BILL SWITZER, Pastor

Sunday School @ 9 am Worship time @ 10:00 am

BETHEL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

2400 CENTRAL AVE. NEBRASKA CITY, NE 68410

THE BETHEL BEACON

DEC. 2016Church Telephone #: (402) 873-6218

Emergency: (402) 6369-0842 (Pastor Bill)

Email: betheluccurch1887@gmail.com

Website: www.bethelucchurch.com

Find us on

just thinking…

We see art differently. It could be that when you look,

you see the angelic face, the rosy cheeks, the hand

pointing somewhere. And the somewhere varies

depending upon which story.

My eyes are drawn to the image of Joseph. I see the

face, grimacing over a decision Joseph must make. I

see the eyes open; the

lines in Joseph’s face, the

crinkled brow and the

gray hair. It is as if he

aged from a young man

to an old man in the blink

of an eye. Joseph is

saying: “You want me to

do what?”

What decision is left to

our imagination. Joseph

is told to do two distinct

acts: first, marry the

pregnant woman; two, run

away, escape Herod and

go to Egypt.

In each decision there is

an urgency. No matter

what decision, it goes

against all the values of

the culture. One just did

not marry a woman who was pregnant. Marry Mary

and be socially outcast. Associate with a pregnant

woman and be outcast yourself.

Or, the angel is telling Joseph to run away. Not a very

macho thing to do for a man. What is the normal and

usual way we deal with threats and assaults? We

confront them, use our walking sticks and muscles and

sometimes our saws to charge into battle to protect our

honor.

So, I wonder and I wander this Advent season. I

wonder what it was like

to dream about the

future, a future that is

uncertain, a path that is

not easy. I wander

during Advent

wondering if there is

anything new that the

message of Advent can

provide.

Perhaps Joseph gives

us a clue about hope.

No matter what choices

we make, God is with

us. After all, this is what

Immanuel means.

These are just

questions. What do you

see in Mengs’s

painting? May what you

see transforms the

meaning in the season. Peace be with you this Advent

season,

Bill ...just thinking

IN OUR PRAYERS IN NOVEMBER:

Justin Williams, Betty Blankenship, Logan Drabek, Mason Wieckhorst, Ella Mathisen, Ruth Wurtele, John Ensign, Alice

Oelke, Don Grundman, Linda Clark, Roy Murphy, Tim Worcester, Kay Nannen, Jerry Jensen, Carol Marshall (back surgery), Dean

Griepenstroh (shoulder surgery), and all who struggle with chronic illness, including those who reside in their homes and long-term

care facilities.

Our Women’s Fellowship will be hosting the Church Women United Christmas Tea here at Bethel on Friday,

December 2nd at 2 pm. Please join us for fellowship, tea & cookies. Mary Redelfs will be

showing us a slide show of her trip to Israel! On Dec. 13th our Women’s Fellowship holiday luncheon will

be at the Union Orchard store on Central Avenue at Noon.

____________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Committee

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If you are planning to bring a poinsettia to help beautify the sanctuary this Christmas season,

please be sure to sign the list in the back of the sanctuary so the names can be published in the

January Beacon.

Nebraska City’s annual Advent

Recital for 2016 will be held again at St.

Mary’s Catholic Church on Sunday, Dec. 4th from 6-8 pm.

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Our Sunday school Christmas program will be Sunday,

December 11, 2016.

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Christmas Eve candlelight service is at 7 pm with altar

communion. Children will receive a special blessing by

Pastor Bill.

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________________________________

Election of church officers for 2017 will

be held Sunday, December 11, 2016

Thank you to everyone who

brightened our sanctuary with

flowers, and who sponsored

bulletins during the month of

November.

A big thank you to Greg and Barb Stukenholtz for hosting the annual hay

rack ride again this year. Everyone always has such a good time.

We appreciate their time and effort especially because it is such a busy time

of year for them.

The Bethel Memorial Hand bell Choir will

begin practices on Wed., January 18, 2017 at

6pm in preparation to play during our Palm

Sunday worship on April 9th. Please

consider joining us and let Connie or Jen

know as we will need all of the ding-a-lings

we can get.

The Search Committee is pursuing and reviewing new profiles for candidates for a

new settled pastor. Thank you for being patient with this process.

LOOKING AHEAD TO JANUARY

Sun. 1st: Happy New Year! No Sunday school or communion

Mon. 2nd: Office closed

Tues. 3rd: Board of Christian Ed. Meeting 6pm

Sun. 8th: Sunday school resumes, communion served, 2nd quarter attendance awards, Installation of officers

Mon. 9th: Annual reports are due

Tues. 10th: Spiritual Council meeting 5:45 pm, Church Council meeting 7 pm

Sun. 15th: Youth Fellowship

Tues. 17th: Ministerial Association meeting 9 am

Mon. 23rd & 30th: Meals on Wheels 11am

Sun. 29th: Time & Talent sheet due, Annual meeting, Youth Fellowship Elevator Fundraiser luncheon following worship

*Choir practice every Wednesday at 7pm

BEST WISHES TO THOSE CELEBRATING THEIR BIRTHDAYS & WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES IN DECEMBER

Jared Kreifels 1st Carrie Ferguson 3rd Hailey Walters 7th

Mason Wieckhorst 7th Lydia Nannen 9th Norman Brown 13th

Erin Johnson 13th Kevin Pummel 14th Sara Horstmann 16th

Jane Kreifels 17th Karen Pieper 20th Janice Dawson 21st

Roger Pieper 21st Cliff Stukenholtz 21st Julia Francis 22nd

Dale Wurtele 24th Virginia Miller 25th Blake Bando 26th

Ray Dyer 27th Michelle Francis 27th Shellene Funk 27th

FOR ALL WEATHER RELATED

CANCELLATIONS AT BETHEL UCC,

PLEASE LISTEN TO B103.1 OR

CHECK THE CHURCH WEBSITE @

www.bethelucchurch.com.

_________________________

James & Sharon Herzog

~ December 5, 1959 ~

David & Darcy Carpenter

~ December 12, 1998 ~

GREAT OPPORTUNITY!

It may surprise you to learn just how much the Bible says about finances! There are

more than 2,300 verses on how to handle money and possessions God’s Way!!! In

fact, Jesus said more about money than almost any other subject in the Bible!

Crown Financial Ministry offers a 10-week personal Bible study that will begin on

Sunday January 8th 2017 from 8:00-10:00 AM. It will be facilitated by Darcy and

David Carpenter who participated in this study at their church in Overland Park KS 10

years ago. Now they want to “brush up” on what they learned and to bring this

incredible opportunity to Bethel. The study provides solutions for both the symptoms

and the root cause of financial problems once and for all. It combines solid biblical

teaching, powerful online tools, and hands-on practical experiences. The Crown

Financial Study is a 10-week journey with the potential to change not only your

finances but also your life!

Please contact Darcy Carpenter at 816-223-2602 (cell) or

shsdarcy@windstream.net to learn more about the details and/or to sign up.

You can also check out www.crown.org. Space is limited to 15 people so prayerfully

and quickly consider joining Darcy and David for an amazing journey to financial

freedom!

BOARD OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

OCTOBER 2016 MEETING

Board of Christian Education met October 4 2016. Present Dan Hamilton, Christine Luther, Nancy Hunt, Jamie Horstmann, and Pastor Bill. Minutes of September meeting read and approved. Discussed the hay rack ride at the Greg & Barb Stukenholtz residence. We will have ice cream with toppings and brownies so it was decided who was bringing what. Christmas program is December 11th. We picked what program to use which will be Footprints with practice to start November 6. The high schoolers will help with the backdrop, confirmands and older elementary will do readings. Christine will put together treat bags for kids. Meeting closed with lords prayer Respectfully submitted,

Jamie Horstmann

NOVEMBER 2016 MEETING

Board of Christian Education met November 1, 2016. Present Nancy Hunt, Jamie Horstmann, Dan Hamilton, Sara Horstmann, Pastor Bill. October minutes read and approved. Went over the Christmas program parts as far as who was going to do what. the older kids and pastor will be working on the set. Program will be presented December 11 during church. The first class of confirmands will be ready at Easter time. We have been asked to provide mashed potatoes and gravy for the Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday, November 13. Next meeting December 6 at 6 pm. Meeting closed with lords prayer. Respectfully submitted, Jamie Horstmann

CHURCH COUNCIL

The Church Council met Nov. 8, 2016 at 7pm. Present were John Vock, Peggy Johnson, Loren Mleynek, Jane

Kreifels, Pastor Bill, Sarah Bando, Maggie Brust, and joined later by Jenn Hamilton, David and Darcy Carpenter.

Vice-President John Vock called the meeting to order. Pastor Bill open with a prayer.

Jane read the minutes of the last meeting. Peg made a motion to accept the minutes as corrected . Loren

seconded the motion. The motion passed.

There was no financial report due to Sandy’s absence.

Spiritual Coucil report- The council is now going ahead with the biennial review.

Board of Christian Education-The Christmas program is Dec. 11.

Pastor’s report-Pastor received and approved the annual request of Nebraska City Senior High to use the church

as backup for evacuation of the high school during the day. The community Thanksgiving service will be Nov 13

at the Christian Church. There will be a congregational meeting on Dec. 11 to approve the ballot of candidates

for various positions.

Secretary’s report-Sarah reported the office will be closed on Nov.25. The Time and Talent questionnaire will be

sent out in Dec. The office monitor works part of the time.

Women’s Fellowship-The Christmas party will be Dec. 13 at the Union Orchard outlet.

Search committee-The committee has resumed its search after Pastor Kent chose to go elsewhere.

Memorial report-The bill for the parking lot is $40,980 will be paid. The repairs to the elevator will be paid for by

a memorial.

The council decided to designate an additional $25 of the grant received from Friends of Faith to pay for the

remainder of a Thanksgiving dinner. The women’s bathroom sink in the downstairs restroom is not working and

needs to be investigated.

New business-The annual meeting will be held Jan. 29th. There was a request to light up the steeple or the cross

on top of the steeple. This will be investigated. The building and grounds committee is not functioning. The

council would like to request a volunteer to take charge of the day-to-day repairs of the building and grounds,

similar to the services provided by Glen Bremer, Roger Warneke, and Frank Malzer in the past. The council is to

usher on Christmas Eve. Darcy Carpenter presented a request to consider a plan to provide an evening meal to

the community, similar to Meals On Wheels. She expected the church to be reimbursed approximately $750.00

per month for the use of the kitchens and Fellowship Hall. This would be in addition to the current community

services now in place. This is a preliminary plan only. The council is to e-mail Darcy with any appropriate

questions.

David Carpenter made a motion to adjourn. Peggy seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Jane Kreifels, secretary

Bethel United Church of Christ Spiritual Council Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, November 8, 2016 5:45 pm ~ Pastor’s Office

Present: President Dennis Marshall, Vice-President Burt Weible, Secretary LaVonda Bando, Larry Bando, Cindy Weible and Pastor Bill. Dennis called the meeting to order. Pastor Bill opened with a word of prayer.

Burt made a motion to accept October Spiritual Council meeting minutes. Larry seconded. Motion carried. Pastor Report: Community Thanksgiving Worship Service will be held on Sunday, November 13 at 6:00 pm at the First Christian Church; Pastor building backdrop flat screens for the children’s Christmas program at will be held on Sunday, December 11 during the worship service and also Confirmation classes will help with the service, too; “Backward to Christmas” will be the theme for advent Sunday morning worship services; Christmas Eve service will be served with walk through communion; Receive $1500 grant from the Friends of Faith; and Read a thank you note from Leta Bremer family. Old Business: Since we didn’t get a new pastor, the Spiritual Council members decided to go over church membership review at next meeting. We will need a supply pastor for Sunday, January 1. New Business The Norman Brown family volunteers to light the advent wreath for the first Sunday of advent. The Spiritual Council members reminded to bring dressing for the Thanksgiving noon meal on this coming Sunday. Next regular meeting will be Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 5:45 pm. Burt made a motion to close the meeting. Larry seconded. Motion carried. The meeting closed, by joining hands and saying the Lord Prayer. Secretary, LaVonda Bando

SPIRITUAL

COUNCIL

Bethel United Church of Christ

2400 Central Avenue

Nebraska City, NE 68410

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

SCHEDULED TO SERVE DECEMBER 2016

LAY LEADERS Dec. 4 Dec. 11 Dec. 18 Dec. 25 Dennis Marshall Lenny Tietz Jason Holman Need volunteer GREETERS Dec. 4 Dec. 11 Dec. 18 Dec. 25 John & Margaret Brust Jim & Sharon Herzog Dean & Sue Griepenstroh Need volunteers USHERS Dec. 4 Dec. 11—Dec. 18 Dec. 25 Dean & Sue Griepenstroh Stan & Peg Johnson Need volunteers Jamie Horstmann & Sara Horstmann Larry & Tracy Wieckhorst SOUND SYSTEM Dec. 4 Dec. 11—Dec. 18 Dec. 25 Dennis Marshall Kevin Pummel Need volunteer

ACOLYTES Dec. 4 Dec. 11 Dec. 18 Dec. 25 Christian Tietz Quintin Holman Nick Brown Need volunteers Madisen Tietz Keston Holman Mason Wieckhorst

FLOWERS ~ Connie Jensen COOKIE FELOWSHP ~ Need volunteers