Weekly Greeting - August 2, 2024
Greetings friends,
As a matter of introduction, I am Rev. Terry Carty (call me Terry) and I came on board at Bethlehem United Methodist as Associate Pastor on May 1, 2024. I am part-time, but you are likely to see me at church on Sunday mornings and Wednesdays. Other days I often work from home or I may be out visiting.
I have met so many of you in the short time I have been at Bethlehem. I am working very hard to put names and faces together. I confess that I am still at the stage where I remember the faces but often can’t connect the right names. Please bear with me as I become a part of the family here. There are a lot of you!
I have been serving as pastor in the United Methodist Church since I was a seminary student in 1980. What I have loved the most about the United Methodist Church for all these years is that it is so very connected. When I was a child, any United Methodist Church you might walk into on a Sunday morning would have the same order of worship, sing the same familiar hymns, and, well, they all kinda smelled the same. I felt at home in a United Methodist Church. Now there are a lot of differences in United Methodist Churches in worship styles, music, and smell, but there is still a familiarity that feels like home.
Connection is at the core of Methodism. John Wesley, Methodist founder, spelled it Connexion. But the People called Methodists felt that they thrived best in connection with each other. It was far more than a club or even a fellowship. It was a way of life in which one was interdependent upon God and the other Methodists. Faith was learned from one another, and practiced in community with each other.
Throughout the month of August, our worship theme will be one of Connexion. We will explore different facets of being connected in Christ for the common good of our wider community and for our own growth as disciples. Of course, we will have the fine music and singing that we are accustomed to. And Pastor Craig will bring his powerful messages. We will also have a message one week from our new District Superintendent, B.J. Brack.
So you won’t want to miss this month of Connexion as we bridge from Summer to Fall at Bethlehem United Methodist.
Blessings,
Terry
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As we begin our new series, Created for Connection, this week, our first theme will focus on our connection with other Christians. Our text will be Ephesians 4:1-6. God created us for connection and community. Invite a friend and join us for worship this Sunday as we celebrate God’s love and power of redemption for us all! We are back to our regular worship times at 8:15 and 10:45.