After being scattered this summer as far as Istanbul, we gathered for the first Vespers of the fifth year of Bethany House – how time flies! The Bethany House residents wanted to have a cookout to celebrate Joe’s belated birthday and prepared ingredients for three kinds of kebabs, as well as baba ganoush (with eggplant from the Community Garden), pita bread, potato salad, tzatziki, and brownies for dessert. We were joined by Pastor Karen, David and Linda (who brought yummy zucchini salad and three bean salad), and Amelia, the newest resident of Lawrence Road House. We did a little gardening (less than planned) and cooking (more than planned) and enjoyed being together after busy summers.
April 9, 2015 – Vespers Service
On this blustery night we welcomed Pastor Dave, Sue and Anna (from Nassau Presbyterian Church), and Linda and David (our Bethany House parents). After lots of good food from China Boys Restaurant and fantastic brownies baked by Sue, David gave a short presentation on community gardens and Linda led our discussion on the Bethany House Community Garden for this year. We are planning to do some new things and will post more about them. Afterwards we headed to Trenton Social and met up with friends, including Erin from Lawrence Road House.
February 26, 2015 – Vespers Service
We gathered tonight at Lawrence Road House, where we enjoyed Jim’s beef stew (reappearing after Bethany House’s orientation dinner back in November 2011), tabbouleh, bread, oranges, and brownies. After checking in with each other, we discussed Chapter Two (Dis-Grace) of Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle, which we are reading (slowly) this year. Pastor Nina led our discussion on sin, shame, and grace.
February 12, 2015 – Vespers Service
Tonight six of us met at Pho Tan, a nearby Vietnamese restaurant, and caught up while enjoying spring/summer rolls and big bowls of pho.
February 5, 2015 – Vespers Service
The Bethany House residents prepared tonight’s dinner, which ended up feeding 16 people; our special guests from the Presbytery of New Brunswick were Paul, Michelle, Mark, and Brad. The Italian-themed dinner featured fettuccine alfredo with ribbons of zucchini and carrot, chicken, garlic bread, roasted cauliflower and grapes, salad, and pastries from Italian Peoples Bakery in Chambersburg.
We ate so well and shared how each of us is serving in greater Trenton and living in community at Bethany House and Lawrence Road House. A common theme was that living where we are serving is helping us form deeper connections to the people we serve and the work we do.
November 13, 2014 – Vespers Service
We had a full house tonight (15 people)! We were glad to welcome Pam and Bill from Nassau Presbyterian Church back to Bethany House and Kimby’s friend Mpondo-Dika for the first time. Dinner was pizza, garlic knots, salad (from a Master Gardener), kale chips (made by Christina), and brownies plus tannies (baked by Pam) for dessert. Over dinner we shared how we are serving the greater Trenton area and had a wide-ranging discussion covering the new Jackson administration and prison reform, among other topics.
Then we signed our Community Covenants for 2014-2015.
November 6, 2014 – Vespers Service
[coming soon]
October 23, 2014 – Vespers Service
We are trying something new this year! Each house will prepare dinner for one Vespers service per month, with funding from Urban Mission Cabinet, Inc. The Lawrence Road House residents went first – Afnan, Brandon, and Leah treated us to baked ziti, salad, bread (with olive oil), grapes, apple crumb cake, and pumpkin pie. Then we started to discuss Tattoos on the Heart by Father Gregory Boyle, which we will be reading and discussing in the weeks to come.
May 29, 2014 – Vespers Service
Tonight we gathered at Westminster Presbyterian Church and got reacquainted with Stephani Register, who led a Vespers service during the first year of Bethany House. Stephani is the Senior Planner for the City of Trenton and she gave a presentation on Trenton250, Trenton’s long-range Comprehensive Master Plan, which will guide Trenton until 2042, the 250th anniversary of its incorporation in 1792.
Stephani showed us Trenton250’s website, which launched in April and already has a lot of information. The website is very interactive (check out the Participate page!) and well-designed. We are excited about Trenton’s future.
May 22, 2014 – Vespers Service
We returned to DeLorenzo’s Pizza (in Hamilton) for a second farewell party, this time for Hannah. Hannah will be joining Teach for America in Memphis as an ESL teacher. We shared stories of Hannah’s time at Bethany House over tomato pies and had dessert at Rita’s Water Ice.
Bethany House of Hospitality 