Important Upcoming Events - April 5, 2024
Easter Lilies Available
There are extra Easter lilies available in the Narthex. Please feel free to take one (or more) with you next time you are at church. If you want one for a friend or homebound person, feel free to take one for them as well.
The church will be open Friday until 1:00 p.m. Also, you may pick one up on Sunday when you attend worship. Remember, there is only one worship service on Sunday, April 7, at 9:00 a.m. prior to going to serve in the community for Church Has Left the Building.
Emergency Contact Info for Month of April
April 1 began Pastor Craig’s month long renewal leave, for any pastoral needs, please contact Rev. Betty Proctor, the senior pastor at Hillsboro United Methodist Church, and retired pastor Rev. Denman Frazier.
Rev. Proctor can be reached at 615-595-0155 and at pastor@hillsboroumc.com
Rev. Frazier can be reached at 615-202-6607 and at denmanfrazer@gmail.com
Church Has Left the Building – THIS Sunday!
Sign-up sheets for Church Has Left the Building (April 7) are online at Bethlehemumc.com/chlb Contact Dana Smyth (dsmyth@bethlehehumc.com or 615-794-6721) if you have questions or need more info. If you have a Fish Fry T-shirt, please wear it on Sunday to help the community know you are a part of Bethlehem UMC.
Church Has Left the Building – April 7
Hillsboro Road Project Help Needed
Kevin King is in charge of the project to pick-up trash and clean Hillsboro Road as part of Church Has Left the Building. He is looking for 10-12 volunteers to assist with this project. The church will be furnishing gloves, trash bags, and vests. Please contact Kevin (kevin@kingpipeline.net) at your earliest convenience so he can make a list that will allow him to know how to setup traffic control. We will meet in the Sanctuary that morning at 9:00 a.m. and following the worship service, we will meet in the parking lot to disperse with our work.
Church Has Left the Building – Bake Cookies in Advance
One way to help with Church Has Left the Building is to bake cookies, brownies or other kinds of treats to send to the staff at area schools. You can bake your treats at home and bring them to the gym kitchen by 10:00 a.m. on Sunday so they can be included with the items that will be baked Sunday morning. If you have questions or need more info, contact Robin Folks at rhfolks@comcast.net
General Conference Delegation | Informational Webinar
Join the General Conference TWK Delegation on April 9 at 7:00 p.m. for a live informational webinar. During the session, delegates will discuss proposed legislation and address questions from participants. The webinar link will be posted on the conference website that evening. To submit questions in advance, visit https://twkumc.org/general-conference-information/ and use the contact form provided at https://twkumc.org/news/questions-or-comments-about-general-conference/
Staff Changes
Please see the message below from Daniel Fiamengo, our 10:45 Service Worship Leader. We are sad to see him go but celebrate the next step in his musical career. We are actively working on finding our next musical leader.
Bo Turner, SPRC Chair
Bethlehem,
After much consideration and reflection, I have come to the difficult decision to pursue a new chapter in my professional and personal life. Starting on April 17th, I will be embarking on a new adventure as a performer with Holland America Cruise Line and Windish Entertainment, participating in a nightly Dueling Piano show on their Eurodam ship. We will be embarking from Vancouver and sailing around Alaska and British Columbia, Canada for several months. This decision was not made lightly; ultimately I felt it best to step down and allow a new worship leader to grow into my position rather than continue to lead inconsistently and bank on the infinite patience and flexibility of this great congregation. I want to express my deep gratitude for the support, guidance, and camaraderie I have experienced during my time at Bethlehem UMC. I am truly thankful for the opportunities I've had to contribute to the vibrant worship community at the church. Working with such a talented and dedicated team has been a privilege, and I am proud of the progress we've made together. I trust that the ministry will continue to thrive, and I look forward to witnessing its continued success from a different vantage point. Thank you once again for the opportunities and the positive experiences. I am appreciative of the relationships I've built and the growth I've experienced during my time as Contemporary Worship Leader.
Best,
Daniel Ryan Fiamengo
Adjunct Professor
B.M. Commercial Music
Belmont University
M.M. Studio Jazz Writing
The University of Miami
303-775-6260
Reception for Daniel Fiamengo
Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) will host an informal farewell reception for Daniel Fiamengo on Sunday, April 14, immediately following the 10:45 worship service in the Gathering Space. For more info, please contact SPCR chair, Bo Turner (botrnr@yahoo.com).
Prayer Warriors
Bethlehem has a group of Prayer Warriors that meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 2:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary to pray for all those on the church’s prayer list and other requests. If you have a prayer request you would like this group to lift in prayer, please contact either Betty Swilley (swilleyb@bellsouth.net) or Pat Smith (psmith@bethlehemumc.com). Everyone is invited to join the group to pray. Next meeting will be on April 16.
Room in the Inn Needs
Room in the Inn is a year round program for the homeless population in Nashville. Currently the program has the following over the counter drug needs: ibuprofen, acetaminophen, cough drops, antacids, multivitamins, Chapstick, daytime cold & flu soft gels and feminine hygiene products. Bethlehem will be collecting these items to take to the Room in the Inn campus as part of Church Has Left the Building on April 7. Please leave your unopened packages of these items in the designated container.
Project Transformation
In the second chapter of John, Jesus is preparing to transform water into wine and he asks the servants to fill the large jars with water. He could have changed the air into water - or just made the wine appear, but Jesus chose instead to let them help in his first miracle. The Scriptures tell us that they filled the jars “to the brim.”
This summer, we have the opportunity to assist Jesus in another kind of transformation. Project Transformation helps the local church, college-aged interns and children work together for the growth of all three. This year our week for reading volunteers is June 24 - 27 at Antioch UMC. Intern meals will be lunch one day between May 27 - 29 and dinner one night during our reading week. You can help with these things or bring healthy snacks to the tote in the narthex, donate for books to be distributed to the children, and pray for the PT children. Readers need to be at least 13 years old.
If you have questions about the program, contact Rebecca Little at rebecca8916@gmail.com. We are looking forward to being a part of God’s work this summer.
Vacation Bible School (VBS) 2024
This summer, we're diving deep below the surface to build a strong faith! VBS Kids' Camp is June 10 - 14 from 9:00 a.m. – noon. Join us for an amazing undersea adventure where we’ll experience the ever-flowing, never-ending love of God. At Scuba VBS, kids will be immersed in the Word as they make new friends, sing & dance, play games, explore, and play! For more info or if you have questions, contact April Jackson (ajackson@bethlehemumc.com).
Updated Safety & Security Measures
In an effort to provide safety for the church staff, preschool and Chesterton Academy of the Incarnation, all exterior doors will be locked during the week. If you arrive at church and the door by the Sanctuary is locked, please ring the doorbell or call the church (615-794-6721) for assistance.
Save the Date for These Important Events
April 7 — Church Has Left the Building – One Worship Service at 9:00 a.m.
Communion Offering will be directed to Red Bird Missions
May 27 — Church Closed for Memorial Day
June 10 - 14 — Vacation Bible School 9:00 a.m. to noon each day
June 17 - 19 — Annual Conference in Murfreesboro
June 24 - 27 — Project Transformation Week
July 4 — Church Closed for Independence Day
June 19 — Fish Fry