Bethlehem News - April 18, 2025
Click below to read updates from various ministries at Bethlehem United Methodist Church
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We are worshipping together this Sunday at 7:00 a.m. for a Sunrise Service – outside the Old Sanctuary – and at 10:15 a.m. – in the Sanctuary. 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.
Holy Week and Easter Activities
Nursery & childcare will be available during the Good Friday 7:00 p.m. service for those Kindergarten age & under. This is a powerful service with candlelight and special music.
Saturday at 10:00 a.m. there will be a lot of eggs (candy!), activities, & fun at our Easter egg hunt! Also on the church grounds, you’ll find the beautifully illustrated, ‘Twas the Morning of Easter story walk. Invite friends & neighbors and come for the fun!
We especially hope that you’ll join us on Easter Sunday! There is a 7:00 a.m. Sunrise service outside the Old Sanctuary and 10:15 a.m. morning worship. Come a little early and add a flower to the living cross (by the garden entrance – between the Old Sanctuary and Sanctuary) before the service. What a beautiful spot for Easter pictures! Thank you Georgeann McCoy and our faithful Garden Angels!
Kids are invited to meet for Sunday small group time at 9:00 a.m. Nursery and 10:15 Children's Church will be available too!
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.
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,
One of the gifts of Holy Week is the invitation for us to walk with Jesus, step by step, through the momentous events of the last week of his life and into the mystery of the resurrection. We travel from his triumphal entry on Palm Sunday, to the vulnerability of the Last Supper, through the agony of the crucifixion on Good Friday and the wonder-filled joy of Easter morning.
Please join us for our Good Friday service at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
All youth are invited to help with decorating the Sanctuary for Easter Sunday. We will meet at 10:00 a.m. in the Youth Hall on Saturday, April 19. This is a quick and easy way to earn funds for your student account. These funds can be used to pay for your trip to Hinton Rural Life Center or future retreats.
Sunday school and Confirmation will meet on Easter Sunday at 9:00 a.m. We’ll start off in the Banquet Hall kitchen with cinnamon rolls and bacon!
Gethsemane by Mary Oliver
"The grass never sleeps. Or the roses. Nor does the lily have a secret eye that shuts until morning. Jesus said, wait with me. But the disciples slept. The cricket has such splendid fringe on its feet, and it sings, have you noticed, with its whole body, and heaven knows if it ever sleeps. Jesus said, wait with me. And maybe the stars did, maybe the wind wound itself into a silver tree, and didn't move, maybe the lake far away, where once he walked as on a blue pavement, lay still and waited, wild awake. Oh the dear bodies, slumped and eye-shut, that could not keep that vigil, how they must have wept, so utterly human, knowing this too must be a part of the story.
As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Peace,
Alison Bocking+
Director of Youth Ministries
Looking ahead:
• April 18 – Glavin Scholarship Deadline (12th grade)
• April 19 – Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Lily Setup, 10:00 a.m.
• April 20 – Easter Sunday! Sunday School & Confirmation: 9:00 a.m. (No Youth Group), Worship at 7:00 a.m. (Sunrise – Outside Old Sanctuary) and 10:15 a.m. (Sanctuary)
• April 27 – Church Has Left the Building: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A4CA4A72CA3FB6-55380474-church#/
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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Monthly Mission
The next monthly mission will be Sunday, May 11, when we will collect peanut butter and jelly. Please plan to bring your peanut butter and jelly 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 May/June 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.