Worship Services

L. The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
P. The LORD is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.

L. The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.
P. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.

L. You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing.
P. The LORD is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings.

L. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
P. He fulfills the desire of all who fear him; he also hears their cry, and saves them.

L. The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
P. My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever.

God of abundance, who can feed a multitude with only a few sandwiches, we are stuffed and starved at the same time. Too often, to nourish our souls, we use food meant to sustain the body. Hungering and thirsting for righteousness, for affirmation, for comfort, we turn to sandwiches and candy. Not only do they not satisfy, but they add to our burden by captivating our bodies. We are a civilization trapped in our own physical being, attempting to address spiritual needs with physical food. Like the crowds around lake Galilee, we would crown king or queen the one who can bring on the largest dinner plate of creative food. In our world some communities starve, with no bread, and some communities are over stuffed and bloated. As Jesus fed the multitudes till satisfied, and offered himself as living bread that sustains us to life eternal, help us to find balance and nurturance for both body and soul. AMEN

L. The God who challenges us is also the God who encourages us. The God who confronts us is also the God who accepts us. Be assured that God is with us even now, accepting, guiding, and forgiving. **

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession

The Lord’s Prayer: Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Announcements
July 31, 2011

We welcome you to First Reformed Church of Bethlehem. Please join us for fellowship following this service.

If you wish to know more about us, or to receive our mailings and newsletter, please drop us a note with your contact information in the plate or email us at frcb@verizon.net. You may also visit our website: www.firstbethlehem.org.

Our Sunday worship begins at 10:00. Sunday School will resume in September. Nursery care is provided on Sunday from 9:30-11:30. If you would like to visit with our pastor, Harlan Ratmeyer, or find out more about the life of this congregation, please call 522-3627, or e-mail hratmeyer@gmail.com for more information.

Many thanks to Jane Travis, our liturgist for this service, and to today’s ushers, Sina Jordan and Kerry Schubert. Next week Ellen Ratmeyer and Carolyn Karp will greet you.

I'd love to have you join us at church some Sunday.
Maybe Susan with her beautiful dark eyes would come too.
Of course Lily and Cosmo are invited -
Mum might join us this fall, too bad Poppy has already gone away!
Hope to see you soon,

We remember those in urgent need of our prayers this week: Joan Stahlman, Harold Joyce, Jim Thayer, Marc Hafensteiner and Bob Miles.

Please remember those who need our long-term prayer and support: David Nasner, Lillian Everingham, Tina Ross, Tracy Perkins, Nicole Jordan, Glenn Rivenburg, Doris Turner, Eleanor Sokil, June Milburn, Esther Jordan, Bill Weisheit, Eleanor Wiedemann, June Dawson, Charlie Ripley, Ann Everingham, Kristine Tracey-Lindskoog, and Beulah Nasner.

We also ask that you keep Tom Olsen, Brandon Roth, Sam Hafensteiner, Jeff Mills, Seth and Andrea Johnson, and all our service members, wherever they are stationed, in your prayers for their safety.

Room For All, a Reformed Church organization of members and Pastors working for full inclusion of all sexual orientations and gender identities in the life and ministry of the RCA, will hold its second national gathering, “Making Room for All” October 27-27 at Central Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. Please call Marilyn Paarlberg (201) 364-4538 for contact info regarding the gathering and grant money available.

Junior Girl Scout Troop #1467 and Brownie Scout Troop #1801 (Lauren and Lindsey Waters’ Girl Scout troops) are running a school supply drive during the months of July and August to collect school supplies to provide to families in the town of Bethlehem, through the Venture Churches Food Pantry and the Bethlehem Food Pantry. Please look for the boxes, decorated by Lauren and Lindsey, in the fellowship hall where you can leave your donations through July and August!

Picnic and Game Night: Please join us on the church lawn on Wednesday, August 3rd at 6:00pm for a Picnic and Game Night...bring your friends, family and neighbors to join us! Hotdogs and beverages will be provided...please bring a side dish or dessert to share, as well as lawn chairs, and if you'd like, your favorite outdoor games! Outdoor games for adults and children will be set up on the lawn...I always suggest a round of croquet with Pastor Harlan (it's a sure win :) )! We hope to see you there!

In spite of the rumor that Pastor Ratmeyer will not be at the game night, Wednesday, August three, he will be there! Just because a grade school young woman beat him at Croquet, and badly, does not mean he will run and hide. He has been taking tutorials all winter, readying himself for this intense competition. Stand back, he has his game face on, and the skill to back it up!

Food Pantry Fundraiser: The Venture Churches Food Pantry is selling the famous kid’s craft Bendaroos ( in sets of 500 pieces) for $5 a box (they retail on Amazon for $10 a box). Proceeds benefit the Venture Churches Food Pantry. Please contact Tracey at Lteawaters@aol.com or Carol Broderick at cmbroderick@msn.com or at 431-9133 if you'd like to purchase one or more boxes!

Students who are beginning eighth grade and beyond this fall are eligible to participate in this year's confirmation class. Confirmation is a time for you to explore what your faith means to you and what it means to be part of the Body of Christ, the church. During this process you have the opportunity to work with a mentor, discover new ways of being in ministry by working on service projects and explore more about mission through retreat experiences. If you are interested in participating, contact Debbie Ennis, 475-0824 or email at dera0326@yahoo.com before August 15th.

Mentors are needed for the Confirmation Class beginning this Fall. If you enjoy working with youth, are willing to share your faith and are ready for a challenging and interesting experience in your life, consider becoming a mentor. If you would like to know more about being a mentor or are able to sign up now, contact Debbie Ennis at 475-0824 or email at dera0326@yahoo.com before August 15th.

Musical

’s

Lianne Weisheit is a percussionist in the NYSSSA orchestra, which will be performing at SPAC this summer. She is also in the Percussion Ensemble and a percussionist in the Wind Orchestra. There are three concerts that are free to the public. In addition, the smaller ensembles perform on Wednesday and Friday evenings on the Gazebo stage before the Philadelphia orchestra performances. The Wind Orchestra and percussion ensemble times will be announced.

At this time, there are two concerts on August 2, 2011. The first is at 12 noon at West Capitol Park on the ground level of the NYS Capitol. The second is that evening at 8 p.m. at the Round Lake Auditorium, Exit 11 on the Northway in Round Lake, NY.

There is a third concert at SPAC on August 13, 2011 at 2 p.m. This is the final concert and is also free to the public.

Please feel free to spread the word about these concerts. Hope to see you there. Congratulations Lianne!

The Chancel Choir of Delmar Reformed Church is sponsoring the workshop “The Voice in Ministry”, August 27, 9am-12pm. presented by Dr. Joseph Eppink. Dr. Eppik is Coordinator of Music Education at the College of St. Rose and Organist/choir director at St. Andrews Episcopal Church. All are welcome! Please see Shirley Nasner by August 20 to register.

At Home with the Word. These daily bible readings from the Common Lectionary are drawn from next Sundays’ lessons to help prepare for worship:

Monday                    Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Tuesday                    1 Kings 19:9-18
Wednesday              Psalm 105:1-6,16-22,45
Thursday                  Psalm 85:8-13
Friday                       Romans 10:5-15
Saturday                   Matthew 14:22-33

Please consider contributing to the coffee hour cache- a donation of a box of cookies, crackers or other treats can help insure that there’s “a little something” available while we visit after the Sunday service.

Monday, August 8- Sunshine seniors 12pm at Henry Hudson Park, Consistory meeting 7pm.

The Food Pantry is open every Tuesday from 9:30-11:30am, and from 5-7pm. (Weather closings follow the RCS School District.)

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession

AnnouncementsJuly 31, 2011

Announcements
July 31, 2011