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XP Report |
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A couple of months ago, I highlighted a new feature on our bethanycommunity.com web site, Online Giving. Today, I'd like to announce that we are working on a new "look and feel" to our web site that should be available later this month. We have partnered with a design group and web site provider that have had great success with other churches and organizations in providing great content in pleasant and useful layouts. The site will have additional capabilities that will help you find information more easily and stay better connected, such as RSS (Really Simple Syndication) and site-wide searches. Look for additional announcements later this month as we get ready to launch our "new and improved" web site! If you have any questions or suggestions for topics that interest you, let me know. My email address is jcrocco@bethanycc.com, or call me at 480-831-5005. Thanks for the opportunity to serve as your Executive Pastor. It's an honor and privilege! Blessings,
Jim Crocco
Executive Pastor
480-831-5005
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| A Word from Rich |
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New Old Territory
This is new territory for me. I've never been here before. I've never done this. But just because it is new to me (and maybe new to you, too), doesn't mean it isn't old. I'm talking about paying attention to the Church Calendar, noting and celebrating the ancient holy days, some of which have morphed into holidays. This year at Bethany we are going to follow and celebrate the ancient calendar of significant events that Jesus' followers have ordered their worship around for two millennia.
Some of the holy days are very familiar to us: Good Friday, Palm Sunday, Resurrection Sunday and Christmas. But others are less familiar--maybe because they haven't been the consumer hits that Christmas and Easter have been. This year we are going to take notice of all of them.
Here they are for 2009:
- Epiphany (January 4)
- Baptism of our Lord (January 11)
- Ash Wednesday (February 25)
- Lent (5 Sundays) (March 1-29)
- Maundy Thursday (April 9)
- Good Friday (April 10)
- Palm Sunday (April 5)
- Resurrection Sunday (April 12)
- Ascension (May 24)
- Pentecost (May 31)
- Holy Trinity (June 7)
- Body & Blood of Christ/Communion (June 14)
- All Saints Day (November 1)
- Advent (4 Sundays) (November 29-December 20)
- Holy Family (December 27)
On these 19 Sundays we will pay special attention to these historic events and join with believers the world over (and throughout Church history) who have worshiped by remembering these specific events and themes from the Gospels and the life of Jesus. All the other Sundays of the year are noted as Ordinary Time on the church calendar. I like that: ordinary time. Sort of fits my life most days--ordinary. On those Sundays we will pay attention to other themes and messages from the Bible that are important and will help us live like Jesus during ordinary time.
The other series we've planned for 2009 include:
 Vision 2009 (January: A fresh challenge to build friendships with people far from God, develop deep relationships with other believers and make service the organizing principle of our lives)
- Financial Freedom in Crazy Times (February: Returning to biblical principles and sound financial habits)
- Respectable Sins (March/Lent: Confronting sins we've grown comfortable with in our own lives)
- What I Believe (June/July: Reaffirming our core beliefs expressed in the Apostles' Creed)
- The Kind of Person I Am (August-October: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in my life)
- Living Beyond Myself (October/November: Getting over myself and all the things that Christ has redeemed me from)
- Advent (November/December: Waiting with longing for the birth of the Savior)
In addition to these series and our celebration of the special holy days of the church year, we will also set aside special Sundays for:
- Community Outreach (April 19)
- Children's Musical (May 10)
- International Outreach (November 15)
- Thanksgiving (November 22)
That's where we are headed this year: forward, but attentive to the ancient themes and messages that run through all of church history. I'm expecting it to be a great year!
Rich
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The Truth Project |
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The Truth Project - Christian Worldview Course 
Who is God? Who is man? What is evil? Is there absolute truth? Is our culture filled with lies? Can you recognize them? According to Barna Research, only 9% of professing Christians have a Biblical worldview. Have we become conformed to this world? Can you take a stand for truth in a culture filled with lies?
We will be hosting a 13-week video course examining the truths of the Bible against common beliefs in our society. Areas to be addressed include ethics, philosophy, science, history, government, family, work and more. This series will help you understand our world, live by Biblical principles and equip you to engage in positive discussions with others on a variety of relevant topics (2 Tim 2:22-26).
Each lesson consists of a one-hour video followed by lively class discussion. Course notebooks (optional) are $25 (couples may share). This class will meet every Sunday evening at 6:30 pm starting on February 8 in room D-4.
Register online, or for more information contact Greg Jones, 480.820.0614. A course overview is available at www.thetruthproject.org.
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Community Outreach Update |
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"...I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40
Habitat for Humanity
 Dreams do come true, as Hgan Ha learned when construction on her family's Habitat home at 425 S. Delaware Street in Chandler began on January 3. And the most exciting thing? God's people here at Bethany are helping to make that possible. What pure joy to reach out in this way to make a lasting difference in someone's life and touch them with the love of our Jesus.
Even if you aren't signed up to help on a build or meal crew, you can stop by the site anytime to check progress and pray God's favor on this family.
 Pick up a prayer rock at the information center to remind you to lift up Ngan, Trang, and Brandon during this 18-week journey and beyond. If you would like to put together a photo album of the build progress (we'll provide the photos) to give to the family as a gift at the end, please let us know. We'll keep you informed as we become aware of additional needs. Feel free to come up with your own creative idea for showing this family the breadth and depth of the love Jesus has for them. Questions? Contact Dale Huizingh at dhuizingh@cox.net.
ThriftSmart
Phoenix's Thrift Store with a Mission  Cleaning out your closets? Cupboards? Garage? Bring those "gently used" items-furniture, clothing, household goods, etc. for collection by ThrisftSmart on Sunday, February 8. ThriftSmart will have a truck in Bethany's West parking lot from 8:00 am until the parking lot empties after second service. Check out their Web site at www.thriftsmartarizona.com.
ThriftSmart supports the following local Christian ministries:
Celebrate Community Outreach!
Do you have a story to tell about your volunteering experience? We would love to hear how God spoke to you through ministering to others. Contact Peggy Levesque at plevesque@bethanycc.com.
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| Middle School Ministry "Gets Out" |
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Middle School Ministry recently took a small group of students to a great concert in Phoenix. The concert was headlined by the Robbie Seay Band and the David Crowder Band. While both bands were amazing, and Mr. Crowder especially rocked our world, the most amazing thing happened before the concert even started.
Before arriving at the concert venue, we stopped at a Mexican restaurant in central Phoenix. While we were eating, a student had an idea. She said to  me, "Josh, you should buy that homeless guy a taco!" After I recovered from some shock at this incredibly loving, compassionate idea, I challenged her by saying, "You do it! You don't need me to do that!" So she took a friend and the two of them bought a taco with their own money, went outside and, under my watchful gaze, handed this homeless man a taco and engaged in conversation with him. Isn't that amazing?! I was so proud of those students and their efforts to live like Jesus in the real world. Truly, this is something Jesus would do! I'm so honored to work with these middle school students...they have so much to teach me...and the rest of us. - Josh Harper, Middle School Director |
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Transforming Lives Intergenerationally |
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On Sunday afternoon, January 4th, the Transformers class (4th and 5th graders), along with several parents and leaders, joined Pastor Rich Hendrix for a worship service at the Village at Ocotillo (a retirement community).
Our young people participated in various ways throughout the service, including prayer, scripture reading, and distributing communion to the older residents of the facility.
 All who went felt very happy and peaceful that they had the privilege to interact with a group different than that of their ordinary peers. Over the past year, our church has been working to incorporate "intergenerational worship" and other experiences as a way to get unfamiliar groups to mingle and interact.
I can't think of a better example of an experience that enriched the lives of children and older adults and truly allowed opposite ends of the age spectrum to worship our Lord together.
Thanks to Pastor Rich for inviting the Transformers to participate, and thanks also to Ocotillo Village for allowing a group of pre-teen adolescents to enter their space. It was an exciting time, and definitely one which we hope will happen several more times throughout the year!
- Brad Smith |
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Opportunities to Serve |
Do you have a few minutes to spare after service on Sundays?
Bethany Community Church can use your help in collecting programs after service and removing inserts for use later in other areas. 
Do you have time before service?
We need additional greeters and ushers on either a regular or rotational basis to welcome those who come to worship.
If you are interested in serving in either capacity, please contact Robert Raimondi for additional details at rraimondi@bethanycc.com or 480.831.5005. |
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Bethany Reunion |
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"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." -Romans 12:15
 Larry Isaac's mother departed this life on January 10 to find life everlasting. Please keep Larry and his family in your prayers.
Nancy Moriyama passed away on January 11 to rest in eternal peace. Please lift up Glenn as he mourns the loss of his beloved wife.
Clyde Surls went to be with the Lord on January 22. Please be in prayer with Carol and the family as they mourn his passing.
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Upcoming Program and Event Highlights |
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