Bethel Lutheran Church

I don't like hoe your church did me dirty I hate you Christians.

I’ve only been to church a few times in my life (if you don’t count weddings) and was hesitant to attend service recently. I’d been invited by a dear friend and thought, oh well, what can it hurt? I was, to say the least, more than pleasantly surprised.
I walked a couple of blocks through a very pleasant West Los Angeles neighborhood and found the church easily.
The church is old but not ancient. The insides are warm and the acoustics are more than decent. But it’s the congregation led by the Pastor, the Reverend Scott Bartlett, and the celebration through song by those assembled to worship, that offered tranquil refuge from a stressful week.
Pastor Scott’s sermon offered insight into the history and tradition of the Lutheran view of God and man and helped tie the story from the bible to present day events and ideas. His carefully prepared and thought provoking way of explaining the unexplainable, was comforting to say the least.
The sermon was also delightfully enhanced by the inclusion of the congregation’s youngest members to help illustrate the sermon through skits that took place at key points in the story.
The choir, though not at full compliment, had excellent singers and the choice of music was both warming and uplifting. But there was more.
After service, one of the families I’d sat near asked me to join them in a pot-​luck lunch at the Church. I’m glad I agreed.
The food was excellent, but the warm, prevailing sense of camaraderie, was icing on the cake. Everyone was genuine when they bid me welcome. Everyone, young and old alike, seemed to be a part of a giant patch-​work quilt family. Everyone seemed reluctant to leave the warmth of their gathering, a sign, at least to me, that all the smiles and embraces were genuine.
As I said at the beginning of my review, I don’t go to church much, but I’ll return to this church, and often.