ACT PARISH MURDOCK-DEGRAFF CLUSTER NEWSLETTER

BETHESDA AND BUFFALO LAKE OF GRACE CHURCHES

JUNE 2017 PASTOR DAN CROONQUIST , PASTOR M ICHELLE KLEENE

PASTOR DAN : 320-220-3055 (CELL) ; OFFICE : 320-599-4548; HOME : 320-382-9099

CROON@FRONTIERNET .NET

PASTOR M ICHELLE : 320-226-3535 (CELL) ; OFFICE : 366-3426; HOME : 320-847-2572

MKLEENE89@GMAIL .COM

ACT WEBSITE : WWW .ACTPARISH .COM ; ACT ALSO HAS FACEBOOK PAGE

FROM PASTOR MICHELLE . . .

Pastor Michelle 1

Bethesda announcements;;

library news

2 & 3

Bethesda church Missions

of the month; and May

Preaching schedule

4

ACT Parish announcements

and Activities

5

Dear Friends in Christ,

Our pastors are taking a summer hiatus from our monthly news-letter articles and will return in September.

Meanwhile, we encourage you to read a daily devotional. If you don’t have a devotional book, but have the internet you may find many different devotional opportunities.

The Area Churches Together website also offers a daily devotion-al. Just go to www.actparish.com and scroll to the bottom of the page to God Pause Daily Devotion and click.

Bible verse for June 1st Devotion book Christ in our Home:

“Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Act 2:21.

Prayer concern: Those who feel overwhelmed by life.

Prayer for the day: God, source of salvation, help us to call upon you with honesty and trust. In Jesus’ name. Amen

PAGE 2

BETHESDA ESTHER QUILTING CIRCLE

Esther Circle will be quilting on June 1st at 9:30. Potluck lunch will follow.

The Bethesda coffee dollars received each Sunday at the coffee hour will be designated to one specific area each month. Watch for the monthly list in the newsletter and on the bulletin.

June & July coffee dollars will be given to the chair fund.

Ushers for June Sue & Pat Thorson Casey Thorson Mellissa & Mike Jensen Usher/Alter Guild Guide and Duties are included in your Bethesda directory. Please be sure to look at these carefully. We have be-come a very busy church and there are duties that need to be done each week. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact a board member or building committee member.

Bethesda Announcements

The ACT website is maintained by Nancy Stredde of St. John’s. If you have church an-nouncements/pictures for the website, please contact Nancy at: firststep@charter.net You can find the ACT website at: www.actparish.com.

"He who owns a garden,

However small it be, Whose hands have planted in it Flower or Bush or Tree; He who watches patiently The growth from nurtured, Who thrills a newly opened bloom Is very close to God."

- Katherine Edelman, He Who Owns a Garden

Women of Bethesda

There is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board for salads for our salad supper fund-raiser. Your participation in this fundraiser is really appreciated.

Bethesda holds three (3) fundraisers each year and this is our first. We will hold a Soup and Sandwich Supper and make lefse in the fall.

May Celebrations at Bethesda were:

Blessing of the Seeds and Tractors Worship

Last Day of Sunday School for the 2016-2017 year

Senior Sunday for Alexis Ost

June Sarah Circle Bible study will be at hosted by Marsha Nelson on 22nd at 2pm.

PAGE 3

From the library . . .

Fierce: Women of the Bible and their stories of Violence, Mer-cy, Bravery, Wisdom, Sex, and Salvation by Alice Connor Women in the Bible aren't shy or retiring; they're fierce and funny and demanding and relevant to 21st-century people. Women in the Bible—some of their names we know, others we’ve only heard, and others are tragically unnamed. Pastor and provocateur Alice Connor introduces these women and invites us to see them not as players in a man’s story—as victims or tempters—nor as morality archetypes, teaching us to be better wives and mothers, but as fierce foremothers of the faith. These women’s stories are messy, challenging, and beautiful. When we read their stories, we can see not only their particular, fearsome lives but also our own. (Find in Section 10,Co)

Bethesda Women of the ELCA

NOTE CHANGE OF REGULAR SCHEDULE

Wednesday, June 7th

5:30pm

We will be cleaning the kitchen and fellow-ship hall, sharing supper, have our meeting

and a Bible study.

BETHESDA SALAD SUPPER

Wednesday, June 21st

4:30-6:30

Adults: $7

Children ages 6-10: $5

Under 5: free

In Memory of My Dad

If I could write a story, it would be the greatest story ever told Of a kind and loving father who had a heart of gold. If I could write a million pages but still be able to say, Just how much I love and miss him every single day. I will remember what he taught me; I’m hurt but won’t be sad. Because he sent me down the answers and always be MY DAD.

Bethesda members —

PLEASE check your mail boxes following each worship service.

PAGE 4

Bethesda Mission of the Month for May and June

Each month a list of giving opportunities in the parish will be included in the newsletter. Monetary dona-tions are always welcome as well.

Personal care items for the Swift County food shelf: cleansing pads, cotton swabs, cotton pads, deodorant, lotion, nail files, razors, shaving cream, moisturizer, toilet paper, toothpaste, diapers Items for Safe Avenues: new pillowcases and full or twin sheets, used silverware, kitchen utensils, matching hand and bath towels and wash cloths, neutral color curtains and curtain roads Romans 12:8 “If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”

June 2017 Preaching Schedule

Pastor Dan Croonquist Pastor Michelle Kleene Narrative Lectionary Readings

June 4 St. Johns – 8am Buffalo Lake – 8:15am Acts 2:1-21

Monson Lake – 9:30am Bethesda – 9:30am John 20:19-23

Hope – 10:45am Mamrelund– 11am

June 11 St. Johns – 8am Buffalo Lake – 8:15am 2 Corinthians 13:11-13

Monson Lake – 9:30am Bethesda – 9:30am Matthew 28:16-20

Hope – 10:45am Old Mamre – 11am

June 18 Buffalo Lake – 8:15am St. John’s -8am Romans 5:1-8

Bethesda – 9:30am Monson Lake – 9:30am Matthew 9:35 - 10:8

Mamrelund – 11am Hope – 9:30am

June 25 St. Johns – 8am Buffalo Lake – 8:15am Romans 6:1-11

Monson Lake – 9:30am Bethesda – 9:30am Matthew 10:24-39 Hope – 10:45am Old Mamre – 11am

PAGE 5

** Caffeine & Conversation **

CAFFEINE & CONVERSATION will be held on Tuesdays at 9:30 at the Be-thesda and at 1:00 at Hope.

If you have not been able to join us yet, PLEASE consider coming- we have great conversation about Scripture and life, yummy goodies and wonderful fellowship (and cof-fee!)

ACT PARISH ACTIVITIES

KMS Area MOPS

Men’s Breakfast

See you in the fall!

Keep the date Sunday, September 10th

“God’s work. Our hands” Sunday

ACT PARISH OUTING

JOIN US:

June 30th at 6pm

Budger’s Supper Club

Maynard, MN

Sign up with Jan Bjorngjeld at:

jgbjorn@gmail.com; or

320-875-3921 (leave a message)

30 seats reserved

2017 ACT CHILDREN’S EVENT

Save the date: “2017 ACT Parish Kid’s Event” on Monday, July 31st at Bethesda from 1-4pm. Ages:

Incoming Kindergarten and under with parent, grand-parent, guardian or babysitter; Incoming 1st and 3rd grade; Incoming 4th and 5th grade. More details will

be forthcoming as well as registration forms. Cost is free for participants.

“All Hands on Deck" The next planning meeting for the 2017 ACT Children's Event will be held on June 13th at 6:30 at Bethesda.

Sunday, June 25

11am –“Old Mamre Worship Service & Church Picnic!” All our welcome! Funds raised from the picnic will go toward church basement repairs.

Sunday, June 25

2pm — Closing worship service at West Lake Lu-theran. All are wel-come..