Issue 1007
Middle Ground or Common Ground? When Jason and Bridgette were newly married, they faced a problem that would likely create a huge rift in their relationship and future family. Bridget had been raised in a Methodist church and Jason had been raised in a Greek Orthodox church. Which church should they attend together? How should they approach this hitch in their marriage? They decided that the best solution was to find some middle ground where they both could be comfortable. After some thought and discussion, they chose to attend an Episcopal church since it seemed to have some elements of the ritually rich Eastern Orthodox church and some elements of the doctrinally Protestant Methodist church. Their counselor applauded this young couple on their wisdom and maturity of seeking to find middle ground to resolve this thorny problem. They were happy ... at least for the present time.
Middle ground is an area where people with opposing desires or perspectives can meet without extreme frustration or disappointment. Middle ground is a place where two people can stand together as they yield some of their will to the other person in the face of conflict for the sake of cooperation and peace. We pursue middle ground by evaluating the opposing views that each person possesses and then bending each person’s desire away from itself and toward the other person. So if Bridgette desired to eat at Seven and Jason desired to eat at Dairy Queen, middle ground might lead them to eat at Chili’s. Middle ground is a place where no one gets exactly what they want, but each gets something of what they want and both can be happy together in that place. Continued on page 2.
Church Events Dr. Ritch Boerckel Senior Pastor
3 November Calendar Highlights 4 Adult Bible Communities A Community Christmas Tickets Available Soon!
5 First Prayer
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Saturday Night Service Schedule PrimeTime Women’s Ministries College Care Packages Youth Events In November RESOLVEDto Global Outreach
7 Children’s Ministry Open Hearts Open Homes Operation Christmas Child
8 Turkey Bowl Children’s Musical A Feast of Thanks
Continued from page 1.
There is much to commend about middle ground. Middle ground can remove the problem of each person’s immediate frustration. Middle ground can lead people to mutual satisfaction. Middle ground can resolve troubling conflict. Yet middle ground often dishonors God and harms souls. It does so because enjoying God by glorifying Him is not the center of middle ground discussions. The starting point in finding middle ground is not God’s Word; the starting point is our own thoughts and emotions. As the result, middle ground often leads us away from God’s priorities and plan for our lives. The middle ground between two wrong values is not a right value. The middle ground between two wrong desires is another equally wrong desire. For instance, if a boyfriend wanted his girlfriend to move in with him, but the girlfriend was only willing to stay over at her boyfriend’s place on Friday nights, the middle ground might be for them to stay together for three nights of the week. Both people might find deep satisfaction with that middle ground, but it would be ground that openly mocks God. While middle ground may help two people find peace with each other, that same middle ground may be the very obstacle that disrupts peace with God. Middle ground may grieve God even while it gladdens us. In the example of Jason and Bridgette, the search for middle ground in finding a church home did not concentrate on biblical convictions
While middle ground may help two people find peace with each other, that same middle ground may be the very obstacle that disrupts peace with God.
and instead relied upon emotional convenience. Their middle ground may or may not lead them to a church that proclaims Jesus as Lord or that remains faithful to the Gospel. Jason and Bridgette were not evaluating a church home on the basis of sound doctrine or practical holiness, but on the basis of other factors related to their preferences and backgrounds. What is the alternative to finding middle ground in order to resolve our differences? God commends that we find common ground in His truth revealed in Scripture. This common ground calls us to move toward God together in order to have peace amongst ourselves. The common ground of God’s revelation is very different from the middle ground of human opinion. This common ground does not seek to find a position between sinful people’s own opposing desires. This common ground instead seeks to discover the position that God takes on a matter and then commits to move there in faith. This common ground does not lean upon man’s understanding about life, but trusts in God’s values, desires, commands, promises and truth. Continued on page 3.
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What are some differences between this common ground and middle ground? Common ground begins with the Scripture and asks, “What does God want us to do?” Middle ground begins with the individuals and asks, “What do we want to do?”
November Calendar Highlights November 1
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Common ground seeks to glorify God first and foremost. Middle ground seeks to remove conflict first and foremost. Common ground brings us into submission to God. Middle ground brings us into submission to each other. Common ground blesses our lives into eternity. Middle ground provides some satisfaction for a short time.
November 6 November 7 November 8
Common ground brings us together in worship to our great God. Middle ground brings us together in cooperation with each other. Common ground is God-centered. Middle ground is man-centered. I understand that finding middle ground is not always wrong. If you are choosing paint colors with your spouse for your bedroom, you will not likely find “common ground” in God’s Word. God’s Word does not speak to these kinds of preferences. In these cases, middle ground is great! Yet where God does speak, I urge you to seek the common ground of His truth instead of the middle ground of human opinion! Remember that the opposing political parties of the Pharisees and the Sadducees found “middle ground” in their opposition of Jesus. The Pharisees and Sadducees felt really good about this middle ground and experienced some humanly “happy” results of cooperation and teamwork. But their middle ground led them to spiritual darkness. What they needed was the common ground of submission to God and His truth! Then they would have found life! The next time you experience conflict with another person, do not begin by looking for some middle ground to meet together. Begin by seeking the common ground of God’s truth. His truth offers us true peace and reconciliation! “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV)
November 11
November 14 November 15
November 16 November 17 November 18
November 20 November 21 November 22
November 25 November 26 November 28 November 29
Daylight Savings Ends Worship Services, 8:15 & 11am ABCs/Sunday School, 9:45am Open Hearts Open Homes Study, 11am Children’s Choir, 4pm Family Meal, 5:00-5:45pm Awana, 6:15pm Jr./Sr. High, 6:15pm First Prayer in Prayer Room, 6:30pm Choir, 7:45pm MOPS, 9am True Woman Conference, 6-9pm True Woman Conference, 8:30-11:00am Saturday Night Service, 6pm Veteran’s Day Worship Services, 8:15 & 11am ABCs/Sunday School, 9:45am Discovering Church Membership, 9:45am Open Hearts Open Homes Study, 11am A Community Christmas Rehearsal, 2pm Children’s Choir, 4pm Family Meal, 5:00-5:45pm Awana, Jr./Sr. High Youth Group, 6:15pm Choir, 7:45pm Saturday Night Service, 6pm Worship Services, 8:15 & 11am ABCs/Sunday School, 9:45am Discovering Church Membership, 9:45am Children’s Choir, 4pm PrimeTime Fellowship, 11am Women Helping Women, 7pm Hats of Hope, 6pm Family Meal, 5:00-5:45pm Awana, Jr./Sr. High Youth Group, 6:15pm Choir, 7:45pm MOPS, 9:00am A Community Christmas Rehearsal, 9am Saturday Night Service, 6pm Worship Services, 8:15 & 11am ABCs/Sunday School, 9:45am Discovering Church Membership, 9:45am Turkey Bowl at YMCA, 2pm Children’s Musical, 5pm Feast of Thanks, 6pm No Activities Happy Thanksgiving! No Saturday Night Service Worship Services, 8:15 & 11am ABCs/Sunday School, 9:45am
View the full calendar at bethanycentral.org!
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Adult Bible Communities (ABCs)
jerry@bethanycentral.org
ABCs exist to help people connect to others at Bethany through smaller formats of teaching and provide a sense of community in a way that cannot happen through corporate worship alone. ABCs come in all shapes and sizes at Bethany. Some are 15-20 people and some are as big as 150 people. Some are more of a teaching format and others are more of a relational/community/prayer format. Some are mostly a certain age-group or stage of life and others have a broad spectrum of ages and stages of life.
A Community Christmas 2015
If you attend Bethany and are not part of an ABC we encourage you to try some and eventually make an ABC a home for you within Bethany. We believe connecting in this way provides a sense of connection to the larger community that is healthy for you and also strengthens Bethany and glorifies God. Listed below are our current ABCs with leaders and the general make-up of the class. Sometimes the teaching is through a book of the Bible, other times it is topical, such as marriage or parenting. In addition, Bethany is developing “roaming” teaching series that can be taught in ABCs upon request such as How to Study the Bible, Worldviews & Christian Ethics, Biblical Counseling—Soul Care and others. If you have questions regarding ABCs and wonder which ones might be good for you to try, contact Jerry Sanderson at jerry@bethanycentral.org. 20/20—Room 812 Single Adults Gary Bryant
Foundations—Room 813 Young marrieds & families Trent Gerig
Bereans—Room 811 Senior Adults Paul Slopak
Joint Heirs—Room 815 All Ages Tom Schlich
City on a Hill—Room 805 All Ages Justin McMenamy
Living Stones—Room 809 All Ages Greg Joyce & Mark Yonke
College Class—Room 807 College & Young Adults Aaron Boeckel
Newly Married & Engaged—Rm. 806 New and soon-to-be married couples Castle, Fuelberth, Zimmerman
CrossPoint—Room 817 All Ages Brian Phillips & Tom Nofsinger
Salt & Light—Room 814 Engaged & Young Couples/Families Danny Schell & Jon Bauman
Crossroads—Room 808 All Ages Dave Schellenberg & Rod Abel Dust to Glory—Gym All Ages Chris Larson
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Temple Builders—Room 816 All Ages Mark Schellenberg The Master’s Touch—Room 401 All Ages Brad Dunham
Free tickets will be available beginning Sunday, November 8. Make plans to join us for one of our four presentations: Friday, December 4 at 7pm Five Points, Washington Saturday, December 5 2:00pm & 6:00pm Bethany Baptist Church, Edwards Sunday, December 6 at 6pm Living Hope, Bartonville
Tickets for the presentations at Bethany Baptist will be available at the Welcome Center at church. Tickets for all locations are available by calling 692-1755 or online at ACommunityChristmas.com beginning November 8.
First Prayer Wednesday, November 4 6:30pm in the Prayer Room Join us as we set aside time for focused prayer as a church family. Nursery and childcare will be provided.
Biblical Counseling Conference February 7-12, 2016 Lafayette, IN Sign up now for the early-bird rate. Contact Jennifer at jennifer@bethanycentral.org.
Saturday Night Worship Saturdays at 6:00pm All are welcome. Childcare provided for children through age 3. November 7 Service at 6pm November 14 Service at 6pm November 21 Service at 6pm November 28 No Service
Discovering Church Membership Sundays at 9:45am November 8, 15 & 22 If you are interested in joining the church or just learning more about Bethany, plan to attend. Please RSVP to Jennifer in the church office (jennifer@bethanycentral.org).
PrimeTime Monday, November 16 at 11am
Women’s Ministries Work Nights
All those age 60 and up are invited to join us for lunch and fellowship. We will celebrate Veteran’s Day and view photographs from a recent Honor Flight. A delicious Thanksgiving Lunch will be served. Please call the church office at 692-1755 to RSVP or sign up on a future Communication Card. Contact Pastor Lyall at lyall@bethanycentral.org for additional details.
Women Helping Women Monday, November 16 at 7pm Prepare products and kits for keepsake boxes that will help parents through the difficulty of losing a child. Hats of Hope—Tuesday, November 17 at 6pm Use your gifts and talents in sewing and knitting, or simply cut fabric and make fabric flowers for hats for cancer patients.
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College Care Packages kari@bethanycentral.org Did you know that our church has over 100 college students? In November we will be sending them care packages from our church body. We are collecting miscellaneous food, snack, and fun items to send in boxes to our college students. Donations can be dropped off at the Welcome Center now through November 8. For more information, contact Kari in the church office at kari@bethanycentral.org. If you have a student who is currently at college, please contact the church office at 692-1755 with their school address.
Youth Events In November josh@bethanycentral.org or aaron@bethanycentral.org
11/4 11/8 11/11 11/18 11/22 11/25 11/29
Jr./Sr. High Youth Group 6:15pm Sr. High Sharon Pines Worship Service (during 2nd service) Jr./Sr. Youth Group Small Group Focus 6:15pm Jr./Sr. Youth Group 6:15pm Turkey Bowl at 2pm at the Family YMCA Located at 7000 N. Fleming Lane, Peoria No Youth Group Sr. High Sunday School Pancake Breakfast
RESOLVEDto rdharms@gmail.com Thursday Night Single’s Bible Study All singles are invited to this study which meets weekly on Thursday evenings at the home of Rodney and Katie Harms (3318 S. Hilton Lane, Bartonville). Dinner is at 6:30pm and the study begins at 7:30pm. Contact Rodney Harms (rdharms@gmail.com) with any questions.
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Global Outreach Conference Wrap-Up Thank you to each of you who had a part in the Global Outreach Conference in October, whether through serving or participation. We hope that you had an opportunity to connect with some of our global partners and were able to learn more about what God is doing right here in our community and around the world through them. If you have any feedback that we can consider for our next conference in 2016, please direct those ideas to Steve Hornbrook at steve@bethanycentral.org. GO Christmas Collection During the month of November we will collect an offering for Christmas gifts for our global partners. You may either give in your ABC or through the general offering. Watch your November 1 worship bulletin for a special giving envelope. (Extra envelopes will be available at the Welcome Center.) The offering will be collected through November 22. Thank you for taking part in this opportunity to encourage our global partners! - The Global Outreach Team Upcoming Short-Term GO Trips Solomon Islands February 6-20, 2016 Led by Jack and Diane Mason The team will provide VBS-style childcare for the Wycliffe Field Conference. Contact: jackdi83@yahoo.com Chad, Africa January 30-February 12, 2016 Led by Dan Hoyt The team will provide manpower and expertise for the final phases of constructing a Missionary Support Center. Contact: dan.kingsson@gmail.com
Children’s Ministry
Open Hearts Open Homes Orphan Care Ministry
Thanksgiving can get lost as a holiday. The stores and the media just don’t emphasize this holiday to the same extent as some. Thankfulness, however, is something that we can’t afford to lose! We are instructed, “in everything give thanks” (I Thessalonians 5:18).
Amy Park levisix88@gmail.com
Ginny Smith ginny@bethanycentral.org
I know that I need to grow in thankfulness. This is usually a quality in which children need to grow, as well. May I encourage you as a family to make a thankfulness jar or box? During the month of November, have each member write on a small piece of paper daily one item for which they are thankful and place it in this container. Small children can draw something for which they are thankful, or they can color in a picture you draw for them. Plan to read these entries during your Thanksgiving family meal or at another planned time during the Thanksgiving season. Follow up with a time of prayer, thanking God for all the blessings He has given. Don’t let Thanksgiving or a thankful heart get lost at your home!
Hear ye! Hear ye! Calling all foster and/or adoptive families. If you would like to have your family included in a simple slideshow for Sanctity of Life Sunday, January 17, 2016 please send 2-3 pictures of your family to Amy at levisix88@gmail.com by January 6, 2016. Also, if your family has adopted or you are licensed to foster and you have not been involved with OHOH, we would like to get to know you! You can let us know who you are or contact us with questions by emailing Amy at levisix88@gmail.com Check out the ministry blog: openheartsopenhomesministry.blogspot.com
Special Awana Dates to Note This Month November 18 November 25
Theme Night—Western Night OFF for Thanksgiving
Operation Christmas Child Since 1993, more than 100 million boys and girls in over 130 countries have experienced God’s love through the power of simple shoebox gifts from Operation Christmas Child. Samaritan’s Purse works with local churches and ministry partners to deliver the gifts and share the life-changing Good News of Jesus Christ. Pick up a ready-made box and a form with mailing label from the Resource Center in the church foyer. Bring filled boxes back with your $7 donation to cover mailing cost by Sunday, November 15. Contact Carol Vance at 387-2021 for more information. Box Item Suggestions TOYS: dolls, toy cars, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, balls SCHOOL SUPPLIES: pens, pencils and sharpeners, crayons, markers, notebooks, paper, solar calculators NON-LIQUID HYGIENE ITEMS: bar soap, toothbrushes, combs, washcloths, etc. ACCESSORIES: t-shirts, socks, hats, sunglasses, hair clips, jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries), etc. A PERSONAL NOTE: You may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family. If you include your name and address, the child may be able to write back. For more information visit: www.samaritanspurse.org
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Bethany Baptist Church
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE P A I D PEORIA, ILLINOIS PERMIT NO. 917
7422 N. Heinz Lane Edwards, IL 61528
Return Service Requested
Three Great Opportunities on Sunday, November 22: Turkey Bowl
Children’s Choir Musical
at 2pm at the YMCA
at 5pm in the Sanctuary
Jr. and Sr. High youth are invited to play football at the Family YMCA located at 7000 N. Fleming Lane, Peoria. Come to play or to cheer for your team. Please see Josh Beakley or Aaron Boerckel for details.
Join us for an exciting evening of praise led by our Children’s Choir. The program includes some of your favorite praise songs.
Feast of Thanks at 6:00pm in the gym Join us for a time of sharing a meal and giving thanks to God for His provision for us in this past year. Turkey and beverage will be provided. Bring any two of: veggie, salad, dessert RSVP online or on an upcoming insert in the Sunday worship bulletin.