March 2016 eBroadcaster by Bethany Baptist Church

In This Issue Page 3

KidZone

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Counseling Conference First Prayer PrimeTime Fellowship

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Youth Events in March Open Hearts Open Homes Spring Forward Women’s Ministries S.A.L.T. 35+

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Children’s Ministry

Page 7

125th Anniversary Right Now Media

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Easter Services

I love our local church!

Dr. Ritch Boerckel

It is good and right for us to love the local church where God leads us to worship and work for His glory. Such love is not team pride in the course of a competition with other churches, but it is dear affection in the communion of God’s children. The church is God’s family ... Jesus’ bride and body ... a holy temple to the Lord. What a gift God gives us when He places us in His church! God designed the church to be a core part of the identity of His people. The church is not something that is external to us. The church is not a place to go or a group to join. When we are in Christ, the church is central to who we are. The eye has no identity apart from the body. The hand has no identity apart from the body. We are not outside the church looking in; we are inside the church looking out. That is the perspective on life of every healthy disciple of Jesus. As members of God’s family, believers think of the church in terms of “we” and “ours,” not “they” and “theirs.” For over 23 years God has given me the great joy of being a member at Bethany. That longevity at one local church is unusual in our day. Such a string of unbroken years in one local fellowship is not common for lay people and perhaps more uncommon for pastors. We are a people who like adventure and newness. We are energized by change. Yet after 23 years, I honestly say that I love this precious church family more than I ever have. I could not have anticipated the joy that this church would bring to me. I am happy and privileged to have given my strongest years to help her grow, deepen and sweeten in her love for God and service to Him. She has certainly returned the favor to me! Continued on page 2.

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And if the Lord so wills, I gladly give the rest of my years on earth to loving her and to helping her to glorify God by proclaiming Jesus as Lord and by preparing God’s people for worship now and forever. I can think of nothing more purposeful and significant than that.

filled with mysteries about God’s nature and plan of salvation that are often hard to understand. Yet these form the foundation for all practical application. I love that Bethany is filled with people who bring their Bibles to church and yearn to be fed.

My enjoyment of Bethany is not without its pains. Many tears have fallen down my face over her. I have hurt in having witnessed sin breaking apart marriages and families. My soul has ached over seeing children grow up in our midst to have no faith as young adults. I have wept over relationships that once seemed so sure and so close now broken and distant. I have occasionally felt the sting of slander and unloving words. My heart has broken at times over those who have been in our midst who did not experience Jesus’ love in a personal way during their time here. With trembling hands, I have knocked on doors and dialed numbers of members who were caught in sin and needed to have a shepherd attempt to turn them back from death. I say this to acknowledge that my love for our church family is not Pollyannaish in its roots. I do not love Bethany because I am looking through rosecolored glasses. I am most conscious that we are not yet fully mature and without significant flaws. But I love her for what she is ... a beautiful expression of God’s presence and grace in this dark world.

Reason #2: Bethany loves God’s Gospel. The love of the Gospel here translates in to a passion to proclaim it and to protect it. I am humbled by the passion I witness in our church family for the Gospel. I love hearing stories from our members of their witness of the Gospel in their workplaces, neighborhood, family and school. Also, we have many whose heart for the Gospel causes them to be attentive to any dilution or corruption of the pure Gospel that God has given. Our church is not feisty, but we are willing to contend for the faith if the Gospel is under siege. I love that our Sunday School teachers, youth leaders, elders, deacons, deaconesses and Bible study leaders refuse to be content with moralistic messages, but desire to share the pure Gospel through our teaching ministries.

As I reflect on my love for our church family, I wanted to take some time to share with you six reasons why I love our local church. I know that my experience at Bethany is unique and different from yours. But I wanted to share my personal love for our church with you. I have two motivations for this. First, I believe this exercise will deepen my gratitude to God and my joy in our church. Second, I pray that my thoughts stimulate love in you for your local church too. Reason #1: Bethany is filled with people who love God and His Word. When God’s Word is opened, Bethany is a church eager to listen to what God would say to us. I am convinced that a church will not glorify God without a hunger for the Bible and the doctrines taught there. We live in a very pragmatic age that asks for practical principles to dominate the teaching of the church. Yet practical principles separated from the Bible cause God’s people to lose God Himself. The Bible reads very differently from a Dr. Phil or Steve Harvey book. It is

Reason #3: Bethany is a praying church. I have learned much about prayer from the many who have prayed with me and for me here at Bethany. Some of my sweetest experiences as a pastor have been with other elders praying over those in our church who were sick or in spiritual or emotional pain. I love that I see spontaneous prayer groups bowing their heads in the Connection Café on Sunday mornings. I love that members ask me, “How can I pray for you?” and then do pray! Reason #4: Bethany loves children. I rejoice to see so many families adopt orphans and foster little ones whose lives have been ones of hardship. I love hearing the children’s laughter and seeing their smiles in the classrooms and hallways of our building. I am thankful for the countless labors of love offered by so many members to children in our midst. My three sons have been loved so very well in our church family. Their experience in church has been a very happy one ... largely because they have been so loved here. From the time that they were in the nursery through their college years, my children have had other adults in our spiritual family teach them, love them, pray over them and speak into their lives. Thank you, Lord.

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Reason #5: Bethany has been given awesome spiritual leaders. Spiritual leaders are gifts from God to a church. How thankful I am for God’s bountiful gift! The spiritual leadership at Bethany are dearest of friends to me. I have benefitted from their counsel, been strengthened by their encouragement, been enriched by their love, and have learned from their examples. While we are still growing in spiritual leadership depth, it is hard for me to imagine having spiritual leaders that I more gladly submit my life under their spiritual authority. Reason #6: Bethany is a generous church. This generosity flows from the hearts of the members who love the Lord and are zealous to glorify Him. We are a fellowship who knows that God has been infinitely generous to us. Every year members of our church family give of their finances sacrificially to advance the Gospel. Not a year has passed when generosity created by God’s Spirit has not met the needs of this church family. To God be the glory! Yet generosity is more than financial stewardship. I have experienced the rich generosity of open hearts and homes inviting me in to their lives. I have experienced the rich generosity of mercy and forgiveness when I have failed or sinned. I have experienced the rich generosity of help in time of need. I have experienced the rich generosity of thoughtful encouragement when my hands began to hang down in weakness. I have experienced the rich generosity of hard labor when God called us to do something large to fulfill His mission of proclaiming the Gospel and discipling His people. Reason #7: Bethany has loved me. A church is a people. As I think of Bethany, I do not picture our beautiful building. I do not think of our property. I do not think of our Bylaws and Constitution. I do not think of our being “Baptist.” As I think of Bethany, faces pass through my mind and my heart. With each face, I experience a little leap of joy in thinking about the kindness that each person has shown me. I think of their laughter with each other and the affirmation that they give. I think of the goodness that they feel for one another and the commitment to Christ that binds them together in real community. In talking this way, I do not imply that our family is a utopia. We must wait for heaven for that. I also do not claim that this has been the experience of every person in our family. I pray that it would be so, but that is not my claim here. In sharing this, I felt it important for you to know that this is how I have experienced our local church. I have been loved ... loved to a measure that I know is beyond merit and beyond my expectations.

KidZone Easter Activities on the Prairie Saturday, March 19, 2016 10am-2pm at the Shoppes at Grand Prairie This event will be a fun-filled way to reach out to the community and serve our 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. We are seeking cheerful, excited & smiling volunteers to serve at an activity station for one shift: 1st Shift (9am-Noon) or 2nd Shift (11:30am–2:30pm)  Stations include: - Face painting - Live music - Serving popcorn - Hosting a carnival-type game - Handing out church literature - Inflatables 

I love our local church.

Candy Donations are also needed:  Candy should be small, individually wrapped, and of the non-chocolate variety  Donations can be dropped off in the collection bins located near the Welcome Center and in the hall of the Children’s wing beginning March 1.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:20–21 ESV)

If you would like to help or have questions, please contact Kari Rabenhorst (kari@bethanycentral.org). 3

Introduction to Biblical Counseling & Discipleship

C ON F E R ENC E March 4-5, 2016

Friday, March 4 — 6-9pm & Saturday, March 5 — 8am-5pm At Bethany Community Church in Washington — Cost: $15 This event seeks to train people just like you to point hurting people to the Lord through the wisdom, truth, hope, comfort and encouragement found in His Word. Topics Include: The Need for Biblical Soul Care, The Gospel and Your Identity, and The Process of Biblical Change.

Wednesday, March 2 at 6:30pm In the Sr. High Room First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. I Timothy 2:1 4

PrimeTime Fellowship

Monday, March 21 at 11:00am All those age 55 and up are invited to join us! Paul & Emily McKim will be sharing about their trip to Africa. Lunch will be provided. To sign up, call the church office at 692-1755.

Youth Events In March March 2 March 9 March 13 March 16 March 20 March 23 March 27 March 30

Youth Group at First Prayer, 6:15pm Youth Group Small Group Focus, 6:15pm Jr./Sr. High Roller Skating (Time TBA) Engage, 6:15pm Sr. High Pancake Breakfast, 9:45am No Youth Group No Sunday School Youth Group, 6:15pm

For details, about these events, contact Josh Beakley (josh@bethanycentral.org) or Aaron Boerckel (aaron@bethanycentral.org).

Save the Date for Summer Camp 2016! June 5-10

Wednesday, March 16 at 6:15pm In the Sanctuary

Women’s Ministry Work Nights Hats of Hope Tuesday, March 15 at 6pm Use your gifts and talents in sewing and knitting, or simply 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 at 648-1693.

Women Helping Women Monday, March 21 at 7pm Join us as we prepare products and kits for keepsake boxes that will help parents through the difficulty of losing a child. Sewing skills are not required. Contact Nicole Pepper at 683-1181.

New Ladies’ Afternoon Bible Study Beginning Tuesday, March 22 Join Lona Hudson for this Tuesday afternoon study at 12:30pm at church beginning March 22. Gideon: Your weakness. God’s Strength A 7-week Priscilla Shirer video series. Register on-line at www.bethanycentral.org.

Engage is a Biblical Ethics and Bible Teaching event for youth in grades 7-12. The church family is invited to attend—your presence will encourage our youth. Please join us!

A special thank you to all that donated items to be shared with local social service agencies, the Women's Pregnancy Center, and the Crittenton Center's Crisis Nursery! Socks, underwear, coloring books, crayons and markers, formula, Pull-ups, diapers, and wipes were divided and shared with all. Thank you for encouraging those that work tirelessly to help those with needs as we celebrated Sanctity of Life Sunday during the month of January. To follow Open Hearts, Open Homes Ministry follow the blog openheartsopenhomesministry.blogspot.com

Daylight Savings Don’t forget to set your clock ahead one hour before going to bed on Saturday, March 12.

BRAND NEW! By The Way (our Women's Ministries newsletter) is now in a blog format. Expect brand new articles every other Tuesday. Check it out! www.bythewaybethany.org. For those who aren't tech savvy, paper copies of the articles will be available at the Welcome Center.

Single Adults Living Truth S.A.L.T. (35+) Formerly Seasoned Singles 35+ If you would like to be added to the email list to receive notification of S.A.L.T. (35+) events, please email Jerry Sanderson at jerry@bethanycentral.org. This group is intended to provide a place for single parents, divorced, and never married adults to mature in their relationship with Jesus, provide a place where they know they belong, and to give them an avenue where they can together use their spiritual gifts and God-given talents to serve the Lord. 5

Below is a family reading for Easter. (You could include music, if so desired.) Have each family member who can read, take one line of type. Have those who can’t read, say, “Easter,” whenever it occurs. You don’t need to read the references—they are there so you know where the quote is found in Scripture. My hope is that this reading will provide something a little different to help parents and children focus on what the Bible says about Easter. Some of these words are “big words,” so be sure to take time to ask questions and explain.

Upcoming Awana Calendar Highlights March 16 March 23 April 27 May 4

Crazy Hair Night No Awana Celebration Night Awards Night

Save the Date for VBS! July 11-15 For Kids entering Kindergarten through those entering Sixth Grade. Plus nursery and pre-school classes for children of volunteers. 6

EASTER FAMILY READING Easter—God’s love ... Revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:39) Easter—Our need All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way (Isa. 53:6) Easter—God’s substitute “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn. 1:29) Easter—Christ’s sacrifice But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isa. 53:5-6) Easter—the crucifixion Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures ... Easter—the resurrection! He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures ... (I Cor. 15:3b-4) Easter—eternal life Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (Jn. 11:25-26a) Easter—unending love I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from the love of Christ — Not trouble Not calamity Not persecution Not hunger Not cold Not danger Not death Not fears Not worries Not angels Not powers of hell Not height Not depth NOT ANYTHING ... Will ever separate us from the love of God! Easter—God’s love ... Revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:35-39)

Bethany Baptist Church 7422 N. Heinz Lane Edwards, IL 61528

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