Bethany Lutheran Church ELCA Norco

Riverside County is back to being in Tier 1. This means that in person church services inside are once again forbidden. We will continue to have a virtual service on Facebook live.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! -Philippians 4:4

Do you need an excuse to get active and get out of the house next weekend? Do you want to support a wonderful cause while you do? Join LSS-Riverside in the Virt...ual Walk to Fight poverty this weekend, October 17th and 18th. Visit our website and set up a fundraising goal, then invite your friends with the hashtag #WalkToEndPoverty. https://lssriverside-walk-to-fight-poverty.everydayhero.do/ We all need a reason to get out of the house, so why not do it while supporting emergency services in a time of great need?

Today we commemorate Francis of Assisi, renewer of the church, who died in 1226. Born into the family of a wealthy merchant, Francis gave up his inheritance to... serve poor people. He formed the Order of Friars Minor (called Franciscans), who took on poverty and the task of preaching ‘using words if necessary.’ Francis had a spirit of gratitude for all of God's creation. (Sundays and Seasons) A prayer attributed to Francis of Assisi: Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen (ELW, p. 87).

Last week many people celebrated the blessing of animals at services across the country. We warmly welcome photos of pets who are a blessing to you in the comments below! [We are showing photos from a 2019 service at Gethsemane Lutheran, Seattle. Photos: ELCA / Will Nunnally]

Join us as we sing "O Day Full of Grace" (ELW 627) with more than 1,300 singers and instrumentalists in the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians virtual hym...n project. See anyone you know? Many thanks to ALCM, who offer this gift of music to the whole people of God celebrating Pentecost in the era of the pandemic. View and download in several formats: https://alcm.org/virtual-hymn/

Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).

We had some trouble posting this week’s church service, but it is up under posts now.