United in Faith Generosity Story - Mary Brook
April 2, 2026

From Searching to Belonging: A Bethany Lutheran Story of Generosity, Community, and Giving Back
By: Mary Brook

My husband and I came to Bethany in 1992. We had recently left our church of several years in search of a church home more in line with our beliefs. We visited several congregations, and when we came to Bethany we noticed a different energy. There was a sense of enthusiasm and community. Over time we became involved in several groups within the church including Council, Benevolence, and Mothers of Pre-schoolers (MOPS). The thing that made Bethany our home was the people we met there. Everyone was welcoming and there were a lot of opportunities to work on projects we believed in among the community organizations they supported. We raised our family at Bethany.



We both grew up in a culture that expected giving from a young age. It had become a habit, and over time, it has become central to who we are. We feel quite blessed, and it gives us joy to give back financially and with our time. It is our hope that Bethany continues to grow and provide community to other young families so that they can experience the joy of belonging and giving back to others.


By Unknown June 15, 2026
This devotional series explores key moments in church history, divided into thematic and historical sections with several parts. It is a long and winding story that began on Pentecost and continues to be written by us and by the Holy Spirit today. SECTION 1 – The Church of the Holy Spirit The church began with breath.  A violent wind filled an upper room and scattered ordinary people into the world with extraordinary news. From that first Pentecost morning, the Spirit has been the church’s constant companion, guiding, correcting, and surprising us through twenty centuries of imperfect faithfulness. The devotions in this section explore pivotal moments when the Spirit moved through imperfect people to shape the church’s story. From Paul’s dramatic conversion to the Council of Jerusalem’s radical inclusion, we see the same God who breathed life into the first disciples still breathing life into us today. We are part of this continuing story; inheritors of a wind that refuses to be contained. Nate Preisinger Bethany Lutheran Church Sent with SubsplashUnsubscribe from all emails
By Unknown June 14, 2026
Click to watch video Today is the Third Sunday after PentecostWe encourage you to join in for worship at Bethany this weekend either in person or through our livestream.   For an additional devotional reflection, we invite you to watch this reflection from Pastors Gary and Nate on the Feast Day of Peter and Paul last year.Peter the humble fisherman. Paul the privileged Roman citizen. Two wildly different origin stories, yet both were rescued, transformed, and called by God to lead the early Church. Pastors Nate Preisinger and Gary Sandberg reflect on the shared feast day of Saints Peter and Paul and what their lives teach us about grace, redemption, and purpose. Through shame and denial, pride and persecution, God rescued Peter and Paul, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of the Gospel. And that same story of rescue continues today. In baptism, in forgiveness, in community, we are rescued too. 365 Daily Devotional Bethany Lutheran Church Sent with SubsplashUnsubscribe from all emails
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