Bethany Lutheran Church – West Branch, Iowa

The June/July Newsletter is available and can be viewed by clicking here.  Enjoy!

Please see the attached flier regarding the Summer Meal Program being offered through the West Branch Schools.

Summer Meals

Congratulations to our youth who affirm their baptism in worship this morning!  They are saying “yes” to the promises God made to each of them in their baptism.  May they, and every baptized child of God, cling to the promise and knowledge that they are precious in God’s eyes and a child of God!  Congratulations to:  Karly, Ethan, Billy, Emma, Annika, Maggie, and Lauren!

The Annual Assembly of the Southeastern Iowa Synod will be May 30 – June 1.  You can stay posted by following Bishop Burk and/or the Southeastern Iowa Synod on Twitter or Facebook.  Additionally, the Assembly will be webcast.  Links to these various avenues of staying in touch are on the Synod website by clicking here.

Additionally, an offering collected at the assembly will be designated to the two items below.  Each congregation of our synod is invited to collect an offering that will be brought to the assembly on behalf of their faith communities.  As such, on Sunday May 25we will have a special offering that will be taken the Synod Assembly on behalf of our voting delegates:  Frank Frostestad, Sue Hughes, and Pastor Chad.

• The Southeastern Iowa Synod Fund for Leaders: The Southeastern Iowa Fund for Leaders is a significant way to make an investment in future leaders and the life of this church. Annual distributions from this endowment fund provide tuition support to Southeastern Iowa Synod candidates for ministry who are studying full-time in an ELCA seminary while pursuing ordained or rostered lay ministry within the ELCA.  These leaders graduate from seminary with less debt, which in turn opens them to be able to serve in congregations that would otherwise have difficulty calling pastoral leadership.  As God continues to raise up leaders for tomorrow, full of potential, the fund reflects our hope that one day every seminary graduate will enter ministry free of seminary debt.
• The Pare Diocese, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania: The companion relationship between the Southeastern Iowa Synod (ELCA) and the Pare Diocese (ELCT) exists for the purpose of strengthening one another for life and mission within the body of Christ, and has existed since 1988. Bishop Mjema of the Pare Diocese has invited Bishop Burk to join in a special initiative of the diocese. Three Guest Homes will be built and operated to help support the ministries of the diocese, including, health, women/children, Christian Education/Youth and agriculture sustainability.

The May newsletter is done and can be viewed by clicking here.

“He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” – Matthew 28:7

Alleluia!  (which means Praise God)  Indeed, this glorious Easter morning we do give our thanks and praise to God from raising Jesus Christ from the grave by the power of the Holy Spirit.  This event changed everything and gives God’s people hope to cling to in a world full of death.  In Christ, God did the unimaginable and overcame death and brought about new life.  God continues to do that today.  Death will not have the final say!  God wins and new and eternal life is ours freely given through the death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ!  Alleluia!

May each of you have a blessed Easter!

The April Newsletter is done and can be viewed now by clicking here.  Enjoy!