 |
|
6020 Mooresville Road | 704-933-2209
|
|
A Word from Rev. Ellen
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Philippians 4:5
Throughout the centuries civilizations have been inhabited by people that live very differently from the culture around them. They are people who change the world through gentleness not pride, arrogance or force. Of course the first on that list is Jesus Christ who encouraged, "Blessed are the meek for theirs is the kingdom of God." Then there is St. Francis who gave up a family fortune to live a life of grace and gentility. His prayer is a classic of kindness, "Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be loved as to love . . . For it is giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned..." Modern gentleness was present in Mother Theresa of Calcutta to the forgotten cast in India and Martin Luther King to the marginalized African Americans in America.
What do all of these gentle/ non-violent souls have in common? They all know that God is in control and that to be gentle is not a sign of weakness at all, but an act of powerful witness. Even though the world, conditioned by sin and death, might try to convince us that force is the only way to get things done. Yet, in reality, it is the very nature of Christ, as Isaiah reminds us in chapter 43 verse 3, "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice" that has broke sin's power.
Friends, do we believe that gentleness today can melt the hardest heart or the coldest resolve. Do we have the courage to offer gentleness to the world around us? Will we take the time to examine the power of Christ's gentle example? Will our insecurities unmasked, allow us to see the weakness in force. I will close with the slightly altered last line of St Francis' prayer, "It is dying (to our perceived power) that we are born to eternal life. Let us seek gentleness and let it begin with me."
|
|
|
This Sunday's Worship Service will be held in the Fellowship Hall at 9:55 AM. |
|
|
Guest Organist
We welcome Madeline Misenheimer as our guest organist this Sunday, May 29th. Thank you Madeline!
|
|
Flowers for Worship this Sunday
The flowers in the Bethpage Presbyterian Church fellowship hall this Sunday, May 29th are given by Margaret Griffin to the Glory of God and in loving memory of her mother, Opal Moore, on what would have been her 90th birthday.
|
|
Attention: GRADUATES!
We would like to list the names of our graduates in next week's edition of The Beth Page. Please send the graduate's name, college/university awarding degree, degree earned, any plans for travel, work, etc. to Jean Brown by this Tuesday, May 31st.
|
|
1,000 Can Challenge to Benefit CCM's Summer Food Drive
More than one in four children in North Carolina struggle with hunger. During the summer, the struggle for children to find a meal gets even harder, as only one of seven students who receives a free or reduced price lunch during the school year will get lunch on any given summer day. To help combat that issue, Cooperative Christian Ministry will be holding a summer food drive. As part of this food drive, Bethpage Presbyterian Church has elected to participate in the 1,000 Can Challenge, a project being offered to area churches to raise 1,000 cans of food for CCM through their congregations. Canned food items we will be collecting are pork & beans, corn, peas, and green beans. Your food offering may be brought to the church any time beginning May 29th through July 31st.
|
|
Quarterly Meeting of Kannapolis Area Presbyterian Men
The quarterly breakfast meeting of the Kannapolis Area Presbyterian Men (KAPM) will be held on Sunday, June 5th, at 8:00 AM at Second Presbyterian Church, 1578 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Kannapolis. All area men and women are welcome! We will begin with a wonderful breakfast, prepared by the men of the church, which is always accompanied by great fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. At this meeting of KAPM, we are pleased to welcome Ed Hosack, Executive Director of Cooperative Christian Ministry (CCM.) It is always a blessing and privilege to have Ed Hosack in our presence and to hear him testify to ways God works in our community through CCM. Invite your fellow church members, friends and neighbors to join us for this meeting which adjourns about 9:00 AM. For further information, contact Frank Melton at 704-279-7583 or 704-795-8114.
|
|
Highlights of the Called Meeting of the Session - March 30, 2016
- A quorum was declared by the moderator, Rev. Ellen Campbell Gardner.
- The meeting was called to order followed by opening prayer and study by Rev. Ellen Campbell Gardner.
- Guest: Peggy Overcash representing the Personnel Committee.
- Agenda was approved.
- Purpose of the meeting was twofold: to discuss an email sent to the Session by Kim Shore on Friday, March 24, 2016 and discuss the possibility of reducing the Session Member size to correspond to the size of the congregation.
- Motion was made by Matt Josey and seconded by Dougie Kirkman to invite Kim Shore to meet with the Session Sunday April 3, 2016 at 2:30 PM to express his concerns in person with the Session. Motion to invite Kim Shore to meet with the Session was passed unanimously. Rev. Ellen Campbell Gardner voted yes agreeing to invite Kim Shore.
- Session agreed that with nine committees, the number of Elders would be reduced to correspond. Motion by Steve Gaskey and seconded by Sherry Childers. Congregational meeting will be held April 17, 2016 immediately following Morning Worship Service.
- Adjournment and closing prayer by Rev. Ellen Campbell Gardner.
(If you have any questions or concerns, please contact a Session member.)
|
|
Highlights of the Called Meeting of the Session - April 3, 2016
- Acting Moderator of the Session: Rev. Tim Bostick, Pastor of Harrisburg Presbyterian Church, Harrisburg NC (by invitation of Moderator.)
- A quorum was declared by the clerk, Roger Hamilton.
- The meeting was called to order by a motion by Sherry Childers, seconded by Steve Gaskey.
- Opening prayer by Rev. Time Bostick.
- Purpose of the meeting was to discuss concerns expressed by Elder Kim Shore to the Session of Bethpage Presbyterian Church.
- After the discussion, Kim Shore expressed his desire to resign from the Bethpage Presbyterian Church Session effective immediately. Richie Goodman moved to accept Kim Shore's resignation, and motion was seconded by Steve Gaskey. Session approved the resignation.
- Adjournment and closing prayer by Tim Bostick.
(If you have any questions or concerns, please contact a Session member.)
|
|
Procedure for Placing Flowers in the Church for Worship
Would you like to place flowers in the Bethpage church sanctuary for the Sunday morning worship service? If you would like to commemorate a special occasion in this way, please sign up on the sheet in the hallway between the Sunday school office and the sanctuary AND call Kilby's Florist at 704-933-7955 with your order and any special instructions. Make arrangements directly with Kilby's for payment. Please remember to contact Donna in the church office at least a week before your reserved Sunday, to let her know how you would like your gift of flowers recognized in The Beth Page. If you leave the flowers at the church or allow them to be distributed to our local retirement communities following the worship service, you will be bringing joy to many others AND your gift is tax deductible.
|
|
Prayer Joys and Concerns
May 22
Joys: "Suds of Love" Laundromat Ministry (Christel), Paula Myers' birthday today
Joys: Mothers (Rev. Ellen Campbell Gardner), Amanda Ritchie (Amy A. Ritchie), Choir
Concerns: Faye Rodgers (Marcia Graybeal), Baby Ryan, Friend of the Gibson Family, Lisa Christy (Betty Christy)
Joys: Chloe Mullinax's birthday
Concerns: The family of Fred Meyers (Ed Kusper's uncle), Margie Wagner (Jenny Linebarrier)
|
 Quick Links |
|
Serving This Sunday
Head Usher
Linda VanPelt
Ushers
Eric McKnight
Ann Ennis
Rick and Diane Mullinax
Lector
Al Smith
Children's Nursery (Sunday School & Worship)
Brandi Coley
Children's Sunday School & Worship
Cheryl Kusper & Gipson Rumple
|
|
Our Attendance and Financial Stewardship
|
OUR ATTENDANCE STEWARDSHIP
| |
May 22nd
Worship Service - 71
Sunday School - 33
| |
OUR FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP
| |
|
General Budget Giving
|
Expenses
| |
Year-to-date
as of 5/18/2016
|
$77,971.96
|
$79,514.61
| |
5/22/2016
|
$3,826.00
|
$4,088.34
| |
Current Balance
|
$80,489.16
|
$83,602.95
| |
Year-to-date Budget Needs: $91,133.70
| |
10¢-A-Meal Offering received for 2016: $1,546.73
|
|
Sermon from May 22, 2016
Rev. Ellen Campbell Gardner
"Things Seen and Unseen"
Old Testament Reading: Proverbs 3:3-4
New Testament Reading: Luke 1:26-56
|
Daily Lectionary for May 29 - June 4, 2016 |
|
We Welcome Your Input!
Please drop us an e-mail and let us know if there is something you would like to see included in the newsletter.
We would love to hear from you!
|
Sunday School at 9:00 AM - Worship Service at 9:55 AM
Bethpage Presbyterian Church, Kannapolis 6020 Mooresville Road | Kannapolis, N.C. 28081 704-933-2209 (church office phone) Church office hours: 8:30 AM until 3:30 PM, Monday - Friday
Rev. Ellen Campbell Gardner, pastor 704-431-3700 (cell) 704-934-3457 (home)
|
© 2015 Bethpage Presbyterian Church, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
|
|
