W E L C O ME 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 April 15, 2018 It s Vacation Bible School Time Again! Volunteers are needed for Bethesda s June 4-8, 2018 Vacation Bible School. We will be traveling to Babylon with Daniel to witness his courage during captivity. Individuals who would like to volunteer may sign up online. Go to www.bethesdamc.org. Under the HOME screen, click VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL, then click the link to volunteer. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Erin Sams at 515-729-2130 or JoAnn Friesen at 402-723- 4949. Children's VBS registration will open April 29. Invitation to share Summer Music! Following May 13, the regular season of our organized choirs will be over until fall. The Music Committee invites anyone who would like to share their talent for special music during a summer worship service to please contact a member of the Music Committee: Rod Drews, Lynn Hall, Ron Ulrich, Burton Peters; or the church office. 2018 Yearbooks are here! Yearbooks may be picked up in the narthex, Fellowship Hall, library or outside the church office. Summer
THIS WEEK AT BETHESDA SUNDAY, April 15 8:45 a.m. Deacon Prayer Time 9:30 a.m. Worship 10:40 a.m. Sunday School/Membership Class TUESDAY, April 17 6:00 a.m. BWM to MCC Workroom, North Newton, Kansas 8:30 a.m. Staff Meeting 7:30 p.m. Board of Business 8:00 p.m. Board of Education 8:00 p.m. Board of Service and Outreach WEDNESDAY, April 18 12:00 p.m. Bulletin Announcements Due 7:00 p.m. Women s Bible Study (The Upper Room) 7:00 p.m. Adult Bible Study 7:00 p.m. Powerhouse 8:00 p.m. Chancel Choir 8:00 p.m. Catechism THURSDAY, April 19 7:00 p.m. Bethesda Women s March/April Birthday Party Next SUNDAY, April 22, 2018 9:30 a.m. Worship / Message Pastor Jim Voth Offering Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary Pianist Marilyn Kroeker Special Music Powerhouse *Catechism retreat following worship through mid-afternoon. 7:30 p.m. High School Bible Study
CHURCH FAMILY Please pray for those with health concerns, grief or family needs. Prayer Requests Caleb Friesen (son of Rick/Brittany Friesen) Bryan Bechtel Children s Hospital, Omaha All Graduates!! Please notify the church office by May 2 if you have a graduate in the family, whether preschool, high school, college or graduate school. These names will be listed in the May 6 bulletin. Thank you! Graduate Celebration Potluck On April 29, during our normal potluck, there will be a special time to honor and congratulate our high school graduates: Aaron Buller, Bailey Carr, Lane Huebert, Kyle Ott, and Bailey Peters. Parent Child Dedication will be held on Sunday, May 13, 2018. Please notify the church office by Tuesday, May 8 at 402-723-4562 or sign up if you would like to have your child dedicated. Baptism will be held May 20, 2018 during the morning worship service. New Baby Meal The Bethesda church family would like to support Erik and Corrine Friesen in the birth of their son by providing meals. If you would be willing to share a meal, please contact Joy Friesen at 402-723-4399 to sign up. Do you have a green thumb? If so, would you consider planting, watering and caring for the flower pots on the east side of the church? If you have an interest, please contact the church office. Thank you! School Kit Bags There are still many school kit bags that need to be sewn. You may pick them up and return them to the room across from the office. If you need help or instructions on how to sew them, contact Adeline Huebert or Lindy Siebert. Thank you for your help!
ACROSS THE STREET & AROUND THE WORLD Central Plains Mennonite Conference Annual Meeting The CPMC Annual Meeting will be held June 21-24, at Capitol City Christian Church and First Mennonite Church in Lincoln, Nebraska. Online registration is available at centralplainsmc.org or paper registration forms are available on the east bulletin board. Please sign up on the east bulletin board if you plan to be a delegate for Bethesda. Volunteers Needed at CPMC! This year, Nebraska is hosting the Central Plains Annual Meeting in Lincoln, Nebraska, June 21-24. Bethesda is teaming up with Wood River Mennonite Church and Salem Mennonite Church to provide children s activities at First Mennonite Church on Friday and Saturday from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. We are looking for volunteers who can help with activities and supervision during these times. If you are willing to help in this way, please contact Pastor Seth. From Mennonite Central Committee: Join the upcoming MCC Haiti Learning Tour from September 22 to 27. Learn from Haitian farmers, artisans, community organizers and human rights advocates about how they with your support are building a brighter future for their communities. Contact Jordan Penner at jordanpenner@mcc.org or call 316-727-6837 for more information. Mennonite Central Committee Central States is proud to be a partner with KIPCOR for Restorative Kansas: A Vision for Justice on April 19-20 at KIPCOR in North Newton, Kansas. Register now to learn about restorative justice practices in schools, communities and workplaces. Come to learn about ways to engage in restorative justice practices and network with some of the premier restorative justice practitioners in the United States. For more information and to register go to http://kipcor.org/event/restorative-justice-conference/ Check the east bulletin board for MDS updates!
YOUTH Total Sunday Morning Offering... $9,896.76 For junior high and high school calendars visit the Bethesda Faith Formation page at www.bmcfaithformation.com. Powerhouse (high school) will meet Wednesday, April 18 at 7:00 p.m. We will we planning to lead worship for Sunday, April 22. 2018 Catechism Testimony Retreat will be next Sunday, April 22 following worship. We will leave during Sunday School and head to the Holy Family Shrine between Lincoln and Omaha for the afternoon. Lunch will be provided and we will be home by supper. Below is the proposed Catechism schedule through Baptism on May 20. Please contact Pastor Andrea with questions. Wednesday, April 18 Catechism 8:00 p.m. Sunday, April 22 Testimony Retreat Following worship through mid afternoon Sunday, April 29 Catechism 10:40 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Sunday, May 6 Catechism 10:40-11:45 a.m. Sunday, May 13 Meet with Deacons 10:40 a.m. -12:00 p.m. Sunday, May 20 Baptism and Welcome Social 9:30-11:30 a.m. High School Bible Study will meet at 7:30 p.m. next Sunday, April 22 at Jeff and Tami Peters home. CORNERSTONE will meet for their final party on Wednesday, April 25 from 6:00--8:00 p.m. for pizza, snacks, Bible journaling and games. Location pending.
FINANCIALS Worship Offering Sunday, April 8, 2018 Worship Attendance 292 Sunday School Attendance 128 Bethesda Preschool Scholarship... $1,947.00 MC USA School Scholarships... $1,697.00 Mennonite Central Committee... $100.00 Bethel College... 100.00 Dayspring Congo... 50.00 Dayspring Thailand... 100.00 Benevolent Fund... 95.00 Facility Renovation Fund and Parking Lot... $795.00 Bethesda General Operating Receipts... $4,211.00 Total Worship Offering... $9,095.00 Sunday School Offering... $166.50 Total Sunday Morning Offering... $9,261.50 MESSAGE NOTES
Your child/children are invited to attend Swan Lake Christian Camp at NO CHARGE this summer through a gift from Bethesda s South Fellowship Hall Sunday school class. The members of this class recognize the impact that SLCC has had on their faith journey, their children s and the children and youth of Bethesda and desire that every youth/child be able to attend SLCC, grow in their relationship with Christ, enjoy the nature God created, and build friendships. *When registering your child for camp, check the appropriate church scholarship amount. Bethesda Mennonite Church will be billed at the end of the summer for those who attended. 2018 SUMMER SCHEDULE Cottontail Day Camp (Ages 5 & 6)... July 2 Chipmunk Day Camp (Grades 1-2)... July 3 3 rd Grade Camp... June 11-13 4 th Grade Camp... June 13-16 5 th Grade Camp... June 17-22 6 th Grade Camp... July 8-13 Junior High Camp...July 29-August 3 Senior High Camp... July 15-20 Family Camp... July 20-22 *All grades refer to 2017-2018 school year. Registration for camp is available online. Please go to www.myslcc.com and register by May 1 to receive a free t-shirt (for overnight campers only)! Bethesda s Permission for Medical Treatment and Transportation Forms are also available online at www.bethesdamc.org. Click the MINISTRIES tab and scroll down to SWAN LAKE CHRISTIAN CAMP. The church office is the drop off location for these forms. This is the only way the office staff has of knowing that your child will attending camp and possibly need transportation to and from camp.
If you do not have access to a printer, hard copies of these forms are available on the east bulletin board or the church office. All campers must fill out this form and drop them off at the church office before departing for camp. Thank you! All drivers must fill out a Driving History/Release Form (found in the same online section) as well as leave a copy of their driver s license in the church office. Please call the church office with any questions or for hard copies of the form. BETHESDA WOMEN S MINISTRIES Tuesday, April 17, Bethesda Women s Ministries is sponsoring a road trip to the MCC Center in North Newton, Kansas. The church van will leave promptly at 6:00 a.m. from the church parking lot. We will be learning more about MCC and helping with various projects. Plan to eat lunch at the Breadbasket in Newton, an eatery that serves sandwiches, soups and salads. There will be time to explore Main Street a bit some highlights might include Prairie Harvest (a health food store), Etc. Shop, Faith and Life Bookstore, Kitchen Corner, Main Street Company, Charlotte s Fabrics and an antique store. We will stop in Salina for an evening meal and be back in Henderson by 8:00 p.m. A great day, with some great women, to learn some great things! Please sign-up for the trip on the BWM bulletin board. Contact Carol Janzen or Barb Voth with any questions. Bethesda Women March and April Birthday Celebration On Thursday, April 19, 2019, at 7:00 p.m., Mary Hiebner will host the Bethesda Women s Ministries March and April birthday celebration north of the church kitchen. If you have a March or April birthday, please sign up on the BWM bulletin board in the east hallway. April 30, 2018 at 6:30 p.m., Bethesda Women's Ministries will be sponsoring its 9th Annual Celebrate Women's Event with a catered meal, special music and speaker Sharon Kennel, talking on "Never Too Late Discovering and Rediscovering your Gifts and Calling." Tickets are $13.00 and may be purchased from the church office during office hours. Paid reservations are due April 23. Invite a friend or neighbor to join you!