Bethlehem News - October 13th, 2023
Click below to read updates from various ministries at Bethlehem United Methodist Church
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We are worshipping in person together this Sunday at 8:15 and 10:45 a.m.
This week's worship services will be live streamed and recorded on our church website and on Facebook. Currently the worship bulletin is available on the website then by clicking on News tab, then Bulletin and Announcements tab.
The 2023 flower sign-up sheets are in the Church Office. Arrangements are $50.00 each and can be taken home after the end of the 10:45 worship service. Flowers can also be reserved using the Sign-Up Genius link and select the Sunday/Sundays you want or you may contact Dana Smyth 615-794-6721.
You may give online by going to the church website. If you have any questions about this process, please contact Ron Whitler.
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Please contact April Jackson, Director of Children's Ministries (ajackson@bethlehemumc.com) for more info on any of these children's activities:
by Jen McQuiston
Please contact Dana Smyth (dsmyth@bethlehemumc.com) for more info on any of these youth activities:
Youth activities are for anyone in grades 6 to 12.
THIS WEEK:
Sunday School – Every Sunday - 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Join us in the Banquet Hall Kitchen to start your week with breakfast and fellowship. From there we head to the Youth Classrooms to look for the word of God in our day-to-day.
Sunday Evening Activities 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. - Come join us for Dinner, Games, Worship and Study. Parents, please sign-up using this link for Sunday night meals or as a Small Group Leader: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C48A8AD2DA0FF2-bethlehem
Friends and guests between 6th and 12th grade are always welcome at our youth events!
College Student Care Packages
In preparation of packing college care packages on October 22, we need the addresses for your college kids. We want to make sure that we don’t miss anyone! We have started collecting goodies for the boxes. Contact Dana Smyth with your student’s address info.
We will be assembling about 35 College Care packages on October 22. There are two ways you can help us do this:
1. You can contribute something to put in the box. We are hoping to include a variety of things such as microwave popcorn, instant oatmeal, crackers, cookies, candy, post-it notes, bouncy balls, flavor packets for water, cough drops, mints and your notes or favorite Bible verses. Our young adults could use some love and encouragement from their church family. There is a container in the narthex for goodies.
2. You can contribute money for mailing expenses.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
October 22 – Pack College Care Packages – Sunday evening activities.
November 12 – Shoebox Packing at 4:30 and Church-Wide Thanksgiving Dinner at 6:00 PM.
November 17 - 19 - HARVEST WEEKEND IS BACK!!! Block your calendars now for a weekend retreat away from the craziness of middle school and high school. We’ll take the time to connect with each other, reflect on where God is in our lives and simply have a good time! This year we’ll enjoy Widjiwagan’s Giant Swing, Climbing Wall and Kangaroo Bouncer as well as four worship sessions and lessons. We will need volunteers and drivers for the weekend - please consider joining us for this wonderful weekend. More details coming soon!
Super Important Links:
Youth Calendar
Click here to view and subscribe to our new and improved Google Youth Calendar!
iPhone Users: Click here to subscribe to our Youth Calendar
GroupMe
Click here to join the Youth Parent's group chat on the GroupMe
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Please contact Dana Smyth (dsmyth@bethlehemumc.com) for more info on any of these youth activities:
Youth activities are for anyone in grades 6 to 12.
THIS WEEK:
Sunday School – Every Sunday - 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Join us in the Banquet Hall Kitchen to start your week with breakfast and fellowship. From there we head to the Youth Classrooms to look for the word of God in our day-to-day.
Sunday Evening Activities 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. - Come join us for Dinner, Games, Worship and Study. Parents, please sign-up using this link for Sunday night meals or as a Small Group Leader: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C48A8AD2DA0FF2-bethlehem
Friends and guests between 6th and 12th grade are always welcome at our youth events!
College Student Care Packages
In preparation of packing college care packages on October 22, we need the addresses for your college kids. We want to make sure that we don’t miss anyone! We have started collecting goodies for the boxes. Contact Dana Smyth with your student’s address info.
We will be assembling about 35 College Care packages on October 22. There are two ways you can help us do this:
1. You can contribute something to put in the box. We are hoping to include a variety of things such as microwave popcorn, instant oatmeal, crackers, cookies, candy, post-it notes, bouncy balls, flavor packets for water, cough drops, mints and your notes or favorite Bible verses. Our young adults could use some love and encouragement from their church family. There is a container in the narthex for goodies.
2. You can contribute money for mailing expenses.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
October 22 – Pack College Care Packages – Sunday evening activities.
November 12 – Shoebox Packing at 4:30 and Church-Wide Thanksgiving Dinner at 6:00 PM.
November 17 - 19 - HARVEST WEEKEND IS BACK!!! Block your calendars now for a weekend retreat away from the craziness of middle school and high school. We’ll take the time to connect with each other, reflect on where God is in our lives and simply have a good time! This year we’ll enjoy Widjiwagan’s Giant Swing, Climbing Wall and Kangaroo Bouncer as well as four worship sessions and lessons. We will need volunteers and drivers for the weekend - please consider joining us for this wonderful weekend. More details coming soon!
Super Important Links:
Youth Calendar
Click here to view and subscribe to our new and improved Google Youth Calendar!
iPhone Users: Click here to subscribe to our Youth Calendar
GroupMe
Click here to join the Youth Parent's group chat on the GroupMe app.
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Monthly Mission – October 8
Every second Sunday of the month we collect food items to be donated to those less fortunate. The next collection will be Sunday, October 8 when we will collect pasta and pasta sauce. Please plan to bring your pasta and pasta sauce to the altar during the singing of the first hymn/song during either worship service.
Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Info
It's time to bring in school supplies, small cars, playing cards, baby dolls, stuffed animals, etc. for Operation Christmas Child. Christmas always feels like it comes a little early at Bethlehem as we start to prep for Shoeboxes! There's a lot of work that goes into the boxes long before the packing party (as many of you know already!). If you are interested in joining in the prep, we'd love your help.
Shoebox Prep Includes:
• Watching for really good deals on small dolls, hotwheels, playdough
• School Supplies organized and put into kits
• Hygiene Supplies purchased, organized and put into kits
• Donations sorted, prepped (packaging removed) and counted for a rough idea of packing setup
• T-shirts cut, stretched and braided for jump ropes
• Fleece cut and wrapped around dolls and stuffed animals
• Boxes Wrapped – Valerie Porter has wrapped hundreds, if not into the thousands, of the most beautiful boxes! But with the number of boxes that we're packing, Valerie could use some help.
• Quality Control of each box
Some of this is perfect for small groups of kids or adults to work on as a 30 to 45 minute service project (for scouts, etc.).
We are working towards packing 300 boxes this year...and each one has the power to change a life, by letting a little one know how much they matter!
Bethlehem UMC is a community Drop Off Location during National Collection Week: November 13 - 20!
Let April Jackson know if you would like more information or want to get involved.
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels has experienced an increased demand for persons needing meals. If you can spare a couple of hours once a month to help deliver meals, please contact Brenda Wilhoite (615-473-5217) for more info.
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Issues of the September/October Upper Room are now available in the Narthex and the black mailbox just outside the Sanctuary doors. Contact Dana Smyth if you have questions or need more info.
If you’re moving through a particularly difficult place in life perhaps a Stephen Minister could help. We currently have Stephen Ministers available to help you through a difficult journey. Please email Pastor Craig Goff or Pat Smith or call them at 615-794-6721.
If you have surgery planned or are ever in the hospital unexpectedly, please let the church know. You can email Dana Smyth or call the church office (615-794-6721). She will forward the information to the staff.