February 21, 2021
First Sunday in Lent
Scripture:
Matthew 18:1-5
Sermon:
Black Joy, Part III: "Let's Play"
Rev. Timothy L. Adkins-Jones, Ph.D.,
Senior Pastor
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VIRTUAL WORSHIP CONTINUES |
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Thank you for worshipping with us this week! Above is a replay of yesterday's service. Thank you to the GLOW Youth Choir for ministering through music. Pastor Adkins-Jones' sermon begins at 59:45 (59 minutes, 45 seconds).
Join us LIVE on Sunday mornings at 8 A.M. and 11 A.M. for our weekly worship services. You can watch us on YouTube or on our website. Visit bethany-newark.org/liveservice/.
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Prayer Requests
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." --Matt. 5:4
Please keep the following members of our extended community in prayer:
Sister Shakyra Mills, who lost her aunt, Amalia Hatcher, to cancer. Please also pray for her sister, brother-in-law, and niece, who all have COVID.
The State of Texas, as residents experience severe winter weather.
Sister Linda V. Rampertab, whose father, Lawrence Khan, passed away.
Linda Palmer, who had a sudden heart attack and is undergoing heart procedures.
Friends of Deacon Mary Cosby's cousin, who live in the Bronx:
Gina Boatwright, who is suffering from a heart condition.
Serena Boatwright, who is suffering from a liver condition.
The family of Deacon Mark Epps. Please keep his beloved wife, Deacon Linda Epps, their sons Mark III and Bryan, and the rest of their family in your prayers as they grieve.
Unhoused people who need to find shelter in the cold.
We continue to keep in prayer all individuals and communities that have been affected by the Coronavirus. We pray for caregivers, individuals who are waiting for test results, and all who have lost loved ones in this season. We also pray that all leaders will seek wisdom as they prepare to reopen their communities.
Rev. Timothy L. Adkins-Jones, Ph.D., Senior Pastor
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MATTHEW 6:9 WEEKDAY PRAYER CALL |
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The Matthew 6:9 prayer call continues on weekday evenings at 6:09 pm. To join the prayer call, as well as to listen to our Sunday morning worship services, you may dial 1-425-436-6372, and when asked, enter 146003 as the access code.
"In this manner, therefore, pray: "Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name." -- Matt. 6:9, NKJV
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WAYS TO GIVE
Thank you all for giving faithfully and sustaining our ministry during this time. As a reminder, you can give in the following ways:
ONLINE:
BY TEXT:
Text the "AMOUNT" to 973-339-0329
BY MAIL:
Bethany Baptist Church
275 West Market Street
Newark, NJ 07103
NEW: Give using CASHAPP:
*NOTE: When using CashApp, please put your name and purpose (tithe, offering, etc.) in the description.
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YOUTH AND ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL
There are two Adult Sunday School classes. The Contemporary Sunday School class is taught by Deacon Linda Caldwell Epps at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom. The Traditional Sunday School class is taught by Brother Ronnie Walker via conference call immediately following the 8 a.m. service. Please contact the church office for login information.
There are also two Youth Sunday School classes. Children ages 11 and younger meet at 9:30 a.m. and teens between the ages of 12 and 18 meet at 10:00 a.m. Please contact the church office for login information.
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Join us LIVE on Wednesdays for Bible Study, beginning on February 3 at 7 pm, as we travel through the Gospel of John, following the “Road Signs to the Resurrection.” Here are this week's readings: |
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NEWS FROM THE EXAMPLE
YOUTH MINISTRY
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NEW SUNDAY SCHOOL LINK FOR LITTLE SAINTS |
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REFUGE FOR YOUTH ON WEDNESDAYS |
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Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 999 8961 9117
Passcode: 220088
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,99989619117#,,,,*220088# US (Washington D.C)
+13126266799,,99989619117#,,,,*220088# US (Chicago)
Dial by your location
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 999 8961 9117
Passcode: 220088
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SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE NEWS |
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SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION NOW OPEN - APPLICATIONS DUE MARCH 31ST |
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N.J. TOGETHER LISTENING CAMPAIGN LAUNCH |
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A local social justice organization called NJ Together will be launching a listening campaign on Tuesday, March 9 from 7:30 pm - 8:45 pm. All who are interested in leading this initiative are welcome to attend an introductory meeting on Sunday, February 28 at 1 pm.
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TRILOGY: AN OPERA COMPANY PRESENTS "ORANGE MIST", A VIRTUAL GALA |
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Trilogy: An Opera Company will be hosting their annual gala, “Orange Mist”, on Saturday, February 27 at 7 pm. You may watch it on YouTube or at www.smarturl.it/OrangeMist.
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BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH DANCE MINISTRY
LIMITED MOVEMENT WORKOUT ON TWO-WEEK BREAK
Please note the Limited Movement Workout is on a two-week break and will return on Tuesday, March 9th for its second 6-week session.
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MALE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Food Pantry needs male volunteers on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. For further information, please call Jon Lee at 201-396-0857.
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A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE BLACK HISTORY COMMITTEE |
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BETHANY CARES IN SEARCH OF VOLUNTEERS
Bethany Cares is looking for volunteers with grant writing experience to assist in seeking funding as BCI will soon celebrate its 20th year of operation. For more information, contact Bill Lee at welee@me.com or the church office (office@bethany-newark.org).
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SEASONAL DEVOTION BOOKS STILL AVAILABLE
The winter Sunday School books, "The Secret Place," and "Our Daily Bread" are still available. You may pick up a copy at the church.
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UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS CHARTER SCHOOL ACCEPTING FALL 2021 APPLICATIONS |
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AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AND MEDICAID ENROLLMENT RE-OPENS TODAY
WITH NO PENALTY
The Biden Administration has re-opened enrollment for the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid. Anyone who has lost their health insurance or is unemployed is eligible to apply for coverage from February 15 to May 15.
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The Black church is the oldest and most trusted institution in the Black Community. Therefore, Choose Healthy Life has partnered with Bethany Baptist Church and 49 other Black religious institutions in the country to provide free COVID-19 testing, awareness, and education. Be on the lookout as more information becomes available with dates, times, and events. You may contact Rev. Shawn Torres-Anderson or the church office for more information. |
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ADDRESSING THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
Dear Bethany family,
As the COVID-19 strain of the Coronavirus spreads, it is in our interest to keep you informed and protected. We encourage you to practice proper hygiene habits and be careful when interacting with others. Here are some precautions to take:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, or cough or sneeze into your elbow.
- If you are sick, stay home.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Instead of shaking hands, greet others with a fist bump, elbow bump, "Wakanda Forever," or anything that does not require direct physical contact.
- Do not use your fingertips to touch shared surfaces. For example, you may use paper towels to open doors, press elevator buttons, etc.
- Keep hand sanitizer and disinfectants within reach and in locations you frequently access, such as the entrance to your home, your car, and any personal bags that you carry.
- Stock up on medications and other essentials you may need in the event of quarantine, such as nonperishable food items.
We especially encourage our Seniors to take extra precautions, as data has proven that they are most at risk of catching the Coronavirus.
In addition, we as a church have taken steps to increase the availability of hand sanitizers in common spaces.
Although we are no longer having in-person meetings, please join us live in worship on our YouTube channel and at bethany-newark.org. You may also give securely online through our website. In the midst of these uncertain times, we want you to be able to worship with us as you always do, except from the comfort of your own home. Please be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and click the icon that looks like a bell in order to receive all notifications in real time.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation. We pray for your protection during this time, and for a safe and full recovery for anyone who has been infected.
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COVID-19 HOTLINE
The state has established a hotline – 855-568-0545 – for New Jersey residents seeking support or information on the COVID-19 Vaccine — including information on how to register and schedule an appointment.
The vaccine call center is now live and agents will be available from 8 AM—8 PM.
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THE COVID-19 VACCINATION IS NOW AVAILABLE
New Jersey now has an online portal that enables you to register for a vaccine. Once you are eligible to receive the vaccine, you will be notified and can then find a vaccination site, pre-register, and schedule an appointment. Some vaccination sites may offer walk-up/on-site registration as well when doses are more readily available. Visit covidvaccine.nj.gov to register.
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THE COVID-19 MOBILE ALERT APP |
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Currently, there is a surge in the number of positive cases of the COVID-19 Virus in our community.
The NJ Department of Health is working to decrease the spread by strongly encouraging the use of the COVID Alert App.
They are also working to dispel the myths that prevent us from taking advantage of this tool to save lives.
Once the APP is downloaded it provides multiple services to a person who has tested positive.
It can also alert another App user if they have come in close contact with one who has tested positive.
Please take advantage of this tool. It can be downloaded through Google Play Store and the App Store.
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CRISIS COUNSELING FOR ANYONE
EMOTIONALLY STRUGGLING WITH COVID-19
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NEWARK URGES RESIDENTS WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT CORONAVIRUS TO CALL NEW JERSEY HOTLINE AT 1-800-222-1222. Hotline is staffed 24 hours a day. More information at https://www.njpies.org/
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ANNOUNCEMENT AND COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES
If you would like to submit a graphic (flyer, poster, etc.) for the newsletter or video announcements, please ensure that it is an image file with the suffix .png or .jpg affixed to the end. PDF files are also acceptable. However, Microsoft Word documents may be resized or otherwise damaged in the process of conversion. PDF files and image files are preferred. Video submissions should be approximately 30 seconds long.
We would also appreciate if all announcements are proofread and edited before submission, as it would make the writing and distribution of our newsletter much more expedient.
In addition, if you know someone who is not receiving the biweekly email newsletters, please encourage them to follow these steps in order:
- Check your spam email folder.
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Add "office@bethany-newark.org" to your contacts.
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If you still do not receive our emails, you may sign up for the newsletter by scrolling to the bottom of our homepage (bethany-newark.org) and typing your email address under "Newsletter Sign-Up", OR
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Email our Director of Media and Communications, Min. H. Rebekah Keazer, at hkeazer@bethany-newark.org with your name, preferred email address, and any other relevant contact information.
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