John Perkins: Opening our Eyes to Racial Reconciliation
/ Scott Gronholz, Director of Youth Ministries
“Wake up! He’s coming! He’ll be here any minute!” These were the exclamations of Ryan White, our interim high school youth director, as he attempted to rouse his leaders and kids every morning on the recent high school mission trip to Jackson, Mississippi.

As I wiped the morning crust from my eyes and mourned the fact that my dream about summer walks for coffee on Queen Anne was indeed only a dream, I would survey my surroundings, gasp at a few cockroaches that had taken up residence near my head during the evening, and begin to be encroached upon by my own sense of excitement: “He’s coming” meant that John Perkins was on his way over for our morning Bible study.

John Perkins is a larger-than-life figure who has spent the majority of his adult life attempting to reconcile the precarious bitterness and confusion between white people and people of color throughout the world. We were all excited to acquire just a small portion of his character and wisdom. Our expectation going into this trip was that John would spend maybe a half hour with us every morning and then go about the important business of running his center for reconciliation.

To our surprise and amazement, he burst into our temporary residence every morning to lead an hour-long Bible study and then proceeded to accompany us on our intense outdoor work projects in the sweltering 102 degree Mississippi heat for the entire day. This man is 75 years old and he outworked all of us! Most importantly, the students and volunteer leaders had the opportunity to be in the presence of a man who was able to articulate his faith with passion and demonstrate that faith through joyful hard work.

As the week unfolded and we continued to hear from and work with John, we began to understand the urgent need for racial reconciliation in our modern culture and the small role we all have to play in it. John often said,

“The secret to racial reconciliation today is simple: when a black person moves into a white community, don’t move!”

Before we left on this trip we came across an interesting fact: Seattle is the second most segregated city in the country. With that knowledge, combined with our invaluable time spent working alongside John Perkins, we all began to wake up and wipe the crust from our eyes and fully realize that God was calling us to be a part of this racial reconciliation mission locally. Racial reconciliation is not just about rhetoric, it’s about relationship.

Please join us this next year as the youth group prays about how to honor this calling and how we as a congregation can continue to discern God’s role for all of us. My prayer is that we, like John Perkins, will be able to not only articulate our faith, but live it out in a way that demonstrates God’s love and His healing for all people.

Our Experience at Voice of Calvary
Jackson, Mississippi -- This far-off place that seemed so distant for the many months of prep was finally coming into view of our commuter airplane. As the plane touched down, all of us on the Bethany Youth Group mission trip were wondering what adventures and people lay ahead for us. Little did we know it would be like nothing we expected. Here are some stories and personal memories of Jackson and how God met us in a place far from home.
-- Alex Pearson, Senior Editor
Bethany Presbyterian Youth Group Gazette

Goin’ to a Southern Church
/ Kevin Kunde, Sophomore, Roosevelt HS
Before going to the church service at Voice of Calvary, I must confess I had several things that I expected to encounter. I came expecting a really long service, a super long sermon, lots of gospel music, singing, clapping, and moving around.

I had also expected that we would need to dress up for this service. That morning, we met with John Perkins and had a Bible study. Ryan asked if the boys should wear ties. John replied,

“Y'all wear your ties if you wanna look preppy."

This was a taste of what was to come.

The service didn’t end up lasting very long. It was only a little longer than ours at Bethany. The church publicly welcomed our group and people were very friendly to us. We had lots of nice conversations with others attending the service.

The worship was like nothing else I’ve experienced in my life! It was easy to get into it and, if your heart desired, you could start clapping and swaying back and forth. The energy was pretty high, but it was casual compared to what I had expected.

Before leaving on the trip the worship service was one of the things I had really been looking forward to. I hope it’s not the last southern church service that I get to experience. We really do get to meet God in many places and many ways.

Meeting the Man Who Started It All
/ Alex Pearson, Sophomore, Garfield HS
John Perkins. His very name congers up a lot of images and thoughts. His past is almost surreal to those of us living here in the present-day Pacific Northwest. As a civil rights worker he was nearly beaten to death by highway patrolmen. He has started several centers to help rebuild the communities and reach racial reconciliation. John Perkins has a powerful story of finding God in a time of hate.

But who is this man behind all the stories?

Coming into this trip, most of us had the same general picture of John Perkins, mostly from reading his autobiography, Let Justice Roll Down. A picture of a 70-something guy in a suit, intellectually aloof, doing something important or talking to someone important, very busy, always having something better to do than hang out with teen visitors. Truth be told, we couldn’t have been more wrong.

Our first morning there, John Perkins set us straight about dress code at his church; very casual, much like Bethany. Most of the time, he wore a T-shirt and jeans.

Our first shocker was here: realizing he was a very humble man, who didn’t go prancing around wearing an air of importance. He didn’t even run off after the morning Bible studies. John stayed all day and helped us work on the yard. Talking with us and sharing the experience, he showed us that development, above all other things, is building relationships with others.

The next big realization about John was his amazing passion for his ministry and work in the community. During our Bible studies, John would talk about the work they were doing and how they were developing the Zachariah Community in the neighborhood where we were staying. As he talked, he started building up in a crescendo of volume, becoming louder and louder. His fervor and passion flowed.

It was truly amazing to see someone so excited for the work that they were doing for God—especially after doing this for so many years! John has dedicated the rest of his life to help build this community. This kind of devotion for God is a true testament to us all about how to live.

This is what struck us most of all about the real John Perkins: his absolute faith in God. He trusts that the Lord will provide for the Zachariah Community and its development. He trusts that God will give him a few more years to work on this Earth. And he trusted God, years ago, when he moved back to the South from a nice comfortable job in California. John moved back to the place where he had been discriminated against as a child and lost a brother to racism. And he moved because he felt God’s calling to work there.

John Perkins the man: humble, passionate, and faithful. A modern saint. It sounds like so much, but he is really just a down-to-earth guy, who worked with a bunch of teens from the Northwest.

Making J.P.’s Zachariah Community
/ Caitlin Gallagher, Sophomore, Ballard HS
It’s amazing to think that racial reconciliation is not moving away when a black family moves in next door or down the street. That is one of the things that John Perkins taught us. And he decided for us that we were going to help him build a community where everyone is welcome. He named this the Zachariah Community.

John Perkins taught us a lot about how he was planning to build and maintain this community and how he was going to base it around the ideals found in the book of Zachariah. The main idea was that the community would be based around a neighborhood church and love.

Ancient Iraq: The Makings of a Reality TV Thriller
/ Timothy Burgess
Government officials threatening to kill opponents. Oppressive, state-sponsored religion. Intimidation of dissenters. Religious persecution. Idols. Desert wanderings. A king eating leaves. Men deliberately thrown into a raging fire. Lions ripping people apart.

And in the midst of all this, courage, fidelity, a passionate pursuit of God, and God-honoring public service.

This is what a small cadre of Bethany men (and women, too, but alas, they met separately) studied on Thursday nights this past summer. The text was the first six chapters of the Old Testament book of Daniel.

Daniel may have been only 14 to 16 years of age when he and his fellow Jews were dragged from their homes in Judea and taken as captives to Babylon (modern-day Iraq). But Daniel and his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood out from the crowd because of their physical strength, intelligence, and good looks. So King Nebuchadnezzar—the ancient king to whom Saddam Hussein used to compare himself—conscripted these young men into his palace staff and put them through an intensive, three-year program designed to instill leadership skills and loyalty.

What followed would rank right up there with television shows like Fear Factor or Survivor. Daniel finds himself at the center of political intrigue, palace rivalries, jealous officials, and personal threats that never seem to end; they crash in like ocean waves, relentlessly pounding Daniel and his friends.

Through it all, Daniel remains faithful to God, never flagging, never turning away, and never relinquishing his core convictions. Not only was Daniel faithful to God, but he earned the praise of the people as an honorable public official. Scripture records that Daniel “was faithful, and no negligence or corruption could be found in him” (Daniel 6:4, NRSV).

The first half of the book of Daniel records a gripping, true tale filled with suspense and heart-pounding action. However, it’s more than a story. It’s a powerful witness to what a single individual and a few friends can accomplish to alter the course of history.

As I prepared to co-teach the Daniel class with Steve Lympus, I was struck by how much of what Daniel experienced could be applied to my life. In fact, what I learned about Daniel was a strong affirmation of my own faith and political interests. Here was a Bible character who served as a public official who made a difference for the people because of his integrity. And, yet, Daniel was faithful in his obedience to God as well.

Daniel’s life and what he stood for is an example for all of us who find ourselves in a world plagued by some of the same issues and problems Daniel faced.

While our circumstances may be different from Daniel’s, certain principles gleaned from his life can be applied to our own with great success. See if this short list is helpful to you.

Know what you believe. Daniel’s faith in God was rock-solid, never wavering even in the face of death threats. Do we know what we believe? Could our faith withstand personal attack?

Keep a God-focused worldview. Daniel viewed his circumstances in light of the larger context of God’s redemptive plan. Do we catch a glimpse of God’s grace intersecting with our lives?

Pray without ceasing. Daniel took his relationship with God seriously, making sure he was in continual communication with his Lord through daily prayer. Do we talk with and listen to God? Is prayer significant to us?

Don’t be afraid to speak the truth. On multiple occasions, Daniel made presentations to the highest government officials, even providing personal counsel to the king. He spoke the truth. Are we bold in sharing what we know to be true?

Maintain integrity. Daniel was wholly committed to his job as a regional governor, carrying out his duties without the blemish of corruption, and winning the respect and admiration of the people. Integrity matters. Do we act with integrity? Do we live a life of service to others?

Grab your Bible and read the first six chapters of the book of Daniel. It’s a thriller. As you read, find the places where God intervenes, where Daniel shows his fidelity to God, and where government leaders choose righteousness instead of brutality and oppression. You will be surprised—and find inspiration for your own daily life.

Timothy Burgess is a Bethany elder and co-taught the men’s Daniel study this past summer with Associate Pastor Steve Lympus.

Small Groups: Why Are People Forming Them?
/ Kelly Pearson
Small groups are part of the weekday tapestry of Bethany. Recently I visited one of these groups to learn why they had chosen to come together. Here is what they said:

Brett: Our small group started after Kate and I heard Pastor Dan ask the question in a sermon,

“What would your community say about that?”

It spurred us into conversation and made us realize that we wanted this kind of community. Then Kate contacted the church with the hope of getting a new group started.

Kate: Making the commitment to attend a small group is challenging. I feel that is it always harried getting there, but that I am refreshed when I leave. I actually think a small group is a great way for people with busy lifestyles to be intentional about building community. If we had more time, community might happen more naturally. But when we don’t, the structure and routine of a small group really helps.

Steve: We joined because we wanted to be part of a small group based in our neighborhood.

Ginger: We were waiting to get plugged in—connected with people. However, Bethany is a big church, so it was quite easy for us to just slip out after the service and not make friendships.

Josh: We really wanted to get to know some Bethany people. So when we saw the listing in the church for a new small group in our work neighborhood, we joined.

Stephanie: It hasn’t been hard to get the group started. Twice a month we gather together to talk, catch up, and follow a Bible study that the Bethany’s Group Life team gave us. We’ve had a really good time thinking through the sharing questions in the study.

Kate: I’d have to say the group has given me a sense of belonging at Bethany. I love being with people regularly who share my world view and challenge me to keep my faith more in the forefront of my daily living. Being part of a group gives me a chance to dig into Scripture and to listen to others' perspectives on the same text. The discussions are always rich, often convicting, and they tend to linger with me for several days. 

If you would be interested in either joining or forming a small group, contact Kelly Pearson on the Group Life team at 329-0983.

Alpha, Starting up October 3
by Claudia Heiden
Do any of the following describe you?

• Do you have questions about Christianity or what it means to be a Christian?
• Could your Christian faith use a “jump start”?
• Would you like to feel more “connected” to others at Bethany and meet new friends?

If any of the above describes you, then the upcoming Alpha course being offered at Bethany this October is a great opportunity. I know this from personal experience, as I attended the course last year. Although the course is a 12-week commitment, it seems easy to fit it in. In fact, you might be more disappointed when it is over!

After Alpha, I missed the connection I felt with others. So I began helping out at the Wednesday Night Dinners, joined the Wednesday Night Bible Study, and spent more of my free time with a new friend I met through Alpha.

Alpha changed my life! I have more of a focus on Jesus, my Christian faith is more of a priority, and I have more friends at Bethany. I am so glad I signed up for Alpha last year, and am hoping you will do the same!

Here’s a brief overview of the Alpha class:

• Evening #1 (Mon, Oct 3, 6:00 pm): Intro to Alpha, video and sign-ups for those interested. This is a good night to invite your friends to check it out!
• Evenings #2-12: Dinner together, video, discussion and questions relating to Alpha or Christianity in general.
• Weekend Retreat: You don’t want to miss it! It is a totally wonderful experience of bonding, sharing, learning and visiting with others.
• Last meeting: There is an opportunity for people to share their testimonies.

I’m praying this article on Alpha will encourage you to sign up. If anyone would like to talk to me in greater detail, please call 284-3965 or e-mail metrostanford@comcast.net.

Kids' Advent and Lenten Choirs
By Dianne Ross
Is your child a budding musician? Does your child like to sing? Then this may be just what you are looking for! This year, we have something new just for 4th-9th graders. It is a special Advent and Lenten youth choir, and will meet for two short series on Tuesday afternoons:

Advent Choir
Meets for practice Tuesdays, November 1-29. They will sing in church (possibly with the adult choir) December 4.

Lenten Choir
Meets for practice Tuesdays, March 7-28 and on April 4. They will sing at both morning services Palm Sunday, April 9.

An organizational meeting for parents, along with a simultaneous, preliminary practice for the kids will be Tues, Oct 4 at 5 pm.

Middle Schoolers who would like to stay on for Youth Group will have go to dinner with adult leaders or bring sack dinners and study prior to youth group.

Picture Yourself in the Pictorial Directory
/ Jennifer Steenstra
Smile! It’s time for a new Bethany Pictorial Directory! Find current names, addresses, phone number and e-mail. Bethany members, regular attendees and newcomers are welcome and encouraged to be included in the directory.

This home-grown digital format, desk-top published work is an experiment, and we’re trying to make it easy to get everyone and everything included accurately and easily. We need your help.

We want to make sure we have your correct address and contact information. Look for a table in the Lobby during September to review and/or update your address/contact information. Have you moved? Added e-mail? Added to your family? Check the information we’re planning to publish to make sure it is what you want included.

If you would rather not be included in the directory, please note this on the “Update your Information” table on Sept 11, 18 and 25, or e-mail gailn@bethanypc.org.

The final directory is expected to be available before the new year, and will be available to all active members, regular attendees, and those pictured in the current directory. One per family.

If you’d like to be involved in the production or distribution of the directory, please contact Jennifer Steenstra (706-8157) or Linda Cutshall (284-2222, ext. 13). Thank you in advance for your enthusiastic participation in this endeavor!

Picture Taking
We want to make sure we have your photo! Bethany (amateur) photographers will be available to take pictures after all three services on Sun, Sept11. A special delegation will also be available to photograph some of our home-bound senior members.
Contact Linda Cutshall to make arrangements to get your picture taken. Alternatively, take your own digital picture and submit it in .jpeg or .gif format to gailn@bethanypc.org.

Bethany Finances
Bethany is not too far from being out of debt!
The only loan that our budget must service is the one remaining on the building of the Fellowship Hall. Right now the balance is just under $158,000.

If you want to contribute towards Bethany being debt-free, write your checks to the church, and mark them “Mortgage Repayment Fund.” Or contact Brian Ives, Elder for Administration.

Mission Trip to Agros Uno in Honduras
/ Frank Holman
From Aug 26-Sept 4, seven of us from Bethany are in Honduras alongside Honduran families of the Agros Uno community. We follow in the footsteps of the 22 members of our high school youth group who pioneered an ongoing relationship with these Honduran families a year ago in July.

Agros Uno is one of the newest fledgling communities in Latin America founded and funded with assistance from AGROS International. Poor landless Honduran families make up the community. They have moved to land purchased through AGROS with the ultimate goal of owning their own land and firmly establishing a basic community infrastructure.

Over the years, AGROS has worked quietly below the radar screen of both the major aid organizations in this country and the governments of the countries in which the villages have formed. AGROS has responded to requests from individuals and groups in Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and most recently Mexico [Chiapas] and Honduras. In each of the 20 or more communities in which AGROS is active, the goals remain the same: community organization, land ownership, housing and community infrastructure, sustainable economic growth, human development, and the realization of God-given potential.

This trip is about building relationships. The first relationship is between poor Honduran families and their land. The second relationship is between the Honduran families themselves, some from different and distant villages. The third relationship is between the Honduran families and their northern friends from Bethany Presbyterian Church (begun last summer by the youth group) and Delta Evangelical Free Church near Vancouver, B.C. We hope to encourage all these relationships by our participation and presence.

Please pray for the individuals and team from Bethany.

Traveling:
Pastor Lynne Faris Blessing
Lori Reimann Garretson
Jane Frissell
Gena Morgan
Larry Chen
Patti & Frank Holman
Emily Bergstrom, AGROS staff
Brent & Tristen Unrau, North Delta Evangelical Free Church [B.C.]

Please pray for:

• the individuals and team from Bethany
• the Honduran families who have opened their lives and home to us
• the nourishment and growth of seeds planted by God in this community
• land ownership
• self-sustaining food production
• community development and leadership
• partnership between our communities at Bethany, the North Delta Church and Agros Uno
• faith in God
• our love for one another
• a present hope in the lives of all who come together this week and in the years to come

Adult Classes
Fall Good Book Discussion with Pastor Dan Baumgartner
Sun, Oct 23, 12:15 pm Parlor
The Power and the Glory is the story of the last priest left in a state where the Church and God have been outlawed, and priests have been systematically hunted down and killed.

The protagonist of the book is on the run and is being actively hunted by the authorities. Too human for heroism, too humble for
martyrdom, the little worldly “whisky priest” is finally captured as much as a result of his sense of calling and compassion as by the efforts of his pursuers.

This is a powerful story of God’s grace and presence permeating every part of life. Review by Catherine Purdy. Copies of the book are available through Queen Anne Avenue Books.

Sunday Night Bible Study: James
6:30-8:30 pm Sundays, beginning Sept 25, in the Parlor
Are you looking for a small group Bible study? Or a place to meet and get to know other Bethany folks? Join us for:

• a shared meal
• digging into the Word
• a time of sharing
• prayer

The Bible study will be led by Associate Pastor Steve Lympus and others.

Men’s Retreat
September 23-25 at Camp Casey on Whidbey Island
Join our men in a weekend retreat which includes times for relaxation, fun, and good communication together. Our guest speaker will be Tim Stafford, senior writer for Christianity Today magazine and author of 21 books and many magazine articles. Sign-ups will be at the table in the Lobby on Sun, Sept. 11 and 18. Cost: $75. Contact Brent Beabout (595-2310) for more information.

Children’s Ministries
September 11 Kick-Off
9 am
Children age 3 and older will move to their new Sunday School rooms. (Watch for your Fall Information Pack, with room locations, in the mail.)

10:45 am
The 4-year-olds will move up to Children and Worship in Room 202.

The 2nd graders will move to Gateways to Worship in Room 203.

As always, children ages 2 and 3 may start in their classrooms at 9 am, or attend the first part of worship with their families in the Sanctuary before going to their class after Children’s Time. Children ages 4 and above all begin in worship.

Serving on the Children’s Ministries Team
We are thrilled with the 101 people who are excited to work on a Children’s Ministries Team this school year. We have openings for a few more people, so please contact Dianne Ross if you would like more information. We are looking for

• a few more teachers and assistants in our 2-year-old class at 9 am
• another male teacher for our 4th and 5th grade boys at 9am
• two more “buddies” for our special needs children at 9 am
• three more worship leaders/storytellers and doorkeepers/ assistants for our Godly Play rooms at 10:45 am

Local Outreach: Caring for the Local Community
by Lynne Faris Blessing
In an effort to show God’s love for the city, Bethany’s Local Outreach team organized our first Bethany Cares Day. On Sat, July 30, we set out to serve both on Queen Anne and in the Rainer Valley.

Working with the Deacons Ministry, one group went to a senior member’s home to help with general projects around the home. The person we helped said she had been “praying for years” for a group like this to come help.

The other group worked with members of Emerald City Outreach Ministries (ECOM) to throw a “Block Party” for their neighborhood. It was a full and fun day of setting up and running games for children, eating BBQ, enjoying jazz and gospel music, and deepening ties with our friends at ECOM. ECOM also ran a “Summer Academy” for the youth of their community, and Bethany members helped provide lunches for the last week of July. Those who rose to the lunch-making occasion (including a children’s Sunday School class) provided a wonderful gift to the ECOM youth in the midst of busy summer activities.

News & Notes
Births, Baptisms and Dedications
Births
Alicia Lai-Ming Noelani Siebers, August 13, 2005, 7 lbs. 15 oz.

Baptisms
Spencer Joseph Hawk, August 14, 2005
Claire Sophia Zellerhoff, August 14, 2005

Hymn Festival
7:30 pm Fri, Oct 14, in the Sanctuary
All are invited to Six, plus Two—a hymn festival celebrating the seasons of the liturgical church year. Featuring Bethany musicians, instruments, choir and congregation.

Bethany 101 Newcomers/New Members Classes
Potluck 6:30 pm Fri, Oct 7, in the Parlor
This is an informal gathering with the opportunity to get acquainted with each other, as well as meet various leaders at Bethany.

In addition, choose one of two ways to participate in Bethany 101:

Weekend Model
9:30 am-2:30 pm Sat, Oct 8
12:30-2:00 pm Sun, Oct 16 Lunch with Pastor Dan

Sunday Mornings
10:45 am-noon Sundays, Oct 9-30
12:30-2:00 pm Sun, Oct 16 Lunch with Pastor Dan

To register and receive more information, contact Linda Cutshall. We’re looking forward to helping you make connections at Bethany.