1 Bethany News December 2014 BETHANY ANNOUNCES ZELLA PITZER AWARD FOR 2014 In 2007 Bethany started recognizing and honoring those persons who continue to work behind the scenes to do God’s work at Bethany. That award was given the name of the Zella Pitzer Service Award in honor of Zella who continued to do those things that were needed but most people never saw or knew. There are many of you that deserve this recognition and many have been nominated. It really becomes a hard job to select just two for each year but based on the recommendations….for INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Zella Pitzer Award 1 From the Pastor 2 Worship Helpers 3 Stewardship for Novem- 3 Happenings @ Bethany 4,5,6 Finance Chair Letter 8 Birthdays & Anniversaries 9 the year 2014 the following were selected:  Bobby Bass certainly does not want or expect recognition, But he is always around our property doing things such as cutting grass, hauling off debris, putting up plaques, repairing planters that BoJangles customers have torn down, helping anytime there is a workday or a group of people working, stews, and the list goes on. Pat Crispell, you probably see more, but even at that you do not see all of the things she does.     Has lead the handbell choir for over 35 years after starting it. Leads our worship committee, has been very instrumental in getting our retable decorated each Sunday and does it many times. Instrumental in getting our banners and designed and made (with a little help) the beautiful one we had on World Communion Sunday. Continues to help with Brian Weaver weekly. Sings in both choirs. 2 From Pastor Julia’s Desk Dear Friends: HOPE, PEACE, JOY AND LOVE: These are great words and yet they are just words. During the season of Advent we ponder our deep longing for these words to be made real in the world and we confess the reality that true hope, peace, joy and love are illusive. In 2011, almost two years after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, I found a small wire nativity in a gift shop in Edenton NC. This is a delicate piece of wire art and was made with pieces of wire found in the rubble left by the earthquake. I marvel at how delicate this seems and how it is made from trash created by devastation. I do not know who crafted this work of art or what his or her lie situation was and yet I can figure based on when this was made and from whence it came, the artist was living through a tough time - a time where there was a deep need for HOPE, PEACE, JOY and LOVE! This nativity has become an important part of my ritual of waiting and receiving of Advent and Christmas. Throughout the ages, God has broken into places of despair and destruction and brings new life. It is with great anticipation that I begin this season with you as we wait, watch listen and trust how God will make HOPE, PEACE, JOY and LOVE a holy reality in the place(s) called Bethany. Peace, Pastor Julia IMAGINE NO MALARIA In December one does not think about the pesky mosquitos we dealt with back in July. And in the USA, we do not fear malaria. However, in Sub-Saharan Africa, every minute a person dies of Malaria. Malaria is a preventable disease and the world-wide Methodist Church has made a commitment to raise $75,000,000. $65,000,000 has already been raised! The Nor th Carolina Conference has made a commitment to raise $1,000,000 We will Imagine a world with NO Malaria as we take our Christmas Eve offering. There will be other opportunities as well during the season and into the Spring. A $10 gift will buy one mosquito net or two doses of malaria medication. 3 SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS Nursery volunteers are available as needed during Sunday School Elementary Class Liturgists Dec 7 Gary Crispell Dec 14 Dan Portaro Dec 21 Dave Bollen Dec 28 Sharon Stone Dave Bollen Dec 7 Carol Dickinson & Susan Arnold Dec 14 John Long & Ann Shonkwiler Dec 21 NEED VOLUNTEERS Dec 28 NEED VOLUNTEERS Acolytes Lynne Sprague Youth Class Nursery Dec 7 Kelli Zwickle-Cheek & Tatyana Dec 14 Parker & Tanielu Apisai Dec 21 Tanielu & James Apisai Dec 28 Connie Kirby STEWARDSHIP DURING NOVEMBER Average Attendance YTD Worship 85 Sunday School 44 Budget Receipts $15,280.67 Building Fund 1,325.00 Pecans/Bldg. Fd 521.00 Urban Ministries 50.00 Needy Family 10.00 Fell. Dinner/Bldg Fd 2,821.00 Blanket Sunday 85.00 Poinsettias/Luminaires 285.00 Rudino’s 31.72 Stew 4,627.61 Remember our shut-ins with your prayers, cards, calls and visits. They need to know you care. Minnie Black Joe & Joan Bowman Ruby Bristow Philip Browning George Isaacs Eva & “Dub” Johnson Linda Kearns Mildred White If someone’s name has been inadvertently omitted, please notify the church office. Thanks to your generous donations, we had 152 pounds of food and 8.8 pounds of clothing and 2.6 pounds oftoiletries to the UMD Food Pantry during November.. Our suggested items for November are canned or powdered milk, pasta and rice but remember 4 Life Together at Bethany United Methodist Men The UMM will meet on Tuesday, December 9 at Pomodora’s at 6:30 p.m. The Tuesday Morning Circle will meet on Tuesday, December 9 at 10:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Center. The Wednesday Morning Cir cle will meet December 3 at 11:45 at Bennett Pointe Grill. Don’t forget they will be collecting money for a food gift certificate for Crisis Response. The Tuesday Evening Circle will not meet in December. ALL SAINTS SUNDAY Members of the congregation came forward and placed pictures of loved ones that had helped form them spiritually on the retable. The five pillar candles were lit for the members that had died since 2013 All Saints Day. Then Pastor Julia used that as the theme of her children’s message. 5 Life Together at Bethany continued TRUNK OR TREAT Seven trunks were decorated on Halloween evening and were visited by 81 children. The participants were given treat bags made by Pastor Julia to distribute to neighboring businesses. Some of them can tell you interesting stories of how they were welcomed at those businesses selected. 6 Life Together at Bethany continued Fall 2014 Stew– lots of fellowship and work! Connie, Pastor Julia, Gerry, Pat, and Trish crying over onions. Morgan Riley (all the way from Chesapeake) and Dan Portaro laughing over the potatoes. Look at the cholesterol going in and the stirring continues until it is done and ready to take up. 7 HAPPY THANKSGIVING, everyone. Enjoy your day with family and friends and remember the many blessings you enjoy and remember those less fortunate. Sunday, November 30 begins our Advent Season. Each Sunday a different family or group will light our Advent Wreath on Sunday morning. On this the First Sunday of Advent we will decorate our Chrismon Tree and bless it during the service. Everyone will be able to participate in this meaningful service of scriptures and carols. Then you are invited back to finish decorating the church at 2:00 pm. DECEMBER is a very busy time in the life of Bethany. Be sure to check the calendar and watch for any updates. December 7 “Undie Sunday”. Br ing under wear for men, women, and childr en. This will be divided for Urban Ministries and for homeless children at Riverside High School. December 14 “Hat, gloves, scarves Sunday” Br ing any of these items that will shar ed with Urban Ministries and the homeless children at Riverside High School. December 14 Our Chancel Choir will pr esent their cantata dur ing our wor ship ser vice. December 16 Christmas Caroling at Clair mont at Hillandale Apar tments. These ar e the apartments on Bertland Avenue behind the church. Meet at Bethany at 7 pm. We’ll return to The church for cookies and cocoa after caroling. December 19 “Christmas Carol Fest Singing” - Singing for ever yone at 7 pm. Invite your friends and neighbors. Call the church office if you would like transportation. December 21 “Shower for Baby Jesus” and “wedding shower” for Dave Bollen and Lauren Foster. Tr aditionally we have held a shower for Baby J esus with items being donated to the Crisis Response Center. Let’s add to the celebration by showering Dave and Lauren with items for their upcoming marriage in January. Light refreshments will be served as we celebrate. December 24 Christmas Eve Candlelight and Communion Service at 5:30 pm. 8 Generously Connecting to the World through Christ Knowing God, leads to generosity. THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO BE GENEROUS! dollar figure written on it; ranging from $1.00 to $150.00. However, that dollar figure is not a limiting figure. In other words, if you decide to The 2014 year is closing take the envelope marked fast, and as we approach $14.00, you may feel you the season of giving, it can do a little more and is our opportunity to express our extravagant enclose $20.00 instead. If generosity to God for you sit down and do the his many blessings and math on this and we for his good works collect all 150 envelopes Our apportionments are throughout the world by with their respective the avenue by which we means of our do exactly that. During connectional ministries. amounts enclosed by either cash or check the our recent and on-going Stewardship Campaign, We will be given such a total will amount to over $11,000.00. That would we learned where and wonderful opportunity definitely insure our how our apportionments to do so in the days ahead as we insure the apportionments for 2014 are used. It is our belief with a little left over to as Wesleyan Methodists fulfillment of our apportionments for 2014 carry forward for the that as our Founder John and carry forward into next year. Wesley stated: “Where next year monies that God’s Spirit is present, can be used on the 2015 This is something all of people give.” When apportionments. us can participate in and Wesley commented, can easily do, and you “Earn all you can, save What will this can take as many or as all you can, and give all opportunity of few envelopes as your generosity may permit. If you can,” he drew an generosity look like? you are unable to attend unbreakable link Well, it is a special Church, and you want to between acquisition and offering collected in participate in this onegenerosity; inviting us such a way that we can time generous special to use our material all participate at a level offering, simply mail to wealth to deepen our the church office your that best matches our relationship with God ability to do so. We will donation and designate it and to increase our display in the sanctuary for apportionments. positive impact for one hundred and fifty Another wonderful way God’s purposes. (150) envelopes. Each we can increase our envelope will have a giving to Bethany is especially easy for those of us who like shopping on line. Simply go to this link: https:// www.umcmarket.org/ home. The UMC Market gives you an enormous selection of shopping experiences. Going through the set- up process, you can designate giving to “BETHANY DURHAM”. Many of us are still doing our Christmas shopping and if you’re like me, I hate getting out and fighting the traffic and the crowds when I can shop on line from the comfort of my own home. If you are an on-line shopper, I encourage you to visit the website. It is easy to follow and easy to find the answers to whatever questions you might have; and a portion of every purchase will go to Bethany. I look forward to our Generosity Envelopes going on display soon, and to see just how quickly all 150 envelopes will be returned to the collection plates. May God Bless You All, Dan Portaro, Finance Chair 9 2809 Guess Road Durham, North Carolina 27705 Offices 2903 Guess Rd. Phone: 919-477-6659 Fax: 919-477-6659 Email: bethany [email protected] Calendar: http://57675912.view-events.com Bethanyumcdurham.org LEARNING TO LOVE AS JESUS LOVES AND SHARING OUR FAITH WITH OTHERS Birthdays 3 Tatyana Zwickle-Cheek 5 Mary Lea Russ 6 Daniel Glosson 7 Nancy Hall 9 Mark Archambault 15 Bobbie Wheeler 16 Robbie Knight 20 Diane Hunt 24 Nita Hunt 27 Gerry McFarland 29 Amy Walter 29 Clyde Sykes ANNIVERSARIES 3 Jess & Dawn Julian 15 Joyce & Charlie Bumpass 21 Clyde & Claribel Sykes
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