And It Was Good: Stewards of Creation


The opening words of the Bible are so full of grace and promise, we could never soak it all in. Genesis 1 tells how when God brought all matter and life into being, God said “It is good.” And then, quite matter-of-factly, God turns to those who were created in the divine image and said “Here you go. You’re in charge. Take care of it all.” Wow! What an amazing gift! What a wonderful honor and responsibility! During the month of June, Bethel will focus on how we serve as God’s stewards of the creation. This month-long celebration, And It Was Good, will showcase the following:

  1. June 6 Celebration Picnic for creation at Bethel Horizons. Each year Bethel gathers at Horizons in the deep beauty to eat, rest, and connect with the trees, the land, and all the critters. 
  2. The four Sunday messages will emphasize the goodness not only of creation but of the effort to care for it.
  3. June 13 Barbara Rossing as special guest preacher and teacher.
  4. June 27 Celebration and dedication of Bethel’s Solar Commitment in partnership with Madison Gas and Electric.
  5. Caring for Creation Pledges. Pledge forms offering ideas for how each one of us can contribute to the caretaking of the gift of creation will be sent to every member.
  6. Friday Care 4 Creation videos showing the ways Bethel is living out its call to be a blessing to the creation, including video of Bethel’s solar program, Bethel Horizons Adamah Center water filtration work, and Bethel commitments to energy efficiency. 
Pastor Mike Brown
And It Was Good: Stewards of Creation

Finding God’s Delight

John 3:14-21

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”

Pastor Mike Brown
June 27, 2021
Pastor Mike Brown
And It Was Good: Stewards of Creation

And It Was Good: Stewards of Creation

John 1:1-5, 14, 16

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

Dr. Peter Bakken
June 20, 2021
Dr. Peter Bakken
And It Was Good: Stewards of Creation

And It Was Good: Stewards of Creation

Mark 4:26-34

[Jesus] said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”

He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

Dr. Barbara Rossing
June 13, 2021
Dr. Barbara Rossing
And It Was Good: Stewards of Creation

Counting On Each Other

Matthew 6:25-30

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?

Pastor Mike Brown
June 06, 2021
Pastor Mike Brown
And It Was Good: Stewards of Creation