On Sunday, December 30, we will worship together in the Christian Activities Center while our Sanctuary is being recarpeted (yes, again!). Services are at 9:30 & 11:00. No 8:15 worship, children's Sunday School, breakfast or contemporary service that day. The shuttles will not run on December 30. Our college & young adult ministry will be leading in worship.
Can you help? The SAFEHOUSE Christmas Party, is THIS FRIDAY, December 21 at 6:30pm. We are still in need of a few items for the Christmas gifts that we will be giving to the 200+ homeless people expected to attend. If you can help us with donating any of the following items OR if you have already donated, THANK YOU!
96 hats - 114 mini flashlights - 68 pairs of gloves. Drop off until Thursday, December 20, at Mt. Bethel in B207, the CAC or at the Welcome Center. Or if you are a college student bring any item to donate when you come to PURSUIT, this Thursday night, at 7pm, in the Upper Room. Thank you - Gaylyn and Taylor, College and Young Adult Ministry.
Christmas Eve Services Volunteers Needed:
Don't forget that this year we are inviting the community to come and join us on Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We are hoping that those of you who will be attending on the 23rd would return on the 24th to volunteer. We are in need of Greeters, Ushers, Nursery workers and Parking Ushers to serve at or before all three services; 3:00, 5:00 and 11:00. Please go to our website at www.mtbethel.org and click on Volunteers to choose a spot to serve. If you have any questions please contact Kibbie Jones at kibbie.jones@mtbethel.org or 678-560-7230.
Christmas Eve's "Eve" Services | Sunday, December 23 | 5:00pm
A special Communion and Candlelight service for everyone serving or hosting visitors on December 24. The December 23 service is especially for those giving up their seats on the 24th. The bottom line, let's all invite those "outside the church" to celebrate with us inside!
Winter Bible studies begin the week of January 6. To register, visit the Mt. Bethel Bookstore, or go to www.mtbethel.org and click on Studies. On the website, you will find class descriptions for short-term studies and a Disciple III class along with the link for online registration. For any questions, please contact Gayle Haden at gayle.haden@mtbethel.org or 678-560-7427.
Student Ministries needs host homes for DNOW weekend, February 22-24!
* DNOW is Student Ministry's in-house retreat & the biggest thing we do all year.
* Students stay in the homes of church members throughout the weekend.
* If you have space in your home where 8-10 students and 2 college leaders can sleep, we would LOVE to have you as a host home!
* We can provide you with a host home helper to aid with transportation & food.
* Sign up to be a host home online at mtbethel.org/dnow. Send all questions to students@mtbethel.org.
"Raising Children Other People Will Like" - Parenting Nights with Catherine Hickem, family coach and parenting expert - Wednesday nights, January 9 & 16, at 6:30-8:00pm in F011. Age-appropriate childcare for children ages 6 weeks - 5th grade - Reservations necessary when you register online. $10 per couple, register online at http://mtbethel.org/event/parenting-event-raising-children-other-people-will-like/2013-01-09/
Families within our own congregation and community are suffering in these tough economic days. The Mike Sappington Helping Hand Fund assists them, in the name of Jesus Christ, with financial aid. Gift cards are available in the Bookstore for any amount to be given in honor or memory of loved ones. May Compassion into Action begin with our own Mt. Bethel family this Christmas!
Need a listening ear? A Stephen Minister can share God's love to help get through the confusion, stress, hurt, or loneliness. Contact Kibbie Jones 678-560-7230.
On Sunday, December 30, Special Needs will meet at 11am in F-002 only. There will be no Special Needs at 9:30am.
An Invitation to Prayer Coaching: Would you like to "get off the bench" and on to the "praying" field? Then mark Sunday, December 30, 9:15am on your calendars. This is when the Living and Learning in Faith Sunday School class will "kick off" their 14-week study of Prayer Coach, by James L. Nicodem. Prayer Coach offers practical "game plans" to advance people's prayer lives "from T-ball to the big leagues." Living and Learning in Faith is a small class, singles and couples, ages 55+. We invite you to share in our fun, highly interactive discussions. You'll find us in F322, Christian Academy Bldg. Of course, you're welcome to visit sooner than December 30! Our current study is Where Heaven Touches Earth, an Advent book by Rob Weber. For more information, you may contact our class president, Sam Smith, at 770-565-8233 or samcatfish@bellsouth.net.
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 December 21. For additional information contact Dave Erwin @dterwin@bellsouth.net.
Thank you to the Dorothy Summerour and Friends In Faith A.M. circles for helping to make Christmas a special time of the year for our homeless friends of Atlanta Center for Self-Sufficiency (ACSS). Our Mt. Bethel ladies' homemade desserts and potato casseroles they have provided for the Samaritan House (now ACSS) annual Christmas dinner since 2005 maybe the only Christmas that many of our homeless friends enjoy.
Dolls for the Foster Care Support Foundation - Mt. Bethel member, Cat Wynns is a Girl Scout of 10 years and working on her Gold Award project. She's collecting new and gently-used dolls to donate to the Foster Care Support Foundation (FCSF) in Roswell, Georgia. Her project includes cleaning used dolls, fixing their hair, and writing a manual on how to clean and restyle dolls for future volunteers at FCSF. She needs your help in collecting at least 150 dolls to be given to girls in Foster Care. The deadline for donations is December 30. This year, there has been a shortage of donated dolls. You can make a difference for these children by sending in gently-used dolls, new dolls, doll clothes and accessories or monetary donations that will be used to purchase dolls. (Please make checks out to Girl Scout Troop 23200.) Dolls of all kinds, colors and sizes are needed. For more information go to www.fostercares.org. To drop off dolls please put them in the Doll Donation Box located in Mt. Bethel's main office/Welcome Center.
All Christmas Merchandise now 20% off while it lasts! Merry Christmas from the Bookstore!
Nursery, Preschool & Children's Ministries
Please note that the Mt. Bethel Nursery will be closed on the following dates for the Christmas holidays:
Thursday, December 20 - Nursery closed - No MMO
Friday, December 21 - Nursery closed - No MMO
Sunday, December 23 - Nursery is offered Sunday morning at 9:30 and 11:00 as always for regular services
Sunday Night, December 23 - Nursery will open at 4:15 for the Christmas "Eve" Eve Service from 5 to 6 pm
Monday, December 24 - closed during the day, Nursery will open at 2:45 for Christmas Eve Services at 3 pm and 5 pm
Tuesday, December 25 - Church Closed
Wednesday, December 26 - Church Closed
Thursday, December 27 - Nursery closed, No MMO
Friday, December 28 - Nursery closed, No MMO
Tuesday, January 1 - Church closed
Wednesday January 2 - Mt. Bethel Nursery is closed for activities both during the day and Wednesday evening
Mt. Bethel Nursery will be open again for all regular activities on Thursday & Friday, January 3 & 4. Merry Christmas!
The Mt. Bethel Nursery is in need of diapers sizes 2,3 4 and 5. If you have any to donate, please drop them by the office. If you have questions, please call (678) 560-7285.
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.
Special Needs Ministry
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.
Recreation Ministry
2013 Spring Sports: Registration is underway. Register 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)
CAC Hours beginning Dec. 19:
12/19-12/21 830am-5pm open Saturday
12/22-12/29 9am-4pm
12/24-12/26 CLOSED
12/27-28 830am-5pm
12/31-1/1 CLOSED
1/2 830am-830pm
YOUTH BASKETBALL- Practices resume Wednesday, January 2. Make up pictures will be Saturday, January 12 from 1-3pm.
2013 High School Co-Ed Volleyball:
Registration is underway. 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.
Chair Massage: Wednesdays 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.
Aloha to Aging
Monthly Education
Growing Through Grief - Monday, January 14 at 2:30pm. 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.
Virtual Dementia Tour - Thursday, January 10 - 10:30-12:00 (30-min. time slots)
The Virtual Dementia Tour, a personal experience for those individuals who would like to better understand the world of dementia. The simulation of dementia will help you better appreciate and care for a loved one with this disease. RSVP by 1/8 to reserve your 30 minute time slot. 678-439-1177 or info@alohatoaging.org. Please call for location.
Brain Health Game Day Lunch & Learn - Thursday, January 17, from 11:00-1:30
If you are 55+, come learn ways to revitalize your brain while having fun! There will be a healthy lunch served and multiple brain building games and prizes. Limited seating! RSVP by Tuesday 1/15. Cost is $15. Please call for location.
Alzheimer's/Caregiver Support Group Meeting: Monday, January 7 at 10:30am. 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. Meeting held at Aloha To Aging, Inc. 4608 Lower Roswell Rd, Marietta, GA 30068.
Parkinson's Disease Support Group: Parkinson's Disease Support Group: Tuesday, 1/8 at 10:30 a.m. This month's meeting will be open just those diagnosed with Parkinson's to discuss coping strategies for lifestyle changes. Caregivers are welcome to meet for fellowship in another room during program. Program held at Aloha To Aging, Inc, 4608 Lower Roswell Rd, Marietta, GA 30068.
"Your Christmas List"
