Potpourri
Interim Pastor Heidi Husted Armstrong
I want to take this opportunity to alert you to a number of items, so this Briefs column will take a potpourri approach…

Visible Progress, Invisible Solutions
John Battle, Project Chairperson
When you read this, you may be surprised to know that we’re nearing the halfway mark of the Seismic Safety Retrofit project. When completed late this fall, the sanctuary and bell tower will be strengthened to help avoid injury and loss of life and ensure that Bethany remains a vibrant place of worship, fellowship and mission...

A Senior Pastor Search Begins
Bruce Devereaux, Elder for the Nominating Committee
The search began in May with the charge by Session to the Nominating Committee to select seven candidates for the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC)...

A Conversation with Lynne Baab
Kimberlee Conway Ireton
Former Bethany associate pastor Lynne Baab asked that question as she left the familiarity of Seattle—and the scores of friendships she’d developed here over 30 years—and moved to New Zealand. Would her friendships survive the move? What shape would her new relationships take? ...

Senior Girls' Tea: The Gift of Community
Hannah Kunde, recent High School graduate
The senior girls from youth group, our moms, and some female leaders from elementary, middle, and high school, were given the opportunity to spend time in fellowship over tea...

Resilience is a Constant Refrain
Scott Gronholz, Director of Youth Ministries
A group of eight volunteers, three of us from Bethany recently went to rural Zambia to provide medical care to the students of Dwankhozi Community School (DCS). It’s the African bush you think of – no electricity, few resources, and inaccessible to medical support...

Stewardship Notes
Janette Plunkett, Stewardship Elder
Hopefully you saw this notice in the bulletin and were able to attend the June 26 congregational meeting: We had hoped the recession would not impact Bethany’s budget but giving has been consistently lower than budget and a response is needed. Session is recommending a budget reduction which per our bylaws requires a congregational vote...

Grandma Ann
Melissa Young
Have you ever wondered who the smartly dressed, petite, white-haired woman sitting in front of the preaching pulpit is? She’s our “Grandma” Ann! ...

Deacon's Fund
Our Deacons Fund is designed to reach out and financially assist people in our communities known to individuals at Bethany. In recent months, we’ve helped people with rent, utilities, and groceries. We also contribute monthly to QA Helpline and Ballard Foodbank. Contributions to our Deacon’s Fund are always welcome! You can write a check to “Bethany Presbyterian Church” and earmark it “Deacon’s Fund.” If you attend Bethany and know of someone in your neighborhood, work, or school community who needs one-time financial assistance, please
contact either Sprague Minger or Ann Kelley.

Kenya Mission Trip: July 4-20
A group of four Bethany-ites are setting out for Kenya. The first week will be spent in the Soweto neighborhood, on the outskirts of Nairobi. They will work with the school children and teachers of the Sheepcare Community. The second week will be in Mbita, a rural town on the shores of Lake Victoria, working with Christ’s Gift Academy which ministers to the orphans and widows of the community. Please pray for the team as they interact with our Kenyan sisters and brothers and with each other: good communicating, sensitive listening, deep connecting, mutual encouraging, safe traveling, joyful worship, lots of learning, and gaining new sights about our great God’s love for this world. As they return, we pray for creative ways for the team to share their stories.

Esperanza Mission Trip: August 7-13
In the late 1930’s, a Christian doctor started his practice on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island. Eventually a mission work began, and the now 75-year history of Esperanza Ministry’s work on the coast is rich in a variety of ways. Relationships of trust between the mission and native coast people, a strong witness to the love of Jesus, and many examples of ministry fill the pages of this history. We join other supporters of the ministry in repairing and building housing which is vital to the work with coast people and the staff. A Bethany group will spend a week at the mission in August. If you are interested or have questions, contact Mike Christensen. Cost is $100 per adult, plus travel expenses, with cost for children negotiable. Deadline for applications is July 1st.

Children's Ministries

Caring and Connecting
This summer children and families at Bethany will find many simple yet special ways to Care 4 God’s Creation (C4C) and Connect with Community (Cw/C). Opportunities include a low tide walk, an evening at the farm, camping at Gold Basin, and a summer “creation care” Sunday School theme. We’ll also take advantage of summer weather to be together as a church family through Summer Playground Fellowship (SPF), held on the playground after the morning worship services. Coffee and juice will be provided on June 26, July 31 and Aug 28 (the last Sunday of month), we’ll also provide simple snacks. Read the information below for more specifics on some of these special events this July, and watch for more ways to “Care and Connect” in the August Briefs.

Evening at the Fox Hollow Farm Bonfire Night: July 2
The farm is 35 minutes from Bethany, near Issaquah, and the event is from 5:00-7:00 pm. Each family is asked to bring a picnic dinner or purchase concession stand food there. The cost if $8 per person (cash only; children under 1 are free). The price includes the s’mores and all activities. For further information and directions, check: http://foxhollowfamilyfarm.com/calendar-of-events/1-events-16-bonfire. For those interested in attending, email Cindy Palmer.

A Rocha Christian Conservation: July 10
Tom Rowley, US Executive Director of A Rocha (an international Christian conservation organization) will share with elementary children in their “creation care” Sunday School gathering. Then, after the 10:45 am service, we’ll share a 150 mile potluck lunch (all food from within that radius) in the Parlor. During lunch, Tom will share with adults on A Rocha while kids enjoy the playground. RSVP to Dianne Ross (dianner@bethanypc.org) by July 6.

Low Tide Walk
Constellation Park - July 17 at 1:00 pm
All Bethany-ites are invited to this very fun and educational afternoon discovering God’s amazing creatures living in our Puget Sound waters with marine biologist, Mark Plunkett, and our stewardship Elder, Janette Plunkett. Meet at Constellation Park in West Seattle (google it) by 1:00 pm and plan on getting wet. Previous attendees highly recommend it for families with children of all ages.

On the Calendar
see interactive calendar for complete listing

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

Healing Prayer
1st Sunday of the month after the 10:45 am service in the Library
3rd Sunday of the month after the 5 pm service in the Library

Women's Bible Study
Tuesdays, July 5 & 19 at 9:30 am or 7:00 pm in the Parlor

Gold Basin Camping Trip
July 8-10 at Gold Basin

150-mile Lunch
July 10 in the Parlor

Session Meeting
Tuesday, July 12 at 6:00 pm in the Parlor

A Conversation with Lynne Baab
Sunday, July 24 at 10:45 am in the Parlor

News & Notes

Session Notes
Craig Barwell, Clerk of Session

Session convened in the Parlor on June 14 for its regular monthly meeting. Pastor Heidi opened with prayer, and Mark Russo led a brief devotional which compared stories from Mark’s life with the Biblical account of the Prodigal Son. The Session officially installed Dave Campbell and Lisa Hudson as Elders, as they missed the ordination /installation service on May 29. The Finance report from Dan Wickline and the Stewardship report from Janette Plunkett highlighted the effects of tough economic times and the seismic retrofit project on overall giving. Adele Drummond announced Bethany’s current active membership (443), thanks to Linda Cutshall’s many phone calls and emails in contacting absentee folks regarding their membership. Session spent some time in prayer listening to God, followed by a discussion on practices of fruitful congregations – and how Bethany exhibits these traits. This self-examination will help the Pastoral Nominating Committee find Bethany’s next Senior Pastor.
Session then closed in prayer.

Dedications

Luke Daniel Wickline - June 12