You Need to Know/ Pastor Dan Baumgartner
I regularly invite our staff to read books or magazine articles on a myriad of topics, and then we discuss them at staff meetings. One on the list for August is an article from the Atlantic Monthly called “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” ...

Newcomer's Dinner / Chris Gustafson
I’d been noticing it for a while. On communion Sundays, there were so many faces I didn’t know walking up the aisle. Being at Bethany for almost thirty years meant I had many comfortable relationships, but few with people who were new. Not being much of an extrovert, I wasn’t sure how to change that. I prayed about it, and that’s how our home group began sponsoring Newcomers Dinners...

High School Seattle Mission Trip
Eyes Wide Open / Dana Baumgartner
Mission trips with the Bethany Youth Group are always a highlight of my summer. Mission trips usually mean traveling to somewhere I haven’t been before and getting away from everyday life for a week, but this summer was different...

Hands and Feet / Analicia Pedersen
I imagined I was leaving the country; getting on a plane to do mission work, to serve others...I got into my car...

Caring for Creation / Phil Mote
How do you feel when asked, how do you care for the environment?

Scripture provides some guidance on attitudes toward God’s creation...

Meet the staff: Sara McMahon / Mary Cropp
It all began with a broken down VW van. Sara McMahon’s then-boyfriend (later, husband) Keith had car trouble one Sunday morning. Unable to make the drive to the Greenlake church they had been attending, the couple decided to trek up Queen Anne hill to check out a service at Bethany. A few short months later, she was shepherding Bethany’s youth group mission trip to Mexico.

Children's Ministries

August Family Worship
Each year during the month of August, we especially invite children into the worshipping community! The children will stay until the beginning of the sermon so they can experience more parts of worship (such as the offering and special music, confession, and prayer time). At the 9:00 am hour children ages 4-8 will have a special “Sermon Release Time” in the Parlor…they leave for this right before the sermon. During this Sermon Release Time they will sing a few songs, debrief the worship service and hear a story about helping people around the world. They will end their time on the playground, where they can be picked up. If your child would like to play his/her musical instrument one August Sunday during the prelude time or help the ushers, or if your 5 th grader would like to read scripture, please contact Dianne (dianner@bethanypc.org). “Let the children come!”

Regular Sunday morning schedules will resume on Sunday, September 14, when we kick off our school year with ministries for all children at both hours.

On the Calendar
see interactive calendar for complete listing

Wednesday Night Dinner
Wednesdays in August, 5:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall

Young Adults (Post-College) Group
Sat, August 1, 7:00 pm at Golden Gardens

Esperanza Mission Trip
August 10-16 at Vancouver Island, Canada

College Age Fellowship
Sundays, August 10, 5 pm (worship) and 6 pm (dinner) at Bethany

Sharing from the High School Mission Trip to Seattle
Thurs, August 14, 7 pm in the Fellowship Hall

a "Salad and Bread" Farmer's Market Lunch
Sun, August 24, 12:15 pm in the Fellowship Hall
Enjoy local food and a short discussion time about the Christian hope we can bring to our personal creation care and extend to our neighbors.

Mariners vs Minnesota Twins Game
Monday, August 25 at Safeco Field

Alpha
Monday evenings September 8 - December 1

Session Notes

On Tuesday, July 8, the Elders gathered in the Parlor for the monthly Session meeting.

• John Chase opened in prayer and Matt Eyler pointed us toward Christ, sharing some insights he has picked up from teaching 4th and 5th grader boys on Sunday mornings.
• Dianne Ross introduced Sarah Reed, our Summer Children’s Intern, to Session and we heard about the exciting work that she is doing with your kids this summer.
• Michelle McFarland shared with Session the work that has been done surrounding a ministry opportunity with McClure Middle School.
• Steve Jones provided an update on the finances. We are currently running at a deficit, which is predicted at this time of year. June giving was up with five Sundays and spending is consistent with the 2008 budget.
• We took advantage of the nice weather and walked through Bethany’s neighborhood praying for neighbors, schools, and ministry.
• Pastor Dan continued the discussion on “Honest Answers – An Exploration of Tough Questions” and we looked at how to respond to someone saying, “What do I do when I can’t pray?” Scripture used to support this discussion:
  • Romans 1:8-10, Job 42:1-6
  • 2 Samuel 7:18-29, Matthew 6:9-13
  • Ephesians 3:14-21, Psalm 20:1-5
  • Psalm 63, Psalm 43
• Pastor Dan also reported on the recent General Assembly meeting.
• Session closed with thanks and prayer.

News & Notes

Births

• Stephanie Grace Ngongo July 4
• Wren Ruby Parker July 18

Baptisms

• Kyra Gail Blessing July 13
• Audrey Ann Zentler July 13