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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 13, 2014)
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, August 13, 2014 Page A-3 Saint Matthias now offers weekly Sunday services By Annette McGee Rasch IVN Senior Contributing Writer Cave Junction’s Saint Matthias Episcopal Church has a new spiritual leader in Father Bryant Bechtold, a longtime Episcopalian priest. Bechtold and his wife Susan were looking for a new place to live. Seeking a location with proximity to the coast, they found a home they liked in Cave Junction’s Cedarbrook gated community. “We really have a preference for smaller rural towns,” Bechtold said. “After we moved in, we learned that Saint Matthias didn’t have a fulltime resident priest. So I notified the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon, Michael Hanley, to let him know I had retired in Cave Junc- tion and asked if I could be of some service at Saint Matthias.” Hanley responded by licens- ing Bechtold as “priest in charge.” Before Bechtold arrived, the Val- ley’s Episcopal church had gone a longtime without a resident priest. Retired priest Jim Boston drove to the Valley from Grants Pass once a month to hold services. “Father Boston said I was an answer to his prayers,” Bechtold said. “We have a very small congre- gation, and part of that may be due to having gone so long without a residence priest. When there is only one service a month there isn’t much continuity or opportunity for church growth.” Now Bechtold has instituted regular weekly Sunday services, held at 10:30 a.m. There is a little sign just outside the small wooden church located on land that dips down into a hollow, just north of True Value Hardware on Redwood Highway. “We certainly welcome anyone who is not already affiliated with another church to come and join us,” Bechtold said. Episcopalian faith, in many respects, resembles the Roman Catholic church, but also bears some similarity to the Protestant Church, Bechtold said. “I like to say that the Episco- palian Church makes a good bridge between the two,” Bechtold said. “Our church is part of the Anglican Communion, and our mother church is the Church of England.” “All churches have their own way of living out their faith,” Bechtold explained. “For Episco- palians, we try very hard to live in what we call the ‘baptismal cov- enant’ which we enter into when we’re baptized. Living the covenant means regular attendance at worship, studying the scriptures and serving the Lord anyway we can. We try to respect the dignity and worth of ev- ery human being no matter who they are or what their circumstances are.” “I think as Episcopalians, we’re very incarnational in our thinking,” Bechtold said. “In other words, when people look at us we want them to be able to see the face of Christ in us.” Bechtold added how this is one key reason why Saint Matthias, for many years, has offered a “harvest kitchen” that of- fers meals to homeless or disadvantaged people. “I know some don’t always approve of help- ing some of these disad- vantaged people, perhaps believing they got into their circumstances due to poor choices and should not be enabled, but we help many people who have lost their jobs or homes at no fault of their own, and also, low income people who can barely afford to buy food, and others who are deal- ing with serious physi- cal handicaps. We don’t judge anyone; but we do like to give them a hand.” The Harvest Kitchen is open from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tues- days and Thursdays, and serves hearty nutritious meals. One goal Bechtold plans to pursue is the possibility of networking with the Good Shep- herd Lutheran Church. Bechtold explained how the Episcopalian and Lu- theran churches entered into a “concordant of agreement” which allows the two denominations to exchange pastors and priests. “Essentially what the agreement has done is to bring the two churches closer together,” Bechtold said. “And I would like to explore doing some mu- tual ministry’s with the local Lutheran church. I intend to make contact soon.” Bechtold, originally from Florida, spent many years serving in churches all over the Southeast- ern United States. He met Susan, originally from England, in Utah, 27 years ago. They have three adult children living in Fort Worth, Texas, one in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and another in Alachua, Florida. They also have 15 grandchildren. Most recently the Bechtolds spent seven years in England, serv- ing the Wainfleet group of parishes, which consists of four churches. Bechtold had “pastor oversight” at these churches located in England’s central midlands, just a few miles from the coast on the North Sea, in the county of Lincolnshire. “Now, we’re so delighted to be part of this community,” Bechtold said. “One thing we have really noticed about Cave Junction is that everyone seems to be very friendly. Another reason we moved here is be- cause my wife and I love to hike and there are so many opportunities on the area. But mostly, we’re looking forward to being able to serve the community any way we can.” “It is important that we live in accordance to our faith and that we practice what we preach the other six days of the week,” Bechtold said. “Because if we have no authenticity then people are not going to listen to us or believe what we say. We have to let people know that Christ has changed our lives - that he does make a difference in our lives. Peo- ple have to be able to see concrete examples of that.” (Photo by Annette McGee Rasch, Illinois Valley News) Father Bryant Bechtold at the alter of St. Matthais in Cave Junction. Art’s Arts Red Garter Firday Aug. 15 Night Open Friday, @ 5:30 p.m. Mic and Taylor’s Karaoke! UR Mom Country Store Phil King Sat. Aug. 16 @ 6 p.m. Every Friday Jay Barley Every Wednesday Open Mic. Night From 6-8 p.m. McGrew’s Restaurant and Lounge would like to thank the following for their generous donations to our Christmas in July auction. Special thanks to Jerry Sommers and Richard Milner. R & C Automotive Mike Cascade Auto Kar Kare Jeff Stiles Chevron Napa Auto Wheel’s A Turnin’ Good Earth Organics My Place Cafe Rosie’s Inferno Carlos Restaurante IV Lion’s IV Golf Course Flying Carpet Cliff Keith Mark Camp Dave’s Outdoor Hiler’s Ironworks Virgie Vertical Horizons Bobbie Loyd Dutch Bros Bridgeview Vineyard Z Coffee Coffee Heaven Soul Shine Studios Galice Resort Lisa Reflections Salon IV News Out ‘N About Treesort Britt Festival Lone Mountain RV C.J. Liquor Store Kevin Gillette Taylor’s Sausage Barbara Bleser Avon Anna Ortiz Ashley Bad Ass Teriyaki Kendall Art Glass It’s A Burl Crystal Kaleidoscope Diggin’ Livin’ Great Cats World Park Jefferson State Trading Post Bagel Junction Red Garter Madd Moose Subway Deer Creek Vineyard Northwest Hairlines Terri, Emmily Northwest Hairlines Donna, Jessica Tropical Tans Becky, Ashley Backstreet Salon Lindy Davis Eddie Natural Merchants Organic Wine Saturday night Pool Tourney @ Sportsmans Tavern MADD MOOSE Kate’s Redwood Bar and Grill Tuesday to Sunday Noon to Jones Close Motel Happy Hour 3-5 Saturday Aug. 9 Stop 6-9 in and p.m. see Lonesome Road $3 Aug. 15, 8 p.m. Kate and Mamie McGrew’s Today! of Course! LAST DAY AUG. 29 We will be closing our doors for good. Thank you for your patronage! We will miss you! M - T 11 AM TO 4 PM F 11 AM TO 7:30 PM S S CLOSED 100% rating by the JoCo Health Department 541-592-2200 131 N. Redwood Hwy
