NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 3, 2014

Worship Bulletin

Serving Sunday

A Word from Rev. Ellen

It is a letter, like the letter "n" in our language. In Arabic it is called nuun and it is the first letter of the word Nazarene. Jesus was called a Nazarene because he grew up in the city of Nazareth. It was not a compliment then and it is not a compliment today. The word Nazarene means very different things to different people. To Christians, the word Nazarene means that Jesus came to be identified with everyone, especially the despised. We remember Isaiah's prophesy about the Messiah, "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch (a netser - root for Nazarene) shall grow out of his roots." (Isaiah 11:1)

To radical Muslims (I am making a clear distinction here, in particular the ISIS faction now terrorizing much of former Iraq) being a Nazarene is not a compliment - it is a death threat symbolized by the letter nuun painted on Christian homes. In Mosul (The Ninivah of Jonah) on the week of July 17-19th the letter nuun meant, Christians leave all of your worldly goods by 9:00 PM Saturday or there will be "Nothing but the sword" in store for you. Twenty five thousand Christians listened and today, Aljazeera reports, "for the first time in two thousand years there are no Christians left in Mosul."

Last Sunday we enjoyed the freedom of worshipping at BPC without fear; not eighty-five of our brothers and sisters at All Saints Church in Peshwar, Pakistan who were martyred in a bombing, nor our Christian pastors and parishioners in Bagdad, nor Christians of Maalula, Syrai, where they still speak Aramaic, killed because they would not convert to Islam, or the Christian churches in Egypt and so on . . .

On a sunny summer day such atrocities are hard to imagine. But then genocide is always hard to imagine - especially when marked by a letter that symbolizes Jesus' care for the despised and rejected. Pray we must! Do something - we must! At the very least, care - WE MUST!

Flowers in the Church Sanctuary This Sunday - August 3rd

The flowers in the church sanctuary this Sunday, August 3rd are given to the Glory of God and in loving memory of Melvin Helms by the congregation of Bethpage Presbyterian Church.

School Supply Drive During the Month of August

The Mission and Evangelism Ministry Area will be holding a school supply drive for Fred L. Wilson Elementary School during the entire month of August. The teachers' "wish list" of supplies is:

Dry Erase Markers
Clorox Wipes
Gallon and Quart Ziplock Bags
Post-It Notes
Yellow Highlighters
Tissues
Economy Baby Wipes

Gracias . . . Hola . . . Would You Like to Learn Spanish?

The Latino Mission "Christ Savior" at Bethpage PC is offering a great opportunity to learn basic conversational Spanish in order to communicate with the Spanish community. Mrs. Narcissa Lear will be giving Spanish classes twice a week beginning this Monday, August 4th. The classes will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays each week from 6:00 until 8:00 PM on the third floor of the BPC Educational Building. The cost for the class is $50 a month. A percentage of the proceeds will go towards Latin Mission Christ Savior. For more information or to register for class, please call Mrs. Narcy at 704-467-1241.

Coffee Perks - Making Home Health Care Decisions - August 7th

Coffee Perks will be held on Thursday, August 7th, 10:00 until 11:00 AM in the BPC Fellowship Hall. Susan Wear, Senior Home Health Specialist with Gentiva, will speak on the topic of "Making Home Health Care Decisions." Susan has been assisting individuals with their home health care decisions and advising them on care options and what to expect. Having the option of Home Health Care, can be a most beneficial way of recuperating in your own familiar surroundings. Susan is excited to discuss home health for any unexpected situation you or a loved one may have in the future. Refreshments will be provided by Comfort Keepers In-home Care.

Please RSVP to annmeasmer@comfortkeepers.com or 704-640-5152.

Youth Led Worship Service in Fellowship Hall - August 10th

Mark your calendars and don't miss worship on August 10th! the members of our FirstPage Fusion mission team will be sharing their ministry in New Orleans. To accommodate their pictures, worship will be held in the Fellowship Hall at our normal time of 9:55 AM.

Pints for Pencils Blood Drive - August 18th

Community Blood Center of the Carolinas and Bethpage Presbyterian Church are having a community blood drive on Monday, August 18th from 4:00 until 8:00 PM in the BPC Fellowship Hall. CBCC's mission is to be the steward of a community resource; life saving blood. CBCC collects blood from the community to return it to the community at the lowest possible cost, consistent with the highest standards of quality. For blood donations during August, CBCC will provide school supplies to your local public school system!

Coming Soon! RALLY DAY - August 24th!

Join us in celebrating Rally Day at Bethpage Presbyterian Church on Sunday, August 24th. The 9:55 AM Worship Service will be held in the fellowship hall. After worship we will enjoy hamburgers and hotdogs followed by a Rally Day GA Update.

Volunteers Needed for Fred L. Wilson Open House Event

If you would like to help at the Fred L. Wilson Elementary School Open House on Monday, August 25th, from 4:00 until 6:00 PM, please contact Chris Ferguson at 704-680-2783.

Spares and Pairs

Spares and Pairs will not meet in August or September, but will resume on Monday, October 6th, at 6:30 PM in the BPC Fellowship Hall.

A RightNow Media Tip

School's out all summer! Do you have small children or youth in your house this summer that could use some entertaining, faith building TV programming? Sign up for RightNow Media. Hours of great, Christian viewing are just an e-mail away. (You can even take them to the beach on your IPad.) Call or email us (info@bethpagechurch.org) at the church office and we will make sure you get an e-mail invitation from RightNow Media.

A Thank You Note from Terry and Ann Suther

Dear Friends,

Ann and I both want to thank you for your prayers, concerns, and expressions of love during our time of illness and loss of George and my mother, Mary Ellen Suther. Bethpage continues to show the love of God to the world. Thank you again, Terry and Ann Suther

Recent Memorial

In memory of J Ellen Smith Hatley:

Patsy Lawing

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Prayer Joys & Concerns

July 27:

Joys: Adam got a job (Hannah Gray), Youth had a great mission trip and safe return from New Orleans, LA (Jean Brown), Cat's wrist is healing and her mother has found good treatment at CMC-NE (Beth Hintz), Trey and Brittany will be married next week (Betty White), Our congregation's faithfulness (Rev. Ellen), Glenda Kirkman healing (Joyce Deal)

Concerns: Joyce having surgery (Jerry Deal), Brother-in-law Todd and his family (Charlotte Penland), Rick Mullinax as he undergoes Chemotherapy (Diane Mullinax), Diane Mullinax as she cares for Rick (Rev. Ellen), Mary and Eric McKnight (Janice M.), Chip Hunter - health issues perhaps Lou Gehrig disease (Carrie Paxton)

July 20:

Joys: FirstPage Fusion safely arrived in New Orleans - prayer for a profound week of ministry and growth (Rev. Ellen), Barbara Shifflett to have hip surgery this week (Sherry Childers)

Concerns: Plane crash victims and families - souls of the perpetrators (Jean Brown), War in Israel and the Gaza (Rev. Ellen), Terry Suther and Family in the passing of Terry's mother, Mary Ellen Suther (Rev. Ellen), Georganne Kerley suffering a lung ailment, daughter of Barbara Suggs and Louise McQuay after a fall, sister of Barbara Suggs (Barbara Suggs), Kathy Cress - accident (Jenny Linebarrier), Toby Boles - Sheila Grey's sister - diagnosed with breast cancer in both breasts (Sheila Grey), Rick Mullinax

July 13:

Joys: Births of Michael Raymond Dunter (Grandma - Sherry Childers) and Skylar Knowalton - granddaughter of Barbara and Gerald Whitaker (Barbara Whitaker), 2014 FirstPage Fusion Mission Team (Rev. Ellen)

Concerns: Ann and Terry Suther as they care for George Oehler in hospice (Christel Josey), Family of Nichol Rife after her death (Ed Kusper), Barbara Shifflett to have hip replacement on July 22nd (Sherry Childers), Randy Kauthen at the loss of his father (Jean Brown), Toby Boles (Sheila Grey's sister)

July 6:

Joys: Glenn Bickerstaff is at home now (Rev. Ellen), Susan and Noah Brown on their mission trip (Jill Hamilton), FirstPage Fusion as they prepare for their mission trip to New Orleans, LA (Rev. Ellen), Glenda Kirkman - surgery went well, healing at home (Joyce Deal), Tom had a clean lung scan (Margaret Griffin)

Concerns: Christine Dunter - going to be induced in Germany tonight - our time (Sherry Childers), Marty Paxton's grandfather passed away this week - viewing and funeral today (Linda VanPelt), Shirley Helms as she puts the pieces of life back together with God's help (Christel Josey), Joan Plott's family with the sudden loss of this young mother of three (Amy Ritchie), Mary McKnight (Jerry), the Morris Family, especially the Kusper family with the loss of Aunt Marcy (Ed Kusper), friend Cat fell and broke her arm, also received news her mother has stage four lung cancer (Beth Hintz)

BIG ELM RETIREMENT CENTER: Paul Christy

TRINITY OAKS RETIREMENT CENTER: Shirley Helms

ST. ANDREWS LIVING CENTER: Eloise White

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Serving This Sunday

USHERS	GREETERS
Head Usher: Jenny Linebarrier Ushers: Steve Gaskey, Nelda Riggs, Gipson Rumple, Linda VanPelt	Tom & Teresa Kincaid
LECTOR
Sherry Childers
CHILDREN'S NURSERY
SUNDAY SCHOOL Susan Smith & Roger Hamilton	WORSHIP Susan Smith & Roger Hamilton
YOUNG CHILDREN'S SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS	CHILDREN'S WORSHIP
Ellen Shore & Heather Goodman	Sandra Cox

Our Attendance and Financial Stewardship

OUR ATTENDANCE STEWARDSHIP
Sunday Worship - 84 Sunday School - 48
OUR FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP
	7/27/14	Year-to-date
General Budget Giving Weekly Budget Needs	$3,674.00 $4,854.43	$141,594.94 $145,632.90
10�-A-Meal Offering received for 2014: $2,260.19