W e l c o m e! REACH, GROW, SERVE A community caring for all God s people, being transformed by Christ's love, serving others as a witness of God s grace and peace. Bethesda Mennonite Church www.bethesdamc.org October 7, 2018 Have you checked out the awesome artwork in the narthex? Many thanks to Kerri Pankratz, Mike Wall and Custom Wood Products for bringing Bethesda s Mission Statement to life! October is Pastor Appreciation Month! The month of October is a period set aside to honor Pastors. In 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 we are urged to recognize those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work s sake. Let s use this opportunity to demonstrate our love and appreciation to our Pastors throughout the month of October! MCC Canner We will have the opportunity to join with our fellow Nebraska congregations and can meat at the MCC Resource Center in Newton on November 8, 9, 10, 2018. For more information and details, contact Brent Swartzendruber or Jay Dee Janzen. Deacon Nomination Selection The term of E. James Friesen as member on the Board of Deacons expires in December. On October 21, 2018, a congregational meeting will be held, immediately following the worship service, to nominate individuals to fill the term vacated by Jim. Each congregational member may list two congregational members as nominees for a three-year term. When identifying members, please consider their spiritual gifts and how they may share them on the Board of Deacons and with the congregation. Absentee ballots are available and must be requested by the member in writing (email is permissible), in person or by phone. If we receive a phone request, ballots must be picked up and signed for by someone representing the member doing the requesting. All absentee ballots must be returned by Thursday, October 18, 2018 at 4:30 p.m.
SUNDAY (10/7) 8:45 a.m. Deacon Prayer Time 9:30 a.m. Worship 10:40 a.m. Sunday School 4:00 p.m. Preschool Kids Night Out Fundraiser (Fellowship Hall) MONDAY (10/8) 8:00 p.m. Sunday School Committee TUESDAY (10/9) 8:30 a.m. Staff Meeting 7:00 p.m. Board of Deacons WEDNESDAY (10/10) 12:00 p.m. Bulletin Announcements Due 7:00 p.m. Midweek 7:00 p.m. Fields of Faith (Heartland Football Field) 7:00 p.m. Adult Bible Study (Acts 18) 7:00 p.m. Women s Bible Study 8:00 p.m. Chancel Choir this week THURSDAY (10/11) 8:30 a.m. Bethesda Care Team NEXT SUNDAY (10/14) Worship: Pastor Jim Voth / Offering: Local Church 9:30 a.m. Organist: Laura Steingard / Music: Chancel Choir Meal / Gospel of John Bible Study (Fellowship Hall) 5:45 p.m. See insert. More information about upcoming events and other news can be found online at www.bethesdamc.org.
church family Please pray for those with health concerns, grief or family needs. Prayer Requests Caleb Friesen (son of Rick/Brittany Friesen) Levi Peters, Henderson Hospital Yohei Epp Dianne R. Buller, Bryan East Pray for conference leaders of Mennonite Church USA who will gather October 11-13 in Chicago for the Constituency Leaders Council. In addition to regular giving, Bethesda is now offering the option of Online Giving. However, God calls you to faithfully give, we want to make it simple. To donate securely online, visit www.bethesdamc.org and click GIVE. You can make one-time or recurring donations directly from your checking account or with a credit card. For more information, please stop by the church office or feel free to contact one of our staff members at 402-723-4562. Bethesda Preschool Hosting KID S NIGHT OUT! Today, from 4:00-8:00 pm!! Need a break from harvest? Need a date night? Here's the perfect opportunity! The kids will have a fun filled evening with food, crafts, activities, and movies. And you can do whatever you want - kid free! The age range will be 2-12 years old. We are asking a minimum donation of $10 per child as this is a fundraiser for the preschool. Kids come in your jammies or comfy clothes and bring your pillow and blanket! Register online by going to the Bethesda Preschool Facebook page and click on the link or email bethesdapreschoolers@gmail.com. Garage Parties If you would be interested in hosting or planning a garage party on October 31, 2018, please contact Pastor Andrea. This event is for children and parents to come to church sponsored locations for treats, food or games. The Henderson Ministerial Association will again be hosting locations around the community for families. Please see Bethesda s Facebook page and websites for locations in the coming weeks. If you are a young adult or adult who would be interested in exploring a winter service trip to Bloomington, Texas, to assist Mennonite Disaster Service Hurricane Harvey relief, please contact Pastor Andrea.
Midweek children are collecting infant care kit items for their fall service project. Items can be dropped off in the basket/box under the table outside the church office. Items needed include: gowns/sleepers (flannel or similar warm, soft material), undershirts/onesies (short or long sleeve), receiving blanket (lightweight fleece or flannel, minimum 30 x30, larger sizes preferred), large, heavy-duty safety pins, large bar mild soap (leave in wrapper), socks, and caps. Items must be new, sized 3-12 months. Midweek children will assemble care kits on the last night of the semester and the care kits will be added to the bundles dedicated during Christmas season. Thank you for your generosity! School Kits Funding and Packing! School kits continue to be the most asked for item from MCC. We will be packing and sending 1,000 kits again this year. All items have been ordered and are here. We need $700 to cover the remaining cost. You may share in this project by donating to Bethesda in the Sunday morning offering and designating your gift for MCC School Kits in the memo line. We will be planning a work night for November 4, 2018. If you have questions, contact Lindy Siebert or Adeline Huebert. across the street & around the world Sunday, October 7, 2018, from 2:00-3:00 p.m., you are invited to join with members of York area churches to be part of the 2018 Life Chain to stand publicly along Lincoln Avenue for one hour and pray for an end to abortion. This event is sponsored by the York Crisis Pregnancy Center. Please contact Laura Cole (402-394-7999) or the center at 402-362-CARE for more information. Mennonite Disaster Service Region 3 Annual Meeting Check the east bulletin board for information on the upcoming MDS Meeting at Swan Lake Christian Camp October 26-27. Registration is due by October 15 and you must arrange for your own lodging. Piano Night at the Lake will be held at Swan Lake Christian Camp on Sunday, November 4 starting at 6:00 p.m. A meal will be served along with local musicians playing. There is no cost for the event, but a free-will donation will be taken. Reservations are required. Please call the camp office at 605-326-5690.
MCC has an abundance of video resources available for you to share with you on our YouTube channel! We encourage you to subscribe to our channel, so you are alerted when a new video is posted. These are great to use during gathering time prior to worship, during announcements or potentially during sermons and Sunday School! Go to https://www.youtube.com/channel/ucp_nj9j4fvdj0tvev-gmfeq. Worship Offering Sunday, September 30, 2018 Worship Attendance 269 Sunday School Attendance 137 financials Central Plains Mennonite Conference... $200.00 Mennonite Central Committee... $100.00 Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary... $4,228.00 Dayspring Ministries... $150.00 Reach International... $50.00 Benevolent Fund... $37.50 MCC School Kits... $430.00 Radio/Livestreaming... $100.00 Bethesda General Operating Receipts... $5,702.50 Total Worship Offering... $10,998.00 Sunday School Offering... $172.88 Total Sunday Morning Offering... $11,170.88 youth For junior high and high school calendars visit the Bethesda Faith Formation page at www.bmcfaithformation.com. CORNERSTONE parents are encouraged to attend the John study on Sunday evenings beginning October 14. These studies will help provide conversation topics at home with your youth. CORNERSTONE and Powerhouse will meet this week Wednesday, October 10 for Fields of Faith at the Heartland Football Field from 7-8 p.m. Please dress warmly and bring blankets. This is a FUSION event hosted by Henderson Ministerial Association.
High School Bible Study Today, following worship, high school youth will meet in the Crossroads Coffee House to discuss today s scripture from March 10. Catechism will meet today following worship in the Conference Room. The next two weeks we will combine with the high school Sunday school class to explore the history of Conscientious Objection. Bethesda youth will be serving a meal the evening of School Kit Night, November 4. Donations of ground beef and bars are needed as well as help from the youth to serve and clean-up. Sign-up sheets are located in the Powerhouse room. Youth will be raking leaves again this year! We are looking at the last weekend in October or the first couple of weeks in November, depending on when leaves begin to fall. If you are in need of raking, we would like to help you! To get your name on the list, call Tammy Ott at 402-366-6917. Fresh Greenery Sales Bethesda youth will be selling fresh wreaths for the upcoming Christmas season. Wreaths are $25. Orders are due, Sunday, November 4. You may order from any high school youth or sign up at the Coffee Spot in the Fellowship Hall. Wreath pickup date will be Sunday, November 25, following worship. bethesda women September/October Birthday Celebration The September/October Bethesda Women s Ministries birthday celebration will be held Monday, October 22, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Lenora Goertzen. Please sign up on the bulletin board if you can attend. All women with September or October birthdays are welcome!
Announcing Conference Minister for Christian Formation The Conference Board is pleased to announce to Central Plains Mennonite Conference that Amanda Bleichty has been hired as our new Conference Minister for Christian Formation. Amanda is native of Kalona, Iowa, and grew up at Kalona Mennonite Church. She will officially join the ministry staff on January 2, 2019, working out of the ministry staff offices in Kalona. Amanda graduated from Iowa Mennonite School (2004), Goshen College (2008, BA, Bible, Religion, and Philosophy), and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (MDiv, 2011). Since 2011, Amanda has served as a pastor at Washington Mennonite Church. The search committee selected Amanda from a pool of highly qualified candidates because of her strong track record in pastoral ministry and her experience in communications. References for Amanda spoke highly of her growth as a church leader: Over the past 12 years, Amanda has gone from college student, to seminary student, to co-pastor, and then lead pastor of a congregation. Amanda has consistently preached peace, Christ-centeredness, social justice, hospitality, grace, and the importance of being in community to her church, while also working to live her life in a way that reflects these beliefs and values. Reflecting on her faith as an Anabaptist Christian, she said, I am exceedingly grateful for the Anabaptist/Mennonite distinctives that have shaped and will continue to shape my life. As I read the scriptures, I am continually drawn into stories in the Old and New Testaments that put relationships and community at the center of God's work in the world. Amanda is a strong Christian formation leader, and an excellent preacher and communicator. About her sense of call to this role, Amanda wrote, I am very interested in the work of discerning new ways of doing and understanding Anabaptist Christian formation in a changing world (and church). She expressed her belief that good communication is an art that is absolutely essential in our churches and Mennonite denomination today. Amanda also noted that she has a passion for finding relevant and important formation resources and sharing them. Please welcome Amanda as she equips leaders in congregations to nurture Anabaptist faith in people at every stage of life at church and in the home.
message notes: mark 10:1-16