Important Upcoming Events - September 29th, 2023
Celebrating 175 Years!
Bethlehem is celebrating 175 years as a church. Sunday following each worship service, we will share cake as part of this celebration in the Gathering Space.
Monthly Mission – October 8
Every second Sunday of the month we collect food items to be donated to those less fortunate. The next collection will be Sunday, October 8 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 during either worship service.
Flowers Needed for Sundays in October
Flowers are needed for October 8, 15, 22 and 29 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).
Preschool Selling Butter Braids
Bethlehem Preschool will be selling Butter Braids from October 3 thru October 18. Delivery is November 8 (before the Holidays). The Butter Braids are $17.00 each and we are offering: Cinnamon Rolls w/cream cheese icing, Caramel Roll w/caramel Glaze, Apple, Cream Cheese, Strawberry and Cream Cheese, Bavarian Crème w/chocolate icing and Four Cheese and Herb w/Marinara Sauce. To place an order please contact Theresa Stephenson at tstephenson@bethlehemumc.com or 615-848-4261 (text).
Blessing of the Animals
Hillsboro UMC and Bethlehem UMC will hold a Blessing of the Animals service on November 4 at 10:00 a.m. in the pavilion at Hillsboro, 5313 Old Hwy 96, Franklin, TN 37064 (in Leiper’s Fork). This will be officiated by Rev. Betty Proctor and Dr. Craig Goff. Well behaved leashed animals are invited to come with their owners as we honor and celebrate the blessing of pets in our lives.
Rice and Bean Packing – November 5
On Sunday, November 5, Bethlehem will have the opportunity to pack rice and beans for Feed America First. Packing will begin in the gym at 9:15 (following end of 8:15 service) and will continue throughout the morning until all 2,000 pounds (a ton) of rice and 1,000 pounds of beans are packed. Plan to stay for a little while after worship (either service) to help with this ministry for those who experience food insecurity. It is estimated that it will take 70 people about 3 to 4 hours to complete this task.
Handbells and Choir Resumes
Our Handbells and Choir have resumed from summer break on Wednesday nights. If you are interested in ringing with our Bethlehem Bells or singing with our Chancel Choir, come give us a try! Handbells meet Wednesday nights in room CLC 202 at 6:00 p.m. and Choir meets in the Sanctuary at 7:00 p.m. Email Joe Smyth at jsmyth@bethlehemumc.com for more information.
College Student Care Packages
In preparation of packing college care packages next month, we need the addresses for your college kids. We want to make sure that we don’t miss anyone! We will start collecting goodies for the boxes October 1. Contact Dana Smyth with your student’s address info.
We will be assembling about 35 College Care packages in a few weeks. There are three ways you can help us do this:
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.
3. You can bring in your Amazon size A3 boxes. Those are the perfect size! Other small boxes are welcome. Please leave the boxes in the collection bin in the Narthex.
Contact Dana Smyth at dsmyth@bethlehemumc.com if you have questions.
Operation Christmas Child
We're collecting for school supplies for Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts from now until the middle of November. Please leave the supplies in the container in the Narthex.
Room in the Inn
Once again it’s time to begin signing 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. This ministry begins November 4. 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.
Third Grade Bibles
On October 22, we will be presenting Bibles to all 3rd graders who consider Bethlehem their church. A Lunch and Learn will follow at noon. Please let April Jackson (ajackson@bethlehemumc.com) know if your 3rd grader would like a Bible, how they would like their name listed inside, and if your family is available on October 22.
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
For more info on these events see the Mission News and Children’s News Sections in today’s This Week at Bethlehem.
October 22 — Third Grade Bibles and Lunch & Learn
October 28 — Trunk ‘R Treat 4:28 – 6:28 p.m. in the gym and south parking lot
November 4 — Blessing of the Animals at Hillsboro UMC (Leiper’s Fork) beginning at 10:00 a.m.
November 4 – Room in the Inn begins
November 5 – Pack Beans and Rice beginning at 9:15 a.m. in the Gym
November 11 — Share the Feast 8:00 a.m. — Gym
November 11 — Charge Conference 12:30 p.m. — Sanctuary
November 12 — Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Packing 4:30 p.m.
November 12 — Church-wide Thanksgiving Dinner
November 13-20 - 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