Blessed New Year, Bethesda!
I’m writing this in a haze of holiday activity, when all other matters can “wait until after Christmas.” So, I’m pretending it’s now January 1st and the Oregon Ducks have successfully dispatched their first playoff opponent! For starters, thank you, Bethesda, for a...
His Gospel is Peace: The Advent of Christ and the End of Fear
Grace and Peace, Bethesda! Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His Gospel is Peace | Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brothers; And in His name, all oppression shall cease —”O Holy Night” Third Stanza The law of Christ is love, as...
Happy Reformation Month, Bethesda! Check Out These Christian Podcasts and Resources.
Happy Reformation Month, Bethesda! We are proud to be part of the Protestant heritage of Martin Luther and his many partners in the gospel. Their efforts helped clear many theological and institutional obstacles to the mercy of Christ for you! We continue this work,...
Cratered Into Christ
Grace and Peace, Bethesda! I pray your summer has been safe, relaxing and filled with blessings from God. I love the opportunity to go out of town with Bethesda youth, families and friends. It’s such a gift to break routines in order to fill our ordinary days with...
August Gift – A Message from Pastor Tom
Grace and Peace, Bethesda! August is a funny month to me. On the plus side, the weather is fantastic, anticipation for football season is building, and Paul Jorgensen and I get to celebrate our birthday on the 14th! On the downside, however, is the feeling of summer...
Charting a New Course | Month 10 | Filling In The Map
Grace and Peace, Bethesda! What a great day we shared on May 19, welcoming four teenagers to the waters of baptism and, including them, 17 new members to Bethesda! Be sure to check out their bios in this newsletter. As I write this, I’m anticipating the dedication for...
Charting a New Course | Month 9 | The Family of God
Grace and Peace, Bethesda! It’s a great month to be the church! On May 4th we will welcome our neighbors for Bingo and Star Wars-themed fun. The following weekend we will celebrate mothers and women who have nurtured our lives and faith. The choir and praise band will...
Charting a New Course | Month 8 | Sailing in the Risen Son
“My own plans are made. While I can, I sail east in the Dawn Treader. When she fails me, I paddle east in my coracle. When she sinks, I shall swim east with my four paws. And when I can swim no longer, if I have not reached Aslan’s country, or shot over the edge of...
Charting a New Course | Month 7 | Salvation In The Storm
Grace and Peace, Bethesda! A blessed Lent and Easter season to you! Thus far we have heard from two of our Wednesday evening faith speakers. Ardelle Howell and Sarah Peterson shared how Jesus brought them through storms in life. Steve Hammerquist, Paul Jorgensen, and...
Charting a New Course | Month 5 | Who is this Captain? Captivated by the Christ
Grace and Peace, Bethesda! Let’s get out the telescope and gain our bearings here. We’ve sailed through a beautiful Christmas season. We’ve traversed a week of icebergs. Our next destination is the Annual Meeting, now on February 25th. Between now and then I will make...
Charting a New Course Month 3 Building Our Ship!
Grace and Peace, House of Mercy! In last month’s article, I shared our Council’s hope about October Crew Meetings. That we would be amazed at how the Holy Spirit among us “promotes the body of Christ’s growth in building itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:16). Mission...
Charting a New Course Month 2: Calling all Crew!
Grace and Peace, House of Mercy! By the time you see this, our Church Planning Council will have concluded a seven-hour visioning retreat. Our intention was to step back from the ground-level concerns of church operations and take in a wider perspective. To gain...