What Does an Elder Do? Dr. Ritch Boerckel
Senior Pastor
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Blood Drive Adult Soccer Bethany Family Campout RESOLVEDto Sauder/Houck Wedding Youth Events
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Global Outreach PRM Golf Outing August Mission Services
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The Gospel Institute
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August Calendar
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Birthdays & Anniversaries
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Children’s Ministry
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Open Hearts Open Homes Shoe Drive Women’s Ministries
10 Small Groups 11 Fall Festival
Worship Ministry
12 Taste of Bethany
Thinking biblically about spiritual leadership in the church is essential for two reasons: 1) God says so much about this subject in His Word. 2) So much of our joy as members of Jesus’ church rests upon this subject. I agree with Joseph Stowell who writes in his book Shepherding the Church into the 21st Century, “When ministries fail, it is most often not because we have failed to understand or even apply the best techniques and programmatic advances with the flock. We most often fail because we have either forgotten or have not known that the key to every ministry [after the presence and work of God Himself] is the quality of the shepherd who leads.” Last month we looked together into the question, “What is an elder?” I offered this definition, “An elder is a recognized, God-called servantleader in Jesus’ church, equipped with the head, heart and hands of a spiritual shepherd, who serves alongside other elders in the church.”
This month we consider the question, “What does an elder do?” Some think that an elder is a person in the church who attends a monthly leadership meeting where financial and ministry decisions are made. While making decisions at a monthly meeting is often an elder’s responsibility in a modern church, the Bible emphasizes a different work for the elder. When we think about the work of an elder, we rightly think about the work of a shepherd in caring for a flock of sheep. The Bible employs the metaphor of a “shepherd” twenty-five times to refer to God in his care for his people. (Cf. Genesis 48:15; Psalm 23:1; 28:9; 78:71; 80:1; Ecclesiastes 12:11; Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 31:10; 43:12; Ezekiel 34:23; 37:24; Zechariah 11:16; Matthew 2:6; 25:32; 26:31; Mark 14:27; John 10:2, 11, 12, 14, 16; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; 5:4; and Revelation 7:17.) The Bible also applies this figure of speech twelve times in both noun and verb form to refer to Continued on page 2
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human spiritual leaders who care for God’s people. (Cf. 2 Samuel 5:2; 7:7; 1 Chronicles 11:2; 17:6; Ezekiel 34:7, 8; Micah 7:15; Zechariah 11:17; John 21:16; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Peter 5:2). Seven times the Scriptures lament that the people are “like sheep without a shepherd” or that they have “no shepherd.” (Cf. Numbers 27:17; 1 Kings 22:17; 2 Chronicles 18:16; Ezekiel 34:5; Zechariah 10:2; Matthew 9:36; and Mark 6:34.) God uses the metaphor of shepherdless sheep to describe the great spiritual poverty and vulnerability of his people when spiritual leaders do not do what they are supposed to do. What a sad state!!
church is built up in love (Ephesians 4:16). Elders lead the church to keep Christ the center of the whole church so that “the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Ephesians 1:21-22)
The dominance of the metaphor “shepherd” in the Bible to illustrate the role of a spiritual leader commends it for use in describing the work of elders within the church. Since God Himself chose this metaphor of “shepherd” to help us understand the role and responsibilities of the pastor/elder in a local church, it is right to consider deeply the responsibilities of a shepherd toward their sheep. These responsibilities are many and varied. For the sake of simplicity, we divide the responsibilities of the shepherd in his care for the sheep into two broad categories: 1. The shepherd is responsible to lead the sheep. 2. The shepherd is responsible to care for, or to “shepherd” the sheep.
1. Teaching God’s word and sound doctrine clearly and faithfully to each member of the church (1 Timothy 3:2)
We believe that the duties of the elder in the local church can be summarized with these two broad categories: leading the flock of God (1 Timothy 5:17) and shepherding the flock of God (Cf. 1 Peter 5:1-3).
6. Comforting those members in the church who are in despair (2 Corinthians 1:3-7),
LEADING THE FLOCK OF GOD Every elder is responsible to lead the whole of the local church (Hebrews 13:7, 13; 1 Timothy 5:17). These leadership responsibilities include leading the flock by: 1. Discerning and pursuing God’s spiritual direction for the whole church. 2. Communicating to the whole church the vision and plan that God has given the elders. 3. Overseeing the financial practices and decisions of the church. The goal of the elders’ leadership is to enable each member of the church to work together so that the
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SHEPHERDING THE FLOCK OF GOD Every elder is also responsible for shepherding the whole of the local church (1 Peter 5:1-3). These shepherding responsibilities include feeding, nurturing, tending and protecting the flock by:
2. Praying for God’s church and for each member in the church (Acts 6:4; James 5:14-15; 1 Timothy 2:1) 3. Correcting those members who believe false doctrine or who enter into sin (2 Timothy 2:25; Galatians 6:1-2) 4. Confronting those who teach false doctrine to the local church or who persist in sin (Titus 1:9; Matthew 18:15-20) 5. Counseling those members in the church who are in distress (Romans 15:14; Hebrews 13:17)
7. Equipping each member for service to the Lord (Ephesians 4:11-12) 8. Witnessing to the lost (2 Corinthians 5:20; Matthew 28:19-20). The goal of the shepherding work of the elders’ hands is to present every member of the church as mature in Christ (Colossians 1:28). Without laboring skillfully in shepherding the church, the elder is unable to effectively help the church to glorify God. The work of the elder is not merely relegated to a monthly meeting. The elder who serves well recognizes that being an elder requires him to think of all of his life through the lens of spiritual shepherding. This can be an overwhelming work! Please pray for your elders. Pray that they would be faithful; pray that they would be strengthened, pray that they would know joy in doing the work of leading and shepherding God’s church.
Blood Drive Bethany is hosting a blood drive on August 6 from 2-6pm. Sign up at the Welcome Center on Sundays or call the church office at 692-1755.
Adult Outdoor Soccer ResolvedTo and the College ministry will be hosting a soccer night in August. Join us on August 12 from 6-9pm at the fields at Bethany Baptist Church for Co-ed Soccer. Players of all abilities are encouraged to come play!
Friday Night LinC The next LinC is Friday, August 15 at 7:15pm at the Christian Center. The speaker this month is Pastor Garry Geer, Senior Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church.
Our RESOLVEDto Singles ministry seeks to compel our members to become resolved to ...
Aaron Boerckel (aaron@bethanycentral.org) Pedro Orozco (ped_85_pab@hotmail.com)
Bethany Men’s Ministry invites you to a
Jimmy Houck & Kim Sauder invite you to join in the celebration of their wedding on Sunday, August 31 at 3 pm at Bethany Baptist Church. This is a fair weather event that will be cancelled if rain threatens.
Campers can set up anytime Friday to be ready for organized activities to begin at 5pm. Don’t be in a hurry to leave on Saturday as we have some more fun family activities planned.
Campers—novice to experienced—please plan to bring your own food (cooking fire available) to this event on the southeast side of “Lake Bethany” where you can look forward to the following activities: volleyball, bags, fishing, fish cleaning demo, fellowship, and a campfire sing-a-long. Plus a special Friday night feature on the Lawn at dusk— Pastor Lyall will present pictures from his Boundary Waters trip. Feel free to come view these on the big screen even if you don’t want to spend the night outdoors. Question? Call Mike Duncan at 219-6632.
Youth Events In August August 1: August 4: August 6: August 13: August 15: August 20: August 27:
Sr. High Six Flags Trip Jr. High Pool Party Jr./Sr. High Youth Group Jr./Sr. High Youth Group Sr. High Hangout at Lake Bethany Jr./Sr. High Youth Group Youth & Parent Cookout and Meeting
For details, about these events, contact Josh Beakley (josh@bethanycentral.org) or Aaron Boerckel (aaron@bethanycentral.org).
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Steve Hornbrook
Global Outreach
Associate Minister of Global Outreach steve@bethanycentral.org
Going throughout the world to make disciples has always been a great challenge for the people whom God calls to do it. Sacrifices have to be made: relinquished jobs, giving up regular attendance at your church, distance between sweet friends, crossing cultural lines to adapt to new ways of doing things, greater physical discomfort, separation from family, raising financial and prayer support, reporting back to individuals and churches, loving a people that are foreign to you and who may not trust or appreciate you. The list could go on and on, but you get the picture. You can probably even add some of your own that would feel like very significant costs to pay to you. Why would anyone do that? There is really only one reason—a clear conviction that God wants you to do it, and a commitment to do whatever it takes to finish the job that God has called them to. God doesn’t call everyone to the same place. Many of us have been called by God to serve right here at home, but He does call everyone to complete the Great Commission. What has God called you to do? For those of us whom God has called to minister in an environment of greater resource availability, I believe He also gives us the responsibility to encourage and resource those whom He has called to endure hardships in places far from their place of origin. Two families are with us this summer and fall that God has called to serve in far-away places. You have the unusual opportunity to connect with these families and encourage them in the work that they are doing on your behalf. Dave & Carol Beakley normally serve in South Africa, but they are with us for a time. Carol is going to spend most of the year with us as she ministers to her children who are part of Bethany Baptist. Jacob Beakley will be a senior at Dunlap High School, Jordan is a college graduate who works in Peoria and serves in the church, and Josh is their oldest son who serves as our Youth Pastor and is married to Janea. Dave will be with his family in Peoria through the first of August, then he will head back to South Africa where he helps pastor a church and leads a pastor-training seminary. I invite you to consider finding ways to connect with them while they are here, encourage them in their ministry, and get acquainted with what they do so that you can be a faithful prayer partner to them. Invite them to your home, introduce them to your friends, show them that you love them and appreciate what they are doing on your behalf. John & Lori Havenga will be with us in September and October. They minister in the Solomon Islands as translators on a remote island called Kolombangara. They had not planned to be back in the US now, but their two-year-old son Micah has not been growing as fast as he should. They are back in the US to complete testing that will show them the cause and help identify what can be done about it. Lori is also pregnant with their third child who will be born around December, and the available healthcare is much better in the US than in the Solomons. It was difficult for the Havengas to leave their ministry in the Solomons, but it has also been difficult for them to provide what Micah needs on the field. Like the Beakleys, the Havengas will be with us for a limited time. I want to encourage you to connect with them too so that they can be refreshed and encouraged by the time they spend with us.
Upcoming Global Outreach Events Peoria Rescue Ministries Help the Homeless Golf Outing Tuesday, August 19, 2014 at 11:15am Pine Lakes Golf Club All funds from the golf outing go directly towards caring for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of hurting people in our community. Come for fun and fellowship and make a difference in our community! The entry fee is $125 per person. Danny Schell is coordinating foursomes. If you are interested in playing contact Danny at 657-3565.
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Mission Services Encourage the residents of the Peoria Rescue Mission by attending a service led by Bethany volunteers. Bethany Mission Services in August: Peoria Rescue Mission (601 SW Adams, Peoria) August 3 and 21 at 7:30pm South Side Mission (1127 S. Laramie, Peoria) August 17 at 6:00pm To learn more about joining this team of volunteers, contact Jon Baumann at baumanns2@comcast.net.
The Gospel Institute is introducing new tracks for this fall! These tracks help guide each student’s learning through a series of courses with a focused emphasis upon a selected area of study. Current courses are offered for 5 different tracks: Church Shepherding, Soul Care, Women’s Ministries, Small Group Discipleship, and Missions and Evangelism. For more information about each of these tracks, and the courses in each of them, please visit www.peoriagospelinstitute.org. This fall, we are offering the following courses: *New!* Soul Care: Components of Compassionate Soul Care, taught by Kent Kloter of Bethany Community Church at the Bethany Community Room (27265 Dutch Lane in Washington) This course gives a practical understanding of how to address the discipleship conversation in a meaningful way that creates a plan for life change while demonstrating love, compassion, wisdom, and biblical truth. Classroom time will include lecture, class discussion, role-play, video observation, group analysis, and more to provide practical application of the subject matter. Systematic Theology 1, taught by Ritch Boerckel at the Bethany Community Center (7229 N. Knoxville Ave. in Peoria) This course examines what the Bible teaches regarding four areas of doctrine: 1) The Bible—Special focus is given to the Bible’s authority, inspiration, canonicity, inerrancy, and sufficiency. 2) God—Special focus is given to the personality of God, the attributes of God, and the decrees of God. 3) Man—Special focus is given to the nature of man and the sinfulness of man. 4) Salvation—Special focus is given to the atonement of Jesus and to conversion. The students will learn the value of a systematic study of God’s Word to discern how to live, think, serve, and worship God. A Christ-like life is the main objective of all study of theology. Bible Study Methods (Formerly called, “Delight in Discovery”), taught by Jason Alligood of Fellowship Bible Church at the Bethany Community Center (7229 N. Knoxville Ave. in Peoria) This course will introduce students to core inductive Bible study tools, including observation, interpretation (hermeneutics), application, and correlation. Within each of these steps students will learn to apply key principles as they explore various genres in the Bible. At the same time, the course will equip students to capture the central message of a Biblical book and connect each thought unit to the larger composition. As students discover the richness of God’s Word through the methods of this course, they will glean more from their personal study of God’s Word and grow in their ability to share these truths with others. Classes meet Monday evenings from 6-9 PM. Continue to watch www.peoriagospelinstitute.org for new and exciting opportunities at The Gospel Institute!
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August 2014 Sun
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Sr. High to Six Flags
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8:15 & 11:00am Worship Services 9:45am Sunday School
1:00-4:00pm Jr. High Pool Party
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2:00-6:00pm Red Cross Blood Drive 6:15pm Jr/Sr High Youth Group
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8:15 & 11:00am Worship Services 9:45am Sunday School
Bethany Family Campout
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6:00-9:00pm Adult Outdoor Soccer
6:15pm Jr/Sr High Youth Group
7:00pm Bridal Shower for Chassi Scholl
Sr. High Hangout at Lake Bethany
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7:15pm LinC (at the Christian Center)
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8:15 & 11:00am Worship Services
7:00pm Women Helping Women Work Night
6:00-9:00pm Hats of Hope Work Night
6:15pm Jr/Sr High Youth Group
Taste of Bethany
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Awana Leader Training
24 8:15 & 11:00am Worship Services 9:45am Sunday School
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27 6:15pm Youth & Parent Cookout & Meeting Awana Leader Training
31 8:15 & 11:00am Worship Services 9:45am Sunday School
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August Birthdays & Anniversaries 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 -
Ava Gates Jesse Hake David Lawson Terry Setterlund Sahara Streitmatter Michael & Deanna Todd Jared Rogers Betty Schwartzkopf Carole Zimmerman Jodi Bobchik Cecilia Huerta Julia Kieser Michele Wilson Larry & Caroline Baer Bill & Marilyn Boldry Nathan Colwell Mikaela Good Glenn Jablon Seth Joos Peg Pendell Connie Shultz Brent & Jan Mosier Bob & Julie Read Lisa Collins Ava Dobra Quinn Donnelli Tom Robinson Dale Smith John & Tina Myatt Michael Barnes Kenadie Burton David Inman Lisa Lueken Jed Stuber Rodney & Katie Harms Billy & Jenny Schick Ross Elsasser Laura Jacobs Jack Mason Mark Rumbold Warren & Grace Netherton Eugene & Emily Reinholtz Debbie Davison Drake McKnight Trevin Palmer Benjamin Siebenthal Don & Carol Vance
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Linda Babcock Brice Bryant Sravani Jorden Anne Zumwalt Randall Christenberry Bill Zimmerman Craig & Amy Colwell Brenda Fore Eric Nielsen Rod & Bonnie Abel Doug & Vivian Bireline Randall & Kelli Christenberry Kevin & Amanda Gustafson Dave Clark Al Dremann Oliver Hoerr Klara Pepper Denny Reed Eric & Beth Bonk Lorrie Blasingim Tyris Moody Ralph Turner Gary & Diane Conner Ava Dietz Diego Huerta Debra Kreeger David & Patty Inman Jeff & Laura Miller Tom & Sarah Schlich Rick & Jiwon Smith Morgan Courtney Mary Ellison Laura Janssen Peter Rummel Audrey Schrepfer Karissa Talbot Dennis Tracy Barbara Boyd Angie Peterson Kristine Williams John & Kathy Spuler Azabella Billhymer Anna Heinz Doug Rabenhorst Michael & Ana Gonzales
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Kristen Arends Jodi Mayne Kaliese Plattner Jason Stoecker Patricia Wineland Mike & Peggy Powers Jason & Gayla Stoecker Presley Downs LaVerne Rice Weston Servey Sherri Urban Jim & Melanie Rowley Kelsie Burton Noah Herman Tom Joos Jillian McCormick Jordan McCormick Merrill Parsons Adam Pepper Carly Twedell Brette Benedict Caleb Jorden Grace Kelch Dwight King Elizabeth Qu Brian & Kristi DeBacker David & Lynda Oakes Lori Bennett Kevin Billhymer Markie Castle Tim Delaney Matt Freckleton Andrew Gerig Shelley Riney Jackson Smith Luke Taylor Grant & Courtney Hannah Matt Gillespie Sandy Wheeler Gregory & Presley Downs Al & Sherri Dornon Ryan & Rosie Siebenthal Jean Alexander Odie Burke Natalie Elsasser Nolan Elsasser Crew Honegger
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Avery Petrany Carl Theobald Mark & Janine Tolson Becky Delaney Ben Delaney Steve Delinski Ethan Ham Ella Honegger Kohl Jordan Georgia Wilkinson Elizabeth Arends Justin Brush Emily Hoerr Joe & Jodi Bobchik Peter & LaNae Huang Matt & Deanna Marquette Bob Christmas Levi Fisher Debbie Good Andy Hamilton Mae Herman Natalie Park Nathan Park Louis Queen Jordan Rumbold Roberta Williams Tara Hufnagel Ryan Hutton Calvert & Kim Benedict Gene & Ann Rebholz Sara Good Kathy Harvey Scott Lawson Jonathan McCallister Ethan McRaven Jeremy Powell Lana Rudolph Alexis Vaughn David Ward Jessica Willoughby Nate & Tamar Kern Stan Koch Kaylynn Crotz Willow Schick
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Children’s Ministry August lessons from Sunday School (SS) and Children’s Church (CC): 08/03 SS: Revelation 5:1-14
John Sees the Worthy Lamb
CC: Luke 2:21-40 Jesus was Dedicated 08/10 SS: Revelation 20:1-15
God Will Judge at the Great White Throne
CC: Luke 2:41-52 Jesus was at the Temple 08/17 SS: Revelation 21:1-8, 22-27; 22:12-17 God Creates a New Heaven and New Earth CC: Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:1-11; Lk 3:21-22; Jn 1:19-34 Jesus was Baptized
08/24 SS: Promotion Sunday—Genesis 1:1-2:3
God Creates a New Heaven and New Earth
AWANA AWANA starts Wednesday, September 3. AWANA stands for Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed from 2 Timothy 2:15. It is Bethany’s mid-week ministry to children from 3 years old (those who are starting Kindergarten in 2 years and are potty trained) up through the 6th grade. It consists of three clubs: Cubbies (3 and 4 year olds), Sparks (Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd), and Truth and Training (3rd through 6th). AWANA meets at 6:15pm and ends at 8pm (7:50pm for Cubbies). Starting on September 10, Bethany’s weekly family meals will be served from 5:00 to 5:45pm for a suggested donation of $3 per person.
CC: Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13 Jesus was Tempted
08/31 SS: Genesis 1:26-29; 2:7,8,18-24
God Creates Man and Woman
CC: Matthew 4:18-22; 9:9-13; Mark 1:16-20; 2:13-14; 3:13-19; Luke 5:27-32; 6:12-16 Jesus called Disciples
Promotion Sunday August 24 is “Promotion Sunday” for 3’s through 5th grade. Students will start in their current rooms, and then promote up together as a class to their new grade within the first 10-15 minutes of class.
AWANA Leader Training: Are you interested in serving in AWANA? It is a great joy to help children learn the Word of God in a fun, upbeat environment. We have training for those who want to serve. The training is offered twice: choose either Wednesday, August 20 at 6:15pm or Wednesday, August 27 at 6:15pm. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
Making Disciples by Serving in Children’s Ministry Ps 78:4b …Tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. This month we are celebrating all the workers who faithfully partner with parents in the spiritual discipleship of their children through some of Bethany’s children’s ministries. To make disciples simply means to help others follow Jesus. So every time you serve in Nursery, Children’s Sunday School, Children’s Church, AWANA, VBS, etc., you are partnering with the parent(s) to help the child better follow Jesus Christ as Lord. This is a spiritually significant and praiseworthy work! Currently, our Sunday morning ministries of Nursery, Sunday School, and Children’s Church are being limited in their mission as we work to fill the worker voids we have. Please pray how you might be able to join together with us in “telling the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord.” We are displaying a wall of Children’s Ministry opportunities and praying our current volunteer needs will be met. Sign up to serve in the church foyer this month, or contact the church office to learn more about how you can help our body build itself up in love.
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Open Hearts Open Homes “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” James 5:16 Recently the Open Hearts Open Homes Ministry team met to continue to develop the ministry in a way that honors the Lord and assists the church in caring for orphans. During that meeting we agreed on four main steps that the ministry desires to cover: Pre-placement ministry to families Post-placement ministry to families Equipping the church Equipping other churches
by Amy Park Open Hearts Open Homes Orphan Care Ministry
Stay tuned as we fine-tune these areas and add to what we are already doing in each. Watch the calendar as this fall we plan on hosting an informational meeting to help those interested understand the ministry of Open Hearts, Open Homes and how individuals and families can be involved. Check out the blog at: openheartsopenhomesministry.blogspot.com
Shoe Drive During the month of August we will be having a shoe drive. Look for containers at the entrance doors where you can place your shoes. Why Shoes? By donating your new and gently used shoes to WaterStep, you’ll help fund safe drinking water projects all over the world—projects that help to save hundreds of thousands of lives each year. WaterStep works with missions teams by providing clean water resources and trains them how to use these resources to provide clean water around the world. How it Works: In addition to funding water projects, donated shoes keep hundreds of tons of waste out of our landfills. We accept all types of shoes from high heels to high tops. Shoes are refurbished or recycled and the funds help bring clean water to those in need. If you have questions, contact Pastor Lyall at lyall@bethanycentral.org.
Women’s Ministries Bridal Shower for Chassi Scholl Thursday, August 14 at 7pm Chassi and her fiancé James are registered at Crate & Barrel and Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
Women Helping Women Monday, August 18 at 7pm Women Helping Women serves those experiencing miscarriage, still birth, early infant death, and infertility. On work nights we prepare products and kits for keepsake boxes that Work will help parents through the difficulty Nights of losing a child. Sewing skills are not required. Contact: Nicole Pepper, 683-1181.
Hats of Hope Tuesday, August 19 at 6pm The work nights are an opportunity to come and meet some cancer survivors, use your gifts and talents in sewing and knitting, or simply to cut fabric and make fabric flowers for hats for cancer patients. Yarn and materials are supplied for you if you desire to make hats at home. Contact: Holly Miller, 648-1693 or hlm112770@aol.com.
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Participate in Bethany’s Small Groups Ministry for the Glory of God! Get Ready for Small Groups 2014-2015!! Small Group sign-ups begin this month! Watch the Sunday worship folders for instructions on how to you can sign up for your small group this month. We are excited about giving every attender at Bethany this opportunity to build authentic biblical relationships that enable us to better apply God’s Word into our daily lives. These small group meetings are not designed to be another Bible study. Instead we desire that God will use our small groups ministry to deepen our personal relationships with one another to the point where we can really help one another apply the biblical truths which we’ve already been taught each week. Here’s some important reminders about our small group ministry for your joyful participation: To learn more about our vision for small group ministry, please download a copy of the leadership’s Small Groups Vision Paper at www.bethanycentral.org, under our small groups ministry page; or pick up a printed copy at the church Welcome Center. Flexibility is the key to success!! Every small group is formatted a bit differently under the leadership of the small group leader. Each small group will structure their meetings and functional dynamics in the way that is most helpful for their combined joy in Christ. This small group term is from Sept to Nov 2014 and Jan to Apr 2015. Breaks are encouraged during the busy month of December and the summer in order to encourage sustainability. In August 2015, signups will provide everyone with the opportunity to stay in their same group, multiply into starting a new group, or join another existing group. Do I stay in the same group again this year? If you benefited from participating in a small group last year, you are encouraged to prayerfully proceed however will bring us the most joy in Christ together: Multiply the joy of godly relationships by asking others from your existing group to help you start a new small group with the intention of inviting new people to join with you. Deepen existing connections by staying in the same group and striving together towards greater vulnerability, accountability, and 1 John 1:7 fellowship. Expand your relationships within the church by joining a different small group this term to intentionally increase the scope of your relationships. If you want to participate in a small group, but there are no workable options still available for you, please identify yourself by putting your name on the small group waiting list, or by contacting the church office. We will contact you about the details of our new small groups as soon as they become available. We continue to seek more Small Group leaders. If you are interested in serving God in this way, please contact Pastor Kevin at kevin@bethanycentral.org. Please join with us in praying for God’s supernatural blessing upon this “one another” ministry of adult discipleship next year. May God be glorified as we enter deeper into authentic biblical community with one another this year.
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Pa rent s — P l ease not e!
Childcare Reimbursement Program Bethany Baptist Church loves children! Some of our small groups accommodate the presence of children at their regular small group meetings. However, other groups seek to provide regular meetings without the presence of young children. Because we desire to remove any possible obstacle to the spiritual growth of young couples in our church, we are again offering a childcare reimbursement program for families who desire to participate in a Small Group. This program can help supplement some of the childcare costs incurred as a result of participating in one of Bethany’s small groups. Find all the details on the program on our Small Group ministry page at www.bethanycentral.org. Further questions may be directed to Pastor Kevin Sauder or Jan Mosier.
Fall Festival
Mark your calendar and make plans to be a part of this exciting outreach to our community! The purpose of this event is for our church family to reach out and serve our friends and neighbors with a fun, family-friendly event that will portray God’s love and encourage a positive witness for Bethany Baptist Church in our community. Our hope is that this annual event will deepen our relationships with our neighbors so that when the Lord works on their hearts about their eternal destiny, or marriage, or parenting, or other counseling need, they will think about coming to Bethany, and we might have greater opportunity to share the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Saturday, September 20 1-4pm on our property
This Festival is possible because various ministries and discipleship groups in our church eagerly volunteer to "take ownership" of different aspects of this outreach. Activities may include food, music, games, bounce houses, face painting, hay rack rides, antique cars, contests, activities, and more! If your group (ABC class, Youth, Choir, MOPS Table, Small Group, Nursery Team, etc.) desires to serve together in this event this year, please contact Kari Rabenhorst (kari@bethanycentral.org).
Join the Worship Team
A Community Christmas Kickoff
Worship Team Vocal and Instrumental applications are available for the 2014-2015 team!
Come be a part of the Christmas Choir/Orchestra on Saturday, September 6 at 9:00am
If you have an interest in singing on the Worship Team or being a part of the Worship Band, please pick up an application from the church office or the choir room. Applications must be turned into the church office by Sunday, August 31.
The Bethany Fellowship of Churches will again be joining together to present "A Community Christmas" on December 12-14, 2014.
Please contact Pastor Fred (fred@bethanycentral.org) or Kari Rabenhorst (kari@bethanycentral.org) with questions.
To get us started, we will have a Christmas Kickoff where we will preview the music on Saturday, September 6. We will hear all the music for Christmas and begin to lay out the vision for this year’s Christmas worship and outreach event. This Kickoff is for those interested in singing in the choir and also those who are interested in playing in the orchestra.
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Psalm 100:2
Clear your calendar and make plans to attend this morning of Christmas Music! Contact Pastor Fred (fred@bethanycentral.org) or Kari Rabenhorst (kari@bethanycentral.org) for more information.
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Bethany Baptist Church 7422 N. Heinz Lane Edwards, IL 61528
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE P A I D PEORIA, ILLINOIS PERMIT NO. 917 Return Service Requested
Join us on Sunday, August 17 during the ABC hour for our 11th Annual “Taste of Bethany” Ministry Fair.
Taste of Bethany
Come see the colorful displays highlighting the many ministries at Bethany and how you can be involved.
Sunday, August 17
This is an event you don’t want to miss!
11th Annual Ministry Fair