God's Garden

God’s first act after completing creation was to plant a garden.

 

I waited until after I retired to do it and a year and a half into my new hobby, I was surprised when I realized some of the parallels between planting things in the dirt and Christianity.

 

We don’t have a backyard to speak of, so my focus for the past year and a half has been on flowers and hostas … flowers because I like the color and hostas because my mother grew them, my youngest daughter grows them, and they just seem like a kind of family tradition.

 

I came into this hobby with the necessary tools and ambition. What I clearly lacked was any knowledge about it and certainly no vision for what the flower beds in front and on both sides of our front porch should look like.

 

The smarts, that all important vision and plenty of patience answering all my questions came from two green thumbed sources: my neighbor across the street and my wife’s sister-in-law.

 

Under their tutelage, I started with hostas, lilies and white iris. This year, we’ve added more hostas, purple and yellow iris, calla lilies and branched out a bit with petunias (to quote the clerk at Theisen’s, “You can’t kill petunias.”)

 

Good gardeners, like the neighbor and the sister-in law, take care of the soil. They continually feed and water, and they constantly pull weeds. Man’s original intention was to work in God’s garden and serve Him by caring for what He made.

 

So whether you dig in the dirt and plant or serve God in other ways, plant your own garden.

Bill Martin

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Greetings from Pastor Anne

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he began with two simple words: “Our Father.”

 

For many of us, those words are so familiar that we barely notice how remarkable they are. Jesus invited boring, ordinary people to address the Creator of heaven and earth with familiarity, trust, and belonging. Not as a distant ruler. Not abstract force. Father, Dad, even Daddy. Abba is what little Hebrew-speaking kids call their dads.

 

In the ancient world, people often approached their gods or god with fear and caution. The heavens were unpredictable and far away. Yet Jesus consistently spoke about God in deeply relational terms. He described a parent who knows what we need before we ask, who welcomes prodigals home, who runs toward lost children, who gives daily bread, and who delights in mercy.

 

Of course, every earthly image of fatherhood is incomplete. Human fathers can be loving and wise, but they can also fail, wound, or disappoint. Jesus was not saying that God is simply a larger version of our earthly parents. Rather, he was redefining fatherhood itself through the character of God — compassionate, faithful, patient, and steadfast in love.

 

And Jesus did not teach us to pray “My Father” alone, but “Our Father.” Those words gather us into a shared family of faith. In Christ, we belong to one another as sisters and brothers, cared for by the same gracious God.

 

On Father’s Day, we give thanks for fathers and for all those who have reflected God’s care through guidance, sacrifice, encouragement, and love. We also remember those for whom this day is difficult. The promise at the heart of the gospel is that our deepest identity rests not in perfect families, but in the love of God who claims us as beloved children.

 

So when we pray the Lord’s Prayer this month, perhaps we can hear those opening words with fresh ears:

“Our Father…”

An invitation from Jesus to live in trust, relationship, and grace.

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News from Synod Assembly

This month, the Southeastern Iowa Synod met in assembly at First Lutheran in Cedar Rapids. I would like to thank Marlyn and Ann Jorgensen for being our delegates, for members of the women’s bible study for supplying cookies and to our quilters and crocheters for making 59 lap quilts and 9 prayer shawls which were a part of the offering at this assembly. I’d also like to thank the members of our congregation who contributed, through our noisy offering, to the gift we sent to synod to send on to Tanzania. Our financial offering was $140.

 

At this assembly, we elected Bishop Amy Current to another six-year term. She was voted in on the first ballot with 220 votes. The next nominee had 7 votes. Bishop Current is a strong leader and faithful servant of the church. She was with us here at Bethlehem in summer of 2023 when we celebrated 110 years as a congregation. I am thrilled to continue working with Bishop Current.

 

Youth Corner

Ellen Olson, Coordinator of Youth Ministries

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Sunday School

Sunday school will resume in September with some new exciting changes Pastor and I have been working on.  We will keep you posted.

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Noisy Offering

Thank you for your generous gifts of coins and dollars for Noisy Offering.  In April we collected $137.63 for the mission project of the Synod.  Pastor gave our offering at the Synod Assembly in May.  Our May and June Noisy offering will support the mission project of our upcoming VBS.  We will be collecting money to plant trees in the rainforest.  These trees will provide many benefits to the area.

As always, your generosity is appreciated.

 

“May the sunshine steal into your soul and make it all summer.” -Emily Dickinson

 

 

Vacation Bible School

Mark your calendars for a week of FUN. Vacation Bible School will be at Wesley Methodist Church this year (and we are again partnering together with Vinton Presbyterian Church also). We will step through the mist into RAINFOREST FALLS, overflowing with wild waterfalls, towering trees, and colorful creatures. Kids plunge into a lifelong adventure of discovering the nature of God. They will explore what it means to be rooted in relationship with God, their creator, a safe place in life’s storms.

 

The dates are Sunday, July 12 through Wednesday, July 15 from 6-8 pm for those completing 4-year-old preschool through completion of the fourth grade.

 

Dinner will be served each evening from 5:15 pm – 5:45 pm for all participants and volunteers. Registration is open at vbspro.events/p/vinton2026

 

If you would like to volunteer to help in ANY way, please contact Ellen Olson.

We do have a supply list of items that we will need.

Please start collecting these household items. We will ask that you bring them to church in June.

            Green Rectangle Plastic Tablecloths

            Green Construction Paper

            Green Napkins

            Craft Rope or Twine

            Green Plastic Cups (any size)

            Colored Tissue Paper

            Craft Moss

            Spray Foam

            Gift Card to Fareway or Vinton Dollar Fresh

 

 

Spring Cleaning – Garage Sale

It is time to think about spring cleaning. Are you wondering where you go with your stuff?  Well, we have the answer.  Bring it to our church garage sale!

Bring your quality items for our garage sale to be held on Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 (which also happens to be Vinton city wide garage sales).  We will have the Bethlehem garage sale on both days; 8 am – 2 pm on Friday and 8 am – Noon on Saturday.   It will be a free will donation with proceeds this year going to Team Serve and all the projects for our community and the greater good.

 

Please bring your items to church Monday, June 1 – Thursday, June 4 between 8 am and noon or Wednesday evening, June 3 between 5 – 7 pm or call the church office to make other arrangements.

 

There will be tables set up and marked so you will be able to place your items on the appropriate tables.

On sale days, there will be coffee and sweet treats for donations as well.

 

Hello Summer Food Service Program

Help feed kids this summer! Our school district is looking for volunteers who can help with lunches Monday through Friday at Tilford and Shellsburg Elementaries. Our church will be providing volunteers on Thursdays in June and July. All kinds of tasks need doing, so don’t worry if you can’t lift a giant soup pot! All volunteers need to bring their driver’s license with them. Sign up on the bulletin board in Augustana Hall or call the church office 319-472-3784.

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Salvation Army

 

Want to show God’s love to others in a tangible way?

Would you like to be a witness to the Truth of Jesus Christ, and fulfill the Great Commission?

The Salvation Army of Benton County is looking for men or women of integrity to join our team! We are seeking 2 people, one to process the individual requests for financial assistance, as well as another person to organize the Red Kettle Campaign at Christmas time.

Earthly rewards? – you get to meet people.

Eternal rewards? – laying up treasures in Heaven that can never be stolen nor diminished!

Matthew 25:40 “When you have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto Me.”

If you are interested in learning more, and improving the lives of others, please call 319-329-7119.

Training and mentoring are available.

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Food for Thought Book Club

Meets on the third Thursday of the month at the Brickside

Brew N Chew at 12:00 noon in Vinton.

June – Julia’s Hope by Leisha Kelly

July – Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden

August – Secrets by Robin Jones Gunn

September – The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhorn

October – Unplanned by Alana Terry (#1 in Kennedy Sterns series)

November – A Day to Pick Your Own Cotton by Michael Philips (#2 in the Shenandoah Sisters series)

December – Christmas in Chestnut Ridge by Nancy Naigle (#2 in the Chestnut Ridge series)