December 29, 2019—Christmas One~

9:30 am    A Christmas worship service filled with lots of music and storytelling. No Sunday school following worship. Bring Christmas goodies to share during fellowship time.

January 5, 2020—Epiphany

9:30 am   Worship with sermon by Dawn Yoder Harms; music by Mark Kreider, piano; Andrew Thiesen, trombone

4 pm  Service of Remembrance of BCMC members and friends who died in 2019 — BCMC Sanctuary

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Advent giving project:  The BCMC Witness Commission invites you to
participate in this year’s project benefiting the Bethel College Food Pantry.  List of items needed is on the BCMC bulletin board (on pink paper!)

Click on READ MORE below for more information and links to the online survey.

We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 12 that a body has many different parts that work together for wholeness and unity.  That example is applied to the church in regards to the variety of gifts needed and used.  Our life together in our congregation and our witness to the world are strengthened when we share our gifts.  The Gifts Discernment Survey is a resource for the Gifts Discernment Committee and staff for recruiting leaders.  We invite you to give thoughtful consideration to the gifts you are willing to share in the life and work of our congregation in the next two years.

The online survey is no longer available.  You can fill out a paper form by clicking here and returning to the church office.

Children up to 8th grade are encourage to fill out a survey available by clicking here.

Communities of Abundance.Today is the beginning of BCMC’s annual Pony Express, a financial commitment process for the 2020 budget, including a blessing as neighborhood captains, appointed by the Finance Committee, come forward during the dedication hymn.  Join the Pony Express by prayerfully anticipating your intentions to give for 2020.  Fill out the intent form when materials arrive at your home, return the form according to the directions in the packet, and pass the packet on to your neighbor. The Pony Express concludes on Nov. 17, when captains return packets during worship. 

Wednesday Night Schedule in Fellowship Hall
From 6 pm to 7:30 pm
From 6 pm to 6:15 pm:   The meal serving line will be open to get food, be seated, and begin eating. There will be one basket at the food line to receive donations for supper. Suggested donation is $5 per person or $15 per family. (Proceeds above food expenses go to the Kitchen Fund for supplies and future improvements).  Please bring your own table service.
At 6:20 pm:  A welcome, announcements and a meal blessing. There are no programs scheduled after these suppers, so come, eat, and relax if you are not going to a club or choir afterwards.  This Wednesday’s supper is Bangers and Mash, carrots, rice krispie bars

Wednesday, October 23 supper:  Coneys, potato salad, chili and cheese, cake and ice cream

 

 

 

 

Mark your calendars for the installation for the new pastor for pastoral care, Nathan Koontz, Oct. 6.  Following the education hour will be a potluck meal in Fellowship Hall to welcome Nathan and his family to BCMC.  Please bring your own tableware and a dish or two to share at the potluck. The Hospitality Commission would like to welcome our new pastor with another Getting Acquainted Notebook to be presented at the potluck on Oct. 6. Please fill out the cardstock questionnaire found in your mailbox once more (and hopefully for the last time in a long time!) and place it in the box between the mailboxes this week.  Thanks to all in helping Nathan get to know us on a more personal level.

 

Plan to attend the Sept 29 congregational meeting at 2 pm in the sanctuary.  There will be no potluck meal before this congregational meeting.   A draft policy for the “Care and Accountability for Sexual Offenders” will be presented at this meeting.  After opportunities for discussion September 2019  through April 2020, there will be opportunities for a congregational decision at the April 26 congregational meeting.

 

BCMC will observe Peace Sunday on September 15 by welcoming Karin Kaufman Wall as our guest speaker.  Karin is the Peace and Justice Education Coordinator at Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Central States.  Following our morning worship service, Karin will join us in the sanctuary for a second hour alternative to answer questions and help educate our congregation on issues of social justice and the role MCC is currently playing in these issues.

 

 

New students at Bethel College will join BCMC for the worship service Sunday morning, August 18, followed by a brunch for them in the Fellowship Hall at 10:45 am.

A special welcome to Bethel College students with us this morning.  We are glad for your presence with us and hope you enjoy the student brunch served in the Fellowship Hall following the service!

 

BCMC’s new Associate Pastor for Faith Formation, Renee Reimer, began work at BCMC on August 5. Sunday, August 11 is  the installation of  Renee Reimer.  Following worship (at 12 noon) there will be a potluck in the Fellowship Hall to welcome Pastor Renee.

 

Friday, July 26 — 7:00 pm     Western District Conference Assembly Worship in the BCMC Sanctuary.   All are invited to this worship!   

Saturday, July 27 — 8:30-9:30 am – Worship/Keynote Address by Glen Guyton, Executive Director of Mennonite Church USA, in the Bethel College Memorial Hall  (OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED)

If you haven’t registered yet for Western District Conference Annual Assembly, you can still register, but you will have to make your own meal arrangements, as the catering headcount has been finalized.  Please join us July 26-27 at Bethel College, for “We Are Witnesses!”.  For more information, go to http://mennowdc.org/annual-assembly/#2019annualAssembly   Everyone is invited to the WDC Assembly Friday night worship service, July 26, 7 pm in the BCMC sanctuary.

The Resource Library will be OPEN, July 27 during Annual Assembly from 2:30-5:30 pm.  Everyone  is invited (whether attending assembly or not) to stop by for a scoop of ice cream and to tour the library.  It’s also a great opportunity to check out the beautiful artwork on loan from WDC congregations!

There will be a Family Festival on the Saturday evening of the Western District Conference (WDC) Annual Assembly, July 26-27 on the Bethel College campus, North Newton with a hamburger/hotdog picnic, an inflatable bouncy house, a coffee house concert at MoJo’s and more.  It’s open to the public!  (Donations welcome at the event.)  For more information, go to http://mennowdc.org/annual-assembly/#2019annualAssembly