Please join us this year for Holy Week and Easter Sunday! Click here to download this year's schedule of Holy Week and Easter offerings. This helpful guide includes a detailed schedule and description of each of our Holy Week and Easter opportunities.
One Great Hour of Sharing
One Great Hour of Sharing is one of the United Church of Christ's four special offerings. We will receive this offering on March 27, 2022. You can also give online.
This Lenten offering supports the disaster, refugee, and development ministries of the United Church of Christ within the Wider Church Ministries. For more information, please click on the following video link. https://www.ucc.org/giving/ways-to-give/our-churchs-wider-mission/one-great-hour-of-sharing/.
St. Patrick's Youth Event
Calling all Bethel children and youth! The Faith Development Committee has planned a fun-filled Saint Patrick's Day event to allow our children and youth to see each other, learn about this important Irish holiday, talk about Lent and eat some yummy food. So put on something green, and make plans to join us in the Fellowship Hall at 5:30 -7 pm on Friday, March 18, 2022 (yes, this is technically the day after St. Patrick's Day but it is the closest day that was not a school night.)
Parents: You are welcome to stay for the festivities or drop off your child and come back at 7 pm.
Youth (Middle School & High School): You are encouraged to come and help the younger children with the various crafts and to be a "buddy" to our younger children.
Please have your child wear their mask (unless they are actively eating or drinking.) We will be in the Fellowship Hall that has special filters for filtering out allergens and viruses.
Please RSVP to Beth Astarte at ba@bethelbeaverton.org by Monday, March 14, so we know how many to expect for food and crafts.
Questions? Contact Beth Astarte.
Registration for Camp Adams is Open in 2022!
If you are the parent/grandparent/friend/aunt/uncle of a child/teen, then you'll want to read on! Bethel believes that every child deserves to have the experience of going to camp, making new friends and experiencing God in nature. Children as young as Kindergarten can attend the Taller/Smaller camp with a parent or other adult. This is a fabulous introduction to the "camp experience." There are week-long camps for those who have completed 2nd - 12th grade.
Through the Bethel campership fund, any youth that wants to attend camp can. We just ask that if you can afford to, you make a donation to the Bethel Campership Fund. An email went out to all families this week with more details.
Taller and Smaller (completed K-3rd w/ adult) July 5-8, 2022
Exodus (completed 9th-12th) July 10-16, 2022
Sojourners (completed 7th-8th) July 24-29, 2022
Discoverers (completed 5th-6th) July 31-August 5, 2022
Genesis/Seekers (completed 2nd-4th) August 7-12, 2022
If you'd like to learn more about Camp Adams, click here.
If you're ready to register, click here and log out of the registration process once it asks for payment and the church will be notified.
Once you have registered, please let Beth know. If you have any questions or problems registering, please contact Beth Astarte, Program Coordinator at ba@bethelbeaverton.org.
The Universal Christ – An Eight Week Worship Series
On February 13, Rev. David Randall-Bodman will begin an extended worship series based on Fr. Richard Rohr’s book, The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope for, and Believe.
Who is Richard Rohr? Fr. Rohr is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province. He is the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation and academic dean of the CAC’s Living School. An internationally recognized author and spiritual leader, Fr. Richard teaches primarily on incarnational mysticism, nondual consciousness, and contemplation, with a particular emphasis on how these affect the social justice issues of our time.
Richard Rohr’s main point in his book is that “everything visible, without exception, is the outpouring of God.” He challenges many orthodox Christian beliefs. He wants to liberate the Christian faith from its “clannish” history. Rather than being Jesus’s last name, Christ means life in its fullness.
Fr. Rohr’s book invites us to envision Christianity in a new and different light. Rather than believing in the right things or saying the right words, at the heart of Christianity is a worldview that sees all of life as sacred. Many of us grew up believing that a “rational assent to the truth of certain mental beliefs, rather than a calm and hopeful trust that God is inherent in all things, and that this whole thing is going somewhere good.”
This worship series will stretch us. It will also provide an overview of an understanding and practice of Christianity that Fr. Rohr has been practicing for decades. The Universal Christ invites us to enter into mystery and experience God rather than trying to figure God out.
Pastor David and the entire staff are excited by the prospect that together we will develop a deeper appreciation for and practice of the religion of Jesus.
To Delve Deeper, Join The Universal Christ Book Study on Tuesday, February 15th
The learning continues on Tuesday evenings beginning February 15, 2022 from 7-8:30 pm when those who want to delve deeper into the Universal Christ materials come together to discuss the themes that Pastor David presents on Sunday mornings. All are welcome to join in the book study.
You will want to get a copy of The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope for, and Believe. Copies are available on Amazon and directly from the Center for Action and Contemplation (cac.org). If you'd like to join the book study but cannot afford the book, please contact Beth Astarte at ba@bethelbeaverton.org and a copy will be provided for you.
We will be offering the class only on Zoom. Here's the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82579532974?pwd=OVhLaGdsclJVbmNHeEN4TkxrZlFxZz09.
Food Bag Delivery for Homeless Beaverton High School Students
Delivery of food bags for Beaverton High School homeless students will be Monday, December 13th.
Please plan to arrive at 8:45 so that your car or truck can be loaded. The Mayor will come between 9:00 and 10:00am! We will be delivering to the front of Beaverton High School where a team will be waiting for the 840 bags.
We can also use a few muscle bound volunteers for loading racks inside in a quick manner. If you are planning on coming, please let Mac Macpherson or Fran Jensen know. Thanks, again, for all the soup donations!
Blue Christmas
Blue Christmas
Each year during Advent, Bethel offers a quieter, more meditative worship service. The holidays can be a difficult time for those who are coping with illness, grief, loss, other difficulties and challenges of life.
This time of year, the culture around us seems to demand hearty good cheer at all times. When we are grieving, in pain, trying to make ends meet, and dealing with the continued uncertainty of the pandemic and how to have a safe holiday celebration, we may feel out of step and off balance.
The Blue Christmas Worship Service gives us an opportunity to give voice to our pain and frustration, and the opportunity to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to us through candlelight, music, and, if desired, the ancient practice of anointing with oil. The Blue Christmas Worship Service will take place Sunday, December 12th at 2 pm as a hybrid service.
For further information, please contact Pastor David at drb@bethelbeaverton.org.
Advent Series: Calm and Bright
This Advent season join Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ as we celebrate the message of the beloved Christmas carol, "Silent Night, Holy Night" using materials from Marcia McFee and Worship Design Studio. This over 200-year old hymn gives hopes when we sing “all is calm, all is bright” bringing peace, joy and love to soothe our hearts and help us focus on and celebrate the message of Christmas – God with us.
November 28, 2021, 1st Sunday of Advent – Sleep in Peace (PEACE)
One of the most famous stories about this beloved hymn took place in World War I. British and German soldiers on the front lines called a truce on Christmas Day and they could hear each other in the peaceful quiet singing “Silent Night,” each in their own language. Humanity is the holy infant for whom God so desires a heavenly peace. Is it possible to bring calm and bright to our own corners of this world?
December 5, 2021, 2nd Sunday of Advent – Glories Stream (JOY)
The shepherds got quite a wake-up call that night when the sky lit up "like a Christmas tree" (so to speak). Awe at the transformative glory of what God can do in our lives is the focus this week. Glories are streaming every day if we only have eyes to see. How would our lives be renewed if we saw the world and our lives through the lens of wonder?
December 12, 2021, 3rd Sunday of Advent – Redeeming Grace (LOVE)
The presence of God in human form is the "dawn" of redeeming grace, says the hymn's third verse. God so desired to be "up close and personal" that God came to live, breathe, feel, teach, touch, and love. Made in the image of God, we are called to nurture relationships that birth, multiply and radiate grace in the world. What would the world be like if “love’s pure light” was at the center?
December 19, 2021, 4th Sunday of Advent – Let Us Sing (HOPE)
The last verse of the hymn invites us to lift our voices in alleluia's to the one who is "King." This descriptor was more radical for the people of Jesus' time as it resisted the powers of empire that threatened "the least of these" that Jesus came to serve. We are reminded by this seemingly benign and sweet song that whenever there is injustice in this world, we are to look to the one whose power is love. How might this increase our hope for the future?
December 24, 2021 – Calm and Bright
There is something about Christmas Eve. It is hard to describe that "something" that many of us feel and it is different, to be sure, for everyone. The older we are and the more memories we accumulate, the more complex the feeling becomes. Perhaps the tendency for reflection upon one's life and the presence or absence of loved ones on this night is why we love to hear "all is calm, all is bright." On this night we remember the promise of God–that God would be "Emmanuel," God-with-us forever more.
To download our schedule of Advent events and activities, click here.
To download our 2021 Advent Guide, click here.
Food Drive for Homeless Beaverton High School Homeless Students
Once again we are supplying food for BHS homeless students over their winter break. We are asking the congregation to provide cans of hearty soup with meat and veggies. Please donate the cans with pop-tops. No light or diet soups please, we are trying to keep the students well fed. Our goal is 600 cans. So far we have 360. Donations can be placed on the metal rack outside the chapel. Our target date is December 1 to gather all 600 cans.
P.S. For extra credit, please place your flavor soup with similar flavors on the metal rack.
Sunday School is Back - New and Improved!
This year the Faith Development Committee has decided to provide Sunday School virtually for all of our children in Kindergarten through 5th grades. It will be a combination of Kid's Lunch with Beth and YouTube videos that you can watch when it is convenient for your family.
It all begins THIS Sunday, October 3 with Kid's Lunch with Beth. During that time, the children will be introduced to the story for the month and the concepts we'll be covering. By October 10, the YouTube video will be ready for your family to view. The support materials will be emailed to each family. There are pages that help guide family discussions around the monthly featured topic. This month the topic is "reconciliation." On October 17 and 31, we'll once again have Kid's Lunch with Beth and continue to explore and "wonder" about reconciliation and how it works in the lives of your children. By October 24, there will be a second YouTube Sunday School video for you and your family to enjoy.
A packet or support materials will be emailed to each family or you can click here to download the materials. If you would like a printed copy, please contact Beth Astarte at ba@bethelbeaverton.org and she will get a printed set mailed to you. Please contact Beth with any questions.
Wednesday Contemplative Prayer and Meditation
Beth Astarte's weekly contemplative prayer and meditation program has moved to Wednesday mornings! Join together for a live, guided contemplative prayer and meditation practice that is live streamed in the Bethel Misfits Facebook group on Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m.
Register for the CPC Annual Gathering!
The CPC Annual Gathering will take place September 24 - October 3 via Zoom. The theme for 2021 is "Living Water". The CPC will be spreading the events of the gathering over 10 days in shorter “bite-sized” online Zoom meetings, culminating with an all-Conference worship service for World Communion Sunday on October 3. To learn more about the Annual Gathering, including information about speakers, music, and registration, visit the website here: https://cpcucc.org/wp14/about-us/2021-cpc-annual-gathering/
See No Stranger Fall Sermon Series and Book Study
“Love is a form of sweet labor: fierce, bloody, imperfect, and life giving – a choice we make over and over again. Love can be taught, modeled, and practiced…’Revolutionary love’ is the choice to enter into labor for others, for our opponents, and for ourselves in order to transform the world around us. It is not a formal code or prescription but an orientation to life that is personal and political and rooted in joy.” – Valerie Kaur, p. 310
Beginning September 12, 2021 and for 7 weeks, Bethel UCC will begin a study of Valerie Kaur’s book, See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love. Join us as we explore what it means to enter into labor for others, our opponents and ourselves while we are rooted in joy. The first two weeks we’ll explore Love for Others through wonder, grief and fight. The next two weeks we’ll look at Love for Opponents by investigating rage, listening and reimagining. The follow two weeks we’ll focus on Love for Ourselves through the labor metaphor of breathe, push and transition. In the final week of the series, we’ll see how we can be rooted in joy as part of our commitment to Revolutionary Love.
You are invited to join the book group that will delve more deeply into the topics presented on Sunday morning. The book group will start on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 7 pm. If you need assistance purchasing a book, please contact the office at office@bethelbeaverton.org.
Book group Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82579532974?pwd=OVhLaGdsclJVbmNHeEN4TkxrZlFxZz09
To find out more about Revolutionary Love, watch Valerie Kaur's TedTalk: https://www.ted.com/talks/valarie_kaur_3_lessons_of_revolutionary_love_in_a_time_of_rage?language=en and join us for the upcoming sermon series beginning September 12, 2021.
To hear Valerie's Keynote Address at the UCC General Synod this year: https://vimeo.com/573828542 or go to https://www.generalsynod.org/keynote-speakers/ and click on "Watch Keynote" under her picture.
Stump the Pastor
We need your questions! Do you have a theological question, or a question about the life of faith or the way the church works that you’ve always wanted to ask but were afraid to ask it? September 5 is your chance! Pastor David will offer impromptu answers to your questions. For the rest of the month, you can submit your "Stump the Pastor" questions. We will have a box for questions in the Narthex on Sunday, or you may email the church office at: office@bethelbeaverton.org.
Maybelle Center for Community Mosaic Mural Project
Nikki Manley-Smith is participating in a community art project organized by Old Town Portland's Maybelle Center for Community, a nonprofit community center that specifically addresses issues of social isolation. Maybelle Center for Community is currently fundraising by working with community members to sponsor, design, and create mosaic tiles to create a large mosaic mural for a courtyard space at their assisted living facility. Donors who give $150 receive a kit to create a 1' tile for the mural installation. So far, Nikki and other Bethel members have purchased/donated one tile kit, and are halfway to raising the funds to purchase/donate a second tile kit.
If you would like to participate in this fundraising opportunity for the Maybelle Center for Community, Nikki Manley-Smith is collecting funds to pool for tile donations, and plans to meet at the Bethel campus to assemble the tiles outdoors on either Saturday, August 21 or Sunday, August 22 following service. If interested, please contact Nikki directly by emailing nikki.manley.smith@gmail.com.
To learn more about the mural project, you can watch this video: https://youtu.be/hxP0aVE-B3Q
Beaverton Chalk Art Festival
The annual La Strada dei Pastelli Chalk Art Festival in Beaverton will be held August 13-14. This year’s festival is being hosted in collaboration with the Beaverton Night Market. Activities will be held along a five block stretch of SW 1st Street in downtown Beaverton. The event is free to attend. If you're interested in volunteering, you can contact Sue Pike at swpike@frontier.com. For more information, view the event website at: https://www.2d4d.org/la-strada/
Outdoor Fellowship Time Starting July 25
On Sunday, July 25 following the congregational meeting, those who would like to are invited to gather outside in the courtyard for a fellowship time complete with cookies and coffee! Masks outside are optional. However, if you are not vaccinated, we strongly suggest you wear one. There will be other dates for outdoor fellowship time in August. More details to come.
Pride Beaverton
Upcoming COVID-19 Vaccine Sites
Upcoming COVID-19 Vaccine Sites
If you plan to receive a COVID-19 vaccine but have received one yet, there are two upcoming vaccine sites available to the public.
The first opportunity is this Saturday, May 29 at Parkside Fellowship from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Details:
Pfizer First Vaccination Shot
When: May 29, 2021
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Where: Parkside Fellowship in Beaverton
Sign Up Online: https://www.ohsu.edu/health/vaccine-scheduling-npar
The second opportunity is on Monday, June 14 at Beaverton First United Methodist Church from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Details:
COVID-19 Vaccine #1
When: June 14, 2021
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Where: Beaverton First United Methodist Church
Sign Up Online: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d45aeae29a7ffc61-beaverton
To ensure enough doses, this clinic asks you to please reserve an appointment ahead of time.
Phasing Forward Update
Here is an update on Bethel's Phasing Forward plans from Mac Macpherson, chair of the Phasing Forward Task Force:
What’s happening in regard to Bethel’s return to in-person worship?
Good question! Please read on for more information about “hybrid services”, where we have both in-person and remote worship.
So, we will still be having Zoom and Facebook Live virtual services even when people can attend in the Sanctuary?
Yes. Many who now attend remotely will wish to continue to worship remotely, and early in the Phase Forward planning we committed to serving those who could not worship in person.
What will these hybrid services look like?
Safety of worshipers and staff is our top priority. Currently Washington County is rated high risk for COVID-19. That means we can safely have roughly 50 people in our Sanctuary for worship. The changes as we move forward into this will include:
Temperature checks
COVID health questions upon entering
Masks required
Social distance seating
Changes in how we receive offerings and communion
Use of our new HVAC units throughout Bethel, including the Sanctuary, that provide not only heat and AC, but also air purification
Extra volunteers and AV equipment needed to facilitate our worship filming
What will music be like?
Initially it will be instrumental and maybe some solos. We won’t sing hymns together yet. At some point we will be able to resume in-person choir.
How will we decide who may attend worship in person?
We’ll have a reservation system through the church office. More information will follow as we develop procedures.
What has to be done to get ready?
The biggest tasks are to purchase, install and test the new equipment that will facilitate high-quality simultaneous live and remote Zoom and Facebook worship. The Board has approved funding but there is much work to do. Training volunteers in their various roles is also important.
Will we have fellowship time in the Fellowship Hall?
Not yet. There are many safety and logistical issues we have to work out. But we will get there someday - and I, for one, can’t wait!
What can I do to help?
Volunteer! We’ll still need ushers, readers, and greeters. We especially need people to help with the Zoom and Facebook Live broadcasting.
And if you haven’t yet done so, please complete and submit the questionnaire about your vaccination status, and your comfort level with attending in-person worship. Link: https://forms.gle/PxBUwQjBzdyDQeHb9
When will we start these hybrid services?
We are not yet able to set a date, but we are hopeful that at some point this summer we will be able to kick-off our new hybrid services.
How do the new CDC recommendations affect our decisions?
The Phase Forward Task Force is discussing and discerning the best way to move forward. We'll share updates as we have them.