King's Light February 2021 - First Bethel United Methodist ...
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King’s Light February 2021 Dearly Beloved It has been increasingly difficult to write a note to you each month because I feel as if I'm redundant. So, indulge me if you would and forgive me if I repeat myself in some things that I said in the previous month. Let me start by saying that your well-being is at the forefront of my mind and heart, always. Each time I write I try to think of things that would encourage you. You are very important to me. You are in my daily prayers. You are always on my mind. You are the center of my hopes. As Pastor, I carry you each day in my heart. After saying all of that, I hope that you know that I am sincere in what I have just stated. In this newsletter, you will receive information from our lay leader, Mike Stephan. Mike and I were in conversation and we shared what we felt was best for the church concerning in-person worship. I shared with Mike that I had come across some information about a church that had 21 deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic. After reading that information I realized how blessed we are as a church. We have experienced 6 or 7 cases within our congregation, but we have had no fatalities. Hallelujah, praise the Lord!!!! Some might say we have dodged the bullet, but I say that it is nothing but the Grace and Mercy of God, for which I am grateful. So just hang on and hang in there a little longer this will soon be out of our way. Each day I'm looking to see when we are eligible to get the vaccine. It is just around the corner and I cannot wait to be vaccinated. When it becomes available, and if you or you know someone that would need a ride to be vaccinated, please let somebody know. Let me know, or the office or someone you know that would not mind giving you a ride so that you can be vaccinated. We are all in this together. We love and care for one another. The scripture says, weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning. Kathryn Kuhlman says, this too shall pass. So, hold on and hang in there, the morning is coming. I love you and I'm praying for you. Be safe, wear a mask, wash your hands, and stay out of crowds. We are going to get through this. Love in Christ. Pastor Judy
First Bethel Sundays
Worship Online service available on YouTube or Facebook anytime
10:15 AM FaithLink Live online via ZOOM
Noon Live Worship online with Pastor Judy via ZOOM
SANCTUARY IS CLOSED FOR ONSITE WORSHIP UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Pre-recorded worship experience with Pastor Judy’s sermon
and music performed by First Bethel folks at a time that
works best for you!
Updated weekly by Robin Cecala and available on demand on
our Facebook page or YouTube Channel
https://www.facebook.com/FirstBethelUMC/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_5nz-hWzPv9bnAfeOxGSEw
Join Pastor Judy for a LIVE worship service
at Noon on Sundays using ZOOM
Same time as always!
https://zoom.us/j/8234301946
Join by phone if you don’t have Internet!
Call +1 312 626 6799 and
Meeting ID: 823 430 1946 for audio only
Join Mike Stephan on Sundays at 10:15AM for FaithLink
Contact Mike if you would like the weekly
FaithLink handout via-email.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86564520521
Meeting ID: 865 6452 0521
Miss Janice provides weekly Children’s Messages on our
church Facebook page so have an adult show you the video.
The Children’s Message is included in the online worship
service on YouTube too!
We Want the Church to Open by Mike Stephan, Lay Leader “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:7 It has been a year since the first Coronavirus case was reported in the United States. Many wondered, would it just be a variant of the seasonal flu or would it be something else? Then shocking things began to happen last March. We stopped traveling. We stopped eating out and going to places where there were large gatherings. We were told to stay home from work, from school, and, yes, church. The health and economic effects that followed were beyond our imagination. And then we were told it would get much worse as we approached the fall and winter of 2020. The voices were painfully correct. It is a blessing for us in the First Bethel community that, although there have been several Covid- 19 infections and illnesses among us, no one from our church has succumbed to this highly infectious disease thus far. The U.S. Covid-19 death toll has exceeded 414,000 in just one year. For comparison, in World War II the United States suffered 405,399 war dead in about four years. The flu pandemic of 1918-1919 claimed 675,000 American lives, a record I would like to remain unclaimed. Pharmaceutical companies have successfully developed a Covid-19 vaccine, approved for use, in just 9 months, compared to the nearly seven years that it took Jonas Sulk at the University of Pittsburgh to develop his polio vaccine and bring it to widespread use. But even with the amazing scientific and medical advancements we have witnessed over the last 100 years, it will be the simple things that will help us to survive until widespread vaccinations will free us to return to a pre-2020 lifestyle. That means social distancing, washing our hands and, yes, wearing a mask when we are out in public. Why do so many struggle with this when they think it is perfectly acceptable if a business posts a sign that says, “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service”? We have lamented our lack of in person services, the fellowship, and the community that First Bethel has provided us with, uninterrupted, from 1947 until 2020. We have done so well, let us bear it just a little longer and hope that this is the beginning of the end. We do not yet have a date when the church will open again for in person services. Church leadership, Pastor Judy and the WPA Conference will continue to monitor the progress of vaccinations and the infection rates within our community. When we feel it is safe enough, we will once again meet in person and celebrate an awesome God who makes us strong and supplies the reward. In the meantime, we encourage you to avail yourselves of our online worship opportunities. A pre-recorded YouTube service and a live ZOOM service are available weekly. Our FaithLink discussion begins at begins at 10:15AM. For now, I will continue to hold all of you in my prayers and I hope you will do the same for me.
REV. THOMAS SNYDER LYNN
August 3, 1928 - December 24, 2020
Age 92, of Bridgeville, formerly of Liberty, passed away on Thursday, December 24, 2020 in
UPMC Mercy Hospital after suffering a serious fall. Thomas was a devoted husband, father,
grandfather, great grandfather, and great-great grandfather. Tom served as the pastor of First
Bethel as well as many other churches throughout western PA. After retirement, Tom made his
home with us as a faithful member of First Bethel, and he will be greatly missed. Memorial gifts
may be sent to First Bethel in his honor.
REV. DONALD BAIRD
January 2, 2021
Age 101, of Asbury Heights passed away on Saturday, January 2, 2021, husband of the late
Miriam (Mary) Baird, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather. Don served
several Western PA UMC churches and served as Pastor of Visitation at First Bethel for several
years. Memorial gifts can be made to the Benevolent Care Fund of Asbury Heights, Bower Hill
Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15216.
IN MEMORY
First Bethel’s church bell rang at 5:30PM on Tuesday,
January 19th in unity with other church bells around the
country to honor the memory of the more than 400,000
Americans that have died from COVID-19.
If we missed your birthday, we may not have your complete information in the computer.
Please give us a call so we can update our records.
Church Library
We added 27 new books for First Bethel readers in 2020. This bestseller is one of the latest.
THE GIVER OF STARS
A work of historical fiction that has been called
a love letter to the power of books. It is the
Depression-era story of five women on a
heroic mission in rural Kentucky - delivering
books to poor people who never had them
before. The five, known as the “Packhorse
Librarians,” had a difficult, dangerous, and
rewarding job. They defied resistance from
self-righteous men who ridiculed their efforts
-- and risked their lives, riding horses and
mules to carry books that changed the lives of
so many.
A publisher’s note says this book “is destined to become a modern classic – a richly rewarding
novel of women’s friendship, of true love …” Publishers Weekly says it’s an adventure story with
plenty of drama, but “the reader’s lasting impression is one of love.” The Dallas Morning News
said it’s a celebration of ”reading, of knowledge, of female friendship … and our enduring
American grit.” The author, Jojo Moyes, dedicated The Giver of Stars “to librarians everywhere.
387 pages.
-- Your Library Staff –
Book Club
Keep us in mind if you made a New Year’s Resolution to read
more! Book Club will continue to meet via ZOOM until further notice.
Meetings are the third Friday of each month at 7:30PM.
Contact Gloria Stephan or the Church Office if you are not receiving
the Book Club emails. We’d love to add you to our discussions.
February 19 “H Is for Hawk” by Helen Macdonald
“The instant New York Times bestseller and award-winning sensation, Helen
Macdonald's story of adopting and raising one of nature's most vicious predators
has soared into the hearts of millions of readers worldwide. Fierce and feral, her
goshawk Mabel's temperament mirrors Helen's own state of grief after her
father's death, and together raptor and human "discover the pain and beauty of
being alive" (People). H Is for Hawk is a genre-defying debut from one of our
most unique and transcendent voices.” Amazon
March 19 This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
In the summer of 1932, on the banks of Minnesota’s Gilead River, Odie O’Banion
is an orphan confined to the Lincoln Indian Training School, a pitiless place
where his lively nature earns him the superintendent’s wrath. Forced to flee after
committing a terrible crime, he and his brother, Albert, their best friend, Mose,
and a brokenhearted little girl named Emmy steal away in a canoe, heading for
the mighty Mississippi and a place to call their own. Over the course of one
summer, these four orphans journey into the unknown and cross paths with
others who are adrift, from struggling farmers and traveling faith healers to displaced families
and lost souls of all kinds. With the feel of a modern classic, This Tender Land is an enthralling,
big-hearted epic that shows how the magnificent American landscape connects us all, haunts
our dreams, and makes us whole. Amazon
April 16 Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
For readers of The Nightingale and Sarah’s Key, inspired by the life of a real
World War II heroine, this remarkable debut novel reveals the power of unsung
women to change history in their quest for love, freedom, and second
chances. Amazon
Outreach News
by Sally Irick
The Outreach committee would like to thank the congregation
of First Bethel for your generous donations to the Angel Tree
project. We collected 25 plus gift cards for Familylinks,
Inc. Familylinks serves nearly 9,000 people annually in
western Pennsylvania. These individuals include youth,
families, and seniors who find themselves in a time of
need. Thank you again for being the "hands and feet of Jesus".
We will have served our first Daily Bread of the year on January 24th and our next date to serve
will be April 11th.
We have had a request from UM Pastor Keith Kaufold for any size new blankets for the YMCA
McKeesport homeless sleeping room. They are requesting no throws please, only new
blankets. You may bring your blanket donation to the church office or call our church office at
412-835-0700 for a pickup. If it is easier for you, you can give a donation of money and the
Outreach committee will buy the blanket for you. Please mark your church envelope or online
donation with the amount you give as Outreach blanket fund.
As always thank you for all that you do to help the less fortunate people of our community.
Boon Supply has a great mix of eco-conscious products,
seasonally designed and sustainably sourced.
With every purchase, we will get 40% back towards
First Bethel’s 2021 ASP mission trip
Help us by shopping the Boon Supply
online store using this link:
https://www.boonsupply.com/collections/611525-first-
bethel-asp
All products ship direct to you and the fundraiser runs through June 2021
ONWARD
by Gloria Stephan
ASP has announced their 2021 theme and verse.
"Let’s not get tired of doing good, because in time we’ll have a harvest if we don’t give up."
Galatians 6:9 (CEB). ASP’s 2021 theme Onward encourages us to keep doing God’s work in
the world acting with love and justice toward all people.
If there was ever a time to get tired and give up on doing good, it would be now, right? During
these “unprecedented times” and adjustments to the “new normal” it would be so easy to get
discouraged. Instead, we are encouraged to keep doing God’s work in the world.
I’ve joined other ASP Ambassadors in a group that has been working with ASP staff as they
continue to navigate how to “do ASP” during a pandemic. They are making significant changes
to their summer program to minimize health risks for staff, volunteers, and families they hope to
serve. ASP will be implementing extra precautions and requirements around COVID-19, but
there are still many unknowns. States, schools, and facilities all have different rules and criteria,
groups are unable to commit to sending a certain number of volunteers, and even summer
staffing is unsettled. Talk about flexibility!
ASP is also developing framework for an “ASP at home” model where folks can serve in their
local communities this year in addition to, or instead of a weeklong trip. This model may be one
or more days, a weekend, or several days spread over several weeks.
One encouraging part here is that we can serve our local community and we can potentially
increase our network of volunteers to include those that may not be able to do a traditional week
of ASP. We may even get some ASP veterans that are still in the area to join us! There will be
more information on these options in the March timeframe.
So that we can move Onward, there will be a planning meeting soon and we’ll be asking for
interest levels in one or more of the following:
ASP 2021 Summer Trip – Saturday, June 20 – Sunday June 26
ASP at home - one or more single days
ASP at home - weekend
Keep in mind that all ASP Funds are refundable this year if a trip cancels due to COVID-19.
Contact Gloria at gstephan57@gmail.com if you have questions or need more information, or
see https://www.ASPHome.org Meanwhile, Onward!
from
Alice Barth
Jim Hudak (former custodian)
Shannon Sughrue and Alyssa Scabilloni
Gillian Velmer (Kelly Armstrong’s niece and
Gerry Velmer’s granddaughter)
Thanks to everyone that
contributed food donations for
the Reverse Advent Calendar,
and thanks to Darrell Ulbrich
for delivering the items to SHIM
on January 5thChurch offering envelopes
are available on the porch of the Church Office
Please pick up your envelopes soon or let Patty know if you would
like her to put yours in the mail.
Remember you can sign up for Vanco e-giving on our website at
https://www.firstbethelumc.org
Click the Donate button, create a login and you can set up regular
or one-time donations.
Thank you for your faithful support of our ministries!
Special Offerings for Ministries
Church Council highlights a special ministry area each
month for extra mile giving. These important ministry
areas are highlighted here for your consideration.
Simply indicate your gift in the Other area of your offering
envelope or online giving form.
FEBRUARY FOCUS MINISTRY IS:
Trustees
Among many other things, our Trustees have the responsibility of caring
for our facilities. That includes our church and education buildings and
grounds, and the parsonage that is our pastor’s home.
Think of the many ministries like KSK and Daily Bread that need physical
space to function, and remember there are always projects to be done!5901 Library Road
Bethel Park, PA 15102
Church Office: 412-835-0700
King School Kids Office: 412-835-6141
https://www.firstbethelumc.org
FBUMC@Verizon.net
We are here to serve!
Lead Pastor: Pastor Judy Winston Thomas
Home: 412-833-1986 Mobile: 412-609-8003
PastorJudy@FirstBethelumc.org
Office Manager: Patty Willmott
OfficeManager@FirstBethelumc.org
Office Hours: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 10AM–3PM and Wed 1PM-4PM
Music Coordinator: Sam Campbell
Organist: Phil Himmler
Director of Maintenance: Jim Howells
Custodian: (open)
Director of KSK and Children’s Fellowship: Lynda Pore
KSK Office Administrator: Charlene Phillips
KSK10@Verizon.net
https://www.facebook.com/FirstBethelUMC/
https://smile.amazon.com/ch/25-1102686
KINGS LIGHT DEADLINE: The deadline for the March issue of the Kings Light is Noon on
February 20, 2021. Please have your article in on time to avoid the disappointment of not
having it appear in the next edition. Mail it to us, or send via email to FBUMC@Verizon.netYou can also read
