Interested in joining the church or learning about membership? Then join us for our two-part membership class.
These two sessions give basic information about the life of Bethel: our organization, mission, vision, and hopes for the future. It makes no different whether you choose to join Bethel or not, no pressure, that decision is totally up to you! And regardless, you are always welcomed here. 
We will gather in person in the Conference Room at Bethel after service. It's a great time to meet Bethel's Senior Pastor, David Randall-Bodman and other's who are interested or searching for an all inclusive faith community. 
Session 1 – Sunday, April 26th from 11:30 am – 1:00pm (light lunch)
Session 2 – Sunday, May 3rd from 11:30 am – 1:00pm (light lunch)

On April 11th & April 18th R2R will be showcasing Building Bridges which features photographs and interviews with people who have come to the United States as immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers — the exhibit helps challenge ignorance and hatred with education and love.

Click here for more information about Bethel UCC and their R2R team

Click here for more information about Family Diversity Projects and their Building Bridges Project

Join us after worship (11:15 am) on Easter Sunday, April 5th, for an Easter Egg Hunt for all our children up through 5th grade. Come find us after service by the Food Cupboard doors to meet for our Easter Egg Hunt. Weather permitting, we will stage our egg hunt outside in two separate areas for older and younger kids. If needed we will move our hunt indoors to classrooms in the education building. (Our youth group is asked to come before service at 9:15 am to help hide eggs.) Please have your child bring their own Easter basket. We will have bags available for those who forget.

Following the egg hunt, your are invited to continue celebrating with us in the Fellowship Hall with special treats.
Questions? Please reach out to Erin Barber at eb@bethelbeaverton.org.

Holy Week begins with worship on Palm Sunday. The children and choir members will gather at the Front entrance of the church and in the Narthex for a congregational procession into the sanctuary with palms waving! Congregants can decide if they would like to join the processional or be seated in the sanctuary at the start of service.

Our children will be invited back to the classrooms for a special Sunday School lesson on Holy Week.

Pastor David will offer a sermon entitled, Even the Stones Cry Out. Worship will conclude quietly with the building of the cross (made from the trunks of our Christmas trees).

Calling all mathematicians and bakers! After the delicious success of our our Mardi Gras potluck, we're planning a fun Pie Potluck in honor of Pi Day (3.14) to celebrate some yummy food and friendship during our fellowship time. Please let us know what kind of pie you plan to bring (apple? chocolate silk? pizza!?) You can email your pie contribution to Erin at eb@bethelbeaverton.org.

If you would like to order Easter flowers this year, please submit your form with payment of $10 per plant February 20th - March 20th taking last order and money on Sunday March 22nd.

Checks can be mailed to the church office, you can drop a sealed envelope containing cash or check in the secure mailbox on Watson, or you can pay through our eGiving portal. Easter flowers will decorate our Sanctuary for the in-person Easter hybrid worship service, and then you are welcome to take your flowers home to continue to enjoy. If you do not plan to join us on Sunday, you can pick up your flowers the following Monday by visiting the office from 9 to 3, just mark your form.
You may download the Easter flower order form by clicking here and bring it to church. Also, you may order and pay for the Flowers on Bethel's e-giving or pick up a form in the narthex and give to the office. Or contact Lynne Marie at office@bethelbeaverton.org.

It's that time of year again! For a St. Patrick's Day treat, we will be holding our annual Baked Potato Fundraiser. Kids and youth are encouraged to participate to help fund camp this summer.
Parents are asked to volunteer to bring ten pre-baked potatoes before service to help support this fundraiser.

At the end of Sunday School, we will escort kids to the Fellowship Hall to finish setting up. Youth are invited to come join us at the start of Prayers of the People if they are in the main service. Then kids and youth can help stock the Baked Potato Bar or help serve church members during fellowship time.
To sign up to bring potatoes, please email Erin at eb@bethelbeaverton.org

We are offering a bible study based on our upcoming Lent Series: Full to the Brim. This series will explore the expansive, overflowing love of God taught by Anderson Campbell, Deb Stewart, and Victory Nichols. We will have devotional booklets available in the narthex to those signing up.

Our study will take place Monday nights on zoom (a link will be provided in our highlights 'stay connected' section and sent directly to those signing up). You can sign up on the clipboard in the narthex and by emailing Erin Barber at eb@bethelbeaverton.org

For anyone who has felt overwhelmed or drained or not enough lately, our upcoming women's retreat on Resilience is for you! Come and be lifted up with fellowship, inspired by scripture, and leave with tools to equip us to ground ourselves and keep going as God has called us.
Plan on joining us for a special time of fellowship and faith!
All who identify as women and/or nonbinary are welcome to attend!
Saturday, February 21st in the fellowship hall from 2 - 4 pm!
Please email Erin Barber at eb@bethelbeaverton.org with any RSVP's or questions!
Tea-time Refreshments will be served!

The Spring project to supply food for Beaverton School District’s neediest kids and families has launched.
We are expanding the project and will provide 100 boxes of food and toiletries.
This is more than double what we did in December.
Mark your calendar for Saturday, March 14. By the end of that day we will have packed those 100 boxes and have them ready for delivery on March 16.
More information will follow in future announcements along with ways you can get involved with this important project in our highlights newsletter and on Sundays.

If you are outside our church organization and would like to contribute to this effort, you can email our office to find out how you can volunteer: office@bethelbeaverton.org

Ash Wednesday – Simple Supper and Worship – Wednesday, February 18th – 6:30pm.
We will gather in the Fellowship Hall for a light supper of soup and bread to launch our Lenten theme: Full to the Brim.

There will be the opportunity to receive ashes for those who find the ritual meaningful.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent. Lent is the season of preparation for Easter in a similar way in which Advent prepares us for Christmas.

Ash Wednesday is also the time when we aspire to make some room for deeper introspection and practices that will draw us into the love and assurance of faith. But sometimes faith can feel not as assured as we hoped for. We can feel “less than,” perceiving that others seem to be able to be “more faithful” in their practices and beliefs. This Lent, rather than change for “the best”, we’ll seek to gain momentum one day at a time, “to reach for a faith that is never perfect, but good enough.”

To help with the preparation of the meal, please RSVP to office@bethelbeaverton.org or call 503-646-1191, by Sunday, February 15th, if you plan to attend the service. 

Before we dive into the season of Lent, we have an opportunity to celebrate and enjoy the richness of our community and have a little fun! We're leaning into the festivity by inviting everyone to participate in a potluck.

We're looking for people who can bring cinnamon rolls, gumbo, red beans and rice, fruit, or other Mardi Gras favorites. 

Please email Erin at eb@bethelbeaverton.org to let us know what you can bring!

Join us for our Annual Meeting, where we will gather in the sanctuary after service and review the achievements of 2025 and the plans for 2026, including potential bylaw updates and our line-ups for our committees.

Written Annual Reports for 2025 will be available in print (limited copies due to cost), and digitally by a link, after the report has been completed by Friday, January 23rd.

Following the Annual Meeting a light lunch will be provided. Please RSVP to Lynne Marie in the office so we can have an accurate count for the lunch service.

Next Sunday we will be diving into our new series for the season of Epiphany, Six Stone Jars from Worship Design Studio. Check out their description to get a sneak peek of what you can expect for the next several weeks: 
A miscalculation has occurred. The wedding guests have drunk all the wine before the party is over. At times life can feel like we’re “running out” of so much, and scarcity is shutting down the party. In these moments, we are invited to turn to the currency and economy of Jesus. In his economy, the true measure of abundance is fullness for the whole community, not just for some. Let us build the Kin-dom of God by drawing from jars of Hope, Purpose, Healing, Meaning, Vision, and Grace for all people.

Join the Youngish Group for a First Day Hike at Tryon Creek State Natural Area. We are aiming for the 9:00am, 5-mile hike, but you can always cut it short if you want. 

Parking will be limited so arrive by 8:30 if you want to take your own car. 
We are planning on car-pooling as well.  We will meet at Bethel at 8:00. If interested, let me or Jessica Butler know if you can either drive or need a ride. 

RSVP Please to me or Jessica if you are planning on being there.  
Thanks 
Jessica Butler: jessicalb93@yahoo.com 
Mac Macpherson: Macmacpherson@hotmail.com 

Christmas Eve Family Service - Dec 24, 5 PM

We will gather on Christmas eve for a family friendly service of the story of the nativity, carols and hymns at 5pm in the sanctuary.  We hope you’ll join us for this beautiful tradition filled with light, love and mystery.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service - Dec 24, 10 PM

We will gather on Christmas eve for a service of lessons, carols and candle-lighting at 10pm in the sanctuary. There will be special music from the chancel choir. We hope you’ll join us for this beautiful tradition filled with light, love, and mystery.

Our LGBTea+ gathering is doing something special this holiday season!

We'll be gathering in the fellowship hall on Saturday, December 20th at 2 pm to share some tea and treats!

Please sign up with Amy Tobey to bring something to share. 
All members and allies of the queer community are welcome!

Sunday, December 7th, after worship service, we have a tradition hosted by the past and current members of the choir and worship band, to serve Wassail and fruit breads.
We do this in the old style—beautiful settings, glass punch bowls, and a masterful centerpiece. Wassail is an Old English spiced, warm apple drink (made by Diana Marsden). Traditionally, first cup is served by the Lord of the Manor.  Our current Lord of the Manor is David Thoma. He was taught by our longstanding Lord of the Manor (the late George Russell)
He brings out of the kitchen, a bowl of wassail and sings (a cappella) 'Wassail, Wassail" and invites everyone to the table for refreshments. Please join us on December 7th, to celebrate the good harvest and the coming new year. 

Each year during Advent, Bethel offers a quieter, more meditative worship service. The holidays can be a difficult time for those who are coping with illness, grief, loss, other difficulties and challenges of life. 

This time of year, the culture around us seems to demand hearty good cheer at all times. When we are grieving, in pain, trying to make ends meet, and dealing with the turbulent state of the world and how to have a safe holiday celebration, we may feel out of step and off balance.

The Blue Christmas Worship Service gives us an opportunity to give voice to our pain and frustration, and the opportunity to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to us through candlelight, music, and, if desired, the ancient practice of anointing with oil. The Blue Christmas Worship Service will take place Sunday, November 30th at 2 pm as a hybrid service. 
For further information, please contact Pastor David at drb@bethelbeaverton.org. 

We are continually striving to improve the accessibility and quality of our virtual worship services. We are excited to announce a transition to our streaming platform that will start next week on Sunday, November 23rd.

Beginning next week, our virtual worship service will be broadcast concurrently on YouTube Live and Facebook Live.

• Please note: This transition means we will be discontinuing our Zoom Worship stream after this Sunday’s service.

Accessing the Worship Service on YouTube Live
We understand you may have questions about how to access the service via YouTube Live, and we are happy to provide clarification. The primary benefit is that no application download is required to view the stream.
Here are the simple steps for joining us:

1. For Viewers with a YouTube Account:

• Please visit our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@bethelcongregationalunited4564 and subscribe.

• Subscribing ensures that you will receive an instant notification every time our service goes live. Simply click the notification to join the worship service.

2. For Viewers Without a YouTube Account:

• There are multiple convenient ways to find the live stream link:

• Look for the link provided in our weekly Highlights communication at the top beneath the calendar.

• Find the link prominently displayed at the top of the Bethel Webpage.

• Alternatively, on Sundays, once we’ve gone live, You can access the stream directly by using this link and navigating to the “Live” tab: https://www.youtube.com/@bethelcongregationalunited4564  

We look forward to connecting with you on these new platforms and appreciate your support as we enhance our digital ministry.
Please know this will not have any effect on Facebook live. You will still access as normally.

If you have questions, please email Mo at: MManleySmith@bethelbeaverton.org or Kevin at: kevin@bethelbeaverton.org

After a delayed start, we are kicking off our food drive with Beaverton’s McKinney-Vento Group to supply food over winter break to 50 of the neediest students and families. The amount of food we give will be less this year, but much more targeted to the requests of the students and families.

Key Dates are: 
    Friday December 12: Move food to the Fellowship Hall and load food on tables.
    Saturday December 13: Packout (fill food boxes and stage boxes for delivery)
    Monday December 15: Deliver food boxes to McKinney Vento office.

We are not providing soup as we have done in the past. Instead, we are asking that Bethel people donate the cost of full or partial boxes of food.  Details and sign up will be at the Volunteer table in the Narthex or Fellowship Hall soon.  Another option is to donate however much is best for you on-line or by check referencing ”Beaverton Homeless Teens”.   
You will also have the opportunity to sign up at the Volunteer table to help on any of the 3 dates shown above. 
Look for more detail in future updates.  

Fire up the griddles because we're planning our annual Pumpkin Pancake Fundraiser! After service, our kids and youth will get to help serve pancakes to the congregation to help raise money for our kids and youth activities like the Pumpkin Patch. Volunteers will begin preparations during service and then kids can help serve during Fellowship Time. Be sure to bring your appetite!

You can't pour from an empty cup! Join us for our Fall Women's Retreat centered around the importance and how-to's of caring for ourselves. Our time together in this retreat will be spent in fellowship with one another and study sessions, featuring a presentation from The Pink Lemonade Project in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Saturday, November 8th in the fellowship hall from 10 am to 1:00 pm!
Please email Erin Barber at eb@bethelbeaverton.org with any RSVP's or questions!
Breakfast Items AND Lunch will be served!
All who identify as women or nonbinary are encouraged to attend!

We will celebrate All Saints Sunday again this year. We will come forward and light candles in memory of our dearest that have gone before. Also, we will continue our ritual of building a bouquet to honor and remember either members of Bethel or close family members of Bethel members and friends who passed since last All Saints Sunday.  Please let us know if there is anyone you would like us to remember by October 26th .  Thank you.

We will also have a slide(s) with the names of others who have passed before last year. Let us know who you would like to remember. You may email the office at office@bethelbeaverton.org. Please indicate if your loved one passed in the past year, since last year's All Saints Day. 

There will be a community-wide protest and rally this Saturday at Beaverton City Park (around the corner from Bethel) starting at 2:00 pm. This is a great opportunity to use our voices to stand up for our beliefs and support targeted demographics.
A group will be gathering at Bethel at 1 pm in the fellowship hall to make signs together before heading over to the rally. Come join us!
Learn more about the event here: https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/839632/

Join us in the sanctuary on Saturday, October 11th at 2:30 pm to watch Mama Bears, a film about titular group of mothers fighting to "make the world kinder and safer for all LGBTQ+ people." There will be a discussion held after the film.

Click here to learn more:
https://mamabearsdoc.com/about-the-film/

Attention all de-clutterers and treasure hunters! Here is important information for our annual Rummage Sale:

DROP OFF DATES:

Monday, September 29th, 12:00 pm - 8:00pm
Tuesday, September 30th, 12-00 pm - 8:00 pm
Wednesday, October 9:00 pm - 12:00 pm (Noon)
      This is the new and FINAL cut-off time.

       We are locking the doors at Noon🔐

SALE DATES:

Friday, October 3rd, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Saturday, October 4th, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

SOME of the Items We Can Take: 

•    Clean, with no holes, clothing and accessories/shoes...kids, women’s, and men’s. We don’t have the manpower to clean clothing and shoes, so cleaning them before you put them in a donation box is very helpful. 
•    Jewelry 
•    Collectibles... if you are donating collectibles and have some idea of your item's value, please let us know. It could save someone hours of research. 
•    Books…nothing damaged or missing pages; no tech/computer manuals, medical advice, or textbooks older than 5 years; no travel guides older than 3 years; no encyclopedias or yearbooks
•    Toys and kids’ gear 
•    Household items...kitchen items, dinnerware, cutlery, bathroom items, tools, holiday decor, linens, pictures/frames/mirrors, luggage, etc. 
•    Working electronics / small appliances (Please attach any power cords to your item. They tend to get easily separated.) 
•    Sports Equipment 
•    Garden items 
•    Items for pets 
•    Furniture...if it can be moved by two strong adults.

WHAT WE CANNOT TAKE: 
-Mattresses (including crib mattresses) 
-Big boxy TVs
-Car seats
-Tires 
-Open toiletries
-Used underwear/bras/swimsuits
-Any item too large to be moved by two strong people 

We will see you there!

After service on Sunday, September 28th, we will be heading to Plumper Pumpkin Patch! Plan on bringing lunch from home or purchasing food from the farm. There will be plenty to do from wagon rides, to playgrounds and mazes, to pig-racing, and more! Click HERE to see the farm's fall activities and view the map.

Because there is so much to do, our group will meet at a specific spot: the giant mushroom by the hobbit house (#12 on the map) for a group photo at 12:30 pm, then we hope everyone will enjoy themselves the rest of the time.

Tickets are $16 in advance and $18 at the door. Our Faith Development Committee will cover the cost of kids and youth tickets, but parents will need to purchase separately. We will be purchasing tickets for the 12 pm time slot.

Choir rehearsals start again on September 21st and take place each week after services on Sundays. All are welcome! We take a quick break for fellowship and then head back into the sanctuary and practice for about an hour.

We need all voice parts. Come and try us out and see if we pass your audition!
We don't need an all year commitment, short term is also welcome. 
We also need those of you who play an instrument, any kind.

Parents/Caregivers! If you're interested but require childcare, please reach out to Erin Barber at eb@bethelbeaverton.org!

If you have questions, please call or email Melanie Madigan, Director of Music at 503-716-2868 or mm@bethelbeaverton.org

Summer will be coming to a close, and to celebrate we hosting another “pint with the pastor” on Friday, September 19th from 7-8:30pm. This will be a great opportunity to catch up with Pastor David after his trip! We're excited for everyone to join us for good drinks and better company. 

Pastor David will provide the “pint” – of beer or lemonade. (We want everyone to feel comfortable). If these beverages don’t fit your taste, feel free to bring your own. If you’d like to bring a snack to share that would be great.
 
We’ll gather outside at Bethel around the tables with purple umbrellas and enjoy conversation and fellowship together.
 
If this appeals to you, please RSVP to Erin at eb@bethelbeaverton.org

Do you have a favorite chili recipe to share? Or a favorite side to go with chili? We're getting fired up for all the fall favorites so please bring a dish to share to help us celebrate the start of a new school year and enjoy fellowship together with Pastor David's return. Click here to email Erin to help coordinate our meals!

We need your questions! Do you have a theological question, or a question about the life of faith or the way the church works that you’ve always wanted to ask but were afraid to ask it? September 14th is your chance! Pastor David will offer an instant sermon with impromptu answers to your questions.

For the next few weeks, we will have a submission box and paper slips for questions out front in the Narthex on Sundays, or you may submit your questions via email to Erin by Sept 10th  (eb@bethelbeaverton.org)

Do you like arts and crafts? Join your Bethel friends for a visit to Arts in the Pearl this Labor Day on September 1st, 2025. We’ll meet at the Millikan Max Station at 10:05AM. We’ll ride Max to the Library downtown and from there it is about an 8-minute walk to the North Parks Blocks. Food is available for purchase and the art is interesting to view! Link up with a Bethel or non-Bethel friend and enjoy the time together. Reach out to Erin at eb@bethelbeaverton.org to coordinate a group!

Art in the Pearl – Fine Arts and Crafts Festival

Before he was a congressional representative, John Lewis, a faith leader and the civil rights leader we learn about in school, he was a young man fueled by hope and a vision of a world that could be. In the book, His Truth is Marching On, Jon Meacham gives us an overview of the life of John Lewis from childhood to 1968.

While many books and television specials have been produced about Rep. John Lewis, Jon Meacham offers us another opportunity to remember his humble yet profound work and the bigger implications it has for people of faith. As a child and young man, he believed his calling was to be a preacher; but his understanding of the Gospel moved him to put his understanding of God’s love up against the empire. May his life and struggle be an open invitation for us to continue the work of the Beloved Community.

During this this 7-week study, we will be become cover the following themes and figures:

• Nonviolent resistance in the Civil Rights Movement

• Racism in the United States

• Creating Beloved Community

• Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Rev. James M. Lawson, Jr.

Each session will be held in-person each Sunday before service at 9:00 am with a repeat session the following Tuesday evening at 6:30 pm via zoom. The first session will be Sunday, 9/14 and Tuesday 9/16.
Please RSVP so we can order the appropriate number of books. This will be set up so even if you can only attend a single class, it will be worth your while! We hope you can attend all!
RSVP by signing up in the Narthex on Sunday or email Tim Moe.

Since we are missing out on Camp Adams this year, we are planning a family hike at Tryon Creek to share memories and enthusiasm for our good times at camp and enjoy the great outdoors together. We are inviting other families from UCC churches in the area to share in this outing with us. Plan on bringing a brown bag lunch and water!
Tryon Creek
11321 S Terwilliger Blvd
Portland, OR 97219
https://www.tryonfriends.org/visit-tryon-creek

This summer we get to welcome back Rev. Linda Jaramillo to share her teachings with us while Pastor David is on his vacation from August 4th through August 31st. You might remember Linda from last summer when she was able to fill in as a Sabbatical Minister before health issues called her away. We are overjoyed to have her back with us!

The Rev. Linda Jaramillo is a member of Ainsworth United Church of Christ in Portland, Oregon. She served for 10 years as Executive Minister of Justice and Witness Ministries and Officer of the Church in the national headquarters of the United Church of Christ. Guided by the prophets and Gospel teachings, Linda is particularly motivated by HOPE for a more loving and caring social culture as we set our course for a peace-filled, nonviolent future. She cherishes engagement with interfaith, inter-cultural and multilingual communities grounded in the belief that we are each responsible for sharing wisdom and stories across generations. Linda is the proud mother of two and grandmother of five beautiful and brilliant grandchildren!

Jean Avison of Beaverton, Oregon the current Assistant Moderator, was elected as Moderator by the body. The Rev. Dr. Susan Cartmell of Amherst, Massachusetts was elected Assistant Moderator.

Jean Avison has served in many settings of the United Church of Christ. She serves her local church, Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ, as Treasurer, on the Investment Committee, and chair of the Nominating Committee. In the Central Pacific Conference Avison is co-chair of the Committee on Ministry. In the national setting she has served in many roles related to governance. Avison and her husband, David, have a large blended family and live with Gracie, whom she describes as a “very spoiled Golden Retriever.”

With so much bad going on in the world, we want to share some good that you can do! Bethel's food ministry cares deeply for our community through the efforts of our Food Cupboard. This is open on Mondays from 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM and on Wednesdays from 6 - 7 PM. 

Our Outreach Committee will be offering an opportunity for people to learn more about how we run our Food ministry.

Outreach will be holding a Food Cupboard Open House

on Sunday, July 27 after the service at 11:10.

We’ll be showing all the areas of the church that are used by the food cupboard and how we manage it all.
If you do not have time to be a volunteer during the week, there is more you can do to help!  Click this link to head to our giving page and select Food Ministry from the drop down menu:

https://giving.myamplify.io//app/giving/bethelucc

Every little bit helps to feed someone in need!

Time: Thursday, July 17th.
               3-4 pm (6-7 pm EDT)
Location: Virtual event
               Join from anywhere
              Hosted in Boston, MA 02133

About this event

Good Trouble Lives On: A Day of Action
On July 17, the anniversary of Congressman John Lewis’s passing, People Power United is hosting a virtual event to honor his legacy and defend our rights and freedoms.
As Trump and his allies push voter suppression bills like the SAVE Act and criminalize protest, we’re rising up in nonviolent resistance—because in America, the power belongs to the people.

This isn’t just a virtual rally. It’s a moral stand. It’s Good Trouble—alive and marching forward. Join us.
 
3:30 - 6 PM In Person Event - Beaverton City Library
Good Trouble Lives On is a national day of nonviolent action to respond to the attacks posed on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration and to remind them that in America, the power lies with the people.

Time: Thursday, July 17th.
               3:30 - 6pm
Location: Beaverton City Library, library lawn
               12375 SW 5th St
              Beaverton, OR 97005

Click Here to learn more about this in person event!

A group from Bethel volunteers monthly at the Beaverton Habitat for Humanity Restore. We help with various projects around the Restore, such as culling old merchandise, tidying up sections, assembling furniture, and whatever else is needed. It's always interesting. 

All are welcome to join us on Friday July 18 from 10am to 1pm. If you have any questions, check in with Leon Taylor or Paul Griffo. 

The sun is shining, the days are getting longer, and it's time for our first “pint with the pastor” of the summer on Friday, June 27th from 7-8:30pm. We're excited for everyone to join us for good drinks and better company. 
Pastor David will provide the “pint” – of beer or lemonade. (We want everyone to feel comfortable). If these beverages don’t fit your taste, feel free to bring your own. If you’d like to bring a snack to share that would be great.
 
We’ll gather outside at Bethel around the tables with purple umbrellas and enjoy conversation and fellowship together.
 
If this appeals to you, please RSVP to Erin at eb@bethelbeaverton.org

It's time for celebrating summer and the bounty of fruits!
 
If you've ever wanted to contribute towards our fellowship treats and refreshments but felt a little overwhelmed by the scope, this is an opportunity you don't want to miss! Please bring a fruit of your choice to the kitchen before service on Sunday, 22nd.
 Even one pint of berries, an orange, (whatever you can find!) will be welcome!
 You don't need to plate or cut up your fruit. We will do the prep work, and you can enjoy the first fruits of the season with your Bethel friends.

This summer, Pastor David will be exploring lesser-known Biblical characters. Using A Sanctified Art series: Faces of Faith – Bold and Untold Stories. The series will be augmented by the beautiful artists renderings of these bold and untold characters.
From the series…

“There are many heroes of the faith, people we admire and wish to be. However, there are even more ordinary people of faith—those doing what they can with what they have to make a difference. This summer, we’ll dig deep into the bold and untold stories of those often overlooked in our biblical narratives, hoping these characters remind us that we all play a role in shaping God’s story of redemption and grace.”

Respond to Racism will host an outreach booth at the Beaverton Farmers Market on Saturday, June 21st, following the Juneteenth commemoration on June 19th. We invite members of the Bethel congregation to join us in this community engagement initiative. Volunteers will have the opportunity to distribute information,  interact with market attendees, fostering connections and raising awareness of Bethel congregation's commitment to inclusivity and community well-being. This event offers a valuable platform to demonstrate the vibrant presence and caring ethos of our church within the Beaverton community. If you would like to join R2R for a 2-hour spot starting at 9:30 and ending at 1:30 please email 
Nancy winstonj@comcast.net or Mo memoney@comcast.net or come see us during fellowship. 

On April 4, 2024, Bethel’s Bottle Drop account was approved by the State of Oregon. During the year that we’ve had the account, your bottle and can contributions have provided more than $2,000 to Bethel’s Outreach Ministry. During that time, we’ve given $600 to Family Promise of Washington County and used the balance to support our Bethel food programs and other Outreach efforts. 

If you do not already know how to support this project here is a short video giving you details on how the process works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKsNC5zpRmo
I especially wanted to thank Bob Burris for his help in taking the filled blue bags to the bottle drop sites most weeks and picking up new bags and labels when needed. In addition, I want to thank Susan Chauvie and Gail Njos for putting the labels on the blue bags, and Susan, Stan Davis and Monique Manley-Smith for making the Bottle Drop video that I have linked to above.
I’d also like to thank Jonathan Schlueter for his many years of taking care of the cans and bottles prior to Bethel having our own account when our cans and bottles supported the Family Promise of Washington County’s bottle drop account. 
We’ve been averaging about $500 per quarter so far. I want to challenge you to see if we can get that number up to $750 per quarter so we can break $3,000 per year from this project as our needs keep rising and our support is being reduced. See if you can get your friends, families, and coworkers to fill a blue bag on a regular basis to support Bethel’s Outreach ministries. 
If you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer them in the Fellowship Hall after service.
Leon Taylor 

This month, Bethel Bookies is reading The Wild Robot by Peter Brown, and the group had a great idea to gather everyone to watch the movie together. We will meet in the sanctuary on Friday, May 30th at 6:30 pm to enjoy the family film. The run time is 1 hour and 42 minutes. Please RSVP with Erin at eb@bethelbeaverton.org, so we know how many folks to expect.

Click here to watch a preview of the movie!

And if you feel like reading the book in advance, our book club meets on Tuesday, May 27th at 10 am in the conference room or via Zoom and you would be more than welcome to join us!

We have 5 more packouts!  The students have let us know that they would really like more Ramen, Mac & Cheese, and Cup Noodles! (Kids, what can I say?)  Chef Boyardee and Chili would be great too.  They’d prefer Hispanic vs general soup flavors.  With that in mind, please consider donating: 

- Small Milk (48 needed)          - Mac & Cheese Cups (62 needed)
- Cereal (43 needed)                - Chef Boyardee (62 needed)
- Ramen (97 needed)               - Chili (31 needed)
- Cup Noodles (116 needed)    - Soup (31 needed)

Join us for our Spring Women's Retreat centered around the role of stories in our lives and how they transform the varied moments we experience from snapshots into chapters. Our time together in this retreat will be spent in fellowship with one another and study/creative sessions.
Saturday, May 17th in the fellowship hall from 10 am to 12:30 pm!
Please email Erin Barber at eb@bethelbeaverton.org with any RSVP's or questions!
Lunch will not be served, but breakfast items will be provided.
All who identify as women or nonbinary are encouraged to attend!

Interested in joining the church or learning about membership?

Then join us for our two-part membership class.

These two sessions give basic information about the life of the church: organization, mission, vision, and hopes for the future.

The last couple of years we’ve offered these sessions virtually via Zoom.

This fall, we would like to gather in person in the Conference Room at Bethel. 
Session 1 – Sunday, May 4th from 12:30pm – 2:00pm in the conference room at Bethel following Congregation Informational Meeting ( a light lunch will be provided).
Session 2 – Sunday, May 18th from Noon – 1:30pm (light lunch)
Session 3 – Sunday, May 25th - a “make up session” if some of you can’t make the 4th or the 18th work.
Receive new members in worship June 8th

To help Pastor David prepare for the sessions, RSVP to Pastor David at your earliest convenience by emailing drb@bethelbeaverton.org.

Palm/Passion Sunday - April 13th 

Holy Week begins with worship on Palm Sunday. The children and choir members will gather at the Front entrance of the church

and in the Narthex for a congregational procession into the sanctuary with palms waving!

Congregants can decide if they would like to join the processional or be seated in the sanctuary at the start of service.

Worship will conclude with the building of the cross (made from the trunks of our Christmas trees).

Maundy Thursday - April 17th, 7pm

On Thursday, April 17th at 7pm, we will be offering a Maundy Thursday hybrid worship service.

You can participate in person or join us virtually via Zoom and Facebook. If you're joining us virtually, please have a candle with you. 
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BethelBeaverton/) and Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/140844207
The Maundy Thursday worship service draws its purpose and themes from historical events that our Christian tradition believed happened on the Thursday before Easter.

“Maundy” is the English form of the Latin word meaning commandment. Jesus’ new commandment, “Love one another as I have loved you,” is the focus of Maundy Thursday.
 
This day brings us to the lowest point of Holy Week, but there is an important message to remember: “We Are Blessed, Regardless”. Our service will walk us through our "blessings for when we don't feel blessed," we will receive communion in memory of the Last Supper, and following our final scripture reading and choir anthem, we will leave the sanctuary in silence. 

Good Friday Quiet Prayer - April 18th - 12-3pm

Join us on April 18th from 12-3 p.m. for a Good Friday quiet prayer, in-person at Bethel in our chapel.

We will offer an opportunity for those who would like to come to Bethel for a contemplative sit.

Come and stay for as little or as long as you would like.

Prayer materials will be provided for your time of quiet prayer and contemplation. 

Easter Sunday - April 20th - 10am

Please join us this year for Easter Sunday!

Worship will take place on April 20th at 10:00am both in person and virtually via Zoom and Facebook.

Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BethelBeaverton/) and Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/140844207 

This all-generational worship will celebrate Christ’s resurrection with special music, prayers and liturgy.

Our sanctuary will be flooded with color from flowers given in honor or memory of loved ones.

Our children and youth will once again have an opportunity to Flower the Cross inside.

We invite you to come forward to the chancel and sing Handel’s "Hallelujah Chorus" to conclude worship.  

Easter Egg Hunt 

Join us after our Easter Service on April 20th, for an Easter Egg Hunt for all our children up through 5th grade.

Please have your child bring their own Easter basket.  We will have bags available for those who forget.

Following the egg hunt, you are invited to continue celebrating with us in the Fellowship Hall with special treats.

Bethel's All Church Talent Show is coming together! Please note we are changing the time of our show to begin at 1 pm.

 On Saturday April 5th, we will start in the sanctuary for a performance starting at 1:00 pm, to see our live artists. Afterwards we will head into the fellowship hall to enjoy the bakers and makers and crafts of our visual artists. We hope you come join us!

Performers, keep in mind that there will be a rehearsal on Sunday March 30th, 1pm. Chad will be on hand to support with his amazing skills. On the day of the performance, there will be a sound check a half hour before the show starts. Please arrive ready to go by 12:30 pm.

Visual Artists and Makers, please arrive at least a half hour before the show with your creations to set them up in the fellowship hall. If you need to coordinate with Erin to get them to the church earlier in the week, please reach out!

Questions? Contact Erin or Melanie at eb@bethelbeaverton.org or mm@bethelbeaverton.org.

Be the Light

“One Great Hour of Sharing is one of the United Church of Christ's four special offerings. We will receive the offering on Sunday, March 30th.

You can also give online. Bethel E-Giving

This Lenten offering supports the disaster, refugee, and development ministries of the United Church of Christ within the Wider Church Ministries.  For more information, please click on the following video link.  https://www.ucc.org/giving/ways-to-give/our-churchs-wider-mission/one-great-hour-of-sharing/.

After the (shortened) worship service on Sunday, March 23, there will be a congregational meeting about the proposed capital campaign. We encourage you to attend, either in person or via Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87457812295.  or Facebook [http://(https:/www.facebook.com/BethelBeaverton/)]http://(https://www.facebook.com/BethelBeaverton/)

It's that time of year again! For a St. Patrick's Day treat, we will be holding our annual Baked Potato Fundraiser. Kids and youth are encouraged to participate to help fund Camperships for Camp Adams.
Parents are asked to volunteer to bring ten prebaked, foil wrapped potatoes before service to help support this fundraiser.

At the end of Sunday School, we will escort kids to the Fellowship Hall to finish setting up. Youth are invited to come join us at the start of Prayers of the People if they are in the main service. Then kids and youth can help stock the Baked Potato Bar or help serve church members during fellowship time.

To sign up to bring potatoes, please email Erin at eb@bethelbeaverton.org

Our Upcoming Worship Series For Lent

Our worship series for the season of Lent is "Good Enough: Embracing the Imperfections of Life and Faith." Life can often feel like it demands accuracy, our best efforts, and general perfection, but for this season of Lent we'll be exploring the truth that life is actually imperfect, and our imperfect selves are exactly what God calls for it. We are in a turbulent time in the world, but the teachings of Jesus invite us to respond to this turbulence with humility and mercy, not just for each other, but for ourselves as well. Join us for these next six weeks as we dive deeper into a "good enough" faith.

Lenten Bible Study beginning Sunday, March 9th at 9 AM

For this season of Lent, we will be offering a bible study led by Victory Nichols and Deb Stewart. This bible study will take place on Sunday mornings before service at 9 AM in the conference room, and will serve as a companion to our sermons each week, delving deeper into the scripture supporting our Good Enough series. This study will be held from March 9th to April 13th, and attendees are welcome to join for as many sessions as they are able.

If you would like a copy of the book our series is based on, please reach out to Erin Barber at [eb@bethelbeaverton.org ]eb@bethelbeaverton.org or sign up in the narthex on Sunday!

Ash Wednesday – Simple Supper and Worship – Wednesday, March 5th – 6:30pm.
We will gather in the Fellowship Hall for a light supper of soup and bread to launch our Lenten theme: "Good Enough: Embracing the Imperfections of Life and Faith"

There will be the opportunity to receive ashes for those who find the ritual meaningful.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent. Lent is the season of preparation for Easter in a similar way in which Advent prepares us for Christmas.

Ash Wednesday is also the time when we aspire to make some room for deeper introspection and practices that will draw us into the love and assurance of faith. But sometimes faith can feel not as assured as we hoped for. We can feel “less than,” perceiving that others seem to be able to be “more faithful” in their practices and beliefs. This Lent, rather than change for “the best”, we’ll seek to gain momentum one day at a time, “to reach for a faith that is never perfect, but good enough.”

To help with the preparation of the meal, please RSVP to office@bethelbeaverton.org or call 503-646-1191, by Sunday, March 1st, if you plan to attend the service.

Join us Saturday, March 1st for a Mardi Gras Potluck Brunch in the fellowship hall from 11 am to 1 pm. This event will feature cinnamon roll "king cakes," mask decorating, and a Mardi Gras parade to earn some beads. Please bring a favorite brunch side to go with our cinnamon rolls. All ages are welcome!

Join us Sunday, February 23rd for a special service led by our Respond to Racism committee in honor of Black History Month. Our sermon portion of worship will feature an educational video and an opportunity to discuss and ask questions with a panel, with music and liturgy supporting the theme of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

As our Epiphany series comes to an end, we want to celebrate the many different forms of creativity our Bethel family contains. On this Sunday, please bring your crafts, puzzles, photos, and sense of play to engage in a fun "creative congregation" time during fellowship after service. We will provide some paint and collage materials, as well as fun discussion questions for tables to share.
Please email Erin at eb@bethelbeaverton.org with any questions!

Bethel and Beaverton United First Methodist will be working together to provide weekend food for 31 unaccompanied homeless Beaverton High students every weekend until the end of school. Some of the work experience students at BHS will assemble bags of food that will go in the student back packs. We are planning on beginning Jan. 24. There may be special items we will ask for, so watch the Food Cupboard space.

This is for BSD neediest families.
We received this thank you from the McKinney- Vento liaisons. The families were thrilled. We will be doing the same project for Springs Break with set up being March 17 and box assembly March 18!

Join us for our Winter Women's Retreat centered around the theme: "New Year - New Song," where will be exploring the value of music to our mental and spiritual wellness. Our time together in this retreat will be spent in fellowship with one another and brief study/discussion sessions.

Saturday, January 18th in the fellowship hall from 10 am to noon!

Please RSVP with Erin Barber at eb@bethelbeaverton.org by Wednesday, January 15th

Lunch will not be served, but breakfast items will be provided.

All who identify as women or nonbinary are encouraged to attend!

Our worship series for the season of Epiphany, beginning Sunday, January 12th, invites us to embrace being made in the image of a Creator God. Worship Design Studio’s Drawn In: Living the Creative Life with God helps us reflect on our own creativity and how it intersects and strengthens our spiritual lives, beyond artistic pursuits. All of us are makers in our own way and co-creators of the world around us. This birthright does not need to drive us to be productive, but rather ignite our passion, delight, and imagination, drawing us in. Together, we can envision, express, and craft God’s dream for the world and for our lives.

of Immigrants at the Texas/Mexico border 

 January 11, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

at Lake Oswego UCC

Oregon pastors and laypersons who recently witnessed the Texas/Mexico border conditions will share their insights on Saturday, January 11, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at LOUCC. It will also be live-streamed here.

Rev. Adam Hange, pastor of the Hillsboro UCC, and Rev. Keren Rodriguez, a Methodist pastor and community organizer for Portland-based Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice (IMIrJ), will discuss their experiences meeting people affected by border conditions and politics, as well as those providing humanitarian aid. The program will also include a documentary on immigration realities. This event is a fundraiser for the United Church of Christ Rio Grande Valley‘s crucial work supporting immigrants as they face possible deportation. 

Ten pastors and laypeople from the United Church of Christ, Methodist and Lutheran denominations immersed themselves in border people and issues September 12-16.  The ecumenical delegation represented churches in 11 states.

For many years the John Nilsen Trio has been performing at the Bethel Congregational United Church of Christ. 
This is a wonderful opportunity for the entire family to enjoy some great music and worship together. John is Cathy Thoma's brother, and we appreciate him sharing his talents with us. 
Join us at Bethel Sunday, December 29, 2024 at 10:00 AM! 

PIANIST, SINGER-SONGWRITER, RECORDING ARTIST
John Nilsen is one of the Pacific Northwest’s most successful performance and recording artists

Christmas Eve Family Service - Dec 24, 4 PM

We will gather on Christmas eve for a family friendly service of the story of the nativity, carols, and hymns at 4pm in the sanctuary.

We hope you’ll join us for this beautiful tradition filled with light, love, and mystery.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service - Dec 24, 10 PM

We will gather on Christmas eve for a service of lessons, carols, and candle-lighting at 10pm in the sanctuary.

There will be special music from the chancel choir.

We hope you’ll join us for this beautiful tradition filled with light, love, and mystery.

Calling all cookie lovers and baking enthusiasts!

Once again, it's time to share and enjoy your favorite Christmas cookie and candy treats. On Sunday, December 15th, we'll be gathering in the Fellowship Hall after worship for the annual Christmas cookie potluck. Bring a big batch of your signature cookie to share and bring a variety home with you for your family to enjoy. Smells of cinnamon, cloves, ginger and more are in the air. If you have questions, please contact the office. 

If you have gluten free, or other allergy free recipes, they would be most welcome. Please label your offering so we know which have nuts, etc. 

Any leftovers you are welcome to bag and take home. 

This year, consider a unique gift for your friends and family as part of the Habitat for Humanity Portland Region Gifts that Build program. These gifts of kindness will help build a Habitat for Humanity home for a local family.  We will provide you with a specially designed greeting card (see examples below), a commemorative ornament, and the joy of knowing that a hardworking family will soon have a decent home of their own. Give a gift of any amount!

How Gifts that Build Works:

Paul Griffo will host a Gifts that Build table in the Fellowship Table on December 5th and December 12th following church service. You can obtain the greeting card(s) and commemorative ornament(s) then. Alternatively, you can also contact Paul Griffo at paul.griffo@msn.com / (503 707-0226) of your interest and how many cards/ornaments that you wish to gift. Paul can arrange to deliver the card(s) and ornament(s) to you either at church or to your home. Under either option, make check payable to “Habitat for Humanity – Portland Region”.

How Habitat Works:

After acquiring land and materials, volunteers and the future homeowners work side-by-side to build homes. Habitat sells the homes to pre-qualified families using a 1% down payment and 0%-interest mortgage. Payments are set below 30% of each family’s monthly income to ensure long term affordability. Because Habitat acts as the lender, 100% of the mortgage principal payments return to Habitat to help build more homes! Reach out to Paul Griffo or Leon Taylor (mr.leon.taylor.new@gmail.com) with any additional questions and thank you for supporting Habitat for Humanity Portland Region!

Each year during Advent, Bethel offers a quieter, more meditative worship service. The holidays can be a difficult time for those who are coping with illness, grief, loss, other difficulties and challenges of life. 

This time of year, the culture around us seems to demand hearty good cheer at all times. When we are grieving, in pain, trying to make ends meet, and dealing with the continued uncertainty of the election results and how to have a safe holiday celebration, we may feel out of step and off balance.

The Blue Christmas Worship Service gives us an opportunity to give voice to our pain and frustration, and the opportunity to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to us through candlelight, music, and, if desired, the ancient practice of anointing with oil. The Blue Christmas Worship Service will take place Sunday, December 1st at 2 pm as a hybrid service. 

This year we will celebrate the season of Advent with resource materials from A Sanctified Art. Our theme will be “Words for the Beginning”.

Advent is a season of endings and beginnings. As the calendar year comes to a close, a new church year rushes in. Christ’s birth ushers us into new ways of living and loving—and yet, we feel the weight of many things coming to an end.

Given our polarized world, and in anticipation of continued anxiety regardless of the Election Day outcomes, we need the support of comforting messages.

“Words for the Beginning” will include these weekly themes
•    You Are a Blessing (Luke 1.26-38 and Isaiah 43.1-7)
•    We Can’t Go Alone (Ruth 1 and Ecclesiastes 4.9-12)
•    Do the Good that Is Yours to Do (Luke 3.7-16 and Isaiah 58.9b-12)
•    Hope Is Worth the Risk (Matthew 1.18-25 and Luke 1.46-55)
•    Love Knows Your Name (Luke 2.1-20 and Isaiah 9.6)
•    Don’t Forget to Laugh (Luke 2:10, Matthew 2:10, Isaiah 9:2-3, 
      Psalm 148, Psalm 126:1-3, Ecclesiastes 3:1) Texts of joy!
•    Epiphany – The Road Isn’t Straight (Matthew 2.1-12 and Isaiah 43.16-21)

In addition, we will be sharing artwork, music, and fellowship times that deepen these themes and prepare for and celebrate the gift of Christmas. 

Bethel's LGBTQI+ Friends are Invited to Tea Saturday, Nov 9th

It's LGBTea+ time! Amy Tobey has organized an ongoing meeting for anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community including friends, family, and allies to regularly get together for coffee/tea around the Beaverton area.

Saturday, Nov 9th at 2 pm to 4 pm at Brickhaus Coffee 

12600 SW Crescent St UNIT 110, Beaverton, OR 97005

Feel free to send questions to Amy at amy.l.tobey@gmail.com

Each year we engage in a Stewardship campaign to request a financial pledge to support our mission and ministry for the upcoming new year.  The campaign begins October 27 and ends November 17. On November 17th, we will receive our pledges of time, talent and treasure during worship. 
Our theme for this year is “Imagine Together.” This theme is grounded in our belief that God speaks to us through prophets of ages past and through visionaries and leaders today. God speaks in our hearts “with sighs too deep for human words” (Romans 8). And God speaks through spirited debate as we seek to discern the right thing to do. In all these ways, God stretches our imagination for what’s possible and what’s necessary. 
Together: God calls us into community. We follow Jesus as siblings in faith. United with other believers, we form a Christian movement living the way of Jesus. Faith is not a solitary life but one that brings our hearts close to others. As a statement of faith from the United Church of Canada affirms, “we are not alone; we live in God’s world.” 

The spiritual practice of generosity arises from imagining all that God calls us to do as a community. Our donations to our congregation make it possible to turn what we imagine into a reality. Through our annual commitments to our congregation, we imagine together all that we can do. 
                         Imagine Together!

For Kindergarten through 12th grade

Fire up the griddles because we're planning our annual Pumpkin Pancake Fundraiser! After service, our kids and youth will get to help serve pancakes to the congregation to help raise money for our kids and youth activities like the Pumpkin Patch. The Faith Development Committee will begin preparations during service and then kids can help serve during Fellowship Time. Be sure to bring your appetite!

As we live into the teachings of “Our Family Tree” sermon series, this Laity Sunday we lift up awareness of Breast Cancer. We hope you can help in our efforts to focus on the good we can do rather than being sabotaged by fear, anger or despair.

U.S. breast cancer statistics:
   People of every country, race, ethnic group, and income level are affected by breast cancer. In the U.S., the percentage of women diagnosed with breast cancer has been slowly rising for the past couple of decades.

A woman in the U.S. today has a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer over her lifetime and a 1 in 39 chance of dying from breast cancer. 
     Nearly 30% of women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer later develop metastatic breast cancer. 
     U.S. men make up 1 of every 100 breast cancer diagnoses in the country. 
     There are about 4 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., including women receiving breast cancer treatment. 
While the percentage of women dying from breast cancer has gone down in recent decades, black women remain more likely to die from breast cancer than women of any other racial or ethnic group.

This information is provided by Breastcancer.org.
The Ways you can help:

•      Come dressed in your favorite shade of pink 

Following service, we will have a Tea Time Fellowship where a representative from Pink Lemonade Project will speak. If you are able, donations to Pink Lemonade Project will be gladly accepted. https://pinklemonadeproject.org/

Saturday, 9:00-Noon in Fellowship Hall

  The national political arena has brought into sharp relief toxic versus healthy male spirituality. Many of us who identify as male know what it is like to struggle with age old norms about what it means to be a “real man”. “Real men” don’t cry. They don’t share feelings (unless it’s anger). They are strong and never admit weakness or vulnerability. They devote their time and energy into their work and career advancement at the expense of deep relationships. Winning and succeeding are the forces that drive them. Failure is not an option and to be avoided at all costs.

These cultural norms, of course, don’t align with our Christian values. Many of us who identify as male have found ways to listen to and be shaped by the messages from our culture and our Christian faith. In other words, we are pulled in two directions at the same time. We have a foot in both worlds.

The purpose of our retreat will be to discuss these two arenas and seek ways to develop a “male” spirituality that combines positive attributes of culturally defined maleness (strength, courage, tenacity, drive) with the positive attributes of our Christian faith (compassion, empathy, grace and humility).

Finally, in today’s world, with the acknowledgement of great gender fluidity, if this article resonates in your head and heart, you are welcome to attend. If you have questions, Pastor David will be happy to discuss them.

Please RSVP to drb@bethelbeaverton.org We would like to provide coffee and bagels, and a head count would be a great help. 

Our Youngish Adults Group and families are invited for an evening of Halloween Fun in the fellowship hall! Come prepared to carve or paint a pumpkin and enjoy a family friendly Halloween flick. Pizza will be provided and we encourage you to bring a side like a salad, drinks, or dessert. This is a kid friendly event!

If you don't have a pumpkin of your own to bring, please let us know in your RSVP so we can provide one for you.

Please email Erin Barber at eb@bethelbeaverton.org  if you plan to attend by Wednesday October 9th.

This fall our Sunday worship series is designed to lean into the roots and wings of our larger church family – The United Church of Christ. To stay grounded and hopeful in the anxious climate leading up to election day, we will rely on the network of relationships that we share with other progressive Christians. And keep our focus on the good we can do rather than being sabotaged by fear, anger or despair.

For years, the United Church of Christ has offered a worship planning calendar. Rather than having one overarching theme, the worship calendar lifts up the vast array of special needs within our diverse congregations. Here is a listing of annual special ministry needs: American Indian and United Samoan Ministries; Children’s Sabbath; World Communion (including the Neighbors in Need All Church offering); Disabilities and Access Sunday; UCC Higher Education Day and All Saints Sunday.

We will be doing our own version of special ministry needs. Drawing from the UCC worship planning calendar.

Know that our gathering to worship on Sunday mornings will continue to be relevant, comforting, supportive and inspirational.

Have you ever wondered what goes into a Sunday morning here at Bethel? Or how we come up with all the different events we do? Or how YOU can be a part of it? Come to our All Committee Fair following service on September 22nd in the Fellowship Hall to learn more!

We have many committees to thank for the amazing things Bethel does from Growth to Faith Development to Communications and Facilities (just to name a few). All this work is run by people who believe "church" is a verb. 

We invite you to come and learn more at this fair and see if there is a place for you and your unique gifts. You'll receive a punch card and get a stamp at each committee you visit, and if you visit all of them you'll earn a special prize!

Reach out to Erin Barber at eb@bethelbeaverton.org to learn more!

Every Sunday, you can pick up a sturdy box at the Rummage Sale display in the Narthex. Please take it home and fill it up with “treasures” you no longer need or want. If something isn’t useful or bringing you joy, do you really need it taking up space in your home? 

SOME of what we can take: 
•    Clean, with no holes, clothing and accessories/shoes...kids, women’s, and men’s. We don’t have the manpower to clean clothing and shoes, so cleaning them before you put them in a donation box is very helpful. 
•    Jewelry 
•    Collectibles... If you are donating collectibles and have some idea of your item's value, please let us know. It could save someone hours of research. 
•    Books…nothing damaged or missing pages; no tech/computer manuals, medical advice, or textbooks older than 5 years; no travel guides older than 3 years; no encyclopedias or yearbooks
•    Toys and kids’ gear 
•    Household items...kitchen items, dinnerware, cutlery, bathroom items, tools, holiday decor, linens, pictures/frames/mirrors, luggage, etc. 
•    Working electronics / small appliances (Please attach any power cords to your item. They tend to get separated easily.) 
•    Sports Equipment 
•    Garden items 
•    Items for pets 
•    Furniture...if it can be moved by two strong adults.

WHAT WE CANNOT TAKE: 
-Mattresses (including crib mattresses) 
-Big boxy TVs
-Car seats
-Tires 
-Open toiletries
-Used underwear/bras/swimsuits
-Any item too large to be moved by two strong people 

The Rummage Sale display on Sundays has pictures of past Rummage Sales in case pictures “speak to you” more than lists. Those dates and times to bring your boxes and other items are printed for you to pick up at the Rummage Sale table. 

We need everyone to work a 2-hour shift (or more) to make this a successful event.  Please sign up on Sundays starting in September for at least one shift.
Just to get started we need:
-Many hands on September 29th after church to help bring up things from the basement or that evening after Faith Cafe leaves around 6:00ish to get the tables and racks set up. 
- Work a shift on Sept 30th or Oct 1 from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm receiving donations, unpacking boxes, and putting things out on tables.
- Work a shift on Oct 2nd from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm receiving donations, unpacking boxes, and putting things out on tables. 
- Price items on Oct 3rd from 9:00 am to whenever it’s all priced. 
- Work the Sale on Friday or Saturday October 4th and 5th…by working the floor, cashiering, working the hold area, greeting shoppers, etc. 
-October 5th at 3:00-5:30 pm to clean up.

September 15th will be an exciting Sunday here at Bethel, starting with our annual Stump the Pastor sermon. 

Do you have a theological question, or a question about the life of faith or the way the church works that you’ve always wanted to ask but were afraid to ask it? September 15th is your chance! Pastor David will offer an instant sermon with impromptu answers to your questions.
For the rest of the month, we will have a submission box and paper slips for questions out front in the Narthex on Sundays, or you may submit your questions via email to Erin  (eb@bethelbeaverton.org) Please send your questions to us by Wednesday, September 11th.

Then following this service we will have our Homecoming Potluck!  Do you have a favorite chili recipe to share? Or a favorite side to go with chili? We're getting fired up for all the fall favorites so please bring a dish to share to help us celebrate the start of a new school year and enjoy fellowship together with Pastor David's return. Please email Erin in advance to help coordinate our meals!

Let Justice Roll Down - God’s Call to Care for Neighbors and All Creation

Join Anderson Campbell, Victory Nichols, and Paige Unangst as they facilitate discussion using a bible study written by Patricia K. Tull. Starting September 15th from 9:00 – 9:50 am in a to be determined room at Bethel and going through to November 10th. Each lesson is stand-alone so come for one or all sessions. Bible Study booklets will be available in the church office. Please RSVP to Erin Barber at eb@bethelbeaverton.org so we have an idea of how many people are coming and can make sure we have enough booklets.  

Join us in the fellowship hall for an all-ages brunch themed potluck following service! Bring a dish and/or a favorite board game to share! We recommend games that aren't too hard to learn and can be played in less than an hour so that you can visit with more than one group of people. To help with coordinating potluck dishes, email Erin at eb@bethelbeaverton.org to let us know what you'd like to bring.

On Sunday, August 18th during fellowship time we will hear a presentation from Izzy Fawson (they/them) about issues of injustice in the Philippines, alongside Copeland Downs (he/him), who works for the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines. Izzy is partnering with our Respond to Racism committee to bring this information to us as part of R2R’s mission to keep educating the church on issues related to race/discrimination. There will be a brief time to grab our refreshments and visit before we settle in for the presentation in the fellowship hall. Education is a crucial first step in developing awareness and providing help so we hope you will join us!

To understand more, check out this information: Why does the Philippines have the most number of Christians in Asia?

Welcome Molli Mitchell

The name may sound familiar as Molli has preached at Bethel and worked with the R2R group on the resolution to become an anti-racist congregation. We welcome her as our Sabbatical Pastor, starting August 5th. 

Molli is a joyful and compassionate minister with a deep commitment to liberatory theology and an understanding of the unique challenges faced by progressive congregations in our shared social and political climate.

She has served as a pastor and chaplain for the past four years and has gained valuable experience ministering to diverse congregations and fostering inclusive and welcoming communities.

Molli holds a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School along with a Master of Science in Social Work – Children, youth & Families and a Bachelor of Science – Human Development and Family Studies for the University of Wisconsin – Madison. She has completed all requirements and will be ordained this fall.

 Volunteers are needed once a month on a Wednesday evening. Can YOU help out?  You would train and work with an experienced team of Bethel folks.  We need two new volunteers on the first Wednesday of the month to assist clients shop. Confidentiality is required, membership at Bethel is not. Some Spanish language would be an asset.  

Speak with Phyllis Hancock, Fran Jensen, Nancy Hilbrick, or any of the current volunteers about what this entails. It is not easy, but immediately rewarding volunteer work!  Please consider joining this long time Bethel mission.  

Our Called to Care Team has been organizing walks to get out and about and enjoy the beautiful weather and each other's company. Whether you're a long-time member or just starting to get to know us, you are invited to come along!

Every Monday, you can join us for The Bethel Walk. We meet at 9:00 am near the food cupboard entrance on 7th St and take a walk around Bethel's neighborhood, occasionally stopping for some local coffee and treats. 

Then on Tuesday July 30th at 9:30 am April Campbell will lead a walk on a short section of the Fanno Creek Trail. Meet at the cul-de-sac on 105th (near the CHP Group building).
                6600 SW 105th Ave
                Beaverton, OR 97008
The trail is all paved except for a few composite bridge crossings and is mostly flat. There is a natural turn around point about a half mile in to make it a 1 mile walk but we can make it shorter at any time by simply turning around.
And there is usually plenty of street parking or parking in the nearby building lots.

We hope you'll join us for the fresh air and a nice walk!

Want more buddy walk updates? You can sign up in the narthex on Sunday before service or by emailing Erin at eb@bethelbeaverton.org

If you enjoyed our “Pint with the Pastor” hangout, then you'll love "Mugs with the Moderator." Join us on Thursday, August 1st from 7:00 - 8:30 pm for this special treat of Root Beer Floats!

Our Board Moderator, Jim Heider will be providing the ice cream and soda for our beverages. And if root beer floats don't fit your taste, feel free to bring your own drinks too. If you’d like to bring a snack to share that would also be welcome.
 
We’ll gather outside at Bethel around the tables with purple umbrellas and enjoy conversation and fellowship together.
 
If this appeals to you, please RSVP to Erin by Tuesday July 30th at eb@bethelbeaverton.org

  On July 28th, we are going to have a good ole' hymns and songs service! Rev. Linda cannot be with us, so we're going to sing our way through the service.  Please submit your favorite 3 songs or hymns to mm@bethelbeaverton.org.  We'll be singing the ones that get the most votes, but there's lots of time so we can sing many! Please provide title, and if available, New Century Hymnal or Sing, Prayer and Praise song number. Submissions accepted through Sunday, July 21st. 

Due to the popularity of the Youth Group Painting Party last April, we are providing an All Church Painting Party on Saturday, July 20th at 3 - 5 pm in the Fellowship Hall.
We will be using already painted canvases to add creative updates through painting, markers, and collages. Some blank canvases will be available. Feel free to bring personal projects to work on beside us too. All ages welcome! 
Email Erin Barber at eb@bethelbeaverton.org to RSVP by Wednesday July 17th

We're looking forward to celebrating Pride in our community next week! The celebration will take place in the Farmer's Market Parking Lot between SW 3rd St and SW 5th St off of SW Washington and SW Hall Blvd.

The Pride Parade will begin at 11 am which means the parade route will require road closures at 10 am.

For those attending church in person, you will want to give yourself extra time to find parking Sunday morning, as SW Washington will be blocked for the parade line-up all the way to 9th St.
Our worship service will wrap up a little early so that we can head outside to show some love and cheer on the parade as it passes by. 

For more event information, follow this link: https://www.pridebeaverton.org/

We're excited to have Vacation Bible School (VBS) all summer long again! Our Summer schedule will not follow a strict pattern as we navigate vacations and weeks at Camp Adams so mark your calendar to know what Sundays to expect VBS.
  This year our theme is Renew where we will learn how and why to care for God's creation through The Parable of the Sower. We will offer a multigenerational session for our kids to learn from one another and grow together.  

We are happy to announce that Rev. Linda Jaramillo has accepted the role of our sabbatical pastor this coming summer as Pastor David leaves for the summer. Please join us in welcoming her back on June 16th. She provided our sermon message for David's 20th anniversary celebration October 1st.

We are looking forward to her ideas for worship during David's well earned sabbatical.  

The Rev. Linda Jaramillo is a member of Ainsworth United Church of Christ in Portland, Oregon. She served for 10 years as Executive Minister of Justice and Witness Ministries and Officer of the Church in the national headquarters of the United Church of Christ. Guided by the prophets and Gospel teachings, Linda is particularly motivated by HOPE for a more loving and caring social culture as we set our course for a peace-filled, nonviolent future. She cherishes engagement with interfaith, inter-cultural and multilingual communities grounded in the belief that we are each responsible for sharing wisdom and stories across generations. Linda is the proud mother of two and grandmother of five beautiful and brilliant grandchildren!  

  We are looking forward to celebrating Pride in our community next month. Here's what we're asking for to make this event a success:
     -  Packages of Bottled Water
     -  Volunteers to help with set up (8 - 9:45 am) or clean up (5 - 6 pm) or help greet people at our booth for an hour (11 am - 5 pm).

Email Erin if you can be a volunteer and drop off water bottles with her in the office. Thank you!

We're excited for summer, so we are hosting a fun potluck outside on our courtyard and lawn, complete with games and activities on Saturday, June 22nd from 11:30 am - 2:00 pm.
We know a lot of our Bethel members are pretty enthusiastic about a good potluck, so to help us get organized by signing up and letting us know what you can bring. You can sign up online through this link HERE or sign up on a clipboard in the narthex on Sundays!
We're asking folks to bring food and/or a fun lawn game to enjoy outside like croquet, cornhole, or lawn darts!
AND as if that wasn't enough, there will be a station to do some tie-dye for fun and to make some colorful items to wear at Beaverton Pride later in the month!
Questions? Reach out to Erin Barber at eb@bethelbeaverton.org. We hope you will join us for this fun event!  

Respond to Racism Movie Viewing and Discussion -

June 1st at 10 AM at Bethel

We have rescheduled our movie viewing! We will watch it in our sanctuary together at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 1st and then gather in the Fellowship Hall to discuss the film.

  Rob Reiner's documentary God & Country, "looks at the implications of Christian Nationalism and how it distorts not only the constitutional republic, but Christianity itself." Click here for a preview of this film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MFQ2uESrjU

Please RSVP with Tim Moe at Timdawn4@gmail.com or Erin Barber at eb@bethelbeaverton.org.

We are happy to announce that Rev. Linda Jaramillo has accepted the role of our sabbatical pastor this coming summer as Pastor David leaves for the summer. Please join us in welcoming her back. She provided our sermon message for David's 20th anniversary celebration October 1st.

We are looking forward to her ideas for worship during David's well earned sabbatical.  

The Rev. Linda Jaramillo is a member of Ainsworth United Church of Christ in Portland, Oregon. She served for 10 years as Executive Minister of Justice and Witness Ministries and Officer of the Church in the national headquarters of the United Church of Christ. Guided by the prophets and Gospel teachings, Linda is particularly motivated by HOPE for a more loving and caring social culture as we set our course for a peace-filled, nonviolent future. She cherishes engagement with interfaith, inter-cultural and multilingual communities grounded in the belief that we are each responsible for sharing wisdom and stories across generations. Linda is the proud mother of two and grandmother of five beautiful and brilliant grandchildren!  

*************

  While our Christian faith is 2000 years old, our thinking is not.

We worship God, share the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and practice God’s unconditional love for all creation.

Celebrating God’s still-speaking voice, we advocate for service, justice, and kindness.

We commit to actively dismantling injustice, fostering a White Supremacy-Free Zone, and becoming an anti-racist community.

Passionately open and affirming of the LGBTQIA+ community, we support each other’s journey while honoring our roots and embracing a future where all are valued and empowered.  

Stories

"Think of yourself as a nesting doll: how many versions of yourself have you carried this far, to this point? How many more iterations will there be as you age? Know there is room for all of you. Keep moving." - Maggie Smith, poet.

Come join us for a morning of Tea/Coffee and treats and fellowship, where we can dive into the stories of resurrection within our own lives. We will be exploring the value of resurrection stories and sharing these moments of renewed life and renewed faith with one another.  All who identify as women or nonbinary are welcome!

RSVP by Wednesday, May 1st with Paige at Paige@Unangst.net, or Erin at eb@Bethelbeaverton.org OR sign up in person on Sunday or call the church office.

Peace & Blessings

In April, on Wednesday, April 24th, the Portland Region will hold their annual one-hour program and free lunch.   Bethel will host two/three tables and the keynote speaker will be award winning Majora Carter, an urban revitalization strategist, author, and Peabody Award-winning broadcaster. Look for more information in future announcements in April. 

Contact Paul Griffo (paul.griffo@msn.com) and/or Leon Taylor (mr.leon.taylor.new@gmail.com) for more information.  Paul and Leon serve as the Bethel Congregational representatives on the Habitat for Humanity Portland Region Faith Committee on behalf of the Outreach Committee.

Resurrection Stories:
Our Eastertide series dives deep into the inspiration of Jesus conquering the grave and invites us to examine the resurrection stories within our own lives. Each of us experiences death in our lifetime, be it the physical death of a person, or the metaphorical death of an idea or relationship or goal that we then have to carry on without. And therefore, each of us carries a story of hope within us too. We all have another day to try again, to let go and start anew, or take the first steps in a journey of grief to a reimagined life. 
 
Sharing these stories of hope is the key to unlocking connection and resurrecting our faith in one another. So each week members of our congregation will share a personal resurrection story to inspire all of us until we celebrate Pentecost, reminding us that we are all together in the struggles of living in a broken world and all growing, transforming, and striving towards hope.