Ripples of Empowerment
Military Detention of Palestinian Children
Social Justice Forum
Military Detention of Palestinian Children
Sunday, April 29, 11:30 AM.
At General Synod 31 in Baltimore last summer, UCC President John Dorhauer proclaimed the UCC vision of a just world for all - a vision which includes Love of Neighbor, Love of Children, and Love of Creation. Dorhauer's prophetic voice challenged us to work together to address inequities in our world. Delegates at that Synod reflected this love of children and love of justice when they approved overwhelmingly a resolution advocating for the rights of Palestinian children living under Israeli military occupation. The main author of this UCC resolution is Thomas Beilman, a member of our Central Pacific Conference. Beilman returned recently from a fact-finding delegation focused on Palestinian children in Israeli military detention. He will provide basic facts about Israel's system of military detention, including a short documentary film, "Detaining Dreams," featuring the stories of four Palestinian children and their families undergoing the ordeal of Israeli military detention. We'll learn all about the UCC Resolution which advocates for these children, as well as other steps already under way and gaining traction to help bring peace and justice to families who have lived their entire lives knowing nothing but the hardship of occupation.
Draw the Circle Wide ..... Grant Helbley
Matthew 28:1-10
Easter...........Look Up!
Special Easter Service & Easter Egg Hunt
Join us on Sunday as we celebrate Christ’s resurrection with special music, prayers and liturgy. Our sanctuary will be flooded with color from flowers given in honor or memory of loved ones. An invitation to sing Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus will conclude worship.
Afterwards, there will be an Easter Egg Hunt for all ages. The egg hunters will
Sit Up!
We apologize for the technical difficulties that deleted the video and some of the audio.
What R U Up 2? - Holy Week Schedule
This Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. Bethel begins the celebration with a very special Palm Sunday service, March 25 as well as our regular Adult Discussion Group at 9 am; a Maundy Thursday service, March 29; Ecumenical Walk of the Cross, March 30 and culminating in a beautiful celebration of Easter and the risen Christ followed by a fun Easter egg hunt for all ages, April 1. You and your family are invited to join us for any and all of the Holy Week activities. Click here to download our Holy Week flyer or pick up a pew card this Sunday.
Lift Up!
Worship elements adapted and used with permission from www.worshipdesignstudio.com.
What is a Sabbatical?
A sabbatical is a designated “time away” from regular work responsibilities. A sabbatical requires a specific plan of study, rest, discernment, skill building, reading, prayer and play.
A sabbatical for UCC pastors is a customary benefit; grounded in Christian scripture and practice. The word sabbatical, comes from the Greek word sabatikos, which means “of the Sabbath,” the day of rest that happens every seventh day. Regular worship on Sundays is one way of keeping the Sabbath.
The book of Genesis makes clear that God values rest – not just inactivity, but special set aside time intended for spiritual, emotional, and physical renewal. Jesus frequently took time away to rest, and invited his disciples to join him.
Sabbatical leave time is often confused with vacation leave.
Light Up!
Worship elements adapted and used with permission from www.worshipdesignstudio.com.
Churches To Feed 110 Homeless Beaverton High School Students Over Spring Break
Matthew 25:35-36 guides our behavior toward others: "...for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me." Recognizing our common humanity and desiring a fair allocation of community resources is a golden thread running through the Bible.
Beaverton High Principal Anne Erwin challenged the Community Team to find a way to support homeless teens during Spring and Winter Breaks when school district food programs are closed. Bethel chose to take this project on. Many other Churches and groups help us. Holy Trinity Church, Jesuit High School Alumni, St. Cecelia School, Safeway, New Seasons and other groups have teamed up with Bethel to let these students know we care about them. We also have a dedicated group of seamstresses who make a canvas sling bag for each student.
Raise Up
Click here for the entire What R U Up 2 sermon series.
Worship elements adapted and used with permission from www.worshipdesignstudio.com
Single Payer Healthcare Forum - What Now?
Last Sunday's Social Justice Forum on single-payer healthcare was a rousing success! We learned about the significant administrative and economic problems caused by the current private health insurance system and how a single-payer system could improve efficiency and reduce waste while providing quality healthcare for every American. Equally important, we learned what each one of us can do to help make single-payer healthcare a reality.
Tell our story.
Many of us have professional experience in the healthcare and insurance industries. Many of us have had problems with our personal health insurance (or lack thereof) or know someone who has. Legislators who are advocating for single-payer healthcare need to know we support this issue. And those who aren't need to know it too. It’s a tough battle in Salem and Washington D.C.!
Here are some convenient links for contacting your representatives. Do it now!
Take Up
Worship elements adapted and used with permission from www.worshipdesignstudio.com.
Single Payer Healthcare Forum
On Sunday, February 25 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, Bethel will be a hosting a special one-hour movie screening of the new documentary film "Fix It: Healthcare at the Tipping Point."
Pizza and salad will be provided for lunch at 12:30 PM along with a presentation and discussion session.
Our guest speaker will be Dr. Michael C. Huntington M.D., former Medical Director of the Radiation Oncology Department at Samaritan Regional Cancer Center in Corvallis and now with Health Care for All Oregon working to achieve a comprehensive, equitable, publicly funded, and high-quality health care system to serve all Oregon residents.
Childcare will be provided. Please RSVP to socialjustice@bethelbeaverton.org and let us know who's coming!
Called Up!
Worship elements adapted and used with permission from www.worshipdesignstudio.com.
CPC Starling Project
Have you witnessed a starling flock in flight? These flocks -- called murmurations -- move as one, turning, twisting, diving, and pulsing. Each starling is an individual, and yet they are connected together to form a larger and magnificent whole. Starling murmurations are a beautiful example of an interconnected community.
What if we, as UCC churches in the Central Pacific Conference, were connected like starlings?
What R U Up 2? - A Lenten Spiritual Exploration
Lent, the 6-weeks that precede Easter, provides the opportunity to take an honest look at our lives to see what and how the message of God’s radical love can bring new life. The intent of the season is that when Easter morning arrives and we proclaim, “Christ is Risen!” we will be able to experience Resurrection too.
Our theme for Lent is “What R U Up 2?” We will look at what Jesus was up to in his life, ministry, death and resurrection. At the same time, we have the opportunity to look at what we've been up to in our lives. We all have a spiritual place inside that is worth exploring. This inner landscape of our life story is often uncharted territory.
During Lent, you will be given writing prompts that will help you chart this inner terrain and, hopefully, help you discover the spiritual experiences that have shaped your life thus far. In addition, our Wednesday contemplative meditation time will be extended to 30 minutes to allow time for a deeper meditation and journaling. On Sunday mornings during the Adult Conversation Class, you will have the chance to share passages from your writing or any “aha’s” you may have had while journaling. You can also share about your discoveries on the closed FB group as well.
The idea is to really dig deep and take this time to reflect on your life and on your relationship with God – so treat yourself to a brand new journal for this exploration. Plan to spend 10 minutes a day ruminating on the questions and writing. As you take this time to chart your inner landscape, you may discover some hidden treasures!
Along the way, you will get to see where your life is in alignment with your spiritual path, where your spiritual journey mirrors Jesus’ journey, what pursuits you’ve been up to that call forth your best self and much more.
Let’s begin . . . grab your journal and a pen . . . What R U Up 2?
(Adapted from Worship Design Studio and Rev. David Randall-Bodman’s Lenten Blog and Tennebrae Service)