Tune My Heart
One of the highlights of my summer (Vince, here) was gathering with Bethany members in our Summer Jams small group to learn about the Psalms...by sitting around and listening to music together. Each week we did about 15 minutes of traditional bible study and spent 45 minutes listening to a playlist of contemporary songs chosen by the group for the spiritual power they carried in them. Listening to those songs together, we could connect emotions and the truth carried by those other songs for the last 3000 years.
So much of our worship and our scripture is music. And there's good reason for that. Music allows us to experience and express something beyond words, beyond our rational mind. It helps connect us to God. St. Augustine famously said, "The one who sings, prays twice." Join us in October as we listen and sing our way to God.
And we wanna know some of your heart songs. Send them to us here.
We (of course) won't be able to get to everyone's but please share one or more "heart songs" you'd love to sing in worship. We'll share folks' lists on social media and in the email and will sing at least some of the songs submitted.
Join us Sundays mornings at 10:30 am in the sanctuary or online!
Sign up for the weekly email to stay in touch, for links, and the latest on everything we’re up to.
Join The Pilgrimage
November 8th
Join us for the next leg of our Outer Belt Pilgrimage! We're walking 210 miles together, looping our city in prayer, and getting to know one another along the way.
Our next walk will be Saturday, November 8th! Sign up here if you plan to to join us! If you can’t make it this time, mark your calendars for our upcoming trip on December 6th!
For more info, reach out Vince at vince@bethanychicago.com and/or go to outerbelt.org
Service and Justice Pilot Year 2026
Bethany is a different church now than it was five years ago. We’re bigger, more active, with shifting energies and passions in the face of the current climate in our city, our country, and our world. What hasn't changed: our core commitments to serving others and pursuing justice.
As we move into 2026, we’re embarking on a pilot year for the Service and Justice arm of Bethany UCC. We want to hear from YOU about where we should be directing our energy as a church. And, we want to strengthen relationships as we serve others, both within our Bethany community and with our neighbors.
Our goal: a 2026 calendar full of diverse, sustainable, opportunities to serve and seek justice alongside each other. Pastor Fredrick Buechner said that the place God calls us to is "where our deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” What needs are we called to meet now, and what joyful gifts do we have to offer?
So, here’s our ask: If you have a topic on your heart (homelessness, food insecurity, refugee resettlement, earth care, police reform, mental health, suicide-prevention, prison-abolition…) submit a proposal for Bethany’s consideration. Follow that link or click the button.
Sunday School In Session
Returns October 19th
We’re excited to offering Sunday School again this year! At Bethany, we have 3 week Sunday School sessions, and our next session runs October 19th thru November 2nd! Kids 4 and up are invited to attend on those Sundays.
Click here to see the Sunday School calendar for the year! For more info, reach out to info@bethanychicago.com
