Bethlehem News - April 25, 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 9:00 a.m. for one service as part of Church Has Left the Building. If you have a Fish Fry T-Shirt, please wear it to worship on Sunday morning. Please see the Important News section of today’s newsletter for more info on the one worship service.
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.
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 April, May and June. Let April Jackson know when your Acolyte would like to serve!
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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,
Happy Easter! We hope everyone had a joy-filled weekend! It was so great to see everyone throughout Holy Week and Easter. This Sunday, we leave the walls of the sanctuary to serve God through Church Has Left the Building. We are encouraging all our youth and families to serve on a project that interests them. You can see all the different projects here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A4CA4A72CA3FB6-55380474-church#/
We will resume our normal schedule on May 4 with Sunday school and Confirmation at 9:00 a.m. and our Bethlehem Trivia Night at 5:00 p.m. The youth will host a trivia night to raise funds for our trip to Hinton Rural Life Center. We encourage parents to join a team with friends, neighbors or their Sunday school class.
Suggested donation is $15 per person or $120 per team. We'll have live trivia hosted by Nerdy Talk Trivia, pizza, popcorn, beverages and prizes. Register with your friends as a table host for a team of eight, or you can also register as an individual. To RSVP yourself or your team, please visit this link: https://forms.gle/iwYRHFziP1pV75im6
Easter Prayer by Rev. Michaela Youngson, the Methodist Church of Britain
Gracious God, We praise you for the light of new life made possible through Jesus.
We praise you for the light of new life that shone on the first witnesses of resurrection. We praise you for the light of new life that continues to shine in our hearts today.
We pray that the Easter light of life, hope and joy, will live in us each day; and that we will be bearers of that light into the lives of others. Amen.
As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Peace,
Alison Bocking+
Director of Youth Ministries
Looking ahead:
· April 27 – Church Has Left the Building. No Sunday school or youth group.
· May 4 – Sunday School & Confirmation: 9:00 a.m., Bethlehem Trivia Night, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
· May 11 – Sunday School & Confirmation: 9:00 AM, No Youth Group (Mother’s Day)
· May 18 – Sunday School & Confirmation: 9:00 AM, Confirmation and 2025 Graduate Sunday, Youth Group, 5:00 – 7:00 p.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 – May 4
The Communion offering on Sunday, May 4 will be directed to Project Transformation.
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.