Local Outreach

Bethany believes that we are called together to be active and engaged in our greater community. For Bethany, that means being a supportive and encouraging presence in Western Douglas County – the communities of Elkhorn, Waterloo, Valley and Bennington. Bethany serves through its partnerships at COPE (Christian Outreach Program of Elkhorn) and Habitat for Humanity.

The greatest outreach is simply being good neighbors in our community. The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) is prompted by the question, “Who is my neighbor.” So often we are tempted to try to choose the people we serve. We can be tempted to want to only serve those living close to us, to question and judge those we serve, asking ourselves questions like, “Do they really need that?”

Jesus reminds us in the Good Samaritan story that our job isn’t to vet those we serve. We aren’t called to choose who we serve and who we don’t. Instead, Jesus turns the question around. When asked, “Who should I serve?” Jesus responds by asking, “Are you being a servant?” Underlying this story is the truth that it is the Holy Spirit who guides us and who brings opportunities to us. Our question is not, “should I help you?” Our question is, “Am I helping?”

The promise is that when we serve those we meet we encounter Jesus. We give to others, but receive more than we have given. When we serve instead of being drained, we are filled. At Bethany our goal is to live as faithful members of our community, being a supportive and encouraging presence and heeding Christ’s command to “Go and do likewise…”