Following Jesus Together / Pastor Dan Baumgartner
The church. It’s not always a positive image these days. It serves as a target for people who have been wounded by others, or who are angry at God or who are emerging into new understandings of God and find the church to be rooted in yesterday’s news. About all I can say to that is: guilty...

In Sahel, Part of the Kingdom Team / Jane Gunningham
Six months ago, I left Bethany suddenly for a short term assignment with World Concern in West Africa. I traveled to towns and villages in the Sahel (semi-desert) region there, meeting families and communities who had just come through a famine and a plague of locusts. Soon I'm returning to a full-time position of Sahel Region Representative with World Concern in West Africa...

A Bittersweet Goodbye / Steve and Laura Lympus
What do bison, snowbanks, geothermal features and the new Lympus home-to-be all have in common?  If you guessed “Yellowstone National Park,” you are correct...

Meet the Staff: Holly Royston / Gail Beran Neils
Holly and her husband, Matt, came to Bethany six years ago. They lived right across the street at the time, and liking what they heard and saw, they stayed.  Last summer, Holly interned with Children’s Ministries and came on staff in February...

Small Groups Journey Through Lent
/ Catherine Purdy
More than 60 people in four-week lenten small groups (and many of Bethany’s regular home groups) walked together "Through the Darkness of Lent Towards the Light of Easter." Small groups are an important part of fellowship at Bethany.  If you desire to become part of a small group, we will help you find others to journey with...

What Would Jesus Eat? / Kimberlee Conway Ireton
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, the two main areas where Americans take the biggest bite out of the world’s resources are transportation and, get this, food. The average food item in the U.S. travels 1300 miles to get from its source to your plate...

Organic Vegetable Alert / Jane Donald
This year, Bethany is bringing a new CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) with a better selection of organic vegetables and some fruits. Produce will be available by subscription every Sunday by 8 am at the old Food Bank door (basement of the church office) from June 18 - October 29. Full shares for the summer cost $500.

Oxbow Farm is a small, farmer-owned organic enterprise in Carnation, WA. You can check out their website for details, including exactly what is in a box of food each week and what foods you can anticipate getting.

I strongly encourage everyone to share a share because one is almost always too much food per family. This would bring the cost down to $250 for the summer, which is a great bargain. Please e-mail me (donaldjane@hotmail.com) if you have trouble finding someone to share with.

Oxbow encourages people to visit their farm, and they have an end-of-year pumpkin party complete with hayrides for the kids. Sign up on their web page today and write “Bethany pickup ” in the comments section of the form.

A letter comes from Margaret
by Laurel Mackintosh
This photo is of my sponsored girl, Margaret. At Christmas I had sent her a small envelope with pictures of us from last year’s visit, some bookmarks and a shoulder bag. In response, Margaret sent  me a letter and the photo. Last month, SPIRIT (the radio station I work for) did a child sponsorship share-a-thon for World Vision, to raise funds and get new child sponsors. My picture of Margaret was on the station’s website to let listeners know about the share-a-thon. My little girl’s famous!

The Directory’s Coming!
by Jennifer Steenstra (Elder for Newcomers/New Members)
Bethany Directory is almost in hand! Thanks to everyone for your participation and patience as this directory has  come together. Be on the lookout for distribution details sometime in early May. Here’s how it’ll work:

Directories will be available for two weeks, after Sunday worship services in the lobby, one per household. Those who provided a photo or had their photo taken will get to pick up their directory on the first Sunday they’re available. If you didn’t get your photo in, but would like a directory—we’ll have one for you. You can pick it up on the second Sunday they’re available. (Yes, preference is given to those who participated fully.)

We’re asking for a monetary contribution to offset the production costs of the directory. The directories cost about $5 each. Feel free to chip in a bit more or less as you are able. Cash or check made out to Bethany ("directory" in memo line).

This directory is being made available to help nurture the connections between people within the Bethany community. Look forward to making good use of it!

Children and Families
Moving Day” for Kids’ Classes
9 am Sun, May 14

• 5th grade boys & girls
  “Transition to Youth” class, Fellowship Hall, Classroom #1
  They will also meet in this location May 21 & 28. On June 4, they will join the middle school group in the Youth House.
• 2nd/3rd grade
  Parlor through June 18
• 4th grade boys
  7 Howe Community House through June 18

Vacation Bible School Update
Mon-Fri, July 17-21, at Bethany
Grab your Hawaiian shirts, sunglasses and beach ball, and come join the fun at Son Treasure Island. This year we’ll explore the depth of God’s love, learning from 1 Corinthians 13. Classes are held for children age 3 through 5th grade. Two-year-olds whose parents are teaching or assisting in a class  are invited to come three days in their own special group.

We will need:

• over 40 teachers and assistants
• volunteers to lead recreation, serve in the nursery,  help with snacks
• high schoolers to act in skits
• youth to assist in classes and at recreation
• people to come early to watch teacher’s children

Pre-registration will take place the first two weeks in May for children whose parents will be helping at least three days; open registration will follow.

Pray for this important ministry with and to children!

On the Calendar
see interactive calendar for complete listing

Installation Service for Lynne Faris Blessing
Sun, May 21, 5 pm service
The congregation formally voted to call Lynne as Designated Associate Pastor for Outreach on April 9 (up until now, Lynne has been “Parish Associate for Outreach”). Now we get to celebrate and welcome her to this ordained call! This will be part of the regular 5 pm communion service, with some special elements to celebrate the gift of Lynne and pray for her ministry here. Coffee & treats to follow.

Monastery Retreat
Fri-Sun, June 2-4 or Wed-Sun, May 31-June 4
at St. Gertrude Monastery, cottonwood, Idaho
$125 for June 2-4; $235 for May 31-June 4, plus travel.
Registration deadline: May 15
The monastery of St. Gertrude is a place centered in Christ and steeped in natural beauty, silence, prayer and community. The schedule is spacious, allowing for time alone, worship with the sisters, lectio divina, and wandering the hills behind the monastery. Men and women are welcome. Information packets and registration forms are available in the Lobby. Contact Kimberlee Conway Ireton at kconwayireton@hotmail.com
for more information.

Museum Without Walls Mission Trip to the South
June 16-25
Learn about the Civil Rights Movement and discuss a Christian response.    

Youth Mission Trip 1: Tylertown, Mississippi
July 5-July 11 (primarily freshmen/sophomores)
We'll help the Spencer Perkins Center in Jackson, repair damage done by Hurricane Katrina to houses, churches, and the community. We will stay at a church in Tylertown and work long days.  

Gold Basin Camping
July 7-9  at Gold Basin

VBS Son Treasure Island
9:30-noon July 17-21 for 3 year olds through 5th grade

Youth Mission Trip 2: Agros Uno, Honduras
July 23-August 1 (primarily Juniors/Seniors)
We are going back to serve our friends at Agros Uno, our partner village through the Seattle-based Agros International (www.agros.org), which works with Central American farmers to end the cycle of poverty. Possible projects include planting crops, building houses, and spending time with the villagers and their families.

Let’s Go to Camp!
July 30-August 5 at Camp Firwood
Second through 5th graders can experience a great week of activities, fun, and Christian growth during a week at Camp Firwood. For further information and to register, check out Camp Firwood or pick up brochures/registration forms on the table in the lobby.

Mission Trip: Kenya
August 10-26
Responding to the AIDS crisis.

KOA Camping
August 11-13  Lynden
With option to stay for the NW Fair Aug 14.

News & Notes
Births

• Harrison Ettore Anderson Englehorn
  Feb 16, 2006 to Tami Anderson Englehorn & Jeff Englehorn
• Finnegan Eli Parkhurst
  Feb 28, 2006 to Amanda & Chris Parkhurst
• Ava Noelle Starr 
  Mar 13, 2006 to Sarah & Iain Starr
• Samuel Brooks-Janzen
  Mar 22, 2006 to Jessie & Ryan Brooks-Janzen
• Gabriel Raymond Higgins
  Apr 22, 2006 to Sydney & Chris Higgins

Baptism

• Audrey Mae Sekora April 9, 2006 
  daughter of Tony & Lisa Sekora