On February 4^th 1934, the congregation decided upon a name of the church.  The following is from the bulletin on that day.

BETHANY

Beautiful little town of Bethany!  It is found on the eastern slope of the mount of Olives, fully a mile beyond the summit, and not very far from the point at which the road to Jericho begins its more sudden decent toward the Jordan valley. 

Jesus had no home of his own and although He often took refuge in the garden of Gethsemane yet it was to Bethany that He was want to go when evening approached; to Bethany, where He knew that He would be welcomed at the home of Lazarus; to Bethany, to be in company with his many dear friends and followers that dwelt there, among whom was Mary and Martha.  It was here that our Lord proclaimed his sublime, “I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”  What mighty encouragement!  Yet what a beautiful and restful assurance it renders the believer’s heart of the life that is to come, of heaven and eternal happiness!

Bethany, how serenely you lie basking in the noon-day sun!  It is here in this little village that our emotions are lowered to the depths of sorrow, when we read “Jesus wept”; then soaring to the state of undeniable faith in Him as “Very God of Very god” when we behold the miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead; to the sublime heights of joy as we are told that many when they saw this miracle “believed on Him.”

Beautiful little town of Bethany!  Your very name inspires peace and tranquility; above all, may it ever be the symbol of the place of refuge in which our Lord is found.

THE COMMITTEE ONCHURCH NAMES REPORT

The committee elected for the selection of a suitable name for the church submits the following report.

A gratuitous response met the plea that members submit a favored name for our church.  Thirteen names in all we submitted to the committee for deliberation.  The names are the following:

10 Bethel, 2) Bethlehem, 3) Bethany, 4) Christ, 5) Calvary, 6) Trinity, 7) St. Mark’s, 8) St. Matthew’s, 9) St. Paul’s, 10) St. Peter’s, 11) St. Luke’s, 12) Church of Our Redeemer, 13) Grace

Of these the committee selected 4 names:  1) Bethlehem, 2) Calvary, 3) St. Matthew’s, 4) St. Mark’s

However, how true the old, old saying, “Man proposes, god disposes.” It took the congregation (perhaps due to the fact that our good ladies had something to say about it, although we hesitate on giving anybody credit for superior judgment) to select the most beautiful and appropriate name for our Church, namely Bethany Bethany! Of course it’s Bethany!! What other name could be more appropriate than this, — listen —  Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church .