April 27, 2022
Friends in Faith—
The four Gospel accounts share some powerful stories of Jesus appearing to his disciples after his resurrection. This coming Sunday—May 1—our text is from John 20: 19-23. In the midst of the grief and terror of Jesus' crucifixion, while they are hiding in fear of arrest, Jesus appears to his disciples and offers them peace.
We'll be reflecting on the ways that Christ offers us his peace in the midst of turmoil, failures and the unknown.
In addition, after his resurrection, Jesus was made known to his disciples in the breaking of bread and the sharing of the cup—an ancient sacrament that we'll be sharing in this Sunday. If you are worshiping from home, be sure to have some bread and juice on hand.
Also, the first Sunday of the month is when we collect canned/dry goods for the SSIP Food Closet. You can bring your donations this Sunday and bring them forward during the first hymn.
Sunday’s hymns will include: #382 "Somebody's Knocking At Your Door", #119 "The Strife is O'er", and #368 "I've Got Peace Like a River."
For those folks who worship with us virtually, if you have a joy or concern to share with us, please write it on our Facebook wall and I'll include it in our time of prayer.
As always, the worship service will begin at 10:30 a.m. Pianist Natalya Amelchenko begins playing gathering music at 10:20 a.m. Folks can join from home on Facebook. (You can also watch prior services at any time here.) Consider asking a friend to join you in person at the service … or start a “watch party” on your Facebook account!
"Smile Amazon" is a charity program started by Amazon several years ago—and it's a super-easy way to donate to your favorite charity, including Bethany! A small portion of each of your purchases is donated to the charity of your choice by simply going to this link every time you need to make a purchase through Amazon.com. You'll find you can choose the charity of your choice to support—and if you search for "Bethany Presbyterian Church," you'll find that you can select it as your charity. Every cent counts!
On Saturday, May 7, we are having our Mother's Day Tea in our Fellowship Hall! The event begins at 2 p.m. Free! Click here for details.
On Saturday, May 14, we'll be participating in the CROP Hunger Walk. We'll be walking at 9 a.m. and funds raised will benefit Church World Service and the SSIP Food Closet. Click here to join the team or pledge your support.
Next Wednesday, May 4, 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.
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!
Violence and warfare continue to be waged in Ukraine and many other nations around the world. We pray for peace, healing, and new beginnings for all of those in the midst of such circumstances.
Blessings to all,
Jesse
