Worship

When you arrive at Bethany a greeter will present you with a bulletin of the day and the Lutheran Service Book. To help us in our dialogue with God, we use the order of service found on page 184 of the Lutheran Service Book. This service focuses not on our work, but shows us God’s work on our behalf. We therefore call it the Divine Liturgy, or the Divine Service. Refer to the boards in the front of the church for the hymn numbers. Occasionally we will have an “Insert” hymn, 2hich you should have received with your bulletin. Otherwise, the hymns are all from the Lutheran Service Book. The service bulletin includes page numbers for the prayers and hymns as well as the Scripture readings for the day. However, if you ever need help finding your place, don’t hesitate to ask your neighbor. We’ll be glad to help you find your way around.

Anyone who is seeking God is invited to receive Holy Communion at our table. We invite you to join us. We encourage you to talk to our pastor prior to the service to let him know you would like to receive Holy Communion.

After the Service, the pastor and members of the congregation greet one another after the service take special attention to a guest and welcome you. We hope you will feel free to ask any questions you may have about the church to either the pastor or a member. You are invited for coffee and refreshments afterwards and one of our members will walk with you to the Mary Klug Lounge. This is an important time of fellowship for us and part of what nourishes us spiritually for the week ahead, and you are most welcome to join us.

Whether you would like to come and look or come and stay, we appreciate your presence. You will have enriched our worship by sharing it with us.

Bible Study is conducted by our pastors. Pastor Aufdenkampe holds a Bible study in his office each Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. til 2:30 p.m. and repeats the same study at 11 a.m. on the Sundays that he is officiating. Pastor Krause holds his Bible study on the Sundays he is officiating.

Various Departments that aid in our worship:

Ushers/Greeters. On Sundays and the major holy days, the first person a visitor meets is the usher who distributes the service bulletin. Ushers also collect the congregation’s offering and bring it to the altar. They are ready to assist those who have difficulty or who have questions.

Readers. Read the Old Testament or New Testament lesson during the Ministry of the Word. Anyone interested in reading that has a strong voice should contact Gary Johnson so that he can add you to the readers’ schedule. Being comfortable reading and speaking in public is necessary for this ministry.

Choir. An enthusiastic volunteer choir leads the congregational singing and sings anthems (musical settings of sacred texts) at the 9:30 a.m. Sunday service and other special services. On Sundays, choir members gather at 8:30 a.m. to rehearse in the main sanctuary. There is no audition required for membership in the choir. We offer on-the-job training in this important ministry. We welcome singles and couples. If you have questions regarding our program, speak to Marvin Marx, the Director of Christian Music.

Altar Guild. Members care for the communion ware, linens, and vestments for each service and clean the communion ware and altar area after the service. They also arrange flowers on the altar every Sunday and special arrangements on festival days throughout the church calendar. If you are interested in the preparation of Holy Communion, please see Richard Tank for more details on what is required of someone.