consider this fund. So many of us have benefited from Lutheran schools ourselves, or we have seen the blessing that these schools have been for our children and grandchildren. By God’s grace we hope to be able to generously support all kinds of Christian education here at Bethany for many years to come. For more information on how you can support Christian Education here at Bethany, please contact Emily in the church office.

Our Shepherd Janitorial Services

Our Shepherd Childcare’s current cleaning company is no longer accepting the center as one of their clients as of the end of July. While we are on the hunt for new cleaners, perhaps there is someone (a company or individual) that you know who may be interested in this work? We need janitorial services 3 hours per day, 15 hours per week, after 5PM (after childcare operations) Monday through Friday. Please contact Ann Potter with any interest, questions, or leads – (920) 733-3344 or ampotter@bethanyappleton.org

School Supplies Collection

Bethany is partnering with the WELS Kingdom Workers Foster Support Program to gather school supplies for youth in foster care in Outagamie and Calumet counties. We are collecting new school supplies that families will receive at their foster care picnic in August. Specifically: Crayola markers (washable, classic colors), Crayola crayons and colored pencils (24 ct), Ticonderoga No.1 pencils, large Pink Pearl erasers, Elmer’s washable glue and glue sticks, poly folders ( 2 pocket, no prongs), wide-ruled notebooks, composition notebooks, highlighters, sticky notes, water bottles, and backpacks (for children and teens). Baskets will be on both campuses from July 15 to July 31st. Questions? Contact the Bethany church office.

Bethany Summer Bash

On Tuesday, July 26, 2022, Bethany and Our Shepherd will host the first annual BETHANY SUMMER BASH on our Lynndale Campus from 5:00-7:00PM.

We will provide an opportunity for Bethany members, Our Shepherd families, and our surrounding neighbors of the Lynndale Campus to gather together and get to know one another with free food, games, and even the Kona shaved ice truck!

 

Pastor Johnston Installation Weekend

Bethany will install its newest pastor, Dan Johnston, on Saturday, July 16 at our 4:30PM service (Lynndale Campus) and on Sunday, July 17 at our 9:00AM service (Parkway Campus). Rev. Jesse Johnston, pastor at Mt. Calvary, Menasha, will be our guest preacher. There will be a light reception after both services where members will have an opportunity to greet and welcome the Johnston family. There is no Bible study on Sunday morning or Monday evening service on the 18th. Please make plans to attend Saturday or Sunday.

Johnston Card Shower

To welcome the Johnston family, Bethany is throwing them a “gift card shower.” Those who would like, may bless them with a gift card and a note as they settle into their new home. Please have all cards to one of the collection boxes (on both campuses) or to the church office by Tuesday, July 12. Scrip will be available to purchase after services Saturday and Sunday this weekend, or weekdays 7AM – 5PM at the Our Shepherd front desk.

Hymnal Donation

Bethany, along with a few other area churches, was able to donate our “old” hymnals to our sister churches in Africa. Here’s a message from Pastor John Roebke – “On behalf of One Africa Team I want to thank those who helped gather together the donation of 500 hymnals. This is going to be a great blessing to your brothers and sisters in Africa. May God bless their efforts to reach out to more people in their communities by offering English language worship services.”

INstallation choir

Practices for the installation choir (July 17) will be held Sunday, June 26 at 11am and Sunday, July 10 at 11am (both after Bible study), and Wednesday, July 13 at 6pm. All ages are welcome to join us – but children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. If interested, please email churchoffice@bethanyappleton.org.

Bethany Lutheran Church

920.733.9561

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