Bethlehem News - December 13, 2024
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 10:15 a.m. Sunday School will be at 9:00 for all ages. Remember, new worship and Sunday School schedule begins this week.
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.
Sunday Schedule
Each Sunday in December, we will gather at 9:00 a.m. for Sunday School. We will have some simple breakfast food for your kids, as we adjust to a new schedule.
Breakfast with St. Nick – December 14
Invite friends and join in the fun of Breakfast with St. Nick on Saturday, December 14 from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. We'll have food, crafts, games, and some great picture opportunities!
Christmas Eve Planning
It's not too early to let April know if your child would like to be a reader and help tell the Christmas Story at the 4:30 Christmas Eve service. Deadline to RSVP for a reading part is December 15. On Christmas Eve, all children are invited to come to the old sanctuary at 4:00, choose a costume, and take their place on stage as the Story is told. We will sing favorite carols and end with candlelight.
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,
It’s Christmas Party time! On Sunday night, we are hosting our first Christmas Progressive Dinner. We will travel around Nashville/Franklin for appetizers, entree and dessert. Dessert will conclude with our favorite white elephant gift exchange. Please bring a wrapped gift (under $20 value) to exchange. We will meet at Bethlehem at 4:30 pm and wrap up at 7:30 pm. Please RSVP so our host homes can make plans, click on this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfj7zExmuRRxsNgeCmSYpck0PRBcD6xejXDHAYfs5i4dZ0BLg/viewform
We will continue our Advent study, Almost Christmas at Sunday school. We will start with cinnamon rolls and wrapping our Bethlehem Angel Tree gifts. Please remember the time change, Sunday school is at 9:00 a.m. and worship at 10:15 a.m.
Registration for Discovery Weekend is now open! Discovery Weekend is a spiritual formation retreat (imagine all the goodness of summer camp crammed into a weekend!) held in the local church for youth in grades 6-12. Our weekend will be held January 10-12, 2025. We kickoff on Friday evening and wrap up on Sunday morning after the 10:15 a.m. worship service. Our theme is Rooted in God’s love from the book of Ephesians. The weekend includes meaningful worship experiences, engaging discussions, and fun-filled activities. It all happens right on our campus at Bethlehem UMC with our entire church wrapping their arms around our youth.
Whether you or your child have been active or not, you are invited to this weekend. Everyone is invited to experience God’s love and find out how much God has to say.
Register: If you have a young person in grades 6-12, sign them up for Discovery Weekend. We want EVERY young person involved in this weekend! Deadline to register is January 2. The cost is $75. Payment is due on January 10. It’s really important to register early so we can plan for meals and parents can receive important details. REGISTER HERE: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe9xESOb2rHye3dihhm8NNAJup4IaaQIiPrJ4X3onS3v_ri0Q/viewform
Join the Discovery Team: We’ll need to fill 60+ volunteer slots throughout the weekend. The whole church is invited to participate in the weekend through serving on the team, praying, providing meals and snacks, and more. SIGN-UP HERE: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044CA4AC2DA2F85-46943187-discovery#/
Pray: Please begin praying for this weekend and our youth community at Bethlehem UMC and make plans to attend the Church-Wide Prayer Service on January 11, at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
A Prayer for Advent
God of Joy, during this season when the sun sets early, help us to focus on the light that shatters the darkness. Give us the eyes to see you move among us and to experience a joy that transcends our circumstances. Give us the ears to hear again the good news. Amen.
As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Peace,
Alison Bocking+
Director of Youth Ministries
Upcoming Events:
Looking ahead:
• December 15 – Sunday School: 9:00 a.m., Youth Group Progressive Dinner/Christmas Party: 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.
• December 22 – Sunday School: 9:00 a.m., NO Youth Group
• December 29 – Sunday School: 9:00 a.m., NO Youth Group
• January 5 – Sunday School: 9:00 a.m., Youth Group Outing to Zoolumination
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.
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, January 12, when we will collect pasta and pasta sauce. Please plan to bring your pasta and pasta sauce 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.
Room in the Inn Needs YOU
It’s time to sign-up to help with Room in the Inn. Bethlehem partners with Room in the Inn (RITI) to host 10 homeless men every Saturday night from November through March. If you are interested in participating in this ministry, sign-up sheets are in the Narthex and Gathering Space or by using this Sign-Up Genius link: http://www.bethlehemumc.com/riti If you have any questions or need more info, please contact Mike Loring (mloring@live.com or 615-596-0985).
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Issues of the November/December 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.