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COUNCIL REFLECTION ... by Brent McVay
Thankful . As outlined in the recent email from Church Council , there are many reasons to be thankful .
I am thankful for the news that Chris Nelson ' s cancer has retreated with no new " hot spots ."
I am thankful for all the prayers for Chris , Deb and the rest of his family .
I am thankful that Chris ’ development and mentoring of executive pastors over the past decade is paying off .
I am thankful for the fortitude and dedication of the pastors and staff who have really stepped up over the past few months .
I am thankful for the dedication of my fellow Church Council members who continue to provide guidance and support to the pastors and staff .
I am thankful that attendance and giving continue to be strong , and that both campuses continue to add new members .
I am thankful that Bethlehem continues to be an open and safe place to worship amid these dynamic times .
I am thankful for my loving family .
Finally , I am thankful that God is always there for us .
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YOUR GIVING MAKES A DIFFERENCE
With all the behind-the-scenes work underway , Bethlehem is well-poised to launch , in the coming weeks , the public phase of our three-year mission ( formerly capital ) appeal entitled " Opening New Doors ". We are blessed that Gary and Kathryn Schmidt and Paul and Melissa Steen ( pictured ) will serve as co-chairs of the appeal leadership team . Look for a personal word from the Schmidts in the April issue of CONNECT . This month features Paul Steen who invites you to look at the essence of what this appeal will be :
What if it isn ’ t about us ? What if what we do won ’ t benefit us , either through immediate gratification or long-term investment ? What if we plan for those we don ’ t know yet , or even generations far into the future ?
Many of you may know the phrase “ pay it forward ”. Wikipedia says that it occurs when “ the beneficiary of a good deed repay ( s ) it to others instead of to the original benefactor ”. It looks great printed on a t-shirt or discussed around the dinner table . But how many chances do entire congregations really get ?
Inspirational , motivated leaders from ‘ the greatest generation ’ made Bethlehem wonderful worshiping communities . They planted new churches , and shared the value of outstanding preaching , music , education , and outreach . Bucking the ELCA ’ s trend , our congregation continued to grow .
But now it ’ s our turn …
by Pastor Bob Wertz , Pastor of Stewardship and Planned Giving
We are involved in the Opening New Doors Mission Appeal because it is 100 % about paying it forward . We will :
• Address deferred maintenance of our buildings , so that future generations can enjoy the same comfortable , attractive , and safe spaces we inherited or built ;
• Hire additional staff , so that we attract , retain , and connect new followers of Christ with God , each other , and their mission in the world ;
• Invest in outreach and communications , so that new opportunities to attend and actively engage in the Bethlehem Twin Cities community are available ;
• Reach out to those in need , stretching our hands into the community beyond our walls and across the globe .
In short , it ’ s about acting in honor and gratitude by paying it forward . In the words of former UCLA men ' s basketball coach John Wooden , “ You can ’ t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you .” Now is our chance …
IMPORTANT DATES :
Sunday , April 23 : Kick-Off Sunday
• Pick up printed appeal materials in church .
• 12 Noon - Hear Thrivent CEO Brad Hewitt and co-author Jim Moline discuss their own generosity journeys in their book “ Your New Money Mindset ” ( free brunch to follow ) at Minneapolis campus .
• Pick up your own free copy of the book at both campuses and sign up for a four-week small group discussion .
• Sign up to attend a one-hour event over the next four weeks to learn and ask questions about the scope of the appeal .
Sunday , May 14 : Commitment Sunday
• All members are invited and encouraged to hand in a written commitment to support the appeal . The appeal runs May 14 , 2017 to May 13 , 2019 .
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