On Sunday, March 14, 2010, Bethany will be observing one of the six special mission Sundays of the UM Church. It is One Great Hour of Sharing Sunday. The offering we take that day will go to pay the basic costs for all the work the United Methodist Committee of Relief does during the year. This means all gifts designated to hundreds of mission advance programs can go 100% to those programs because UMCOR’s operating costs are covered. Last year Bethany gave to 8 UMCOR advance special mission projects. Please be there for those who need help and hope. As God has so generously blessed you, give generously to the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering.

On Saturday March 13th from 1:30-3:00 pm, Bethany is hosting an Emmaus Sponsorship meeting in Fellowship Hall. Even though this was announced at both services today, I would appreciate it if you gentlemen could talk to not only members of our Bethany family whom you feel close to that have been on the walk but also any other pastors and anyone else you know from SE Minnesota that would be willing to come for this. Jim Rottinger will be leading this.

The Worship Committee will be taking orders and payments the next two Sundays, March 14th and 21st, for plants to be placed in the Sanctuary Easter Sunday. Due to some people with an allergic reaction to lilies, we will not be ordering any at this time, but the following spring plants will be available for purchase at $12.99 each: Chrysanthemums, Calandivas, Begonias, Kalanchoes, and Cyclamen. You may choose the plant you want, and we will be sent a nice variety of spring colors. Once again, you will have the opportunity to designate a plant to be given to a specific person, or you may take it with you after services Easter Sunday. Your help would be appreciated in decorating the Sanctuary for this very special holiday.

for a fabulous spaghetti lunch March 14th 11-2. We will be serving spaghetti, salad, and garlic toast for all to eat. All donations will go towards Jamaica Mission. If you would like to assist in the kitchen or would like to donate anything for the dinner, please let me know. Thanks!! Kelly

will begin again Monday April 5th at 9:30 Am. All women of the church or friends are invited to attend. There is no workbook - we will follow the same format that we did last fall. Please read the following before class begins so that we can be prepared for discussion; Leviticus Chapter 26:27-45, 2 Chronicles Chapter 36:15-23 and Ezra Chapter 1. We will begin a study of Ezra whom we met during the study of Esther last fall. I can promise you an interesting read and hopefully a better understanding of this important man from the Old Testament. Please sign up on the "count me in sheet" in your Sunday bulletin, or call me at 356-8878 if you would like to participate. Thank you, Donna Bond

We have the opportunity to share in the needs in Haiti by packing health kits. You can prepare one or more kits and put them in the box by the missions bulletin board. Each lit is sealed in a one-gallon plastic bag and should contain: 1 hand towel-15”x25” up to 17”x27”; no kitchen towels 1 washcloth 1 comb (large & sturdy, not pocket-sized) 1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers) 1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up) 1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, no child-size brushes) 6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages All items must be new. Put in ONLY requested items- NO NOTES, MONEY, OTHER ITEMS! Please have them at Bethany by March 28th. Thank you for your Christian outreach.

Thank you all for the prayers, visits, cards and phone calls during Milt’s convalescence after hip surgery. In God’s love – Milt and Donna Bond

Currently 43 people participate in Bethany's Prayer Chain Ministry. These persons take prayer requests by either phone or e-mail. They pray over concerns regarding specific situations or individuals, and also the blessings of life and joys to answered prayer. If you are not a current participant in this ministry and would like to know more, use the count me in sheet in your bulletin or contact Marsha Wasson 536-9114 or Sandy Cooper 288-0278.

During the month of March, Bethany Church is joining the people of good will across the state to help alleviate hunger. Minnesota FoodShare’s March Campaign is the largest food drive in the state, and congregations like ours are the heart of the campaign. In 2009, Channel One Food Shelf provided free supplemental food to an average of 3,400 households each month, making food available to over 13,600 individuals. The Food Shelf distributed more than 2.96 million pounds of food during 2008 – much of this work was accomplished with the assistance of local churches. Almost half of the people who benefit from the food supplied by the food shelf are children. Almost three-quarters of the people expected to work to support their families do hold at least one job. The Supplemental Food Shelf of Channel One is a way that families stretch their household resources. The Channel One goal this year for the March campaign is $175,000 and 175,000 pounds of food collected. Through partnership with the Alan Feinstein Foundation, dollars donated during March and April will bring matching funds into our area from this challenge grant.

A collection barrel for food donations is located on the hallway near the West door. All money given to Missions in March will go to Channel One.

Our church is planning to produce two new directories. A directory this spring will not include any pictures but will have an updated version of all the rest of the information we normally see in our directory: names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses. Then, early next year we hope to produce a new picture directory with new family pictures of all of us. We will be updating the picture wall as well. Please watch for future announcements about scheduling your setting with our photographer.

Please send all name, address, and telephone number changes to the church office or to Ed Fishel. Also, if you want your email address to be listed in the new church directory please send it to EdFishel@charter.net and indicate your name and the names of any other family members that share that email address.

Would you like a haircut and help the church at the same time? For a minimum of $10 you can have a professional cut or style from Megan Ask. All monies collected will be donated to the church General Fund! Her next available date is March 14th before the 8:30 service and between services. So call Megan at 272-0243 today for an appointment time before she’s all booked.

will sing anthems of exuberant gladness. Please join the choir Thursdays at 7 pm for the month of March to practice for Easter Sunday. Make this a time to inspire your personal Easter worship.

Why do we praise and worship God? Why should we? Many of us probably have some ideas but never honestly studied it. During this season of Lent we invite you to explore with us the reasons and many different faces of worship. This is more than just worshiping on Sunday morning, it is worshiping God each and every day wherever we may be. We meet at Bethany on Wednesday evenings at 7pm through March 31. Please consider joining us this Lenten season! Supper is at 6pm.

On March 28th, we would like to ask you to bring a plastic sandwich bag with 30 pieces of silver in it which is the amount for which Jesus was betrayed. All monies will go towards Mission Jamaica 2010. John 3:16 states: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have ever lasting life”. God gave his son for you and for me…it is now our call as a Bethany family to serve in Browns Town, Jamaica to serve him.

The shawls are hand made by Bethany ladies and available for those who have a special need: health, family, death, disaster, etc. Contact Sue Boyson to know more. The coordinator of the ministry was Joan Phillips. Should you have an interest in overseeing the project, ask Sue.

The Adult Sunday School class is continuing to view and discuss a video series produced by Focus on the Family, called “That the World May Know”. This is a unique video series that brings God’s Word to life with outstanding relevance. By weaving together the Bible’s fascinating historical, cultural, religious, and geographical contexts, host Raynard Vander Laan (a teacher and historian) reveals keen insights into the Scriptures’ significance to modern believers. Bible readings and questions are also provided for discussion following the presentations which are filmed in the Holy Land. The result? Illuminating “faith lessons” that will stretch you convictions, strengthen your walk, and inspire you to impact your world. The first few lessons focus on ancient Israel and its influence on today’s society.

The class meets in the Bethany Room across the hall behind the Sanctuary and is facilitated by Lloyd and Marsha Wasson. See us or call us with questions/comments (536-9114).

We are asking everyone to stop for a minute every day at noon and pray for our church ministries and provisions. Along with that, we ask that anyone who is able, to fast one meal a week for our church ministries and provisions. There is a tear off slip on the back of the bulletin for you to display in your home as a reminder.

You can bring your used inkjet and toner cartridges to the Rochester Public Library for recycling. If you’re going into the library, you can deposit your empty cartridges in the plastic bin just to the right of the main doors on the first floor. If you would rather drive up, you can take them to the drive up areas behind the library (on 1st Avenue SE) and drop them in the clear plastic bin to the left of the bookmobile garage door (next to the blue bin for Friends bookstore donations).

In order for our prayer life to be complete, it is important that we do not overlook prayers of praise and thanksgiving.

Often, it seems, our prayers focus on asking God to meet our wants and needs. Certainly this is an important and necessary part of our spiritual relationship with God, but maybe we should also consider prayers of praise and thanksgiving as part of our prayer life.

To encourage a fuller prayer life we are providing a bulletin board outside the pastor’s office for your use in sharing these prayers of joy. Posted prayers can be signed or unsigned. You may use the cards attached to the bulletin board or you can email your Praise Prayers to Sue at music@bethanyum.com and she will post them.

“I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders, I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.” Psalm 9:1-2

Imagine us reading through the New Testament together! Five chapters a week is all it takes. Please join us and pick up a schedule for the weekly readings at the Welcome Center. There are two layouts to choose from. This past week was Mark 14 – Luke 1. This week is Luke 2 - 6. Also join us in using the Transformation Prayer Guide: Come, Lord Jesus, which is also available at the Welcome Center. Today begins week #10 on page 15.

our NOMAD missionaries: Gary & Marilyn Collins, Ron & Nancy Paine; our international missionaries: Terry & Muriel Henderson; the family Kim Krukow whose father died just more than a week ago; David Hardke seeking restoration from debilitating injuries and pancreatic cancer; Luke Knopp (Cathy Knopp's baby grandson); Mickie Stelck and Lawrence Zebaugh suffering difficult and chronic health concerns; church family members seeking employment; the use of our prayer center and the development of 24/7 prayer in Rochester, the small groups meeting this week to discuss our church health and finances; the ministries of Iglesia de Dios and Christway Church who share our building in worship and the spiritual transformation of the Rochester region.

There is now a new way to cut and save the Campbell’s soup labels. The front label is no longer accepted. We need to save the UPC label and the Labels for Education symbol (all in one piece). If you have questions, check out the UMW bulletin board or just turn in the entire label, making sure the UPC and the education symbol are in one piece. We also collect and send in the Boxtops for Education.

In the interest of building security and safety the following guidelines will apply. During evening meetings, gatherings, and choir practice all exterior doors are to be locked. The individual in charge of the group or gathering will be in charge of securing the building when leaving. All secure office doors are to be locked unless occupied by the person to whom the office is assigned.

If something needs repair, please leave a note with particulars and your name in the church office or the Trustees mailbox. If it is an emergency, please call a Trustee.

While the men’s group is financing the food for this project and the women’s group supplies the paper products, we as a church are asked to serve one another. This is just one way to serve. I welcome your service and ask God to bless the activities of preparation each Sunday as we greet each other in fellowship over coffee and treats. Please consider being a part of this team by contacting Denny Butterbaugh at 289-8898.

Copies of the Sunday sermons are available on CD call the church office to make arrangements to get one.

Visit www.prayrochester.com. Join Christians of many denominations who gather in homes and churches to cover Rochester night and day in prayer and worship! These united efforts are scheduled on Prayrochester.com! In addition, a team from Pray Rochester worships and prays on behalf of Rochester and its pastors weekly: Fridays from 10 a.m. to 11:30 am; and the third Thursday of each month from 11:30 am to 1 pm (during Rochester’s Evangelical Pastors' Fellowship meetings). Extended worship and prayer for the city occur Thursday evenings: 8:30 to 10 p.m.; and Saturdays: 7:45 to 9:15 p.m. People with a heart for this work are invited to join them. Call Greg and Deborah McIntire at 280-1948.

There is also the opportunity of giving stock to Bethany as a special gift in support of the building fund or as a memorial or for any other reason. This may also be advantageous for you in tax planning. There is an account set up for this at Bethany and it is a fairly simple procedure. If you have any questions or would like help in taking advantage of this plan, please talk to Marilyn Collins at 356-4433.

Did you know that you can give to Bethany through Electronic Funds Transfer? Some people find that this option helps them to be faithful in their stewardship of their resources. Using this allows you to set the amount you would like to give weekly or monthly and it is automatically transferred. No more envelopes to fill out each week. You can change or cancel at anytime.

The Sunday School is providing children’s activity bags for use during the worship service. These are available by the table in the narthex each Sunday. Each bag contains a sticker activity, coloring book, and activity book. Please feel free to have your children use these during the service and return the bag to the rack after the service. Children are free to take home the pictures they have created.

Large print Bibles and bulletins are available for your use during the service. Please ask an usher for assistance.

If you know of a college student that would like to receive their own copy of the Bethany Banner newsletter each month, please give their name and address to either Ed Fishel or leave the names in the church office for Sara.