Important Upcoming Events - November 17th
Church Office Closed
The church office will be closed next Thursday and Friday, November 23 & 24, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Normal office hours will resume on Monday, November 27. If you have a pastoral emergency, contact Pastor Craig Goff at (615) 337-4281.
One Worship Service November 26
We will have one worship service Sunday, November 26 at 9:30 a.m.
Help Decorate for Advent
In preparation for Advent and Christmas, decorating the Sanctuary and Narthex will be on Tuesday, November 28 beginning at 12:30 p.m. Contact Jan Speer (jtoli1@comcast.net or 615-516-9017) if you have questions or need more info.
Christmas at Beersheba
Make your Christmas season extra meaningful this year by attending Christmas at Beersheba (United Methodist Assembly)! Everyone is invited to join us for singing Carols and a Traditional Holiday Dinner followed by a Spirit-Filled Worship. Meet and greet in the Historic Hotel Lobby with hors d’oeuvres. Christmas Dinner in the Dining Hall then a Spirit-Filled Worship in the Chapel
The cost is $29.00 per person for the day event. Dates are November 30, December 2, 4, 5, and 7, 2023. To register or for more info visit this link:
https://www.beershebaassembly.org/event/christmas-at-beersheba/
Mission Market
Bethlehem once again will host a Mission Market on Sunday, December 3. Various non-profit agencies will be available with items for you to do some of your Christmas shopping. Contact April Jackson (ajackson@bethlehemumc.com) or Gabby Dannemiller (gabbydannemiller@icloud.com) if you have questions or need more info.
Charge Conference Reports
It was requested at Charge Conference on November 11 that the reports submitted to the District Office be posted on the church’s website. That work is being processed and the appropriate link will be made available once the info is posted.
Angel Tree
The Angel Tree is up in the Gathering Space! Our angels come from Bridges Domestic Violence Center, Burns Tabernacle Primitive Baptist Church and Room in the Inn. Please sign the book when you select your angel. Gifts are due by December 17. Backpacks are provided for the Room in The Inn gifts. Shopping is easy this year with most of the angels requesting gifts from Amazon, Gift Cards or items from local retailers. For more information, please call or text Lisa McIntyre at 615-210-0662.
Share the Feast Thank You!
We collected about 13,000 pounds of food from 11 schools in Williamson County. Then on Saturday, November 11, we sorted it all and built 500 food boxes! Tom Henry is so moved by the thousands of kids, several thousand families, donating to help people they will never meet. Share the Feast is an idea begun by one teacher who wanted to connect her affluent kids with the hunger existing right here in our own community. And thanks to the members of Bethlehem, who contributed so much time to help sort and re-pack the food, and raise the $8,000 to provide turkeys for each family. Truly God's hand at work!
Prayer Warriors
Bethlehem has a group that meets on the first and third Monday of each month at 4:30 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.
Flowers Needed for December 10 & 31
Flowers are needed for December 10 & 31 worship services. 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 from the church website (www.bethlehemumc.com) and select the Sunday/Sundays you want or you may contact Dana Smyth (615-794-6721 or dsmyth@bethlehemumc.com).
Room in the Inn
Once again 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. We pick up the men Saturday night and return them to our campus. They sleep on cots in the gym. We provide them dinner, breakfast, and a sack lunch to take with them. Then, on Sunday morning, we return them to Nashville. 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: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A4CA4A72CA3FB6-room5#/
If you have any questions or need more info, please contact Mike Loring or 615-596-0985. Thank you.
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.
Financial Information Update
For 2023 financial info, please use the following link on the church’s website: http://www.bethlehemumc.com/finance
Save the Date for These Important Events
November 17 - 20 — Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Community Drop Off at Bethlehem - On the 20th we will take a moving truck full of collected shoebox gifts to the semi-truck in Green Hills.
December 2 — Breakfast with St. Nick (Saturday) Enjoy food, a hot chocolate bar (& coffee!), games, meaningful crafts, and fun with St. Nick from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. in the Banquet Hall. Come and go as it fits your schedule.
December 3 — Mission Market – Gathering Space
December 10 – Choir Cantata – both worship services (8:15 & 10:45 a.m.)