The Bethany Buzz SEPTEMBER Beloved Community. Bethany United Methodist Church 1853 Maybank Hwy Charleston SC 29412

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1 The Bethany Buzz Bethany United Methodist Church 1853 Maybank Hwy Charleston SC SEPTEMBER 2018 Beloved Community When Jesus was asked, what is the most important thing to know and to do? He responded: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these (Mark 12:30-31 NIV) Last newsletter I wrote about God as the Person of Love. Who God is shapes who we are as God s people. God has called us into a life of love. The Christian life is primarily an invitation to enter into the very life of God, a life of holy love in community. We have been called to love God and love our neighbors. Churches that are living out their call have three core values that they share: they follow Jesus and live by His rule of Love, they see the sacred in the ordinary and live as though it mattered, and they live in beloved community. When Bethany UMC lives a life of love we become God s Presence in our neighborhood. Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. (Ephesians 5:1 The Message) Beloved, love makes the difference, in our Worship, our Fellowship, in our Inviting, in our Welcoming, in our Caring, in our Celebrating and in our Serving. Let s love extravagantly. Let s love sacrificially. His love in us, among us and through us will make the difference. Peace of Christ, Pastor Cindy Muncie 1

2 Possible Listening Tour Dates: Miss a Sermon? Ever find yourself missing a week in worship and wish you could have heard the sermon or given your tithe? Looking for an easy way to find the newsletter or info on our staff? Be sure to check out our website at for all of these and more! Listening Tours Pastor Cindy is new and wants to learn about Bethany UMC. So everyone is invited to host and/or attend a listening tour. These tours are designed for small groups to get together and answer the following questions: 1. Why are you here, at Bethany? What s important for me to know about this church? What experience of Bethany has been most important for you? What do you value most about Bethany? What are Bethany s best features? 2. What is one way we are going to reach new people in this area? 3. What is the number one reason we should ask people to invest financially in our church? 4. What is the one dream that you have for our church? If you had 3 wishes for Bethany, what would they be? What would we look like one year from now? If you are part of a group that meets in August or September and the group would be willing to use their meeting time to host a listening tour, please contact Melinda, our church administrator, and schedule the tour. If you are willing to host a listening tour in your home or if you would be willing to attend, please contact the church office and sign up. 9/2 UMM breakfast 8:00am 9/2 Adult Sunday School 10:00am UMW meetings, choir practice or band practice 9/17 Church Council 9/23 Lunch after the service (coordinated by John Swisher) 9/23 Two Listening Tours: 4:00-5:00pm (Light supper to follow coordinated by John Swisher) or 6:00-7:00pm New Member Class Have you been visiting and would like to join Bethany UMC? Meet Pastor Cindy in her study on a Sunday at 10:00am for a New Member class on either of the following dates. Pastor Cindy will introduce you to the Methodist church and attempt to answer any questions you might have: October 7 10:00am November 4 10:00am Epworth Children s Home Don t forget Epworth Children s Home Work Day Offering on Sunday, September 2 nd. This is the annual Work Day Offering. This tradition dates back decades when Methodists were challenged to give a day s pay to the children at Epworth. While the emphasis has shifted a bit over the years, it is still important that we come together to provide spiritual, educational, emotional and physical support for the children at Epworth. As you consider what God is calling you to give to support our church s ministry to children, remember Christ s command to let the little children come to him. He embraces, them, welcomes them, loves them and teaches them. Epworth is answering this call to let the little children come. Your generous contribution to our 2

3 church s ministry enables transformation to happen for the children who call Epworth home. Epworth does not receive apportionments from the United Methodist Conference. This offering is our opportunity to support this vital ministry. For more information about Epworth Children s Home, visit them on the web at Job Opportunities Drummer, guitarist, and keyboardist: The Early Service Praise Band is looking for new members. Presence is essential and talent is optional. If you have musical gifts you are willing to share, show up for practice, Wednesdays at 5:30pm, or call Trace Moser and connect. The Spirit of God will fill in the gaps. Please Remember to keep the following people in your prayers: Jane Farmer Henrietta and Woody Killingsworth Chuck & Edith Oshinsky Sarah Margaret Woods (Tina Atwater s granddaughter) If you would like to drop Jane Farmer a note her address is: C/O Sylvia Snell 300 Country Rd. 731 Venus, Fl Acolytes: The Sunday 11:15 am service is need of acolytes. If any young people would be willing to serve one or more Sundays a month as an acolyte, lighting candles or carrying the crucifer into the service and out of the service, please contact the church office or Jerry Pitts to sign up. Church Calendar Please contact Melinda Hamilton in the church office to check calendar availability and to have her place your event/meeting on the Master Calendar. Charge Conference Annual Charge Conference is Saturday, November 17 th at 1:00 pm. Please contact the church office if you have any additional questions. Sunday, Sept. 16 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall. Celebrate with Julia (Killingsworth) and John Isom the coming of their new baby girl. Everyone is welcome. RSVP to (babylist.com/julia-isom) Quilt Ministry A quilt has been presented to Edward Picquet. Edward resides at Ashley River Plantation and has been moved to the alzheimers unit. Thank you quilters! Please keep Edward and his family in your prayers. 3

4 Bethany Shut-In Members Sweetgrass Village -Paul Lewis The Palms -Janie Thomas Summerville -Betty Carmichael - Dero Irwin Family -Elizabeth Harley Please see office for contact info Home- -Tess Penninger -Harriet Fosbery -Alvis and Helen Hancock -Sulie Patterson Franke at Seaside -Woody and Henrietta Killingsworth Veterans Victory House -Chuck Oshinsky Chuck Oshinsky C/O Veterans Victory House 2461 Sidney s Rd Walterboro SC Karen Gibson 09/20 Christopher Davis 09/21 Allen Reynolds Bobbi Woods 09/24 Carolyn Grace Shepard Hough 09/28 Betsy Whitaker 09/29 Helen Hancock 09/21 Bill & Karen Buerkle 09/24 Bob & Gin Bell UMW News The United Methodist Women will have their first meeting after the summer break on Sept. 4 th. Dessert will be served at 6:45 and the meeting will begin at 7:00 in the Fellowship Hall. Please plan to attend to learn about the programs and missions of the UMW, and participate in UMW fellowship. God s Peace, Carol Killingsworth, UMW President New Sunday School Class 09/05 Jerry Pitts 09/06 Gus DiNovo 09/08 Janie Thomas Luke Hough 09/11 Rcahel Horne 09/12 Mary Belbusti Jones Sylvia Igoe 09/15 Roger Smith Tom Ledford 09/16 Meghan Jones 09/18 David Carter If you are a 20-something, 30-something, maybe 40- something (or even older) and have no Sunday School class to attend, then we invite you to join us for Bible study. We will meet in the room next to the Choir Room, EVERY Sunday at 10am. Childcare will be provided. It s a great way to fellowship and meet others! 4

5 From the Music Director Many of you have wondered why I have not been using the organ. It s broken! It is not cost effective to repair it again so we are looking for a new instrument. No, it will not be an organ. I am looking at something called a Clavinova which will take place of both the organ and the piano and there would only be one instrument in the sanctuary. The Clavinova has voicing for organ as well as voicing for many other instruments. It will be a great addition to the worship service. A decision to purchase this has not been made yet but hopefully it will be soon. CHOIR PRACTICE will return to 7:00 p.m. beginning Sept. 6 th. We really could use some men and of course anyone else who would like to sing with us. We will begin work on the Christmas Cantata very soon and would welcome your voice. Melinda team to help us unload once again. But, we also need as many Bethany volunteers as possible to help with the unloading. The more volunteers, the faster we can get er done. There s something to do for all ages; from unloading to sorting mini-pumpkins on pallets to providing guidance. Breakfast will be served at 8:00 a.m. prior to unloading. The Pumpkin Patch will be open every day from October 6 th through the 31 st, during the hours of 11:00 a.m. -7:00 p.m. We also need volunteers to work the daily shifts. Shifts each day from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Sign ups will begin in September and continue through October. It takes everyone giving a little of their time to make this event a success! Thank you for the support of Bethany and to the local community that counts on our pumpkins. Julie Weed and the Evangelism Committee Memorials In Memory of Grace Walker by Phyllis Steinberg Welcome To Our Newest Members Rick Cockerham The Pumpkins are Coming Everyone get ready!! The pumpkins are coming! Gear up for our Pumpkin Patch again this year. An entire truck-load of 3,000 pumpkins will be arriving at the church on Saturday, October 6, at 9:00 a.m. We will be asking JICHS football Rick was born in Hickory, NC, but has lived in Rock Hill, Irmo, Columbia, and now resides in West Ashley. Some of his work history includes teaching and warehouse management and is now a pharmacy technician. Rick s interests include sports, reading, photography, old time rock-n-roll and supporting the Gamecocks. Rick comes to us by church letter transfer from Woodland UMC in Rock Hill, SC, on June 24, Welcome Rick! 5

6 Rosemary and Phil Odom Rosemary and Phil have lived in various states across the southeast including Virginia, Florida, both of the Carolinas, and now reside on Johns Island. Rosemary hales from Ramseur, NC and Phil is a low country Charleston native. Phil has worked as a textile executive and business consultant while Rosemary was a teacher. Phil is a Clemson graduate and loves his Tigers, while Rosemary pulls for the Tarheels of UNC. Interests they share include car shows, golf, horses, dogs, all types of music from jazz to rock-nroll to the classics. The Odoms come to us by church letter transfer from St. Mark s UMC in West Ashley on August 19, Welcome Rosemary and Phil! Amber Jones Amber s hometown is Dunlap, TN, but has lived in several other Tennessee cities including Nashville. Amber now resides on Johns Island with her husband, Alex. She graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law and now serves as an attorney specializing in VA Disability. She enjoys crafts, her cat, and working around the house. Classic Rock is her thing, and she enjoys all foods especially Russian, Mexican, and Thai. When not following the sports of the Volunteers, she is catching up on Star Trek and other sci-fi media. Amber comes to us by church letter transfer from Chapel Hill UMC of Dunlap, TN, on August 19, Welcome Amber! Elizabeth Hilliard Elizabeth is originally from Jordan-Elbridge, NY, and has lived in the deep south of Baton Rouge, LA. She now lives on James Island. Elizabeth attended LSU and is a student Medical Physics Resident working toward a profession in Radiation Oncology. Her hobbies include playing music on guitars, drums, and several other instruments. She enjoys all kinds of music, particularly 80s rock and the Beatles. Fried foods and fresh apples are her weaknesses. She comes to us by church letter transfer from University UMC in Baton Rouge, LA, on August 19, Welcome Elizabeth! Joan and John Berry Between the two of them, Joan and John have lived in nearly a dozen places before landing permanently on James Island. While Joan is a Charlestonian, she has planted roots in Georgia, Germany, and Arizona. John calls Sturgis, KY, as his hometown and has resided in Illinois, Indiana, and various worldly ports thanks to the US Navy. Joan is a former office manager for the Charleston Family Center, and John is retired from First Federal Savings. They enjoy golf, gardening, and travel. John prefers the sound of Frank Sinatra and the big bands, while Joan two-steps to country music. They have orange blood as you would expect from Clemson Tiger fans and relaxation time for Joan includes Pat Conroy writings and sports for John. They come to us by church letter transfer from Folly Beach UMC on June 17, Welcome Joan and John! 6

7 Debbie Brown Debbie has lived on both coasts and in between; California, Illinois, Virginia, and now settling on Johns Island. She is an escrow officer and previously an elementary school teacher. She graduated from Old Dominion University in Virginia, but enthusiastically supports the Clemson Tigers. She has two grown children, Kayla and Sean. Her hobbies include horseback riding and reading. She comes to us by church letter transfer from Laguna Beach UMC in the hills of South Laguna Beach, CA, on August 26, Welcome Debbie! 7

8 Bethany United Methodist Of James Island 1853 Maybank Hwy Charleston S.C am Praise AA 6 7pm AA 8pm UMM 8:00am 10:00am 16 10:00am Baby Shower 3:00-5:00 pm 23 10:00am Evangelism 6:00 17 Administrative 7:00 12 Praise AA Praise AA Praise AA 13 7pm AA 8pm 20 7pm AA 8pm 27 7pm AA 8pm :00am 8

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