Bethany Community Church

From Pastor Richard Dahlstrom:

Let’s begin, before talking about anything else, by thanking God for some cloud cover and cooler weather.  The crazy weather patterns of this summer, all around the globe, serve as a healthy reminder that, in spite of the vast technological advances we’ve made over the past millennia, we still can’t make it stop raining in Louisville to the tune of 6 inches an hour, or prevent the normally mellow city of Seattle from reaching 103.  All this would be meaningless except for the fact that every shred of food we consume comes to us because the weather patterns of our world sustain life.  Since God controls those patterns in spite of best efforts to do it ourselves, we remain, as always, dependent on His provision!

Closer to home, August will be anything but a quiet month at Bethany, and we who serve on staff covet your prayers on the following fronts:

1. We’re in the midst of searching for God’s choice of the person to fill newly opened position of small groups ministry director.  Pray for us as we interview finalists and seek God’s right choice for this very important decision.
2. We’re also in the midst of budgeting, and as always, there’s healthy tension between our human projections and the vision of where we believe God is leading us.  We tug and pull at these various numbers, utilizing prayer, conversation, consideration, reconsideration, cuts, additions, more prayer, more conversation… you get the picture.  Pray with us that the final product is a representation of God’s heart.  Of course we want to avoid selfish ambition and presumption.  Just as much, we want to avoid any sense complacency or conservatism that is rooted in doubt rather than faith.
3. Pray for me as I teach in Canada this coming week.  I’ll be both plowing through Exodus, and preparing for Philippians 3 for the Sunday that I return.  I’m excited to be with my family (and a family with Bethany) at this conference, but also excited to continue the study in Philippians and preparation for the fall.
4. There are more newly married couples this summer than any in recent memory and literally every one of them that comes to mind fills my heart with gratitude for the love for the Lord, their creativity, and their desire to be a blessing in the world.  Pray for the new marriages in our midst, asking that God would strengthen them.
5. We’re in the middle of preparing for some vast changes this fall, as we become a church with multiple sites.  I’ll be writing and talking much more about this in coming weeks, but the short prayer request for now is simply that Bethany Community Church would be obedient to the voice of our Lord as He invites us to write yet another chapter in the book of Acts; God’s continuing story of His work in the world.
6. Pray for the Tabitha volunteers as they begin ministry again to the women who stay in the shelter here at our church.  Pray that they would be refreshed and renewed, and ready women to continue to serve the women who are here Tuesday through Friday nights.
7. Pray for those in our congregation who are feeling the financial pressure of an uncertain economy.  Pray that God would give them peace and would provide for their needs.  Pray that those who are out of work would find jobs quickly.
8. Pray for the ministry leaders as they begin to prepare for a new ministry year.  In the next month, we will be starting Boundaries, Alpha, and Financial Peace University and more.  Pray that our ministry offerings would be a context for transformation in the lives of those who attend.Pray for our high schoolers as they spend next week at camp in Leavenworth.
9. Pray for safety and a pouring out of God’s spirit in the lives of the youth that will plant in them a desire to follow Christ into the school year and build a foundation for the rest of their lives.  Pray that God would bless the leaders who so faithfully encourage and guide these kids.