April 6, 2022
Friends in Faith—
Last week, we spent some time remembering—the past, who we once were, and the many blessings God has showered upon us and Bethany. Now, this coming Sunday, April 10, will be focusing on looking towards our future. We'll ponder where God is leading us and how we might be more open to a new vision for the church in this time and place. This Sunday is also Palm Sunday which is the beginning of Holy Week. Our scripture passages include Jeremiah 29: 1-14 and John 12: 12-19.
Each Sunday, pianist Natalya Amelchenko begins playing gathering music at 10:20 a.m, with the service starting at 10:30 a.m. Folks can also join from home on Facebook. (You can also watch prior services at any time here.)
Today—Wednesday, April 6th, at 11 a.m.—is our "First Wednesday What's Happening" on Zoom. It's a time of conversation and catching up with Bethany friends. Click here for log-in information.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
Jim Guida, the chair of our Worship and Arts Commission, is seeking a volunteer to clean our candlesticks. Please reach out to him or me if you are interested.
We are also hoping to have some special music on Easter morning - if you are interested in singing a song or playing an instrument, please let me know ASAP!
Once upon a time, each of our commissions had several members. Now, most are lucky to have one or two volunteers. So we are experimenting with doing the work of our church in new ways. We have a variety of sign-up sheets throughout the building. If you would like to help with worship— as a liturgist, greeter, or usher—please choose a date. If you would like to sing a song or play an instrument in worship, we are taking sign-ups for special music offerings at Bethany. We also have a sign-up sheet for folks who are willing to bring a treat for coffee hour. We are so appreciative to all of these volunteers who help enrich our collective life at Bethany! And please let us know if there are other ways that you'd like to share your gifts.
Next Monday, April 11, Bethany is participating in a volunteer morning at the SSIP Food Closet. Come and lend a helping hand and experience the good work of our neighbors, the SSIP Food Closet. We'll begin our work at 8:30 a.m. and finish by 11:40 a.m. If you have questions, reach out to Cathy Sapunor.
A FEW UPDATES:
On Monday, April 25, the Spiritual Formation Commission is offering a movie—"The Shack." The event begins at 10 a.m. It's a thought-provoking movie sure to generate a good faith discussion.
On Saturday, May 7, we are having our Mother's Day Tea in our Fellowship Hall! The event begins at 2 p.m. Free!
On Saturday, May 14, we'll be participating in the CROP Walk. We'll be walking at 9 a.m. and funds raised will benefit Church World Service and the SSIP Food Closet. More details coming soon.
COVID Updates:
Masks are no longer required in our building, but feel free to continue to use yours if you have concerns. We do recognize that we are vulnerable community due to our age.
Do note that if we hear of someone in our community testing positive for COVID, we will e-mail our members/friends/renters concerning the time frame of when exposure may have occurred on our campus. So if you happened to be in our building during a time frame in question, you can then feel free to take a test if you so desire. We ask that everyone continue to sign in and out when at the church so that we can help keep track of possible exposures.
We strongly recommended that all worship attendees have gotten their booster shot. If you are not feeling well, we also ask that you stay home and worship virtually. See above for the Facebook link!
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST SESSION (BOARD OF ELDERS) UPDATE. We are so grateful for leaders who have stepped up and who are sharing their gifts to lead us into a new chapter at Bethany!
As a faith community, we have the privilege of being able to journey with one another through a chaotic and beautiful world, full of many highs and lows. We celebrate one another's victories, and we hold one another in prayer during those times of pain, fear, and loss. If you have prayers that you would like to share with our community, please contact me or Office Manager Maria Mar. Also, be sure to indicate if you'd like your prayer to be shared, or if you'd like it to be held in confidentiality.
God hears all of our prayers, and in Christ, we find healing, wholeness, and new beginnings. With each passing day, the Spirit of God is presenting us with new opportunities of love and grace. No matter what comes our way, all roads lead to Jesus—thanks be to God!
Blessings to all,
Jesse
