Bethany Lutheran Church, ELCA

06/08/2026

Wherever this week finds you—at a crossroads, in a season of waiting, or stepping into something new—may you have the courage to take the next faithful step.

Read Pastor Katie's full message in the comments.

06/08/2026

06/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who stopped by Bethany’s Crystal Lake Pride Booth! The response to our Unity Quilt, The Quilt of Belonging, was truly overwhelming and heartwarming.
We look forward to seeing many of you again next Sunday at the Woodstock Pride Parade. Be sure to keep an eye on our page as we share updates and reveal the completed quilt in the coming weeks.

06/07/2026

Join us for worship! All are welcome, no exceptions.
Your generosity is changing lives. Give online here:
https://bethanylc.com/pages/give

06/06/2026

🌈 Crystal Lake Pride kicks off at 11:00 AM at Williams Street and Crystal Lake Avenue and concludes at Brink Street Market! 🎉
Be sure to stop by Bethany Lutheran’s booth to create a square for our Quilt of Belonging 🧵❤️...a community art project celebrating inclusion, connection, and the beauty of every story.
As a thank-you for participating, you'll receive a FREE one-of-a-kind handmade gift! 🎁✨ We can't wait to celebrate with you. See you there! 🌈🤝

🌈 **Get your colors ready, Crystal Lake!** 🏳️‍🌈
We are so excited to have you join us for the **3rd Annual Crystal Lake Pride Walk & Social**! It’s time to come together, celebrate love, and show our vibrant community spirit.
Here is everything you need to know to join the fun:
# # # 📍 Where & When
* **Meet-Up Spot:** Crystal Lake Ave & Williams Street
* **Time:** Sunday, June 7th by **11:00 AM**
# # # ✨ What to Bring & Wear
* **Dress Code:** Your absolute most colorful apparel! 🎨
* **Gear:** Pride flags are highly welcome and encouraged! 🏳️‍⚧️
* **The Crew:** Bring your friends, your family, and your neighbors!
After the walk, stick around to **eat, shop, and connect** with our incredible local community. Let's make this year's walk the biggest and brightest one yet!
See you there! 🩵💛❤️🧡💚💙💜

06/03/2026

Why does Bethany celebrate Pride?
Because we believe every person is created in God's image and deeply loved by God. We believe the welcome we proclaim on Sunday should be visible in the community every day of the week.
This Pride Month, you'll find us at Crystal Lake Pride and Woodstock PrideFest...meeting neighbors, sharing joy, building relationships, and celebrating the beautiful diversity of God's people.

Whether you're a longtime Pride attendee, curious about what it's all about, or simply looking for a welcoming community, we'd love to see you there.

🌈 Happy Pride Month from Bethany Lutheran Church!

06/02/2026

In the lead-up to Synod Assembly, we are grateful for how our wider church keeps widening the circle of care and courage.

This year’s in-kind giving supports the life-giving work of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, offering tangible help like gift cards for groceries, gas, meals, and daily needs so that dignity can be met in practical ways across programs in foster care, housing, and mental health and addiction recovery. It also invests in new and emerging worshipping communities here in our synod, including Becoming Oswego and Iglesia San Jose Obrero in Moline.

It’s a reminder that church is not only what we gather to do, but what we scatter into the world: seeds of compassion, rooted in Christ, taking shape in real communities. We are grateful for the ways we get to participate in this shared work.

06/01/2026

Wherever this week finds you—certain or uncertain, energized or weary—may you find the courage to take the next faithful step.

Read Pastor Katie's full message and find the song of the week in the comments.

05/31/2026

We were delighted to welcome Dr. Marvin E. Wickware Jr. from the Lutheran School of Theology to worship with us this weekend!

Dr. Wickware, one of Pastor Katie's professors during seminary, joined us as our guest preacher and also shared in a thoughtful Q&A conversation about his book Loving Through Enmity. We engaged important questions about race, relationships, reconciliation, and what it means to love our neighbors faithfully.

We are grateful for his time with our congregation. Thank you, Dr. Wickware, for spending the morning with us and for the ways you teach, challenge, and inspire the church.

05/31/2026

Join us for worship! All are welcome, no exceptions.
Your generosity is changing lives. Give online here:
https://bethanylc.com/pages/give