Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Bethel U is our Sunday morning Christian education for 10-12th graders and adults. Every class begins at 9:45 a.m. and is "joinable" at any time.
Bethel U will be online for April 2021. We hope to be back in person soon, but seeing your smiling and curious faces over Zoom will be good, too. If you are unable to join the discussion on Sunday mornings, each class will be recorded so that you may watch at a time convenient to you. Zoom links will be available in the weekly Banner and in the Fireside worship email.
Bethel U will be online for April 2021. We hope to be back in person soon, but seeing your smiling and curious faces over Zoom will be good, too. If you are unable to join the discussion on Sunday mornings, each class will be recorded so that you may watch at a time convenient to you. Zoom links will be available in the weekly Banner and in the Fireside worship email.
2021 Offerings
MAY
Sponsored by Mission and Justice, May 2
Midori Krieger, education outreach for the organization “Health Care for All Minnesota,” will present an informational slideshow and discussion about the vision this organization has for a system that would provide equal access to all forms of healthcare, save money, and allow doctors and patients to have ultimate authority over medical care. Come with questions and concerns.
April
Confirmation Flashback, April 11, 18, 28
Have you ever thought about what you learned when you were a confirmation student? Have you wondered about what our confirmation students learn today? Well, here your chance to relive some of that learning and perhaps, look at it from a different viewpoint. Join our Bethel confirmation teachers as they each present a lesson from the curriculum they share with their students:
April 11 – Guilty (2 Samuel 12:1-14), from 7th Grade Curriculum, 22 Bible Stories You Don’t Want to Miss!, Pastor Tim
Course recording here.
After King David’s affair with Bathsheba and his subsequent order of the murder of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah the Hittite, God, through the prophet Nathan, confronts David for his sin. David repents but the consequences of his actions remain. At the end of the lesson, I raise the question, What does it mean that our faith communities are full of sinners?
April 18 – The Lord’s Prayer, from 8th Grade Curriculum, Luther’s Small Catechism, Al Freeland
Course recording here. Lord's Prayer power point here.
One of the parts of Luther's Catechism is, of course, The Lord's Prayer. The 8th graders learned, not only, about the Lord's Prayer itself, but how prayer in general is a highway to God! There is power in prayer. Al looks at it as: hammering on the "gates of Heaven". Al Freeland, the presenter, will review the class material and expound a bit on his views on Prayer in general.
April 28 – Christian Friendship, from 9th Grade Curriculum, Learning to be Disciples of God & a Member of Your Church Community - Doug Casson & Peder Jothen
Course recording here.
One theme the 9th Graders thought about together is friendship. What makes a good friend? In this session, Doug and Peder will help us reflect on how Christian discipleship is lived out through our friendships. Practices like being a good listener, sympathy, kindness, and forgiveness are all important facets of living out our relationship with God by being a good friend.
March
Sponsored by Mission and Justice, March 7, 14, 21, 28
March 7 – Community Action Center – Satellite Food Shelf
Course recording here.
Dawn Wegscheid and Julia Braulick from the CAC will be our guests. They will discuss plans for the new food shelf housed at the Northfield Community Education Center (old Greenvale Park School). Bethel has been asked to partner with the CAC, Carleton College, AmericaCorps Vista and Growing up Healthy to help operate and fund this initiative in our own neighborhood. You will learn about this program, how it plans to operate, when it will actually start, and Bethel’s potential role. Bethel’s 2020 Thanksgiving offering of $8,410 has been donated toward the startup expenses.
March 14 – Global Health Ministries
Course recording here.
Ceallaigh Anderson Smart, Director of Philanthropy for this Lutheran-based medical organization that works with partners in 14 countries around the world, will join us. Ceallaigh (pronounced Kelly) will explain the mission of GHM, based in Fridley, MN, that collects and sends medical supplies to underserved populations and works to support local hospitals and clinics. During this time of the global pandemic, we will learn about how GHM is supporting local efforts to save lives. Bethel’s Christmas offering of $3,457 (an equal amount was sent to Doctors without Borders) was designated to help GHM and their partners support Covid-19 mitigation. Access the recording here.
March 21 - Isaiah
Course recording here.
Learn about our new Bethel outreach partner for social justice in Minnesota. A panel of presenters will explain about how Isaiah began, who our partners are, and how we can contribute to this initiative. Speakers include Judy Tonolli, member of Bethel’s Mission & Justice Committee, Kathleen Doran-Norton, St. Dominic Catholic Church, Evelyn Burry, United Methodist, and Leota Godney, UCC.
March 28 - Polarization, Community and the Christian Message
Course recording here.
St. Olaf professors Doug Casson, Professor of Political Science and Anthony Bateza, Professor of Religion, will lead a discussion on this timely topic. Doug and Anthony are also Bethel members.
February
New Year, New Hope: Building a Healthier Climate, Lead by the Creation Care Team, February 7, 14, 21, 28
Sunday, February 7 – Responding to Climate Change with Effective Strategies
How the global climate system works is obviously complicated, but thanks to a century of climate science and powerful climate computer models, we're able to understand what changes will help us meet the target to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Rod Fisher, with Climate Interactive and Citizens' Climate Lobby, will be running a live workshop using En-ROADS, one of these models. Together, in this exercise, we'll find a path forward that's good for the climate and for people. Access the recording here.
Click here to explore the En-ROADS model yourself. Can you get global warming down to 2 degrees Celsius?
Click here to learn more about H.R. 763, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, which seeks to put a price on carbon.
Click here to call your Representatives and ask them to support the bill.
More questions? Email us! Presenter Rod Fischer | Bethel member Cynthia Carau
Sunday, February 14 – Electricity- What it means to go green by 2050
Richard Schulte brings over 30 years of industrial experience in the electronic and gas industry preceded by degrees in electrical engineering (South Dakota State University) and a masters degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics (MIT) to a discussion on electricity and its role in confronting climate change. He will characterize the present status of the electrical industry and lay out the challenges of moving to totally green electrical energy by 2050. Access the recording here.
Sunday, February 21 - Local action for Climate
What can you do to help implement the Northfield Climate Action Plan? Attend this presentation to learn about the energy use in our community, energy efficiency ideas for your home, the Grow Solar Rice County Program and other actions you can take. Beth Kallestad, Program Coordinator for the City of Northfield will be our speaker.
Sunday, February 28 - A Faith voice for Climate Justice
Join Charissa Verdoorn from Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light as we explore the climate justice movement that is emerging around the world. From climate strikes, to building equity into the emerging renewable energy revolution, to protecting sacred lands, MNIPL is at the center of organizing a faith voice to take climate action. Learn how you can get engaged in this growing movement, and how Bethel Lutheran can become a Climate Justice. Congregation. To change everything, we need everyone--and we can make a difference together. Access the recording here.
January
Mission & Justice Forum, Lead by Mission & Justice Committee & Paul Ramig, January 10.
The recording for this course is here. Additional resource videos mentioned in the class are: Trip Summary video, Mural, Chamizal, Trip Summary report. If you have additional questions, email Paul Ramig.
Sunday, January 10 - Paul Ramig
Paul Ramig is a member of Vang Lutheran Church located east of Dennison. He and 8 other members and friends of the congregation were looking for a mission trip to build fellowship and to help others. They settled on the Border Immersion Trip which they took in late January, 2020. They traveled to El Paso-Texas, Jaurez-Mexico, and Las Cruces-New Mexico to find out first-hand what was taking place on the border. Paul describes his life-changing trip through a video he helped create, as well as his personal experiences and perceptions.