The Beacon. More Than Conquerors. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. - Romans 8:37

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1 The Beacon O C T O B E R I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Associate 2 Pastor More Than Conquerors No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. - Romans 8:37 Calendar 3 Birthdays 4 Food Bank Military 5 Golden Oldies 6 Music Notes A Voice for 7 Ministry Prayer Rally 8 As you already know, our Associate Pastor Robbie Ytterberg, has accepted a call to be Sr. Pastor/Head of Staff at the Presbyterian Church of Toms River, New Jersey. Robbie and his family are dearly loved by Bethany and will be greatly missed. On a personal level, I have greatly valued Robbie as a colleague and brother in Christ. We have shared a life of prayer not only for ministry, but an ongoing prayer life together. I will greatly miss him. Please keep in prayer Robbie and Abby, Wesley, Ella and Liana. Embarking on such a transition is a huge stress on the whole family. Meanwhile, life at Bethany not only continues, but overflows. World Communion is on October 2nd and Thank Offering Sunday is on October 9th. October 16th is our annual Heritage and Octogenerian Sunday, a great time to celebrate and honor those precious members with us over the years. Our fall theme for worship and stewardship is Generosity: Moving Toward Life That Is Truly Life! Sunday sermons from October and through November 6th will be on the theme of Generosity with Dedication Sunday on November 6. A book of that title by Gordan MacDonald will be available for study and reflection. It is a book of daily devotionals covering four weeks. The Session has purchased copies and wants you to have one. They will be available by October 9. We are very excited about this series. Bethany is off to a rousing start. Join us Tuesdays from 5:00-7:00 PM. Sunday classes are available for all ages with some great adult options. And...Robbie is still with us through November 13. In all the changes and challenges we face we can have a deep confidence in our great God. We truly are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Blessings in the Lord, John Hamilton

2 Warning: Fall is Here! I looked out my window a couple of days ago and had to do a double take. I squinted my eyes and looked intently out at the trees lining our back hill. I could hardly believe it but there were leaves already changing color splotches of yellow, orange and red amongst the green. So, I am warning you, FALL IS HERE, the seasons are changing. Every change of season comes with beauty and possibility. In addition to an incredible variety of colored foliage, cloud formations change, outdoor activities change, school years advance, and different sports are available to watch (be honest, some of you are ecstatic that football is back and others of you are bummed it s back). Yet, every change of season also has different demands and requirements for our lives. Obviously in winter we have to deal with snow. Spring is for planting and often cleaning. Summer requires sunscreen and a beach (well maybe doesn t require it but it is nice). Fall is no different, we deal with leaves on the ground and walkways, we dismantle gardens and till the soil, and maybe even aerate the grass. All of this work though pays off, we can enjoy the season that we are living in and by preparing well, enjoy the next. Bethany is in the midst of a change of season. There is beauty and possibility and there are opportunities for you to jump in and help so that together, Bethany can enjoy this season and be ready to enjoy the next. Besides, who doesn t love to jump in the leaves!?! Bethany We have had a great start to this new Tuesday evening ministry night for all ages. Every week has a high quality dinner and open activities from 5-6 pm. Then from 6-7 pm there are small groups for all ages to grow in faith and get to know others more. How can you help? Saturday Dinner Prep (8 10 am) you can jump in for one week or many but either way you can help prepare the meals that we share every Tuesday. Believe me, you don t even have to have skills for cooking, just a willingness to help (I should know, I have helped in the kitchen) Tuesday Dinner Set up (3 5 pm) a crew of folks makes sure that the food is ready, the hot stuff hot and the cold stuff cold so that those who gather can enjoy the meal and the time together. Many hands make light work, consider jumping in for a week here or there. Choir Lend your voice and your time to help lead Bethany into joyful worship. You don t have to have training or particular skill in singing just a love for the Lord, a willingness to help and learn, and a desire to have fun doing it! Youth You can make a huge difference in the life of youth by being a consistent presence and pointing them to Jesus. You can be a youth leader, helping with youth group each week or jump in on an event basis to make sure our youth have a great year! This will be even more fun than jumping in the leaves! Contact me about any of the opportunities above and let s have a great fall! Peace- Robbie Ytterberg

3 OCTOBER 2016 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Upward Registration Begins 2 3 7:00 PM Dartball Captains Meeting 7:00 PM Deacon Meeting 4 9:30 AM Women's Day Out 5:00 PM Bethany 5 10:00 AM Fellowship of Prayer 7:00 PM Choir Practice 7:00 PM Boy Scouts 6 9:15 AM Quilting 12:00 PM Thursday 7:00 PM AA Mtg 7:30 PM Dart Ball 7 12:00 PM Preschool Lunch Bunch 8 9:00 AM PW Bible study 11:00 AM Saturday 9 THANK OFFERING 10:45 AM Worship 12:00 PM Potluck Lunch 10 7:00 PM Session Teams 11 9:30 AM Women's Day Out 5:00 PM Bethany 12 7:00 PM Choir Practice 7:00 PM Boy Scouts 13 9:00 AM MOPS 9:15 AM Quilting 12:00 PM Thursday 7:00 PM AA Mtg 7:00 PM Session Meeting 7:30 PM Dart Ball 14 12:00 PM Men's Friday Lunch at Kings Restaurant 12:00 PM Preschool Lunch Bunch 15 7:30 AM Food Bank 16 Octogenarian Sunday 10:45 AM Worship 12:00 PM Octogenarian Luncheon 17 10:00 AM Preschool Simmons Farm Trip (off site) 7:00 PM MOPS - Steering Team 18 9:30 AM Women's Day Out 5:00 PM Bethany 19 7:00 PM Bethany Choir Practice 7:00 PM Boy Scouts 20 9:15 AM Quilting 12:00 PM Golden Oldies Luncheon 12:00 PM Thursday 7:00 PM AA Mtg 7:30 PM Dart Ball 21 12:00 PM Preschool Lunch Bunch 22 9:00 AM PW Bible study 11:00 AM Saturday 23 Congregational Meeting 10:45 AM Worship 12:00 PM New Members Class 24 7:00 PM Session Meeting 25 9:30 AM Women's Day Out 5:00 PM Bethany 26 7:00 PM Choir Practice 7:00 PM Boy Scouts 27 9:00 AM MOPS 9:15 AM Quilting 12:00 PM Thursday 7:00 PM AA Mtg 7:30 PM Dart Ball 28 10:00 AM Preschool Halloween Celebration 12:00 PM Men's Friday Lunch at Kings Restaurant Promise Arrives 29 Promise Arrives 30 10:45 AM Worship 12:00 PM New Members Class 31

4 P A G E 4 Happy Birthday! 10/01 Wanda Chilleo 10/01 Laurie Edwards 10/01 James Mours 10/01 James Scalise 10/02 Michael Barish 10/02 Jesse Marra 10/02 Timothy Marra 10/02 Cathy Schulz 10/03 Hayden Zissis 10/04 Kathy Brown 10/04 Alan DePaoli 10/04 Mary Meta 10/04 Donna Miller 10/04 Randall Wilkerson 10/05 Beckham Valentine 10/06 Louis Cimarolli 10/06 James Fries 10/06 Virginia Kirsopp 10/06 Walter Lesnett 10/06 Dolores Rastetter 10/06 Frances Zaloznik 10/08 Nathan DeGrave 10/08 Elizabeth Just 10/08 Dawn Manzini 10/08 Virginia Platt 10/08 Isabella Sysak 10/09 Nancy Krek 10/09 Logan North 10/10 Matthew Bizzack 10/10 Morgan Henderson 10/11 Roger Cox 10/11 Brittani Crabb 10/11 Marlene Ostroskie 10/11 Kaden Thrasher 10/12 Thomas Hayes 10/12 Amy Rush 10/12 Chelsea Schultz 10/13 Marie Findley 10/13 Donna Glass 10/13 Koda Miller 10/13 Tammy Underwood 10/14 Brian Bartels 10/14 Heather Hunter 10/14 Robert Lytle 10/15 Austin Collavo 10/17 Ian McKee 10/17 Caroline Poiche 10/17 Geraldine Tschudi 10/18 Becky Cook 10/18 Ronald Coulter 10/18 Kayla D'Angelo 10/18 Rachel Dunlap 10/19 Joseph Caun 10/19 Hannah Farabaugh 10/19 Frank Katrin 10/19 Kathryn Teller 10/19 Karen Verduci 10/20 Tracie Edwards 10/20 Paul Gastgeb 10/20 Gary McMillen 10/20 Elnora Phillips 10/20 Ashley Strouse 10/22 Malory Gibson 10/22 Mallory Goerdt 10/23 William Schweitzer 10/24 Maximus Lockerbie 10/24 Jessica Seeley 10/24 Brayden Underwood 10/25 Jonathan Gibbs 10/25 Lindsey Myers 10/25 Rebecca Quinn 10/25 Edward Silassy 10/25 Kellie Stewart 10/26 Alan Witwicki 10/26 Ami Layne Wolstoncroft 10/27 David Arison 10/27 Virginia Silassy 10/28 Noah Edney 10/28 Adam Gregory 10/28 Brennen Humble 10/29 Michael Muto 10/29 Patricia Swanson 10/29 Ross Wilkerson 10/30 Bruce Barnhart 10/30 Marjorie Jablonski 10/30 Janet Jones 10/30 Tenley Muraco 10/31 Zachary Beattie 10/31 John Turnbull Bridgeville Community Food Bank At the September 17th distribution, the Food Bank helped 81 families, including 48 children, 75 adults and 46 elderly. Please continue to donate to our pantry. The upcoming holiday season is a busy time for the food bank. Thank you. T H E B E A C O N

5 P A G E 5 Pray for Our Military Michael Avery Justin Aylor Robin Aylor Heather Ayres Beattie Mark Becker Anthony Benini Mark Cameron Aaron Cox Douglas Crabb Michael Daniels Jeff David Nicole David Stephen Doyle Justin Driskill Ryan Duffy Brian Ellis Kyle Ely Jason Fulmer Joshua Griffin Joel Harr Karen Weber Harr Chris Harrison Michael Hayes Tim Heath Quintin Held Matthew Iverson Dion Julian William N. Kennedy Krystina Litton Ryan Kelsey Richard Lawrence Justin Mack Bruce MacNeill Michael Matthews Gary McMIllan Kelli Mitchell Derek Mockel David Morgan Ian Murch Michael McFerron Andrew McGovern John Petkovich Joey Puharic Matt Read Scott Reese Maggie Ripley John J. Ross Beatrix Sachek Nicholas Sachek Kyle Schaffner Billy Segeleon David Semgrad Ryan Squires Scott Squires Linden St. Clair Evan Steckle Ben Stern, Jr. Stanley Taylor Paul Trusiak Scott Vokoun Matt Weber Samuel Wilson Remaining Baptism and Communion Dates for 2016 Communion Children wanting to receive Communion must first talk with the pastors. Call the pastor to make an appointment. The dates for Communion for 2016 are October 2 (World Communion), November 27 and the Christmas Eve 10:00 PM Service. Baptism Please call the Church Office at to fill out the informational form. This will then be given to the minister who will set up a meeting date with you. The last date for Baptism for 2016 is December 11.

6 P A G E 6 Golden Oldies The best kept secret at Bethany is a large group of folks who gather once a month to have fun, enjoy a meal and lively conversation with friends and fellowship together. They like to go places. These wonderful folks love to talk and they are not quiet when they are here. On the third Thursday of each month, joyful sounds of laughter and talking fill Fellowship Hall at noon. The delicious smells of home cooked food welcome everyone as they enter the church. Who comes to this happening? Wonderful friends who have worked hard, who want to stay active as they enjoy their retirement. They love to go places and want to stay young. Some are newly retired and we have a large group who are active young year olds who still get on a coach bus and travel with us. So why is this group the best kept secret? You see them and hear them when they are in the building but when they leave you never know they had been here. If you would like to see a Dinner Show and Christmas lights at Olgebay on Thursday, December 8 th think about coming with us. No driving, a comfortable coach, excellent food and a fantastic display of Christmas lights, with friends who enjoy having fun. Cost $85. More details to follow. Golden Oldies meet at noon, the 3 rd Thursday of each month in Fellowship Hall. Please come and have a good time with us too. Musical Notes by John Henninger Serve the Lord with Gladness! The Bethany Choir will be starting to practice for the Advent presentation on December 4 very soon! Would you like to add your voice to ours and enhance our offering of music to the Lord? We will begin rehearsing on Wednesday, October 12 at 7:00 pm. Each rehearsal will start with the music for our presentation on December 4, so you will only be committing to 45 minutes for about 6 or 7 Wednesday evenings. If you have been thinking of giving the choir a try, this is a perfect opportunity. Just come on a Wednesday evening beginning October 12 at 7:00 pm we will have the music and a CD to help you learn. And you might even make a few new friends on the way! O Come, Let us Adore Him Now is the time to start planning on your Christmas celebrations and plans. If you would like to join the choir for Christmas Eve service at 8:00 pm, we could use some extra voices. If you have vocal or instrumental talents you want to share those are welcomed also. Please speak with me if you have any ideas or questions regarding special music at Christmas

7 A Voice for Ministry by Lisa Jo Colwell Genuine Love, Genuine Lasagna Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. P A G E 7 Love never fails. (N.I.V. excerpts from 1 Corinthians chapter 13) Plastic love never helped anybody. Why? This is because it is not genuine. It is one thing to sugar coat words or even actions in advertising, but love is when the reality of patience and kindness reaches out and fills you. When you are very hungry, no matter how delicious a fake piece of lasagna looks, it is not real. It is not going to fill your hunger if you were inclined to bite into it, however it would frustrate you. A phony counterfeit does not fill the need. The deception is only a misleading imitation of something superior. However an authentic mouthwatering chunk of hot lasagna would not only smell wonderful, but the baked pasta filled with layers of sauce and the cheese and/or meat are something that you could sink your teeth into and actually fill yourself up to satisfy that aching hunger. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I m bankrupt without love. Honesty served up with love is not what we are at all times prepared to hear Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn t want what it doesn t have. Love doesn t strut, Doesn t have a swelled head, Doesn t force itself on others, Isn t always me first, Doesn t fly off the handle, Doesn t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. Love never dies. (The Message excerpts from 1 Corinthians chapter 13) Honesty served up with love is not what we are at all times prepared to hear, or accept, especially as it applies to ourselves. This is why truth and love work together; so the truth with love becomes able to swallow and digest to fuel us so that we can responsibly grow up and move forward. When we have a genuine need, such as to be reassured of God s Love, we want the Love that is described in God s Word. We cannot survive on anything counterfeit. We long for what is genuine to successfully thrive.

8 Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Bridgeville, PA Permit #38 Bethany Presbyterian Church 740 Washington Avenue Bridgeville, PA Phone: Fax: Loving with the Heart of Jesus Pray for Our Nation Bus Trip On Thursday morning, September 15 th, Bethany members along with members from New Life Church, Gladden UP, Calvary Full Gospel, and the Vine boarded a bus and headed to Harrisburg, PA to hear Franklin Graham speak on his Decision 2016 tour. It was a beautiful sunny day and around 7,500 were in attendance to hear Franklin s message. This was not a political rally but instead, a prayer rally. Franklin spoke on the importance of the Supreme Court nominees, the importance of voting and the importance of getting involved. As Christians we must pray for our nation and its leaders. God is our only hope for the future of this Country. Christians need to begin to get involved in our local government, schools, and neighborhoods. So, as we approach another election, pray for God to expose evil, and pray for our nation and our people to turn back towards God, and remember to VOTE.