Bethany Congregational Church

Transcription

1 Bethany Congregational Church Volume 2 September 2013 Number 8 Foxborough, Massachusetts Kingdom Rock 2013: A VBS To Remember! The toe tapping, hand clapping, grab a friend and dance a jig music fills the air. Kids of all ages stare wide eyed at the knights, castles, flags, caves and animated characters that thoughtfully adorn the walls and the hallways that surround them. The lyrics to the music echo throughout the room, We will stand together, and stand forever. Standing up for God each day.. We will stand strong! It is very cool. The children have been assigned to different groups with names like, The Minstrels or The Blacksmiths - in sync with the Kingdom Rock mid-evil theme. Each child is also given their own personalized name tag, and a special wrist band containing a faith-filled message. Love has been poured into the planning of each and every little detail leading up to this week. Hours upon hours of dedication, organizing and prayer has payed off. The result each year is smiles upon smiles from the youngest to the oldest. The energy of Bethany's VBS is contagious and because of this, it calls many families back year after year. Thirty plus volunteers are busy serving as group leaders, station leaders, decorators, and registrars. Countless donations of supplies and other items lead to a successful program each year. There are skits, and bible stories, movies, games, crafts, science experiments, snacks and dancing! There is not one minute to spare every second is filled with fun and faith-filled activities. Many new memories, friendships and connections have been made this year at VBS! Lessons on how God's love helps us to Stand Strong fills the minds of the children who attended this years VBS program. What an incredible gift shared with the youth of this community by the members of Bethany Congregational Church! So, thank you Deb Byron and Nancy Kaeser for leading the charge for this years Kingdom Rock VBS program and for the years you have dedicated to organizing and planning VBS programming here at Bethany! The countless hours you have spent, your implicitly thoughtful attention to detail and your faith-filled hearts have brought joy to many! Thank you to Paul Woodard (AKA Mr. Mayor ) and Greg Woodsbie for your creative and energetic ideas and expert performances! You bring humor and harmony with you each year and share it selflessly. Thank you to Mr. Wills, who graciously has run the media and slide shows that we have enjoyed each day! And lastly, to all the crew leaders and station leaders (who are too countless to name individually) your dedication of time and talent has truly made this week such a grand success! Anne Marie Holloway, Director of Youth Ministries 1

2 Dear Friends, I want to tell you about one of the best things that ever happened to me. As a sophomore in high school, I was made a section leader of the percussion section in the Foxboro High School band. Now before you roll your eyes and accuse me of being a HUGE band geek (which would be entirely accurate of course), let me say, a LOT of people get made section leaders. Sometimes, there's a section of three people, and two of them are section leaders. Steve Massey, the band director there, doesn't make half the band section leaders so that they feel good about themselves. He does it because he believes that more leaders are better, and mostly, so that he could make us come to his Friday morning leadership training classes. This is one of the secret reasons that the Foxboro band program is so strong and, if you can believe it, has a direct impact on how good the musical performances end up being. In these classes I was first exposed to, and fell in love with, the field of leadership development, which is a mature and studied social science discipline in the business community, though it sometimes only filters out to the rest of us through cheesy acronyms and Dilbert cartoons. But I loved learning about the deep connection between leadership and teaching, how teaching something to someone else is actually the best way to really learn it yourself, the differences between encouragement and praise, the power of great questions, and, maybe most importantly, that 9 out of 10 leadership activities - ideas, initiatives, programs, strategies, whatever - will fail. It was information and training that set the course for much of my adult life: my career ambitions, and my sense of myself. It taught me that leadership was not some natural talent that you're born with, but something to be constantly and rigorously studied, cultivated, and developed. The Elders here at Bethany take leadership development seriously, and they recently sent me, Nancy, and Anne Marie to the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit, which is broadcast by satellite from Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago to about 70,000 people in the United States and then translated and sent out to about 100,000 people worldwide. This is an explicitly Christian conference, focused on leadership, and drawing its speakers from the church world and the business world. I also attended with a group from Bethany two years ago, and both times I was just blown away by the two days. Every speaker is inspiring and insightful and I have pages and pages of notes and ideas. It strengthens your conviction as a leader AND as a Christian. Bethany has purchased the DVD of the 2011 conference, and as a staff we've decided to put together a monthly viewing of this, one speaker at a time, followed by lunch and some discussion. The first will be on September 29th starting at noon, and the full calendar of dates is listed elsewhere in the Bell. As I mentioned before, teaching and leadership are almost indistinguishable and I would bet a lot of someone else's money that each of you reading this is, at some time and in some way, a teacher or a leader. These are all very inspiring messages and provide so much fantastic information and new ideas. To give you one example of little tidbits that I've been trying to apply: I learned in a talk this year that one sign of a miserable job is the made up word "immeasurement." We really want to be able to tell for ourselves if we did a good job or not, and sometimes (like in a choir), this is a little bit of a subjective measurement. So I've been trying to come up with questions to help my choir members assess for themselves if they're doing good work. I feel very strongly that these sessions will be a great use of your limited time; I feel like they multiply my productivity and are one of the most important things I do. As Bill Hybels, who is the senior pastor at Willow Creek, and one of the best speakers on leadership anywhere, says: "When a leader gets better, everybody wins." If the church can make us better leaders in our work place, or our home, or the church, is there any doubt that God's kingdom is strengthened? Greg Woodsbie Director of Music Ministries 2

3 Be sure to join us on Rally Day, September 8 th, as we go back to two worship services and have a time of Christ-centered fellowship and great food at the BBQ! For those not sure of what Rally Day is, it s a time when churches rally their congregations to come together and recharge spiritually after the summer. It s a time to welcome back members of our congregation whom we ve missed over July and August due to vacations and travels, and to extend an extra measure of Christ s gracious love to newcomers! Children s Sunday school classes gear up again after the one room schoolhouse format of the summer months. Be sure to register your child for Sunday school (see to register online) and invite a friend or neighbor to church with you on September 8 th! Can t wait to see you! Fellowship News Have you ever asked yourself what the purpose of the fellowship events is here at Bethany? Sure, it s fun to get together for a cookout, or a movie night, or a potluck dinner, but is there anything more to it than fun? We believe there is. The Bible talks about how the disciples devoted themselves to fellowship in the book of Acts. Devoted that s a pretty strong word. The disciples knew that building a relationship with each other was important to their lives as followers of Christ. Our desire is for us at Bethany to build our relationships with each other as we strengthen ours with Christ. The fun get-togethers of cookouts, mystery dinners, scavenger hunts and so on all serve a purpose. As we spend time together, we get to know each other better. As we know each other better, we become a stronger community, able to build each other up and then go out together to spread the Good News. This fall, three fellowship events are being planned. Sunday, September 8 th is our annual all church cookout. On Saturday, October 19 th we ll have an adult fellowship night; details are still being planned, so stay tuned! Then, on Saturday, November 2 nd, we ll have a one day women s retreat. The women s retreat, called Café Chocolat, looks at the wonderful concept of grace. More information for both events will come shortly, through the website, Facebook, the Buzz. Please consider joining us so we can spend time together! Adult Discipleship We know that Bible study classes and small groups are an important part of discipleship. Most adults gain a better understanding of what they are learning if they can talk with others and have a place to share their thoughts and questions. It is the journey itself the grappling with spiritual truths and trying to understand and apply God s Word to our lives with fellow Christians which God uses to bless us richly! Our discipleship offerings depend on leadership provided by our congregation. We are committed to encouraging and equipping people to lead small groups and classes for this reason. Anyone feeling called to start a small group around a specific topic, an interest or hobby, season of life, or way of serving others should contact the Pastor or Deb Byron for help in putting their idea into action! Fall Discipleship Opportunities: Contact Deb Byron at byron@bethanychurch. org for more information about any of these. Bible Study Lynn Burns leads this Bible study for men and women on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. in the parlor starting 9/24. Just bring your Bible - no previous Bible study experience necessary! Bible Study Deb Byron leads this Bible study for men and women on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 in the parlor starting 9/25. Just bring your Bible and a desire to dig into God s Word! Basket Cases This is a group of missionminded folks who show Jesus love for the 3

4 women and children of New Hope, a homeless shelter, through monthly gift baskets. They gather donations of toys, books, personal care products, special treats and other items and package them up in gift baskets for families who often arrive with just the clothes on their backs. Contact Carol Fraser to find out the monthly meeting schedule for the fall! Upper Room Devotional Bible Study - Join Carol Fraser every 2 nd and 4th Thursday starting 9/12 at 7:00 pm to read and discuss teachings and insight from The Upper Room devotional. All are welcome! Coffee & Chat - Are your kids getting to the stage where you re doing less mothering and more worrying? Are you trying to let go a bit as they approach college and beyond, but having difficulty? Do you want to talk with others experiencing the challenges of parenthood and find Christ-centered support? Join Libby Carter at the Commons Eatery in Foxboro before church Sunday mornings at 8:00, starting 9/22. Grace with Max Lucado Join Pam Hogan on Sunday mornings this fall starting 9/22 from 9:15-10:30 in the parlor for a 7-week study on Grace by Max Lucado. We talk as though we understand the meaning of the word, but do we really understand it? What is Grace? Have you been changed by Grace? Shaped by Grace? Strengthened by Grace? Emboldened by Grace? Softened by Grace? If you need to be re-wired by Grace, plan on attending this study! Moms Group Join with other moms and learn and laugh together! Free childcare provided. We meet weekly on Friday mornings in room 305 and often start out with a short walk before doing a study that all parents can learn from. We also like to incorporate a few field trip activities in when we can! Led by Brenda Sacco and Maureen Driscoll, this group will start up on Friday, 9/20 at 9:30 11:30. a positive impression and compels them to return? We are looking to start a welcome team a small group that will look critically at how we greet people, how we reach out to newcomers, and even how the entry points to the sanctuary look and feel and come up with ways to take it all up a notch or two! The Welcome Team, co-led by Deb Graham and Libby Carter, will learn what the Bible says about hospitality and grow in their understanding of this as a critically important way of serving God and the church. The team itself will decide how often to meet and what their priorities will be. Please sign up on the opportunity table if you are interested in this small group/ministry opportunity. Faith and Fellowship Cheese sampling, chocolate tasting, dessert smorgasbord, Mexican night good food and good friends go together. Join Todd and Nancy Kaeser at their home the first and third Thursdays of each month at 7 p.m. Our name Faith and Fellowship shares our group s purposes. We ll grow in faith together through a short Bible based study and we ll enjoy fellowship with each other through relaxed conversation and great food. We ll also look to build fellowship within the entire church, by brainstorming and planning fellowship nights! Our first study, written by Bill Hybels, is called Experiencing the Joy of Serving. This study will lead us through why we serve, how we are gifted to serve, and help us find practical ways to serve. Our first meeting is a no obligation meeting! Come on Thursday, September 19 th from 7-8:30 p.m. for chocolate tasting and to hear about the small group s mission. Let us know if you are planning to come (so there s enough chocolate!) by contacting Nancy or Todd at kaeser@bethanychurch.org or calling (774) Welcome Team - How do people experience their first time attending Bethany? What makes 4

5 The Alpha course takes people step by step through their unanswered questions about our faith. Who is Jesus? How can we have faith? How can I resist evil? Does God heal today? How can I make the most of my life? These are just some of the topics we'll cover. Whether you are a spiritual seeker, or want to renew your passion for Christ, Alpha is an opportunity to explore the meaning of life in a relaxed and friendly setting. Bethany is planning to have an evening Alpha class this fall. Each session will begin with dinner, followed by a video teaching and time for discussion. Watch for more details regarding time and place! Contact Deb Byron at byron@bethanychurch.org to sign up or for more information about the Alpha course. Thank You Summer Sunday School Leaders and Helpers! A big shout-out to Billy Hughes, Emily Nichols, Jenny Peterson, Lorna Sullivan, Thomas Blake, Neda Joury-Penders, Aurora Pop-Vicas, Jennifer Mello, Alex Becker, Lily Benson, Emily Kaeser, Lily Holloway, and Aidan Sacco for enabling me to keep Sunday school for kids age 3 through 5 th grade going all through the summer! I thank God for your ministry to our children you are the best! (Deb B.) BYG! Bethany Youth Group Kick off Sunday is September 15th. Please join us for "Family Feud" it will surely be an evening of fun introductions and games! Junior High will be meeting from 5-6:15 and Senior High will be meeting from 6:45-8:00! We hope to see you there! Our program schedule "The Fridge Flyer" for the Fall Season of BYG will be posted on the website! Individual mailings are being sent to many families! Keep your eyes peeled for the exciting details of this new season of the BYG! Bethany Youth Group! Save the Date December 7 th! 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Foxboro's Favorite Traditional Christmas Fair The Bethany Community loves our Christmas fair and many hands make light work. Will you get involved this year to help keep the tradition alive? The fair is a great opportunity for those who are friendly, customer service oriented and results oriented. You will see the fruits of your labor right away! As you may know, many of us leading the fair are veterans with years (some with decades) of experience. In addition to fun and fund raising this year we need to focus on sustainability. New volunteers are needed to work with us this year so that the knowledge is shared and we have a bench of volunteers for key fair tasks. New Volunteers Bring New Ideas You are encouraged to share any and all ideas and feedback about the fair. We know that we may be stuck in the ways things have always been done. If you are wondering why we do things the way we do or think we are missing a great business opportunity let us know. Help us get unstuck! Visit with us in Fellowship Hall at the small groups fair on September 15! Fair Planning Meetings Mark your calendar for three Christmas fair planning meetings scheduled on Sunday evenings at 7:00 on 9/15, 10/20 and 11/17. All are welcome! Importance of the Fair to Bethany In addition to being a beloved Christmas tradition, the Fair raises thousands (last year we disbursed over $20,000) to fund projects at Bethany that are not funded through the church budget. For example in 2012 money was distributed to help fund the mission outreach trip to Mexico, to pay down the mortgage, and to help care for our buildings and grounds. Those who take on a leadership role in the fair make up the committee to allocate the funds. Volunteer Opportunities Fair Leadership - Exciting News! 5

6 We are looking for a new Fair Chair for Libby Carter has agreed to work with Janet Fisher as "Second in Command" for the 2013 Fair and then stay in that same role for That means our new chair for 2014 will have wonderful support. It would be great if we could identify the new chair to work with Libby and Janet for If you have been considering stepping into the chair role or know someone who is interested there could not be a better time! Other volunteer opportunities include: Chairperson for Children's Books Publicity Chair Grandma's Attic needs help with sorting and organizing all of our wonderful donations as well as working with customers the day of the fair Help in the Children's fair Assist our money counters. There are many other opportunities. Let us know what strikes your fancy and we'll help you find the right spot We are looking for some items and are hoping that the congregation could help us out: -A 5-7 foot Christmas tree to use in Santa's room. Last year s tree was falling apart and we had to toss it out. -two free-standing countertop vanity mirrors to use on our jewelry and knit tables. -folding rectangular tables (4'-8'). -Printing calculators/adding machines (old school ones that take a roll of paper) If you have any of the items listed above and no longer need them, please consider donating them to your Church Fair. Please contact Joyce at rykyty@comcast.net or Christmas Fair Chair: Janet Fisher, , jlbfisher@gmail.com Assistant Chair: Libby Carter, , libbycarter46@gmail.com Calling all Bethany Bakers! The Baked Goods Table at the Bethany Fair will need to be filled to the brim on Saturday, December 7th with all kinds of yummy baked 6 goods. Please start thinking about all those delicious recipes that you have tucked away. We will most likely be calling you or ing you as the time gets closer, however, we just wanted you to keep us in your thoughts and let you know that we appreciate your help in past years, and we will need your help again this year. If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call. Thank you in advance. Bonnie McKenzie (508) Lorna Sullivan (508) WORSHIP VOLUNTEERS Ushers/Greeters 9/1 Doug Whitney, Peter Randall ** 9/8 Penni Jenkins, ** 9/15 Bruce Hainsworth, Rick Lewis, Mary and Susan Taggart 9/22 Michele and Scott Rogers ** 9/29 Lynn & Dave Burns, Roland Demers, Dorothy Vosburgh Deacon of the Service Traditional Service 9/1 Bill Hughes 9/8 Tom Garcia 9/15 Pat Scagnoli 9/22 Dick Hobbs 9/29 Jim McKinney Contemporary Service 9/8 Alin Pop-Vicas 9/15 Mark Hawrylciw 9/22 Deb Graham 9/29 Dave Fisher Service Readers Traditional Service 9/1 Virginia Banian 9/8 Penni Jenkins 9/15 Dick Hobbs 9/22 Julie Cline 9/29 Deb Graham Contemporary Service 9/8 Michele Rogers 9/15 Bev Crocker 9/22 Sarah Murphy 9/29 June Carlsen ** We have an opening, could YOU help?

7 Book of Life Chancel Flowers July 7 th, given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Anne and Walter Mertz by Debbie and Ted Mertz. July 14 th, given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Michael McGinty by Cindy, Daniel and David McGinty. July 28 th, given to the glory of God and in loving memory of George Conaty Sr. by the Conaty family. August 11 th, given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Richard Banian by his family. August 25 th, given to the glory of God and in celebration of Marie Snow s 91 st birthday, by the Vanderpool family. New Member Kanami Okabayashi joined the membership of Bethany Church on Sunday, July 7, Welcome to our church family, Kanami! The deadline for the next edition of The Bethany Bell is Friday, September 20th at 8:30 a.m. Material may be submitted to haney@bethanychurch.org. Thanks! The Bethany Bell is now posted on the Bethany website, bethanychurch.org the last week of each month, for the following month. To have the newsletter ed directly to you, go to the website and click on the link at the top of the homepage to subscribe. The Bell will be ed to you as soon as it s done -- and you don t have to remember to go out to our website to read it! Why I Stopped Attending Sports Events 1. Every time I go, they ask for money. 2. The people I have to sit with don t seem friendly. 3. The seats are too hard and uncomfortable. 4. The coach never visits me. 5. The referee makes decisions I disagree with. 6. I sit near some hypocrites; they come only to see what others are wearing. 7. Some games go into overtime, so I m late getting home. 8. The band plays some music I haven t heard before. 9. The games are scheduled when I want to do other things. 10. My parents took me to too many games when I was growing up. 7

8 11. I read a book on sports, so I know more than the coaches do anyhow. 12. I want my kids to choose for themselves what sport they like best. Moody Monthly 8