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In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul urges them to pray without ceasing. This doesn't mean that he is encouraging people to disengage from the world around them and spend all of their time in their heads. Quite the opposite actually, he's encouraging followers of Christ to be mindful of how God is at work all around them. This idea of mindfulness is what we emphasize when we say that Bethesda is a safe place for our young people. It means listening to them, paying attention to what they are telling us verbally and non-verbally, and acting in their best interests at all times. These are the cornerstones of operating a safe church environment. It is not about "hiding" our children on the Sunday School hall where they can be seen and not heard, but recognizing them as integral members of our community who deserve to be respected and protected like every other member of our parish.
We invite you to learn more about how we do this on Saturday, February 25, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall when we host our next Safe Church Training session. This presentation is open to everyone, but may be especially important for parents, parish leaders, or anyone who is interested in potentially volunteering with children and youth ministries in the future. Over the course of the morning we will talk about Bethesda's specific policies for safeguarding our children and youth, cover guidelines that are recommended by the Episcopal Church, and answer any questions you may have about our procedures.
Greg Knight
Director of Children & Youth Ministries
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY
19, 2017
Preacher: The Rector
- Parking Permitted from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. -
8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist
8:45 a.m. Coffee Hour, Parish Hall
9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist and Healing
9:00 a.m. Children's Worship, Sunday School Hall
10:00 a.m. Pre-K Class, Sunday School Hall
10:00 a.m. Kindergarten & 1st Grade Class, Sunday School Hall
10:00 a.m. 2nd & 3rd Grade Class, Sunday School Hall
10:00 a.m. 4th & 5th Grade Class, Sunday School Lounge
10:00 a.m. 6th & 7th Grade Pre- Confirmation Class, Library
10:00 a.m. 8th Grade Confirmation Class, ECW Room
10:00 a.m. 9th-12th Grade Pilgrimage Group, Youth Room
10:00 a.m. Adult Forum, Parish Hall
10:00 a.m. Bible Study, Guild Room
*#11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist and Healing
12:15 p.m. Coffee Hour, Parish Hall
* Nursery care for infants through age 3 is
available from 7:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
# These services will be live-streamed.
You may watch the service online
HERE
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Click here to view the service leaflet for this Sunday.
Click here to view this week's Bethesda Happenings.
PARKING: Persons attending Sunday services will be allowed to park on ALL of Barton Avenue and Pendleton Avenue
without receiving a ticket until 3:00 p.m.
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Adult Forum on Aging: The Body as We Age | 10:00 a.m. | Parish Hall. The second of a multi-part series of adult forums dedicated to issues of health, this conversation deals with the science behind what happens to our bodies as we age. Dr. Mary Colburn, local and well respected specialist in geriatrics, joins us to explain the physical changes that happen to our bodies over time, as well as the challenges of aging and ways to address those challenges soundly.
Lectionary-Based Bible Study | 10:00 a.m. | Guild Room
Join us for a discussion of the collect, Old Testament, Psalm, New Testament, and Gospel readings, and how they inform our 21st century lives. Whether you've come from the service earlier in the day or are about to attend the later service, this class is sure to enhance your encounter with the holy scriptures.
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Share What you Can: Sundays, February 19 & 26, 2017. Our food drive here at Bethesda benefits C.R.O.S. Ministries Food Pantries, ensuring that families have access to healthy food. Some of the most needed items are rice, pasta, beans, canned items, shelf-stable milk, and juices.
Do not include glass items as they are likely to break and spill. Together we give thanks and "Share What You Can" with those in need.
Be sure to pick up a bag and food list this Sunday, February 19, and return the full bag on February 26.
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Palm Beach Empty Bowls - Eat a Meal
Palm Beach Unites - Make a Meal
Share What You Can - Bring a Meal
On behalf of my husband, Dietmar, and myself, I would like to thank everyone for participating in this season's Palm Beach Empty Bowls event on February 3, and especially Amy Tilley and Lee Daniels our Vice-Chairs. This year we raised $67,000 for the Palm Beach County Food Bank. Hopes are high for 2018 which will mark the fifth anniversary of this event. We'd also like to give a special thank you to the entire Flower Guild and especially Maury Wolfe and Gay Gregory. The flowers were exceptionally beautiful and added so much to the event!
With gratitude,
Pat and Dietmar Reichenbacher
Outreach Committee
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6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. | Wednesday, February 22
Community Supper
6:00 to 6:30 p.m. (serving starts at 5:45 p.m.) | Parish Hall
The cost is $10 for adults; $5 for children under 12; $25 family max (payable at the door).
This week we will serve garden salad, fried chicken drum sticks, mac and cheese, coleslaw, sauteed vegetables, and strawberry shortcake. Kindly
RSVP HERE* or call Ayana at (561) 655-4554.
*In order to properly plan and prepare the supper, we need your reservations by noon on Monday.
Cantate Choir
6:30 to 7:40 p.m. | Choir Room
This intergenerational choir is open to adults of all ages and to youth as young as third grade. Contact Jessica Hitchcock at hitchcock@bbts.org.
Modern Scholarship Meets the Bible
6:30 to 7:40 p.m. | Guild Room
Do you guilt trip yourself because you think you ought to know the Bible better? Does reading the Bible intimidate you? Bore you? Then this seven-week course is for you! Using PowerPoint slides that reflect modern scholarship about the Bible (including archeology and linguistics), Tom O'Brien will help you become a more informed (and better) Bible reader.
Foreshadowed: Stories Behind Visual Art
6:30 to 7:40 p.m. | Library
Join Danette MacGregor for a Socratic and interactive discussion on the fundamentals of visual art and its methods in storytelling. Learn how to approach a new piece of art to unravel the secret stories behind the canvas. You will also discover simple techniques and visual cues to aid in revealing the message or purpose of any piece. We will visit examples from antiquity to modern art (and no, your 5-year-old really can't "do it"). Plan to get creative the last week as we apply storytelling in your own artistic work.
Yoga
6:30 to 7:40 p.m. | Parish Hall
Physical therapist and yoga instructor, Emily Large, invites all adults for an evening of yoga. A requested donation of $10 per class.
Compline
7:45 to 8:00 p.m. | Church
A fitting end to our Wednesday evenings, compline offers a peaceful and meditative sacred time in the middle of our often frenetic weeks.
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This Sunday's Readings in Context
Parishioner Tom O'Brien, a Canon and Examining Chaplain for Scripture of this diocese, writes brief background descriptions of the Sunday readings. We thank Tom for sharing his learning and love of Scripture with us in this way.
Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18
Leviticus is the third book of the Torah and is mostly concerned with laws and the worship of God at his sanctuary. The book gets its name from the priests who were of the Tribe of Levi. It is part of the Priestly writings and is dated to the time of the Exile (587-539 BCE) and after the Exile.
Today's reading is part of the "Holiness Code" written after the Exile that comprises Chapters 17 to 26. The opening verses call for the people of Israel (and us) to be "holy" - which is understood as being "separate" (that is, not OF this world and its values, even though we are IN this world).
The next part of the reading sounds very much like the Ten Commandments, but sets up higher standards: not leaving food and drink for the poor is tantamount to stealing; one needs to care for the handicapped; taking vengeance and bearing a grudge are wrong. The reading concludes with the verse quoted by Jesus of Nazareth as the Second Great Commandment.
1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23
Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was Hellenistic and emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers also taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul's understandings of what it means to be a Jesus Follower. This led to contentions among the Corinthians.
Today's reading continues Paul's argument to the Corinthians that they should be unified. He asserts that he laid the foundation for their faith and this foundation is Jesus the Christ (v. 11). He tells the Corinthians that they are "God's temple" - even though the Temple in Jerusalem was in full operation during all of Paul's life. (The Jerusalem Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE). Today's reading concludes with Paul's continuing attack on the "wisdom/values of the world" and his affirmation that these values are "foolishness to God." The final verse describes the "Cosmic Christ" that draws all to itself and to God.
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141 South County Road · Palm Beach, FL 33480
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Bethesda's Mission is to experience the clear and strong presence of God and to understand and spread Christ's teachings through collective worship, learning, and service.
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Road Closures
for the Weekend
Please be aware that South Ocean Blvd. will be closed tomorrow morning from South County Rd to Southern Blvd. Traffic will not be affected around the church, but you must enter the island using the middle or north bridge. Traffic will not be allowed to go north after crossing the Southern bridge on to the island. This closure is in effect Friday through Monday. We look forward to seeing you this Sunday!
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Spring Catalog
now available!
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2016 Annual Report
now available!
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SAVE THE DATE
Mardi Gras Party
Tuesday, February 28
6:00 p.m. | Garth
Join our annual Bethesda
Mardi Gras Party which benefits the Youth Pilgrimage Group's fundraising efforts. We will have authentic Cajun food and festive music.
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Ash Wednesday
March 1
8:00 a.m., 12:05 p.m.,
and 6:00 p.m.
* Holy Eucharist at 8:00 a.m. This is a spoken service with Imposition of Ashes.
* Holy Eucharist and Healing at 12:05 p.m. This holy service includes hymns and Imposition of Ashes. Our guest preacher is The Rev. Dr. Robert S. Norris, Pastor at The Royal Poinciana Chapel. A Lenten luncheon consisting of two homemade soups, salad, and bread in the Parish Hall will follow the service. The cost is $3.00, payable at the door.
* Holy Eucharist at 6:00 p.m. Our guest preacher is The Rev. Dr. Robert S. Norris, Pastor at The Royal Poinciana Chapel. This service includes Imposition of Ashes, with music by the Bethesda Choir and members of the Royal Poinciana Chorale.
This Sunday don't forget to bring in your palms from last year, so that they may be burned and used on Ash Wednesday.
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Lenten Retreat
led by
The Rev. J. Edwin (Ed) Bacon, Jr.
Saturday, March 18
9:00 a.m. | Parish Hall
As is our custom, the Bethesda community comes together during Lent for a dedicated time of reflection and prayer, a respite from the hectic world in order to intentionally examine our relationship with God. The facilitator of this year's Lenten Retreat is The Rev. J. Edwin (Ed) Bacon, Jr., most recently retired rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California, author of the bestselling 8 Habits of Love: Overcome Fear and Transform Your Life, and renowned preacher and spiritual guide. Over the course of a day, join Father Bacon and members of the Bethesda community as we examine our faith, what God has called us to be, and what holds us back from fully realizing God's dream for each of us.
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Women at the Well Winter Bible Study
This year we will be studying the Old Testament Book of Psalms. Each week we will explore the beauty and power of the Psalms in both poetry and prayer. All women are welcome. Deacon Cecie Titcomb, Ellen Kaufman, and Vivian Chen will once again lead the group. The cost is $10. For more information and sign up please call Ayana at the church office (561) 655-4554.
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Bible Study Boot Camp (BSBC) is geared toward women 25-55 with all levels of experience in studying Scripture. The group will focus on Paul's letter to the Philippians. Feel free to drop in and bring a lunch, no RSVP required. Click here for more information or to e-mail Rachel Supple now.
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We pray for...
Andy, Angela, Anna, April, Arthur, Bernadette, Bill, Bob, Caroline, Chad, Chris, Claudia, Debbie, Della, Denny, Deitz Family, Earl, Ed, Ellen, Eric, Eugene, Evan, Eve, Gail, Gay, Gerry, Glen, Gunn Family, Gunther Family, Habicht Family, Harold, Helen, Holly, Ingrid, Jane, Janey, Joan, Joe, John, Kehs Family, Kimberly, Laniyah, Lawrence Family, Leslie, Louise, Mariette, Matthew, Meghan, Michael, Pat, Patricia, Patti, Peg, Peggy, Pineiro Family, Rebecca, Robin, Saliyah, Sara, Scott, Simone, Stanton Family, Starla, Stephen, Taryn, Thomas, Tom, Vince, Vincenza, Virginia, Ward, Vogel Family, Ward,
and those serving our country...
Benjamin, Clara, Erik, Harold, Herbert, John, Mantis, Michael, and Tommy.
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