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The Bethlehem

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Message from the Pastor

One thing we need to try to do more often is putourselves in another’s shoes. To really try to understandwhere they are coming from and why they believe whatthey believe, do what they do, like what they like, or saywhat they say. As a pastor, I try to do that. As a hus-band I try to do that. I try to do it when I meet people onmy ride-alongs with the Worcester Police. I don’t claimto be very good at it. I guess I can just claim to try toempathize with others and try to put myself into theirmind or their circumstances. We need to do this withpolitical and social issues, theological issues, marital is-sues—all sorts of situations. We’re all different andcome from different backgrounds and life experiences.So I try to put myself “in the shoes” if you will of the people who come to a church and expect to hear onlyan organ and/or choir. Or people whose main concernseems to be why a church doesn’t use the choir robesthey have used in the past. Or people who only careabout the stained glass windows or the art or the color of the carpet or how the pastor’s kids behave. I try to putmyself in the shoes of those who want to only sing oldfamiliar hymns. I wonder: did they always know thosehymns? Did they come out of the womb knowing andsinging “Children of the Heavenly Father” or “AmazingGrace”? Or did they at some point have to learn thesong? If so, why not want to learn new songs and newhymns? Is it too much work? Why complain aboutwhat others enjoy and what others find worshipful? Arethey that selfish? I don’t think so. I try to put myself intheir shoes—since most people who feel this way wouldnever speak to a pastor about it. I think it is what iscomfortable. It is what has (at least in their mind)“always been done.” It’s what they are used to—whatfor them defines worship. Worship means organ andchoir. Fine. I get it. I grew up early on with the same.But what about for others (typically younger peo-ple, but certainly not exclusively) who have a differentview of what worship looks like and sounds like? Whatabout those who did not grow up listening to organ mu-sic or a choir? Should that be their only option at theirchurch? Segregated churches based on preaching or mu-sic or color of the people surely isn’t an answer. Ourchurches need to be integrated in every way possible asmuch as possible. That’s what heaven will be like, sowe might as well get used to it.(continued on pg. 4)

July 2009July 2009July 2009July 2009

Calendar Pg. 2Picnic and summer worship schedule Pg. 3Ekstrom MemorialService Pg. 5New Adult Sunday School Class Pg. 5

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat1 2 3 4 5 67 8 9 Board Meeting7pm10 11 Bible Study7pm12 1314 Worship10:30 amChildren’s Dayand church picnic15 16 17 18 Bible Study7pm19 20 Memorial Ser- vice for LillianEkstrom 11am21 Worship9:30 am22 23 24 25 Bible study7pm26 2728 Worship9:30 am29 30

June 2009

The following is an updated list of our church mem-bers and friends who unable to attend church on aregular basis. Let us remember them in ourthoughts and prayers and with a note.

Mr. Lee Randall Mildred Carlson10 Hall Street 669 Washington St. Apt. 105 Webster, MA 01570 Auburn, MA 01501508-943-0847Mrs. Doris Anderson Paul Faler667 Washington Street #225 321 Massasoit Rd. Auburn, MA 01501 Worcester, MA 01604508-832-5239Mrs. Claire Poirier63 Hudson Ave.Grafton, MA 01519 Mrs. Lydia Anderson Whitney PlaceP.O.Box 935Mr. & Mrs. Carl Werme 85 Beumont Dr. Apt. 1024 Briarwood Circle Northbridge, MA 01534 Worcester, MA01606508-856-7232

Congratulations to Karin Johnson and Keith Jacob-son on the birth of their son, Gustaf Thomas Jacob-son, who was born on June 2

. All are home anddoing well. Pamela and Thomas Johnson are theproud and thankful grandparents.

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Birthdays and Anniversaries

June Birthdays

Amber Vallee 6/3Rudolph Swenson 6/4Christine Grudzinski 6/10Chelsea Meenan 6/18Carol Nordstrom 6/19Evelyn Reed 6/22Virginia Magnuson 6/23Maria Ahlin 6/24Katie Johnson 6/24Georgianna Zepp 6/24Michele Koller 6/30Eunice Nelson 6/30

June Anniversaries

Eleanor and Delbert Smith 6/9Michele and Steven Koller 6/17Pam and Thomas Johnson 6/24Karin Johnson and Keith Jacobson 6/26Carl and Esther Werme 6/26

July Birthdays

Michele Koller 7/4Christy Warren 7/12Claire Poirier 7/13David Ahlin 7/17Shannon Stockwell 7/17Ann Weber 7/18Phyllis Conder 7/25John Shonning 7/26Esther Thompson 7/27Bill Stafinski 7/29

July Anniversaries

Amy & Erik Berg 7/14Deborah & Jeffrey Stockwell 7/24

August Birthdays

Brendan Quinn 8/6Jennifer Zoulias 8/8Paul Strozina 8/24

August Anniversaries

Georgianna & Richard Zepp 8/14

CHIC 2009 IS COMING

We leave for Knoxville, TN early on Sundaymorning, July 12th and will return on Friday the17th in the afternoon. Pray for those going tothis large youth gathering that it will be a funtime and a time where we experience God in afresh way. Those going this year are: PastorDave, Ryan Thompson, Justin Stafinski, JohannaThompson, Cody Ellis and Steven Quinn.

Church Picnic

Sunday, June 14th

Following the morning worship service. We willmeet as usual at the Strozina home at 338Pakachoag St. in Auburn. Bring your favoritepicnic food and your bathing suit if it is goodswimming weather.

Sunday June 21st is Father’s Day and we move to our Summer sched-ule. Worship will be at 9:30am.