BETHEL WEEKLY NEWS

CHILDREN ARE

WELCOMED AT BETHEL!

Parents will find bags of soft

toys for children at the en-

trance to the worship areas.

Thank you for doing what you

can to help in creating a wor-

ship environment where all

can participate by keeping

distracting noise and move-

ment to a minimum. If you

prefer, a nursery is available

Sunday mornings at the

Highlands campus (9:30 am).

THANKS FOR YOUR GREAT WORK LAST WEDNESDAY! A great big THANK YOU to so many of you who helped with our Lenten services this past Wednesday! We appreciate: Peter and Afton Eisch who led the Holden Evening Prayer, Missy Austreng, Linda James and Jodi Eisch who shared our Lenten skit, (and Edith Lampman, our director), our 8th grade students and parents who served our Lenten Supper, plus our ushers, greeters, and projectionists. It was a real team effort and a job well done, friends! Thanks so much!!!

INTERESTED IN HELPING TO PLAN BETHEL’S EARTH DAY? Are you interested in helping to plan Bethel's Earth Day focus this year? Our celebration will be the weekend of April 16/17th. Anyone interested is in-vited to join Pastor Alicia at 11am this Sunday, February 21st, at the west end of the Highlands campus. See you then and there! If you are interested in being involved but can't make the meeting, email Pastor Alicia.

LENTEN SERIES CONTINUES WITH “QUIET ANGELS” Our five-week Lenten drama series “LIFE IN GOD’S FAMILY” continues this Wednesday, February 24th. Services are held at the Highlands campus at 5pm and 7pm. These are very special times and services here at Bethel . . . Don’t miss them! Thanks to our drama team this week: Marcie Andrews, Bill Alms, Allyson Loewe,

Chuck Boeder, Afton Eisch, Mitch Lewis, and director, Edith Lampman, and to our musical guests, Paul Gavic and Tracey Jenkinson. LENTEN SUPPERS Please join us for a supper each Wednesday during Lent at the Highlands campus from 5:45pm-7pm. Cost: $5 per person/$20 per family. Menu for 2/24: Sgt. Peppers (baked ziti with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese with Italian meatballs, fresh baked garlic rolls and Caesar salad).

SPOTS AVAILABLE FOR WOMEN’S JOURNEY RETREAT Space is filling up for the Christian Women's Journey retreat but there are still spots available. Go to bethelhudson.org to sign up today! The retreat will be held April 29th-May 1st at the beauti-ful Heartwood Conference and Retreat Center. The cost is $185 including all meals and lodging. Thanks to the Women of Bethel and Endowment Fund, we have scholarships available. Talk to

Pastor Alicia if you are interested! You do not need to be a Bethel member to attend. Please feel free to invite friends and family!

BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH ONE CONGREGATION—TWO LOCATIONS

FEBRUARY 21, 2016

WELCOME TO WORSHIP AT

BETHEL!

Bethel believes that God is at

work in our life together to

transform and renew the

world by making followers of

Jesus. You are welcome to

be a part of this community of

those who celebrate the for-

giveness and hope that are

God’s gifts to imperfect peo-

ple through Jesus Christ, to

grow in your faith, and to join

in serving human need in his

name. The people and pas-

tors of Bethel look forward to

sharing your life-journey in any

way that is helpful to you. If

you are a visitor to this beauti-

ful area, we hope your visit

was refreshing; your travels

are safe, and your homecom-

ing joyful. If you’d like more

information about Bethel,

please stop by our welcome

center or speak to a pastor.

BETHEL’S VISION FOR MISSION

To WELCOME all people to

know Jesus Christ and come

to faith in him. To provide the

means for growth for Chris-

tian maturity, EQUIPPING peo-

ple with the power of faith in

Christ for everyday life. To

challenge each member to

take a personal share of

God’s mission, SENDING them

to bring Christ’s compassion,

hope and joy into the world,

our communities and homes.

ONE CONGREGATION—

TWO LOCATIONS 715.386.8821

bethel@bethelhudson.org

www.bethelhudson.org

DOWNTOWN CAMPUS 920 Third Street

Hudson, WI 54016

(Administrative Office)

Office Hours:

M-F: 8:30 am-4:30 pm

Sunday: 8 am-10 am

HIGHLANDS CAMPUS 504 Frontage Road

Hudson, WI 54016

BETHEL’S PASTORAL STAFF John Lestock, Senior Pastor

Alicia Hilding, Assoc. Pastor

Ben Hilding, Assoc. Pastor

Bob Bipes, Visitation Pastor

BETHEL HIGHLANDS PRESCHOOL 504 Frontage Road

Hudson, WI 54016

715.381.8254, ext. 401

Kari Jo Fore, Director www.bethelhighlandspreschool.org

B E T H E L H A P P E N I N G S

AN UPDATE FROM PASTOR BOB I want to give you an update on my cancer treatment. I have stopped chemo therapy because my system could not tolerate it. I have had five treatments of two kinds of chemo. The oncologist says it will have killed any cancer cells in the blood stream. The question is if any cells have settled somewhere else and are growing. We will do a scan in late May to see if anything shows up. Until then it is wait and see.

I want to thank all who are praying for me, and all who have sent cards, emails and personal well wishes. Keep praying that there is no cancer left in my body. That would be the best news of all. Thank you so much for your continuing support. ~ Pastor Bob COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS Many folks have been following the Community Engagement Process re-garding secondary space needs in the Hudson School District. Informational meetings regarding the April 5 bond referendum questions are being held at the Phipps on Feb. 22 at 8am, the Middle School on March 3 at 6:30pm and at the High School on March 24 at 6:30pm. If those dates and times don’t work for you, a condensed version with Q & A will be held next Sunday, Feb. 28 following the 8am service at Bethel’s Downtown campus (Engedi room) and at 10:30am at the Highlands campus (children’s theater). All are welcome to learn about the projects being proposed and to ask questions. BECAUSE SOME OF YOU HAVE ASKED . . . Some have asked from time to time when they might get a chance to hear Pastor John’s band play again. For those interested, “Hot Under the Col-lar” will be doing a concert series, raising dollars for the Steele County Food Shelf, Friday through Sunday, March 4-6 at the Little Theatre of Owa-tonna, Minnesota. Shows are Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 3pm and 7pm, and Sunday at 1:30pm. Admission is a free will cash offering, or a dona-tion of non-perishable foods. (Please contact Pastor John if you need di-rections or further details.) NOTE ABOUT PRAYER REQUESTS We have prayer request forms available each week on our Bethel Communication Cards. If you would like to submit a prayer request, please fill one out and place it in the offering baskets/plates. Here are Bethel, we want to honor your request to either keep your prayer request within the pastoral care staff only or to share them with the pastoral care staff and the congregation. Please be sure to fill out the front of the communication card when submitting a prayer request. If we do not know who the request came from, we don't know whether we have permission from the individual or close family mem-ber. Please note that if we do not have permission, we cannot print a prayer request publicly. Thank you for helping us in this way.

F A I T H F O R M A T I O N

FAITH FORMATION UPDATES SUNDAY SCHOOL This week Sunday School students continue to learn about God’s love. The Point: God wants us to care for others. The Story: The parable of the Good Samaritan. The Verse: Luke 10:25-37

WEDNESDAY NIGHT LESSONS

6th & 7th Grades—attend Lenten worship 8th & 9th Grades—attend Lenten worship

CONFIRMATION Have you noticed the youthful worship assistants at the 9:30am Highlands service? This year, the Confirmation students have a new community en-gagement commitment in which they are an active part of worship and learn to give back while still young. This commitment is met in one of three ways:

1. Acolyte Team – serving as an acolyte at the 8am or 11am services and holiday services as well.

2. Worship Support Team - serving as a worship assistant such as a greeter, usher or communion assistant at the 9:30am worship.

3. Teaching Team – assisting with Sunday School or the 6th & 7th Grade classes on Wednesday night.

Four months into the school year, the students are learning they are a valu-able component to making worship possible, enriching and engaging for all. Be sure to welcome and encourage them in their important roles!

BETHEL YOUTH STAFF Pastor Ben Hilding, Pastor of Youth and Family Jean Elliott, Director of Youth Ministry (Confirmation & Senior League) Cindy Halunen, Director of Faith Formation (Sunday School and 6th & 7th Grade Faith Formation) Missy Austreng, Coordinator of Faith Milestones Marcie Andrews, Youth Ministry Communications Assistant

FAITH MILESTONES

FEBRUARY—1ST GRADE:

THE LORD’S PRAYER

On February 14 and 21, 1st

graders will hear and see how

Jesus gets excited when we

pray, that he gave us this

prayer as a way to talk to him

and what this prayer is all

about. These students will

meet with Missy Austreng in

classroom 6 during the Sun-

day school hour on those Sun-

days. This Faith Milestone will

be celebrated with a special

blessing during worship next Sunday, February 28, 9:30am

at Highlands.

MARCH—3RD GRADE:

FIRST COMMUNION

Third grade students will pre-

pare for their Faith Milestone,

First Communion, in March. Classes will be held on Tues-

days, March 1 and March 15

from 6-7:15pm. The first class

is for students and the second

class will be for students AND

parents. This Faith Milestone

will be celebrated at the Maundy Thursday services on

March 24.

*** Any student 3rd grade or

older who has not yet re-

ceived their First Communion

is invited to attend these

classes. If your student would

like to participate, please

contact Missy Austreng

(missya@bethelhudson.org) to

be added to the roster.***

Sunday, 2/21 Monday, 2/22 Tuesday, 2/23 Wednesday, 2/24 Thursday, 2/25 Friday, 2/26 Saturday, 2/27

8am Worship DT 9:15am Adult Bible Cl. DT

9:30am Worship BH

9:40am Sunday Sch. BH

10:40am Chime Choir BH

11am Worship BH

11am Earth Day worship

meeting BH

12:15-3:15pm Cookie

caller pick-up DT

1pm Financial Peace

University BH

4pm Church council

retreat BH

7pm Vespers DT

9am Offering counters DT

1pm Youth Team mtg. DT

5:30pm Young Adult Bible

study BH

6:30pm Monday Funday

Activity

7pm Boy Scout #140 and

Venture Crew DT

7pm Holy Yoga/Gentle BH

8:15am Habitat for

Humanity

9am Women of Bethel

Quilters DT

7:30pm Bethel Chorale

rehearsal DT

8:30am Morning Fuel BH

8:45am Watson study

group DT

10am Staff meeting DT

1:30pm Prayer Team DT

4pm Education mtg. BH

5pm Lenten worship BH

5:45pm Lenten supper BH

6pm Mental Health Task

Force meeting BH

7pm Lenten worship BH

8pm Senior League BH

9am Women’s Bible

study BH

5:30pm Bell Ensem-

ble rehearsal BH

7pm New Song

rehearsal BH

7pm HOME meal

planning mtg. DT

Middle School ski trip departure

Middle School ski trip Tanzania Mission Trip departs 7am Men’s Bible

study DT

5:30pm Gather-

ing worship BH

P O W E R O F P R A Y E R �THOSE WHO ARE SICK OR IN NEED OF HEALING Laura Bankes, Pastor Bob Bipes, Andrea Deacon-Jones, Allen Ecker, Pat Eich, Bar-bara Erickson, Doris Fondroy, Margaret Hamann, Bill Hanson, Ken Heiser, Jean Hobart, Travis Holly, Jean Johnson, Jessica Johnson, Cheryl Klanderman, Mark Kranz, Kim Lagerstrom, Ruth Lewis, Herbert Lidtke, Dan Lindquist, Liam Loughney, Augusto Perez, Sr., Terri Pomeroy, Rosemary Riemenschneider, Dick Shager, Kay Shager, Chuck Stene, Chris Wolfgram, Valerie Woods, Jason Yndestad.

�THOSE SERVING OR DEPLOYED Jeffrey Berg, Charles Burns, Jordan Kein and Steven Moreus.

�SYMPATHY We offer our sympathies and prayers to Stacy & Jack Baehman at the death of Stacy’s mother, Julie Gulden. God bless and comfort these friends with the promise of Christ: “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.”

�HEALING MINISTRIES PRAYER Lord Master of Prayer, You are my greatest teacher. You taught us the Lord's Prayer and in that same verse shared the parable about friendship and the boldness we sometimes need in our actions. In this parable about prayer, you told us to ask, to search and to knock. Lord, I believe in this and with the help of the Holy Spirit, the power of prayer can change, in-spire, comfort, teach, and literally change lives. Lord, my most important relationship is with God the Father, You and the Holy Spirit. Help me to earnestly and faithfully be with you and weave prayer throughout my entire day. "I tell you, if friendship is not enough to make him get up to give you bread, your boldness will make him get up and give you whatever you need. So I tell you, ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be open for you. Yes, everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened." Luke 11: 8-10

TODAY’S QUOTE “Death is what takes place within us when we look upon others not as gift, blessing or stimulus but as threat, danger, competition. It is the death that comes to all who try to live by bread alone . . . It is that purposeless, empty existence devoid of genuine hu-man relationships and filled with anxiety, silence and loneliness. ~ Dorothy Soelle

WORSHIP ATTENDANCE, FEB. 13-17, 2016 • Saturday, Feb. 13: Highlands, 5:30pm—32

• Sunday, Feb. 14: Downtown, 8am—96 • Sunday, Feb. 14: Highlands, 9:30am—386; 11am—35 • Lenten worship, Feb. 17: Highlands, 5pm—337; 7pm—219

WORSHIP SUPPORT TEAMS 8 AM SUNDAY, DOWNTOWN &

11 AM SUNDAY, HIGHLANDS

Acolytes

8am Evan & Chad Peterson

11am Jack Austreng, Hannah Stich Ushers

8am Roger Pavlis, Bob Jacobson

11am Ron & Nancy Langness

Greeters

8am John & Janet Clymer

11am Jerry & Margie Ellefson

Communion Assistants

8am Karen Pavlis, Cindy Chapin

11am Ron & Nancy Langness

Welcome Center—Downtown

Darlene Ecker

Cookie Caller—Downtown

Curt Larson

Projectionist, 11 am

Brody Wollners

9:30 AM SUNDAY, HIGHLANDS

Worship Support Team *team leader(s)

*Jim & Jan Orf, Peggy Wegscheid,

Steve & Lisa Bekemeyer, Ed Quinn,

Jane Betz, James & Michelle Kulzer,

Elmer & Julie Neiderhauser,

Rick & Janet Wilson, Deb Green

Greeters

Ruth Lewis, Deb Green

Videographer

Alan Park

Projectionist

Kevin Carrier

Confirmation Students

Luke Bekemeyer, Greta Butterbrodt,

Cole Causby, Chris Harney, Andrew

Janisch, Jenna Kost, James Mosel,

Garnett Strack, Carl Tremble

Welcome Center Jane Betz

Nursery

Sarah Roach, Peyton Poling,

Lauren Chukel

Hospitality/Coffee

Bodick family

5:30 PM SATURDAY, HIGHLANDS

Projectionist

Char Trende

Ushers

Doug & Kris Barlow

BETHEL HAPPENINGS BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH

FEBRUARY 21, 2016

ASSISTING AT OUR LENTEN WORSHIP SERVICES We continue to line up worship assistants for our Lenten services. If you can help, contact our volunteer coordinator, Kathy Jeska at 715.386.8821, ext. 33 or kjeska@bethelhudson.org. Please let Kathy know which date(s) and service(s) you are available for. Thank you. CONGREGATIONAL LIFE SERVING OPPORTUNITIES There are instances when the Congregational Life Team needs extra help with providing baked goods or specific menu items for a Bethel event. Would you like to include your name on the list of providers of cookies, cupcakes, bars or pies? If so, please call Lori Jacobson (715.386.9503) or Jane Dahlin (715.386.5274) and your name will be added! Thank you! SKI RACE TO SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORS’ PLACE The second annual Our Neighbors’ Race, to support Our Neighbors’ Place Homeless shelter will take place February 27, 2016 at Kilkarney Hills Golf Course near River Falls, WI. There will be a 10K race starting at 10am and a 1 mile fun ski shortly after that. You can register in advance at http://ourneighborsplace.org/our-neighbors-race-2016-registration/. If you regis-ter by February 20th, it will cost $25/person; cost is $30/person there-after. A ski hat and meal are included with the registration. Registration on the day of the race will begin at 8:30am. PLEASE REMEMBER YOUR THRIVENT CHOICE DOLLARS® Thrivent Choice Dollars grant funds can help support organizations you care about. Don’t let your designated Choice Dollars expire. Eligible members of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans who have been designated Choice Dollars have until March 31, 2016, to direct any remaining 2015 Choice Dollars®. Help support Bethel! Call 800-THRIVENT and state “Thrivent Choice®” or go to Thrivent.com/thriventchoice.

6

BETHEL U COURSE SCHEDULED FOR APRIL

The Education Committee has invited Dr. Matthew Skin-ner to offer our next Bethel University Course after the sea-son of Lent. His topic will focus on the parables in the Bi-ble. Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, April 13th & 20th, 2016. Keep your eyes open for details as the date gets closer. CONNECT WITH US! Have you found Bethel on social media? Make sure you connect with us on our pages:

Facebook: Bethel Lutheran Church Hudson Instagram: bethelhudson Twitter: @bethel_hudson

And, don’t forget to hashtag your Bethel celebrations—let’s create a journal of our ministry happenings together! Use: #bethelhudson on all of these social media sites.

BETHEL HAPPENINGS BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH

FEBRUARY 21, 2016