The Bethlehem STAR May 2020 - Bethlehem Lutheran Church
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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
May 2020
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he
may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” (Isaiah 2:2)
Dear Bethlehem,
We are going to open our doors once again! Not every detail has been settled, but the
Elders have agreed to the following guidelines. More details will be coming soon via an-
nouncements before worship on May 3, a letter, emails from Bethlehem, and One Call
Now. Right now, I just want you to start praying, thinking, and planning for a return to
worship.
We desire to be together. We’re not created for long-term sequestering. We need Christ
in Word and Sacrament. At the same time, we want to do this responsibly, ensuring
everyone’s health and safety as best as possible.
Here’s the highlights of our plan:
May 3 is online ONLY. Youth Confirmation is postponed.
We will reopen for corporate worship on Sunday, May 10.
We will offer three shortened Sunday Divine Services with Lord’s Supper at 8:00am;
9:30am; 11:00am.
Cleaning will be done between services.
Pews will be marked or roped off to ensure proper distancing.
We will limit the number of worshippers to 50 per service.
We will have a system for taking reservations ahead of time so we can avoid exceed-
ing maximum capacity.
Everyone is encouraged to wear a mask.
No gatherings in the Narthex—conversations can be done outside or in a large room.
We will still Live-stream the 8:00am service.
The bulletin will still be sent electronically ahead of time. Paper bulletins will be
available but will not be reused.
The elders will meet on May 11 to make adjustments as needed.
continues on next page
We totally understand if you or your household are not quite ready to come for worship.
Continue to follow the services at churchstreamer.org. If you are still sequestering and
need spiritual care, please tell your elder when he calls or contact your dear pastor.
Also, check out the chapel services and Bible Studies available on our YouTube channel!
Stay tuned for more details in the next few days.
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Pastor Keith Witte
School Reverse Parade
Teachers are holding a “Reverse Parade”
for their students on Monday, May 4th from
9:30—10:30 am. They will
be in the parking lot hold-
ing signs and encouraging Because of the pandemic, the scheduled
the students (from an ac- Town Hall meeting and Voters’ Assembly for
ceptable social distance) as May have been cancelled. See the notes and
they drop-off and pick up their school work news for details about the rescheduling.
packets.
School Enrollment for 2020-2021
Bethlehem Lutheran School is currently accepting applications for stu-
dents in Preschool age 3 through grade 8 for the 2020-2021 school year.
Educational Consultations and/or tours of the school can be arranged by
calling the school office at 937-878-7050. You (as a congregational member
and supporter of this school) can provide the vital communication to your
family, friends, and neighbors of the academic opportunities that exist in
this Christ-centered environment.
Scholarship Opportunities – Expiring May 30
EdChoice Expansion scholarships through the state of Ohio are accepted and available
for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. This income based scholar-
ship can be proved by the your income tax return or recent pay stubs. The
deadline for EdChoice Expansion Scholarships is May 30.
Siblings of current student in EdChoice are eligible this year. All students
in grades K-12 are eligible this year. More information about the types,
amounts, and process for scholarships can be obtained through the school office.
The Bethlehem STAR Page 2
Changes that COVID-19 Made to Bethlehem Lutheran School
For good or for bad, COVID-19 and the state Stay-at-Home order changed the 4th quarter
of this school year in ways that we could not imagine when we walked out of the building
on March 16.
Here are some of the immediate changes:
Students and teachers are no longer able to interact in the physical classrooms.
Teachers have to sign-up to come into the building so they won’t run into colleagues at
the copy machine.
Extended Care supervisors don’t get to greet and assist students (and parents) each
day before and after school.
Teachers make a transition of learning to a combination of online and paper/pencil
learning.
Homework for a week at a time is dropped off at school and new Curriculum packets
are distributed.
Students in grades 3-8 (and teachers) are excused from all state testing in English
Language Arts (reading, Spelling, Writing), Math, and Science.
Students in K-2 (and the teachers) miss out on the joy of taking the Iowa Tests of
Basic Skills.
Lots of public and large events are cancelled. (Weekly chapel, Fairborn Community
Service Day, Preschool Park Day, Classroom Field Trips, PTO Pizza Lunch day,
Spring Band Concert, Nifty Fifty Award Lunch, Field Day, Baccalaureate, Kinder-
garten Graduation, Final Award Ceremony and Closing chapel, 8th Grade Gradu-
ation service, and more)
The School Board amends the official school calendar to have the last day be May 22,
2020 in place of the original May 28 date.
In the midst of what felt like loss upon loss, we found amazing opportunities.
Pastor tapes chapel services so students and their parents have the opportunity to
worship together for chapel.
Students and parents have the opportunity to be introduced to churchstreamer.org
where all of the Bethlehem worship services can be found.
Teachers have the opportunity to meet (or talk with) parents weekly by phone with lit-
tle outside interruption.
Parents and teachers strengthen the partnership they have to educate students in real
time.
We are all forced to live our yearly Bible theme verse. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Re-
joice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances for this is the
will of God in Christ Jesus for you.) The will of God in our lives is stronger than
the pull of Satan to lead us to despair.
A coupon for a free pizza from Little Caesar’s for each family lifts the spirits of parents
and children. (Thanks PTO for stepping up with this treat!)
We learned that we enjoy our personal touch with each other in school. (Absence does
make the heart grow fonder even for some reluctant middle school students.)
We have many opportunities to real-time practice some of our Christian Character
words for this year: responsibility, dependability, optimism, perseverance, initia-
tive, and patience to name a few.
While we may be clunky and struggling with technology, it is certainly does help us
keep connected.
The Bethlehem STAR Page 3
Teacher Education Debt Fund
A special fund, Teacher Education Debt Fund, was created to assist our current teachers
who are continuing to pay off student loans directly related to their career as a teacher.
The School Board has found amazing teachers and Bethlehem Lutheran School would ra-
ther never lose one of its teachers because of the debt they are paying off.
The Teacher Education Debt Fund is entirely funded by gifts and dona-
tions outside the church budget. Quarterly, the money that has been collected
is divided among the teachers who are currently paying off student loans relat-
ed to their education degree.
If you are interested in donating to this special fund, please mark the memo line on
your check with the words, “Teacher Education Debt Fund”, and place your gift in the of-
fering plate.
A special thank you to everyone who contributed to the Teacher Education Debt Fund
this year. The money in the fund made quite a blessing to our school staff with school
loans. What a practical way to show love to the teachers of Bethlehem!
To the Members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church,
St. Peter writes in his first letter to the people at Thessalonica, “Rejoice always, pray with-
out ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for
you.” What a fitting verse for the circumstances we find ourselves in at the time!
During my two years at Bethlehem, I have had many opportunities to wear many hats:
teacher, Breakfast Club Sponsor, Science Fair Coordinator, and others. Among these
jobs, the job I have been most proud of is the ability to minister to my students on a daily
basis, telling them of the unending love of Jesus, and Him crucified for their sins, has
been my biggest blessing. Grace upon grace!
As I took this job in 2018, I knew that my future at Bethlehem was uncertain as Ben’s job
placed us here for only two years. As our deadline was nearing, we earnestly prayed that
God would place us where we could serve Him and His people, and this prayer has been
answered. God’s will has been done and we will be moving to Iowa over the summer as
Ben will be working for the University of Iowa as a professor and in their hospital system.
It is my earnest prayer that God will lead the right person to further the education of the
students of Bethlehem Lutheran School in the coming years.
I am delighted to have been welcomed into the family at Bethlehem and am praying that
God will continue to bless the ministry of this place.
In Christ’s Mercy,
Alycia K. Miskle
The Bethlehem STAR Page 4
March Sadness...April Gladness March madness turned to March sadness as thousands died by a novel virus and this does not count deaths that occur by other means be they natural or tragic. A sad month and no doubt some of our greater worldwide Lutheran family have suffered. So far, to my knowledge the virus has not struck Bethlehem directly but it is not over yet. March sad- ness indeed. As you well know the virus we call sin is 100% fatal. Be it by virus or other means we know we must die for the wages of sin is death, spiritual and physical death. Death is un- natural. It is not just “oh well that is the way it is, accept it as part of life.” NO NO NO, death is an enemy, the last enemy that every soul and body must face. Our Lord did not create us to die. An evil foe has done this, sowed death into the Holy Trinity’s created treasure, humanity. This March madness, sadness must come to us all. This seed body (1 Corinthians 15:35-41) must go into the earth. Just as a corn seed must be planted, die and decay to become a stalk and an ear of corn, so my body must be planted in the earth so that it gives birth to a full grown healthy body, like unto the body of my risen Lord. And that brings us to April gladness. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! With bitter tears His Good Friday death was mourned. The disciples, Mary, the other women beside themselves with confusion, hurt, anger, sorrow and all the emotions that attend this ene- my death. But as one preacher put it “It’s Friday but Sunday’s coming.” March sadness gives way to April gladness. Death’ sadness gives way to resurrection gladness. Let us not be afraid to weep now over the mad, sad enemy death. It hurts and we should weep, wail, be angry, cry out “why” and then we turn the page, see the tomb empty and our morning is turned to dancing. “The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the Law but thanks be to God He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” By His Grace, Art Casci Elder The Bethlehem STAR Page 5
How to access our
Mimi Caraway YouTube channel: If you
cannot come to the church
Jonathan Fiene and you wish to hear God’s
Word, we have a way for you
Roger Guernsey to do that. In addition, any
tithe or offering can be
Louise & Bruce Hellickson mailed to the church,
dropped off in the narthex (if
May Birthdays Dave & Loretta Johanson you have a key) or made
Sue Wolaver ......................... 1 through online banking. Our
Logan Green ......................... 2 services can be found at
Katie Holzmann ..................... 4 churchstreamer.org. When
Eric Thompson ...................... 5 you go to your web browser,
Mira Sadowski ....................... 8 please note that most of
Mackenzie Elliot .................... 9 them seem to have a “search”
Elaine Schultz
bar to input the address (in
Mimi Caraway ..................... 11
Gladys Zink ........................ 14
the middle of the screen) as
Annika Nelson ..................... 15 well as an address bar (at the
Keegan Hall ........................ 20 top). Use the one at the top.
Chris Heed ......................... 20 Peggy Mitchell
Stella Holcombe
Mary Smith
Julia Bell ............................ 24 Melita Murphy
Steve Fugate
Alice Porter ......................... 27 Mary Lou Pannebaker
Danielle Holzmann ............... 28
Nathaniel Witte ................... 29 Jean & Dawn Robinson
Jim Ancona ......................... 31
Marilyn Scheu
Arah-Dean Wolaver
Linda Hall ......................... 6
Erik Denlinger ................. 10
Paul Thibeault The school received a
Christian Huffman ........... 12 grant to put security film on
Maggie Nelson
the windows and back door.
Chris Humphreys ............ 14
Tom Hitzeman ................ 17 This means that we can no
Jane Jones ..................... 18 longer tape any notices to
Bob Hemphill .................. 24
May Anniversaries
Dave & Veronica Smith .......... 9 the door or large window
Riley Zulfer .................... 25
Jack & Doris Humphreys ...... 19 next to it. It is sort of a moot
Amelia Holzmann ............ 26 Chris & Maggie Nelson ......... 22
Hannah Holzmann point anyway, since with the
Bill & Marilyn Scheu
Katie Holzmann Todd & Carla Anderson ........ 23 film, notices can’t be seen
Mackenzie Holzmann Jim & Charleen Carlson ........ 25 that well.
Titus Holzmann Fred & Sarah Hertwig .......... 29
The Bethlehem STAR Page 6
The Bethlehem STAR
May 2020
Bethlehem Lutheran Church & School
1240 S. Maple Avenue, Fairborn, OH 45324
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Rev. Keith F. Witte, Pastor
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and
lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he
blessed them, he parted from them and was car-
ried up into heaven. And they worshipped him
and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and
were continually in the temple blessing God.
(Luke 24:50-53)
Thursday, May 21, 2020
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 & 10:45 a.m.
Sunday School & Bible Classes at 9:30 a.m.
Wednesday
Bible Study at 9:30 a.m.
Chapel Matins Service at 8:45 a.m. (when school is in session)
“We seek to honor and
Advent/Lenten Service at 7 pm
glorify the Triune God
by sharing our faith in
June 2020 issue deadline: Sunday, May 17th. Jesus Christ as man’s
only Savior.”You can also read
