Weekly Update
Bethesda UCC

March 22, 2023


Holy Week


Saturday, April 1

Palm cross folding and Easter egg dying 1pm


Sunday, April 2

Palm/Passion Sunday 10:30 am


Tuesday, April 4

Walking the Labyrinth

12:00 noon - 2:00 pm

4:00 pm - 8:30 pm



Thursday, April 6

Maundy Thursday 

6:15 pm Dinner

7pm Communion and Tenebrae Worship Service


Sunday, April 9

Easter Sunday service 10:30am



Zoom options are available for all worship services.


Volunteers Needed


Holy Week will be very busy this year! Can you help us with any of these volunteer opportunities? Let Tim or Jill know.

  • Sunday, April 2 Chair removal and set up Labyrinth and prayer stations.
  • Tuesday, April 4

Labyrinth host/vol

  • Wednesday, April 5

6pm Laby removal and reset chairs

for Maundy Thurs.

  • Thursday, April 6

5pm Help with prep for Maundy Thursday

last supper meal, and service.

  • Saturday, April 7

Afternoon - switch out swoop



Last Sunday's Worship


Fifth Sunday in Lent

Bloom in the Wilderness

John 11:1-44

Raising Lazarus


On this final Sunday in Lent we read about Jesus' last sign - the raising of Lazarus. For the religious leadership, this is the last straw. Jesus is getting too popular and drawing too many crowds. They plot to kill him.

I equated Lazarus' raising to the first bloom in a desert. Occasionally the dry, desolate desert erupts with a blanket of blooming flowers. It is quite a sight. But before the entire area blooms a few blooms rise up. They are the portent of the bloom to come.

Lazarus' rising is a portent to what is to come. Jesus will also rise, and with that event our lives changed. The wilderness was overcome by the blooming of the promise of eternal life.

As we head into holy week, let us remember that it isn't all wine and weddings, healings, and risings. We don't go from waving palms and singing Hosannas to celebrating Easter. In between there is betrayal, trials, tribunals, torture, and death.

There are many ways to remember the events of holy week, I hope you join us for one or more, listed to the left.

Pastor's Message

BUCC Transition Process - Save the Date!

Saturday, April 29th

Saturday, May 20th

 

The next phase of our transition process is the Identity Phase. This is where we look at our perception of who we are, get input on others’ perceptions, discover more about the community around us, and consider what changes might influence who we are and who we might become. 

Although our Crossroads services were useful, we realized that we needed a dedicated meeting that allowed the congregation more time to discuss topics. And, because of the approaching summer season we have scheduled the preliminary identity phase meetings and activities in April and May.

 

These meetings are for the full congregation. Everyone is urged to participate. We will engage in small group discussion and brainstorming. The first meeting is Saturday, April 29th from 1:00pm - 4:00 pm here at BUCC.  In this meeting we will focus on our perceptions of who BUCC is, our mission, and our focus. This will be followed by a Crossroads service that will augment what is discussed in the meeting on Saturday. 

 

During May, pairs will go out and interview some of the surrounding community organizations (schools, fire dept., nursing home, etc.) discovering who they are, what their needs are, and who they think BUCC is.

 

The second identity meeting is Saturday, May 20th. At that meeting we will look at the data collected from the interviews, then take an even broader view of what changes might influence us in the future. This meeting will also be followed by a Crossroads service that carries on with this theme.

 

The identity phase is an important part of our discernment process. We must look at everything that influences the future and what we feel God is calling BUCC to be and do. Although we encourage everyone to attend the meetings, we know that people travel, have other commitments, and may still be uncomfortable at in-person meetings. We promise that we will make every effort to get your input as we proceed.

 

We are right on schedule in our process. Meeting in April and May allows us to spend the summer on transition activities that are more focused on internal issues (governance, denominational linkages, etc.). Then, in the fall we will begin to look at what your capacity is, what you do well, what partnerships and opportunities present themselves, and finally, what do you envision being and doing. From there we go to strategic planning, where solid goals and strategies are built so that you can provide direction in pastor search, land use, and building use.

 

We hope that this will be a time of enthusiasm and spirit-led discernment. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to the transition team: Jim Smith, Jim Burks, Martha Knouss, Jean Thompson, and myself.

Blessings,

Pastor Jill

 

Don't forget to check out our public Facebook page ("like" us please!) to see a photo and thought each day through Lent. Using the words in the list to the right - each day I will post a photo and a thought. Let us know what you think by replying to the FB post - post a picture or thought of your own! Share the day's thought with your FB friends - in this way we will begin to build our social media connections.

March April

22nd Beauty 1st Worship

23rd Give 2nd Discovery

24th Question 3rd Community

25th Love 4th Beloved

26th Celebrate 5th Searching

27th Disciples 6th Wonder

28th Needs 7th Revealed

29th Prophet 8th Hidden

30th Humble 9th Released

31st Blessed


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