Sunday Worship

8:30 Bethesda

11:00 Immanuel

Contact:

Pastor Connie Monson

678-360-6089

connie.monson@gmail.com

Parish Office:

715-779-5611

bethesdachurchbayfield@gmail.com

Immanuel:

715-742-3440

Links

Bethesda/Immanuel Website



Bethesda FACEBOOK 

Immanuel FACEBOOK 

We pray for those afflicted by war, oppression, or violence of any kind.

 Greetings!

From the Pastor

Luke 17:16-19

16 He prostrated himself at Jesus’s feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? So where are the other nine? 18 Did none of them return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”

Dear siblings in Christ, 

As we’ve moved through these last weeks of Year C in Luke, a central preoccupation of the texts has been the quandary of faith. “Increase our faith!” cry the disciples in Luke 17:5, and Jesus’ response is “If you had faith as tiny as a mustard seed. . . .” Our post-Enlightenment world has made it very easy to be skeptical, and indeed skepticism is a helpful tool in the sea of untruths and half-truths we find ourselves swimming in these days. But I think most of us would like to have more faith of the kind Jesus is talking about. At least I do.

The story of the ten men with a skin disease (lepers, the Bible calls them, although in the ancient world the term leprosy encompassed any number of skin diseases) is an interesting study of faith and where it comes from. Picture the kind of person your news feed is most likely to frame as ungrateful. Maybe that’s a tech billionaire or maybe it’s a person accessing government benefits or maybe a “Karen” whose entitled behavior gets entry-level workers into undeserved trouble. Make sure you look them in the imaginary eye. Because that is the one person who turns around and thanks Jesus for the healing. The outsider. The apostate. The one we like to beat up on in our heads, and sometimes in our conversations.

But whatever his failings, real or imputed, the man turns around, falls to the ground, and thanks Jesus in all humility. Matthew Myer Boulton drolly calls this story “Thanking is Believing.” Someone who has truly received healing finds it hard to be skeptical of the mechanism of healing. Gratitude unchains us from our unbelief. And I think this is a real key to faith: that in exploring and sharpening our practice of gratitude, faith and trust necessarily follow.

Did the sun rise this morning? Are the leaves bright on the trees (and lawns)? Is there help I can offer to someone in my life? Whatever my failings, all of these are reasons for me to give thanks to my Creator, and in giving thanks to deepen my hope and trust that all shall be well, all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. Happy Thanksgiving.

In faith, 

Pastor Connie

Reconciling in Christ Statement

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

We welcome YOU to Bethesda and Immanuel to participate fully in our congregational life. You who may have experienced exclusion, injustice or racial inequity; You who are young, old, rich, poor; You of all abilities; You from all nations and ethnic backgrounds; You of all sexual orientations, gender identities or gender expression.

We are committed to racial equity, economic equity, gender equity, sexual equity. We are committed to learn, celebrate, advocate and welcome everyone through a series of forums and educational opportunities. May we grow in acceptance and become a voice for inclusion, equity and justice.

No matter where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.

Daylight Saving Time will end on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at 2:00 a.m., when clocks will "fall back" one hour.

SAVE THE DATE!!

Last year was the first annual Bethesda Christmas Decorating event. Combined with a soup supper, many gathered to welcome Advent and prepare the church for the festival of Christmas! On Wednesday, December 3, we will once again gather at 4:00 to break off into small groups to decorate Bethesda for the season. Once complete, we will have some hearty soup and conversation, followed by a carol sing in the darkened, decorated sanctuary.

Zoom Bible Study

Join us for weekly Bible study on Tuesdays at 2 pm. We will be at Immanuel and on Zoom. Since the readings are new every week, feel free to drop in or out as you are able.

Topic: Tuesday Bible Study

Time: 2:00 Central Time (US and Canada)

To join Zoom meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81000510562?pwd=HdJLF2gxH7m2JZcT2FujgrYOYZKr1O.1

Meeting ID:  810 0051 0562

Password: 615053



If you know of someone who could use some sunshine or a thank you please let Sharon Bestul at bestulshack@gmail.com or 715-828-0455 know.

Other Immanuel Sunshine spreaders are Al Reedy, Yvette Fleming and Charlotte Calhoun.

Thank you, Linda Schneider, for the lovely table decorations in the Bethesda fellowship hall.

The BRICK’s Food Shelf Program focuses on providing a wide variety of food options in a range of forms (canned, frozen, fresh) to program participants.  Yet we want to offer more than food.  Hygiene products are essential to so many of our pantry shoppers. Throughout November The BRICK is asking for donations of soap, bodywash, and lotion.  These are items that our pantry shoppers need to stay healthy. Since many hygiene and cleaning items don’t expire, The BRICK isn’t able to “rescue” them from local retailers.  At the end of the month, please connect with our Food Shelf Manager Amaris Shrider to drop off your donation. Reach her by phone at 715-682-7425 ext. 3 or email at foodshelfmanager@thebrickministries.org. Thank you for your support!

Council Meetings

November 19, 2025

Immanuel Council 6:00

Bethesda Council 7:00

October Draft Immanuel Council Minutes

October Draft Joint Council Minutes

October Draft Bethesda Council Minutes

Monday Book Club

See our website or the link above for the Zoom link

Meeting ID: 851 3905 2851

Passcode: 467574

Dial by your location

    +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

We are currently reading "Beyond Belief" by Elaine Pagels.

Questions? Call Leanne 715.742.3553

South Shore Quilters

Mondays 9:00 am - Noon at Immanuel

Wednesdays 9:00 am - Noon at Immanuel

The mission-quilt group at Immanuel is always in need of donations of clean usable bed sheets--preferably flat sheets--which we use as backing for the quilts, spools of thread (whether full or not) and fabric.

The Knit Wits

Knitting & Crocheting at Cornucopia Coffee Shop

Fridays 1:00 - 4:00

Immanuel has a painting group that meets on the second and fourth Thursday of the month, 10:00 - 12:00.