Keeping Christ in Christmas

Transcription

1 The Official Newsletter of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Greensboro, NC The Bethel Beacon Q4 The Friendly Church On The Friendly Corner Dec 2012 Keeping Christ in Christmas I recall from my youth signs which read Merry Xmas. Today Happy Holidays is more socially acceptable. A seemingly harmless and reasonable compromise, this jargon represents an affront to the true message and meaning of Christmas. But what can Christians do about it? For starters, we can keep Christ in Christmas. Atheism, agnosticism and religious pluralists may be here to stay; but we who believe the Holy Scriptures, particularly Matthew 2, Luke 2 and John 1, must remain resolute that Jesus Christ is the foundation for this and every season; and thereby courageously express to all CHRISTmas! Then, we can exemplify the principles of our Lord. Love is the hallmark of the Triune God s redemptive work of mankind. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NKJV). The Son ultimately sacrificed his life for everyone even those who reject Him. And now, especially at Christmas, we are authorized and empowered by the Holy Spirit to boldly declare that Christ is the greatest and only gift the world will ever need! Above all, hold firmly to the glorious beauty and undeniable truth of Christmas. Until Christ returns, cultures will reject him as Savior. However, the day approaches when all will acknowledge him as Lord! Christian, hold fast to this assurance, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:9-11NIV). And with that, I pray for all a very Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year! - Pastor Alphonzo McGlen

2 The Bethel Beacon Page 2 35 Beautiful Things about Bethel A.M.E. Church By Iris W. Troxler 1. The friendly, happy people of Bethel at worship, at work and at play. 2. The Rev s Alphonso & Dianne McGlen family. 3. Bethel s Greeters. 4. The First Son working the acoustics. 5. The First Daughter home from college for the holidays. 6. Rev. Alphonso McGlen singing his signature song; One Day at a Time. 7. The poetic rhythm of Rev Womack s teaching voice. 8. The First Lady enjoying her husbands sermons. 9. Bethel Church in seasonal decor especially at Christmas. 10. Mrs. Bell s exquisite style; personal, performing and directing music. 11. Dr. Brenda Hampden gospel fest every Second Sunday. 12. Famous quote; This is not a gotcha moment but a let us help you moment. 13. The work and missions of Bethel s Missionary Society. 14. Bethel s bulletin boards. 15. Bethel s financial genius dancing with his lady in red. 16. The children of Bethel. 17. Bethel s Christian Bookstore. 18. The Steward Board at Pastor s fellowship brunch at The Bistow. 19. The Steele dramatic reading of poem, Lord why did you make me Black. 20. Professionalism of the two Stewardess Boards in service. 21. Neal Legette lightening the candle s at the start of church service. 22. The great Gayle Fairley s voice and smile. 23. The procession of people at Bethel s Soup Kitchen. 24. Vacation Bible School at Bethel. 25. The forward roll of golf carts following prayer at Bethel s golf tournament. 26. Dr. Gertrude Foust in full dress style. Continued on Pg. 3

3 The Bethel Beacon Page 3 Continued from Pg Historic wall of Pastoral change at Bethel. 28. Rev Kim Foster preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. 29. Bethel s Outreach Ministry. 30. The classic literary experience of the 5 th Sunday Book Talks. 31. Interactive style of Wednesday Noon Fellowship Bible Study. 32. The 2012 Women s Day marriage proposal. 33. Pastor and retiree s dining at The Sweet Potato and Christmas at Tanglewood outing. 34. Bethel s Drama Ministry s seasonal mini dramatizations. 35. Romans 10:15, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace. A Message from Sunday School Members of the Sunday school are happy to announce that we had a blessed year in 2012, and we are praying for another blessed year in The holidays have brought lots of love and joy to our hearts. We continue to encourage each one of Gods Children and those that are finding their way to come to Sunday school and study the word with us. We promise you will receive a spiritual blessing to help you with all of life difficulties. May God bless our church family throughout the Holiday Season. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and hope to see you and your family in Sunday School in Lois Hurdle

4 The Bethel Beacon Page 4 Public Safety Day Bethel AME Church hosted its fourth Public Safety Day Program on Sunday November 18, The program honored public safety professionals in Greensboro and Guilford County for their outstanding service to the community. The program was held during the 10:30 a.m. worship, service that included a very inspirational message from Pastor Alphonso E. McGlen. Public Safety Officials attending the program brought greetings, and shared public safety information with the congregation. The visitors included B. J. Barnes, Guilford County Sheriff; Alan Perdue, Director-Guilford County Emergency Services; Gregory Grayson, Chief-Greensboro Fire Department; Doug Logan, Director-Court Alternatives; Lt. Black, representing NC A&T State University Police and Public Safety Administration; Mr. Nance, Director Public Safety, Bennett College, And Wesley Reed, Director Guilford Metro 911. All City and County professionals attending the program received gifts of appreciations from Bill Smith chairperson of Bethel s Public safety committee and Reverend Alphonso E. McGlen, Pastor of Bethel AME Church. Many of the guest provided brochures and other information relevant to their particular areas of expertise. In addition, the congregation following the morning service viewed public safety equipment and vehicles from various departments in designated areas of the church parking lot for viewing. -Ray Flowers

5 The Bethel Beacon Page 5 Lay News Bulletin by Mozell Weston PRAYER BREAKFAST The Western North Carolina Lay Organization sponsored its annual Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, September 8 th at St. Matthews AMEC, Raleigh, NC. Our Lay President, Sis. Mozell Weston presided over the Memorial Service. Several members from Bethel Church were memorialized. They were Margaret Diggs, Jeanann Holmes, Mary Lewis, Janie Slater, Nellie Strong, Irene Taylor and Virginia Williams. The program ended with a Song of Triumph and Hope, with the refrain When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we ll sing and shout the victory. LAY DAY THE 2012 Lay Witness Sunday was held on Sunday, October 14, Our lay speaker was Mr. Richard Hunter who delivered a message for all of to feast on as leaders who are building a global legacy for our future generation. His message was to timely and befitting to our theme: Building on Our Global Legacy of Christ-Centered Leadership and Training. Certificate of Lay Extraordinary were given to six (6) Bethel members of our congregation: Mr. Eddie Brailsford, Mr. & Dr. Henry & Juanita Johnson, Mrs. Loretta Bennett, Mrs. Giles and Mrs. Louise Flowers. The Lay Executive Board sincerely thanks each and every one at Bethel for being so supportive of our events through the years. GET OUT THE VOTE The Lay organization sponsored the Get out the Vote Campaign at Bethel by registering members and friends. We have also encouraged everyone to go vote this season. The November election results (both general and local) certainly spoke the voice of the people. The Lay Organization thank each of you who casted your vote and to re-emphasize that the Work Has Just Begun. President OFFICERS FOR THE CONFERENCE YEAR Mozell Weston 1 st Vice President Alex Harper 2 nd Vice President Bertha B. McLendon 3 rd Vice President Jonathan Dale Wragg Recording Secretary Assistant Recording Secretary Corresponding Secretary Chaplain Treasurer Financial Secretary Historiographer Director of Lay Activities Director of Public Relations Parliamentarian Advisor Lenora Lee Louise Flowers Maggie Cooke Jessie Cardwell Beverly Small Larry Pierce Modgie Carol Williams Charmayne Owens Johnnie M. Faucette Linwood Blanchard Colen Craven

6 News from the Odessa Harris Women s Missionary Society Thanksgiving Dinner Boxes Sis. Jeanie Joyner, Chairperson On Saturday, November 17, 2012, the Thanksgiving Dinner Boxes Committee met to prepare packages of food to be given to seven families for their Thanksgiving Dinner. Six dinner boxes were provided for church members and one was given to a community person or family. The boxes were filled with green beans, candied yams, dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce, corn, canned greens, pinto beans, rolls, rotisserie chicken or turkeys, sweet potato pies and other dessert items, tea and sodas. Food Lion gave turkeys and provided additional boxes of canned goods to give to each family. The committee chaired by Sis. Jeanie Joyner consisted of Bertha Brown, Margaret Washington, Larnice Smith, Joan Brincefield, Jessie Cardwell, Maggie Cooke, Joann Flowers, Karen Spencer, Louise Flowers, Bertha McLendon, Lena Reid, Juanita Johnson, Josephine Curry, Vera Burnett and Elizabeth Jackson. The Ethyel Anderson Area Women s Missionary Society Prayer Breakfast Bethel A.M.E. Church Reidsville, NC Rev. Dr. Patrice Fields, Pastor October 21, 2012 Local President: Sis. Cheryl Austin Area Chairperson: Sis. Louise Butler Area Prayer Team Leader: Sis Ethylene Headon Prayer Warriors: Rev. Dr. Patrice Fields-Elders The Ethyel Anderson Area Hallelujah Gospel Choir Theme: Prayer Will Fix It.Every Time! Topic: Living on Answered Prayers! Speaker: Sis. Ann Jeffries It was a beautiful Saturday morning as the Missionaries gathered in Reidsville, NC on October 21, 2012 to meet under one roof in unity. The breakfast of eggs, stewed apples, bacon or sausage, biscuits and blueberry muffins could not fill us up as the great prayers, fellowshipping, singing and the WORD did. It was a high time in the Spirit. Sis. Audrey Donnell started us in prayer, followed with scripture by Sis. Emma Scott. The choir sung several songs: Sing the Wondrous Love of Jesus, Somebody Prayed for Me, Whisper a Little Prayer, and more. The welcome was given by Sis. Cheryl Austin and the Introduction of the Speaker was given by Sis. Crystal Surgeon. A special selection was given by Sis. Diane Peoples, which was Your Grace and Mercy

7 and we all sung with her. A Spirit filled emotional moment for us all. LIVING ON ANSWERED PRAYERS: Our speaker, Sis. Ann Jeffries started out by explaining life and living to all of us. Gen 2:7... Man became a living soul formed by God but was not a living soul until God Almighty blew the breath of life in man. Man has been placed under the supervision of God. Our hearts started beating blood began to flow throughout our bodies.as the Great I Am performed His miracle. and man became a living soul. Think about it if God had neglected us at any instant we would not be able to exist. One missed beat of our heart or one lost breath of oxygen we are done for. To live, living involves a daily awareness of our walk with the Christ. One step at a time, one day at a time, we learn to really live, by claiming God s love. Ask yourself, Do I want to fully enjoy and perceive the comprehension of God? God wants us to enjoy the experience and get our hearts desires. In a relationship with God and Christ, we constitute what is real.being awake is real.awake and in a sound mind. As we do take things for granted, we are reminded of James 5: We were encouraged to confess our faults one to another and that the earnest heartfelt continuous prayer of a righteous man will availeth much! Paul explained that you haven t lived until you have known Christ and that if you wish to keep living.you must know Christ as well for that purpose too. Paul states that nothing is better than living for Christ. The best recipe for life is living a Spiritual life. Living on answered prayers helps us to: Confess with our mouths, Pray for one another, Heal the sick and the afflicted. Our souls are restored and will enable us to press onward, we receive tremendous power, dynamic in its work; answers will come when God is ready for you to have the answers not when you want them, but in His time, and we know that He is never late. He is an on-time God. The prayers of a righteous man will enable you to tolerate the spouse, children and coworkers.helping you to deny yourself, giving you hope and joy especially when you don t know what to do. God is not distant from us he is ever present and our prayers are an experience that connects us to the Son. David prayed for forgiveness, Paul prayed in prison, and Jesus prayed to Lazarus to come forth and he did. Lazarus was living on an answered prayer at that time. Peter prayed to awaken the life of Tabitha..living on an answered prayer. Daniel prayed in the lion s den. Simple prayer can give you Peace, Healing, advances in Science, strength, eradicates poverty and disease, enabling us to help one another. It gets us connected. We must really leave the negativity out of our lives. As we talk to God, God talks to us through His written word. God answers us according to our heart. Ask God to search your heart. View the following: 1Cor 14:15, James 5:13-14, Matt: 21-22, and Acts 9:10. The Missionary offering was taken up at $3.00 each. Six Bethel members were in attendance. They were: Sis. Bertha

8 McLendon, Sis. Carol Williams, Sis. Patricia Womack, Sis. Blondell Capers, Sis. Lois Hurdle, and Sis. Joan D. Brincefield, Reporter on the scene for the Odessa Harris Missionary Society of Bethel AME Church, Greensboro, NC. Submitted by Sis. Joan Brincefield Ethyel Anderson Area Christmas Meeting The Ethyel Anderson Area WMS meeting was held on December 1, 2012 at Turner s Chapel AME Church, where Rev. Michael Bowden is the Pastor. The Jackson Lindsay Missionary Society hosted the event and its local president is Sis. Everlena Diggs. Several missionaries and YPDers from Bethel AME Church attended the meeting. The agenda included music by the EAA-WMS Choir, Devotion; Greetings from Rev. Bowden; Welcome from Sis. Diggs; Adoption of the Agenda; Minutes; Roll Call; Treasurer s Report; Correspondence; Reports from the 1 st Vice President, Sis. Patricia Womack who discussed the Angel Tree Ministry; 2 nd Vice President, Sis. Betty Chrisp; YPD Area Director, Sis. LaTayna Pender; 3 rd Vice President, Sis. Sandra Vincent. Sis. Chrisp indicated that supplies for the shelter were still needed. Sis. Vincent gave a memorial report and Sis. Virginia Williams name was memorialized. The Workshop Presenter was the YWI Leader, Sis. Crystal Surgeon. Her topic was Customer Service as it relates to being a missionary. Food for Thought: How can my gifts benefit the missionaries; know who you are in Christ; be self assured; what can cause persons to lose faith in the missionary society (no contact); steadiness, suspense, God s promises; God s Will; Spirit Led; and Keep it real. She engaged the audience and gave handouts with scripture basis to the YWI leaders from each area church in attendance. This was an outstanding workshop. The Dorcas Queens were presented. Our own lovely Queen, Sis. Loretta Bennett won first place for the Ethyel Anderson Area, and she was honored. Special Recognition was given to Sis. Louise Butler for her leadership of the Ethyel Anderson Area WMS. Remarks were made by Sis. Frances Hope, WMS Conference Branch President. She announced that Founders Day will be held on February 15 16, 2013 at the North Raleigh Hilton. She thanked the area for the items given to the shelter, including a stove, beds, and supplies. In 2014, the missionaries have been asked to visit District 16. There are 206+ children being served by the Angel Tree Ministry. There was a plea from International WMS President Dr. Shirley Cason-Reed for churches to give a monetary donation to purchase supplies for victims of Hurricane Sandy. Funds should be sent to the WMS office in Washington, DC. The Winter Institute will be held on January 19, 2013 at St. Matthews in Burlington, NC. The discussion will center on Alzheimer s and Domestic

9 Violence. To represent these two topics, we were asked to wear the color purple in some form shirt, skirt, pants, dress, shoes, scarf, or ribbon, etc. A pink shawl from the District President was sent to Sis. Doris McCrae for 25 years as a breast cancer survivor. The Mr. Right Family Game was led by Sis. Betty Chrisp and everyone had fun and received a gift. The closing prayer and grace were given by Sis. Ethylene Headen, and then the Missionary Benediction. The Jackson Lindsay Missionary Society members served a delicious lunch. Items for the designated elementary schools and WMS shelter were given by the members of the Odessa Harris Missionary Society and YPD of Bethel AME Church. THE ANGEL TREE MINISTRY Sis. Marian Kanipes, Chairperson And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew: 25:40 The Angel Tree Prison Fellowship Ministry is an organization that sets forth in making a difference in the world by providing joy to children of inmates and by ministering to the inmates and the families of the inmates. This program collects and distributes toys to children whose parents are incarcerated. When important family holidays roll around~ birthdays, Easter, Mother s Day, Father s Day, and especially Christmas, many of these children and families are lonely and heartbroken. Statistics: More than 60% of prisoners are incarcerated over 100 miles from home About 75% of women in prison are mothers The average age of a child with a parent in prison is 8 Children of prisoners often struggle in school and in social settings The WMS of Bethel is sponsoring the Angel Ministry Project this year. Bethel will be serving 10 families which include 23 children (13 boys and 10 girls). The ages of the children range from 7 months to 17 years. Bethel members have come together in support of this great project in many ways, from donating gifts to the children, giving monetary donations, preparing and organizing the Gift Giving, preparing reports, collecting gifts, taking messages, and so much more. All families have been invited to attend the 10:30 a.m. service on 12/16/12 and a Gift Giving immediately after service. There will be refreshments served, a bible and a gift for each child, and most importantly an opportunity for the Prayer Warriors of Bethel to love, lead, and minister to and pray with each family. Bethel has begun to enfold these children and their families into the life of our church. I look forward to seeing God change lives through our church family participation in this ministry!

10 Thanks to my Assistants: Lenora Lee, Loretta Bennett, Sharon Foust, Patricia Womack, LaShaunda Steele, Tschanna Barrow, Esther Hamilton, Margaret Kanipes, and Relecia Irving. Submitted by, Sis. Marian Kanipes The Hallelujah Fun Fall Festival was held on Friday, October 26, Fun was had by members and friends of all ages! Sis. Tschanna Barrow, organizer, and many youth and adult volunteers led the children in several games, gave out prizes and lots of goodies. Their tummies were satisfied with pizza, cupcakes, chips, and drink. It ended with a Trunk or Treat and the children enjoyed going from car trunk to car trunk to obtain treats! What an ideal and safe outing for our children doing this time of year. May God bless them for having good clean fun!!! Category A churches. Joshua did an outstanding job of representing Bethel. We are very proud of him. YPD MONTHLY MEETING We held our monthly YPD meeting on Sunday, October 21, 2012 and November 18, The focus has been on the AME Church. The Mother Sunbeams discussed the Episcopal Districts, the Allen Stars attended Public Safety Day, and the Youth Auxiliary studied the Articles of Religion. YPD AREA MEETING The 2 nd Area YPD meeting was held Saturday, December 1, 2012, at 9:00 am at Turner s Chapel AME in High Point, NC. We had 10 YPDers in attendance. Hallelujah Fun Fall Festival WNCC YPD FALL INSTITUTE We attended the WNCC YPD Fall Institute on Saturday, October 27, We had 11 YPDers in attendance. Our Dorcas Contestant, Joshua Spinks, placed second for the Ethyel Anderson area,

11 LITTLE LAMBS FUNDRAISER The Little Lambs Cookie Dough and Snack Fundraiser have ended. Thanks to everyone who participated and purchased items. It is greatly appreciated. The cookies have arrived and will be distributed this Sunday. CHEROKEE MISSION TRIP The YPD will sponsor its first mission trip to Cherokee, NC in June The trip is open to any YPDer 11 years old and up. The cost for the trip is $400 per person. Various fundraisers will be done throughout the year to offset some of the costs. Submitted by Sis. LaShaunda Steele