The Chaplain’s Offices of Bethany Village and Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas joined together for a collaborative service of worship on December 21, 2023.
Churches all over the world gather on the Winter Solstice, also known as the Longest Night, to recognize that while Christmastime is often joyful, many experience sadness and grief during this time of year, too. Rev. Dr. Mandy Todd, Chaplain at Bethany Village, and Rev. Melissa Woeppel, Campus Pastor at Bethany College, knew that their communities needed a chance to acknowledge their personal and communal weariness. Doing so in a multi-generational worship event was an opportunity they didn’t want to miss.
Bethany College and Bethany Village are both affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and have a strong history of shared community. Over sixty people joined together in worship for this event – people from Bethany College, residents of all three campuses at Bethany Village (Bethany Home Long Term Care, Sunflower Terrace Assisted Living, and The Cottages Independent Living), as well as people from the community, including parishioners and leadership from Bethany Lutheran Church, ELCA, and Messiah Lutheran Church, ELCA. “This service brought together folks in their 20’s and folks in their 90’s and every generation between, from all over the Smoky Valley community,” said Pastor Mandy. “This opportunity for an institution that serves the elderly to join together with an institution that serves young adults was a powerful and transformative experience.”
Following the service, the community gathered for a time of fellowship with coffee, punch and cookies, provided by the Bethany Home Ladies Auxiliary. As Pastor Melissa shared, “the time to be honest and connect with one another, especially on the longest night of the year, was a gift. Amid our weariness, what a joy it was to be together.”
