The Bethlehem STAR December 2020 - Bethlehem Lutheran ...
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Bethlehem Lutheran
Church and School
“We seek to honor and glorify
the Triune God by sharing our
faith in Jesus Christ as
man’s only Savior.”
The Bethlehem STAR
December 2020
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the
only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth…No one has ever seen God; the only
God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known” (John 1:14, 18).
As the pandemic rages on and the alert level remains high, you may be asking, “How in
the world are we going to celebrate Christmas this year?” Many of you had a sneak-
peak as your families celebrated (or didn’t celebrate) Thanksgiving. Some things were
the same. Some things were different. Some things worked well. Other things? Well,
hopefully, it’s just for one year. For the first time in at least 10 years, I didn’t go back
home to Detroit to celebrate Thanksgiving at my parents’ house.
But guess what? We still celebrated Thanksgiving! Our school still closed their short
week with Thanksgiving chapel on Tuesday afternoon. Yes, I missed having a full chapel
with joyful singing and praises to God together. However, I still looked many 7th and 8th
graders in the eye, and told them that this year has been hard. Yet, “God, our God,
shall bless us” (Psalm 67). We still had a Thanksgiving Eve service on Wednesday even-
ing at church. One highlight was singing “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” together. Unfortu-
nately, the Live Stream didn’t pick up the sound very well for that service, so the re-
cording on YouTube won’t do it justice. Our family still had more than enough food at
the table on Thursday. We also had more than enough reasons to thank God to recall
and share. Thursday afternoon included watching the Detroit Lions lose, talking with
my sisters on the phone, and looking through ads and ordering a few items on the in-
ternet. Another side effect of a simpler Thanksgiving was that I got to sleep in for 3 days
in a row! (Note: for me, sleeping in is 7:00am, but it felt MARVELOUS to not wake up
before 6:00am.)
So, what will Christmas look like? How will we celebrate Christmas during a pandemic?
Your families are starting to address these questions. Let your first answer be:
“Celebrate the incarnation and birth of my Lord, Jesus Christ!” You can celebrate the
birth of Jesus while staying 6 feet apart or while wearing a mask. In fact, as so many
Christmas events and traditions are cancelled, you might have more time to focus on
the mystery of Christ’s incarnation.
What will Bethlehem offer so that you can celebrate a very merry COVID Christmas? We
will still observe Advent to prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming. Advent Midweek Ser-
vices will be offered on the first three Wednesdays of December at 7:00pm. There’s still
room for about 25 more people to attend in person. Please sign up (Advent/Christmas
continues on next page
Special Services). The THEME for our special Advent and Christmas worship is “Faithfully
Believe the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ.” I will be teaching and explaining por-
tions of the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds and why they’re important for our faith.
Christ’s incarnation and birth are extremely comforting for us while we suffer through this
pandemic. We will still celebrate Christmas Eve with a candlelight service and worship
Christ on Christmas Day. Again, please sign up if you intend to worship in person. There’s
still about 25 slots available per service. Be aware, the elders do have a plan for overflow
seating if necessary.
Besides worship, we will still share the good news of Christ’s birth for all people. We are
still Christmas caroling. This year, we will share our singing on our YouTube channel. On
Sunday, December 13, 4:00pm, we will gather in church to sing some Christmas hymns
together. Please sign up. There’s still plenty of room. Our school will be recording and as-
sembling a Christmas program together virtually. (More information to come.) The Bethle-
hem LWML group is sponsoring 50 food baskets for assembly and delivery in Fairborn on
Saturday, December 19, starting at 10:00am. If you’re able, please come and help. Plus,
many of you will be encouraging and visiting one another (in person, virtually, or by
phone) in good Christmas fashion. Share the good news—for unto you is born, in the city
of David, a savior, who is Christ the Lord.
A Blessed (COVID) Christmas,
Pastor Witte
Fall Festival News
The Fall Festival was an online auction this year. The PTO thanks all the people who
placed bids and congratulates the high bidders who won. The PTO
earned about $2400 for the items at the auction. While we couldn’t elbow
each other out of the way for final bids, I did see some ‘elbowing’ done
online.
All profits will be used to cover reoccurring costs (One Call Now, FastDirect, contest en-
trance fees, class field trip expenses, etc.) and PTO special projects.
School Geographic Bee
Students in grades 4-6 participated in the School l Geography Bee on Tues-
day, November 24. Congratulations to School Geography Bee winner, Na-
thaniel Witte (grade 6). Also, congratulations to school runner-up, Josiah
Smith (Grade 6) and 3rd place winner, Elizabeth Lindsey (grade 5). Our
school winner will receive a trophy.
The Bethlehem STAR Page 2
Christmas Program: Luke 2:1-20
The birth of Jesus is as important to us this year as at any time in our past. The birth
of Jesus is something to share and celebrate. The difficulty was determining a way to in-
volve students in the telling of the birth of Jesus in a group setting that was
safe. With masking and distancing in place, we have decided to have the stu-
dents prepare and record their group efforts as a way to share with you the
birth of Jesus.
Each class is taking a piece of the Christmas story as found in Luke 2:1-20.
Students will be using their skills, talents and joy to share with you. We will
be taping by December 14 to give us some time for splicing and editing. Once the pro-
gram is ready for viewing, a note will be sent out to you so you can rejoice once more in
the message that “Jesus is born!”
The band concert will also be available once it has been taped.
Christmas Chapel
The students and teachers of Bethlehem will have a special
Christmas chapel on Friday, December 18 at 11:00 pm. We will re-
joice together at the birth of our Savior before leaving for Christmas
vacation.
We invite you to join us (churchstreamer.com) and celebrate the fact that Jesus came
to the world for us.
Christmas Vacation
Bethlehem Lutheran School will be closed for Christmas vacation from Friday, Decem-
ber 18 at 11:30 am through Sunday, January 3,
2021. School resumes on Monday, January 4 with
regular hours for Extended Care and school. The
phone will be set to record messages but the school office will be mainly empty during
this time period.
Considering a Gift to School?
The charitable tax break for IRA owners is permanent. Individuals who are age 70½
and older can transfer up to $100,000 annually from their IRA directly to charity at any
time during the year. You don’t need to wait until year-end to see whether you can take
advantage of this. These transfers count as part of your yearly required minimum distri-
bution.
There are several tax benefits of these direct IRA payouts to charity. The
distributions aren’t taxable and thus won’t cause you to have extra income
that could cost you itemized deductions or personal exemptions, or trigger
more tax on your Social Security benefits. Of course, you can’t also deduct
the donation.
This might be a way for you to gift the ministry of God through a school in
this community.
Since the November 2019 Voters’ meeting, no further funds will be drawn from the En-
dowment for a period of time to allow the Endowment Fund to grow. Your gift will see
the future of Bethlehem Lutheran School protected.
The Bethlehem STAR Page 3
Christmas Worship and Activity Schedule
Wednesday, December 2nd Saturday, December 19th
Worship Service 7 pm Christmas Food Basket Dispersal 10 am
Sign up using signupgenius & online
Sunday, December 20th
Sunday, December 6th Fourth Sunday in Advent
Second Sunday in Advent Divine Service 8, 9:30 & 11 am
Divine Service 8, 9:30 & 11 am Sign up using signupgenius or online
Sign up using signupgenius or online Adult Bible Class (on Zoom) 6 pm
Adult Bible Class (on Zoom) 6 pm
Youth Catechism Class (on Zoom) 7 pm Thursday, December 24th
Worship Service 5 & 7 pm
Wednesday, December 9th Sign up using signupgenius or online
Worship Service 7 pm
Sign up using signupgenius or online Friday, December 25th
Divine Service 7 pm
Sunday, December 13th Sign up using signupgenius or online
Third Sunday in Advent
Divine Service 8, 9:30 & 11 am Sunday, December 27th
Sign up using signupgenius or online Divine Service 8, 9:30 & 11 am
Christmas Caroling 4 pm Sign up using signupgenius & online
Sign up using signupgenius
Thursday, December 31st
Wednesday, December 16th Divine Service 7 pm
Worship Service 7 pm Sign up using signupgenius or online
Sign up using signupgenius or online
To attend service in person, please register at
signupgenius.com (see next page)
Friday, December 18th
To attend Zoom class, please see next page
School Chapel (online) 11 am
To watch a service online, please go to
School Dismissal 11:30 am
churchstreamer.org
until January 4, 2021
The Bethlehem STAR Page 4
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. A note on Live Stream: We now have a
Again, thank you for all your support for Ali- new camera and computer for
son and our family. Thank you for your Live Stream, so the quality of
prayers, the help with the services on You Tube
rides, the meals, the should be better. Thank you for
cards, and gifts. Thank your patience as the technical
you for providing difficulties are ironed out. We are still Live
health insurance as Streaming the 8:00am service on Sunday
part of my compensation. We are very well mornings and all the extra services. You can
supported and Bethlehem has been a big watch the services at a later time, but it has
part of our support during this difficult time. been taking a few hours for the services to
-The Witte family become available as a recording.
Specific Links to various meetings and functions:
Sign Up Genius: to attend in person worship services or help with music:
December Sunday worship:
signupgenius.com/go/9040445a5a82ba4f94-december
Sunday music help:
signupgenius.com/go/9040445a5a82ba4f94-simply singing soloists and choirs
Advent/Christmas Special worship services:
signupgenius.com/go/9040445a5a82ba4f94-adventchristmas
Christmas Caroling (December 13 at 4 pm in sancturary):
signupgenius.com/go/9040445a5a82ba4f94-caroling
Zoom meetings: to attend a meeting over the internet (or use your app)
Adult Bible Class through Dec 20: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86758508057
The Bethlehem STAR Page 5
Mimi Caraway Christmas Cyclamens
Christmas cyclamen plants
Jonathan Fiene
can now be ordered. Cycla-
mens are a hypo-
Dale Green allergenic alter-
native to the tra-
Roger Guernsey ditional poinsetti-
Ida Luebke ....................... 1 as (a member of
Meghann Martinek Nesta Harris the latex family).
Mike Lovejoy .................... 2 The cost is $17 per plant,
Mackenzie Holzmann ......... 3 Louise & Bruce Hellickson payable in the offering plate.
Doris Humphreys .............. 4
The deadline to order is Sun-
Clara Maffett
Paula Fiepke ..................... 7
Tom Hitzeman day, December 13th.
Ray Saunders ................... 9 We will also sponsor a
Annabelle McCarty .......... 13 Doris Humphreys Christmas card shower for
Mike Jones ..................... 15 our adopted seminarian, Jer-
Jeanne Hooper................ 16 Dave Johanson emy Hanson, a former mem-
Bryan Miessler ................ 21
Erik Denlinger ................. 26 ber of the congregation who
Charles Martinek ............. 29 is in his second
Joyce Casci .................... 30 year of seminary
Bill Scheu at Fort Wayne.
Jeremy is married
with four school age daugh-
ters. The deadline for gift
cards is Sunday, December
6th. Get your cards to Eileen
Bob Koogler Hitzeman, or put them in her
box in the narthex.
Lauren Elliot ..................... 1 Melita Murphy
Ida Luebke
Alison Witte ...................... 5 Mary Lou Pannebaker
Pat Nowick ..................... 10
Bonnie Fugate ................ 12
Dave Cooper .................. 15 Jean & Dawn Robinson
Jeff Hall
Joyce Whitt Marilyn Scheu
Bradley Hooper ............... 16
Tom Smith ..................... 20 Zola & Thomas Stahl ............. 2
Zola Stahl
George Giese .................. 21 Ray & Sue Saunders ........... 18
Jeanne Hooper................ 25 Hans & Betty Marlette ......... 19
Chris Scheu Alison Witte David & Carol Benoy ........... 24
Paula Fiepke ................... 27 John & Michelle Zulfer ......... 27
Zora Griffith ................... 28 Arah-Dean Wolaver Ken & Jodi Crosby ............... 31
Zola Stahl
The Bethlehem STAR Page 6
The Bethlehem STAR
December 2020
Bethlehem Lutheran Church & School
1240 S. Maple Avenue, Fairborn, OH 45324
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Rev. Keith F. Witte, Pastor
Christmas Eve Worship Service
December 24 at 5 & 7 pm
Christmas Day Divine Service
December 25 at 10 am
Please us signupgenius.com
Church Office
Phone: (937) 878-0651
FAX: (937) 878-4794
Email: bethlehem7@aol.com
Web Page—www.Bethlehem7.org
School Office
Phone: (937) 878-7050
Email: bethlehemschool@aol.com
Web Page—www.mybethlehemschool.com
Mrs. Beth Landon, Principal
Sunday
Worship Services at 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m.
Sunday School & Bible Classes at 9:30 a.m.
Wednesday
Bible Study at 9:30 a.m.
Advent/Lenten Service at 7 pm
“We seek to honor and
Thursday glorify the Triune God
Chapel Service at 8:45 a.m. (when school is in session) by sharing our faith in
Jesus Christ as man’s
January 2021 issue deadline: Sunday, December 20th. only Savior.”
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