June Lamplighter 2012

7/31/2019 June Lamplighter 2012

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J u n e 2 0 1 2Vol. 5 Issue 6

This Months HighlightsBethesda s Night Out p. 1

Note from the Pastor p. 2

Announcements p. 3

Calendar p. 4

A Note from Debbe p. 5

Financial Page p. 5

Extended Session p. 5

Birthdays p. 6

Anniversaries p. 6

VBS & A Note from Landon P. 6

Our Church Sta

Gary BurdenSenior Pastor

919-631-6789

Landon OrrMinister to Students

919-229-9379

Debbe LangdonMusic Director/Pianist

919-410-0271

Chasty ComeauAdmin. Assistant - Finances

Pat BaucomAdmin. Assistant - Publicaons

BETHESDA NIGHT OUT

Connecng with our neighbors

Wednesday Evenings this Summer

June 6 August 22

6:30 PM

MOST WEDNESDAYS

(3 Opons)

Join deacon-led teams walking designated neighborhoods meeng,

greeng, praying

Join teams at designated local parksmeeng, greeng, making new

friends

Or, join the team at church praying for outreach groups and for other

prayer needs (Note: no childcare at church these nights)

OTHER WEDNESDAYS

Music Ministry

(All Invited7:00 PM)

June 13 Brian Center, Clayton

July 11 Barbour Court, Smitheld

August 8 Clayton Senior Center

Vacaon Bible SchoolJune 20

No AcviesJuly 4th

SummerFest Business MeengAugust 15

Special Notes:

Although we encourage parcipants in outreach events to wear

special Bethesda t-shirts, its not necessary to have these shirts

to parcipate.

Neighborhood, park, and music ministry locaons will be printed

in weekly bullens.

THINK OUTREACH!
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Page 2T h e L a m p l i g h t e r

Our oldest son Timothy pastors the Eau

Claire Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Co

lumbia, SC. His latest church newsleer

arcle (summarized) gets to the heart of

the value of maintaining healthy rela-

onships in the church. A good read for all churches.

Relaonships are Messy...and Worth It

Before moving here we were part of a newer church

plant in Garner, NC. And before that we were at a larger

established church in Cary, NC. In each of these places

we developed signicant relaonships with others.

Some of those were cordial working relaonships, some

were never more than casual acquaintances, and others

grew into deep and lasng friendship. But in all those

places and in all those connecons, one thing was very

clear: relaonships are messy.

Each one of us carries around certain ideals about whatour various relaonships ought to do for us and what

they ought to look like. And yet each one (from the

most inmate to the most casual) will eventually and

inevitably disappoint us. We had hoped that this friend

would be a beer listener and show more empathy with

our situaon. We expect our spouse to see our quirks

as endearing, not irritang. This person just seems to

complain too much. And that one is too opinionated

and bossy. No maer how we look at it, all relaonships

move quickly from ideal to messy.

Why is that? Its because all earthly relaonships aremade up of sinful, self-centered people. Thats the

boom line... Just because these relaonships are fos-

tered within the context of a church doesnt change the

score. We are sll broken people who are called to love,

and support, and serve, and live with, and work with,

and bear with, and worship with other broken people.

Thats the reality.

But its also true (and this is the even deeper reality) that

we are bound to one another as brothers and sisters in

Christ... Each one of us, as those who have embraced

Christ as Savior and Lord, is united to Christ. And so thatmeans that we are also, by virtue to our common union

to Christ, united to each other. We could not get any

distance from another Chrisan if we wanted to. And

remember, we will be spending eternity together. So

the work of culvang healthy, loving, mutually-serving

relaonships here and now will bear eternal benets

there and then...

Jesus certainly knew the joy, yes, but also the challenges

of close relaonships. Imagine what it must have been

like to spend about three years with the same twelve

meneang, sleeping, walking, talking, living in close

quarters with one another. Do you think there were ever

interpersonal conicts among the disciples? (The gospel

accounts tell us there certainly were). But what about

Jesus?... How easy it would have been to turn and yell at

them with some sharp, cung words. Or to roll His eyes,

throwing up His hands, and dismissively walk away. Was

Jesus ever tempted to speak judgmentally of one person

to another in condence? Dont forget that one of those

disciples was Judas, no less, the one whom Jesus knew

really was a thief and a betrayer!

Yet in every instance Jesus refused the easy path of suc-

cumbing to relaonal temptaons. Temptaons to write

people o, to clam up rather than to gently address con-

icts, to get something o His chest with a few choice

jabs, to gossip about how so-and-so had slighted Him, to

quickly become defensive and hurt when He was chal-

lenged. Jesus may have been tempted in every one of

these ways at some point but, praise the Lord, He refused

to give in and remained without sin. So what does this

mean for us? Two things.

First, Jesus really does understand the challenges of rela-

onships. He knows what its like to live with overly sen-

sive people, or argumentave people, or passive-

aggressive people... And second, He richly gives us mercy

and grace to help us when tempted. Because Jesus re-

mained sinless, He opened the way for us to have accessto God through Him. He became our perfect High Priest

as well as our spotless sacrice.

So now He invites us, those who are saved by Him and

united to Him, to come boldly to Him for help. His very

presence, His throne, is characterized by grace! When

relaonships get messy, He oers us bounful resources

to move toward one another in love. This is what our life

together in Christ is meant to look like. Not some pre-

tended ideal of people who never have any problems with

each other, but rather broken people who are learning to

love and serve other broken people in the power ofChrist.

Do you expect Him to be at work in your dicult-to-love

acquaintances?

Do you expect Him to be at work in you?

Do you honestly expect to see him bring about supernatu-

rally-restored relaonships?

Our High Priest has commied Himself, at great cost, to

the relaonships within His Church. They may not always

be neat and dy in this life. But theyre well worth it!


3/6

Page 3The Lamplighter

SUMMER SUNDAY NIGHT SERIES

July 1August 19

6:00 PM

Selected Sessions from The American Her-

itage Series and The Truth ProjectSeries

Powerful, and Timely for Our Times!

- What goes better with a

campfire than s'mores and hotdogs? Terry Gate-

woods stories! Come out for an old fashion

campout featuring our own Terry Gatewood shar-

ing his gift of storytelling! You will also have a

chance to register for VBS. So bring the family,

friends, and neighbors. We will meet behind the

church at 6pm. (No sleeping bags please - wewon't really campout.)

- Kid's Movie Night

VBS

- VBS Celebration at John-

ston County Wildlife Center. Special entertain-

ment!

We will start a special study for kids K-5th grade

on Sunday July 1,Jesus, The One and OnlyPart

2. If you would like your child to participate

please let Wendy Gatewood know by June 15 so

we can ensure there are enough materials for all

students.

Playground Preparation

Saturday, June 9th7:30 AM

We need men to help with moving the play-

ground, installing fence, pouring concrete and

laying mulch.

Also, we need someone to spray Round-Up in the

play area and to pressure wash the play equip-
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Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2

3

Brkfst.

Fellowship

Weekly

Sunday Service

4 5

Deacons

Meeng

7:00 PM

6

Bethesda

Night Out

7 8 9

Playground

Preparaon

7:30 AM

10

Weekly

Sunday Service

Graduates

Sunday

11 12 13

Bethesda

Night Out

Music Ministry

At

14 15 16

17

Weekly

Sunday Service

Fathers Day

No Evening Ser-

vice

18 19 20

21

22 23

24

Weekly

Sunday Service

Church Picnic

Johnston County

Wildlife

25 26 27

Bethesda

Night Out

28 29 30

The Lamplighter Page 4

6:30pm...........................................................Awana, Youth Bible Study

6:45 pm......................................................Adult Prayer and Bible Study

Choir Rehearsal

9:15 am ................................................................... Bible Study Fellowship

10:30 am .........................................................Morning Worship Celebraon

6:00 pm ..........................................LifeLine...Get Connected (Small Groups)

Student LifeLine

SPK CHOIR (Shout Praises Kids) - Grades 1-5

Weekly Wednesday Schedule


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T h e L a m p l i g h t e r Page 5

Date S.S.AM

Worship

Budget

Oering

His Vision

Our Mission

April 29 106 151 5,065.15 1,150.00

May 6 102 142 6,958.71 1,635.00

May 13 99 190 5,484.83 825.00

May 20 101 161 6,602.00 605.00

Total 408 644 24,110.69 4,215.00

Avg. 102 161 6,027.67 1,054.00

Average Aendance & Oerings for April & May 2011

Avg. 96 169 5,613.81 955.00

Facts & Figures for May 2012

JUNE EXTENDED SESSION

AND KIDS CHURCH

Sunday, June 3 - AM

Babies: Kathleen McLamb &

Cherilyn Murphy

2s: Heather Henry &

Tori Smith

3s/4s: Wendy Beasley &

Diane Duncan

K-3rd Kids Church

Frances Burden &

Angel Duncan

Sunday, June 3 - PMSharon Johnson &

Sharon Levin

Wednesday, June 6

No Childcare

Sunday, June 10 - AM

Babies: Brigitte Creech &

April Lengel

2s: Brandi & Tobi Sauer

3s/4s: Kristol Flanigan &

Kristen Duncan

K-3rd Kids Church

Nicole & Michael Ritchie

Sunday, June 10 PM

Jane & Johnnie Gatlin

Wednesday, June 13

No Childcare


Babies: Sondra Gatewood &

Jane Gatlin

2s: Diana Lee &

Sis Godwin

3s/4 s: Leigh Smith &

Jennifer Harrison

K-3rd Kids Church

Terry Gatewood &

David Duncan

Sunday, June 17 - PMNo Evening Gathering

Wednesday, June 20

No Childcare


Babies: Faye Wells &

Shalee Sams

2s: Laura & Shane Benson

3s/4s: Julie Brueggen &

Sara Orr

K-3rd Kids Church

Wendy & Chris Gatewood

Sunday, June 24 PM

Church Picnic

Wednesday, June 27

No Childcare

Summer-time what does

that word bring to mind for

you? Warmer weather.

schools out. front porch

rockers vacations

catching fireflies flip-flops Vacation Bible School picnics

baseball games fire-works FUN!!!

Summer often brings a change in our daily and weekly schedules,

and Bethesda Summer 2012 will certainly offer some new oppor-

tunities for outreach and ministry. As youve heard, we will be

shifting our Wednesday evening focus from inside our doors to

out in the community. The choir will be leading our outreach

once/month by leading a Song Service in three assisted living

centers. But dont be fooled into thinking these are only for the

choir ---- actually, we invite everyone to join us! Bring your family

to share some sweet Bethesda fellowship, and enjoy lifting our

voices together in song. Mark your calendars for:

Wednesday, June 13, 7pm: the Brian Center, Clayton

Wednesday, July 11, 7pm: Barbour Court, Smithfield-

Wednesday, August 8, 7pm: Clayton Senior Center

O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful

noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before

his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful

noise unto him with psalms. (Psalms 95:1) Serve the

LORD with gladness: come before his presence with

singing. (Psalms 100:2) Praise the LORD; for the LORD

is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.(Psalms 135:3)

Summer-timewhat a gift! Lets share our praise!

God bless
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4967 Highway 70 West Business

Clayton, NC 27520

Phone: 919-553-7678

Address Service Guaranteed

June Birthdays

Jennifer Harrison 4th

Brian Murphy 4th

Sarah Dawson 5th

Elaine Forman 8th

Bobby Jones 8thSonja Bustos 11th

Carole McNeece 13th

Vickie Beasley 19th

Joy Bryant 19th

Misty Carroll 28th

Shalee Sams 29th

John Farr 30th

Were on the web!

www.bethesdaclayton.com

Johnnie & Jane Gatlin June 1

Seth & Nicole Langdon June 11

Charles & Sue Wilson June 12

Nicole & Michael Ritchie June 13

Terry & Sondra Gatewood June 14

Brian & Cherilyn Murphy June 18

Robert & Sharon Orchard June 27

The Lamplighter Page 6

Happy Birthday

I am so excited about the Bethesda Night Out we will be having during

the Summer. What an opportunity. We get a chance to get out in the

community and get to know people. We have the opportunity to share

the Gospel with others. Hopefully, this summer will show us how easy it

is to share Christ with the world so that we will make evangelism and out

reach a huge part of our lives.

Part of me wishes that Bethesda Night Out was more than just a summer iniave. Some-how, over many years, Chrisans in America have become Church-Goers. We, along with

the world, have embraced this label and we wear it proudly on our chests. Our neighbors

can set their clocks by our church going habits. Sunday morning and evening, Wednesday

evening, and several days in between Chrisans nd themselves going to church.

Is there a problem with being Church-Goers? Yes. When we become Church-Goers, we

begin to totally neglect the Going-Church. In the Great Commision, Christ instructs his dis-

ciples to go and make disciples of all naons, bapzing the naons in the name of the Fa-

ther, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching the naons to obey all that Jesus has com-

manded. (Mahew 28:19-20). This Commission then applies to us. We are to go, make

disciples, bapze, and teach. However, if we read the NT in its original language (and Ill

summarize to spare you from a lesson on the Greek verbal system) we see that when

Christ says to go, what he is actually saying is as you are going. Christ assumes that his

Church will be be constantly going, not only to foreign countries as career missionaries but

also to the parks, neighborhoods, and nursing homes that surround it, so that all people

might hear Christ proclaimed and that disciples would be made. Christ did not come so

that we might be Church-Goers, but so that His Bride might be an acve, Going-Church.

As we spend me out, away from our church building, this summer let us remember that

we are not playing, goong around, or neglecng our Chrisan dues. We are doing seri-

ous Church work. We are acng as the Church that Christ wanted. We are working in a

way that is pleasing and honoring to God.
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