Bethlehem News - October 20th, 2023
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 8:15 and 10:45 a.m.
This week's worship services will be live streamed and recorded on our church website and on Facebook. Currently the worship bulletin is available on the website then by clicking on News tab, then Bulletin and Announcements tab.
The 2023 flower sign-up sheets are in the Church Office. Arrangements are $50.00 each and can be taken home after the end of the 10:45 worship service. Flowers can also be reserved using the Sign-Up Genius link 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:
Trunk ‘R Treat
Mark your calendar and start inviting friends of all ages! Join us from 4:28 - 6:28 p.m. on Saturday, October 28 for Trunk ’R Treat! Everyone is encouraged to dress in costume and come for a pizza/snack dinner and lots of fun! We’ll have bounce houses, games, a fun walk, and crafts.
Adults: plan to decorate your trunk and bring candy or treats to hand out to the kids. Prizes will be awarded to the best decorated trunks!
Kids: don’t forget your treat bags. Invite your friends, family, and neighbors for a fun, FREE night for ALL ages! You won’t want to miss Trunk ’R Treat!
Trunk 'R Treat may very well be the unveiling of next year's VBS theme . . . !
Don't miss it!
Operation Christmas Child
We are gathering small toys and items for shoebox gifts. Bring your donations any time between now and November 12. We are also collecting normal sized shoeboxes.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
October 28 – Trunk 'R Treat - 4:28-6:28 p.m. Join us in the Gym for pizza, bounce houses, crafts, games and more! Invite family and friends!
November 5 - Rice and Bean Packing - 9:15 a.m. join us in the Gym to help pack a ton of rice and 1,000 pounds of beans!
November 12 - Shoebox Packing Party for Operation Christmas Child - 4:30 p.m. gather in the Old Sanctuary. Bring small toys and gifts to help pack gift boxes to go to children in need all over the world.
Less than 100 days to Christmas . . . make a list with your family. . . of something that you're thankful for each day until then!
Grateful for you!
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 during each service.
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.
Children’s Sunday School
We learn through Bible reading activities, games, discussion, a 2 - 3 minute video, theme-related snacks and more — 9:30 a. m. each Sunday in the Old Sanctuary and Children’s Classrooms.
Nursery Available
Nursery is available for children 3 and under, on Sunday mornings from 8:10 a.m. through the end of the 10:45 service.
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Please contact Dana Smyth (dsmyth@bethlehemumc.com) for more info on any of these youth activities:
Youth activities are for anyone in grades 6 to 12.
THIS WEEK:
Sunday School – Every Sunday - 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Join us in the Banquet Hall Kitchen to start your week with breakfast and fellowship. From there we head to the Youth Classrooms to discuss how we show God’s Love with Bob Goff’s study Love Does.
Sunday Evening Activities 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. - Come join us for Dinner, Games, Worship and Study. Parents, please sign-up using this link for Sunday night meals or as a Small Group Leader: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C48A8AD2DA0FF2-bethlehem
October 22- Regular Youth Sunday Night (5:00 - 7:30 p.m.) - this evening we’ll begin our new Advent Study - we are starting early so we can get through the full study before Christmas. We’ll also be packing boxes for our College students.
Upcoming Events
October 28 - Trunk-or-Treat (4:28 - 6:28 p.m.) - Erin Holdaway is heading up a Youth Trunk for this special event. Come join the fun and welcome our community for an evening of fun. If you’d like to help with the Youth Trunk - please contact Erin (bumcerindan@yahoo.com) so she’ll know how many trunks we’ll need. Youth families are also welcome to have their own family trunk - the more trunks the merrier really. Also, if any youth would like to help April with activities that night, she could use some hands - just let her know at ajackson@bethlehemumc.com.
October 29 - Halloween Party (5:00 - 7:30 p.m.) - This year we’ll be enjoying a youth favorite - Murder Mystery Game. This year’s game and theme will be Murder at the Pizzeria. Costumes welcome - Pizzeria themed costumes even better! I’ll cover the food this year, but we could use a parent or two to volunteer during the party. Please let Jen know if you can help (jen@mcquistontn.com / 615-516-2297)
November 5 - Sunday School (9:30 - 10:30) - We’ll join with the rest of the congregation in packing rice and beans.
Sunday Night Youth (5-7:30) - We’ll continue with our Advent Series and lend a hand to Operation Christmas Child.
November 12 - Sunday School (9:30-10:30) we’ll continue the journey with Bob Goff’s Love Does series.
No Sunday Night Youth - Instead plan to join the church packing shoeboxes and for our Churchwide Thanksgiving Dinner.
November 17 - 19 - HARVEST!
Registration is now open. Cost is $125 for the full weekend. Harvest is a wonderful, off site retreat to take a break from the craziness of school and to connect with God. This year’s theme is Hide and Seek and will focus on connecting to Jesus. While we’re there we’ll enjoy a series of four worships and small group discussions, yummy meals, time to relax, games, crafts, three adventures - Rockwall Climbing, Giant Swing and the Kangaroo Bounce - and most importantly building community through fellowship with one another. Plus, you’ll get a free t-shirt! All youth, 6th-12th grade, are welcome. Please bring friends. Contact Dana Smyth at dsmyth@bethlehemumc.com to register. Scholarships are available. We also need Parent Volunteers for the weekend- ideally one man and one woman so we have cabin coverage at night - this is a great event for not just the kids, but also our volunteers. Feel free to contact Jen (jen@mcquistontn.com / 615-516-2297) to learn more about Harvest either for your kids or to volunteer.
College Student Care Packages
In preparation of packing college care packages this Sunday, we need the addresses for your college kids. We want to make sure that we don’t miss anyone! We have started collecting goodies for the boxes. Contact Dana Smyth with your student’s address info.
We will be assembling about 35 College Care packages on October 22. There are two ways you can help us do this:
1. You can contribute something to put in the box. We are hoping to include a variety of things such as microwave popcorn, instant oatmeal, crackers, cookies, candy, post-it notes, bouncy balls, flavor packets for water, cough drops, mints and your notes or favorite Bible verses. Our young adults could use some love and encouragement from their church family. There is a container in the narthex for goodies.
2. You can contribute money for mailing expenses.
Super Important Links:
Youth Calendar
Click here to view and subscribe to our new and improved Google Youth Calendar!
iPhone Users: Click here to subscribe to our Youth Calendar
GroupMe
Click here to join the Youth Parent's group chat on the GroupMe app.
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Every second Sunday of the month we collect food items to be donated to those less fortunate. The next collection will be Sunday, November 12 when we will collect boxes of canned good for Share the Feast. Please plan to bring your canned goods to the altar during the singing of the first hymn/song during either worship service.
Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Info:
It's time to bring in school supplies, small cars, playing cards, baby dolls, stuffed animals, etc. for Operation Christmas Child. Christmas always feels like it comes a little early at Bethlehem as we start to prep for Shoeboxes! There's a lot of work that goes into the boxes long before the packing party (as many of you know already!). If you are interested in joining in the prep, we'd love your help.
Shoebox Prep Includes:
• Watching for really good deals on small dolls, hotwheels, playdough
• School Supplies organized and put into kits
• Hygiene Supplies purchased, organized and put into kits
• Donations sorted, prepped (packaging removed) and counted for a rough idea of packing setup
• T-shirts cut, stretched and braided for jump ropes
• Fleece cut and wrapped around dolls and stuffed animals
• Boxes Wrapped – Valerie Porter has wrapped hundreds, if not into the thousands, of the most beautiful boxes! But with the number of boxes that we're packing, Valerie could use some help.
• Quality Control of each box
Some of this is perfect for small groups of kids or adults to work on as a 30 to 45 minute service project (for scouts, etc.).
We are working towards packing 300 boxes this year...and each one has the power to change a life, by letting a little one know how much they matter!
Bethlehem UMC is a community Drop Off Location during National Collection Week: November 13 - 20!
Let April Jackson know if you would like more information or want to get involved.
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels has experienced an increased demand for persons needing meals. If you can spare a couple of hours once a month to help deliver meals, please contact Brenda Wilhoite (615-473-5217) for more info.
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Issues of the November/December Upper Room are now available in the Narthex and the black mailbox just outside the Sanctuary doors. 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 email Pastor Craig Goff or Pat Smith or call them at 615-794-6721.
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.