The Pecans are in! The Music Ministry is selling pecans again this year. Purchase fresh or candied pecans from a table in the Connector. All varieties are $10 and sales continue through Christmas. Call Sandra Chapman at 770-971-2730 to pre-order or ask questions.
Tuesday Nights Under the Bridges - Join us under the bridges of Atlanta with the 7 Bridges Ministry. Dates are December 4 & 18. We depart Mt. Bethel at 4pm sharp. We eat a burger at US Café then meet our guides at The Garden. There is time for a quick tour for first timers. From The Garden, we head out under the bridges. WE GO RAIN OR SHINE! Dress according to weather & wear comfortable shoes. If led, bring stocking caps, gloves, scarves, etc. To sign up go to www.openingourdoors.com. See the tab, Tuesday Under The Bridges. Select, click to volunteer. Questions, please contact: Ben Hornsby, 678-333-1871, or ben.hornsby@mtbethel.org.
Christmas Trees, Pancakes, and Pictures with Santa | Saturday, December 1- You'll pay at the door for breakfast and pictures, and pick up your previously ordered tree in the Fairfield parking lot. All-you-can-eat Pancake Breakfast will be from 8-10am: $5 for adults, $2 for children under 12. Pictures with Santa will be from 9:30am-noon. Join Children's Ministry as we make ornaments, write a letter to Santa and see Santa! Cost for the pictures is $15. Make a Christmas memory with the whole family. Each child will receive 3 ornaments to make at no cost and can purchase others for a small fee.
Carols for Christmas: " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas"| 4:30 & 7:00pm | Sunday, December 9 in the Sanctuary - Providing a thought-provoking twist on the theme, "The Night Before Christmas," the concert's music and drama will focus on what individuals' lives are like before Christ is born in their hearts - the night before Christmas for each of us. A cast of 400 singers, instrumentalists, dancers, and storytellers will entertain and inspire audience members with beautiful Christmas music including familiar carols, rousing choruses, and sweet lullabies. Guest soloists including lyric soprano Indra Thomas, bass-baritone Adam Cannedy, and tenor Robert McMichael.
I'm honored to extend to each of you a personal invitation to this year's Carols For Christmas Celebration at Mt. Bethel. For those who have never been, or haven't been in a while; for those who are young or have been young a long time - COME!! Receive and share Mt Bethel Music's gift to you and this community December 9th. "Twas the Night Before Christmas" will be an experience that you'll not soon forget and serves as a nice, spiritual "tuneup" as we journey into this incredible season of Advent!
Service of Hope | Monday, December 3 | 7:00pm | Sanctuary - PLEASE NOTE THAT WE HAD THE WRONG DATE IN LAST WEEK'S EBULLETIN - December 3 is the correct date. A service for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one.
Bell and Orchestra Concert | Wednesday, December 12 | 6:30pm Sanctuary
Please come and hear our Adult Handbells and Orchestra as they share a variety of lovely Christmas and Advent music. A congregational sing-a-long of familiar carols will be included accompanied by handbells and handchimes.
Prime Rib Dinner | Wednesday, December 19 | 4:30-7pm | Fellowship Hall - Tickets are on sale in the Bookstore or on our website.
Live Nativity - Wednesday, December 19, from 6:00-7:30pm in the Sanctuary. Families are invited to participate as the characters; Mary, Joseph, Wisemen, Shepherds, Angels and the star of Bethlehem to stand in the stable as we present the Christmas story that changed the world. We will have 4 rotations(6:00, 6:20, 6:40 and 7:00) with at least 3 families in each rotation beginning at 6:00pm. Children's Ministry will provide the costumes and direct the characters into the stable while the story is read and songs are sung. Please call Dianne Hylton to sign up at 770-971-5074 or email dianne.hylton@mtbethel.org
Christmas Eve "Eve" Services | Sunday, December 23 | 5:00pm
More information on this special service to come.
Christmas Eve Services | Monday, December 24
3:00pm | Candlelight | Sanctuary
5:00pm | Candlelight | Sanctuary & Fellowship Hall
11:00pm | Candlelight & Communion | Sanctuary
Nursery, Preschool & Children's Ministries
Mt. Bethel Day Care Center is now enrolling:
Children for the Pre-K class. For prices and tour information, please call Dee Stolz at 678-560-8005.
Young Adult Ministry
Every Tuesday Night we have Bible Study from 7 to 9 at Caribou on Johnson's Ferry.
Advent Mission Opportunities
Angel Tree runs through December 2. The "Angels" represent gift requests of children in foster care and adults who are being assisted by the Department of Family and Children Services. Trees are located in the connector hallway, the Academy lobby and the nursery hallway. Please pick up your Angels and spread the spirit of Christmas to the least and the lost.
Help MUST Make Christmas Merrier - Help children of all ages this Christmas, especially the "tweens" and teens by donating new and unwrapped clothes, sporting goods, personal care items, handheld games, etc. to the MUST Toy Shop. Special collection bins will be placed throughout the church from 12/2 through 12/21. For additional information contact Dave Erwin at dterwin@bellsouth.net.
Atlanta Center for Self-Sufficiency (ACSS) is having their annual Christmas dinner for their homeless clients. ACSS appreciates your donations in past years and humbly asks Mt. Bethel members if they would make a donation this year selecting the items listed below for the homeless gift bags that will be given to our homeless friends at their Christmas dinner. Note: an ACSS "Christmas box" will be located at Mt. Bethel receptionist's desk for your donations - and will be available to drop them off (unwrapped) through Sunday, December 9. Gift bag items needed are:
Men:
* Gloves (warm work gloves - mostly large, some medium)
* Underwear (briefs or boxers -large 36-38; some extra large (40-42)
* Caps (knit, fits any size)
Women:
* Gloves - (warm; large and extra large)
* Underwear - (large and extra large)
* Cap/Hats - knit
For more information, please contact Sam Smith at 770-565-8233 or samcatfish@bellsouth.net.
Special Needs Ministry
Volunteers needed for Special Needs Ministry - looking for Adult and teen volunteers who could commit an hour at least once a month to our Sunday morning Special Needs classroom - F-002. F-002 provides a place for our Special needs children and young adults to come and interact through games, crafts and relationships. We share the love of Christ by providing a safe and encouraging environment where we practice Christian hospitality to our participants and their families. Volunteers also needed for our Special needs Respite - next one is Friday, November 30.
Georgia Special Olympics Winter Games | January 25-27 - Venues all over Cobb County. This is a great way to serve as a family! Come volunteer and support the amazing athletes. Contact Kim McGarr for volunteers forms and questions.
Women's Ministry
The Lynn Smith Circle will go to the Atlanta Country Club for our Christmas Luncheon on December 12 at 11:30 am. If you would like information about our circle, please contact either Barbara Benton at 770-973-2449 or Gayle Hollinger at 770-953-9633. We would love to have you come and fellowship with our members as a guest or new member.
College and Young Adult Ministry
On Tuesday nights at Gaylyn Kelly's house, College & Young Adult Ministry meet for Bible study at 7pm. We typically share a meal together and then open up the scriptures to discuss and learn from. If you are between 18 and 30 and are looking for a community to be a part of please join us.
UNBOUND Sunday School class is every Sunday morning at 930 in the CAC. This is an intergenerational class and all are welcome. We would love for you to join us!
Recreation Ministry
2013 Spring Sports: Registration begins Monday, December 3 online or in the CAC for:
* Boys baseball, grades K - 3
* Boys and girls soccer, grades Pre-K thru 6 (Pre-K must be 4 years old by March 1, 2013)
* Boys flag football, grades 1 - 7
* Girls Volleyball, grades 4 - 8
* Co-ed T-Ball, Pre-K (must be 4 years old by March 1, 2013)
2013 High School Coed Volleyball: Registration begins Monday, December 3 in the CAC. Games begin February 11. Get your team together and register or contact Melissa at melissa.sneed@mtbethel.org or 678-560-7438 for more information. Registration forms available to print online.
2012/13 Youth Winter Basketball: Practices are underway. Opening day games are scheduled for November 30 and December 1. Coaches or team coordinators will be asking for a small donation for our Winter missions project. Each team is asked to give a $30 gift card to Walmart or Target for children in local children's homes. Gift cards allow them to choose the right size and preferred style. It also allows them to purchase items with their own funds, a privilege many of them have not experienced.
CHAIR MASSAGE: Wednesday's from 8:30 - 12:00 in the CAC Will Graham of "Unseen Touch" is giving relaxing chair massages for $1 per minute-No limit. Stop by or call 770-971-5280 to schedule your time.
RECREATION FACEBOOK: Join us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MtBethelRec. We have posted Fall Sports pictures.
FITNESS: Join us for one of our many fitness classes. Now offering Barre Class ($6/class). Go to www.mtbethel.org/fitness for complete schedule and pricing.
Active Senior Adults
Christmas at the Tate House | Saturday, December 8 | 9:30- 4pm | $17 per person - The Tate house is a beautiful 19,000 square foot pink marble mansion built in 1926. Decorated with 37 Christmas trees and decorations throughout, the "Pink Place" as the house is known on the National Register of Historic Places will be a tour to remember this Christmas. Light refreshments will be served, and we will stop for lunch on the way back to Mt. Bethel. RSVP to Kim McGarr by Friday, December 6 at 770-652-9913 or kim.mcgarr@mtbethel.org.
Here are the plans of the Special Project Committee for December:
We meet on Wednesdays at 11:30am in B116. Please join us.
December 5 - Roll Coins for Missions & Must
December 12 - Hope Center
December 19 - Christmas Party / Covered Dish
December 26 - No Meeting
Aloha to Aging
Alzheimer's/Caregiver Support Group Meeting: Monday, December 3, at 10:30 a.m. Open to family members who are assisting an aging loved one both inside and outside of the home. Free respite care is provided for your loved one while we meet, but must call in advance to 678-439-1177.
Parkinson's Disease Support Group: Tuesday, December 4, at 10:30am. Have
you or a loved one been recently diagnosed with Parkinson's? You are not alone. You and your caregiver are welcome as we share coping strategies and helpful tips and resources. Starting January we will provide education and opportunity for support meeting for those diagnosed with Parkinson's.
Growing Through Grief: Monday, December 10, at 2:30pm. Creating new holiday memories: Come experience an uplifting and interactive approach game show style. Join Sandra Karem of Crossroads Hospice as she shares an engaging program focused on strategies for growing through the grief of losing a spouse or elder loved one. Whether your grief is new or experienced, this program is for you. Please RSVP to 678-439-1177. Meeting held at Aloha To Aging, Inc. 4608 Lower Roswell Rd, Marietta, GA 30068.
Aloha Day Club: Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays 10:30am - 2:00pm. Our dedicated staff (professional & volunteer) provide a stimulating, social and therapeutic program for seniors 55+. Program includes snack, lunch, music, exercise and interactive activities. Wondering why we have such a fun day? Don't wait until it's too late...call Aloha To Aging, Inc. at 678-439-1177. Now with 2 locations.
