Twenty-sixth Sunday After Pentecost – November 17, 2024

Bethel Lutheran Church

P.O. Box 20, 502 South Ash - Sutherland, Iowa 51058-0901

712-446-3630 Church Answering Machine

Email: bethel@midlands.net   

Website: blcsuth.360unite.com

Vacancy Pastor – Pastor John Riebhoff

Phone # (712)539-8801

Email: jgriebhoff@yahoo.com

Bethel Church Secretary—Bridget Sickelka (712) 363-4926

Lutheran Family Service Counseling 712-276-9000

Holy Communion 1st, 3rd, & 5th Sundays of the Month

Worship Hours

9:15 Sunday School

10:30 Worship Service

Elders: Brent Hustedt, Jeff Ebel, & Jamie Sickelka

Organist: 

Greeters: Dan & Fran Oeffner

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We welcome all of our worshipers this morning. We pray that the Holy Spirit will bless this time with an increase of faith in Jesus and love for one another. Please join us again in worship and fellowship.

Our Worship We follow Divine Service Setting 3 on page 184.

Our hymns for today 801, 508, 688, 611, 575, and 923.

Communion Statement Here at Bethel Lutheran Church, with our church body, the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS), practice closed communion.  That means that since we believe that in the Lord's Supper, we receive the Lord's True Body and His True Blood, we reserve the supper for those who have been baptized, and are also confirmed members of the LCMS.  If you are currently a confirmed member of the LCMS, we welcome you to participate by coming forward during the distribution with your arms crossed over your chest, and receive a blessing.  If this is your first time communing with us, or you believe you should be able to receive the Lord's Supper here, please speak with the pastor or one of the elders beforehand.

Our Response to God’s Love:

With our attendance last Sunday 57 

With our offerings to the Lord:  Loose $776.00 General Fund $1,565.00

Mission $161.00 IDW $50.00 Care Pkgs $10.00 Total $2,564.00

Our adopted mission project for 2024 is $2,000 for Zion-St. John Lutheran School of Paullina for religious curriculum.  We hold this ministry in our prayers and pray the Holy Spirit to move our hearts to support them.

With our prayers for the sick and hurting: Janie Ebel, Carol Wittrock, Norma Hill, Ron Waggoner, Marilyn Fiddelke, Elaine Waggoner, and Delmar Sickelka.

Hospitalizations: Please let an Elder know if you or someone from the congregation is in the hospital.  

If you have any questions, concerns, prayer needs, or need of help please call one of the following:

Dwane Riedemann                  712-260-1891

Jamie Sickelka                        712-363-0301

Jeff Ebel                                  712-260-2513

Brent Hustedt                         712-363-0229

Pastor John Riebhoff              712-539-8801

Harvest Festival:  Harvest Festival is Sunday, November 24 with a  Beef Stew lunch to follow the church service.  Please see the bulletin board for a sign-up poster for ingredients to make the stew. We are also celebrating the church’s 90th Anniversary that day.  To celebrate this memory, we will be making a “hand cross” made out of the congregations hand prints.  There will also be a table containing some pictures and memories from the past.

Dual Parish:  On 11-10-24, both Bethel and Zion St. John voted to pursue a dual parish.  With that in mind, a draft of the dual parish agreement has been drawn up.  There are copies of it at the back of church for members to look over.  Please read through it and make any suggestions for how to improve or clarify the wording.  You can share those suggestions or any questions with the Congregation Chairman, Elders, or Pastor Meyer (261-1774.)  We plan to have a Special Voters’ Meeting in 2 weeks (on 12-1-24) to decide whether to approve the agreement.

Special Voter’s Meeting:  Sunday, December 1 after the worship service we will be having another special voter’s meeting.  This time it will to vote on to approve the dual parish agreement with Zion St. John’s. 

Care Packages: During the months of September and October there where 9 care packages delivered in the community. Thank you, Christian Outreach, for providing this wonderful opportunity to connect with the community and brightening people’s lives.

LMCS Stewardship Ministry

Stewardship Thoughts

November 17 – Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost 

Hebrews 10:14 – “For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Our Lord Jesus has provided the one offering for sin. What we offer to the Lord is not a sacrifice for sin; we cannot buy our way into heaven with our money, works or effort. Rather, what we give to the Lord’s work in the church is a thank offering, a sign of our dependency on God and all He has given us.

Special Worship Times

All times and services are subjected of change please watch your bulletins for updates.

• Sunday - November 24 - 10:30 am - Harvest Festival & 90th Anniversary of Bethel Lutheran
• Wednesday - November 27 - 7:00pm - Thanksgiving Eve
• Sunday - December 1 - 10:30 am – 1st Sunday of Advent
• Wednesday – Dec 4 – 7:00 pm – Midweek Advent “The Promised New Covenant” – Pastor Don Meyer Refreshments after service – Trustee’s
• Sunday – December 8 – 10:30 am – 2nd Sunday of Advent
• Wednesday – Dec 11 – 7:00 pm – Midweek Advent “Prepare the Way of the Lord” - Pastor Carl Stenzel Refreshments after service – Pres., Vice Pres., and Treasurer
• Sunday – December 15 – 10:30 am – 3rd Sunday of Advent
• Wednesday – Dec 18 – 7:00 pm – Midweek Advent “Hail to the Lord’s Anointed” – Pastor John Riebhoff Refreshments after service – Elder’s
• Sunday – Dec 22 – 10:30 am – 4th Sunday of Advent w/ Sunday School Program
• Tuesday – Dec 24 – 7:00 pm – Lessons and Carols
• Wednesday – Dec 25 – 10:00 am – Christmas Day