STIRRINGS AT BETHESDA
Weekly Publication of Bethesda Baptist Church
April 14, 2014
Tenebrae Service
Good Friday
Join us this Friday, April 18 at 6:30 p.m for our Good Friday service. Brother Bill Savage, pastor of St. Clair Southern Baptist Church, will bring the message as we reflect on the death of our Lord and His accomplishments on the cross.
LADIES Book Study
The Ladies Book Study resumes tomorrow (Tuesday) evening at 6:30 p.m. Even if you missed the first two meetings you are welcome to join in tomorrow night.
Upcoming Activities
1. Bethesda Academy, Monday, 6:30 p.m.
2. Ladies Book Study, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
3. Bible Study & Prayer Meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
4. Good Friday service, Friday, 6:30 p.m.
5. Sunday School, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
6. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
7. NO Discipleship Training
The Bethesda Academy
Tonight (Monday) we will meet and resume our study of future events by examining the Gospel of Matthew. Come join us at 6:30 p.m. as we seek to better understand God’s revelation on this subject.
Recent Prayer Requests
* Cynthia Wordlaw and her family in the death of her mother. Also Cynthia’s need for a kidney.
* Elijah Mueller
* Alicia’s mother
* Meghan Bartner
* Zachary Mueller
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Marilynn Norvell
* Debbie, recovering from foot surgery
* Prayer for the conversions of the lost, especially those in our community
* Prayer for those involved in North American missions.
* Praise to the Lord for our visitors
* Our church and need for revival
Julie’s Mission Trip
If you wish to contribute to a local mission activity, our own Julie Brandel will leave on a 10 week mission trip to San Diego in less than 2 months. Pray for her and, if possible, contribute financially towards this trip by writing a check made out to the church with a note that it is for “Julie’s Trip”.
North American Missions
At Discipleship training last night, Pam announced we have reached our Annie Armstrong Offering goal of $1200! Praise the Lord and thank you to all those who have given for your generosity.
We will continue collecting for this offering through the last Sunday of April. If the Lord impresses you to give (or give more), please be obedient to Him and His will.
Congratulations to…
* Bruce & Debbie Walker celebrating their 41st wedding anniversary on April 20.
Pastor’s Postscript
Last year we held our first Good Friday service at Bethesda and it was well received. So we are going to hold another one this coming Friday and I urge you to do all you can to be there. The service will naturally focus on our Lord, His crucifixion and His death plus the work that He accomplished on that Good Friday many centuries ago.
Also as we did last year, there will not be an Easter sunrise service this year. In fact our Easter Sunday schedule is slightly reduced. We will have Sunday school at 9:15 a.m. giving our teachers an opportunity to share on the Lord’s death and resurrection. We will also have our morning worship service at 10:30 a.m. which will focus on the resurrection. If the Lord wills I will preach from 1 Peter chapter 1 on the subject “Raised from the Dead”. Our Sunday evening activities are cancelled this week to permit everyone the opportunity to spend the afternoon and evening with family.
A big “thank you” to everyone who helped with yesterday’s fellowship. The food was great and the time together was even better. It appeared all the children had a good time as well (though, perhaps, with too much sugar!).
It was also great seeing visitors once again in our service. The Lord continues to send visitors to worship with us and we are very grateful He does so. May those who are visiting and looking for a church home find the church in which the Lord wants them to serve.
On a personal note, this Sunday not only marks Easter but also Debbie and my 41st wedding anniversary. We were actually married on Good Friday back in 1973. Debbie has been the greatest blessing the Lord has given me next to my salvation. God has used her in many ways towards my sanctification. Any good you see in me is the result of the Lord’s work and much of that has been through my wife! Any bad you see is the real “me” still under construction. I have never regretted saying ‘I Do” 41 years ago. I would love to have at least another 41 years together!
Back to church matters, let me encourage you to attend our Good Friday and Easter worship services this coming weekend. Our country spends a lot of time and money “honoring” our Lord’s birth at Christmas time. Let’s give at least some time to celebrating His resurrection at Easter time.
May our great God and Savior the Lord Jesus Christ richly bless you this week as you reflect on His death (an atonement for sins) and His resurrection (a victory over death).