From the Pastor for November, 2011
The month of November each year offers traditional themes of harvesting, giving thanks and sharing our abundance. Our blessings from God this year are many. Many of them are personal and familial and you can name yours. Others relate to living in the United States and our global village and various blessings will be enumerated in the media, community events, and Thanksgiving worship services. Some blessings pertain especially to Bethlehem Lutheran Church; I mention a few here and encourage you to think of others.
The Apostle Paul fondly writes to brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ of their partnership in the Gospel. Partnership is also highly valued in our faith community. Teamwork is evident in worship, education, and mission and service programs. Together in Christ: growing, sharing and serving has been our mission statement for years and inspired our inreach and outreach ministries.
Partnership in the Gospel has several new expressions this year. The Koinonia Leadership Team of six members is listening to Bethlehem members as we together seek to express our congregation’s core values, reformulation of our mission statement, and a vision for our future.
Our partnership as a congregation with St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church is expressed in several ways. Children and youth from both congregations are now participating in Sunday School, youth group activities, and service projects. The 9:00 a.m. traditional service, 10:30 a.m. contemporary service and 12 noon bilingual service offer worship opportunities, choral music, and preaching for both congregations. A cooperative ministries committee with four members from each congregation are reviewing week to week activities and exploring new outdoor signage to proclaim that Bethlehem and St. Stephens congregations are working together at 340 Grand Boulevard. Pastor Antonio Cabello and their members are true partners in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Partnership in the Gospel is evident in November as we focus on Stewardship and Planning for the future. “I Believe in Tomorrow” is the main theme of this annual drive to inspire Bethlehem members to pledge their financial support for our ministries as a congregation. You are invited and encouraged to worship at Bethlehem every Sunday and to prayerfully consider how God’s blessings have touched your life and how to return thanks to God. You are welcome at the combined Bethlehem/St. Stephens Thanksgiving Service on Wednesday, November 23 at 7:30 p.m. as we give thanks together.
Our Partner Apostle Paul writes, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.” PHILIPPIANS 1:3-11.
