The Beacon. Holy Week at Bethany. Our Father s Voice. Palm Sunday March 20 Worship Services: 8:15 AM and 10:45 AM, 6:00 PM Modern Service

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1 The Beacon S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F I N T E R E S T : Lenten Sermon Series March Calendar V O L U M E 2, I S S U E 8 M A R C H Holy Week at Bethany March Birthdays Stewardship Results BYG Mission Trip Palm Sunday March 20 Worship Services: 8:15 AM and 10:45 AM, 6:00 PM Modern Service Maundy Thursday March 24, 7:00 PM A service of Worship and Communion with First Baptist Church I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Senior Pastor 2 Assoc. Pastor 3 Lenten Sermon 4 Series March Calendar 5 Good Friday - March 25, 7:00 PM A service of prayer, scripture and meditation on the Cross of Christ Easter Vigil Saturday, March 26 The Chapel is open for prayer between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Easter Sunday March 27 Sunrise Service, 6:00 AM, Melrose Cemetery Worship Services, 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM, 6:00 PM Modern Service Birthdays 6 Announcements 7 BYG News 8 Our Father s Voice by John Hamilton A Voice for Ministry 9 Activities 10 Stewardship 11 In the last week of December we spent a couple days with family at my sister s home in Harrisburg, Pa. It was our Christmas with the Hamilton siblings my two sisters, my brother and our families. We gathered around the tree as we prepared to exchange our gifts. It was then my sister Martha announced that she had a special gift for each of her siblings. Session Goal Palm Sunday Activities We gathered around a nearby computer, she inserted a CD, pushed play, and we listened. An organ began playing, a soprano voice began to sing, and immediately a tenor voice joined in on harmony. The tenor voice addressed each note with clarity and precision, reaching the high harmonies with a reverence and confidence. The soprano was Sally Sibley singing in a musical concert at our home church in Lewistown, Pa., in December The clear and beautiful tenor was the unmistakable voice of our father. (continued on page 2)

2 P A G E 2 Our Father s Voice...Continued We listened in a reverent silence, remembering how much our father loved to sing and especially to sing praises to God. He had died nearly nineteen years ago, on July He had always had a joy and passion for singing, especially sacred music, in the choir, duets, solo, and in the mass choir that annually performed Handel s Messiah. My sister Martha had discovered cassette tapes from three concerts in the mid-1970 s that had a duet featuring our father. We listened transfixed as he and Sally sang an elegant, classical version of a familiar hymn: Joseph and Margaret Hamilton in November Love divine, all loves exceling. Joy of heaven to earth come down. Fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown. Jesus thou art all compassion, pure unbounded love thou art. Visit us with thy salvation, enter every trembling heart. The quality of the recording was rough, the voices often muffled. But the voice, the clear and beautiful tenor voice, the one that hit the highs, blended with the soprano, and then launched into the lead... that voice was unmistakably the voice of my father. It made clear that passage from the Gospel of John when Jesus said, The sheep follow the shepherd because they know his voice. We know the voice of our loved ones, the shepherds of our lives. Of course, hearing our father s voice unlocked memories of dad, his qualities and character, his and mother s impact on us, their continuing impact. That is what happens when you hear your father s voice. hearing our father s voice unlocked memories...his qualities and character, his and mother s impact on us. This Lent we are embarking on a journey of Soul Keeping, caring for the very core of who we are and who we can be for God. It is not about naval-gazing, but transformation into the people and community God created and called us to be. May you and I hear our heavenly Father s voice in this journey in worship and singing, Scripture and sermon, Bible and book study, solitary prayer and the community of small groups. May we also hear our Father s voice in the laughter of children in our ministries, the conversations in the Welcome Center or at the Food Bank, the percussion of scraping and painting of Helping Hands, the chatter and planning around a youth mission trip and wherever the body of Christ is at work. Take a look in this newsletter for details on our soul keeping studies and our opportunities for serving and giving. May you listen for your Father s voice. It is another way of soul keeping. See you on Sunday, John Hamilton T H E B E A C O N

3 V O L U M E 2, I S S U E 8 P A G E 3 Ham it s more than the Easter Menu it s the Easter Challenge Ham I m sure you know it as one of the top four breakfast meats or perhaps as the entrée of choice at Christmas or Easter. But do you know Mordecai Ham? You may not know Mordecai Ham but I am sure you have heard of Billy Graham. Yes, that Billy Graham the man who has shared the eternity altering message of Jesus Christ with billions of people (2.2 billion was a recent estimate), the man called pastor to presidents, yes, that Billy Graham. Well, Mordecai Ham is the much lesser known evangelist who shared the gospel and invited Billy Graham to respond by putting his faith and trust in Jesus. God used Ham to transform Billy Graham s life and clearly not only his but millions, if not billions of other s eternal lives. Ham was not always tactful, not always compassionate and loving, not always tasteful but his proclamation of the gospel was clear and bold. Ham is a reminder to us that we may not be Billy Graham but everyone of us could be used by God to bring the gospel (be it imperfectly) to someone who needs to hear it. Who knows, they may be the next Billy Graham. As we approach Easter, let us reflect on Ham not just for the menu but let us receive his witness as a challenge and encouragement. Here are 4 things you can do to respond to the Ham Easter Challenge: 1) Pray! Pray for your neighbors, coworkers, and family members who do not know Jesus. Pray for the Holy Spirit to show you how to best share the love of Jesus and with whom. 2) Host! Host those friends or neighbors in your house, have dinner, get to know their story, spend time with them, care about what is going on in their lives so that they can experience the love of Jesus through you before they even hear the message. 3) Invite! Invite those friends or family to come be a part of what God is doing through Bethany. Specifically, invite them to: Lent Brunch and Worship on Palm Sunday, March 20 th Community Easter Egg Hunt at Bethany on Palm Sunday, March 20 th Easter Worship on Sunday, March 27 th at 9 or 11 am (traditional worship) or 6 pm (modern worship) 4) Consider! Consider your story. Who did God use to share the gospel with you? How has God s love and grace through Jesus changed your life? Pray for opportunities to share your story with others. How will you respond to the Ham Easter Challenge? Peace- Pastor Robbie Ytterberg Ham was not always tactful,...but his proclamation of the gospel was clear and bold.

4 P A G E 4 Soul Keeping * a Lenten Sermon Series on the care of our core, our souls. February 28: Soul Freedom Jesus said, the truth will set you free. How do we discover the freedom in following Jesus, the soul s freedom? Scriptures: Exodus 20: 1-17 Matthew 5: March 6: Soul Tending The soul needs to grow in a deepening relationship with God. How can we help our souls grow whatever age we are? Scriptures: Psalm 1 Matthew 13: 1-9 The most important thing in your life is not what you do; it s who you become. That s what will take you into eternity * March 13: Soul Resting The soul needs rest. How can we let our souls rest, even in active and busy lives? Scriptures: Habakkuk 3: Matthew 11:28-30 March 20: Palm Sunday Soul Satisfaction In an age of dissatisfaction, how can we discover a deep and lost satisfaction, one that reaches our souls? Scriptures: Isaiah 55: 1-5 John 12: March 27: Easter Sunday Soul Blessing So much in life can crush our souls. How can our souls experience and give blessing? Scriptures: Numbers 6: Luke 24: If you are still interested in reading Soul Keeping by John Ortberg, it is available to purchase on Amazon.com or at the Family Christian Stores. The Bethany church office is out of copies. Thank you. *quoted from Soul Keeping T H E B E A C O N

5 V O L U M E 2, I S S U E 8 P A G E 5 MARCH 2016 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 5:00 PM LOGOS Youth Ringers 7:00 PM Dartball Captains Meeting 2 10:00 AM Fellowship of Prayer Choir Practice 3 9:15 AM Quilting 12:00 PM Thursday 7:00 PM PW Meeting 7:30 PM Dart Ball 4 12:00 PM Preschool Lunch Bunch 5 Upward Basketball Games 6 8:15 AM Worship 9:30 AM Sunday School 10:45 AM Worship 12:00 PM New Members Class 4:30 PM BYG JH 6:00 PM Worship 7:15 PM BYG SH 7:15 PM MOMS Next 7 6:15 PM PW Body Carpenter Workout 7:00 PM Deacon Meeting 8 5:00 PM LOGOS Youth Ringers 9 Choir Practice 10 9:15 AM MOPS 9:15 AM Quilting 12:00 PM Thursday 7:30 PM Dart Ball 11 Confirmation Class Church Lock In 12:00 PM Men's Friday Lunch at Kings Restaurant 12:00 PM Preschool Lunch Bunch 12 Confirmation Class Church Lock In Upward Basketball Games 9:00 AM PW Bible study 11:00 AM Saturday 13 Upward Sunday 8:15 AM Worship 9:30 AM Chocolate Covered Pretzel Sale 9:30 AM Sunday School 10:45 AM Worship 12:00 PM New Members Class 4:30 PM BYG JH 6:00 PM Worship 7:15 PM BYG SH 14 6:00 PM Upward Year End Celebration 7:00 PM Session Teams 15 9:00 AM MOPS Playdate 5:00 PM LOGOS Youth Ringers 16 Choir Practice 17 9:15 AM Quilting 12:00 PM Golden Oldies Luncheon 12:00 PM Thursday 7:30 PM Dart Ball 18 12:00 PM Preschool Lunch Bunch 19 7:30 AM Food Bank 20 PALM SUNDAY 8:15 AM Worship 9:00 AM Mens Breakfast 9:30 AM Sunday School 10:45 AM Worship 12:30 PM Women of Bethany Easter Egg Hunt 4:30 PM BYG JH 6:00 PM Worship 7:15 PM BYG SH 7:15 PM MOMS Next 21 6:15 PM PW Body Carpenter Workout 6:30 PM Preschool Open House :15 AM MOPS 9:15 AM Quilting 12:00 PM Thursday 7:00 PM Maundy thursday Service 8:00 PM Choir Practice 25 12:00 PM Men's Friday Lunch at Kings Restaurant 7:00 PM Good Friday Service 26 8:00 AM Prayer Vigil 9:00 AM PW Bible study 11:00 AM Saturday 27 EASTER SUNDAY 9:00 AM Worship 11:00 AM Worship 6:00 PM Worship 28 6:15 PM PW Body Carpenter Workout 7:00 PM Session Meeting Choir Practice 31 9:15 AM Quilting 12:00 PM Thursday 7:30 PM Dart Ball

6 P A G E 6 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 Happy Birthday! 03/01 Sandra Fulton 03/02 Amy Ramage 03/02 Brandon Postler 03/02 Noah Laush 03/02 Lorelei Smith 03/03 Joann Johnston 03/03 Michael Whoolery 03/03 Nicklaus Lytle 03/04 Michael Mitri 03/04 Diocelina Gastgeb 03/04 Casey Jackson 03/04 Morgan Martinson 03/04 Ryan Hebbert 03/05 Lucille Dimit 03/05 Janice Teller 03/05 John Ramage 03/05 Anthony Naples 03/05 Madelyn Rutkowski 03/06 Rebecca Borra 03/06 Grace Demko 03/07 Mary Bressanelli 03/07 Charles Wolstoncroft 03/07 Anita Myers 03/07 Bruce Carman 03/07 Jill Galosky 03/07 Kaitlin Fricker 03/07 Taylor Buchta 03/07 Meredith Stewart 03/08 Eric Hendershot 03/08 Brooks Pappert 03/08 Aubriella Furman 03/09 Barbara Crawford 03/09 Dane Barzanty 03/09 Sarah Paviol 03/10 Lori Jablonski 03/10 Nicole Grossi 03/11 Judy Stupak 03/11 Christian Laush 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 03/11 Caroline Arison 03/12 Dawn Lane 03/12 Angelo Poiche 03/12 Tatum Sanders 03/12 Ellie Del Conte 03/12 Amelia Smith 03/13 DebraKaminski 03/13 Ronald Zadrozny 03/13 Carlie Holeva 03/13 Victoria Beattie 03/14 Sarai James 03/16 Wilma Zavodnik 03/16 Kerie Zadrozny 03/16 Jason Szost 03/16 Alexander Aul 03/16 Tricia Winder 03/16 Dominic DiDomenico 03/17 Scott Trimmer 03/17 Allison Galbraith 03/18 Ruth Wright 03/18 Ann Griffin 03/18 E. Dianne Fiorentini 03/18 Robert Rahr 03/19 James Jenkins 03/19 Joseph Del Conte 03/19 Hailey Sabin 03/19 Mallory Griffiths 03/19 Elise Ramous 03/19 Camden Gullo 03/20 Olga Deliman 03/20 Brad Bowman 03/20 Ramsey Lesnett 03/21 Richard Pyle 03/21 Marlene Brown 03/21 Michael Copeland 03/21 Kelly Kain 03/21 Taylor Barbaryka 03/21 Sarah Verduci 03/21 Mason Tumulty 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 Beatriz Sachek Nicholas Sachek Kyle Schaffner Billy Segeleon David Semgrad Ryan Squires Scott Squires Linden St. Clair Evan Steckle 03/21 Annakate Galosky 03/22 Thomas Clarke 03/22 Casey Dady 03/22 Adriana Romanelli 03/23 Guy Russell 03/23 Dawn Dunlap 03/23 Pamela Mihalov 03/23 Mia Rossa 03/24 Mark Marra 03/24 Andrew Sommerfield 03/24 John Hunter 03/25 Carl Suppo 03/25 Jeffrey Nowak 03/25 Brody Crabb 03/26 Carrie Emerson 03/26 Robert Grossi 03/26 Victoria Rathbun 03/26 Christy Lesnett 03/26 Casey McCaffrey 03/26 Katie Doyle 03/27 Darren Deemer 03/27 Jesse Wilhelm 03/27 Maria Druchniak 03/27 Jordan Krieger 03/27 Madison Walters 03/28 Bill Paviol 03/28 Nicole Ciaramella 03/29 Edward Stewart 03/29 Arthur Glass 03/29 Tim Underwood 03/29 John Crawford 03/29 Jonathan Colwell 03/30 Clare Arison 03/30 Jennifer Whoolery 03/31 Arthur Wells 03/31 Randall Rastetter 03/31 Steve Smith 03/31 Brian Hayes 03/31 Alexis Padgelek 03/31 Presley Vennum Ben Stern, Jr. Stanley Taylor Paul Trusiak Scott Vokoun Matt Weber Samuel Wilson Updated 10/20/2015

7 V O L U M E 2, I S S U E 8 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 dates for Baptism for 2016 are April 3, June 19, September 25 and December 11. Communion P A G E 7 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 May 8, June 26, August 7, September 11, October 2 (World Communion), and November 27. Happy 100th Birthday! One of our quilters who has been with us for many years, Mildred Worstell turned 100 on February 4, Happy 100 th Birthday Mildred! Music Notes by John Henninger Easter arrives early this year, seems we just put away our trees and the holy season of Lent began on February 10. The Bethany Choir is busy preparing our musical offerings to contribute to our worship during Lent, Holy Week and Easter. If you would be interested in singing with the Bethany Choir for Easter, plan on attending a couple Wednesday evening choir rehearsals at the beginning of March. We start rehearsals at 7:00 pm and will work on the Easter music first. We would love to have the extra voices for the Hallelujah Chorus!

8 P A G E 8 God is Jamaican, Us Love Jamaica From Amanda Leavitt, the Director of Youth Ministry It s Jamaican, us excited that God is Jamaican, us go to Jamaica. By the time we leave I ll be Jamaican, you coconuts, with all my Jamaican puns. Youth ministry families, along with the session, had an interesting few months of prayer and discernment over the location of this year s senior high international mission trip. Initially, you may have heard, we were hoping to go to Cuba, but because some foreign finance policy that is still in place, it became clear that Cuba was not our best option this year. Jamaica was our back up option the youth ministry has hit the ground running planning for Jamaica as though it were our first option. We will be traveling to Catadupa, Jamaica with Experience Mission on July 2 nd and will fly home on July 8 th. Catadupa used to be a thriving railroad town, but when the railroad was shut down, Catadupa suffered. Many stayed in Catadupa, and we have been told that they are an incredibly close knit community with many needs. Our team will be partnering with the church there to run a VBS like program with kids and also help families and the community to do repairs on homes and buildings. We will get to work alongside the locals and experience their culture and community everyday, all day. Catadupa used to be a thriving railroad town, but when the railroad was shutdown, Catadupa suffered. Already this mission trip is something we haven t been able to do on our own as we have walked in partnership with the Session through discernment. We also cannot move forward without our whole church family s partnership through prayer, because our partnership with God ultimately is what this is about! Currently, 19 students are planning to go, please be praying that God will connect our hearts as a team, that He would give us humble and courageous hearts for sharing His love with everyone we encounter, for successful fundraising, and for safe and smooth travel. As I am writing I keep hearing Philippians 4:12-13 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Please pray this verse over our team as we prepare for this trip, please pray that it s truth will fill our lives as we go and when we return home. Prayer is an awesome way to support us! We also have fundraisers coming up each month that you can support students through! Sunday, March 13- Handmade Chocolate Covered Goodies will be available after both services March 20-April 10- Penny War to Pie a Pastor (Vote with coins for the pastor who will receive a pie in the face at the April 17 th Pancake Brunch) Sunday, April 17- Pancake Brunch After Church-Tickets Available ahead of time and at the door Saturday, May 7- Car Wash at the Church-8:30AM-2PM Saturday, May 28-Car Wash at Local Business TBD Also, every month we will be partnering with a different restaurant to do a fundraiser, there will be info in the bulletin about these! T H E B E A C O N

9 V O L U M E 2, I S S U E 8 A Voice for Ministry written by Lisa Jo Colwell MELTING P A G E 9 I curiously watched the icicles outside of my window turn into a free-flowing fluid by the effects of the powerful hot sun. Drip by drip the once hardened ice was shrinking to invisibility before my very eyes. There is the matter of our hearts, which are sometimes hardened in one way or another against God. Perhaps we are hardened by hurts or hardened by what we perceive as certain injustice to us. A common human response is, Well I won t let that happen to me again. I just will put up a hard wall to keep myself safe behind. I will not let a specific person or persons in, therefore I will not to be fooled again or hurt again by them. Enter Jesus. Please enter Lord. It is not that complicated to build up a hard heart; one that can become uncaring, even apathetic instead of empathetic to the will of God for oneself, as well as indifferent to the pain of others. Whether or not we want to reckon with this choice of a hard heart, it is not the best plan of action to foster. It imprisons us, rather than freeing us to grow spiritually as a person, as well as reaching out to help others. Psalm 51:10-12 (New International Bible) Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your Presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. He took on all of our hurts and pains...for our freedom of salvation. It is in our best interests to ask Jesus to melt the hardened places inside of our own heart toward God. Allow our minds to turn to how hurt Jesus was on His road to the Cross. There was nothing fair about any of this for Jesus. But He took on all of our hurts and pains, all of the unfairness of this world and gave Himself for our freedom of salvation, given for you and for me. John 3:16 (New International Bible) For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. During this Lenten season our church is suggesting for us to dive into a six-week journey based around the book called Soul Keeping; caring for the most important part of you, by author John Ortberg. As we embark on this journey together, it will give us ample opportunities to grow individually and also corporately as a body of believers in Jesus Christ. This is a personal opportunity to invite the Holy Spirit into your own heart to clean and nurture you in beautiful preparation for Easter.

10 P A G E 10 Special Envelopes Special offertory envelopes provide an opportunity to focus your contributions to Bethany Church! Check your envelopes this month and consider making a special contribution to One Great Hour of Sharing. It s a pink envelope and all funds submitted in this envelope will enable the church to share God s love with our neighbors-in-need around the world by providing relief to those affected by natural disasters, provide food to the hungry, and helping to empower the poor and oppressed. Also included is the monthly yellow envelope which directs your contribution to the church mortgage reduction fund. If you utilize the online giving tools, it s also possible to direct your contributions as desired. If you have any questions, please reach out to your stewardship team! Thanks and God Bless! Golden Oldies The March Golden Oldies Luncheon/ Meeting will be on Thursday March 17 at 11:30 AM. PLEASE join us! Special things are happening that day and you do not want to miss the fun. Please wear green for St. Patrick s Day. Also bring a can or two of food for the Bridgeville Area Food Bank. See you there! Bibles for Haitian Children Would you like to help a child spread the word of Jesus? Friends of Haiti are raising money to buy Bibles for children at the Lacroix Schools. The children s bible is titled 101 Favorite Bible Stories will be for grades Preschool to 3 rd Grade. The upper Elementary grades will be given a book of Psalms and the New Testament. The High School students will be given a standard adult Bible. Each Bible costs $10 and will include a book plate. If you would like to bring the word of God to a child or children in Haiti, please pick up a form at the Welcome Center desk or see Barb Crawford for more information. T H E B E A C O N

11 V O L U M E 2, I S S U E 8 Recap of 2016 Stewardship Campaign P A G E 11 The books were closed on the 2016 Stewardship campaign as of 12/31/2015. Thanks again to all who submitted commitment cards in response to the campaign. Results are as follows: 161 cards were submitted, totaling $384,878 in pledges 7 cards were submitted with $0 pledges Approximately 50% of cards represented increases over the giver s 2015 pledge amount Approximately 33% of cards represented decreases over the giver s 2015 pledge amount The chart below tracks historical pledge totals and the actual giving from the people who pledged: In Summary: What is encouraging: 2016 pledges represent a stabilization relative to a trend of steady declines since 2012 In 2015, actual contributions by those submitting pledges was 97% of the total pledge amount - significantly higher than in previous years What is concerning: Total pledges in 2016 are down $139,000, or 26% relative to 2012 We hope that you find this information useful and informative as you contemplate your own giving for 2016 and beyond. The Bethany Stewardship Team

12 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 Our Session goal for Bethany for 2016: to nurture and practice Christ-centered relationships that transform lives You will be hearing much more about this goal throughout the year. Palm Sunday Breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt On Sunday March 20th, the Bethany Men will be cooking breakfast to be served from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, after both services. Please join your church family for good food and fellowship. At 1:00 PM, the Women of Bethany will be having a Community Easter Egg Hunt. Please bring your baskets! Look for more information in the bulletins the next few weeks.