Hey Folks,  

I hope you are doing well as you read this.

At Norma Bull’s celebration of life, two poems were read that folks have asked about.  I am including them in the printed Check-in found on our website.

PARADISE GARDENS-On this past Wednesday, our Family Fellowship  studied the second word of Christ from the cross, promising on of the people dying with him that he would in paradise.  The word, “paradise” means “garden”.  Their craft was to make a Paradise Garden.  They will be on display in fellowship hall this Sunday.

HOLY COMMUNION KITS-In an effort to provide Holy Communion for those who are not able to attend worship in person, but ZOOM, we are providing home communion kits for you to use when we celebrate communion.  If you would like one, please call or email the church at bethany21811@gmail.com.

HOLY WEEK IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER-Here’s the Schedule:

Thursday, April 1-7:00pm Maundy Thursday Holy Communion

Sunday, March 28-Palm Sunday

Friday, April 2-Good Friday – Seven Last Words of Jesus (see below)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON LENT AND HOLY WEEK.

MAUNDY THURSDAY-APRIL 1, 2021-The Thursday before Easter is known as Maundy Thursday.  It marks the last meal that Jesus had with his disciples before his death.  We will celebrate communion AT 7PM on that evening in the sanctuary and by ZOOM.

GOOD FRIDAY JOURNEY–FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 2021  FROM 12noon -6pm-On the day Jesus was crucified, he made 7 statements from the cross.  They are known as the 7 last words.  This year at Bethany we will observe Good Friday in a special way.  Seven signs will be placed around our parking lot’s perimeter, with each sign referencing one of the words.  You can drive around the perimeter of our parking lot, stopping at each sign for prayer and reflection.  There is a worship guide that will soon be available on our website.  Download it and let it guide you through the 7 words of our Lord.

NEW FM STATION FOR BETHANY FM 93.9-We now have a limited range FM station covering our property.  For those not yet comfortable with coming into the building, you can still come to church, sit in your car, and listen to the service.  Someone has suggested grabbing a cup of coffee and breakfast on the way.

LILIES-$10 each.  Send it to the church, put in offering plate, or through paypal.  If you use paypal, email the church and let Jane know that is what it is for.

CHARGE CONFERENCE – MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021-6:30pm The Charge Conference will receive and act on a report from the Trustees regarding the establishment of an Endowment & Planned Giving Team to manage Bethany’s endowments and investments.  The meeting will be open to everyone.  By discipline, the voting bloc is made up of the members of the Church Council.  No other business will be conducted.

THIS SUNDAY, I will be preaching on the 3rd word of Christ on the Cross.  It is found in Mark 15:33-34.  It is also found in Matthew 27:45-46 and Luke 23:44-46.  We will be studying Mark’s words together Sunday.  My sermon title is:  “God Does Not Abandon Us”

33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 

34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

Have you ever felt forsaken by God; like perhaps God had abandoned you or forgotten all about you?  Have you ever prayed and felt that no one was listening?  Have you ever felt like God was a million miles away; or maybe not even here in the first place?  I sure have.

These are very painful moments-and scary too.

As we know Jesus as “Emmanuel, meaning God with us; as being God in the flesh, as going about doing his Father’s will, as one whom God has declared, “This is my beloved son”, these words of Jesus are surprising, maybe even troubling.

As we read Mark’s gospel, and some other scriptures, we will discover that feelings of God abandoning people are found throughout the Old Testament.  Numerous Psalms, such as Psalm 22 and 42 reflect a lament of feeling like God has abandoned them.   Jesus’ excruciating question on the cross is a fulfillment of a prophecy from Psalm 22.

When we have those times of feeling like God is hiding or has abandoned us, we are in good company.  So, does God really abandon us, or is something else going on?  The short answer is;  “No. God does not abandon us. Period”. But why, then, these moments of despair in our lives?  Why did Christ come to a point to cry out in a desperate search for his Father, whom he had never known separation from?  What does that cry mean for our lives?

Join us Sunday.

I leave you with this scripture from Isaiah 49:15-16

“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child?

Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?

But even if that were possible,

    I would not forget you!

See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.”

THE TRAIN OF LIFE

“At birth, we board the train and meet our parents, and we believe they will always travel by our side.

As time goes by, other people will board the train; and they will be significant i.e. our siblings, friends, children, and even the love of your life.

However, at some station our parents will step down from the train, leaving us on this journey alone.

Others will step down over time and leave a permanent vacuum.

Some, however, will go so unnoticed that we don’t realise they vacated their seats.

This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes, and farewells.

Success consists of having a good relationship with all passengers requiring that we give the best of ourselves.

The mystery to everyone is: We do not know at which station we ourselves will step down.

So, we must live in the best way, love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are.

It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to step down and leave our seat empty we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life.

I wish you all a joyful journey.”  Unknown

You can shed tears because they are gone,

Or you can smile because they lived.

You can close your eyes and pray they will

come back, Or you can open your eyes and

see all that they left for you.

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see

them. Or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live

yesterday, Or you can be happy for tomorrow

because of yesterday,

You can remember only that they are gone, Or you

can cherish their memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind and feel empty,

Or you can do what they would want.

Smile, Open your heart, Love…and go on.

—Elizabeth Ammons