Small Group Studies Resume This Week

Our Spring session of small groups will begin this week and continue for the next 6 weeks, finishing up right before Memorial Day Weekend. Currently we have four groups meeting: Ladies Group – Sundays @ 6:30pm (Lynndale Campus); Koepsell Group – Tuesdays @ 6:30pm (Koepsell’s home); Behrens Group – Tuesdays @ 6:45pm (Behrens’ home); Duchow Group – Wednesdays @ 6:00pm (Home of Phil & Barb Schlafer). There are a few spots open in each group. For more information or to get connected with one of our groups, pick up one of the flyers in our welcome center or contact:

Pastor Johnston: 402.669.8215 | djjohnston@bethanyappleton.org

Pastor Brown: 920.750.9844 | plbrown@bethanyappleton.org

Little Blessings Playgroup 5/13

Little Blessings Playgroup will meet Saturday, May 13th in the multipurpose room at Our Shepherd Childcare. There will be a story, snack, and lots of play! Check-in time starts at 9:45 AM and playgroup will begin at 10 AM. To aid in our planning process, please sign up using the link provided. This link can also be used to sign up for the rest of our spring sessions. https://forms.gle/ZKRdPcxpFfcMU4Au8

Baby Bottle Fundraiser - Change for Life - Hope Beyond Measure

Bethany is participating in the Change for Life program to support the ministry of New Beginnings - A Home for Mothers. New Beginnings is a WELS-based ministry that helps single mothers pave the way to self-sufficiency in a Christ-centered home. In honor of the hope we have in Jesus, we will give gifts of HOPE to the mothers and babies that they serve. Look for the baby bottle display on the welcome center counter (Parkway) or the back table (Lynndale)

Pick up a baby bottle, take it home, and have everyone in your household fill it with spare change! Return your change-filled bottles to church the weekend of May 13-15 (or anytime before that) where the money will be collected and sent to help the mothers and babies at New Beginnings.

If you’d like to participate in this fundraiser, but don’t have change - checks may be written out to Bethany Lutheran Church with “New Beginnings” listed on the memo.

Visit www.homeformothers.com for more information about this ministry.

Midweek Oasis Session Begins 4/19

Our Midweek Oasis Bible Study will start back up this coming Wednesday, April 19 at 10AM in the lower level fellowship hall on the Parkway Campus. God rested at the end of six days of creation. He also promised spiritual rest to Adam and Eve. Although they lost that rest when they sinned, God restored it with his promise of the Savior. This study examines the theme of "God's Rest" from Genesis to Revelation.

Teen Night at The Core, Appleton

Local WELS congregations have joined together to offer a new teen ministry program - WELS Youth Night is a series of youth-focused events, where youth will experience an inspiring evening of games, music, prayer, Bible message, small group discussion, and fun with high school youth (9th-12th grade) from local WELS congregations in our area. WELS Youth Night is about building relationships, creating a community, and experiencing faith together.

Our area’s next WELS Youth Night is Sunday, April 23 at The CORE (820 W College Ave. Appleton) from 6–8 PM.

Maura Hegman Accepts Call to Teach at St. Peter, Appleton

Mrs. Maura Hegman has accepted her call to teach 3K/4K at St. Peter in Appleton. We are so thankful for the many years of faithful service she has given to us at Our Shepherd Childcare and Bethany. We ask God to bless her family as they make the transition to St. Peter this summer. Please read Ms. Maura's letter below:

Dear members of Bethany and Our Shepherd,

On Thursday, March 2nd I received a call to serve as a 3K and 4K teacher at St. Peter Lutheran School in Appleton, Wisconsin. This call has provided my family and me a chance to consider my God-given abilities and where I might best use these gifts. Calls can often be challenging because there is no “wrong” decision – just wonderful opportunities from the Lord. I have found immense comfort knowing that I can trust God to direct this process with His infinite wisdom, power, and love.

After prayerfully considering my current position of serving at Our Shepherd Childcare Center and the call to serve at St. Peter, I have decided to accept the call to teach 3K and 4K at St. Peter Lutheran School. I am so grateful for the opportunity I was given to consider where I can serve God best. I know that God will continue to bless the ministry, families, and congregation at Bethany and Our Shepherd Childcare. Thank you for all of your prayers, thoughts, and encouragement throughout this process.

Discipleship.101 - New Session to Begin April 20

Discipleship.101 is a starting place. If you’re new to Christianity, new to Bethany, or just wanting a brush up on the basics of the Christian faith, we’d love to have you join us. This class provides an overview of the chief teachings of the Bible and presents what we believe and teach here at Bethany. Childcare will be available on site at no charge by one of our staff members. You will meet Thursdays at 5:30PM at the Lynndale Campus/Our Shepherd Childcare beginning April 20. To register, contact one of the pastors.

Easter for Families - Little Blessings Playgroup

Little Blessings Playgroup spring session kicks off on April 1st with our Easter for Familes day! Bring the whole family as we explore the importance of Easter through story and song. We will also offer a snack, craft, and an Easter egg hunt! The Baa'rista Bean will also be open during check-in time starting at 9:45 AM and playgroup will begin at 10 AM. To aid in our planning process, please sign up using the link provided. This link can also be used to sign up for the rest of our spring sessions. https://forms.gle/ZKRdPcxpFfcMU4Au8

LWMS Spring Rally - April 22

The Spring Rally of the Paperland Circuit (Bethany is a member) will be held April 22, 2023, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 225 E. Harris Street, Appleton, WI 54911-5438

8 am-registration/coffee; 9 am- 12:15pm-meeting/speaker. The theme is “He Will Raise You Up.” The speaker will be Pastor Tim Dolan (currently serving Immanuel, Greenville), the Chairman of the Apache Mission Committee.

If you are interested in attending the April 22 Spring Rally, watch for a sign-up sheet in the Welcome Center at both the Parkway and Lynndale campuses. The deadline for signing up will be April 4th. Also, indicate if you will be staying to eat lunch.

Mission Projects: Each year the Paperland Circuit decides on two mission projects to support - this year they are

--Home Missions - Tools for Outreach - Your gifts will assist home mission churches in purchasing studies to help them plan their outreach efforts. These studies help the new home mission churches reach out effectively to understand their neighborhoods' makeup.

--World Missions - Repatriation Conferences - Your gifts will assist returning missionaries, their spouses, and children to adjust to leaving a foreign mission field and returning to an American ministry, life, and culture. The Board for World Missions considers this program absolutely necessary to help mission families transition to their new life.

If you would like to contribute to these 2022-2023 Mission Projects, please make checks payable to LWMS Paperland Circuit. Place the check in an envelope marked LWMS. Drop it in the collection plate or drop it off in the church office by Tuesday, April 4th.

April 2023 - AVFP News

The April collection will be held on Saturday, April 15, 2023, which is a week later than normal due to the Easter holiday on our normal weekend. Items needed at the pantry are: Cereal (healthier oat, rice, etc.), pork 'n beans/baked beans, misc. pasta noodles, spaghetti noodles, pasta sauce (canned or plastic jars preferred), canned pears and fruit cocktail, canned beef/chicken stews, jam (18 oz. jars), peanut butter (16 oz. jars), hand soaps, dish soaps (20 oz. or less) and laundry soaps (60 loads or less). Thank you all for your continued support of the pantry. Happy Easter!

Holy Week at Bethany

o   Palm Sunday Weekend

§  Saturday, 4/1, Lynndale @ 4:30PM – Our Shepherd Children to Sing

§  Sunday, 4/2, Parkway @ 9AM – Bethany Sunday School to Sing (Lord’s Supper)

§  Monday, 4/3, Parkway @ 6PM (Lord’s Supper)

o   Maundy Thursday -  4/6, Parkway @ 6PM (Lord’s Supper)

o   Good Friday - Friday, 4/7, Parkway @ 6PM

o   Easter Weekend (Lord’s Supper at all services)

§  Saturday, 4/8, Lynndale @ 4;30PM

§  Sunday, 4/9, Parkway @ 8AM & 10:30AM (breakfast served between)

Bethany Lutheran Church

920.733.9561

Parkway Campus - 530 W. Parkway Blvd. Appleton, WI 54911

Lynndale Campus - 3335 N. Lynndale Dr. Appleton, WI 54914