Healing Prayers: Trace Houge Brakke; Lori Ebbers Buzzetti; Pat Frette; Darren Herrold; Shelley Hawkins; Barb Koester; David Koester; Kristen Ling; John Simmons

Text Study with Pastor Bryan Simmons and Pastor Jesse Hershberger

Pastor Bryan and Pastor Jesse have started a podcast (and the first episode is out now)! This will come out each week to talk about the upcoming scripture readings for worship. They dialogue with one another over the texts and discuss how faith and scripture interact with our daily lives.

You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify: "Text Study with Pastors Bryan Simmons and Jesse Hershberger". 

Sunday Service Baptism

This Sunday, help welcome the newest member of Bethesda Lutheran Church, Julia KayMarie Mihelich as she's baptized into the congregation.

Now Let Us Pray: January 22 Women’s Bible Study

Join Women's Gather Bible Study at 9:30 AM on January 22 in Centennial Hall for the first of a two-part Bible study, Now Let Us Pray.

Many people have questions about prayer: Am I doing it “right?” Do I pray enough? Is prayer always done with words? Bethesda women begin a two-part Bible study to explore different ways we can pray with our bodies—and with the body of the earth

The study by Liv Larson-Andrews is in the Dec/Jan/Feb Gather magazine. If you do not have a subscription, copies are in the Welcome Center or church office. The study can be found here.

Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with AARLA!

Members and Friends of Bethesda are invited to attend the 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Service at Unity Church of Ames. The service begins at 2:00 p.m. on January 18. Unity Church is located at 226 9th Street.  

Sign Up to Compete in Women's Ministries Crockpot Cook-Off

Bethesda Women's Ministries is creating a church cookbook and want your recipes to fill it! On Tuesday, February 10th at 6:00 PM in the Commons, they're hosting a Crockpot Cook-Off with the chance to win a $50 gift card. All entries must provide a physical recipe for the eventual cookbook. Sign up is coming soon! All are welcome, and encouraged, to participate!

Sign up here OR at the Welcome Center during Saturday and Sunday Worship.

Lutheran Day on the Hill 2026

Join Lutheran Services in Iowa and the Iowa Synods of the ELCA at the Capitol for our annual day of advocacy, Lutheran Day on the Hill in Des Moines, where we come together to raise our voices, share our stories, and advocate for issues that matter to our community.

This is a powerful opportunity to connect with fellow advocates, meet with lawmakers, and make a meaningful impact. Registration is free. Register to attend here.

Russ Melby has registered himself and kindly extended an invitation for three people to ride with him to the event if you’re interested in going. He will pick up at Bethesda at 7:30 AM on February 26^th. Contact Russ at norseboy@aol.com to arrange a ride.

Know Thy Shelf Book Club's March Read

Please join us for Know Thy Shelf Thursday Bethesda Book Club's next book, Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson. We will meet at 7 pm on Thursday, March 5, in The Crossroads.

The book club is open to everyone, and there’s no obligation to attend every time. If we’re reading a book that interests you, join us! If you haven’t read the book but you’d like to listen to the discussion, join us! 

In 2026, Attend an Adult Forum on the ELCA social statement “Faith and Civic Life: Seeking the Well-being of All

Welcome to what we hope will be a helpful and meaningful discussion based on the social statement “Faith and Civic Life: Seeking the Well-being of All.” The Churchwide Assembly adopted this statement on August 1, 2025. Each session will be self-contained and requires no prior reading. Copies of the social statement as well two additional one-page handouts are available in the church office while the supply lasts. There is no cost. Russ Melby and Larry Otteman will co-lead the forum. Dates are January 18 and February 1 and 8. 

Prayer Service: Week of Christian Unity

Join Bishop Amy Current of the Southeastern Iowa Synod, Bishop Betsey Monnot of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa, and Bishop William Joensen of the Catholic Diocese of Des Moines for a celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The three bishops will lead an ecumenical prayer service at 7:00 PM on Saturday, January 24, 2026 at Windsor Heights Lutheran Church. A time a fellowship will follow worship. All are welcome!

Find more information here.

Save the Date for The Annual Meeting Sunday, January 25th

Save the date for the Annual Meeting in the Commons Sunday, January 25th, immediately following worship. At the meeting, members will receive copies of the 2025 Annual Report.

For members unable to be present on January 25th, the Annual Meeting will be livestreamed ensuring that everyone, regardless of their physical presence, can be part of this important event. A link to the event will go out closer to the meeting.

Changes in Bylaws, Amendments, and Council Minutes Now Available on the Member Portal

In preparation for the 2026 annual meeting, the changes in bylaws and amendments are now available to view on the member portal.

Once you've navigated to the member portal, click "Amendments to the model constitution for congregations 2025" or "Bylaw revisions for New Governance 2026" to view the appropriate document.

In addition to the changes and amendments, you can also view the council minutes on the member portal.

Contribute to the January Youth Offering Basket!

For the January Youth Offering Basket, we are collecting items for the Story County animal shelter. If you would like to participate, bring donations to place in our offering basket located on the Welcome Center on the Weekends. A list of what the shelter needs can be found here.

Save the Date for BINGO!

Bethesda's 4th annual Bingo party is happening Sunday, February 1 at 1:00 PM in the Commons! This activity is for ALL AGES, so grab the family and friends and come ready to mark your cards, eat snacks, connect with others and win prizes!

O.W.L.s Café Beginning February 12th

Introducing O.W.L.s CAFE: a time for members to come enjoy a snack and drinks while visiting with others from 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM. Join us to catch up with old friends and make new ones. We will also have an optional book and jigsaw puzzle exchange. Bring a book and/or puzzle you would like to exchange for a different book or puzzle. Feel free to come for a few minutes or stay the full 90 minutes. Hope to see you on February 12 in the Commons. No sign up required.

Calling All Chili Chefs...

Heat up the season with friendly competition with our annual Chili Cook-Off with Beer & Hymns on Tuesday, February 17th from 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM at Torrent Brewing Company.

Enter the competition here or sign up at the Welcome Center on the weekend!

Whether you're competing or eating, ALL are encouraged to attend this year's event and vote for your favorite dish using cash. All donations received will be given to the Ames Community School District's Lunch Hero program — make sure to bring plenty of cash to vote for your favorite dish!

After you've had your fill of chili, raise your voices, and your glasses, for a Mardi Gras Beer & Hymns sing-along led by the pastors! We hope you can join us for this exciting event!

VBS Needs Your Lights!

Our Vacation Bible School Theme is Illuminate! Before you pack away (or give away) any working Christmas lights, we could use them this summer, or if you would like to pick up a few clearance boxes to donate, we'd appreciate those, too!

Drop off donations (label items you're lending and will want back) to the office or contact Nancy Ewing newing@bethesdaames.org.

Help with Living Water Wednesday Meals: Host or Volunteer!

The Living Water Wednesday Meal needs you! Host or volunteer for a meal! Hosts manage the meal while volunteers help with preparation, serving, and cleanup.

Volunteers should arrive by 4:30 PM, and cleanup helpers stay until around 6:00 PM.

If you can assist with any meals you can click here to sign up or contact Sandi Philips at sandi1707@aol.com to sign up or with questions.

Support Our Youth (by donating for activities!)

Help make SPLASH Children's Church January activities possible! A list of items needed can be found by clicking this link or on the donation board in the Welcome Center.

For one activity in January, we need old newspapers (as many as you want to donate). You can drop donations off in the office.

DOWNLOAD NOW: Church by MinistryOne!

Bringing the church directory with you just got even easier! We're thrilled to introduce our Beta phase of a new mobile app, Church by MinistryOne, that will not only replace the ShelbyNext mobile app but also bring a host of exciting new features and improvements! Click here to learn how to download the new app!

Why are we changing apps?

MinistryOne brands will no longer be supporting the ShelbyNext mobile app. The ShelbyNext app will still be available to use, it will just not be getting updated.

What about ShelbyNext Web?

ShelbyNext Web will remain accessible on desktop or laptop computers and will still be supported. This change does not affect ShelbyNext Web.

What will I be able to do on this new app?

The new mobile app, Church by MinistryOne, offers a wide range of features. You can view the church directory (and actually see the profile photos of other congregation members), manage your ShelbyNext profile, set up contributions, sign up for volunteer opportunities, and even watch past worship services, among other things. It's a comprehensive tool designed to enhance your church experience.

If you have issues with the new app, please contact the office.

Give a Gift Online

Don't carry cash or checks? You can set up a recurring or one-time gift to Bethesda online. You can also donate to organizations like LSI or Global Refuge through Bethesda by selecting "other" on our giving form.