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Dear Bethesda family,
I am pleased to announce that I have appointed the Rev. Thomas Morris as our new Associate for Outreach and Development, he has accepted, and the Bishop has agreed. Our search process was comprehensive and offered a strong pool of candidates. We did an initial screen of resumes, followed by video conference interviews with selected applicants and the participation of our Senior Warden and Associates. We asked three of those interviewees to come down here for visits and, while making the arrangements for those visits, we spoke with references for each candidate. We spoke not only to references that they provided but also to other contacts as well. When our finalists visited, vestry, staff, and ministry leaders had the opportunity to share with the candidates their hopes for Bethesda and to get to know the candidates. Through all of this, Father Thomas demonstrated both his tremendous experience and his heart for ministry. His selection represents both my judgment and the consensus of those who participated in interviews as to who will best fit with our team and who can most effectively lead our critical stewardship and outreach efforts.
Father Thomas will begin his work here on August 1. He and his wife, Hadley, are already making arrangements for their move and getting their son ready for his school year at St. Andrew's-Sewanee School in Tennessee. We plan to formally welcome the Morris family and induct Thomas into this ministry on September 10 (though we're still finalizing those plans). In the meantime, I trust you will all welcome them to our parish family and offer your support and assistance to help them settle in and to help him get started in this exciting ministry.
Father James+
Rector
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The Reverend Thomas Morris 
Approaching twenty years of ordained ministry and a decade of lay ministry Father Morris comes to Bethesda with a range of experience serving Episcopal churches and organizations. He has served as a school Chaplain in the diocese of Texas, an Assistant Chaplain at Sewanee, a parish priest in the dioceses of Atlanta and Western Northern Carolina, Executive Director at St. Mary's Sewanee: Ayres Center for Spiritual Development, and most recently a development consultant partnering with non-profits to expand their capacity to fulfill their mission.
Throughout his ministry, Father Morris has successfully created new programs and increased participation for meaningful engagement through a variety of outreach opportunities, raised annual giving significantly, and accomplished successful capital campaigns. He understands the dynamic and challenging environment of stewardship and enjoys working with volunteers to develop effective giving strategies that ensure the Church's ability to realize its mission of "restoring all people to unity with God and each other in Christ."
His passion for ministry begins in the very human stories of the scriptures and how week by week, year by year all who encounter them are inspired, challenged, and called to grow in the love and knowledge of God. Father Morris believes in the power of community, especially Christian community, to connect people, one to another, and through those connections engage the vast resources of a parish, like Bethesda, and mobilize them toward realizing their full potential toward bringing the love of God to the world.
With many years of diverse experience Father Morris is eager and ready to offer his skills and gifts as Associate for Outreach and Development, bringing together his interests in stewardship, outreach, program development, and volunteer engagement. For Father Morris, the good news of the Gospel is a simple matter, God is real, freely offers love, is with us in all of life, and shows us how to live through Christ. Following Jesus is not always so simple, but mercy and grace abound, despite our human frailty and failings.
Thomas, his wife Hadley, and 16 year-old son Jack are eager to become a part of the Bethesda family and Palm Beach community. All three love the ocean and the tropical beauty that South Florida offers. As a family they enjoy travel, good food, and live music. Accompanying the Morris's to Palm Beach is their canine companion Watson. In addition to work and family Father Morris is a decent tennis player and enjoys USTA league play, listening to all kinds of music, reading three books at a time, and streaming the latest season of
House of Cards or
Ray Donovan.
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A note from Father Thomas
Greetings,
When I became aware of your search for an Associate for Outreach and Development and read the position description, my heart immediately jumped with excitement. If someone asked me to write how I would like to serve the Church in this season of my vocation it would be the responsibilities and duties of the Associate for Outreach and Development at the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea. From that moment, I felt drawn to offer my experience, skills, and gifts in service to the ministry of Bethesda. By the grace of God, diligent mutual discernment and the invitation by your good rector, I am now able to say it is to this place and this work that I am being called.
During our visit to Bethesda and Palm Beach in June Hadley, Jack, and I immediately sensed the holiness of the church and grounds, the generosity of spirit of the many lay leaders and parishioners we met and the dedication and vision of Father James, Father Burl, Hal, Fred, and the entire church staff. We are eager to join you in ministry and spiritual companionship. In the coming months, we look forward to meeting you and becoming a part of this vibrant Christian community.
It is clear that it is an exciting time at Bethesda. I look forward to working with Father James, the Associates and staff, the Vestry, and in particular all who are involved in the ministries of stewardship and outreach. I am confident that together we will expand Bethesda's capacity to serve others and discover more fully the joy and freedom of generosity.
I am honored to become a part of the more than one hundred and twenty-five-year history of Bethesda-by-the-Sea. The significance and influence of Bethesda on Palm Beach and surrounding communities, the history, the buildings and grounds, the multitude of present day ministries, and the promise of a vibrant future are priceless. Over the coming years, I look forward to serving with you as together, with God's help, we seek to build the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea for the next one hundred twenty-five years.
Father Thomas+
Associate for Outreach and Development
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*8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist
8:45 a.m. Coffee Hour, Parish Hall
9:00 a.m. Summer Choir, Choir Room
*#10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist and Healing
11:15 a.m.
Coffee Hour, Parish Hall
PARKING: Persons attending Sunday services will be allowed to park on ALL of Barton Avenue and Pendleton Avenue
without receiving a ticket
until 12:30 p.m.
* nursery care for infants through age 3 is
available from 7:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
# service will be live-streamed
here
Click here to view the service leaflet for this Sunday.
Click here to view this week's Bethesda Happenings.
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Summertime Luncheon
Thursday, July 20 | 12:00 p.m. | Parish Hall
Our first Summertime Luncheon will be a special homecoming at Bethesda--turning the Parish Hall into our own fancy restaurant. We will have a delicious 3-course meal presented in an elegant, welcoming environment with the Bethesda staff to serve you. For the day, it will be one of the best restaurants in Palm Beach!
First Course
Mixed field greens with crumbled goat cheese, dried cranberries, roasted beets, and candied pecans dressed with balsamic vinaigrette
Second Course
Roasted herb breadcrumb encrusted
pork tenderloin with demi glacé
and/or
Grilled ginger-honey glazed salmon with fresh mango salsa
with
Oven roasted potatoes with fresh rosemary and garlic
and oven roasted vegetables
Third Course
New York style cheesecake with blackberry compote
Strawberry shortcake with pound cake and freshly whipped cream
Bread pudding with chocolate chips and walnuts served
with crème anglaise
The cost is $25, payable at the door. You may sign up this Sunday or by calling Ayana at (561) 655-4554.
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This Sunday's Readings in Context
Parishioner Tom O'Brien, a Canon and Examining Chaplain for Scripture of this diocese, writes brief background descriptions of the Sunday readings. We thank Tom for sharing his learning and love of Scripture with us in this way.
During the 2017 Pentecost Season, alternative readings from the Hebrew Bible are offered. Scripture in Context will discuss both readings and the reading from the Christian Scriptures.
Genesis 25:19-34
Today's reading comes after the burial of Abraham by his sons Ishmael and Isaac, and a list of the 12 tribes descended from Ishmael residing in the deserts on both sides of the Red Sea.
The birth of Jacob and Esau is an etiology, a story of origins (in Greek, "etio" means a beginning and "logo" is a story). An anthropomorphic (humanlike) YHWH tells Rebekah she has two nations in her womb (v.23). Jacob (whose name means "supplanter") will become the father of the 12 tribes of Israel, and Esau (whose name means "red") will be the father of the Edomites, traditional enemies of Israel.
In the story, the younger son Jacob buys Esau's "birthright" (blessing, family leadership and a double share of inheritance when Isaac dies) for a bowl of stew. Esau is presented as dull-witted, willing to give up his birthright because he is hungry. This is a slap at the Edomites whom Israel dominated during the reigns of David and Solomon (1005-930 BCE), and who pillaged Jerusalem during the middle years of the Babylonian Exile (587-539 BCE).
Isaiah 55:10-13
The Book of Isaiah is a composite of writings from three distinct periods in Israel's history. Chapters 1-39 are called "First Isaiah" and were written by "Isaiah of Jerusalem" in the 20 years before Jerusalem was under direct siege by the Assyrians in 701 BCE. "Second Isaiah" is Chapters 40 to 55 and brings hope to the Judeans during the time of the Exile in Babylon (587 to 539 BCE) by telling them they have suffered enough and will return to Jerusalem. "Third Isaiah" is Chapters 56 to 66 and gives encouragement to the Judeans who returned to Jerusalem after the Exile.
Today's reading is the closing verses of Second Isaiah. It emphasizes the effectiveness of YHWH's word (v.11) and the joy the people will experience (v.12) when the Exile ends with the conquest of the Babylonians by Cyrus the Great of Persia in 539 BCE and the Return to Jerusalem.
Romans 8:1-11
Paul's letter to the Romans is his longest, last and most complex letter. It was written in the late 50s or early 60s (CE) - about ten years before the first Gospel (Mark) was written.
Today's reading continues Paul's extended discussion of law, sin, the flesh, and the Spirit. For Paul, "the flesh" is our human tendency towards self-centeredness and self-interest. "Sin" is our personal egoism that leads to "death" (both spiritual and physical). (Paul takes literally the story of Adam's disobedience as the cause of human mortality.) Life in the Spirit leads to wholeness and Eternal Life. Paul uses "law" in diverse ways - in some places, it means the Jewish Law, but in other contexts it means a "way of living" as in "the law of the Spirit in the life of Christ Jesus" and "the law of sin and death" (v.2).
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141 South County Road · Palm Beach, FL 33480
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Bethesda's Mission is to experience the clear and strong presence of God and to understand and spread Christ's teachings through collective worship, learning, and service.
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Summer Choir
There's no need to be a professional singer; all you need is a pleasant voice and some basic music-reading ability. Rehearsals begin in the Choir Room
promptly at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings as the choir prepares music for the 10:00 a.m. service. This choir continues through the second Sunday of September. Please join us when you can!
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Our office hours will be
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday through Thursday and
9:00 a.m. to noon on Fridays
(church and grounds will remain open until 5:00 p.m.).
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Save Your Samples
As you travel, remember to save the small soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, etc. found in your hotel room. Every year Bethesda's Port Ministry arranges a 200+ gift bags for sailors who are at sea on Christmas Day. We will be collecting your items in fall.
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We pray for...
Alex, Andy, Angela, Ann Marie, Ann, Annie, Ava, Betty, Bill, Bob, Brooklyn, Caroline, Chris, Cindy, Claudia, Debbie, Devon, Don, Edward, Ellen, Eric, Evan, Feldeisen Family, Fritz, Geraldine, Greg, Grier, Holly, Jack, Jane, Jerry, John, Justin, Kehs Family, Kellie, Kimberly, Laniyah, Leigh, Lesley, Linda, Marcia, Mariette, Mary, Mat, Matthew, Mitchell, Monique, Pat, Patricia, Patti, Paulette, Peggy, Phyllis, Pineiro Family, Ralph, Rebecca, Renée, Reynolds Family, Richard, Ricky, Robert, Saliyah, Sandra, Sharon, Stephen, Stuart, Sylvia, Tamara, Taryn, Thomas, Trish, Ward, William,
and those serving our country...
Benjamin, Clara, Erik, Harold, Herbert, John, Michael, Sean, and Tommy.
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