Serving Others:
A Hand Up
Bethany members help A Hand Up’s move into new warehouse space. Bethany is a partnering congregation with A Hand Up.
The Board of Christian Care has designated the month of February to show our love to the “A Hand Up” organization. A Hand Up is a group that seeks to provide the basic household items that make an apartment livable for those moving from shelters to apartments here in the Hartford area.
You can help in one of 3 ways:
1- MONEY FOR BEDS. The organization tries to provide beds for these new apartment dwellers but have run into a problem with the bed bug issues we’ve seen in the news. In order to start their clients out “bed bug free” they now need to provide new beds, rather than used ones. This is an additional cost. They are working with local furniture stores for deals on the beds and we would like to help them with the expense of providing some beds for their clients. Please donate to this need by placing cash or a check in the offering plate between January 30th and February 27th and designating it for “A Hand Up”.
2- DONATE NEEDED STUFF. If you’re cleaning out, they need things like dressers, end tables, lamps, kitchen tables & chairs. Also blankets, sheets, bedspreads/comforters, bath towels, pots & pans, dishes, glasses and silverware. If you have any of these items, please contact them at 860-424-2980 or email them at ahandup2005@sbcglobal.net to drop items off or have them picked up.
3- HELP WITH OUR “ALL BETHANY” DELIVERY, SATURDAY FEB. 26
Pastor Krieger (a seasoned delivery leader/driver for “A Hand Up”) will lead the Bethany Team. We need 2-3 sturdy folks for each date to load the truck at the warehouse with needed items and deliver them to the designated apartment (a time commitment of 2-3 hours). Please contact Kris Farina at 860-410-9820 to sign up for the Bethany Delivery Team. This could be a community service opportunity for some of our youth!
Food Share
Person in Charge or contact Person - Lisa Swayne
Foodshare is the heart of greater Hartford’s fight against hunger. We bring together individuals and organizations to create effective solutions to end hunger in all 42 towns of Hartford and Tolland counties. Foodshare does this in three key ways, by:
1. Serving as our region’s food bank and distributing more than 14 tons of food each day to a network of 400 local nonprofits that feed our hungry neighbors.
2. Reducing the number of people in need by increasing their self-sufficiency. At Foodshare, we believe no American should ever have to stand in a food line in order to have enough to eat. To that end, we are currently striving to ensure fair and consistent access to existing support programs, especially those in which participation rates are low.
3. Engaging members of the greater community.
FoodShare 27th Annual Walk for Hunger
Habitat For Humanity
Person in Charge or contact Person - Lisa Swayne
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, one way they demonstrate their commitment to communities is through a $125 million alliance with Habitat for Humanity, called Thrivent Builds. Bethany participates with area churches with Thrivent Builds.
Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity is a financial, volunteer and advocacy alliance formed between Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity International. This initiative includes several programs to help end poverty housing and help families achieve greater economic independence:
• Thrivent Builds Homes is a national program that joins the nearly 3 million Thrivent Financial members with Habitat for Humanity volunteers, other Lutherans, their families and their communities to build hundreds of homes annually in the United States.
• Thrivent Builds Worldwide is a program of short-term (one- to three-week) international and domestic working trips for individuals or groups to build Habitat houses in partnership with families facing critical housing needs.
To learn more about Thrivent Builds and find out how you can get involved, visit the Thrivent Builds website.
Stephen Ministry
Person in Charge or contact Person
Bethany is a Stephen Ministry congregation Link to more information The Stephen Series from Stephen Ministries is a complete system for training and organizing lay people to provide one-to-one Christian care to hurting people in and around our congregation.
Lutheran Women in Mission
Person in Charge or contact Person - Alvina Roux
LWML meets quarterly on the second Tuesday morning in the months of September, December, March and June as part of the Dorcas Society; LWML participates in Zone Rallies, District Retreats and Conventions and carries out mission work locally as well as support missions at District and National levels through the collection of 'Mites'. Local mission work consists of hymnal ribbons, cradle roll lambs, banners for confirmands, Open Hearth Christmas gifts, School Kits for World Relief and Love boxes at Valentines Day for our Bethany college students - to name a few of the activities. Current local officers: President: Alvina Roux, Treasurer: Elaine Massey, Secretary: Lois Selnau.
- LWML information updated on 10/01/2007
Dorcas Society
Person in Charge or contact Person - Edith Shirmer
The Dorcas Society meets throughout the year, weekly, on Tuesdays, from approximately 9:30 AM to 2 PM. Its purpose is twofold - to provide a fellowship opportunity for women of Bethany, and to work together for the good of Bethany, the Christian community, and for all people. Dorcas welcomes ladies of any age and they do not have to be skilled crafts people. Pastor Krieger meets with them at least monthly for spiritual guidance.
The women of Dorcas work on knitting, crocheting, and various crafts both at church and at home. Once a year they hold a Fair with all the proceeds going to various charities such as the Open Hearth, St. Elizabeth House, Mercy Housing and Shelter, and My Sister's Place (all local shelters); also to Missionary Carol Halter in China, Lutheran Social Services of New England, Bethesda Lutheran Home, World Relief, and of course, Bethany. At Easter time, cans are decorated and filled with cookies to go to Bethany's shut-ins.
Looking around our beloved Bethany Lutheran Church you will see some of the projects that the Dorcas Society was able to provide, or to donate funds toward accomplishing, i.e. the stained glass windows, security system, kneelers, drapes, air conditioning, new refrigerators.
- Dorcas information updated on 12/11/2007
Hong Kong Mission
Person in Charge or contact Person
Bethany is a sponser of missionaries abroad.
Kenya Mission
Person in Charge or contact Person
Currently under construction – please check back.
St. Elizabeth House/Mercy Housing Shelter
Person in Charge or contact Person
We collect clothing, household furnishings (including furniture) in support of the ministry of Mercy Housing and Shelter. In addition, we bring a dinner to St. Elizabeth House/Mercy Shelter several times a year; and the children served by Mercy Housing and Shelter are a regular part of our ministry.
Braille Workers
Person in Charge or contact Person - Martha Bilo
The Lutheran Braille Workers meet on Tuesday mornings from 9 to 12 to print and assemble books, bringing Christ to those in darkness. The book is entitled "Good Lord Where are You". We also pack and ship them throughout the world.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Person in Charge or contact Person
Meets monthly except December. Also work at home to create prayer shawls to be given in time of need or comfort, as well as for times of celebration or times of discernment. In the first three years, we have made more that 170 shawls and we are part of a growing service phenomenon.
Christian Care Board
Person in Charge or contact Person - Lisa Swayne
Currently under construction – please check back.
Christian Education Board
Person in Charge or contact Person - Mark Litke
Evangelism Board
Person in Charge or contact Person - Paul DiPietro
The mission of the Board of Evangelism is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with people inside and outside of Bethany Lutheran Church with the hope of enlisting all of God’s people in the work of spreading the gospel.
The Board of Evangelism is responsible for promoting and directing congregation-wide Christian outreach undertakings to foster a climate of evangelism that encourages congregation members to share Christ with one another as well as with those outside of the church. The Board is also responsible for maintaining ongoing contact with prospective members and to be concerned for the reception, orientation, and integration of new members into the congregation by periodically sponsoring dinners, Sunday brunches, and fellowship nights for the purpose of cultivating relationships between the congregation and prospective families or individuals.
Church Properties Board
Person in Charge or contact Person - Mike Johnson
Currently under construction – please check back.
Parish Planning
Person in Charge or contact Person - Bob Harvey
Currently under construction – please check back.
Board of Lay Ministry
Person in Charge or contact Person - Scott Knake
Currently under construction – please check back.
Fellowship Board
Person in Charge or contact Person - Karen Presing
