An Autumn Note from Pastor Katie

Dear Bethany Community,

As summer gives way to fall, I am filled with gratitude for the life we share at Bethany and excitement for all that is ahead.

Fall is a meaningful season in the life of the church. It is a time to reconnect, to serve, to worship, to build relationships, and to find new ways to be part of the community. Whether you have been involved at Bethany for years or are looking for a place to take a next step, I hope you will consider this your invitation to be part of what God is doing among us.

There is so much happening at Bethany this fall, including a few special opportunities to gather and serve together:

God’s Work. Our Hands. — September 13

Join us for worship at 9:30 AM, then stay at 10:30 AM for a variety of service projects, including a Rise Against Hunger meal-packing event right here at Bethany. Over the past year, our congregation raised more than $5,000 to help make this project possible. Together, we will turn those gifts into meals that will be distributed through Rise Against Hunger to communities facing food insecurity around the world. It is a wonderful opportunity for people of all ages to serve side by side and see what can happen when our generosity becomes tangible care for our neighbors.

Bethany Halloween Carnival — October 30, 4:30–6:30 PM

Our annual Halloween Carnival is open to the entire community and is always a joyful evening for children and families. Come enjoy free food, candy, prizes, games, and plenty of fun. It is also a wonderful opportunity to welcome our neighbors and share the hospitality of Bethany.

Thanksgiving Eve Worship & Pie Fest — November 25 at 7:00 PM

Gather with us for Thanksgiving Eve worship as we give thanks for God’s goodness and the blessings we share. After worship, stay for our annual Pie Fest and enjoy good food and good company. We will also collect food donations for our local food pantry as another way of sharing our abundance with neighbors.

Alongside these special events, I am looking forward to exploring some meaningful themes in our worship throughout the fall. In the month of September, Christians around the world observe the Season of Creation, a global ecumenical season that invites us to pray, worship, and act with care for the earth and all that God has made.

Throughout the fall, we will incorporate worship language, prayers, and other elements that help us reflect on our call to care for creation and to recognize the ways our lives are deeply connected to our neighbors, our communities, and the whole of God’s creation.

In October, we will also incorporate some elements of Spanish-language worship as we honor Hispanic Heritage Month. Bringing Spanish into our worship is one small way we can remind ourselves that the church is a wonderfully diverse body, and that God’s praise is spoken and sung in many languages and from many places.

These are only a few of the opportunities ahead. There is so much more happening at Bethany, and I hope you will find a place to participate, serve, connect, and grow as together we continue our ministry of helping people find rest in Christ and in community.

This fall also brings a very personal joy that my spouse, Sadie, and I are excited to share with you. While we have been in a legal partnership since 2024, we have never had a wedding celebration. On October 3 at 4:30 PM, we will be married in the Bethany Lutheran Church sanctuary.

Bethany has become another home to us, and it brings us great joy to celebrate this moment in a place and among a community that has become such an important part of our lives. We would be honored to have you join us for the wedding ceremony.

A private reception for family and close friends will follow the ceremony, but the Bethany community is warmly invited to attend the ceremony. If you are planning to join us, please complete this survey so that we have a sense of attendance. Thank you for being part of the life of Bethany and for the many ways you worship, serve, welcome, give, and care for one another.

I am grateful to share this season of ministry and life with you. As the leaves begin to change and the rhythms of fall settle in around us, I pray that this season will be one of deepening connection—to God, to one another, to our neighbors, and to the beautiful world we have been entrusted to tend.

I cannot wait to see what God has in store for us this fall.

With gratitude and joy,

Pastor Katie Mueller