Watching / Dan Baumgartner
A funny thing happened in June. I completed my eighth full year as Senior Pastor at Bethany. Given that I never would have dreamed I would be a pastor, and then that we never thought we'd wind up back in Seattle and that Bethany was the last church we ever imagined being called to...it seemed a significant milestone. Eight years is a fairly long time. Who would have thought?

A View from the Pavement / Bruce Devereaux
On Saturday afternoon, April 15th, I lay on the pavement in West Seattle wondering what had just happened. I'd been riding my bicycle on Delridge Way looking forward to the remainder of the ride home when for some unknown reason, my bicycle suddenly twisted right and I hit the pavement on my right hip, shoulder and helmet...

Todd Holdridge Arrives / Dan Baumgartner
We welcome our new Associate Pastor, Todd Holdridge. Todd's duties will include general pastoral work, staff support for Adult Ed, Group Life, Arts, and College Age Ministries, as well as some communications responsibilities. He is at phone extension 18, and his office is upstairs in 3 Howe. Todd's email is ToddH@bethanypc.org.

Todd and his wife Monica and sons Jonathan (5) and Chad (3) are house-sitting in Seattle for part of the summer as they wait for their house to sell in California and explore options here.

College Age Fellowship / John Chase
June was a month of graduations, celebrations, and change for our college community. As I watched several of our college group walk across the stage at SPU, my heart burst with a tender mixture of pride, joy and sadness...

Global Partner of the Month
Al Anderson, Inter-Varsity / Al Anderson
My role in Inter-Varsity Canada is Vice President for Campus Ministry. This includes work with graduate students and faculty, undergraduates, international students and high school students. In total this represents 120 staff working with 6,000 students...

Families in Service / Dianne Ross
This summer, families at Bethany are participating in 23 different outreach opportunities. During the month of June, Families in Service participated in:

• a Kick-Off Event on June 3
• a trip to an orphanage in Hong Kong from June 20-July 1
• an Urban Impact Work Day on June 23
• serving a meal at Bethany's Wednesday Night Dinner on June 27
• Bagels and Books on June 30
• 9 am Sunday School focused on our Outreach Partners

Watch some slides of the Kick-Off Event and Urban Impact Work Day. (see slideshow)

Learn about more summer activities during the month of July like Bagels & Bags, Food and Farm Fun, and Children Partnering (by prayer) with our Youth.

Greetings from Honduras /Jane Donald & Gil Ward
How are you? We arrived in Honduras about 10 days ago after completing 6 weeks of language study in Antigua, Guatemala. Our time in Guatemala was great. I was dreading language study but found I enjoyed it and continue to learn a lot...

Staff Appreciates John Chase / Gail Beran Neils
On Wed, June 13, Bethany staff gathered at Linda Cutshall's home for a special lunch to express thanks to John Chase for his presence with us as Interim Discipleship Coordinator...

News & Notes

• Bethany elected new elders and deacons
• Bethany celebrated the graduations of many members
• Photo CDs of the Narnia Performance are available.

On the Calendar
see interactive calendar for complete listing

Children & Families' Outreach Activities
June 23-Nov 5

College Age Fellowship
Sundays in June, 6:30 pm in 7 Howe

Youth Mission trip
July 6-16 in Pasadena, CA

Urban Impact Lunch Preparation
Sun, July 8 after both AM services

Prayer for Honduras
Sun, July 8, 12:15 pm in the Library

Gold Basin Camping Trip
Fri-Sun, July 13-15 at Gold Basin

Prayer for our Hurting World
Sun, July 15, 12:30 pm in the Library

Annual Pool Party
Fri, Aug 3, 7:30 pm at Pop Monger Pool in Magnolia
For children & families.

Mariner's Game
Tues, Aug 28, 7:00 pm at Safeco Field

Alpha Course
Begins Thurs, Sept 6, 6:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall

Missisippi Trip
Oct 20-27 in Bay St. Louis

News & Notes

Births

• William David Baxter May 2
• Charles Montagner June 1

Session

Session met in the Bethany parlor on June 12. We worshipped, prayed, sang, and conducted some business in support of Bethany ministries.

Steve Jones reported that our mid-year deficit is smaller than it was last year at this time, due in part to larger than normal donations in late May. Steve also reported on several projects around the Bethany campus:

• the last sewer repair was completed
• the front steps of the sanctuary building are being replaced soon
• the retaining wall between the playground and the alley will be rebuilt during the summer
• the rain gutters are to be replaced

The lighting and green space project was also discussed.

Pastor Dan led us in a study of Genesis 28:10-22, the sermon text for Sunday.

A significant amount of time was spent discussing our Bethany Statement of Direction, and listening for God's direction for future ministry emphases.