A unique emphasis of the Bethel Series is to learn to think Hebrew and
to get in touch with the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Emphasis
is also placed on the relevance of the biblical text to everyday living
in the contemporary world. The Bethel Series is not a means to an end,
but a means to a beginning. The cost of materials cost is $35;
scholarships are available. The class is 20 weeks long, taking a holiday
break: September 30 - December 2, resuming in January.
10:30 - 11:45 am. The following Sunday Morning Forums meet in the
Pentecost Room.
Youth in Mission, Sunday, September 23. What are Bethel's youth up to?
Service to Others was a theme for Bethel's youth this summer. The
Confirmation class of 2007 spent a week in Chicago at urban ministry
sites, including Catholic Charities, homeless shelters and a summer
camp. High school youth worked in West Virginia. Both groups will share
their experiences, pictures, and faith journey at this forum.
Jesus: The New Way on Sundays, Sept 9, 16, 23, 30, Oct 7, 14 at
9:15-10:30 am. with Pastor Rick Lund
This class will be led (on DVD) by theologian and pastor Dr. N.T.
Wright, into the world and times Jesus lived. Filmed in the Holy Land,
Dr. Wright enthusiastically shares startling new insights into Jesus'
life and offers us "a new way" to live as followers of Jesus today. The
six sessions will address such questions as:
Into what kind of world was Jesus born? Why was Jesus? news shocking and
offensive?
Why did Jesus die? What were the charges? What was the real battle being
fought?
Who was Jesus? How did Jesus understand himself?
Was Jesus really raised from the dead? How does the resurrection of
Jesus address our individual lives?
Art and Faith in Eastern Europe Forum with Pastor Duane Hanson on
October 7. Bethel's seventh trip will be on August 1-16/18, 2008. Building on the friendships of past visits, we will once again host
three art fairs: two in Poland and one in Slovakia. Prior to visiting
Poland we will spend time exploring our Lutheran roots in Eisenach,
Erfurt, and Wittenburg, Germany. Herb Brokering will once again provide
background insights via tape. All trip participants are welcome to play
a role in either art or music. Our Art Fairs are participatory, inviting
our Polish and Slovak friends to try our art projects. This trip's Art
Fair should have a Latino flavor as Pastor Pedro and Aura
Suárez join us.
Experiences of the Jail Ministry October 14.
For each of the 1,200 inmates at the Dane County jail there are scores
of people on the outside affected by their incarceration: family,
friends, as well as victims and their families. Jail Chaplain John Mix
will share some of his experiences as chaplain there. The experiences of
the incarcerated give us another picture of our community and can shape
the ministry of all of us.
October 21: Forgiveness is Good for Your Health: Dr Gayle Reed, a local
psychologist and forgiveness expert, will lead a seminar titled,
Forgiveness is Good for Your Health. The power of forgiveness has been
shown to reduce depression, anxiety, and anger (thus reducing heart
disease and other ailments). It can improve self-esteem and the overall
quality of life. Dr. Reed works with Dr. Robert Enright at the
International Forgiveness Institute here in Madison.
Mondays
Feed & Read meets at Bethel the third Monday of each month at 12:00 noon
for great food and lively book discussion. Bring a dish to pass (or sack
lunch) and ideas to share. At the September 17 meeting they will
discuss, Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across
Italy, India and Indonesia, by Elizabeth Gilbert. Watch your Bethelite
for the titles of upcoming books.
The Bethel BookWomen meet at Bethel on the third Monday of each month at
7 pm. Their upcoming readings are: September 17: Founding Brothers by
Joseph Ellis; other books will be Suite Francais by Irene Nemirovsky;
Water for the Elephants by Sara Gruen; The Good Earth by Pearl Buck;
Dreams from My Father by Barak Obama; Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim
Edwards; Empress Orchid by Anchee Min; One Thousand White Women by Jim
Fergus; Wicked by Gregory Maguire; and Lucia Lucia by Adriana Trigiani.
Bethel Bible Series - New Testament class meets Monday evenings from
7:00 ? 8:30 with Pastor Curt Everson. The class is 20 weeks long and
runs September 24 - December 3, then resumes in January. (See Sunday for
more information.)
Thursdays
The Bethel Bible Series - New Testament class meets from 9:00 - 10:30
am. The class runs Thursdays, September 27 - December 6, then resumes in
January. (See Sunday for more information.)
Saturdays
The Saturday Morning Bible Study group meets weekly at 8:00 for study
and fellowship in the Bethel library. The fall study on the book of
Ephesians begins September 8. New participants are always welcome.
Thursday nights at Bethel begin with an optional dinner at 6:00 in Borgwardt Hall followed by music at 6:40. At 7:00, you can choose from
these classes:
First Steps
On Thursdays, from September 27 - November 15, 7:00-8:45 pm., Pastor
Bill White
Have you ever felt like you would like to go back to the basics and
examine the very fabric of your faith? If so, First Steps, an eight-week
experience, may be for you. The focus will be on such basic questions
as:
Who is Jesus?
How and why do we pray?
What is the meaning of baptism and the Lord's supper?
The class begins with spirited singing, followed by a presentation by
Pr. White before people divide into small groups where they can offer
opinions and ask questions.
They Like Jesus But Not the Church
On Thursdays, from September 20 - October 18 at 7:00-8:30 pm., Pastor Rick
Lund
Mainline Christian churches (like the ELCA) have not been effective in
attracting young adults age 21-35, especially young men. Successful
"Emerging Culture" Churches have found that Jesus is still loved and
respected by young people but that the Church is seen as irrelevant,
unloving and unspiritual. The message of Christ is still powerful, but
people don't think the Church is the place to grow in faith. Using
resources from the book They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights
from Emerging Generations, we will explore the hopeful signs of
resurgent spirituality in American culture, and how our congregation
might use new ways of introducing people to Jesus Christ.
The Lutheran Course
Thursdays from September 27 - November 8 at 7-8:15 pm., Pastor Katie Baardseth
With a DVD presentation and small group discussion, we will learn and
laugh about the basics of the Lutheran faith. Resources for this course
combine learning with laughter to teach old Lutherans, new Lutherans,
and anyone in between, the basics of Lutheran theology. After the meal,
the sessions begin with a DVD presentation featuring a Lutheran scholar
and teacher, a small group discussion, and a closing thought and prayer.
The schedule is:
Sept 27: How to Tell the difference Between the Law and the Gospel
Oct 4: Five Things You Should Know about the Lutheran Reformation
Oct 11: The Anatomy of a Baptism
Oct 18: How to Receive Communion
Oct 25: The Three Most Rebellious Things Jesus Did
Nov 1: How to Read your Bible
Nov 8: How to Share your Faith with Someone
November Nights with G.K. Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense
Thursdays, November 8 & 15 at 7:00-8:30 pm., Pastor Rick Lund
Gilbert Keith Chesterton is perhaps the greatest Christian theologian
you don't know from the 20th Century. A journalist, author of many
books, devout Catholic, humorist, and defender of the common person,
Englishman Chesterton's writings covered a wide range of subjects
including, religion, politics, science, sociology, history,
architecture, art, and philosophy. We will be hosted on DVD by Dale
Ahlquist, the foremost Chesterton scholar today, who lives in St. Paul,
MN. (Dale may even stop by for a visit!) Actor Chuck Calberg appears in
vignettes featuring excerpts from a variety of subjects including
Christian ideals, marriage, materialism, and Chesterton's popular
"Father Brown" detective stories.
Real Life Evangelism with Real Life People
Thursdays, January 3:30 at 7:00-8:30 pm., Pastor Rick Lund
When you hear the word "evangelism" does it make you want to run and
hide? Do you find yourself with laryngitis when someone invites you to
share your faith in Jesus Christ with someone else? The Lutheran Church
and mainstream Christianity is in danger of extinction because we're
unwilling and ill-prepared to talk about Jesus with other people. This
gathering will be a conversation to help us find our voice and work
together to build up the community of faith in Jesus Christ. Our
resources will be two new books: Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life
Evangelism (Real Life Evangelism Series) by Martha Grace Reese and The
Gospel According to Starbucks: A Grande Passion by Len Sweet.
Simply Christian: Living in the Fullness of the Holy Spirit
Thursdays, April 3 - May 1, at 7:00-8:30 pm., Pastor Rick Lund
Anglican Bishop N.T "Tom" Wright is our guide once again to rediscover
what it means to live the Christian life today with passion, smarts,
love, and confidence. His latest book, Simply Christian: Why
Christianity Makes Sense, will be the grounding of our sessions
together.
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