April CONNECT by Bethel Sarnia

CONNECT BETHEL CHURCH

Welcome to Bethel Welcome to Bethel! We are so glad to have you here! As you look through this Connect Bulletin, we trust that you will quickly find that Bethel has something for you and your family. Our hope is that you will take the next step into our community and get involved. As you do, you will begin to see that Bethel is more than just a Sunday service, it is a family of everyday people following Christ to bring hope and change to the world one life at a time.

WWW.BETHELSARNIA.COM

APRIL 2014

This Month

BETHEL NEWS Membership Meeting - April 6th At our Annual Church Business meeting, proposed changes to our church constitution were presented. In order for these changes to be made, it requires a affirmation vote from our members. A special business meeting, for all official members of Bethel, will be held on Sunday, April 6th following our 10:30AM service to vote on the acceptance of these proposed constitutional changes.

Easter Sunrise Service An Easter Sunrise Service will be at 6:30AM on April 20th (Resurrection Sunday). The service will be held in the parking lot adjoining the soccer pitch immediately to the north of the RBC Centre (formerly Sarnia Sports & Entertainment Centre). Immediately following the service, we will return to Bethel for a pancake and hot cross buns breakfast.

Next Alpha - April 7th Led by Laureen Elliott Contact OfďŹ ce for more info

Coming Events

Student Ministries

KIDS MINISTRY UPDATE We believe strongly at Bethel that Kids Ministry is key to the present and future of our Church. Our volunteer teams are amazing people who serve God and our kids with their whole heart because they believe in what we are doing. We are blessed at Bethel with a growing Kids Ministry as we are seeing more and more young families making Bethel their Church home. This growth has led us to the decision to open another ministry program. As of April 6th we will now offer at Bethel on a Sunday morning: Nursery (for newborn to 23 months) Toddler (for ages 2 & 3) Preschool (for ages 4 & 5) Elementary (for grades 1 to 5) Opening a Toddler Room is a desire we have had for awhile at Bethel. Thanks to all the volunteers who have recently said â&#x20AC;&#x153;yesâ&#x20AC;? to joining our Kids Ministry team we are finally ready. We are so excited about what this means for quality care and teaching for our Bethel kids. Continue to pray with us that our Kids Ministry will be transformational in the life of every child at every age. It is an honor for us as staff and volunteers to help children meet Jesus!

This Is My Story Rebecca Brissette were a number of times when I felt God was calling me back to Him, although I was stubborn and didn’t want to give up worldly pleasures. I was selfish…but mostly scared to stop running, face myself and repent. I am blessed to have had a praying mother, grandmother and other relatives. I believe their prayers were very impactful! There were many nights that they were pleading for me to return home to God!

There are so many things that I could say about how God has changed my life. To start with, He has replaced sorrow and loneliness with His joy! I grew up going to Church with my family, but I fell away from God in my teen years. I was the youngest of three siblings. I did not have a sense of my own identity and felt lost. I knew from a young age that God was ‘there’ and loved me, although I couldn’t escape the feeling of loneliness and rejection, among other emotions. I masked most pain with a smile, and proclaimed to be strong, but felt hollow and chaotic inside. No one knew what I was actually feeling. I did not face many issues in my life and as I proceeded to believe lies from the enemy, more continued to pile on. I got good at masking the pain that I carried. I eventually got tired of hiding, but was too scared to be free. I did not care about most things anymore. I was on a destructive path. I didn’t care if I lived and I had a self-serving attitude. I ran from responsibility, accountability, truth and authority. I didn’t care about lasting effects. I wanted instant numbing. I sprinted toward superficial, temporary relief thinking that it would help. Lying, inflicting physical pain upon self, stealing, using, cheating, gossiping, slandering, seeking attention, cosuming alcohol, toxic relationships, drugs, heavier drugs, promiscuity… none of which made me feel better. They all provided a temporary distraction from the existing pain and made me feel worse by adding more grief, guilt and shame. I was a mess! There

Experiencing a drug overdose brought me to a point where I was more scared of death than of living. I called out to God pleading and repenting. By the GRACE of God, He answered my prayer in a powerful way. He then gave me new breath! He is molding me into who He created me to be and is showing me the purpose He has for me and the authority He has placed in me. However, transformation did not happen instantaneously. It continues to be a journey in which I am not alone and it has not been without struggle. He has strategically placed people in my life who have strengthened me and my walk with Him. If it wasn’t for my spiritual mamma Kynsasha, spiritual grandmamma Ruth, my ENTIRE spiritual family and members of Bethel Church fighting for me, praying for me, and being obedient to God, I would not be where I am today! Kynsasha has invested in me and fought for me so much! I am so grateful and I am who I am because of her obedience and love! Kynsasha and her family took me into their home and accepted me as their own. When I’ve been reluctant to change, challenged to submit, stubborn to repent, and struggling with pride; they were there reminding me of the costs if I don’t obey Him, and that to whom much is given much is expected! They provided the love, support and guidance that I needed. There have been many hours invested in fighting for me. The hours sitting and talking, the late night texts, the support, the tears, the prayers, the training and the patience that have been invested in me, have changed the course of my life. I am not the same person I was when I met them over a year ago. Many walls

have been broken down primarily because of their patience, love, support, training and hard work. They continue to shape my character, have patience with me, support, guide, and love me, always believe in me, and always point me toward God! I have gained a family and for the first time, a sister and younger brother, all whom I love so much! I’m on the path to my destiny because of their investments in me. Love always drives out darkness! One of the ways God showed me His love is through their actions. I am receiving TRUE love for what feels like the first time. God is REAL! He is Strength! Love! Acceptance! Our Redeemer! Guidance! Our Provider! Our Refuge! Truth! And He is the RESTORER! He is restoring our relationship, the relationships within my family, and rebuilding me. I have been blessed and protected throughout my entire life! With a new perspective, I see how much worse things could have been. I used to view many situations as close calls, however I now believe that it was God’s hand over me, protecting me… I give Him the GLORY! I am a new creation in Him. I am Christ’s bride. He is drawing me closer and closer to Him. He is teaching me how to give Him full control, to replace pride and arrogance with humility, to exchange fears for His embrace and to trust in Him with ALL things. For with God all things are possible! I feel like the less I live for myself, and the more I follow Him and do His will, the more I am aligned with who He has made me to be. I want to grow closer and closer to Him and be used by Him for His Glory! He is the reason why I am here! He gave me new breath. His grace, mercy, and love flow over me daily. I owe Him all of me! The One and Only God Almighty is my Abba Father, and I am His child. How AWESOME is He!

HEAVEN is for real ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16TH A MAJOR MOTION MOVIE HEAVEN IS FOR REAL WILL OPEN IN THEATRES NATION WIDE The movie is based on the best-selling book by the same title. The book and movie is the astounding real life story of a 4 year old boy named Colton Burpo, who had a near death experience and traveled to heaven and back. The things that Colton described were beyond the capabilities of an average 4 year old boy and are consistent in line with Scripture. The purpose of this movie is not about theology but about hearing the amazing story of this little boy and to open discussion about life after death and about heaven. This movie will certainly create interest in

the subject of heaven and about what the Bible teaches. Seeing this as an opportunity, Pastor Tim will be presenting an Easter Sunday message on heaven. Paul the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 15 clearly draws a line between the resurrection of Jesus and the promise of heaven. Paul said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;And if Christ is not risen, your faith is in vain, you are still in your sins, and those who have died in Christ have perished.â&#x20AC;? (v. 17,18) In other words, the promise of heaven is only secure based on the resurrection of Jesus. No resurrection means no heaven. But with the resurrection, we have the promise of heaven with God. In his Easter message, Pastor Tim will share what the Bible tells us about heaven, what heaven will be like, and how we can have assurance that we will go to heaven when we die. We encourage you to use this as an opportunity to invite a friend to the movie and then to the Easter service where the full message of salvation and the promise of heaven will be given.

INVITE A FRIEND TO BETHEL THIS EASTER SUNDAY

THE CIRCLE MAKER Praying a Circle Around Our City Wednesday April 16th from 6PM to 8PM As part of our Circle Maker Prayer Campaign, we will be doing a prayer circle tour around our city. We will have 5 prayer locations with various focuses. Location #1: Bethel Church We will meet at Bethel at 6PM. We will have a moment of instruction and prayer together as we begin. We will then organize and use the church bus and car pool together to drive to the following prayer locations.

Location #4: City Hall (Corner of Christina St & George St.) We will pray at this location for our Mayor, City Counsel, the leadership in our city, our police, firemen and service persons, and for the downtown core of Sarnia. Location #5: The Bridge (Michigan Ave & Alexandra Ave. Point Edward) We wil pray at this location for the entrances into our city, for God’s blessing to come to Sarnia and it’s people.

Location #2: Lambton College (Corner of Wellington St. & Lambton College Road) We will pray at this location for Lambton College, for all the schools & students in the Sarnia area, and for the youth of our city.

We will then return back to Bethel and finish with prayer for all the true Gospel churches in Sarnia to be blessed and for a spiritual turning to God in our city. Our prayer time will conclude by 8:00PM at Bethel.

Location #3: Industrial Section (Baseball field at corner of Churchill Line & Tashmoo Ave.) We will pray at this location for the economics of our city, for God’s blessing on industry and new business to come into Sarnia. We will also pray for the Sarnia Reservation and the Native people in the Lambton County area.

The purpose of this is simply to pray. We will not seek to be hidden in what we are doing, but also not look to make a show. We are simply circling our city with prayer for God’s blessing. Join us for this important prayer time as we pray around our city.

Sunday Nights in April n th atio 27 nt il se pr e A e Pr i ov M

s ue th in n nt Mo Cohis T

APRIL 2014 SUN

MON

Sun

TUE

Mon

WED

Tue 1

Circle Day #24

2 Circle Day #25

6:30 PM Bible Study & Hymn Sing-Prayer Room 6:30PM Cancer Prayer Support Group-Board Room 7:00 PM LIFE-Young Adults at – 116 Paul Sloggett Crt

7 Circle Day #29

10:30 AM Service Pastor Tim Gibb

1:00PM Ladies Bible Study at—Deb Lapier’s 6:30PM DivorceCare 6:30PM Alpha at –Pastors Keith & Patricia’s 6:30PM Alpha at – Laureen Elliott’s

MEMBERS MEETING 6:30 PM Service Pastor Tim Gibb

Circle Day #30

6:30 PM Bible Study & Hymn Sing-Prayer Room 7:00 PM LIFE-Young Adults at – 116 Paul Sloggett Crt

THUR

Wed 3

Circle Day #26

6:00 PM Rescue

7:00 PM REVO

6:00 PM Prayer 7:00 PM Choir

7:00PM Bible Study at– Ken & Marti Steenwyk’s

9 Circle Day #31

10 Circle Day #32 6:30PM Alpha at Darwin & Angela’s

7:00 PM Choir

7:00 PM REVO 7:00PM Bible Study at– Ken & Marti Steenwyk’s

16 Circle Day #37

17 Circle Day #38

6:00 PM Prayer

Circle Day #27

12 Circle Day #33

Jesus Is Enough Women’s Retreat Weekend Cambridge Ontario

1:00PM Ladies Bible Study at—Deb Lapier’s

6:30 PM Bible Study & Hymn Sing-Prayer Room

6:30PM Alpha at –Pastors Keith & Patricia’s

6:30PM Cancer Prayer Support Group-Board Room 6:30PM Ladies Bible Study atPastor Patricia’s

6:00 PM Rescue

7:00 PM LIFE-Young Adults at –

8:00 PM Choir

7:00PM Bible Study at– Ken & Marti Steenwyk’s

6:30PM Alpha at Darwin & Angela’s

9:00AM Keenagers “Seniors On The Move”

6:30PM Alpha atLaureen Elliott’s

20 Easter Sunday

1:00PM Ladies Bible Study at—Deb Lapier’s 6:30PM Alpha at –Pastors Keith & Patricia’s 6:30PM Alpha atLaureen Elliott’s

6:30 PM Bible Study & Hymn Sing-Prayer Room 6:30PM Ladies Bible Study atPastor Patricia’s 116 Paul Sloggett Crt

6:00 PM Prayer

10:30 AM Service Pastor Tricia Gibb

1:00PM Ladies Bible Study at—Deb Lapier’s

116 Paul Sloggett Crt

6:30 AM Sunrise Service-RBC Centre 10:30 AM Service Pastor Tim Gibb 6:30 PM Service Pastor Tim Gibb

6:30PM Alpha at –Pastors Keith & Patricia’s 6:30 6:30PM PM Service Service Pastor Movie Tim NoahGibb

6:30PM Alpha at – Laureen Elliott’s

7:00 PM LIFE-Young Adults at –

6:30 PM Bible Study & Hymn Sing-Prayer Room 6:30PM Cancer Prayer Support Group-Board Room 6:30PM Ladies Bible Study atPastor Patricia’s 7:00 PM LIFE-Young Adults at – 116 Paul Sloggett Crt

OUR PASTORS PASTOR TIM GIBB

Lead Pastor Ext. 228 pastortim@bethelsarnia.com

PASTOR TRICIA GIBB

Student Ministries Pastor Ext. 223 tricia@bethelsarnia.com

PASTORS KEITH & PATRICIA PATRICK Pastoral Care Ext. 226 pastorkeith@bethelsarnia.com

6:00 PM Rescue

19 Circle Day #39 10:30 AM Good Friday Service Communion

6:30PM Alpha at Darwin & Angela’s

7:00 PM REVO 7:00PM Bible Study at– Ken & Marti Steenwyk’s

Circle Day #34

9:30 AM Mom’s Group

14 Circle Day #35

6:30 PM Service Pastor Tim Gibb

Circle Day #28

9:30 AM Mom’s Group

10:30 AM Service Pastor Tim Gibb Water Baptism

6:00 PM Prayer (circle around city)

Sat

15 Circle Day #36

SAT

Fri

6:30PM Alpha at Darwin & Angela’s

6:00 PM Rescue

FRI

Thu

Circle Day #40 1:00 PM IMAX Movie In Detroit

6:30 PM The Solid Way

9:30 AM Ladies Bible Study-Foyer

6:00 PM Rescue 6:00 PM Prayer

Contact Leaders for more information

NEED A RIDE TO CHURCH? Need a ride to Church on Sunday morning? Just call the church office before 8:30AM Sunday morning & follow the instructions to leave a message.