NOAH THE MUSICAL
By popular request, arrangements have been made for another bus trip to Lancaster, PA. and the Millennium Theatre. The show this year is “Noah The Musical”. The bus will be leaving BLC 7:30 a.m. Friday October 22nd and return about 9:00 p.m. Saturday October 23rd. Price will be $179 per person double or $219 single. This will include transportation, dinner Friday night, tickets for the show, breakfast Saturday morning. All lunches and Saturday dinner are on your own. We will also be going to the Biblical Tabernacle which is a replica of the Tabernacle of the Children of Israel during their 40 years in the wilderness. Yes, there will be time for shopping. Payments have to be in by August 31. For further information see or call Glenn Cropsey 862-0856.

"55 ALIVE" MATURE DRIVING COURSE
BLC Community Care Board is sponsoring an AARP Driving Awareness Class. This is an 8 hour classroom refresher course for drivers that are 50 years old and older. The class will be given in 2 four hour segments September 11 and 18th, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. You will learn how to compensate for age related changes, new traffic laws, review the rules of the road and much more. Completing the course you will get a discount on your automobile insurance. To register call the church office or Glenn Cropsey at 862-0856. Make checks out to AARP for $10.00.

THINKING OF OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS…

COLLEGE STUDENT SEND-OFF
Many members of our BLC family will be leaving our midst during the next few weeks to begin or return to college. We are proud of them and rejoice that they are ready to let their lights and gifts shine in new places! In a very real sense they will be “missionaries” – taking their faith into an arena which, in many cases, will be a place that desperately needs to know God’s love and grace. In this spirit, we would like to bestow a special blessing on them during the 10:00 a.m. service on August 15th. We invite all college students to join us on the 15th.

ADOPT A COLLEGE STUDENT
Would you like to “adopt” a college freshman for the next school year? You would agree to pray for them, send them occasional notes and cards and care packages during their tumultuous first year away from home. This is a great family project! If you are interested in this special ministry, contact Linda Winterhoff (439-6217).

CONCORDIA OPEN 2004
Dust off your golf clubs and plan to play in the Concordia Open on Saturday, September 11th at Western Turnpike Golf Course. This wonderful day of golf, fellowship, food and prizes benefits the scholarship fund of Concordia College, Bronxville, N.Y. There will be a sign-up poster in the educational wing lobby. Sign up as a foursome, couple or single and we will put you in a group.

LWML ATLANTIC DISTRICT FALL RETREAT FOR WOMEN
This retreat will be held at the beautiful Tuscarora Inn and Conference Center in Mt. Bethel, Pennsylvania on October 15-17, 2004. The theme for the retreat is "You Make A Difference" and will be lead by author and speaker Alma Kern. We would like to get a group together to attend this retreat. Pick up an information/ registration form on the table next to the nursery. Registration deadline is October 1st. If you are interested, contact Judy Nestlen (768-2602).

SYNODICAL CONVENTION REPORT
Pastor Winterhoff and Mr. Ed Klienke (St. Matthews – Albany) represented the Capital District churches at the Synodical convention in St. Louis from July 10th – 15th.

The convention (over 1200 delegates)…
…re-elected Dr. Gerald Kieschnick as president, and Dr. William Diekelman was elected first vice president. Additionally, the four other vice presidents that were elected are forward- looking, mission-minded pastors.
…adopted several resolutions supporting ABLAZE, which is a worldwide effort to reach 100 million people with the good news of Jesus Christ.
…declared fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya.
…affirmed, on the basis of Scripture (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5-6), that marriage is the lifelong union of one man and one woman.
…approved a new hymnal as “an official service book and hymnal” of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.
…adopted a resolution that permits women to hold any congregational office that does not involve the function of the office of pastor.
…commended new guidelines from the Commission on Theology and Church Relations to aid workers as they make decisions about participating in “civic events”.
…adopted several resolutions that spoke to efforts of synod to address human care issues locally and globally.

There were numerous other resolutions discussed and adopted, but these were among the major items. I believe the convention took some very positive steps forward so that we can be about the ministry of the church…proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.

GREETINGS FROM THE PRESCHOOL
I am spending the summer months preparing for the new school year. I am participating in “home visits” with the students and their families. At the “home visit”, I bring a craft for the children to complete that will be used to mark their cubby space. I meet with parents and discuss how we orient the students to the classroom and schedule the first week of class with the family. It is a great way for the children to get to know me in the comfortable surroundings of their home. I am also researching new and exciting curriculum and procedures to use in the classroom. We are looking forward to an exciting year of learning about God’s many blessings in the world around us.

In planning for the upcoming school year, I am looking for some specific toys for the classroom:

1. Fisher Price Farm and Farm Animal set
2. Plastic zoo animals
3. 3 - 15 gallon Rubbermaid containers
4. 2 – Barbie dolls
5. Small play doll bed

If your child or grandchildren have outgrown any of these items, or if you are browsing at a yard sale this summer, please keep these items in mind.

Thank you for your support for this wonderful ministry, and I hope that you have a restful and enjoyable summer!

In His Service,
Kathy Glaser

CHOIR NOTES
It’s hard for me to think of September in July (that’s a teacher talking!), however, I know you are thinking of your fall schedules. I would love to have you join the Senior Choir. We meet Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Rehearsals will start on September 9, 2004. We always need new talents to help us and support our music ministry. Creator’s Crusaders will start at a later date (yet to be determined). For purposes of planning, they rehearse Thursday evenings from 6:15 – 6:45 p.m. This is open to all Sunday School age children.

We have several openings in the handbell choir. If you would like to try this, please contact Ruth Rice (439-9657). If you play an instrument (string, brass, woodwind, etc.) and would like to share your talents, please contact Ruth as well.

One day while driving around, I saw this sign:

Isn’t that wonderful?!! Please consider sharing your talents as you are planning your fall schedule. And, please, have a wonderful rest of the summer!

-Ruth Rice

A NOTE FROM THE NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Please continue sending your articles directly to me, unless they need to be placed in the church bulletin, as well. The avenues to submit a newsletter article are as follows:

a) E-mail article to BLCnewsletter@blutheran.org
b) Put article in the Bethlehem Star mailbox in the committee workroom.
c) Mail the article to my home (36 Maywood Road, Delmar, NY 12054)
d) Call and dictate your article to me over the phone (439-9126).

Mark your calendars….the deadline for newsletter articles is AUGUST 15, 2004! Looking forward to hearing from you!

-Lisa Thien

Linda Dunkerley to the Whitewater Crew…
On April 24, 2004, fifteen brave women joined me on a whitewater rafting adventure to Wild Water Outdoor Center in Warrensburg, N.Y. Before departing from BLC at 6:30 a.m., Pastor Winterhoff appeared and prayed with us for safety and good fellowship! We had both!! The four hour raft ride with intermittent whitewater brought rapid paddling, screeching, laughter, drenching and gulping down some of the river! It was wonderful, and I was thrilled to be with so many Christian friends. Many thanks go to Sue Haswell for stirring me to acting and fulfilling my dream. This quote will be familiar to those who went with me: “Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by; and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away” (Marcus Aurelius). My next adventure is to climb a mountain top. Plans are for next September. Get your hiking boots on and get into shape. I am so grateful to God for the beauty He displays to us each day in nature and for Christian friends of like-mind to share it with.

RECENT BAPTISMS
EMMA ROSE HAERTEL, daughter of Michael and Lori Lynn Haertel, was received into God’s Kingdom of Grace through baptism on July 8, 2004. We ask God’s blessings on Emma and her family as they grow in their knowledge and love of their Savior

RECENT WEDDINGS
GEORGE PALMER and ELIZABETH MALANGA were joined in marriage on July 10, 2004. May God remain at the center of their love and life together.