Important Upcoming Events - September 8th, 2023

Flowers Needed for September 17 and October Sundays
Flowers are needed for the September 17 and any Sunday in October 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).  

Grandparents’ Day – Sunday, September 10
This Sunday, September 10 is officially celebrated as Grandparents’ Day.  Special recognition will be given during both worship services.

Operation Christmas Child
As you're buying school supplies, pick up a few extra for kids in need and bring them with you. We're collecting for Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts from now until the middle of November.

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.

Disciple Study Class

We will have two opportunities available for a new Disciple Study Class. The first will meet each Sunday from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. beginning September 24 and the second option is on Tuesday afternoons from 1:00 – 2:30 beginning September 26.  Both classes will take place in Conference Room 2 (the Omni Class) above the Banquet Hall.  Sign up here at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A4CA4A72CA3FB6-bible or call the church office (615-794-6721).  The cost for the study manual is $12.00 and they are available in the church office.

One Gen Away Food Pantry September 23

One Gen Away food pantry on September 23 at Centennial H.S is a good opportunity for families to just show up and serve!  (This was in an online article concerning One Gen Away: The organization works with Second Harvest and Feed America First to get the food where it needs to go. They have no desire to compete with other food pantries but hope to fill in gaps.)

September 23 at 7:30 - 10:30 a.m. at Centennial High School 5050 Mallory Lane, Franklin, TN - You are invited to serve at the One Generation Away Mobile Pantry.  The Mobile Pantry offers fresh produce, dry goods, and more to anyone in need — no questions asked!  Food is distributed starting around 8:30 a.m.  Volunteers, please arrive at 7:30 a.m.  No registration is required to volunteer.

One Generation Away is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been feeding bellies and souls since 2013.  Founded by Chris and Elaine Whitney, OneGenAway rescues high-quality, surplus food from grocery stores, restaurants, farms, and caterers and redistributes that food to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. 

Our vision is to wipe hunger off the face of America by teaching people to love one another through service.  We believe, through service together, we can create communities where those who are walking through challenging times will carry a lighter load knowing that their neighbors have their backs.

We rescue and distribute fresh, high-quality foods to individuals and families in need throughout Middle Tennessee, North Alabama, and the Florida panhandle.  We accomplish this by giving food directly to our neighbors through our Mobile Pantry and by distributing food amongst a network of partnering agencies, including schools, homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, other food pantries, and more.  We bring food to places of need rather than asking those in need to come to us.

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.

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 begins 11-4-23.  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

For more info on these events see the Mission News and Children’s News Sections in today’s This Week at Bethlehem

September 10 — Monthly Mission Rice and Beans

September 23 — Hands on with One Gen Away at Centennial High School (7:30 a.m.  10:30 a.m.)

October 22 — Third Grade Bibles and Lunch & Learn

October 28 — Trunk ‘R Treat

November 4 – Room in the Inn begins

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

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The God Who Sets Us Free

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Weekly Greeting - September 8th, 2023