June 2017 Newsletter Bethel Wesleyan Church

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1 Bethel Wesleyan Church Bethel Wesleyan Church exists to love our community and world with Christ's love, offering everyone His fulfilling way of life. Jesus said, I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 PASTOR S PEN Volume 10 Issue 6 A LASTING LEGACY INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Pastor s Pen ~ A Lasting Legacy, continued 2 Power Kids ~ At The Beach 3 God s Prescription Youth Ministry Sunday School OASIS VBS -Maker Fun Factory 4 Mission Moment 5 Global Partners Prayer Focus G.I.F.T.ed Baptism Sunday Help Wanted June Calendar ~ ONLY ONE LIFE, TWILL SOON BE PAST, ONLY WHAT S DONE FOR CHRIST WILL LAST. ~ C.T, STUDD 6 7 As I approach my 20 th year as Pastor of Bethel Wesleyan Church, I am not only mindful of the passing of time but of the importance of leaving a lasting legacy. As missionary C.T. Studd so famously put it, only one life, twill soon be past, only what s done for Christ will last. It is God who puts the concept of eternity in the human heart along with the desire to pursue those things which will outlive and outlast our time here on earth. When it comes right down to it, there are only two things that will last forever, God and people. Only God and people have eternal value. That s why Jesus was able to narrow all the commandments of Scripture into just two: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength and Love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:28). Jesus life and ministry was motivated by the GREAT COMMANDMENT as His love for His Father and His compassion for people drove Him to make the ultimate sacrifice for your redemption and mine. Jesus mission was clear: to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10) and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). And His mission continues through His Body, the Church, even today. Prior to His ascension, Jesus commissioned His followers to join Him in seeking and saving the lost. Go and make disciples of all nations, Jesus said, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matthew (Continued on page 2) C.T. Studd

2 (Continued from page 1 ~ A Lasting Legacy) 28:19-20). And so, as followers of Christ we are called to live out the GREAT COMMISSION in the spirit of the GREAT COMMANDMENT. The mission of Bethel Wesleyan Church is to love our community and world with Christ s love, offering everyone His fulfilling way of life. All of our actions and efforts must be motivated by our love for God and our love for people with the desire to see all people enter into an eternal relationship with Jesus Christ, God s Son and our Savior! As Rick Warren put it, Nothing else you do will ever matter as much as helping people establish an eternal relationship with God. A few years ago, I heard a message by Ron Hutchcraft on the Three-Open Prayer. It is based on Colossians 4:3-4 where the Apostle Paul says, "Pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ...Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should." As followers of Christ we are encouraged to use this prayer as a launching pad for our own, paving the way for opportunities to have an eternal impact upon the lives of those with whom we come in contact every day. The Three-Open Prayer begins by asking God to OPEN THE DOOR. In other words, you are asking God to provide a natural opportunity to talk about your relationship with Jesus with a specific person in your sphere of influence. In the words of Ron Hutchcraft: The God who opened up the Red Sea for His children can surely engineer a natural, unforced opportunity for you to introduce Jesus into the conversation. Your open door will often arise from one of two sources: a common experience or something your lost friend is going through or talking about. God may open a door through something that happens in the news, something that's happening in your family or their family, or a hurting time in their life or your life. For those who have eyes to see them, the world is full of opportunities to bring up life's most important relationship. The second part of the Three-Open Prayer is asking God to OPEN THEIR HEART to the Good News about Jesus. God has many ways of answering that prayer - events, other people and recent experiences can make them surprisingly ready to hear about Jesus and what He can do for people just like them. Finally, you pray, Lord, OPEN MY MOUTH. In other words, "Lord, when You open the door, help me see the opportunity you're giving and help me open my mouth to talk about Jesus in an appropriate way." In fact, in Ephesians 6:19, Paul asks his friends to pray that "whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me." God's been doing that for 2,000 years. He'll do it for you. The Three-Open Prayer Lord, open the door, open their heart, and open my mouth - is a good place to begin if we desire to live lives of eternal consequence in fulfillment of the GREAT COMMISSION and in the spirit of the GREAT COMMANDMENT. It is a prayer that the God who puts eternity into every human heart loves to answer! Page 2

3 POWER KIDS ~ AT THE BEACH ~ SUMMER 2017 Power Kids will be At The Beach this Summer, spending time in the Son as they learn how to go a little deeper in their walk with Jesus. In the summer many people grab a good book and head to the beach. This summer, the Power Kids will pick up the good book and learn how to grow in their faith. The key memory verse for this series of lessons is Ephesians 4:14: Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. (NIV) JUNE 4 TIDAL WAVE: God wants us to grow and mature in our faith. While it s fun to let the waves rock us back and forth, when it comes to our faith, we need to grow so we will no longer be tossed about. JUNE 11 BASK IN THE SUN: Sunbathers love the warmth of the sun. God wants us to know His Son, Jesus. He wants us to worship Jesus and learn to live like Jesus did so we can share Jesus with others. JUNE 18 SURF S UP: Surfers love to ride on top of the waves. Jesus gave Peter the chance to walk on water. When we keep our eyes on Jesus, he can use us to do amazing things. JUNE 25 MAKERS FUN FACTORY FINALE JULY 2 SPF 45: We wear sunscreen to block out harmful rays of the sun. We need to be on guard and shield ourselves from temptation so it too cannot harm us. JULY 9 LIKE A HURRICANE: Storms can be bad on the beach, especially when a hurricane blows in. Life has its storms as well, but with Jesus we can ride out any storm. Jesus is our protector in tough times. JULY 16 CHILLAX: Many people come to the beach to just lay out and relax. God wants us to make time to rest and renew ourselves. He created rest for our benefit. JULY 23 SANDCASTLES: Sandcastles are fun to build, but they never last. They are washed away because they have no foundation. Don t build your life on a shifting, sandy foundation. Build it on Jesus. He is the one true, solid foundation for our lives. JULY 30 AT DENTON CAMP FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL AND WORSHIP AUGUST 6 AT DENTON CAMP FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL AND WORSHIP AUGUST 13 DON T FORGET THE TOWEL: Towels are useful at the beach. They can be your blanket on the sand, help you carry things, and also dry you off. Not one goes to the beach without a towel, and we should never go anywhere without God. We need God s Holy Spirit with us wherever we go. Page 3

4 Youth Ministry Hello Church Family! As you are aware, we are moving into the summer. With school letting out and everyone spending quality family time, I will be backing off the youth nights. God s Prescription is still ready to amp up on some community and possibly mission programs. I will be keeping you all posted on our upcoming ideas! We will be planning a day trip for our Youth before summer lets out. Also, we will be building a Gaga Pit for the church. Stay tuned for details. There is still need for volunteers. We always welcome help with the Youth Ministry. Thank You with love, Chris Foster God Is Good! Sunday School for All Ages Fun, Fellowship, & Focused Ministry Be a friend to the church and bring your family to join our family for Sunday School! Our assistance with VBS Maker Fun Factory from June 19th - 23rd would be very much appreciated. Please contact Lori Richard to Volunteer! On June 29 th we are planning an Excursion to Bird-in-Hand, PA for Lunch and to see the Play Half- Stitched. Please contact Barbara Walters for information and tickets. What s All the Buzz About? VBS at BWC June 19th thru 23rd! 6:00-8:30 pm Pre K thru 5th Grade Created by GOD...Built for a Purpose! BE READY for a GREAT TIME! HELP IS NEEDED! BE IN PRAYER for the children and staff before, during and after VBS week BE INVOLVED on June 10th in setting up, starting at 8:00 a.m. until. BE PRESENT during the week of VBS as a Crew Leader, Station Leader or Support Staff BE SURE to contact Lori Richard at to Help! Thank You! Page 4

5 Mission Moment World Hope Sponsorship Child Over the past several years, our children have received offerings during Vacation Bible School to raise funds for a child sponsorship through World Hope International. Joseph Saraphain from Haiti is our most recent recipient of this sponsorship which not only provides for his education, but also food, clothing, school supplies, and medical attention. The best part of child sponsorship is that it works. According to a study published in the Journal of Political Economy, sponsored children are more likely to: STAY IN SCHOOL: Sponsored children are up to 40% more likely to finish secondary school and up to 80% more likely to graduate college. FIND STABLE EMPLOYMENT: Sponsored children are up to 18% more likely to find jobs and lift themselves and their families out of desperate cycles of violence, disease and poverty. BECOME COMMUNITY & CHURCH LEADERS: Children lifted from poverty by the generosity of sponsors are up to 70% more likely to become leaders in their churches and communities. The cost of Child Sponsorship is $40/month or $480 annually. Our goal is to raise $530 with the extra $50 being used to provide special gifts for the child and his family at Christmas and his birthday. Fortunately, our offerings have well exceeded this goal making it possible for us to bless communities throughout the world with clean drinking water also through World Hope International. We truly appreciate the generosity of our children and their families as we seek to reach out to our world through the VBS offering again this year. For more information on World Hope International and its various ministries go to PLEASE SAVE CANS & CANCELLED STAMPS TO SUPPORT OUR MISSIONARIES Give your Cancelled Stamps to Mary Sard. Place your Cans in the Container located behind the Church or see Bob Black for information. Thank You! Page 5

6 Global Partners Prayer Focus: Amplified Laborers As Jesus traveled through the towns and villages of Judea, Samaria and Galilee He was moved with compassion by the crowds of people who hung on His every word and sought just a touch from His healing hand. He saw them as sheep without a shepherd, helpless and harassed by social injustice and spiritual ambivalence. That s when he turned to His followers and said: The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field (Matthew 9:35-38). With 3.5 billion Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus without Christ. With hundreds of international pastors in need of training. With one Christian for every 700,000 people in China. There is a divine urgency for the work that is before us. We need every follower of Jesus mobilized for this cause, according to Chad McCallum, Global Partner s Director of Mobilization. This month Global Partner s Prayer Focus is for Amplified Laborers. Would you join Wesleyan s throughout North America in praying for workers in the harvest field? And would you be open to doing your part in reaching the lost for Christ by praying specifically for unreached people groups (see below), by giving generously to missions, and by being willing to serve on a short-term mission team? Unreached People Groups: 136,000,000 unreached in Bangladesh 123,000,000 unreached in India 37,000,000 unreached in Indonesia Go to to see the 100 largest unreached people groups in our world today! Page 6

7 G.I.F.T.ed One of the ways Bethel Wesleyan Church can become more eternally minded is by practicing G.I.F.T. giving each and every Sunday. G.I.F.T. stands for: Greet somebody new or somebody you haven t yet met. Introduce yourself to someone or better, introduce a guest to someone else in the church. Follow-up on a prayer concern, a previous conversation, or happening in someone else s life. Thank someone for their service to God, the church, and/or the community. Imagine what kind of church we would be if everyone in attendance G.I.F.T.ed each and every Sunday. Certainly, this would be of eternal value! So, have you G.I.F.T.ed someone today? Baptism Sunday - July 16, 2017! Baptism is the first act of obedience for a follower of Christ. It is the sign of the new life Jesus offers everyone who puts their faith in Him for the forgiveness of their sins and the redemption of their souls. It is also a sign of the new relationship a believer has with God and His people; an initiation rite into the family of God which faith in Jesus provides. On Sunday, July 16 following the morning service, Bethel Wesleyan Church will be conducting a Baptismal Service at the home of Gene and Lisa Walters. Anyone interested in being baptized should contact Pastor Doug Morley at or at pastor@goldsborowesleyan.com by Sunday, July 2 nd. Goldsboro Bethel Wesleyan Church Pastor Douglas E. Morley 435 Main Street P.O. Box 141 Goldsboro, Maryland Phone:(410) pastor@goldsborowesleyan.com HELP WANTED! Part time rewarding job with flexible hours. Excellent opportunity to meet new friends. Be a part of a great team and have a giggle. No experience required. Contact Barbie Semans Sunday Services Prayer Time 9:15 AM Discipleship Classes 9:45 AM Morning Worship 10:45 AM Power Kids 10:45 AM Pray Together 6:00 PM Coming to FAITH in Christ FORMING Christ-like Character FORWARDING Christ s Mission Page 7

8 June 2017 Bethel Wesleyan Church exists to love our community and world with Christ's love, offering everyone His fulfilling way of life. Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Looking Ahead to July July IGNITE Middle School Camp July 16 BAPTISM SUNDAY July IGNITE High School Camp July 28-Aug. 6 Denton Family Camp (Bethel Wesleyan Church will be gathering at Denton Camp for Sunday School and Worship on July 30 & Aug. 6 - All Church Picnic at Jones cottage will be held after worship each Sunday) Jimmy Walters 4 PENTECOST SUNDAY Karen Morley 9 Harry & Lori Richard, Sr Chris Foster Envoy Nursing Home Ministry 2:00 pm 12 George Melvin 13 Colin Elborn Jessica Shuba David & On Father s Day Come to the Welcome Table and Have a Cookie With Your Dad Sherry Gary 18 Kathy Jarrell Jacob Martin Owen Rash Mason & Angela Shamp Raegan Peris Maker Fun Factory VBS 6:00 to 8:30 PM 24 A.J. Russum 25 Jason & Vanessa Leach VBS Sunday 26 Vision 2020 District Conference 27 Aaron Wright Emily Hatfield Oa Excursion 30 David & Mary James, Sr. Circle J Kids Camp July 1 June Greeters Schedule: 4th - Howard & Sandy Fitzcharles, 11th Larry Gary & Adrienne Turner, 18th David & Barbie Semans, 25th - David & Mary James Fruit Providers: 4th Barbie Semans, 11th Adrienne Turner, 18th Lisa Walters, 25th - Sandy Fitzcharles