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Be heLight

A Publication of Bethel Lutheran Church

A member congregation of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

7171 Pearl Rd, Middleburg Heights OH 44130

(440) 843-6663

www.gobethel.org

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fdlafjkl;fjkf Let your light shine before others so

they may see your

good works and give glory to your

Father in heaven. Matt 5:16 NRSV

In This Issue. . . Prayer Concerns………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………………3 Worship Schedule for Lent and Holy Week…………………………………………………………………………………4-5 Bethel Happenings…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6-11

Birthdays & Anniversaries…………………………………………………………………………………………………….12-13 Calendars………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….14-15

Church Office 440-843-6663

Office Hours Mon - Fri 9 AM – 1 PM

Fax Number Steven M. Krebill

Pastor

Erika Haskell Director of Music

Kathy Victor Administrative Assistant

440-843-6664 440-785-9614

216-409-9037

440-843-6663

bethelstaff@sbcglobal.net Christie Scott

M.E.E.C. Director

M.E.E.C. Office

The Congregation Reporters

440-243-6266

440-888-9922

Be heLight A Publication of Bethel Lutheran Church

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Deadline for the April 2016 BeTheLight is March 15th

The purpose of BeTheLight is to inform our members, friends and visitors of worship services and to encourage spiritual growth, Christian Education opportunities, missions and outreach, activities, fellowship events and volunteer opportunities. This newsletter is meant to be an information tool of Bethel Lutheran Church where we serve together as a family in Christ.

The BeTheLight welcomes contributions and letters. Copyrighted material (including prayers and inspirational verses) cannot be published without written permission from the author.

MISSION STATEMENT

The people of

Bethel Lutheran Church

are called by God to be

faithful to the word of God

and proclaim it to all people.

We share Christ's love

and forgiveness by being Christ's hands,

feet, arms and voice

as we gather and

as we scatter.

ONGOING PRAYER CONCERNS

PERSONS IN NEED OF HEALING

Chuck Behm, Deborah Braun, Carl Burgess, Warren Burgess, Marshall Camp, Jennifer English, Linda Hegwer, Robert Hintze, Karen Horner,

Aaron Jardina, Carl Jones, Brigitte Kern, Lynn Kostura, Joyce Larson, Cy Maszczynski, Pamela Misischia, Eric Nemerovsky, Donald O’Dell, Clifford

Riedel Jr, Mary Sollers, Janet Sopko, Pat Sterba, John Stefanik, Bob Thompson

PERSONS WHO ARE HOMEBOUND

Norm Heger~Irene Miller~

Eleanor Olschewsky~Velma Wolff

Please keep these friends in your thoughts and prayers.

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EARLY EASTER MEANS EARLY LENT

LENT BEGINS FEBRUARY 10, EASTER IS MARCH 27 Ash Wednesday Worship February 10 Our 2016 Lenten journey begins with Ash Wednesday worship on Wednesday, February 10. Services will be held at 1 PM and 7 PM and will include confession, the imposition of ashes, and Holy Communion. Wednesdays During Lent February 17, 24, March 2, 9 and 16 1 PM- Mid-week Lenten Worship using the theme “Living Lent as People of the Resurrection.” Sundays During Lent 9:45 AM "Two Roads" -Sermon series based on the Series C weekly lessons, highlighting a different “road” each week. Feb 14 THE ROAD OF TRUTH Feb 21 THE ROAD OF DANGER Feb 28 THE ROAD OF JUDGMENT Mar 6 THE ROAD BACK HOME Mar 13 THE ROAD OF ANTICIPATION Mar 20 THE ROAD OF THE CROSS

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SUNDAY OF THE PASSION – March 20 Worship at 9:45 AM Worship begins in the Gathering Place with the Procession with Palms and

continues with the Lenten theme, “Two Roads- Road to the Cross” MAUNDY THURSDAY – March 24 Worship at 1 PM and 7 PM Remembering our Lord’s command to love one another. Celebration of Holy Communion. GOOD FRIDAY – March 25 Worship at 1 PM and 7 PM

Adoration of the cross, and reading of the Passion according to St. John.

HOLY SATURDAY – March 26 Easter Vigil worship begins at 6 PM

This most ancient of liturgies celebrates our passover with Jesus from darkness to light, from death to life. It includes candle lighting, Bible stories from the Old Testament, Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, and as a highlight involves the children decorating the sanctuary with Easter flowers as we make the symbolic move from Lent to Easter.

EASTER SUNDAY – March 27

Continental Breakfast served in the Gathering Place from 8:30-9:30AM. Festival Worship Service at 9:45 AM

THE CHURCH OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY, MARCH 28.

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Tasty Fun for Everyone in March!! Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 12. We will hold our 7th annual chili and soup cook off and family fun night in the Fellowship Hall from 4 until 7 PM. There will be tastings of homemade chilies and soups for you to vote on the best, most unusual, etc. Games, kid’s activities, prizes and more will round out the evening. Tickets will be sold in the Gathering Place and at the door. Proceeds will go to support our youth programs and activities including camperships to Camp Mowana this summer. Watch for more information in the Gathering Place and News and Views! We need lots of help to make this a great evening. Can you do any of the following? · Chili or soup cooks – make your favorite recipe to share and enter the competition · Bread or dessert providers · Soup/chili servers · Games/activities coordinator or helper Contact Ed and Jane Salem @ 440.572.5235 or ejamsalem@yahoo.com or Dan and Merri Karp @ 440-891-0208 or bereafish@roadrunner.com for more information or to sign up to help.

CAMP MOWANA SUNDAY COMING ON MARCH 13 On Sunday, March 13 during LIFE Together time, we will celebrate Camp Mowana Sunday. All who are interested in hearing about this ministry for young people are invited to come to the Gathering Place to hear information, see a video, and talk to Bethel youth who have attended camp before. There might even be a special guest or two. Mark your calendar now to come to Camp Mowana Sunday on March 13.

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FIRST COMMUNION INSTRUCTION Instructions for all young people, grades 1 and above, who have not yet participated is coming in March. The meetings will be held in the Gathering Place conference room at 6:30 PM on the Wednesdays of March 2, 9 and 16. Letters of invitation have been sent to all students on our LIFE Together list. One parent or supporting adult is required to attend the meetings with their student. Please see Pastor Krebill for more information.

INTERN UPDATE All of our application materials for an intern for the 22 month period beginning August 2016 have been submitted to Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus. At the end of January, Pastor Krebill attended a two day “meet and greet” at the seminary where he met with potential candidates. Assignments will be made by the beginning of April and we will share the news as soon as we hear it from the seminary.

Interested in Learning about Membership at Bethel? Beginning Sunday, February 14, group meetings will be offered at 9am for those who are considering membership at Bethel. Visitors who have been joining us at worship and our other activities, but who have not yet made the commitment to “membership” have been invited to come for 5 meetings, which will be held in the sanctuary in the space just to the left of the altar area a you face the front of the church. Letters of invitation have been sent to all of our visitors. If somehow we missed you or you would like to know more about membership, please contact Pastor Krebill at 843-6663. At the end of the class those who wish to join this community of faith as “members” will be invited to do so on Easter Sunday, March 27.

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How "We" Can Do More, While "Spending Less" from Our Budget "We" are the one out of four Bethel members who also are members of Thrivent Financial. "Spending Less" means reducing expenses incurred with congregation fund raisers and some budgeted items. We can reduce costs by participating in Thrivent's "Action Team" program which provides a $250 VISA credit card (called a "Community Impact Card") as "seed money" for purchases and expenses for a qualifying fund raiser or service event. The person applying for the Community Impact Card must be a Thrivent member and is the team leader. Other volunteers on the team do not have to be Thrivent members. For a fund raiser, the "Community Impact Card" could help to pay for publicity, props, decorations, snacks, food, materials, and supplies. This leaves up to $250 in our budget from just one fund raiser. A few fund raisers with the Thrivent card could leave hundreds of dollars in the budget each year. For an event such as our annual outdoor spring cleaning, the VISA card would help to pay for fertilizer, seeds, mulch, gloves, and landscaping-care tools. A bonus: Volunteers setting up, working at, or disassembling a fund raiser or service event may use the "Community Impact Card" to "send out for pizza" or buy refreshments for themselves while working at the event. Thrivent's "Community Impact Card" can also be used outside Bethel with other congregations, for qualifying charities, and for qualifying community needs. Although the person applying for the Community Impact Card must be a Thrivent member, any Christian can become an Associate Thrivent member ($20) and then apply for and lead an approved "Action Team" project. The $20 Associate member fee is a wise investment, yielding as much as a $250 return. Call 1-800-THRIVENT to learn more about how you, whether a Thrivent member or a potential Associate member, can make a difference at Bethel and your community. Ask for "Action Team" when you call. Or go to www.thrivent.com and enter "Action Team" in the search box. Thrivent Financial is a Fortune 500 nonprofit financial-services organization that helps Christians be wise with money, live generously, strengthen communities, and change lives. Here's a partial list from Thrivent for fund raisers and service events: Check smoke detectors for the elderly, Build a wheelchair ramp, Hold a teddy bear drive for hospitalized children, Make tie-together fleece blankets for the homeless, Help make a house wheelchair-accessible, Clean up after a disaster, Hold a clothing drive, Hold a neighborhood food/toy/supply drive, Deliver/serve meals, Coordinate a care package drive for soldiers, Donate/assemble/distribute kits for new parents, Collect books/media for a library, Clean up a community park or highway, Hold a toy/gift/ birthday drive, Collect toiletry items for a women’s shelter, Start a gardening program to benefit a food pantry, Establish a nursing home and/or school pen-pal project, Coordinate a drive for recycling electronic devices, Chili/barbeque cook-off, Community rummage/garage sale for charity, Create and sell recipe books, Walk or run for a cause, Art show or auction, Fashion show, Book fair, Aluminum-can recycling drive, Murder-mystery dinner, Iron Chef-style cook-off, Local talent show, Mother’s/Father’s Day brunch or high tea, Concert, Sleigh rides or hay rides, Holiday craft sale/bazaar, Photos with Santa, Holiday bake sale, Wreath/candle/decoration sale, Wrap Christmas gifts for donations, Poinsettia sale, and Valentine’s Day flower/candy sale. . . . Ray Herzog

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How "We" Can "Add Money" to Bethel's Budget "We" are the one out of four Bethel members who also are members of Thrivent Financial. "Add Money" means putting dollars directly into Bethel's bank account, without costing a Thrivent member anything other than a phone call or online transaction. Here's how: With its "Thrivent Choice"® program, Thrivent Financial provides charitable grants to nonprofit organizations and churches. Through a vehicle called "Choice Dollars," eligible Thrivent members can recommend where their "Choice Dollars" go, and this includes Bethel Lutheran. "Choice Dollars" are not "seed money" for a fund raiser or event, like "Action Team" funds. Rather, these member-directed dollars go directly into Bethel's bank account. Thrivent members can call 1-800-THRIVENT to see how many Choice Dollars they have and how to direct them to Bethel. Ask for "Choice Dollars" when you call. Or go to www.thrivent.com and enter "Choice Dollars" in the search box. Thrivent Financial is a Fortune 500 nonprofit financial-services organization that helps Christians be wise with money, live generously, strengthen communities, and change lives. . . . Ray Herzog

It is MEEC Auction time! Tickets are now available for the annual MEEC Dinner

and Auction. Join us at Old Oak Bible Church on February 27, 2016 for a

“Surfin' Safari.” Old Oak Bible Church is located at 7575 Old Oak Blvd.,

Middleburg Hts. The doors will open at 5:00 p.m. and dinner will be served at

6:00 p.m. Early Bird ticket price is $35.00 per person. Tickets will be available

after church January 24th and 31

st or call the MEEC office at 440-888-9922. If you

are unable to attend, a $20.00 ticket only may be purchased for a chance to win a

door prize.

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Middleburg Heights Food Pantry

The following items are needed now and year round: ramen noodles,

skillet dinners, tuna. Your donations of other nonperishable foods

are also welcomed.

On January 10, the following persons have been elected and installed by our congregation to serve in positions of leadership in 2016 in ongoing service in their areas of ministry. Congregation Council President – Fred Sauvey Vice President – Diane Hail Secretary – Bev Riehl Treasurer – Mary-Ellen Leidy Worship – Yvonne Hoelter Witness – Laura Elewski Learning – Jackie Bailey Service – Jane Salem Support – Becky Johnson Rescola & Karl Yanuzzi MEEC Marty Cool Lois Minut Ed Salem Marilyn Sommerfield Nancy Kuder Fran Walsh (community member) Anita Holtz Merri Karp Matt Klein (community member)

Bethel Soap Box Ministry Thank you to our generous donors in 2015! We were able to deliver 32 personal hygiene toiletry bags and another cash donation of $250.00 to the Woman’s Community Re- Entry program in November. Our efforts are making a ontribution to the q positive contribution to the quality of life for the participants of this program. Please continue to drop off your donations in the Gathering Place coat room.

Ed Harbart

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Sunday, February 14

5:00 – 6:30 PM

Join us for an evening of fun, learning and a chance to think about our own Lenten journeys. Whole group time and activities for all ages, break-out sessions

for kids, teens and adults and take home packets for all…Everyone welcome! Bring a friend!!

Sign up by February 7th in the Gathering Place or email bethelstaff@sbcglobal.net

Redeemer Crisis Center It’s a new year and super cold outside! Guess that means you have decided to clean out your closets?!! Well, when you do, please don’t forget to bring the following items in for donation to the Redeemer Crisis Center box. The need is always there, and always appreciated!!

Can openers Silverware Dishes Glasses/Coffee Cups Pots/Pans CLEAN sheets, pillowcases, etc. Thank you for helping this ministry!!

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Birthdays and Anniversaries

1 Margaret Gutwein 1 Richard and Victoria Bobey (Happy 47th) 3 Helmut Link

4 Robert Pickens Jr 6 Ruth Kuhn 8 Ruth Bemer

8 Cole Nicholas 10 Mitch Ciccarello 11 Ginny Markus 15 Thelma Bradnan

15 Erika Haskell 15 Lisa Weaver 17 Kathy Maszczynski 17 Aubryana Kolomijez (Happy 1st Birthday!) 22 Ray and Wanda Herzog (Happy 41st) 24 Cindy LoPiccolo

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Birthdays and Anniversaries

1 Linda English

4 Kelly and Alex Bartlett (Happy 16th) 7 Gloria Neumann 8 Ray Herzog 8 Bev Riehl

9 Karl and Jeanette Yanuzzi (Happy 42nd) 10 Emma Whitsel 13 Sandy Sauvey 14 Ken Feuerstein

14 Riley Vata 16 Linda Harshman 16 Anthony English 20 Phil and Genny Long (Happy 62nd) 20 Fred Sauvey 26 Lauren Einheit 28 Holly Nicholas 30 Carol Dershau

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 Lectionary

Bible study

10am

3

Choir 7:30pm

4

Al-Anon

10am

GFF 7pm

5 AA 8:30pm

6 Men’s Bible

study 8am

7 Worship

9:45am

8 9

Lectionary

Bible study

10am

Men’s

Luncheon

11:30am

Council Mtg

7pm

10 Ash

Wednesday

Worship

Service 1pm &

7pm

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Al-Anon

10am

GFF 7pm

12 AA 8:30pm

13 Men’s Bible

study 8am

Council Retreat

9am-3pm

GP

14 Worship

9:45am

15 16

Lectionary

Bible study

10am

17

Lenten

Worship 1pm

Choir 7:30pm

18 Al-Anon

10am

GFF 7pm

19 AA 8:30pm

20 Men’s Bible

study 8am

21

Worship

9:45am

22 23

Lectionary

Bible study

10am

24

Lenten

Worship 1pm

Choir 7:30pm

25 Al-Anon

10am

GFF

Birthday

Dinner 7pm

26 AA 8:30pm

27 Men’s Bible

study 8am

MEEC

Dinner &

Auction 6pm

28 Worship

9:45am

29

February 2016

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March 2016

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

Lectionary

Bible study

10am

2

Lenten

Worship 1pm First

Communion

Mtg 6:30pm

Choir 7:30pm

3

Al-Anon

10am

GFF 7pm

4

AA 8:30pm

5

Men’s Bible

study 8am

6 Worship

9:45am

7 8

Lectionary

Bible

Study 10am

Council Mtg

7pm

9

Lenten

Worship 1pm First

Communion

Mtg 6:30pm

Choir 7:30pm

10

Al-Anon

10am

GFF 7pm

11

AA 8:30pm

12

Men’s Bible

study 8am

Chili/Soup

Cook Off

4-7pm

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Camp

Mowana

Sunday

Worship

9:45am (Daylight

Savings Time - Don’t forget to

Turn your clock

Forward!)

14 15

Lectionary

Bible

Study 10am

16

Lenten

Worship 1pm

First

Communion

Mtg 6:30pm

Choir 7:30pm

17

Al-Anon

10am

GFF 7pm

18

AA 8:30pm

19

Men’s Bible

Study 8am

20

Worship

9:45am

Palm Sunday

21 22

Lectionary

Bible

Study 10am

23

Lenten

Worship 1pm

Choir 7:30pm

24

Al-Anon

10am

NO GFF

Maundy

Thursday

Worship 1pm

& 7pm

25Good

Friday MEEC Spring

break begins

Worship1pm

& 7pm

AA 8:30pm

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Holy

Saturday

Worship 6pm

27

Easter

Sunday

Breakfast

8:30- 9:30am

Worship

9:45am

28

Easter

Monday

Church

Office closed

29

Lectionary

Bible

Study 10am

30 31

Al-Anon

10am

GFF Easter

Service &

Birthday

dinner 7pm

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