Introduction to Presiding Pastor for this upcoming Sunday, Rev. Dr. Nancy Wright

Pastor Nancy Wright, “is a pastor, community organizer and spiritual director. She organized the congregation she served previously, Ascension Lutheran Church, South Burlington, VT into a watershed stewardship congregation, publishing a Watershed Stewardship Manual (//www.vtipl.org/resources). She has published articles on water, environmental justice, and spirituality. She is coordinator of the New England Synod’s Green Team.”

You Scream, I Scream, We All Scream For...

The annual Ice Cream Social is this Sunday, August 27th at 4:00 pm.

Bethesda's annual neighborhood ice cream social brings new students, new neighbors, and old friends for an afternoon.

Bethesda House Residents will scoop. A jazz ensemble will entertain. There are likely to be games for children of all ages.

Volunteers are invited to set-up and clean up. You are invited to bring cookies or dessert bars to share. Look for additional information in the next week.

Plan to wear your Bethesda t-shirt. And if you need a t-shirt, they are assorted by size in the BLC Narthex. Grab one that fits you!

Former Vicar, Kurt, Is Getting Ordained at BLC!

Show your love to Kurt by volunteering at his ordination. We are currently looking for two acolytes, one altar guild volunteers, two ushers, help with reception set-up/cleanup, folks to bake/bring goodies, and help serving.

Fall Fantastic Feast

Fall Fantastic Feast is Sunday, September 10 beginning with 9:30 am worship and followed by a cookout and potluck outdoors (weather permitting)

New England Synod Bishop Jim Hazelwood will be our guest and preacher for this year's Fall Fantastic Feast. On that Sunday, we will offer blessing for new staff and Bethesda's ministries.

Following worship, we will eat a shared meal with grilled items at Bethesda's paved circles. You are invited to bring food to share.

Volunteers are invited to set-up and clean up, staff the tables of food, and work the grill.

Blessing of Backpacks and for the New School Year Sunday, August 27 and September 3 during Worship

Bring your selves, your backpacks, your computer, or a sign of your involvement in education. At the end of worship, blessings for a new school year will be offered for students, teachers, and staff of various kinds for all types of schools.

"Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers"

Matthew 13:30

Bethesda’s Giving Garden needs harvesters and help delivering produce to CCA.

Thanks to Richard and Dianne for their help last week.

Please help if you can.

Eleanor is Back and Says Thank You!

See her letter here

We Need Volunteers for August

Email administrative assistant, Tyler Fair ([email protected]) to volunteer for needed roles!

The following roles need filled for August 27th: one reader, two ushers, one teller

Any Prayer Requests?

Any pressing prayer requests you want to offer to the community? These can include travel, health, celebrations, etc. Please email those to [email protected].

In addition, take a look at the prayers below. If any of those need changed feel free to send those updates to Tyler too!

Education Hour for all ages resumes Sunday, September 17, from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon on Sunday morning

Bethesda Bible Study Details

The Bethesda Bible study meets every other Wednesday from 8AM to 9AM.

We will be meeting on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 8 AM to finish discussing Act of the Apostles along with NT Wright's Acts.

After that, we will be studying Paul's Letter to the Romans, along with the associated chapters in N.T. Wright's Romans.

Weekly Zoom link for meeting: https://yale.zoom.us/j/96108886279

Ministry at Bethesda

For pastoral care, please reach out to Elaine Ramshaw, congregation council president [email protected], (203)747-1343

Deacon Jeff Hazewinkel will also be available after July 16th at (219)929-8684.

For other needs, reach out to Bethesda's administrator, Leigh Cromey [email protected] or (203)787-2346.

Prayer Requests

For healing and strength: Rebecca Lerud; Jack Hayward, family member of Miles Kirschner, who recently had neck surgery; John Ferreira, nephew of Chris Couture; George Arndt, father of Lynn Arezzini; Marie Gray; Sonja Krummrey; Maureen Anderson; Shirley Farm; Anne and Lee Keck; Kay Leone; Molly Dinneen; Matthew H., cousin of Tyler Fair

Prayers of gratitude and celebration for former vicar, Kurt Saenger-Heyl, who was called on July 30th to be the pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Centerbrook, Connecticut.

Celebration of baptism for Lily Micale, which took place on August 28, 2010.

For our partners in the Gospel: the congregations and schools of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) and LuMin Campus Ministry; for Bethesda House and Yale Divinity School students.

For our Ecumenical Partners Worldwide: We pray for Liberia and Sierra Leone. The Ecumenical Prayer Cycle takes us through every region of the world over the course of a year.

For Bethesda New Haven: that God continues to guide us into the future with ministries of witness, service, hospitality, and care while building up our community in all its diversity.

For those in candidacy or seeking candidacy for rostered leadership in the ELCA: Natalie Benson, Tyler Fair, Calli Micale, Tim Bergeland

For Bethesda members traveling over the summer: Maggie Astrup and Max Marmor spending time in Minnesota and Austria through August; Ike Harijanto who will be in Germany until the end of 2023.