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ABOUT US |
Bethania Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The ELCA is committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by providing meaningful worship services in a variety of settings, teaching the faith, and witnessing to the love of Christ in words, actions and truth. The ELCA is making Christ known and proclaiming hope for a new millennium.
Located in the picturesque Santa Ynez Valley in Solvang, the church was formed by Danish immigrants who started the Atterdag Folk School and Bethania. The church was incorporated in 1911. The people met for services at the folk school first and then in the present church building, completed in 1928, at 603 Atterdag Rd.
Hans Skytt and crew built the church using a photograph of a church in Denmark as the plans for Bethania.
Jes Schmidt, a shoemaker and artisan, designed and carved the pulpit, baptismal font, altar and pastors’ chairs for a church in Denmark. When that agreement changed, he contacted Bethania. Eventually he sold these appointments for $1000. Johannes Jaeger, a member of Bethania, carved the two smaller acolyte chairs in the same style of the pastors’ chairs.
The pulpit has the figures of John, Peter, Paul, St. Ansgar, Martin Luther and the empty tomb of Christ represented. Inscribed in Danish are the words, "Blessed are those that hear the word of God and keep it."
A ship hangs from the ceiling. Many Scandinavian churches have such model ships. Because the people are sea faring, a ship is natural part of church. The church is the ship that carries us over life’s stormy waters. Often a person who survived a life-threatening sea journey would commission a model of the original, and then dedicate it to a local church in honor of the rescue.
The people of Bethania constructed a pipe organ in the sanctuary. The Phelps organ was completed in 1981. The organ has a beautiful range of sounds with its 1024 pipes. It is one of the few pipe organs in Santa Barbara County. In the church, the acoustical sound is exquisite.
Moving to the front of the church again, you can see two stained-glass windows. Both panels were designed by Rick Marzullo and formed by Carol Petersen. The panels depict our Danish heritage (see back of brochure) as well as our new home of the Santa Ynez Valley. The Bible is open to a passage, "I am the bread of life…"
The bread of life feeds the people of Bethania as well as visitors to our congregation: through worship, education and fellowship.
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE SCHEDULE
Bethania’s Traditional Communion Worship Service at 9:30 a.m.
Nursery care is available every Sunday during the worship service.
Sunday School begins at 9:15 a.m. in the Fireside Room
Coffee fellowship is served following the worship service.
Adult education class follows coffee fellowship, at about 11:00 a.m.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Home visitations, hospital calls, baptisms, memorial or burial services can be arranged by calling the church office.
Confirmation classes for students in 7th and 8th grades are offered every Sunday beginning in the fall. Call the church office for details.
Other educational events are offered: A Bible Study meets every fourth Thursday of the month at 2:00 p.m. Membership classes and 1st Communion classes are offered periodically. Vacation Bible School occurs during the summer. We also have a small group for women and one for men. Farstrup-Mortensen Lecture Series brings speakers of world-renown the last weekend of February every year.
Our fellowship opportunities include various women’s groups which meet for service or learning, as well as events for youth, families and people of all ages.
Of course our pride and joy is our Danish Days Parade Crew which has won several ribbons and awards. Danish Days is the third weekend of September every year.
SOLVANG CEMETERY
If you continue northbound on Atterdag Rd, you will come to our cemetery located on Chalk Hill Rd. The cemetery is very beautiful and tranquil. The plots are grouped in sections and people customize the design and landscaping. The cemetery is situated above the Hans Christian Andersen Park. You may call or e-mail the church office for more information about the cemetery.
RELATED ORGANIZATIONS
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