Bethlehem News - April 11, 2025
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 a.m. for all ages.
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.
This Sunday and Holy Week Activities
This Sunday, April 13, we will have a Palm Parade for the kids to join in at the beginning of the 10:15 service. When we leave for Children's Church, the kids will be making their own Holy Week boxes that will help them understand all that happened between Palm Sunday and Easter. If your child is unable to attend, let me know and I'll make sure that they can get a Holy Week box to take home.
Maundy Thursday service at 7:00 p.m., April 17, will be a family friendly service in the Banquet Hall.
Good Friday service is at 7:00 p.m., April 18. Nursery will be available for infants through Kindergarteners.
Saturday, April 19, invite friends and join us for games, crafts, and an awesome Easter Egg Hunt beginning at 10:00 a.m.!
Be sure to make some time to walk through the Easter Story Walk on the grounds. The Story Walk has beautiful illustrations that help tell the Easter story. Watch for the Story Walk to be out starting Sunday (given cooperation from the weather).
Vacation Bible School (VB
TRUE NORTH VBS 2025 REGISTRATION IS OPEN!! June 9 - 13 from 9:00 to noon each day. Get ready for the ultimate Alaskan adventure where northern lights glow over majestic mountains, racing rivers, and glistening glaciers. As kids trek the tundra, they’ll explore how easy it is to lose sight of what’s true in our wild world today. Pointing them toward Jesus, True North VBS shows them that Jesus is a faithful friend that we can always trust. He’s our True North! Register your kids today or sign up to volunteer as a leader or helper: https://vbspro.events/p/lights Free to kids ages 4 by 8/1/25 (and potty-trained) thru completing 5th grade. Registration will be limited to ensure the safety of all
VBS Registration is at half capacity. Don't wait to register and invite friends! https://vbspro.events/p/lights
Acolytes Needed for Sunday Worship
We are looking at the calendar for the new church year. Last year, we had a nearly full calendar with at least one of our Acolytes serving every Sunday! That is amazing! Let's continue strong and fill up the months of March and April. Let April Jackson know when your Acolyte would like to serve!
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,
Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine this week after our exhausting weather last week! We’ve got a busy few weeks ahead so please read all the details below and show up to support our youth program. On Sunday, we will begin Holy Week with Palm Sunday as we celebrate Jesus making His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We will wave palm fronds just as His followers did nearly 2000 years ago.
Sunday school will wrap up our Lenten study, Bread of Life. This study highlights how Jesus fed people — not just their bodies but also their souls — with good news, stories of redemption, and parables that showed the way of God’s kin(g)dom. Confirmation will continue this week as we learn about The Nicene Creed. Pastor Craig will be leading this session. We will meet in the Banquet Hall kitchen for conversation and cinnamon rolls before breaking into two groups for our class time.
We’re getting close to our registration deadline for our mission trip to Hinton Rural Life Center in Hayesville, NC, June 22-27. We are still in need of at least two parents to go with us. There is no fee for adult chaperones, we cover all of your costs. We will have an interest meeting/Q&A for any youth and parents/adults interested in learning more about the trip on Sunday, April 13 at 5:00 - 5:30 p.m. We will meet in the Omni Classroom above the Banquet Hall. Youth group will follow from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. We hope you will join us!
On Saturday, April 19, we will meet at 10:00 a.m. to decorate the sanctuary with Easter lilies. This is a quick and easy way to earn funds for your student account. These funds can be used to pay for your trip to Hinton Rural Life Center.
To download our spring/summer calendar, click here: https://mcusercontent.com/616f5a0b85d4305540051b1b2/files/5672849e-5f9e-4420-eec7-865cb64bc15c/Spring_calendar.pdf
A Prayer for Palm Sunday
"Palm Sunday God, where do I begin? This world needs so much saving. Save us from our greed, from our addiction to violence. Save us from the trap of a single story, and the arrogance to assume we always know best. Save us from hatred and vitriol. Save the waters and the air from our pollution. Save our hearts from complacency and apathy. Save us. Save me. Hosanna! Amen."
As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Peace,
Alison Bocking+
Director of Youth Ministries
Looking ahead:
• April 13 – Sunday School & Confirmation: 9:00 a.m., Youth Group, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Hinton Rural Life Trip Interest Meeting, 5:00 - 5:30 p.m.
• April 18 – Glavin Scholarship Deadline (12th grade)
• April 19 – Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Lily Setup, 10:00 a.m.
• April 20 – Easter Sunday! Sunday School & Confirmation: 9:00 a.m.
• April 27 – Church Has Left the Building: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A4CA4A72CA3FB6-55380474-church#/
Click here to view and subscribe to our new and improved Google Youth Calendar!
iPhone Users: Click here to subscribe to our Youth Calendar
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 THIS Sunday, April 13, 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.
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Issues of the March/April 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.