JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2017

In January, Mig Schaaf pointed us to Christ by reading to us the original accompanying letter to the Belhar Confession, and we broke into groups to reflect, share, and pray about where we have seen oppressed parties responding with that same kind of grace. In February, Fred Drummond pointed us to Christ by leading us in a responsive reading of Biblical verses about wisdom.

In January we listened to four elders each summarize their reflections on our discernment journey, including how they have experienced and been led by God. In February, each of the rest of us did the same in groups of three or four. When we rejoined, each group shared where they saw something that might have been “rising up” in that conversation for us to pay attention to as a whole group.

In January, Anne van Roden led us in prayer for our nation, our church, what we as Bethany can be to our community in 2017, and how our whole body can be encouraged through this discernment process that the Session is going through. In February, Doug Kelly led us in prayer using the Biblical verses on wisdom that Fred introduced earlier.

Carolyn Burkland reported that we received $45,000 less in revenue in January 2017 than in January 2016, and it was the lowest total of January receipts in years. Expenses were very close to January 2016’s totals. We ended the month in the red by $28,925.

We removed one person from membership.

Session called a congregational meeting to elect church officers on Sunday, April 2, after the 2nd service.

We approved the Celebration of the Lord’s Supper at the June 3rd wedding of Kjrsten Gunning and Schoen Parnell.