Pastor John is fly fishing at Silver Creek; God is smiling down on him for a job well done. God is looking down at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, smiling also. Standing before us, a new pastor is preaching for the first time at our church. The pastor looks out into the sanctuary, seeing 70 pairs of eyes looking toward him with faces, but no names. Feeling very overwhelmed, the pastor thinks “How can I get to know all of these congregants here today?”
Members of Bethlehem, we want our new pastor to feel welcome and loved – not overwhelmed. How can you help? I challenge all of us this weekend to talk to our heavenly Father and ask for His help with wearing name tags. Each Sunday, continue to ask God for the motivation to start and stick with your new habit of wearing it. If it helps you, ask one of your brothers or sisters in Christ to be your name tag buddy. If you forget one Sunday, give yourself grace because God does! Research shows it takes 30 days to start a new habit. It can take 90-240 days to make a habit completely stick. Let’s aim for this summer for all of us to flood Bethlehem with our smiling faces and name
tags visible everywhere you look.
What if I don’t have a name tag to wear? Jim Thompson is the chairman of the Call Committee, but he is also the official Bethlehem name tag maker. If your name tag is showing wear or you need a new one, please call Jim at 602-751-9194 or by contacting him by email at missellienjim@yahoo.com . The simple act of wearing our name tags reflects our motto, “We are a home to share God’s love and grace.”
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BLC Welcoming Committee Needs Your Help in Creating a: “Where-to-Go” and “Who-to-See” Directory as a guide and valuable information for
our new pastor and family when we receive one.
If you have a special talent or business or
know someone that you would recommend to be added to the directory, please submit your information to: Avis Peterson at Petersonspark@aol.com or call me at 480-835-5044 (leave a message if no answer).
These special talents can cover a multitude of areas like home care, cleaning, decorating, landscaping, pool care, plumbing, carpentry, electrical, A/C, painting, general maintenance. Personal care such as hair, nails, skin, massage, alteration services. Child care & entertainment centers in case there are children, CPA, attorney, financial advisor, technical, mechanical and vehicle care, and the list could go on.
Think about it and please submit your info soon. A business card, brochure or ad would also be helpful and can be mailed to or left at the church office with my name on it, Avis Peterson. Thank you! Your input is valuable and you are special!
We are one Christian Family at a “Home to Share God’s Love & Grace”