February 1, 2021
Bethesda & Immanuel Lutheran Newsletter
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Sunday Worship
Mary Meierotto S.A.M.
Bethesda/Immanuel
Livestream ONLY
10:00 a.m.
or you can access after 11:00 at any time.
Contact:
Mary:
715-209-0900
715-779-3257
Ashley at
Bethesda/Immanuel
Parish Office:
715-779-5611
Immanuel:
715-742-3440
Links
Brick Ministries
Reconciling in Christ
Devotions
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Greetings!
Our Lenten Services this season will be two-fold.
1. Together we Join Bayfield Presbyterian Church, Bethesda, Christ’s Episcopal Church and Immanuel for an Ecumenical Mid-Week Lenten Service:
Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.
with Mary Oliver as our guide
Wednesdays beginning February 17,
6:00 Fellowship, 6:30 Worship
all via zoom link below.
The word “Lent” comes from and old English word for “lengthen,” and refers to the lengthening of those long-anticipated days of spring. And so if Lent is about lengthening light, it’s also about broadening our hearts and preparing the way, making room for careful attention to what matters most. As the poet Mary Oliver puts it, living well involves attention, astonishment, and testimony - and poetry itself can be a great help along the way.
With both the cross and the empty tomb approaching, the church prepares itself with forty days of fasting and reflection, all for the sake of more fully celebrating Easter’s song of spring when it comes.
2. As a family or on your own -
Breaking the Chains Devotional
Invites all of us to let words of Scripture and daily practice of liberation be our guides through this mysterious season. Words of scripture and practices will be printed for you to make a paper chain. Each day, break a link in the paper chain (purple links for the 40 days of Lent, and white links for the seven Sundays) and practice resurrection. Take part in God’s chain-breaking, art-making, world-changing grace - all the way to the joyful freedom of Easter morning!
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Meeting ID: 870 2106 0647
Passcode: 978160
Dial by your location
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
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Come to Immanuel Lutheran at 11:00-11:30 or Bethesda Lutheran at 1:00-1:30 on February 17th for a drive-thru Ash Wednesday blessing. Masks required. |
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Anything in the color blue is a clickable link |
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Bethesda Annual Meeting Notes and LSBB
Last Sunday, January 24th, we had a historic event at Bethesda Lutheran Church. We held the first, (and possibly last) VIRTUAL Annual Congregational Meeting! A quorum of our voting members met on the Zoom platform from various locations to conduct the business of voting for officers and committee members, approving our 2021 budget and other business. I personally think it went very well and all our business was concluded.
One of the new business items on the agenda was voting on approval to pursue renovating the lower level of the church with the intention of creating temporary safe and comfortable living quarters for asylum seekers. It passed with over 70% of the vote.
SAM Mary Meierotto had a good write-up in our 2020 Annual Report about LSBB, their ministry and community involvement.
With such a high level of support from our church members I feel it’s the council’s obligation to make haste in seeing how this can be accomplished. It’s time sensitive as our asylum family needs a new home in April.
Thursday, January 28th there was a walk-through of our basement to formulate ideas. Present were Paul Lundberg, our Church Council Treasurer/building maintenance, Diane Fizell, contractor/builder Bob Feyen, plumber John Meierotto, and co-chair of the LSBB group: Sandy Brue. From this we hope to have enough ideas to bring forward a plan or two.
After helping close down our childcare center in the basement I wrote in the 2016 Annual Report:
“We will continue to address the potential to use a portion of our basement for a community need or project. Any ideas are very welcome”. That year we contacted every church and community group in the area to join us in our effort but had no takers. The topic was on our Council agenda for at least another year, as we tried to make something happen.
Now in early 2021, without searching, a need comes to us.
One of my favorite sayings: Is it odd, or is it God?
Ed Metelica
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Join Us for Sunday Worship and Coffee Hour |
Please Let Us Join Together:
Coffee and Fellowship
Sunday 11:00 After Worship
Meeting ID: 229-508-663
Password: 056996 (May not need password)
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Council Meetings
February 11th
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Mutual Ministry
February 17th 7 PM
After Lenten Worship
JOY
February 10 7 PM
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Women's Gather
on Zoom
February 10 9:30 AM
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Meeting ID: 860 6837 4823
Passcode: 419919
Dial by your location
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
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Every Friday at 8 Am
Meeting ID: 838 1024 9688
Password: 365154
Dial by your location
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
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Lake Superior Bridge Builders
Every Tuesday 7PM
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Meeting ID: 812 1484 1692
Passcode: 948203
Dial by your location
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
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Holy Envy
New York Times Bestseller
The renowned and beloved New York Times bestselling author of An Altar in the World and Learning to Walk in the Dark recounts her moving discoveries of finding the sacred in unexpected places while teaching the world’s religions to undergraduates in rural Georgia, revealing how God delights in confounding our expectations.
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Barbara Brown Taylor continues her spiritual journey begun in Leaving Church of finding out what the world looks like after taking off her clergy collar. In Holy Envy, she contemplates the myriad ways other people and traditions encounter the Transcendent, both by digging deeper into those traditions herself and by seeing them through her students’ eyes as she sets off with them on field trips to monasteries, temples, and mosques.
Troubled and inspired by what she learns, Taylor returns to her own tradition for guidance, finding new meaning in old teachings that have too often been used to exclude religious strangers instead of embracing the divine challenges they present. Re-imagining some central stories from the religion she knows best, she takes heart in how often God chooses outsiders to teach insiders how out-of-bounds God really is.
“The only clear line I draw these days is this: when my religion tries to come between me and my neighbor, I will choose my neighbor…Jesus never commanded me to love my religion.” —Barbara Brown Taylor
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Fast Forward Lectionary Study -
Mondays at 1:00 PM
Beginning Jan. 18th
Meeting ID: 831 7683 0086
Passcode: 747896
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Offerings
A HUGE Thank you to all of you who are able to continue giving during this time.
*If you would like to extend your giving to either Bethesda's or Immanuel's Discretionary Accounts please designate on your check.
I am thinking the needs may be great at some point.
Immanuel:
Drop your offering off at the church in Randy Bestul's mailbox, or mail your offering to him at:
PO Box 331
Cornucopia, WI 54827
Bethesda:
Mail to:
Bethesda
P.O. Box 724
Bayfield, WI 54814
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When will we start worshiping in the church?
The Wisconsin Council of Churches suggest watching the numbers. I will try to track these for you and post them in our monthly newsletter.
Goal -
70% completed vaccinations
less than 1/100K new cases
less than 5% new positive cases
Here's where we are as of Jan 26, 2021-
1.1% fully vaccinated
34 new cases/100K people
20.6% positive tests
It looks like a long way to go, but wear your masks, social distance and have patience. We'll get there together!
Blessings, Yvonne
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Still lots of cleaning to do at both churches |
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Contact the church to sign up
715-779-5611
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Contact Leanne to sign up
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New information
is Red
If you would like to be added to the list please contact me
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Paula Lunberg
Paula will be having more surgery in her mouth Tuesday, February 2 at Mayo in Rochester. Please keep Paula and Paul in your prayers.
36705 County Highway J
Bayfield, WI 54814
Pavel, Alla, Oliver & Victoria
Prayers for our Russian family seeking asylum and all the many things that go with trying to find peace and safety.
Gene Burkel (brother of Marty)
Prayers for Gene as he remains on chemo schedule but change in dosage and drug has made him feel less wiped out.
Marty and Sheryl's email:
Bill Compton
Bill's brother Jim passed away mid January. Please keep Bill and family in your prayers.
715-779-5406
85175 Trailer Court Road
Bayfield, WI 54814
Ruthann Compton
715-209-2393
PO Box 784
Bayfield, WI
54814
Roxanne Frizzell
715-779-3968
87010 Valley Road
Bayfield, WI 54814
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Kris Anderson
Kris had a hip replacement Monday, January 25 and is doing much better. All of her pain is getting much better. Please keep Kris in your prayers.
651-927-9276
88700 Siskwit Falls Road
Cornucopia, WI 54827
Beverly Buck
715-682-8172
Court Manor
c/o Beverly Buck
911 3rd Street West
Ashland, WI 54806
Wilma Lamken
715-373-6458
702 Bratley Drive
Washburn, WI 54891
Wally and Colleen Nozal
715-742-3450
PO Box 341
Cornucopia, WI 54827
Brad Schultz
Brad has moved to his niece's home in Chippewa Falls so he can be cared for by his family. Here is his cell number and new address. He would much appreciate a phone call or card, and of course prayers.
218-349-8134
1027 Stanley Street
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
Lois Osterberg
715-742-3290
PO Box 238
Cornucopia, WI 54827
Yvette Fleming
715-742-3427
P.O. Box 225
Cornucopia, WI 54827
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Bill Peterson
Bill is struggling with Parkinson's. I (Mary) FaceTimed a video call with Bill the last week of January. It was great to see and talk with him. If you have the time he sure would appreciate a call or card and of course your prayers.
651-270-1876
Walker Methodist Care Suites
7400 York Avenue South
Edina, MN 55435
Barb Spencer
Barb is home.
Jim and Joanne Collins
Jim and Joanne are moving to New Prague MN. Jim has had MS for many years and is getting harder for him to live at home and hard for Joanne to be caretaker. Their daughter lives in New Prague. So prayers for health and prayers for their moving. They are so sad to leave Bayfield.
86360 Meyers-Olson Road
Bayfield, WI 54814
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Margaret Roemhild
715-779-3480
1011 Manypenny Avenue
Bayfield, WI 54814
Gary Slead
715-813-0059
Cornucopia, WI 54827
Mary Lang
715-779-5875
27 S 5th Street
Bayfield, WI 54814
Phillip "Tiny" Turnball
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This year we will gather online, via Zoom, to attend workshops that will highlight our theme, Justice League, and our guest presenters will share their ideas and experience in ministries that follow our call to seek justice in our communities.
Participants will have the opportunity to choose 5 total workshops throughout the day (there will be 15 total to choose from). For those who are unable to attend, or would like to see all workshops from the event, each of these will be recorded and available to view at a later time.
Below you will find workshop descriptions for each of the 15 sessions. Links to join each of these workshops will be available the week prior to the event.
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*In lieu of a registration fee, you are invited to share a financial gift with one of two ministries:
1. Neighbor to Neighbor Ministry, or
2. Covid Relief for Malawi
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Texas Border Sponsorship Forum
Texas Border Update: The First 13 Days
An online discussion for people seeking to serve their displaced neighbors.
The new administration took office on Wednesday, January 20th.
What do the new administration’s actions mean for sponsorship?
Humanitarian groups on the ground continue to serve, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to stress the existing support system and admissions are increasing. Your support is more urgent than ever. Let’s talk about:
¨ The impact of the administration’s executive orders
¨ Dispatches from Eagle Pass and Del Rio
¨ Actions in the next 87 days
If your group or congregation would like to learn more about serving through sponsorship, please join this discussion and register below.
Register Here
Tuesday, February 2nd
5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
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Native American Worship Service
Denise Sweet will be joining us February 14th this Month.
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"The Heart Of The Matter: Our lives are deeply enriched by the many loving relationships we enjoy. We are in good relation with all creation when we are motivated by love and compassion. But moving beyond the "feel-good" motivation, how much of our basic survival and resiliency is reliant on our capacity to love and care for one another? Has the pandemic era in which we all live becoming a factor in our capacity for care and concern? What compels a loving community in times of struggle?" |
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Riordan Triplet Update
In November 2019, my best friend Shylo gave birth to 3 very premature triplets.
Though the little girl Emma passed over, her two very cute brothers would like to let you know that they are happy and healthy.
Both boys have underdeveloped Immune systems so cannot have visitors from outside the home. Leo is still working to get off oxygen.
Thank you for all of your prayers. - Ashley
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Rhys December 2019 & December 2020 |
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Leo December 2019 & December 2020 |
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February Birthdays
2- Lois Osterber, Herb Japs &
Dave Judd
4- Gary Benzschawel
5- Chick Anderson,
8- Eunice Matthews
10- Jayne Norton
11- Bradley Schultz
14- Deb Powers
18- Diane Buccanero
19- Timothy Dobrovolny
22- Sandy Bodner
23- Dee Hendrickson
26- Chuck Perry & Jane Moeller
27- Myrna Northrop
28- Sherman Edwards
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Anniversaries
3- Tom & Ellen Wagner
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