BETHANY

Do you have a "big picture" kind of view?  One that enjoys thinking about how the church can be effective in society?  A view that looks at the church's mission and then asks the question, "How can we make this happen to the best of our ability?  Then, serving on our church council might just be the place for you.  The council is composed of 12 members of Bethany Lutheran Church, and it seeks to guide the congregation in fulfilling its mission and ministry during the year.  Meetings are once a month, and each council member is a representative to all church committees.

Do you have an awareness of all the gifts that God has given you?  Can you see how God has blessed you with time, talent, and treasure?  If so, you might be one who can help the stewardship committee teach folks how God has given us so much, and how we now have the privilege of using our entire lives in service to God.  The committee seeks to equip people to use their time, talents, and treasure in a manner that brings God honor.

If you enjoy planning at putting together parties, meals, and outings, this committee is the place for you.  Fellowship is responsible for planning church potluck meals (a meal where each family brings a little something to share); catered meals; trips to various places in Texas; and other events and parties.  

We know that the Christian faith is just one generation away from disappearing, so we want to teach our children what it means to follow Jesus.  This committee oversees that very important work.  Working closely with our Youth and Family Minister, CYFM oversees Sunday School, our weekly elementary and junior high gatherings (see the youth page for more information on Faith Foundations, Jumpstart, and Confirmation); day camp, mission trips, and camping ministries.  

You see worship take place on Sunday morning, but are you aware of all the thought and planning that goes into the service?  The traditional worship team gathers once a quarter or so to think through themes, decorations, and worship protocols.  We are happy to listen to ideas that mesh well with the ancient, but flexible order of worship passed down through the generations.

A heart for those who society often overlooks drives our Social Concerns Committee.   We specialize in reaching out to those in nursing homes; those who rarely leave their homes; and those with special needs.  We sponsor several nursing home parties; a special needs dance; and taking gifts to those who have difficulty getting out.

If you have a heart and passion to implement programs and practices that draw people to the good news of Jesus including gifts for visitors, website material, flyers for the visitor's center, and exploring options for communication in the community to tell others what God has done in Jesus Christ, our Evangelism committee is the perfect fit for you.  Good news is meant to be shared!

Our Bethany Outreach and Advocacy Team or BOAT for short, seeks to reach into the community to fight poverty and injustice.  This committee led the church in establishing our little, free food pantry and our minor maintenance car clinics.  They are always looking for new ways and new ideas in helping others in the community.

Enjoy working with your hands? Doing minor carpentry work?  Landscaping?  Overseeing maintenance?  Property and management handles those tasks around the church.  Folks on the committee not only get their hands dirty, but actively check out the building and recommend expenditures to keep the facilities ship shape.

In our day and age, technology is a must, and Bethany's technology committee ensures that we keep up with the technology we need to effectively reach out, not only in the real world, but in the virtual world as well.  If computers, routers, web design, and other such matters are your thing, we have a place for you here.

Worship is not a one-size-fits-all ordeal.  At Bethany, we offer a couple of styles of worship, and our Praise and Worship team plans and implements a more "contemporary" style of entering into the presence of God.  Much like the Traditional Worship Team, we think through themes, decorations, and worship protocols, but we think through such things knowing we use different instruments: bass, guitar, keyboard, and drums.  Ideas that mesh well with this style are always welcome.