JUNE 2017
VOLUME 55, ISSUE 10
BETHANY BEACON
“Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Eph. 4:3
PB & J
By Pastor Tony Pittenger
It turns out they were pretty good for me!
Those regular staples gave me protein to help
build muscle and fiber to help my digestion.
They gave me vitamin E which helps protect
essential lipids from being damaged by free
radicals. Inside that little plastic bag was folate
to help my cells replicate my DNA and which is
connected to lower incidence of cardiovascular
disease. That food provided niacin to convert
other food into energy, calcium to build my
bones grow, magnesium, for my muscles, iron
which carries and stores oxygen for my muscles,
and zinc which bolsters my immune system. Oh,
and they contained no cholesterol!
Know what these amazing little packages were?
Mom’s peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!
There were days when I loved the taste of PB&J
and there were days when I was so tired of them
that I never wanted to see another one for as
long as I lived! Whether these PB&Js were in
my lunch box or smashed in the bottom of my
backpack, those simple basic sandwiches did
their job; I’m living proof of that! They did their
job when I loved them and they did their job
when I loathed them. My feelings really didn’t
matter.
Know what is a lot like my childhood PB&Js?
God’s Word.
That’s right! God’s Word is the nutrition for
faith; the vitamins, minerals, and proteins. Well,
the Bible doesn’t quite say it that way, it says:
Deuteronomy 4:9 (ESV) — “Take care, and keep
your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that
your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your
heart all the days of your life. Make them known to
your children and your children’s children.”
Luke 18:16 (ESV) — “But Jesus called them to
Him, saying, “Let the children come to Me, and do
not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom
of God.”
Romans 10:17 (ESV) — “So faith comes from
hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
2 Timothy 3:15 (ESV) — “From childhood you
have been acquainted with the sacred writings,
which are able to make you wise for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.”
God’s Word works. When Pastor Locklair
preaches a sermon, which is faithful to the Word,
your faith is being fed. When I lead a Bible class
on that same Word, your faith is being fed.
And we get it, really, we do. Sometimes the class
or sermon isn’t really “what you were looking
for.”
Maybe you’re wrestling with relationship issues
and we were talking about the resurrection.
Maybe you’ve been feeling blue and the sermon
theme was “Rejoice in the Lord.”
There is as little chance of us anticipating what is
on your heart next Sunday as there was of Mom
guessing what I’d be in the mood for at lunch on
a Thursday in November. Thankfully God has
taken that guessing and anticipating out of our
hands. Like the nutrition in that sandwich, He
knows what we need.
He knows what we need and He provides that
in His Word. The practice of gathering in a
church to hear His Word goes back to when He
led His people out of Egypt. Traveling through
that wilderness God not only provided for
their physical needs with manna, quail, fresh
water, etc, but He also provided for their faith
by establishing a place and time to gather and
ministers whose job it was to present His Word
to the people.
Food is important for my body. Often the food I
like isn’t the food I need, it’s just food that tickles
my fancy.
God’s Word is important for your soul; for your
faith and for the faith of those entrusted to your
care.
Join us at our combined Summer service,
9:00 on Sundays.
Take advantage of the Summer of Psalms
reading schedule contained inside this issue of
the Beacon.
Learn of God, hear of Christ, feed your faith.
SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULE
June 11 – September 3
ONE Sunday service at 9:00 AM (no Sunday School)
Monday evening worship as usual at 7:00 PM
To kick off the ‘summer switch’ please bring a brunch item to share
(pastries, casseroles, fruit, muffins, etc.) & stay after worship for an informal
BRUNCH POTLUCK - SUNDAY JUNE 11TH @ 10:00 AM
In the Fellowship Hall
~Coffee and juice provided~
UPCOMING EVENTS
CONGRATS TO OUR
GRADUATES!
(Call the Bethany office for details)
See the bulletin board at church for all who
SUMMER YOUTH CAMP
@ LUTHERHAVEN
have attained a higher degree of learning!!
July 15th - 20th, ages 9-13
(entering Grades 4-8).
***
KEEP JESUS IN YOUR
SUMMER PLANS
CHURCH PICNIC
@ LUTHERHAVEN
Summer vacations take many of us out of
August 6th , beginning at NOON
town. Stop by the office for directions to sister
congregations where you can worship along the
way.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
July 31st - August 4th | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
SUMMER OFFICE HOURS
June 12th - August 18th
Monday - Friday 8:00 AM -1:00 PM
Roughing it? Grab your Bible and an extra
hymnal (we have some well-used ones available)
and gather around the campfire for Vespers.
God promises to bless the study of His Word!
JUNE ANNIVERSARIES
06/06 - John & Virginia Hokanson
06/11 - Bo & Ruth Boucher
06/21 - Tony & Melissa Pittenger
06/23 - Jack & Kim Dearth
06/29 - Brad & Sue Dailly
06/30 - Ray & Ronda Stoecker
***
COMING IN JULY . . .
BEDTIME BOOKS AT BETHANY
Wednesday nights at 7:00 PM
Starting on July 5th and
continuing through August 23rd
SUMMER OF PSALMS
Generally speaking, summer is about 90 days long. Below is a 90-day schedule to get you (and your Bethany brothers and sisters) through the book
of Psalms in 90 days/13 weeks. Please join us in this endeavor as we feed our faith with some of the best food out there.
WEEK ONE
WEEK FOUR
WEEK SEVEN
WEEK TEN
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 22 Psalm 37
Day 23 Psalm 38-39
Day 24 Psalm 40
Day 25 Psalm 41-42
Day 26 Psalm 43-44
Day 27 Psalm 45-46
Day 28 Psalm 47-48
Day 43 Psalm 72
Day 44 Psalm 73
Day 45 Psalm 74-75
Day 46 Psalm 76-77
Day 47 Psalm 78
Day 48 Psalm 79
Day 49 Psalm 80
Day 64 Psalm 103
Day 65 Psalm 104
Day 66 Psalm 105
Day 67 Psalm 106
Day 68 Psalm 107
Day 69 Psalm 108
Day 70 Psalm 109
WEEK TWO
WEEK FIVE
WEEK EIGHT
WEEK ELEVEN
Day 8 Psalm 17
Day 9 Psalm 18
Day 10 Psalm 19
Day 11 Psalm 20-21
Day 12 Psalm 22
Day 13 Psalm 23-24
Day 14 Psalm 25-26
Day 29 Psalm 49
Day 30 Psalm 50
Day 31 Psalm 51
Day 32 Psalm 52-54
Day 33 Psalm 55
Day 34 Psalm 56-57
Day 35 Psalm 58-59
Day 50 Psalm 81
Day 51 Psalm 82-83
Day 52 Psalm 84-85
Day 53 Psalm 86-87
Day 54 Psalm 88
Day 55 Psalm 89
Day 56 Psalm 90
Day 71 Psalm 110
Day 72 Psalm 111
Day 73 Psalm 112
Day 74 Psalm 113-114
Day 75 Psalm 115
Day 76 Psalm 116-117
Day 77 Psalm 118
WEEK THREE
WEEK SIX
WEEK NINE
WEEK TWELVE
Day 15 Psalm 27-28
Day 16 Psalm 29-30
Day 17 Psalm 31
Day 18 Psalm 32-33
Day 19 Psalm 34
Day 20 Psalm 35
Day 21 Psalm 36
Day 36 Psalm 60-61
Day 37 Psalm 62-63
Day 38 Psalm 64-65
Day 39 Psalm 66-67
Day 40 Psalm 68
Day 41 Psalm 69
Day 42 Psalm 70-71
Day 57 Psalm 91
Day 58 Psalm 92-93
Day 59 Psalm 94
Day 60 Psalm 95-96
Day 61 Psalm 97-98
Day 62 Psalm 99-101
Day 63 Psalm 102
Day 78 Psalm 119
Day 79 Psalm 120-123
Day 80 Psalm 124-127
Day 81 Psalm 128-131
Day 82 Psalm 132-133
Day 83 Psalm 134-135
Day 84 Psalm 136-137
Psalm 1-3
Psalm 4-5
Day Psalm 6-7
Psalm 8-9
Psalm 10
Psalm 11-13
Psalm 14-16
WEEK THIRTEEN
Day 85 Psalm 138-139
Day 86 Psalm 140-141
Day 87 Psalm 142-143
Day 88 Psalm 144-145
Day 89 Psalm 146-147
Day 90 Psalm 148-150
Bethany Lutheran Church of Port Orchard
151 Tremont Street W
Port Orchard, WA 98366
360-876-1300
www.BethanyLutheranES.org
[email protected]
BETHANY LUTHERAN
Church, School, & Early Learning Center
SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULE
June 11 – September 3
ONE Sunday service at 9:00 AM
(no Sunday School)
Monday evening worship 7:00 PM
You received this publication because you belong to
our Bethany family, or you recently visted us/participated in one of our activities such as VBS.
If you feel you have received this publication in
error--or no longer wish to receive it--please call us
at 360-876-1300 or send email to:
[email protected]
The Bethany Beacon is published monthly Sept - May and
at least once each summer. Members may submit items for
consideration to the attention of Pastor Pittenger, Pastor
Locklair, or the office by the 15th of the month. Items will be
considered for publication as space allows and may be edited.
EDITORS: Pastor Tony Pittenger and Pastor David Locklair
STAFF WRITER: Kathy Seals | LAYOUT: Danny Burleson