Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church

Church Where You Are

Welcome to the weekly devotional ministry of Bethel Lutheran Church!

We offer this devotional tool as a place to help you be "Church where you are" during any given week. Whether you are out-of-town on the weekend, looking for a format for family devotions, or needing something to help you personally prepare for Sunday morning, these devotions are meant for you.

Sunday, December 23 – Fourth Sunday in Advent

by Leave a Comment

To get started this week, watch this video: Joy to the World (Three Dog Night)

SHARE

Share your “highs” and your “lows” for the past week with each other.

READ

Luke 1:39-55

39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”46And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; 53he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. 54He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

TALK 

What surprises you or engages you in this reading? When have you said “yes” to God and it seemed crazy to do so? Reflect on why you did so.

PRAY

Pray for one another.

Special prayer requests:  Pray for Christ to open our hearts and open our ears and open our lives to his vision of life and faith and grace and peace and hope!

BLESS

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each one’s forehead.

Sunday, December 16 – Third Sunday in Advent

by Leave a Comment

To get started this week, watch this video:  Prepare Ye

SHARE

Share your “highs” and your “lows” for the past week with each other.

READ

Luke 3: 7-18

 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’

And the crowds asked him, ‘What then should we do?’ In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’ Even tax-collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’ Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,* John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with* the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

TALK 

What surprises you or engages you in this reading? Where do you share your gifts?  Where do others share their gifts with you?

PRAY

Pray for one another.

Special prayer requests:  Pray for Christ to open our hearts and open our ears and open our lives to his vision of life and faith and grace and peace and hope!

BLESS

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each one’s forehead.

Sunday, December 9 – Second Sunday in Advent

by Leave a Comment

To get started this week, watch this video:  Prepare Ye

SHARE

Share your “highs” and your “lows” for the past week with each other.

READ

Luke 3:1-6

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

TALK 

What surprises you or engages you in this reading? How do you “prepare” for Jesus to come into your life?  What valley’s need to be filled in your life right now?

PRAY

Pray for one another.

Special prayer requests:  Pray for Christ to open our hearts and open our ears and open our lives to his vision of life and faith and grace and peace and hope!

BLESS

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each one’s forehead.

Sunday, December 2- First Sunday in Advent

by Leave a Comment

To get started this week, watch this video: He is Exalted

SHARE

Share your “highs” and your “lows” for the past week with each other.

READ

Luke 21:25-36

 ‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves.People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’

Then he told them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

‘Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’

TALK 

What surprises you or engages you in this reading? What does it mean to “be alert” for the coming of Christ in your life?  How can you best “be on guard” against that which would keep you weighed down by anxiety and concern?

PRAY

Pray for one another.

Special prayer requests:  Pray for Christ to open our hearts and open our ears and open our lives to his vision of life and faith and grace and peace and hope!

BLESS

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each one’s forehead.

Sunday, November 25 – Christ the King Sunday

by Leave a Comment

To get started this week, watch this video: He is Exalted

SHARE

Share your “highs” and your “lows” for the past week with each other.

READ

John 18:33-38

Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth?’

TALK 

What surprises you or engages you in this reading? What makes Jesus our “king”?  What makes Jesus our “truth”?

PRAY

Pray for one another.

Special prayer requests:  Pray for Christ to open our hearts and open our ears and open our lives to his vision of life and faith and grace and peace and hope!

BLESS

Bless each other by making the sign of the cross on each one’s forehead.

Bethel Lutheran Church

2077 N. Frederick Pike
Winchester, VA 22603
540-662-3245

Upcoming Worship

December 23, 2018
December 24, 2018
  • Christmas in a Barn Worship
    Starts: 3:00 pm

    Location: Cloverdale Barn, 2368 Cedar Creek Grade, Winchester, VA 22602, United States

  • Candlelight Worship
    Starts: 7:00 pm

    Location: Sanctuary

View all events

This Week at Bethel

Sunday, December 23 – Fourth Sunday in Advent

This Sunday is the 4th Sunday in Advent and we continue our story with the song of Mary, whose faith and trust in God changes the world. As we contemplate the coming of Christmas,, where might we find the strength to trust God as Mary did?

In between worship services, join us for our Christmas program, put on by our youth, which will take place in the sanctuary. Our Christmas Eve worship services will take place at 3:00pm (Christmas in a Barn) and 7:00pm (Candlelight in the Sanctuary).

Remember, all are welcome at Bethel, so please bring friends, especially those who may not have always felt comfortable in church or may have at one time felt unwelcome. We seek to be a place of inclusion, sharing the Gospel with all people.