Bethlehem News - April 4, 2025
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 10:15 a.m. Sunday School will be at 9:00 a.m. for all ages.
This week's worship service will be live streamed and recorded on our church website and on Facebook. Currently the worship bulletin is available on the website by clicking on the All Media tab, then the Media tab and then the Bulletin and Announcements tab.
The 2025 flower sign-up sheets are in the Church Office. Arrangements are $50.00 each and can be taken home after the end of the 10:15 worship service. Flowers can also be reserved using this Sign-Up Genius link (www.Bethlehemumc.com/flowers) 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.
This Sunday and Holy Week Activities
This coming Sunday (April 6) is Communion Sunday. We are going to take this opportunity to have bread and juice with the kids during Children's church, as we learn about the Last Supper. We will also have a few other things for the kids to taste – please be sure to alert us to any allergies!
Our new pastor will be announced during worship service this Sunday, April 6. Come and learn more!
Next Sunday, April 13, we will have a Palm Parade for the kids to join in at the beginning of the 10:15 service. When we leave for Children's Church, the kids will be making their own Holy Week boxes that will help them understand all that happened between Palm Sunday and Easter. If your child is unable to attend, let me know and I'll make sure that they can get a Holy Week box to take home.
Maundy Thursday service at 7:00 p.m., April 17, will be a family friendly service in the Banquet Hall.
Good Friday service is at 7:00 p.m., April 18. Nursery will be available for infants through Kindergarteners.
Saturday, April 19, invite friends and join us for games, crafts, and an awesome Easter Egg Hunt beginning at 10:00 a.m.!
Be sure to make some time to walk through the Easter Story Walk on the grounds. The Story Walk has beautiful illustrations that help tell the Easter story. Watch for the Story Walk to be out starting next Sunday (given cooperation from the weather).
Vacation Bible School (VBS)
TRUE NORTH VBS 2025 REGISTRATION IS OPEN!! June 9 - 13 from 9:00 to noon each day. Get ready for the ultimate Alaskan adventure where northern lights glow over majestic mountains, racing rivers, and glistening glaciers. As kids trek the tundra, they’ll explore how easy it is to lose sight of what’s true in our wild world today. Pointing them toward Jesus, True North VBS shows them that Jesus is a faithful friend that we can always trust. He’s our True North! Register your kids today or sign up to volunteer as a leader or helper: https://vbspro.events/p/lights Free to kids ages 4 by 8/1/25 (and potty-trained) thru completing 5th grade. Registration will be limited to ensure the safety of all.
VBS Registration is at half capacity. Don't wait to register and invite friends! https://vbspro.events/p/lights
Acolytes Needed for Sunday Worship
We are looking at the calendar for the new church year. Last year, we had a nearly full calendar with at least one of our Acolytes serving every Sunday! That is amazing! Let's continue strong and fill up the months of March and April. Let April Jackson know when your Acolyte would like to serve!
Children’s Church
Please make sure that you use the Sign Up sheets in the Narthex to register your children. If possible, please sign them in before the service begins. Children's church is offered each week.
Worship Bags
Worship bags are on the hooks in the hallway across from Pastor Craig’s office. Keep us in mind if you get tired of your Rubik's cubes or other quiet gadgets and want to donate new or lightly used items.
Nursery Available
Nursery is available for children 3 and under, every Sunday morning from 8:45 a.m. until the end of the 10:15 worship service.
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Please contact Alison Bocking (abocking@bethlehemumc.com) for more info on any of these youth activities:
Friends and guests between 6th and 12th grade are always welcome at all of our youth events!
Dear Parents and Youth,
Hope everyone is enjoying the glorious sunshine today! It’s hard to believe that spring is here and we’re inching closer to sweet summertime. I’m so excited about our mission trip to NC, we already have a handful of youth signed up! Wednesday I will be on a Zoom call with the Rev. Dawn Martin, Director of Mission Outreach & Engagement at Hinton to learn all about our week in Hayesville. We will have an Q&A meeting for any youth and parents/adults interested in learning more about the trip on Sunday, April 13 at 5:00 p.m. Please mark your calendar and join us!
Sunday school will continue this week with our Lenten study, Bread of Life. This study highlights how Jesus fed people — not just their bodies but also their souls — with good news, stories of redemption, and parables that showed the way of God’s kin(g)dom. Confirmation will continue this week as we learn about prayer. We will meet in the Banquet Hall kitchen for conversation and cinnamon rolls before breaking into two groups for our class time. Youth group will meet from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. We hope you will join us!
To download our spring/summer calendar, click here: https://mcusercontent.com/616f5a0b85d4305540051b1b2/files/5672849e-5f9e-4420-eec7-865cb64bc15c/Spring_calendar.pdf
UMYF Benediction
"May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace,
both now and forever more."
As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Peace,
Alison Bocking+
Director of Youth Ministries
Looking ahead:
• April 6 – Sunday School: 9:00 a.m., Youth Group: 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
• April 13 – Sunday School: 9:00 a.m., Youth Group: 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
• April 19 – Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Lily Setup 10:00 a.m.
Click here to view and subscribe to our new and improved Google Youth Calendar!
iPhone Users: Click here to subscribe to our Youth Calendar
Click here to join the Youth Parent's group chat on the GroupMe app.
Click here to pick a Calendly date
Do you have a soccer game, orchestra performance, community play you'd like Alison to attend? Or maybe a family game night? Dinner outing? Parent chat over coffee? Please sign up for a date and time. If the time exceeds one hour, please select an additional block of time.
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Communion Offering – April 6
The Communion offering on Sunday, April 6 will be directed to Church Has Left the Building for any expenses incurred. Some of the expenses include: cookies that are baked and sent to the local schools and fire stations, mulch for any gardening activities and other related expenses.
Monthly Mission
The next monthly mission will be Sunday, April 13, 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 to share with those less fortunate. All items collected will be given to Feed America First.
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Issues of the March/April Upper Room are in the black mailbox just outside the Sanctuary doors and on the tables in the Narthex. 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 contact Pat Smith (psmith@bethlehemumc.com or 615-794-6721) for more info.
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.